Mike Wolanin | The Republic A view of the sculpture titled When I Was Your Age by John Seward Johnson Jr. near the Bartholomew Consolidated Schools Corporation administration building in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, May 9, 2024. The Ford Model A in the sculpture was recently restored by the Columbus Model A Restorers Club.
The Columbus Model A Club has some unique events coming up to celebrate the club’s 60th anniversary.
Organizers are attempting to attract as many Model A’s as possible to the Columbus Municipal Airport on Saturday, June 15, club secretary Rob Kirkpatrick said.
The antique cars will be gathered together in order to take a high-angle commemorative photograph during the early afternoon hours, Kirkpatrick said.
With 60 antique cars in the club and a 60-year anniversary, the club secretary said it would be ideal if they could have at least 60 Ford Model A’s for the photo shoot.
“I’ve told people that if you’ve got three (Model A) cars, find two more drivers and bring them,” Kirkpatrick said.
More details on the event are available through email at [email protected].
Although club members frequently make road trips, Kirkpatrick said there are two special events planned as part of the milestone anniversary.
Several members will be driving their antique cars to the Model A Restorers Club – 2024 National Model A Meet. The event will be held July 15 – 18 in Asheville, North Carolina.
But the most ambitious event will be either late this summer or early fall when club members set out to “get their kicks” on Route 66.
Plans are being made to drive the antique cars 2,448 miles from Chicago, Illinois to the pier in Santa Monica, California shortly after the Labor Day weekend, Kirkpatrick said.
The Model A’s will travel through nine states: Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.
“That’s going to be quite an adventure,” Kirkpatrick said. “That’s a huge bucket list item for me.”
For three decades before and after World War II, Route 66 earned the title “Main Street of America”, according to the Road Trip USA website. Due largely to the Interstate Highway System, as well as overcrowding, Route 66 was decommissioned by the federal government in 1985.
Nevertheless, about 85% of the route can be driven and several efforts have been made to restore sections in at least three states, according to the website.
The local organization was known as the “Model “A” Restorers Club when it was formed in early 1964. At that time, the club had 23 members who met in company rooms at what is now Cummins, Inc.
Today, there are more than 60 Ford Model A’s in the Columbus Model A Club, which belongs to two national organizations. the Model A Restorers Club and the Model A Ford Club of America.
Members were recently in the news for their volunteer efforts in restoring a Ford Model A Coupe that is part of a sculpture west of the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. administration building.
