HOFMARC Home

Welcome to the 2012 website of the Heart of Florida Model-A Restorers Club!

The Origin of HOFMARC

     This club was founded by Tim and Sandi McCormack with the help of Don and Sultana Beckett in the summer of 2000.  It grew from these humble beginnings to become an extended family of over 100 souls who love to own, restore, and drive Model-A Fords, touring with these antique automobiles throughout the Lake County Florida area and beyond.
     Our meetings are usually held on the first Saturday of each month at 10:30 a.m. at local restaurants where we  dine, fellowship, and share old Ford stories.
      We would like to invite you to join us soon.  You will find us a warm and welcoming group of individuals who share your interests. Please feel free to contact any officer for more info.  

Feb. Club Meeting Information:

Saturday, February 4, 2012

11:00 a.m. meeting

12:00 p.m. lunch

Bass Champions Restaurant

25011 NE Highway 314

Salt Springs, FL

(352) 685-0000

　

We will meet at the gas station at the northeast corner of State Road 19 and County Road 42 in Altoona. We will leave that location at 10:00 a.m. You may want to arrive in time to have some coffee and a bathroom break. We will travel north on S.R. 19 approximately 30 miles. We will turn west (left) on S.R. 314, going a half mile to the restaurant on our right. BRING YOUR TWO-WAY RADIO, SET ON CHANNEL 4.

Those people who live in the Villages and Summerfield area may meet at the gas station in Weirsdale (S.R. 42), leaving that location at 9:15 a.m.

The charge is $11.00 per person which includes, beverage, tax and tip. That will allow $1.00 per person as a tip (10%) to the waitress. If you feel she deserves more, you may leave extra on the table.

A Quick Note from Bill Lumsden

• Our new president, Jerry DeTomasi, called a meeting on Wednesday to assure an orderly officer transition.   Our new board of directors will include:  Jerry DeTomasi, Dana Fredey, Bob Hunke, Irene Ladd, Bill McClelland, Frank Lynch, and John LaManna. 
• Our activities coordinator will be Van Maddox who will chair a committee including himself as chairman,  Frank Lynch, Irene Ladd, Buddy Pearce, Bill Lumsden, Howard Holmes, and Bill McClelland.  This committee will be responsible for all club activities including tours, and parades.
• A slight ammendment to our by-laws will be required eliminating our tour director and shifting those responsibilities to the Activities Coordinator and his committee.   Jerry will be requesting this by law change at our January meeting.  Please join me in supporting our new officers and committee members as they assume thier new responsibilities. 

Ford's Top Advertising Slogans:

• "An easy car for a woman to drive"
• "Greater even than its beauty, is the reliability of the new Ford"
• "Everything you want or need in a modern automobile"
• "The best brakes in the automotive industry, solid steel from heel to wheel"

In The Beginning...

The Model A Ford, known affectionately as "Henry Ford's Lady," was produced for just four model years. Henry Ford and company conducted one of the most successful product launches ever with the 1928 Model A Ford.

Well coordinated "spontaneous" demonstrations took place across the USA as the much awaited new Model A was rolled out and introduced.

In New York City, the mounted police had to be called out for crowd control, for estimated 200,000 people. Henry Ford had worked hard to develop a sense of curiosity and anticipation about the all new Model A Ford and it worked! Advertisements were placed in thousands of daily newspapers across the Country for five days leading up to the unveiling of the brand new Ford.

Standard equipment on "Henry's Lady" included mechanical brakes on all four wheels, an electric starter, a speedometer, dash lights, hydraulic shocks, a gas gauge, a tool kit, and a safety laminated glass windshield. Bumpers were initially offered as a $15.00 option. After more than 4 million units of this historic Ford were manufactured, production ended in March 1932. Seventy Five plus years later and Model A Ford 's continue to be dragged out of old barns and the restoration process begins anew. The Ford Model A, to this day, represents one of the all time favorite cars for street rodders, and restoration purists as well.

Please check back soon as we update our new website!