PUTT-PUTT-PUTT-PUTT-PUTT ALL OVER OSHKOSH

The national convention of the Model A Restorers Club (MARC) is being held in Oshkosh, Wis., this entire week. According to meet chairman Russ Moss, over 400 cars are around town. Most owners are staying at the Hilton Garden Inn and many activities–such as the swap meet–are at the nearby EAA grounds.

OLD CARS WEEKLY stopped at the meet on Monday. With so many true antique cars within 75 miles, we figured that this was an event not to miss. The Model A Ford owners can select from several driving tours each day of this week, so the cars are tooting around all over town with their distinctive putt-putt-putt putt-putt-putt exhaust notes filling the air. It is a lot of fun to see them.

The event includes a large and mostly indoor Model A swap meet that is located in a hanger across the street from the entrance to the EAA’s old-fashioned Pioneer Airport. The swap meet has cars for sale, parts, clothing to match the era of the cars, Ford and Model A books, vintage Hubley model car and service vendors such as Custom Plating Specialists (www.customplatingspecialists.com) of Brillion. Antique Engine Rebuilding (www.antiqueenginerebuilding.com) of Skokie, Ill., had a large supply of rebuilt short blocks and long blocks, as well as parts for do-it-yourselfers.

Each car registered had a tie-on MARC license plate with a unique sequential number. The highest number we saw was 462 on a dark blue roadster with a Hagerty (www.hagerty.com) insurance company sticker on the door. This was not the famous 365 Model A Tudor that our friend Abe Barnett drove everyday for a year.

We saw cars at the hotel from Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, California and Colorado. One group drove a bunch of Model As all the way from Ontario, Canada! As we photographed a car near the hotel in the 90-degree heat, a lady walked by and said, “These old car people are nuts.”

We told her that they were only “car crazy,” which means they were having a ton of fun. If you agree, we hope that you’ll take one day this week to drop by and check out the Model A meet. Why you may even wind up buying a car and driving it to the next convention.