STAMPEDE CITY MODEL A FORD CLUB
1411 Southdale Place SW
Calgary, AB T2W 0X8
February 18, 2003
Mr. Tony Abbott
MLA Drayton Valley -Calmar
323 Legislature Annex
9718 - 107 Street
Edmonton, AB T5K 1E4
Dear Mr. Abbott:
We of the Stampede City Model A Ford Club have taken the initiative of sending each MLA a letter briefly informing you about our club and providing some general information about the antique vehicle hobby. The reasons for taking this initiative are two fold:
1. The Provincial Government is the main authority regulating the use of motor vehicles in Alberta and,
2. In recent months there have been increasing reports in the news media that share the general theme of getting the “old beaters and clunkers” off the road. It has also been suggested that implementation of the Kyoto Accord would be enhanced by getting rid of the old vehicles.
Our club is devoted exclusively to the Model A Ford which was manufactured between late 1927 and 1931. We have about 80 family memberships and collectively own about 120 Model As. About half of the cars are considered roadworthy and the other half are under various stages of restoration or in long term storage.
During 2002, the 50 club members who own roadworthy cars drove them about 23,300 miles for an average of about 450 miles each. This total is equivalent to the driving done by one typical Alberta household over the course of a year. Our record is accident free.
For many years at the beginning of the summer driving season, we have conducted an informal volunteer safety check and tune up session. Starting this year we are implementing a formal and comprehensive 40 point Safety Check Program which is specific to the Model A Ford. We are striving to have all members’ cars and trucks meet the standards set out in the program. These standards are based on meeting the mechanical specifications prevailing when the cars were delivered from the factory.
Mr. Tony Abbott
Our club is active in community service and we provide displays at numerous events for a variety of organizations. When we are offered compensation for our appearances, we normally donate most or all or the money to charities. We also have a tradition of visiting senior’s centres and on several occasions have taken the residents for tours to attractions such as Heritage Park.
We believe it is important to preserve elements of our heritage and this is a central theme of our club objectives. There is wide support for our activities as we frequently see demonstrated in the nostalgia generated when our vehicles are on display. An example of these activities to preserve our heritage is our club project of restoring a Model A truck. We have been working on the truck for five years. The mechanical components have been restored to like new condition and we hope to complete the bodywork and cosmetics this year. We consider the truck project as a learning experience whereby knowledge and experience within the club membership is passed on to others. We intend that the finished truck be used to participate in community functions around southern Alberta.
This coming July 15 to 19 our club will be hosting, for the third time, the annual meeting of the North West Region of the Model A Ford Club of America. We are anticipating a registration of approximately 200 Model As from the western provinces and several states. Because the meeting immediately follows the Calgary Stampede several hundred people will be spending an extended stay in Calgary. The economic benefits of this tourism are both considerable and broad.
If you are in the Calgary area during July 15 to 19, you are welcome to drop over to the meet headquarters at the Sheraton Cavalier Hotel. There will be an era fashion parade, a car judging competition and many other interesting activities and displays. While the summer season is always busy with club activities, we can usually respond to requests to participate in community festivals in the Calgary region. Feel free to contact us at 403-242-9088.
We hope this brief account of our club and the antique car hobby leaves you better informed as to the many positive dimensions of our activities. If needed, we would like your support to sustain our hobby.
We firmly support the objective of keeping ‘clunkers and beaters’ off the road but not because of their age.
Yours sincerely,
Norm Devitt
President
