A495 and a Three Digit Seminar

[dean from bozeman]

As an insomniac I do have some time tonight to finally read comments on Fordbarn and write this post. Please don't comment to this post. If you want to say anything please contact me at [email protected].

1. Thank you Canadians for a truly awesome meet. I've only been to a dozen or so national (international?) meets and yours was as good as any.

2. For those of you who want to see A495, it will be on display at the MAFFI Model A Museum at the Gilmore Museum near Kalamazoo, Michigan. If you have never been to the Gilmore Museum and enjoy antique cars of all types, then you need to make that pilgrimmage.

3. Next summer, I will pick up A495 from the MAFFI museum and use it as a prop for a three digit seminar that I will be giving at the national (international?) MARC meet in Toledo. I will soon be requesting to give the same seminar at the MAFCA meet in Denver 2016. There seems to be a lot of interest in these early cars thus the reason for the seminar.

4. Johnny Unitas, Dan Marino, Joe Montana...no, I am not going to get into any debate on who was best. As far as I am concerned most of those p*ssing matches are done into a healthy wind anyway. However, let me say that when I returned to my seat after receiving the award A495 received in Niagara Falls, I had to keep myself from crying like a baby. I was almost overcome with emotion. For I realize that this car was a collaboration with men like Dave Cella, Dave Lopes, Roy Nelson, Steve Ciccalone, Mick Isbell, Fred Gooding and Mark Welch, all who are no longer with us but were major contributors of parts, information, support and friendship. Mark Williamson, Bill Sturm, Gary Karr, Mike Gooding, Jim Brand, Steve Ryan, Doc Kalinka and others were also major contributors but, fortunately, I have the opportunity to call them and thank them.

A495 ("the Odd Duck") is a pile of metal and rubber and fabric. You will be able to see that at the museum or a national meet. But for me A495 is more than that. It is a symbol of those friendships developed along the way. What it represents to me cannot be debated.

Dean