August 2024
Natural disasters have been front and center in my windshield these past two months. First, my hometown, Houston, just endured hurricane Beryl and I’m happy to report that all my Model A friends and colleagues are doing well. Fortunately, Beryl was “only” a category one. Even at this low level though, flooding and wind damage was substantial. I’m writing this newsletter two days after the storm and between 1.5 and 2.0 million people in’ the Houston metroplex area are still without power. Daytime temperatures are back in the 90’s with relatively high humidity so now heat stress is a major concern. Hopefully the thousands of workers out there working to restore power will not suffer any injury and be able to return electrical power quickly and keep the personal suffering to a minimum.
Secondly, the Southwest Model A’s convention committee, along with select MAFCA support, is continuing to work diligently on “unwinding” all the many pieces of the cancelled 2024 National Convention. Just today I received my letter from the committee outlining my refund options and I am impressed at how professional the committee is conducting this business. I know that soon they will offer an auction of the available raffle items hoping to recover some of the non-recoverable expenses from the convention. I ask that those that are able to support this effort to please do so. This auction represents an important piece of the financial puzzle they are trying manage.
Significant work has been done to modernize and update MAFCA’s website. The improvements are in beta testing now and will be available to all the membership soon. The new website will be an amazing step forward and I’m excited about the new form and function. Interaction on almost any level will be enhanced along with a simpler user interface. Be prepared to embrace this new look within the next few months. I think you will be truly impressed.
Once again MAFCA will have a presence at Model A Days, September 20-21, 2024, at the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan courtesy of MAFFI. This year the theme will honor the Model A bus. MAFFI will unveil a newly restored 1931 bus at a special dinner being held at the Gilmore Carriage House Event Center. This bus has undergone an authentic, three-year restoration and promises to be a real jewel. Additionally, the Gilmore Car Museum was recently named “Top Automobile Museum in the World”. The 90-acre Gilmore campus is home to many other car museums, in addition to the Model A Ford Museum, and over 400 antique and collector cars. In addition to the Model A museum, museums on the campus include the Horseless Carriage Club Museum, The AACA Museum, Packard, Cadillac, Studebaker, Kaiser and others. If you have not attended Model A days in the past, you definitely want to put it on your bucket list of events to attend. You will be dutifully impressed with the event, the grounds and the quality of antique cars and memorabilia offered for viewing.
Lastly, this year’s Model A Days will be even more special with the installation of 100 bricks recognizing those chapters of the Model A Ford Club of America who have achieved at least 50 years of continuous membership. A ceremony will recognize these MAFCA chapters with a specially engraved brick. If you have been to the museum before you have seen the sidewalks with the many bricks placed by individuals and chapters for recognition and memorials. Beginning with this year’s Model A Days these important MAFCA chapters will be recognized as well. I would like to especially thank Will Langford, MAFCA 2024 Director and John Begg, MAFFI President for their cooperative effort to make this recognition happen.
Travel safe and “See you down the road!”
Robert Bullard, 2024 MAFCA President