2001 Litestar & Pulse
3rd Annual Convention

June 2001
Owosso, Michigan

Steve Schmidt.......Chuck & Linda Furgason --- Hosts

Date....Friday June 8, 2001

The 3rd Annual National Litestar Pulse Owners Group meeting was a great success! Twenty club members and 8 vehicles gathered at Owosso's Airport. The weather was beautiful and cooperated perfectly.

A Rainbow of Color

Chuck Furgason, Michael Boyson, Greg Winterhelt, Norm Ousley,
Dave and Janelle Ohmstede, Darrin Ohmstede and Tom Caprioli.

Linda Schmidt prepared roast pork sandwiches and Linda Furgason provided desert.

Chuck Furgason presented members with a beautiful Dash Plaque


Luke Chaplin, after spending nearly 3 hours putting his vehicles back on the trailer. The outriggers were removed and the two units bolted together and then winched up in place.
Luke also presented each member with a full color wall poster (3' X 4') of Jim Bede in his yellow BD200, below.

Steve Schmidt presented each member with a coffee cup and Owners Group hat.

Tom Caprioli presented each member with a Certificate of Attendance.

Bill Senter washing down his gleaming yellow Pulse 'on the ramp'.
Many pilots did a double take, when told that Bill had just 'landed'.

Bill was always willing to let any kid at the festival hop into the seat of his Pulse. "Who knows ...they may grow up to be a Pulse club member someday!"

Below Club Members are really getting 'down & dirty' while examining Tom's BMW powered Litestar.

Many pictures and scrap books were shared by members along with original company literature and 'stories' galore.

2001 Awards

Farthest Distance Driven.....Tom Caprioli and Bill Senter...500 miles.

Farthest Distance Trailered.....Luke Chaplin...700 miles.

Broken Hose Award....Michael Boyson...wheel and brake problems, but he came to the Meeting anyway without his Litestar.

Alot of friendships made this weekend....
and just think...we met on the internet. Didn't your mother warn you about those "Chatrooms"?

Above, Chuck Furgason, Bill Senter, Dave Ohmstede, Luke Chaplin, Ed Butcher, Norm Ousley, Dick Abbott and Steve Schmidt.

Below, Chuck and Tom comparing notes.

SATURDAY June 9, 2001

Coffee - Donuts....8:00AM.... Another Great Day of weather and pictures.

Owosso Motor Car Company employee Gary Bendall explains some of the more interesting challenges he faced while building the Pulse. "Seeing these again really jogs your memory! It was alot of fun!"

Gary recalled a newly completed Pulse was ready to ship when a one of the shop guys tripped over its outrigger and ran a screw driver through the canopy. "Butcher told me to just take the guy out behind the building and shoot him", Gary laughed.

Luke's Scranton Litestar #4 was one of the highlights of the show. This early vehicle had the sleek outriggers and rear tire retained its original fender hidden by the fiberglass body. Here, Tom Caprioli and Doug Walsh do an inspection.

Lunch was provided by Linda Furgason. Later in the day seven Pulses were in the big Curwood Parade. Even though the temperature was 80 degrees, drivers reported no engine problems in the two hour slow moving test.

Next, we all met at the Owosso Motor Car Factory building, where the picture taking continued. Below Ed Butcher, left, was all smiles surrounded by his Pulses and new friends in front of the old factory.

Saturday evening, we enjoyed the meal and talk at Owosso's Risto Bristro restaurant.

We added a couple of new members to the growing list of Litestars and Pulses. VINs and pics soon.

Members Who Attended the 2001 Meeting

*******Bruce Emmons...Michigan...Prototype builder

*******Doug Walsh...Michigan...Prototype builder

*******Matt DeMaagd....Michigan

*******Greg Winterhelt...Ontario

*******David & Janelle Ohmstede and sons Darren and Dustin.....Pulse #152...Iowa

*******Norm Ousley.......white Pulse #153...Michigan

******* Tom Caprioli......white Owosso Litestar #008...Wisconsin

*******Luke Chaplin.....white Scranton Litestar #002 & blue Pulse #006...Maryland

*******Dick Abbott....Michigan

*******Linda Furgason.....Pulse #324...Michigan

*******Chuck Furgason.....Pulse #328...Michigan

*******Bill Senter...Wisconsin

*******Michael Boyson and son Jonathan...Missouri

*******Steve and Linda Schmidt...Owosso, Michigan

Club Members enjoyed talking with the following Company Officials on Saturday. We have gained alot more insight and found there is more to these vehicles than just a shiney paint job. Production was an unbelieveable task and the daily discussion was much like our own Message Board today....engines, overheating, linkages, etc.

*******Ed Butcher...President of Owosso Motor Car Company

*******Gary Bendall....Shop Foreman...Owosso Motor Car. Co.

*******Sam Diamond.....Frame Welder...Owosso Motor Car Co.

*******Don Weekley.....Michigan Area Pulse Dealer

A special Thank-You to Jerry Morford (airport manager) and all the gang at the Owosso Community Airport for the hospitality.

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