Jun. 12—Antique cars were sprawled out across the Seiberling Mansion's front yard and rear parking lot this weekend. There were nearly 30 of them, the oldest being a 1904 curved dash Oldsmobile. Six of the cars were made in Kokomo.

The display, which was hosted by the Howard County Historical Society, was a celebration of Kokomo's automotive history.

George Kingston, an inventor who lived at the mansion longer than any other owner, played a key role in Kokomo's early automotive success. His carburetors and coils were installed in Model T Fords. Naturally, there were Model Ts on display during the event, which was titled "Mr. Kingston's Historic Car Show."

Alyssa Pier, an Historical Society employee who helped organize the event, said more than 300 people came to the Historic Car Show when it opened Friday afternoon. Saturday was a bit more relaxed.

Car owners lounged in collapsible lawn chairs wherever they could find shade. As people came up for closer looks at the cars, the owners were more than happy to share the antique automobile's story.

When one owner hopped in a Model A, honked its horn and drove across the yard, some visitors hardly bothered looking up. It wasn't particularly out of place for the event.

A 1927 Model T was brought by the North Central Indiana chapter of the Model T Ford Club of America. The club's members explained their exhibit had a special connection to Howard County history. For a while it was used as an educational tool by Kokomo High School. It was also assembled by Kokomo's Pioneer Club on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where the group set the record for fastest assembly.

Model T Ford Club members Dan Conder and Terry Bell said their club once put the car together in 3 minutes 14 seconds. The Pioneer Club was able to put it together in 1 minute 57 seconds.

The Model T Ford Club uses extra parts in the assembly race, though.

Conder, president of the local club, said the group doesn't just assemble antique cars.

They also enjoy driving them across the nation.

They take trailers out to places like Glacier National Park in Montana or Albuquerque, New Mexico, and drive the Model Ts and As for thousands of miles.

"I guess the neat thing is seeing the country at 30 miles per hour," Conder said. "You see things and hear things and smell things that you wouldn't in a modern car."

Even locally, Bell added, the group sees their everyday surroundings through a different lens when they take their cars out for monthly meetups.

Jerry Tranbarger, one of the Pioneer Club members who put the car together in less than two minutes, sat next to his 1952 Plymouth Belvedere.

He recognized the Model T when its new owners showed it to him.

The Pioneer Club sold it for about $50 decades ago. At one point, it was owned by Kokomo High School. Later, the car collected dust in a barn.

"It was fun to drive," Tranbarger said. "We used to take it down to old gravel roads to play with it. It would spit up water, but it's an old T."

Tranbarger couldn't remember when he last worked on the car. He also wasn't sure when his team broke the assembly record, but it was sometime around the late '70s or early '80s.

He was certain nobody would dethrone his team, though. He laughed at the thought that anybody could.

"Everything just went perfect that day," Tranbarger said.

The Greenfield Village museum in Dearborn, Michigan, still holds Model T assembly competitions. Tranbarger said the Pioneer Club has managed to hang on to its record.

Other than the Model T assembly, pinewood derby competitions also drew audience attention.

One special competition saw Kokomo Mayor Tyler Moore face off against city development specialist Tom Tolen, who was dressed in a golden helmet and a jumpsuit with "Local Hero" spelled on his back with tape.

Both of the city officials seemed happy to talk smack.

Moore told the crowd he would enter a car that represented "Kokomo's Finest." He placed several trophies on a table while searching for the entry.

Unintimidated, Tolen jeered, "Somebody visited Goodwill today."

The mayor fired back, "Yeah, I like your outfit."

Finally, Moore pulled out a miniature replica of a police car. Tolen entered the race with a potato that had wheels attached. He called it the "Spud Mobile."

In a show of sportsmanship, the two competitors sang "Back Home Again in Indiana," a reference to the Indianapolis 500, before placing their derby cars on the track. Race officials explained the competition would award victory to whichever car won two out of three races.

The mayor's car won both races. Tolen celebrated as if the potato won and received champion awards amidst the confusion. Both men drank milk after the race.

More miniature cars were on display near the side of the former Kingston residence. They were Electricars, toys that were invented by Kingston.

Wayne and Cindy Beckom, owners of the toy cars, explained the toys were propelled via electric current that ran through a metal fence. A metallic arm stretched out from the base of each car to transfer the current from the fence to the car.

When the toys were originally released in a 1928-1934 run, they were considered luxury items. The cars cost $17.50 at the time, which is roughly equivalent to $300 in today's money.

It was the first time the couple brought the toy cars to the Kingston Historic Car Show. They had a collection of other Kingston products on display, including a Kingston Carburetor and coils.

A child came up to the table to see the cars race across the miniature track. With his parents watching with him, he listed off the colors of each car. The Beckoms congratulated him on his accuracy, adding he was well prepared for kindergarten.

"This interaction is exactly what we're going for: teaching young kiddos about Kokomo," Pier said.

The Historical Society began organizing the event in January with the help of local car enthusiast Sally Tuttle.

"It's been a pleasure, it's been fun and I'm just happy the car guys are pleased with it," Tuttle said, adding she and Pier were already excited for next year's celebration.

Pier said it was a successful event. Giving visitors the chance to tour the Historical Society's museum for free was a nice touch, she added. Some of the car enthusiasts who toured the museum returned to Pier to say they had learned something about Kokomo during the event.

With the annual event coming to an end, visitors had one last chance to watch the Model T assembly demonstration.

Now dressed in jumpsuits, the Model T & A club said they wouldn't try to beat the Pioneer Club record.

"We're not going to chase any time," Bell said, "But we're going to have a good time."

Springing to action, they managed to put the car together, start it and drive forward in 4 minutes 22 seconds.

James Bennett III can be reached at 765-454-8580 or james.bennett@kokomotribune.com.