Ford Model A club keeps the past alive in Monroe

While the spectrum of collector cars ranges widely from early automobiles to muscle cars of the 1960s and ’70s, the Ford Model A has a special history in the Detroit area. One Monroe-based club has worked for decades to keep the memory of one of Ford’s earliest flagship autos alive, and it continues its community outreach and activities to this day, nearly 100 years since the first Model A came off the assembly line.

The Floral City Model A club was founded in 1982 and to this day boasts roughly 35 members. Dave Jones, recently appointed president of the club, said that one of the purposes of the club is the togetherness it provides its members as well as its community-focused activities.

The club hosts two breakfasts a month for its members as well as numerous dinners and driving destinations. The trips are mostly short jaunts, due to the classic cars’ restricted speed abilities, but the group does plan some longer trips several times a year.

“Basically, we try to keep the cars on the road,” Jones said. “We’re not out on the major freeways, because these cars are only capable of 50 to 55 mph at best.”

Jones shared the story of how he came to own his Model A, which is a 1931 Victoria edition.

“I’ve always wanted one since I was a kid,” Jones explained.

Though he had already owned muscle cars, it was a certain Model A that he first laid eyes on roughly eight years ago that became his personal mission to own. Afterward, he kept up with opportunities to own it.

“Every time I came upon it, I couldn’t afford it,” Jones explained. “It bounced around the country through different collections.”

Finally, his wife suggested that he should sell one of his muscle cars and buy the Model A that he wanted.

“She said, ‘I don’t care what it costs, just get that thing, I’m tired of hearing about it’,” Jones said jokingly. “That made the decision really easy.”

Jones retired in 2020. His present to himself was his dream Model A, a trailer to tow it, and a truck to pull it.

“When I finally landed it, it was in Louisville, Kentucky,” he said.

Jones’ story is just one of many among Model A owners. Though they may be different, the common thread is that they are all tales of a dream fulfilled.

For member Roger Dutton, the story was simpler but nonetheless special. His car was originally purchased from the dealership by a grandparent and passed down two generations to him.

“I’ve been riding in it since I was born,” Dutton said.

Mick Krueger, who has been with the club for about 30 years, said that it was his proximity to the Ford culture that drew him in. While working for Ford in Monroe, a coworker persistently encouraged him to look into owning a Model A.

“Finally, I went and looked at some of them and found one that I thought was pretty nice,” he said.

Since then, he has put 50,000 miles on his 1930 Model A.

Ralph Carducci, the club’s Activities Director, came to the club after he already owned his first Model A. In 1983, he attended a meeting at a club founder’s home. Although their knowledge of Model A engines and technical aspects were beyond his own understanding, Carducci was drawn to the club by their high level of activity.

“They were really active back then,” Carducci said. “There were all kinds of games and activities.”

Carducci said that the club remains busy to this day, attending day trips to museums, parks, national meets, wine tours, dinners and much more.

“The Model A clubs do so much,” Krueger added. “We have at least one event a month, but in reality, we have more than one a month.”

Carducci explained that long trips must be planned carefully, since they need to avoid major highways. However, the group always manages to plan and map out suitable routes.

“We’ve gone to Niagara Falls and Gettysburg,” Carducci said. “We go to all kinds of places.”

Jones said they are always looking for new members, including younger Model A owners. He said that at 63 years old, he is one of the younger members of the Floral City club. He added that many of the club’s youth outreach activities are guided by a national organization, the Model A Restoration Club (MARC).

“They promote Youth Month in May,” Jones said. “They encourage all the clubs to get active with youth.”

Krueger explained that those who are interested in the club have several methods of contacting club members, such as showing up to an event and meeting them in person. Carducci noted that the club typically announces its events in the Monroe News.

“We have these cards that we pass out to people that say they are interested in the club,” Krueger said. “We usually put our name and telephone number on the back, so if they have more questions after we talk to them, they can call us.”

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Ford Model A club keeps the past alive in Monroe