Convention Showcases Hundreds of Antique Cars in Oshkosh - WBAY Green Bay

Convention Showcases Hundreds of Antique Cars in Oshkosh - WBAY Green Bay

Oshkosh -

   More than 400 antique cars from across the nation tooled around northeast Wisconsin Thursday.  It's the first time the Model A Restoration Club's national convention or "Marc" has come to Oshkosh.

   "This is my first convention and I'm having a ball," said George Bresnahan, Nickle A region Model A club member.

   Bresnahan treasures a 1929 Ford Model A car and being able to take it for a spin at the Marc Convention means a lot to him.

   "It's unbelievable how well these cars run for their age and the work that's put into them and how well they're maintained," Bresnahan said.

   More than 300 antique car owners are taking a 38-mile tour of the country south of Oshkosh.  At roughly 45 miles per hour, the world looks different, Bresnahan said.

   "You go at a slower rate, you get to see the scenery, you get a lot of looks and waves - it's overall a fun car," said Joe Sillman, Ford Model A driver from Ida, Michigan.

   Participants brought their Model A's from as far as New Mexico and even Canada.  Many of them were manufactured differently.

   One Roadster was made in Canada more than 80 years ago and it's one of about 22 cars being judged this week.  And, because of its unique features, it will appear in a national Ford Model A magazine.

   "There are a lot of things produced in Canada that were made slightly differently. For one thing in Canada, we use what are called Robertson's screws, which have a square recess in them," said Everett Hessels, Ford Model A driver from Ontario, Canada.

   Every car owner receives a ribbon for participating in the ride.  Tomorrow, a handful of drivers will clinch awards for restoring their cars as closely to the original factory design.

Source: www.wbay.com

Tractor, power show entices enthusiasts in Brush - Fort Morgan Times

Warm weather and plenty of sunshine ushered in another year of events for the Morgan County Antique Tractor and Power show, which held its second annual affair at the AMA Complex in Brush on Saturday.

More than 500 farmers, motorcycle riders and all-around tractor and antique enthusiasts gathered from from Northeastern Colorado to the Front Range and even some from various states throughout the country to experience the sites and sounds.

From vendor booths and entertainment to corn threshing demos, a parade, tractor games and even a pedal tractor pull for the kids, there was a little something for all ages and creeds to enjoy at the 2012 event.

Not only could folks in attendance come face-to-face with historical machines, but

a number of personal stories and adventures could also be found in meeting with tractor owners and families.

For instance, Stratton farmer turned Apache Junction, Ariz. resident Chuck Cure and his family brought along his personal collection of gadgets and gizmos that wowed the crowd including some 1850s to 1920s antique apple peelers and a portable corn sheller and grinder and corn sheller that Cure had restored in fine fashion.

Cure said this is the second year in a row he's brought the family to the Morgan County Tractor Show after doing several such events at his regular residence in Arizona. Cure has been refurbishing and collecting such contraptions for nearly six years now and enjoys his new hobby in retirement.

Fort Morgan resident Larry Cage brought along his 1948 Super D 2-cylinder Gibson that he has owned since 1984. Although it was Cage's first time showing at the Morgan County event, he's taken his old girl out to ride in the Brush Fourth of July parade for the past 15 to 20 years. In 1996 Cage restored the tractor with a fresh paint job and in 1998, on the 50th anniversary of his Gibson, he took the machine to show off in a Longmont, Colorado event.

Bill Pitt of Weldona brought along his Gibson,

a 1949 edition manufactured by Western American Industries, Inc. as the original sticker proclaims. Purchasing the the tractor from the original owner's grandson nearly 10 years ago, Pitt has totally rewired the show item.

Pitt said he uses his Gibson regularly for mowing job,s and folks often tease him that the lawnmower he hooks up to the tractor has more power. Pitt has brought his Gibson to the Morgan County show for the past two years and even showed at the show's predecessor when it was formerly known as the Cottonwood Forge Antique Tractor and Power Show.

The wheat threshing demo was a crowd favorite for many fans, featuring an Oliver RedRiver Special thresher manufactured in 1939 in Battle Creek, Mich. It was purchased new

at an Oliver dealership, straight from the factory, by dairy farmers Charles and Martha Nelson from the small farming community of Dousman, Wisconsin.

After losing their previous year's crop of oats to the weather and having to wait many days for the custom threshing crew in 1955, Charles and his wife said, "Never again." It sat stored in their barn for 56 years until it was purchased from David Nelson, the original owner's son, on Jan. 22, 2011 by current owner Robert Gates.

The machine, along with the original owner's manual, left the Wisconsin farm and made the 1,012 mile journey to southwest of Otis. Gates is just the second owner of the machine, and after restorations that included having a professional old-fashioned sign painter out of Canada paint the original Red River details, Gates brought the thresher out to Brush at the Morgan County Tractor show for its very first time in exhibition.

Gates' friend, tractor owner and country music singer Sally Goerner, who also provided entertainment for the day, also lent a hand in restorations.

A 1949 John Deere D 2-cylinder with 30.8 drawbar horsepower, 38.2 belt pulley horsepower, four-speed tractor, owned and restored by Roger and Barb Holter, chairpersons of the Morgan County Antique Tractor and Power show, helped pulley the wheat thresher.

Festivities began with an opening ceremony at the AMA complex east of Brush and continued with a parade of tractors that slowly made its way through downtown Brush.

The parade featured 69 tractors, down from 83 last year, that ranged from historical antiques to new and used and refurbished models complete with the owners families who took obvious care and pride in their machines.

A poker run had bikers from near and far stopping at local businesses to pick up playing cards for the contest and also to take part in savings and discounts. Results from the poker run saw first place honors to go John Lapp of Holyoke. Second went to Daniel Harmon of Otis and third place went to Cliff Henry of Yuma.

The children's pedal tractor pull featured 22 contestants aged 12 and under from as far away as Louisiana, as was the case for 6-year-old puller Isabella Ricks, who was in the area visiting her grandparents Sam and Melody Romero.

The top three placers in each age division qualified to go on to the state pedal pull at the Old Threshers Show in Yuma on Sept. 9.The Whittington family, including Dale, Maureen and daughter Lauren, will direct this year's state event and were on hand in Brush to organize results, with a little help from pedal-pull aide Shorty Edwards.

Lauren boasts of holding the state championship title from the 2011 Old Threshers pull in the 12-year-old division and will move on to defend her title this year. Results and qualifiers were as:

3 and under: 1. Tasha Barron.

4 year-olds: 1. Thatcher Queen, 2. Payson Poland.

6 year-olds: (Boys) 1. Blake Emmerling, 2. Jacob Wilkenson (Girls) 1. Isabella Ricks, 2. Kaylee Mendoza.

7 year-olds: 1. Brady Gibson, 2. Matthew Krening, 3. Jackson Barron.

8 year-olds: (Boys) 1. Harley Queen. (Girls) 1. Deanna Harmon, 2. Jessie Bond, 3. Kyla Schilken, 4. Jamie Bond.

9 year-olds: 1. Jonah Gleason, 2. Jayce Kreegar.

10 year-olds: 1. Adam Krening.

11 year-olds: 1. Kenzie Cure, 2. Carter Mortensen.

12 year-olds: 1. Lauren Whittington, 2. Alayna Kreegar.

Tractor games included a slow race, pole race and 4-wheel trailer backing contest. Results from those events were:

Slow Race: 1. Don Flagstrom, Merino. 2. Tim Sharp, Woodrow. 3. Kent Bauer, Brush.

Pole Race: 1. Doug Dill, Fort Morgan. 2. Tim Sharp, Woodrow. 3. Larry Kage, Fort Morgan.

4-wheel backing: 1. Brad Buehler, 2. Doug Dill, 3. Darick Schneider.

The 2012 show also featured an auction where items for sale included John Deere toy tractors from 21st Century Equipment, a John Deere metal tin bank from All About U, Rockies tickets from the Bank of Colorado and KSIR Radio, dog food from Draegert Feed-N-Supply, tractor t-shirts from Donna Goeken, a denim tractor photo album from Meladee Hagamann, a gift certificate from Hodgson Media, five-piece wrenches and a 128 piece mechanic tool set from Hometown Auto and Hardware, a 12V inflator from Mr D's Ace Home Center, decorative horseshoe flower ornaments from Dave Musgrave, a cordless workstation light from Part Smart Carquest, toy tractors from S&S Service, Wickham Tractor Co. and tractor plates from Deb Schehrer.

The 2012 Morgan County Antique Tractor and Power Show committee members, volunteers and participants give huge thanks to the 56 area businesses that provided sponsorships to make this year's event a success.

Photographers from near and far could also be seen on the grounds of the tractor show as Morgan Community College's Center for Arts and Community Enrichment (CACE) program presented a photo contest for pictures snapped at the tractor show. The contest is open to all ages and pictures must be submitted by June 30 to Katie.Barron@Morgancc.edu or by mail to Katie Barron, 920 Barlow Road, Fort Morgan, CO 80701.

The best entries will be put on display at the CACE Gallery of Fine Art at MCC beginning July 13. For more information call (970) 542-3108.

Source: www.fortmorgantimes.com