Message from the President

If you didn't make it to Paragould for the Summer Tour, you missed one of the best tours yet!  Michael Nowlin did a terrific job getting the tour together - the hotel was very nice, good food, great Model T roads, and unbelievable scenery.  Thanks Michael to you and your dad Larry for all your hard work!  I look forward to a repeat in the future.

Considering the distance to Paragould, we had a good turnout with 10 Model Ts and 1 Model A.  Several club members made their first tour with us and we look forward to them making many more.  First timers were Joyce and Ken Swan, Carolyn and Larry Williams, Ervin Pearcy, and Tom Patris.  Betty and Joe Jeffers continue to amaze me with their attendance from Vicksburg plus they even drove the T all the way to Paragould.

I am excited about the Fall Tour in Vicksburg that Joe and Betty Jeffers will be hosting in October - visiting the Hot Air Balloon Festival, great roads and scenery, and of course the great restaurants.  Make plans now to attend and get those Ts ready to hit the road!

Roy Mathis, President

June 21, 2008
MEETING MINUTES

Zone 2 director Michael Nowlin hosted the summer meeting of the Arkansas Tin Lizzies in Jonesboro, Arkansas with twenty-seven people in attendance. President Roy Mathis opened the meeting by welcoming visitors Larry and Carolyn Williams from Waverly, Tennessee and Ervin Pearcy from Marion, Arkansas. They both became members of the club at the meeting. Roy also welcomed members Ken and Joyce Swan from Selmer, Tennessee on making their first club meeting. Mike Walker made a motion to accept the last meeting minutes and Chuck Haynes seconded motion. The Secretary/Treasurer’s report was given by David Ragsdale who reported that the club had added five new members this past quarter. They are James and Jeanie Smith from Fordyce, Bob and Shirley Campbell from Colfax Louisiana, Frank and Colleen Porter from Alexander, Jim and Sharon Patton from Austin and T.W. Brown from Fort Smith. The treasurer’s statement reported the bank account balance after the spring meeting at $1426.17. There were two deposits totaling $160.00 and one check written for meeting expenses of $70.53. The current balance of the account is at $1515.64. David concluded by saying that the swap meet and car show on Petit Jean Mountain was considered a big success. There were over fifteen Model T’s on display, Henry Ford III signed posters, and the club received three new members and a lot of attention.

In old business, Joe Jeffers said plans are getting finalized for our next meeting and tour this fall in Vicksburg, Mississippi. David said the birthday tour is all ready to go. Bill Howell conducted a meeting Thursday evening at the motel in Paragould to complete a list of extra parts that will be taken in the vulture trailer.

No new business was mentioned, so President Roy appointed Mike Walker, Bill Howell and David Ragsdale to the nominating committee for 2009 officers. Vice-President Bill Payne will head the committee. The meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,
David Ragsdale

Meeting Summary:

1.      New members welcomed.
2.      Five members added in second quarter.
3.      Account balance is $1,515.64
4.      Over fifteen T’s displayed at successful Petit Jean Event.
5.      Fall meeting plans in Vicksburg finalized.
6.      Centennial participants discuss extra parts for Indiana trip.
7.      Nominating committee named for 2009 officers.

Summer Tour

We had a healthy group of T’s and members for the summer meeting and tour.  Michael Nowlin planned excellent rides and sights for us in eastern Arkansas.  There were eleven cars and twenty-seven people touring in Paragould, this included ten T’s and an A.  Larry Nowlin, Michael’s father drove the vulture wagon and it was required only once late Friday afternoon.

Thursday afternoon we rode through Paragould over to the Farmers’ Market and Larry’s Cupp of Cream ice cream stand.  The Tin Lizzies

sampled Larry’s homemade wares on Petit Jean and discovered he was from Paragould.  A return trip for Larry’s ice cream was worth the ride.

Friday threatened rain, but a few sprinkles were all that we got!  We travelled well paved roads and lush forests from Paragould to Crowley’s Ridge State Park.  Seventy-five years ago the CCC hand dug a lake and levy and built the pavilion for the 300 acre park.  The Crowley’s Ridge Parkway extends from just below Cape Girardeau, Missouri to Helena, Arkansas.  We enjoyed only a small part of it! The roads wound through the farm lands of rice,

wheat, corn and soy beans.  The land was once swampy and forested.  It was drained, cleared and cultivated, originally for cotton.   

The afternoon was climaxed by a stop by the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center in Piggott.  This home was the former residence of Paul and Mary Pfeiffer, whose daughter Pauline was married to the great American writer, Ernest Hemingway.  During their marriage they visited often and Hemingway wrote portions of A Farwell to Arms there as well as several short stories.  The restoration of the home was well done and attractive.

Saturday dawned clear and beautiful.  It was a perfect day for driving Model T's.  Ten Model T's, filled to capacity, left the motel at 9:00.  We motored to Jonesboro and skirted the ASU campus on our way to Craighead Forest Park.  The drive through was very nice, with large trees forming a continuous arbor over the road.  We moved on to the

Forrest Wood Crowley's Ridge Nature Center, where we watched a program on the formation and history of Crowley's Ridge, complete with earthquakes we could feel and mist in our faces when storms occurred on the screen.  The presentation involved all your senses.

After a scenic tour through some lovely countryside and neighborhoods, we gathered for lunch and our quarterly meeting.  The food was great, and Bill Payne may have finally met his match in our waitress.  She traded barbs with Bill like a seasoned pro.  After the meeting, Joe and Betty headed south for Vicksburg in their T and the rest of us went back to Paragould to load up for the trip home.

 
Member Spotlight

Joe and Joan Garcia 

A friend’s Model T’s brought Joe into this side of the vehicle hobby, but he has always been interested in cars, motorcycles, etc.  Right now Joe and Joan own a 1925 Fordor, but have had several other T’s over the years.  They also have a 1940 Ford coupe and a 1950 Mercury.

The Garcias came to Arkansas from San Diego, California where Joe worked for the County of San Diego Agriculture Department and Joan was a registered nurse in trauma and ER.  She also was in medical research for ten years.  Joan is a native of Iowa and Joe grew up in San Diego.  They live in Dover, Arkansas now but have lived in Florida, Georgia, California, Arizona, Missouri, Minnesota and Iowa.

New Members

We have seven new members that have joined our group since the last meeting.  They are listed below with their cities and the cars they own.  We are so pleased to welcome them.

T.W. Brown, Ft. Smith, AR, ’27 Speedster and ’25 Touring.

Bob and Shirley Campbell, Colfax, LA, ’26 Touring and ’16 Speedster.

Ervin and Delpha Pearcy, Marion, AR, ‘19 Touring, ’30 Model A Sedan.

Jim and Sharon Patton, Austin, AR, ’26 Touring.

Frank and Colleen Porter, Alexander, AR, ’20 Speedster, ’26-’27 Pick-Up.

James and Jeanie Smith, Fordyce, AR , ‘16 Touring, ’25 Touring.

Larry and Carolyn Williams, Waverly, TN, ’26 Roadster and ’26 Touring.

Tin Lizzies Make the News

Our club has made the local print media several times in the last couple of weeks, three times to be exact.  The June issue of ABOUT the River Valley magazine featured the Tin Lizzies on its cover.  Their story was titled “Model T Ford 100 Years Old and Still Going Strong.”  Local members and their cars were discussed as well as our members’ trip to Indiana for the centennial celebration.  We were front page and above the fold in the Paragould Daily Press at the summer meeting and tour with a nice piece about our cars and adventures.  The Piggott Times also had a story on our T’s in their paper when we visited the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center.  The T’s looked right at home in front of the home, built in 1910 and restored to a 1930’s elegance.

We were on television on Channel 4’s evening news June 14 after the Petit Jean Swap Meet and Car Show.  Henry Ford III was interviewed and several of our cars were shown.  Earl Zechiedrich talked about being a Model T owner and his all wooden speedster that he made was pictured.  Follow the link below and you can view the video seen that evening News: Henry Ford... the Third in Central AR .

Petit Jean Swap Meet and Car Show

A celebration of the T’s 100^th birthday was recognized at the 50^th Annual Petit Jean Swap Meet.  The Arkansas Tin Lizzies displayed a number of cars belonging to our members.  Henry Ford III and Will Rockefeller were both there and spoke to a good sized group of onlookers at the opening of the car show and judging.

They were gracious to all the meet’s visitors seeking autographs on cars, posters and other memorabilia.  The Ford Motor Company supplied 3,000 posters for our club to give to visitors and to our members they gave commemorative pins and some hard bound pictorial histories of the Model T.  Many of our members were pleased to have their memorabilia autographed by Ford.

This was also an occasion to honor our past club presidents. 

David Ragsdale (2005), our founding president, Mike Walker (2007) and Morris Dillow (2006) have led our group in the first years of the Arkansas Tin Lizzies.  We all appreciate their efforts and time spent for the club.  They each were presented with a clock engraved with their name and the year they served.

Fall Meeting

Another nice tour and meeting is planned for October 16-18 to the Vicksburg, Mississippi area.  Joe and Betty Jeffers are making our plans for this event.  Our motel will be the Jameson Inn, 3975 S. Frontage Rd.  Call 601-619-7799 to reserve your room.  You should do this by October 1 to get the reduced rates.  Joe has booked 15 rooms, 10 doubles and 5 kings.  The rate will be $75.99 per night and will be available the 15^th through the 18^th, one extra day should you want to go down early.  Ask for the Tin Lizzie rate, you will save $24.00 a night.  There is parking available at the motel as well as at the Factory Outlet Mall next door and the Cracker Barrel.  The mall manager offered coupon books to members that want to save if they shop, just stop in at the mall office.

This map shows the general location of the Jameson Inn.

Joe wanted to remind everyone to be sure that their T’s lights are operating since we may be late returning to Vicksburg from Natchez.

Area Events of interest

July 21-26 100th Model T Birthday Celebration; Richmond, IN area.

September 3-7:  Hillbilly Tour 2008; Cape Girardeau, MO.

September 18-20:  The Talimena Tour; Wilhemina State Park; Mena AR.  This tour will be hosted by Tulsa’s Model T Club and planned by Mike and Brenda Bender.  The Benders are also Arkansas Tin Lizzie members.  Contact them if you would like to participate.

October 11-12:  1954 Buick Landau Motorama Show Car will be on display.  This car was to be scrapped but was saved by a GM executive.  It is a one of a kind car.  It will be shown at the TEX-ARK Antique Auto Museum in Texarkana, AR.

Logo Clothing

If you want a shirt, jacket or hat or other item embroidered with the Tin Lizzie logo, check with Tina Byrum at Rags to Stitches, phone 479-890-5270.  You can provide the item to be embroidered or purchase it from her.

Tin Lizzies Classifieds

Send classified information, wanted or for sale, to Arkansas Tin Lizzies News, 16508 West State Highway 155, Dardanelle, AR  72834.  Send a picture and a detailed description and condition of items offered for sale.  Or, e-mail information to nhh@midamericamgmt.com.

For Sale: 1925 Speedster, a copy of the faultless speedster body built by B and B Body Company of Lapeer, Michigan.  The body is all metal, aluminum disc wheels with 21 inch 450 tires, leather interior, new radiator, dropped front axel, completely rebuilt engine with a stipes 280 cam, Z head, model A carburetor, 350 Chevrolet valves, 80 psi compression on all cylinders.  Rebuilt rear axle with new ring gear and pinion.  Nothing was spared in making this a nice running machine.  Contact: Melvin Birks; 5 South Model T Drive; Afton, Oklahoma 74331; 918-257-4131. mybirks@hotmail.com

For Sale:  This 1926 Speedster has an engine that Bill Younkin rebuilt.  It has new babbits, rebored cylinders, aluminum pistons, a Sherman superfire head, ’26 wire wheels, new Denman tires and top and side curtains.  For more information call Bill Younkin; 1741 N. Walnut Ave.; Fayetteville, Arkansas 72703; 479-442-7676.

For Sale: Model TT one ton truck.  The Magneto, one coil, carburetor and fuel tank have been replaced with new parts.  The bed has been replaced with finished cedar, side boards also are of cedar.   Truck is in good condition.   Contact George Hart; 12782 Hwy 259 N; Omaha, TX  75571; 903-884-2498 or 903-452-2900 or 903-656-1212.

Club library

Our library available for loan includes the books listed below.  The current secretary takes care of the library.   
1. Adventures of Herman & Freida                & their Model T (This is fiction but entertaining reading)
2. Freida Learns to Drive
3. Transmission Repairs
4. Engine Repairs
5. Carburetor Repairs
6. Speedometer Repairs

Suggestion Box

Send newsletter suggestions to Arkansas Tin Lizzies News, 16508 W State Hwy. 155, Dardanelle, AR  72834.

2008 Tin Lizzie Officers

President……….…Roy Mathis
Vice President…....Bill Payne
Sec./Treas………...David Ragsdale
Director…………....Frank Cook
Director…………....Joe Jeffers
Webmaster………..Bill Howell
Newsletter Editor…Nellie Howell