Benefits Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce
Draws 10/09/2010
Raffle Benefits
The Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce’s chief mission is to strengthen and advance local businesses, but a vibrant community is essential to carrying out this goal. This is why our programs and activities extend far beyond ribbon-cuttings and cocktail receptions.
The Chamber supplies the Greater Decatur community with the leadership, resources, and enthusiasm needed to strengthen EDUCATION, POLITICAL ADVOCACY, COMMUNITY IMAGE, NEIGHBORHOODS, and TRANSPORTATION. These improvements enhance our regional quality of life and help area businesses attract and retain the highest caliber workforce.
We believe Decatur has the potential to become a WORLD-CLASS community – and the Chamber is dedicated to turning this potential into reality.
The Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce is focused on education. We work diligently to improve our community’s work force by offering educational programs such as quarterly Ag Cafes, business seminars, and the Decatur Leadership Institute. The Chamber also fully supports the Decatur Area Education Coalition’s mission to make Decatur and Macon County one of the most educated communities in Illinois. 
The Chamber takes care of politics so you can take care of your business. We are a respected voice when it comes to protecting and promoting free enterprise and minimizing government interference and taxation. The Chamber monitors and informs members about issues of importance to business. From City Council to Congress, we make sure the people who make the laws hear your concerns. Through organizations such as CIPAC and PARAGON, the Chamber continually promotes the best interests of the community.
Improving community image is at the core of everything we do at the Chamber. We sponsor groups such as the Community Image Taskforce and the Chamber Ambassadors to build and promote a positive perception of Decatur and Macon County. We also organize activities such as the Greater Decatur Community Awards and the Community Thanksgiving Luncheon to recognize significant civic contributions.
Raffle Car
This beautiful 1927 Ford Hotrod!
1927 Ford Roadster Pick-up 32 style frame. 32 heavy front axle by Mordrop. 12 inch Ford brakes with 60 Buick drums. Front radius rods are 36 Ford, split and drilled. 55 Ford passenger rear axle, 3.89 ratio, 11 inch Ford brakes. Rear radius rods are 39 Ford split and shortened. Engine is 1949 Ford, 3 3/8 bore by 4 inch stroke Mercury crank, which works out to 286 cubic inches. The heads were new Offenhouser when the engine was built in 2004. The intake is Offenhouser triple with Stromberg 97’s with progressive linkage. All are hooked up and working well. The intake is drilled and tapped on the bottom for a hidden PCV in the valley. The block has been drilled and tapped for a full flow oil system, used the 48 style heads. The valves are all stock Ford size, the guides were new. The cam is a copy of an Iskenderian 400 jr. The springs were new Isky. The lifters are old style light weight Johnson adjustables. The 
ignition is a ‘73 Duster 318 Dizzy cut to fit the stock front cover. All the electronics were new. The water pumps were new from Speedway, it cools well. The radiator is a custom one off ‘28 from Portell, chopped 1 3/4 inches to fit the cowl on the 27 body. The radiator shell is chopped the same amount. The bell housing is stock Ford stamped steel with a homemade aluminum adaptor to the S10 five speed. It has a ten inch Ford clutch with a 9 3/4 inch Chev disc. The exhaust headers were the last set imported by Flat Attack Racing before he sold his headers to Reds. The entire exhaust is mandrel bends, coated inside and out except for the mufflers. The coating was done by HPC in Oklahoma City. The gauges all work, the oil pressure gauge has never been accurate. The motor has 65 pounds oil pressure cold, runs at 40, and idles at 15 hot. If the oil gauge comes off the peg, its good. The fuel tank holds 16.8 gallons, it was made at home from 16 ga. steel. The car was built to look as if it could have been in the little pages in 1959. The radial tires, the Coors can overflow, the oil filter, and the nyloc nuts on the shocks are the only 
give-aways to the time it was built. The car handles well, rides well, cruises easily at 70, works a bit at 80, and is still easy to drive at 90 mph but it seems I have to step on it to keep it there. Not into the secondaries yet. The car has turned 16.83 at the HAMB drags with mufflers and street tires.
Raffle Tickets and Contact Information
Raffle tickets for the 1927 Ford Roadster Pickup raffle are just $20 each and this raffle draws on Oct. 9th, 2010. For more information and photos, to get contact numbers and to learn more about the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce please visit their website at DecaturChamber.com. Thanks!