Morgan Hill will once again put out the welcome mat this week
when about 400 visitors from near and far take part in a Model A
Ford car show and exhibition.
Morgan Hill will once again put out the welcome mat this week when about 400 visitors from near and far take part in a Model A Ford car show and exhibition.
The Model A Ford Club will celebrate its 45th anniversary with a car show featuring about 200 cars, from the late 1920s into the early 1930s, at the Community and Cultural Center at Monterey Road and Dunne Avenue all day Friday. Exhibitors will be on hand from throughout California, Nevada, Oregon and Idaho.
Glenn Wildman, a member of the Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the Northern California Model A Ford Club and a Gilroy resident, said Morgan Hill and the surrounding countryside was chosen because it is the close to how the area looked 50 or 60 years ago.
“We wanted people to experience more rural of the area instead of Silicon Valley,” Wildman said. “It is far more fun and enjoyable in rural atmosphere. Driving at 45 mph, you have time to smell the roses.”
Visitors will be able to watch different car games as well as view the vintage automobiles.
The cars will be in Morgan Hill Friday then travel 80 miles Saturday through back roads into San Jose’s History in the Park via three different routes for an awards banquet.
Awards are in five categories: The car driving farthest to reach the show; best restored to off-the-assembly-line quality; best restored car driven on a regular basis; most original car; and car with most original parts.
Visitors who attend Friday’s show will be able to get a close look at some of the first colorful, mass-produced cars. However, organizers stressed it will be look only – touching will not be allowed.
The Model As replaced the famous Model T, one of the first mass produced cars in the United States. A step up from the Model T, the Model A was faster and came in colors other than black.
New cars were sold at $400-$450. Nearly 5 million were made during their four years of production. Wildman said the Volkswagen Beetle was the only car that was produced more in the history of automobile manufacturing.
Wildman said the Santa Clara County chapter of the Model A Ford Club is one of 24 chapters in the Northern California area. The local chapter includes Gilroy and Hollister in the south and Redwood City in the north.
He said members join for any number of reasons.
“The Model A Ford is an affordable old car most anybody get into as a hobby,” Wildman said. “Parts are readily available and you can do a lot of fun things.”
This is yet another notch on Morgan Hill’s belt for 2005 events that already include the Far Western Swimming Championships, the Morgan Hill Grand Prix bicycle race and the Haru Matsuri Japanese spring festival that drew thousands to Morgan Hill from around the world in April. Upcoming events include the Mushroom Mardi Gras May 27-28, July 4 festivities, which feature the only parade in Santa Clara County that day, and the Taste of Morgan Hill Sept. 24-25.
