Model A fans cruising into town
Jamboree taking place Friday and Saturday
This weekend, nearly 200 Ford Model As will be converging on Porterville for a jamboree.
The Happy Honkers, the Porterville chapter of the Model A Ford Club of America, is hosting the Central California Regional Group Jamboree for the third time in the past 20 years. The Happy Honkers are one of the smallest clubs — 30 families strong — but are “noted for hosting the jamboree where people have the most fun.” Many of the local hotels and motels are booked solid due to the jamboree.
Porterville’s proximity to several National Parks and the large redwood groves, including the General Sherman Tree, make it great location for the gathering. But this year, with all of the rain and snow, tours to the mountains that were popular in past jamborees will not happen.
But don’t expect that or rain in the forecast over the weekend to dampen the festivities.
“We are going to go rain or shine,” Happy Honkers club member Carson Blaydes said.
Happy Honkers was
formed in 1989 and Blaydes has been a part of every jamboree held here. The current president is David Bockman, who said 185 have registered for the jamboree.
The jamboree is somewhat open to the public with the Porterville Fairgrounds the homebase, Blaydes said. The public can go out to the fairgrounds at 6 p.m. on Friday to look at the vehicles and mingle with owners, but they will not be able to take part in the jamboree’s kickoff barbecue.
Another public viewing opportunity will be from about 8 to 9 a.m. Saturday at the fairgrounds; just before the cars head out for tours, which are not open to the public.
The final opportunity would be from 3 to 4:30 p.m. when they return to the fairgrounds prior to a catered banquet.
Despite the limited accessibility, Blaydes encourages people to come out to the fairgrounds.
“I know about 90 percent of the people that are coming,” Blaydes said. “We all just dearly love talking about our cars.”
The Model As are expected to begin arriving Thursday and Friday and then take part in three motor tours and a seminar on Saturday.
The “Wings and Wheels” tour will see the Model As travel between the Porterville Airport to the Woodlake Airport. At each airport classic airplanes and helicopters will be parked on the tarmac.
A 1932 Pietenpol airplane, originally powered with a Model A engine, will be on display in Woodlake.
A stop at Boling Brothers Early Iron Shop in Lindsay, where their Model A hydraulic brake kit will be on display along with several other cars under restoration in their expansive shop, is also part of the tour between Porterville and Woodlake.
One tour destination is Exeter and its extensive set of colorful murals scattered throughout downtown as well as the Exeter Courthouse Gallery of the Arts and the Historical Museum. Registrants will also be able to view a private Model A restoration shop owned by John Cook.
A third tour includes viewing a special collection of General Motors cars in a private museum owned by Tom Mello with cars and trucks from 1914 to 1954. Mello is the regional president of the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America. This tour also includes a drive to Eagle Mountain Casino.
The Model A was the successor to the Ford Model T. It was first produced in 1927 and ended in 1932 after nearly 5 million had been made in nine different body styles that ranged from the Tudor available in grey, green or black to the luxury Town Car with a dual cowl.
The Model A was the first Ford to use the standard set of driver controls with conventional clutch and brake pedals, throttle, and gearshift. They featured a 4-cylinder water-cooled engine that provided 40 hp with a top speed of around 65 mph.
Blaydes bought his first Model A in 1951. He currently has three at his home outside of Springville. His father owned a Model T.
Since retiring in the late-80s, Blaydes estimates he and his wife have put 75,000 miles on a 1929 Model A, driving throughout the US and into Canada.
“Every year we just got into it and drove,” Blaydes said, adding that one year he recalls spending 46 days on the road in a Model A.
“We have a motto: Half of the fun is getting there and the other half is driving a Model A,” Blaydes said.
For more information, on the Model A Ford Club of America andthe Happy Honkers, visit www.mafca.com.