Past President Messages
September 2025
Hello Club Members,
With Summer passing by quickly, we still have lots to do before Old Man Winter makes his appearance.
We have had good attendance with local events that weren't club events, including a Car Show at Dehaven Chevrolet on Illinois Road. Attending were Bud and Freda Gibson, Kevin and Diane Mark, Larry Sneary, and me.
It used to be a free show, but now they charge a fee, but give you vouchers for free food and ice cream. Not a bad deal.
Then on Labor Day, a Cruise-In happened near me at Georgetown Square. It was beautiful weather and well attended with lots of cars that I didn't recognize. (Including a Lamborghini that was doing burnouts, that was asked to leave.) Attending was Jim McCann, 57 Thunderbird, Lowell Lepper, 55 Thunderbird, Larry Sneary, 64 Galaxie 500 Convertible, Bud Gibson, 64 Mercury Monterey Convertible, and myself in my 66 Thunderbird Convertible.
As I said, we still have lots of Thunderbirding to do yet this season.
Sept. 12th Car Show in Colombia City, City Ford from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm over 300 cars to attend. My kind of show!
Sept. 13th Stillwell Ford Car Show in Hillsdale, MI. Call Kevin if you plan to go: 260 333 7136
Sept. 20th is THE HEARTBEAT OF HOADLAND CAR SHOW at Community Park 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm $10.00.
Sept. 28th Royal Chevrolet Car Show in Coldwater, MI. 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. $15.00
October 5th, is our joint event with our Sister Club, The Vintage Thunderbird Club of Indiana (Indianapolis) THE CIRCUS HALL OF FAME CAR SHOW in Peru. We need to be there by 10:30, also need a car count as they will be saving parking places for us.
Annual Fall Color Tour, TBD.
Our thanks to outgoing Webmaster Deb Landis for her hard work. www.hoosierthunderbird.com
HOOSIER VINTAGE THUNDERBIRD CLUB - Home
We bring people of all ages together who share a common interest, to bond and create friendships and memories that last a lifetime. Find out more about becoming a member of HOOSIER VINTAGE THUNDERBIRD CLUB. We meet regularly to discuss upcoming events, finalize plans and make important association decisions. All members are welcome to join. Check the event schedule now.
www.hoosierthunderbird.com
And a huge THANK YOU to club member Ruth Darstein who has agreed to take over as Webmaster.
That should do it for another month of "Thunderbirding Across the Land."
COME FLY WITH US!
Roger Noll, President
HVTC
June 29th, was the date of our latest excursion, a trip North to The Gilmore Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan. Several members bowed out because of the extreme heat that most of the Mid-West has been experiencing. As it turned out, the weather wasn't much of a problem as the temperature was only 88 degrees with low humidity. All in all, it was a pleasant day
If you have never visited the Gilmore, you are missing out on a great experience. Located on 900 acres, with over 400 vehicles on display the Gilmore is one of the largest and most impressive Museum in the U.S. Attractions include a 1941 Blue Moon working diner, and a replica 1930's Shell Gas Station. Most of the buildings are air conditioned. The cars range from the 1890's to classic cars from the 1950's to the 70's era.
Joining us were club members Todd and Robin Campbell, Ken and Diane Hensch, Greg Minnich, Keith Landis, myself and Central Ohio Club President Joe Fleck. Thanks Joe, we enjoyed your company. Go to our Facebook page to view tons of pictures to see what you missed. Thanks Keith!
Our next club event is Sunday July 28th, our annual tour of beautiful Lake Wawasee, with lunch aboard The S.S. Lily Pad II. This is a popular event among our members and one that you can invite your friends, neighbors, kids or grands. We need a headcount for the staff by July 23rd. WE NEED A HEADCOUNT BY JULY 23RD....
We will meet at our usual place, the Marathon gas station on W. Washington Center Road and U.S. 33 North. Departure time is 9:30 sharp. If you are meeting us at The Frog Tavern, the boat leaves promptly at 11:00. Make plans to join us!
If you are looking for something to do on the 4th, Biggby Coffee is sponsoring a Cars & Coffee at Georgetown Square at 9:00 a.m.
That's all the news from Hoosierland, COME FLY WITH US!
Best regards,
Roger Noll, President
HVTC
June 2025
Hello Club Members,
Well, our latest club event, The Mizpah Shrine Car Show in Lawton Park didn't go well. The event did go on, but with steady rain lasting most of the day, I don't think any of our Thunderbirds made an appearance. It is a shame since they go to such measures to put on a great show. They even changed the date this year, usually in July, it was moved to June. The July date seemed to have rained out several years in a row. I guess that we should be used to Spring rainfall in Indiana. I just wish that it didn't fall on the weekends.
I hope that we have better luck with our second event this month, July 29th , our visit to The Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, MIchigan. This is about a 2-hour drive from here, so many will opt to take the daily driver instead of our Thunderbirds. That would be up to you. We could even double up and catch a ride with other club members. No need to have only one or two people in our cars. Let me know if you have room for passengers.
The plan is to meet at Leo Crossing at Dupont and Leo Rd. Anyone North of the Fort, we can meet you at The ACD Museum parking lot in Auburn. Anyone North of that, please let me know where to pick you up.
If you have never been to this place, I encourage you to do so. You won't be disappointed. For more information, go to their website at: http://gilmorecarmuseum.org We only have four or five members signed on so far, so let us know if you plan to attend.
We have a date for our July Event, July 27th, the annual Cruise to beautiful Lake Wawasee and lunch aboard The S.S. Lily Pad II. We will meet at our usual place, the Marathon Gas Station on W. Washington Center Road and US 33 North. This is one event that you can invite friends and family to attend. The food is great, and we get to admire all of those Million-dollar houses that most of us can't afford.
For our club veterans, I have learned of a Car Show on August 16th at Lawton Park in the Fort. All Veterans are eligible to participate and there is no charge for entering. They have lots of activities planned to honor our Vets. More on this as the date gets nearer.
Let's get together and enjoy meeting with our friends.
That's All The News From Hoosierland, COME FLY WITH US!
Best regards,
Roger Noll, President
HVTC
April, 2025
Hello Club members,
April 12th, was our latest excursion that took us into Southwestern Ohio. Mother Nature
finally gave us a day suitable for cruising in our Thunderbirds. It was sunny with no rain,
but the temperatures could have been a little warmer. I guess that you can't have everything.
Bryan. Ohio was our destination, with The Spangler Candy World as our first stop.
Located in downtown Bryan, across from a very cool courthouse, this museum gave us much
knowledge about the history of candy making in Bryan. Candy World is known for making
Bit'O'Honey candy, and Dumb, Dumb suckers, Circus Peanuts, plus many others. We watched
a very informative video in their theater, and each of us was given a sack of Dumb Dumb Suckers
to take with us as we were leaving.
Our next destination was lunch at The Third Rail, also in Bryan. It is in an old Railroad Depot
that hasn't changed much since it was built. They had a large menu to choose from with
BBQ pork being their specialty. They also make an excellent Bloody Mary.
The depot is naturally located beside the railroad tracks. While there, a fast-moving freight
train shook the building. The building is filled with much railroad memorabilia and
is a fantastic destination for great food and fantastic service.
Next up was a tour of a local car collection. The building was jam packed with awesome
restored vehicles, including several Thunderbirds. My favorites, besides the Thunderbirds,
were a 1959 Ford F-100, (when is the last time you saw a pick-up truck with white wall tires) and a 1957 Ford Skyliner retractable hardtop. It was a great way to end our day of 'Thunderbirding Across The Land.'
Our thanks to Club Members Kevin Mark and Todd Campbell for planning our day.
Next up will be to visit a Car Show and Swap Meet in Coldwater, Mi. The date is May 10th. I probably won't be able to attend this event, as my bone-on-bone knees don't allow me to walk long distances, especially on grassy areas. (Knee replacement surgery is in the works) I look for club VP Keith Landis to plan the day. More on this as the date gets closer.
Also, on May 18th is the annual 'Thunderbird Appreciation Day.' Details will follow as they become available.
Please keep club member Bob Tucker in your thoughts and prayers as he fell and broke his hip while in Gatlinburg. He is in the Knoxville, Tennessee hospital recovering from surgery.
Also, former club member Jeff Evans is back in the hospital, as his heart is giving out. He is on the list for a heart transplant. He moved to Arizona a few years ago. Please put him on your prayer list also.
I sure wish that I was ending this on a better note. Hang in there Jeff!
THAT'S ALL THE NEWS FROM HOOSIERLAND, COME FLY WITH US!
Best regards,
Roger Noll, President
HVTC
April 2025
Happy Spring everyone! We made it through the long, long Hoosier Winter. It is great to be back!
March 23rd was our annual planning meeting. This time it was held in the private dining room at The Bob Evans Restaurant in North Ft. Wayne. This was a new location for us, and I must say that it worked much better than our last meeting locations. Our waitress worked our crowd like a pro and her service was top notch.
We welcome our new club secretary Sue Will. We are very proud to have her join our board. All other officers agreed to continue in their present offices. Our thanks to outgoing secretary Diana Hensch for her many years of service.
We seem to have several members that haven’t renewed their memberships. We don’t want to lose anyone, but if you intend to not renew, please let us know. If you are unsure if you are in remiss, contact club Treasurer Kevin Mark at: kanddmark@att.net
Some of you may remember former club member Jeff Evans who moved to Arizona a few years ago. I have heard from him that he is in the hospital and is suffering from Congestive Heart Failure. Please keep Jeff in your thoughts and prayers that he will make a complete recovery.
We have a lot of new events planned for our Car Show Season. Refer to our website www.hoosierthunderbird.com and the EVENTS PAGE for information. There you can also find pictures of most of our past club events and check out Larry Sneary’s Tech Tips column.
We tried to coordinate an event with our Sister Club, The Vintage Thunderbird Club of Indiana (Indy) and we couldn’t work it out. We still are invited by them to The Circus Car Show in Peru in October. I think that we have worked it out to take turns hosting one event each year. Next year will be our turn!
Having said that, we have a change in our first event of the year.
It is:
April 12th (Saturday):
Tour of The Candy World Museum in Bryan, Ohio.
*Meet at the Marathon Station at Leo Crossing on Dupont Rd. and Tonkel Rd.
*Departure: 10:00 AM.
*Meet Kevin and Diane Mark at The ACD Museum in Auburn at 10:30 AM.
* Drive to Bryan, OH. To tour The Candy World Museum. (they make Bit'oh Honey, Valentine Hearts, and Dumb, Dumb Suckers and other candy.
*Stop for a picture of your Thunderbird in front of the water tower that looks like a Dumb Dumb. (optional)
*Lunch at The Third Rail, a restored Train Depot that is turned into a restaurant.
*Tour of local car collector Jerry Spangler's collection of cars. (includes several Thunderbirds)
*Return to the Fort.
A special thank you to Kevin Mark (with help from Todd Campbell) in planning our event.
It would be nice to have a head count for the restaurant. Make plans to join us. If the weather cooperates, drive your Thunderbird.
P.S. If you live close to Auburn, meet us at the ACD Museum. If you live close to Bryan, meet us at Candy World.
*So now let’s hope that the weather breaks with warm air and sunshine. Get those beautiful Thunderbirds out from hibernation and LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!
September 2024Our latest club event took place on September 7th, The Corn Field Cruise-In at City Auto Mall in Columbia City. I must say that the hosts did an amazing job of parking over 230 cars, and it was a very well-run show.Club members attending included Lowell Lepper, 1955 Thunderbird, Bud Gibson, 1964 Mercury Monterey Convertible, Larry Sneary, 1964 Thunderbird Convertible, Kevin and Diane Mark, 2005 Anniversary Edition Thunderbird, Bob Tucker, 1962 Thunderbird Hardtop, and I drove my 2004 Merlot.At the show, we viewed a very custom white 1955 Thunderbird sporting a COBRA engine under the hood. I am very happy to introduce our newest member, Dee Bear from Tri-Lakes. We look forward to him joining us in some upcoming events. Welcome Dee!Our next club event will be on October 6th, The Circus Car and Bike Show hosted by The Circus Hall of Fame, 3076 E. Circus Lane, Peru, IN. 46970. We were invited to this event by our sister club, The Vintage Thunderbird Club of Indiana. (Indy) We will figure out a time and place to meet as this event gets nearer. It is from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.Club vice president Keith Landis says that he is working on plans for our Fall Cruise. Details to follow.We are still searching for someone to step up to be our club Secretary. This is such an easy job, I would do it myself, if anyone wants to switch places with me. All you have to do is take notes from our Planning Meeting in the Spring and then give a report the following year. Really, anyone can do it. Just let me know, OK?That's all the News from Hoosierland, COME FLY WITH US!
August 2024
I hope that you all are enjoying your summer and this beautiful weather we have been experiencing.
Our July events were first, the Mizpah Shrine car show at Lawton Park on July 20. Joining us were Larry Sneary, 1958 Thunderbird Hardtop, Lowell Lepper, 1955 Thunderbird, Bud and Freda Gibson, 1964 Mercury Convertible, Todd and Robin Campbell, 1966 Thunderbird Convertible, Kevin and Diane Mark, 2005 Anniversary Edition Cashmere Thunderbird, and myself driving my 1966 Thunderbird Convertible.The event has rained out for the last couple of years, so it was good to have blue skies and sunshine. Winning awards were Lowell, Todd and Robin, and Kevin and Diane. Congratulations to all!The very next day, July 21st was our annual tour of beautiful Lake Wawasee with lunch aboard the S.S. Lily Pad II. This year the boat was filled with other 'regular' people and was filled to near capacity. We had a nice turnout from the club, even though our caravan arrived a little late. They held the boat for us. The crew of the Lily Pad handled lunch for such a big crowd with expertise, and we enjoyed another day filled with sunshine. Our thanks to club member Larry Sneary. It is because of his connections with the boat owners that we are able to do this each year.
An alternative event is on Aug 14th, a Cruise-In at The Maplewood Mennonite Church. The location is 4129 Maplecrest Road in the Fort. It runs from 5:00PM to 8:00PM.Entrance fee is to bring a can of food to stock their food bank. They also have free food for attendees. KEEP IN MIND THAT WE ARE INDIANA'S MOST ACTIVE THUNDERBIRD CLUB.
THE 2024 VCTI International Convention in Grand Rapids, MI.
We had five club cars attend including Greg Minnich, 1955 Thunderbird, Kevin and Diane Mark, 2005 Anniversary Edition Thunderbird, Lars Kneller, 1969 4-Door Landau Thunderbird, and my 2004 Merlot. (I know that is only four, but will explain later.)
We had great weather the whole weekend. I followed Kevin and we had plenty of time before our 3:00 check in time at the hotel.Since we had already been to The Gilmore Museum several times, we opted to tour The Kellogg Mansion in Hickory Corners. It was the summer home of cereal magnate W.K. Kellogg and his wife, Dr. Carrie Staines Kellogg. Construction was completed on Gull Lake in 1926, and the Estate was called Eagle Heights.
The Manor House and Estate joined the adjacent Kellogg Farm and Kellogg Bird Sanctuary. In 2000, the home was restored to its original grandeur, thanks to a generous grant from the W.K.Kellogg Foundation.It provides perpetual funding for the care and preservation of their Summer Home and the original seven buildings and grounds.Look for pictures on our Facebook page.
The Awards go too: Congratulations to Kevin and Diane Mark winning a First Place in Modified Division, also my 2004 Merlot was awarded First Place in Modified Division. The winningest car of the day belongs to Greg Minnich and his 1955 Thunderbird taking a First Place in Primary Division BEST OF SHOW DRIVEN (thus becoming a Senior Car) and also winning The Larry Seyfarth Award, the highest award in VCTI. Congratulations Greg!
OK, so I mentioned that we had five cars there. Explanation, we saw a beautiful 1966 Thunderbird Town Hardtop parked in the Driver Division. The placard read that the owners were from Auburn, Indiana!! Please welcome our newest members to our Thunderbird family, Keith and Beth Flesher. How often does that happen! We look forward to meeting with them at future club events.
THAT'S ALL THE NEWS FROM HOOSIERLAND, COME FLY WITH US!
July 2024
Happy Summer! A check of your thermostat proves that we are in July and in humid Indiana. No worries, we always make the best of it.
We have a busy month ahead of us, starting on July 20, the Mizpah Shriners Car Show in Lawton Park. Our club has always done well at this show, sometimes even winning the 'Largest Club' award.Hopefully, we can do it again. Let's meet at our usual rendezvous point, The Burger King at the point of Spy Run and Clinton Street, just North of State Street at 8:00 AM. (ugh) I hope to see you all there.
The following day, July 21st is our annual tour of beautiful Lake Wawasee with lunch aboard the S.S. Lily Pad II. We will depart at 10:00 AM from the Marathon station at U.S. 33 North and W. Washington Center Road. The cost is $20.00. This is one event that you may invite your neighbors, friends, the grandkids, etc. We do need a headcount so that the staff will know how much food to prepare. Members living closer to the Lake, we will meet you there.
We are still short of one person on our board of directors as Di Hensch has indicated that she won't be able to serve as Secretary anymore. This is a very easy position to fulfill. Basically, you just take notes at our annual planning meeting, then give your report at the next year's meeting. Any takers???? Please reach out to me.
It looks like we will be having 8 or 9 members making the trek to Grand Rapids, MI. next month. It's time to get excited!
Word on the street is that club member Jim McCann is back in town, we hope to see him soon.
That's All The News From Hoosierland, COME FLY WITH US!
Our latest adventure was a road trip to the Metro Park near Toledo, Ohio and a ride aboard a replica canal boat. This is part of the Miami and Erie Canal.
We were met with a light sprinkle on the way, and it continued for most of the trip. This caused some members to cancel. Nevertheless, we had a good group joining us including our event planners Kevin and Diane Mark, Bud and Freda Gibson, Todd and Robin Campbell, Ruth Darstein and son Solomen, and myself. See pictures on our Facebook page.
Last month's club event was a trip to the Covered bridge in Ceylon for a photo shoot, then on to Geneva, Indiana and a tour of the home of Indiana's famous author, Gene Stratton Porter. We learned a lot about her from our docent and she made the event very interesting. Our Geneva trip included a drive around beautiful Rainbow Lake, where we were greeted with smiles and waves of admiration. (It could happen.)
After the tour, we were off to Bluffton, for a meal at Bummie's. The day was perfect with lots of sunshine, so we all ate outside in a sheltered gazebo. For those that had them, convertible tops were in the 'down position.'
Our next club event will be on June 29th, The Kaylor's Ride Car Show in Sweeney Park. It is from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. I will try to post more information about this when I get it.
Sometimes I think we forget that we have a website with our events listed. If you ever need to know what is happening, just go to: www.hoosierthunderbird.com
THAT'S ALL THE NEWS FROM HOOSIERLAND, COME FLY WITH US!
Our last club event was on April 13th, a road trip to NW Indiana and the town of Elkhart. There we toured The RV and MH Hall of Fame.
The weather cooperated with good cruising and good company with a nice turnout from our membership. We visited this museum several years ago and they have made considerable changes. They have added a whole new section to include a history of module homes, plus RV's from covered wagon days to modern Prevost Land Yachts and everything in between.
Of special interest was a motor coach designed for stage and film star May West. Also of interest was an RV formerly owned by Charles Lindberg. Included were many Airstream vintage trailers. We learned that Elkhart Indiana produces 80 % of all RV's built in the U.S.
After the tour we traveled to nearby Middlebury to have a late lunch at The Das Dutchman Essenhaus. Their smorgasbord was a sight to behold! Their menu offers authentic Amish inspired meals that have been handed down for generations.
Joining us were Bud and Freda Gibson, Lars Kneller, Phil Walter, Greg Minnich, Eugene Serwatka, Larry Sneary and friend of the club Bob Berger, Bob Tucker and lady friend, and myself.
MAY 19TH is THUNDERBIRD APPRECIATION DAY
The plans are to depart at 11:00 AM from the Shell gas station/St. Joseph Church on U.S. 27 South, just South of the I-469 Interchange.
We will travel to the Ceylon Covered Bridge (11:45-12:15) for a photo op.
Next (12:00 noon) we will visit The Limberlost State Historic Site in the town of Geneva. 200 6th Street 46740. The Gene Stratton-Porter Cabin, is known as the Cabin at Wildflower Woods. It was completed in 1895 and was designed by Gene herself. The two-story log cabin originally included 150 acres.
Admission price is $8.00, $7.00 over 60.
Next on the agenda will be a late lunch at Bummies Drive-In in Bluffton. We hope that you can join us! Our thanks to club VP Keith Landis for planning our day.
As a reminder, we will have several members making the trip to Grand Rapids, MI. for The VTCI International Convention. The date is August 7th-11th. If you are planning to go, get your room and reservations in soon. See CONVENTION NEWS on our website: www.hoosierthunderbird.com
THAT'S ALL THE NEWS FROM HOOSIERLAND, COME FLY WITH US!
Best regards,
Roger
Thanks to Club Member Kevin Mark, we now have our last club event of the season planned.We will DEPART promptly from Morgan's Tap and Grill, (The old Waynewood Inn) 8421Bluffton Rd. FWA at 1:00 PM on Sunday Oct 22 for a late lunch/early dinner atCammack Station Restaurant, 9200 W. Jackson St. in Muncie. The Cammack Station is a very coolrestaurant located in a former grocery store and gas station. Their menu includes sandwiches,burgers, salads, ice cream, sundaes and milk shakes. Do a Google search for Cammack Stationin Muncie to see pictures and a menu.The reason for such a strange departure time is to not have to drive in the dark where the deerand antelope play. We will take a leisurely route using back roads, about a 1-and-a-half-hourdrive. Anyone living closer to Muncie can meet us there. Thanks Kevin! As always with ourroad trips, if your Bird isn't up for the trip, or it is already put away for the Winter, just takethe daily beater. The important thing is getting out one last time before the snow flies.Diane and Kevin Mark and myself just returned from the Bloomington Rendezvous inBloomington/Normal, Ill. on Monday. We had a great weekend getting together withfriends from Ill. Indy, Kansas City, Chicago, and Minnesota. We drove in the rain on the waythere, and the temperature dropped 12 degrees. Saturday and Sunday warmed up withsunshine and high 60's to low 70's, perfect for a car show. Kevin and Diane's 04 PacificCoast Roadster won 1st place in retro Birds, and my 04 Merlot won 1st place in Modified Division.Sadly, they announced that this would be the last Rendezvous and club president Terry Flectherwould be stepping down at the end of the year. The Rendezvous has been going on for the last 40 years.Hopefully someone will step up and take his place, but it doesn't look good.Our thanks to Terry and the Land of Lincoln Thunderbird Club for their many years of providing enjoyment.WE WILL BE NEEDING A HEADCOUNT FOR THE RESTURANT BY OCTOBER 18....PLEASE RESPOND.The Thunderchief
How...... in the world did it get to be August already? July just seemed to fly by. It could be because we had such a busy month.
On July 15th was to be the Mizpah Shrine Car Show in Lawton Park in the Fort. Mother Nature had different plans as we woke up to Thunderstorms and heavy downpours. We only had Club Members Kevin and Diane Mark attend. They said that only about 25 cars were there, where normally they have around 300. This makes 2 years in a row that this show has been rained out. I hope that they have better luck next year.
On July 23rd, was what has become an annual event, the tour of beautiful Lake Wawasee with lunch aboard The S.S. Lily Pad II. Our caravan from the Fort started out great, with sunshine and temps in the mid 70's. As we got closer to Syracuse, the skies were looking ominous and it wasn't long until a light sprinkle started. We had at least 5 convertibles in the group, all with the tops down. As we weren't getting wet from the sprinkles, all except one just kept on going with the tops down. We did have one incident when suddenly brake lights lit up like Christmas, as a big buck deer decided to cross the road in front of us. All was well as he jumped the fence and galloped across a field. That was a close one!
The sun seemed to have disappeared as the air horn sounded on the Lily Pad and we were off to view those million dollars plus cottages. It wasn't long before they announced that lunch was being served. We had 21 members and friends aboard. At about an hour into our tour, the sun was shining once again and it was a wonderful day. Our thanks to club member Larry Sneary for arranging our day.
On July 30 was the annual Rock The Fort Car Show at SweetCars. This event wasn't on our calendar, but some of our members just like to get those Thunderbirds out. It was so great seeing Sue Will getting out that beautiful 'Senior' 1963 Thunderbird Hardtop. I know that it must have been hard for her to do without her loving husband Darrell. We all miss him so. It was very special to hear that she, along with Bob Steffan, won awards. Sue's brother Dave also won an award for his stunning 1962 Chevy Impala.
The next club event is August 5th, the cruise-in at Pretty Lake Conservation Club, 4410 S. 890 East, Wolcottville. 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. If you want to caravan there from the Fort, meet at 10:00 AM at Hall's Hollywood Drive-In at Lima Rd. and Coliseum Blvd. There is a free will donation for exhibitors. LET'S GET THE FLOCK OUT!
I am happy to announce that we have gained a new member. Please welcome Reagan Lanum from Jeffersonville, Indiana. Reagan is a member of ITC and is the owner of a 1960 Thunderbird Hardtop. We look forward to meeting up with you.
The Thunderbird Reunion is fast approaching (Aug. 22-27) We will be organizing a caravan there on the 23rd. I need to know who is all planning to attend, who will be in the caravan from FWA, and who and where will some of you be meeting us along the way. Remember, we are asked to help supply the Hospitality Room and help with parking on Saturday at the car show at Ford World Headquarters. Volunteers??
Our club secretary Diana Hensch informs me that she is looking into new club shirts. The ones that we ordered last time are no longer available. We are looking to order T-Shirts this time instead of a collared shirt. They are less expensive, cooler, and more comfortable. We will keep you posted as this develops.
THAT'S ALL THE NEWS FROM HOOSIERLAND, COME FLY WITH US!
Hello September 2023,
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Hello Club Members,
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We had a great group of club members join in for The Thunderbird Reunion in Dearborn, MI. Joining us were Kevin and Diane Mark driving their Cashmere 05 Thunderbird, Greg Minnich in his 55 Thunderbird, Eugene Serwatka in his 55 Thunderbird, Ruth Darnsteen in her 56 T-Bird, Todd and Robin Campbell, 66 Convertible, Bob Tucker and his daughter, 1962 Hardtop, Ken and Di Hensch, in a Lincoln Stretch Town Car, and myself, 04 Merlot. To my amazement, club members Bryan and Sara Provine were standing behind me at the food truck. Surprise!
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Heading North on I-69 and then East on Michigan 12. All was well. We stopped for lunch at a nice roadside diner, picking up Todd and Robin. As we neared Dearborn, we were stopped by city police, making everyone make a u-turn. With heavy traffic, it was impossible to keep our caravan together. We quickly lost our lead cars, as we learned that the Detroit Metro area had been dumped on with 4 to 7 inches of rain the night before our arrival. With several more u-turns because of flooding and our little Birds overheating, we had to stop in parking lots to let them cool down. Eventually, we all made it to our hotel, but it wasn't over yet. That night we had another 2 inches of rainfall and 3 confirmed tornadoes in the area. With all of that rain, it sounded like hail but a check in the morning and all was well, at least at the hotel.
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Since many in our group had been to most of the local tourist venues, we decided to tour the Dodge Mansion in Rochester. I can't begin to describe what a beautiful home it is, with 188,000 square feet, 17 bedrooms and 17 bathrooms. Built from 1926 to 1929 at a cost of 4 million dollars by the widow of John Dodge of the Dodge Brothers Motor Car Company. It was a great way to spend the day.
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Other members decided to go to The Willow Run Airport to see The Tri-Motor plane owned by Ford. It was supposed to take people for rides, but with overcast skies, that plan was changed. They did allow people to board the plane to check out the interior. Club member Kevin Mark took it upon himself to sit in the pilot's seat for a photo op with his head out the window. He soon learned that was against the rules. Geez, he never even had a chance to get the engines started.
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Saturday was the car show at Ford World Headquarters with around 300 Thunderbirds of every era represented. Greg Minnich's 55 Thunderbird was in a place of honor throughout the car show. Although it wasn't a judged show, several trophies were handed out. Two of our members, Todd and Greg both received one. The DJ was very accommodating and played our club song, Black and White Thunderbird, and announced that The Hoosier Vintage Thunderbird Club was in attendance.
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I was very proud that our members helped out with a monetary donation and also helped stock the hospitality room. On Sunday, most of the water had dissipated on the major roads and with the sun shining brightly, our caravan headed South to Hoosierland.
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It has been suggested that we make our next club event The Ossian Car and Truck Show at Mike Anderson Chevrolet in Ossian on September 16. We will meet at 8:30 AM at our usual rendezvous point for this event, the former Waynewood Inn at 8421 Bluffton Road. Hope to see you there!
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Get ready for another road trip in 2024! VTCI has announced that the International Convention will be held in Grand Rapids, MI. August 7-11. More as info becomes available.
Hello Club Members,
Happy Independence Day! If you are looking for something to do on the 4th, visit the Cars & Coffee at Georgetown Square. Since I live less than a mile away, I will probably be there. It starts at 9:00 AM. Come on down!
July is looking to be another busy month for us. First, will be The Lawton Park Car Show on July 15th, hosted by the Mizpah Shrine Car Club. It starts at 8:00 AM with awards at 1:30. This show has traditionally been very good for us as a club with many of our cars winning in the top 50, 1999 and older and the top 15, 2000 and newer. We have also taken the 'Best Attended Car Club' several times over the years either 1st or 2nd place. We have always donated the prize money back to the Mizpah Shriners Hospital. Let's meet at our usual place for this event, the Burger King parking lot at where N. Clinton and Spy Run meet at the point, just North of E. State Blvd. at 8:00 AM. Our attendance has been down last month, so let's make it a point to get those Thunderbirds out.
Next event up is Sunday July 23rd, a tour of beautiful Lake Wawasee aboard The S.S. Lilypad. The cost is still $20.00 per person and includes a really nice lunch. You are welcome to invite your friends and family to join us. The only stipulation is that we will be needing a headcount so that the crew will know how much food to prepare. Let's plan to meet at our usual departure place, the Marathon Station at W. Washington Center Road and US. 30 & 33 North. Departure time from there will be 10:00 AM Sharp. If you live closer to lake Wawasee, the Lilypad is docked behind The Frog Tavern and it leaves at 11:00 AM. It waits for no one. Our thanks to club member Larry Sneary, who arranges our day.
The deadline for registration for The Thunderbird Reunion in Dearborn is fast approaching, (July 17th). Most important is to get your hotel reservation now if you are planning to go. The ITC is hosting the reunion from August 22 thru the 27th. We do have a good contingent of club members planning to attend and we will organize a caravan as the date gets closer. ITC President Bart and wife Vera, plus a lot of other people have gone to a great deal of effort to make this event happen. It may be the last huge Thunderbird event ever! ITC, CTCI, VTCI AND TBN are all attending.
Also, I would like to introduce to you our new ITC Great Lakes Central District Manager, Chad Harmon. Chad is from Southern Ill and is well versed in everything Thunderbird. You can find him on Facebook under ChadandEsther Harmon. You will also get to know him and his wife Esther at the Thunderbird Reunion. Welcome Chad!
That's all the news from Hoosierland, COME FLY WITH US!
Best regards,
Roger Noll, President
HVTC
Hello Club Members,
Well at least this month you won't have to listen to me complaining about not having sunshine, no heat, and too much rain. I am sure that you have noticed that we, along with most of the Midwest, are near drought conditions. As it goes in Indiana, this too will pass.
May 21st was Thunderbird Appreciation Day throughout the land. Here in the Fort, we did our best to show off our Thunderbirds by attending a local Cruise-In at The Liberty Diner. Joining us were club members Gary Nordman, from Auburn in his Torch Red retro Bird, Larry Sneary in his 1958 White Thunderbird Hardtop, Phil Walter from Goshen driving his 1964 White/Blue Thunderbird Convertible, Gerry and Melodee Bowlby from New Paris driving their stunning 1962 Grey Thunderbird Hardtop(It was good to put a face to the name)and Dan Higgins riding shotgun with me in my 2004 Merlot. Several of us went inside for our evening meal.
It was such a beautiful day and I was somewhat surprised that we didn't have a better turnout, but I for one appreciated
those who made it out.
For those of you who may have not heard, club members Bryan and Sara Provines have decided to put their awesome 1958 Thunderbird up for sale. Those unfamiliar with this car should know that it is a beautiful turquoise and white hardtop with matching interior. Bryan says that they are still going to be club members, but it is time to get another classic. I would hate to see this one go too far from us, so if you are interested in adding to your collection, contact Bryan. You can see pictures of it on our face book page.
Since we don't have a lot planned for the month of June (Cars & Coffee in Auburn 6-11)
I propose that we add The Canal Days Car Show on June 9th 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the New Haven High School. So that we can park together, let's meet at Hall's
parking lot on 930 at 4:45 pm. It has been several years since we attended this show.
It appears that we will have around 10 members attend the Thunderbird Reunion in Dearborn, Mi. on August 22-27. We have been asked to help supply the Hospitality Suite and to help park cars on Saturday at Ford World Headquarters. (I am looking for volunteers.)
Be sure to check out our website Events Page to keep track of our
upcoming events. www.hoosierthunderbird.com
THAT'S ALL THE NEWS FROM HOOSIERLAND, COME FLY WITH US!
Best Regards,
Roger Noll,
Hello Club Members,
April 29th, was our latest adventure of 'Thunderbirding Across the Land." It included a caravan of 3 Thunderbirds and quite a few daily drivers heading for the historic city of South Bend, Indiana. A total of 16 members and friends joined us for a wonderful day.
As Mother Nature still hasn't gotten with the program of sending sunshine and warmth, we made our way North with grey skies and rain. Our first stop was for lunch at what was the original Studebaker family mansion. Now turned into an elegant restaurant, it was built in 1889 and includes 4 floors, 40 rooms, 20 fireplaces, and 24,000 square feet. We thank The Tippecanoe staff for our excellent meal. We even had our Thunderbird Club printed on the top of our menus.
I wish that we had more time to explore all that was there, but soon it was time to leave for our second stop, The National Studebaker Museum and the Oliver Mansion.
Consists of over 75 Studebaker autos, prototypes, along with a collection of Studebaker covered Wagons, buggies, and even the Presidential carriage that President Lincoln rode in on that fateful night going to Ford's Theater.
Soon it was time to visit the nearby Oliver Mansion. Built in 1884, it was the home of J.D. Oliver immigrated to the United States from Scotland when he was just 12 years old.
As an adult, he began working for the South Bend Iron Company where he experimented with improving the field plow. He registered 45 patents on improved plow design during his lifetime.
With acquiring much wealth, he had the historic mansion built to include 38 rooms, and such splendor, that I can't describe All of the furnishings are original to the house. Like club VP Keith said, it was as if the family were out for the evening and we were allowed to roam about their home.
I want to thank the History Museum who provided very informative tour guides to both events.
If you were unable to attend, do yourself a favor and see our Facebook page for many pictures of this event. Our next club event is on May 21st, Thunderbird Appreciation Day. Plans are still being formed, so stay tuned for updated information.
THAT’S ALL THE NEWS FROM HOOSIERLAND, COME FLY WITH US!
Best regards,
Roger Noll, President
HVTC
April 2023
Hello Club Members,
Happy Spring everyone. Mother Nature hasn’t gotten the memo yet that it is time to bring on the warmth and sunshine. We are waiting….
Our first meeting of 2023 was our annual ‘After the Holiday’s Dinner’ on January 29th. We have no real agenda at this event, it is just a time to get together, renew friendships and enjoy each other's company over a meal together. We did have a good crowd and many door prizes were handed out.
March 26th was our annual Planning Meeting at Zianos Italian Eatery in NE Fort Wayne. We had a room full of excited club members ready to kick off this year’s 'Adventures of Thunderbirding Across the Land.’
We were happy to meet one of our newest members, Todd Campbell from Bryan, Ohio. Todd drove in his awesome 1966 red Thunderbird Convertible that is I think equipped with nearly every option available including the ‘Q Code’ engine. It was good to put a face to a name.
I heard from long time member Amy Minnich and she says that she would like to pass along her duties as our Webmaster. Club member Deb Landis has agreed to take over that position. Thanks Amy for your service to the club and for designing our web site.
Another change to our club officers is that treasurer Ric Echler informed us that after 24 years of service, he also would be passing along those duties at the end of this year. Club member Kevin Mark has agreed to take over that position. Our heartfelt thanks goes out to Ric, who has kept us on the straight and narrow for all of these years.
All other club officers agreed to extend their duties for another year!
Our first event of the year will be a return to The Studebaker Museum and a tour of The Oliver Mansion in South Bend. That date is April 29th. Details will have to be worked out, so I will let you all know when they become available.
We had nearly every member present hold up their hand if they planned to attend The Thunderbird Reunion in Dearborn, MI. August 22-27. It has been a while since we had a caravan of Thunderbirds providing a moving car show. I for one can’t wait! See our EVENTS page for details. Come on along, it is open to all clubs and Thunderbird owners.
THAT’S ALL THE NEWS FROM HOOSIERLAND, COME FLY WITH US!
Best regards,
Roger Noll, President HVTC
September 2022
Hello Club Members,
The Auburn Auction is what is on my mind. Thanks to World Wide Auctioneers for bringing the auction back to near what it used to be. I hope that you all were able to get there. The
auction company was generous enough to offer us free 3 day VIP passes worth $50.00 each. I received 12 of them, and that wasn’t enough to go around for all of you that wanted one.
The quality of the cars there was fantastic, along with quite a few great cars in the car corral. The swap meet is also making a come back. The change in locations seemed to work well
with the huge air conditioned Kruse building housing so many stunning cars, including the auction ring. They seemed very well organized and even had waiters taking food and drink orders in the
seating area. I look for things to just get better in the coming years. I now have had my qota of chrome to last me through the Winter months.
On August 6th was The Wheels and Wieners Cruise-In at Pretty Lake hosted by club members Ken and Di Hensch. Those attending included Greg Minnich, Daniel Buell, Keith Landis, Gus Burell,
Bud and Freda Gibson, Bob Steffan, and our hosts Ken and Di. Congratulations to Gus Burell, winning the ‘Peoples Choice’ Award for his beautiful 1965 Thunderbird Convertible. Our thanks
to club members Ken and Di for inviting us!
August 10 thru 14th was The VTCI International Convention in Kansas City. Club members attending included Kevin and Diane Mark, driving their Pacific Coast Thunderbird and Wayne Settlemeyer
showing his 1966 Thunderbird Convertible along with his matching 1966 Thunderbird Junior. I imagine that it was quite a hit, when showing off it’s sequential turn signals.
August turns out to be a rather busy month for us as August 14th was our annual tour of beautiful Lake Wawasee aboard The S.S. Lily Pad II. On the morning of departure, a light rain was falling
in The Fort, with predicted chance of Thunderstorms that later in the day. It looked like we might have to cancel. A call to the Frog in Syracuse assured us that the weather reports there
predicted the storms moving off before our arrival time. Our caravan headed North. The day ended up being a little chilly on the water, with most of our members staying down stairs in the
enclosed cabin. We were served a nice lunch to our around 40 members attending. The only thing missing was Mr. Sun. Still, a most enjoyable day!
September 17th is our annual meet at Mike Anderson’s Chevrolet in Ossian, IN. Let’s meet at our usual place for this event, Morgan’s Grill (former Waynewood Inn) at 8421 Bluffton Road.
Let’s try for 8:00 AM.
Also we are invited by club members, Shari and Dan Shafer to The Bluffton Street Fair Car Show on September 17th at 6:00 PM. See our website for more information.
www.hoosierthunderbird.com on the Events Page.
Just one more thing, it is hard to believe that there are still members that haven’t paid their yearly dues. If you fit that description, you know what to do.
That’s all the news from Hoosierland, COME FLY WITH US!
Best regards,
Roger Noll, President
HVTC
August 2022
Hello Club Members,
What a splendid day for a car show at The Rock The Fort, Crime Stoppers Show at SweetCars on Saturday! Sunny skies and lower temperatures brought out the Birds in force! We had a total of 10 gleaming Thunderbirds behind our club banner on the show field.
Those attending included Lowell Lepper, 55 Thunderbird, Eugene Serwatka, 55 Thunderbird, Greg Minnich, 55 Thunderbird, Gerald Germann, 1978 Thunderbird, Keith and Deb Landis and boys, 2002 Thunderbird, Ken and Di Hensch, 1957 Thunderbird, Larry Sneary, 1958 Thunderbird, Bud and Freda Gibson, Ford Torino GT Convertible, and myself, 2004 Merlot.
Congratulations to Lowell Lepper winning 'Best 55 and Older Trophy.'
The exciting news is that we gained a new member! Please welcome Daniel Buell from Ft. Wayne. Daniel's car is a 1988 Turbo Coupe. Daniel came up to me and asked 'How do I join this group!' I think that was the easiest sell that I ever had to do for a new member. We are so glad to have you join us. A turbo Coupe is a rare edition to our roster, having only one more, a 1985 belonging to club member Lars Kneller from LaPorte. Daniel's is a low mileage, white model with red interior. SWEET! Check our Facebook page for pictures.
Our next club adventure is a Cruise-In on August 6th at The Conservation Club at Pretty Lake. You all should have received a flyer with all of the information. We are invited to attend by club members Ken and Di Hensch. I have a family reunion that day, so second in command Keith will be leading the pack. If you want to caravan there, meet at Hall's Hollywood Drive-In at Coliseum and Lima Roads. DEPARTURE TIME IS 9:30.
August 14th is our annual tour of Lake Wawasee aboard the S.S. Lily Pad. The cost for adults is $20.00 for a 2 hour tour and includes a wonderful lunch. This is one of our most popular club events and one that you can invite your friends, and relatives to go along. WE WILL BE NEEDING A HEAD COUNT FOR THIS EVENT BY AUGUST 10TH. FOR THOSE MEETING US THERE, THE BOAT LEAVES PROMPTLY AT 11:00 AM from behind The Frog Tavern. If you want to caravan there, we will meet at our usual place for this event, the Marathon gas station on W. Washington Center Road. Departure time is 10:00 AM sharp. Club Member Larry Sneary is making our arrangements for this event. Email your head count to me and I will pass it on to Larry.
That's all the news from Hoosierland, COME FLY WITH US!
Best regards,
Roger Noll, President
HVTC
July 2022
Hello Club Members,
Happy Summer everyone! And Happy Independence Day!
June 25th was our latest club event, a visit to Fairmont, Indiana and the gravesite of one of Indiana's most famous movie stars, James Dean. We also visited The James Dean Gallery and followed up with a late lunch at The Ford Garage in Noblesville. Our attendance was down for this trip, probably due to several causes. That being, high temperatures, high gas prices, and some of our members were cleaning up from a massive storm that came through our area. With winds as high as 98 mph, much of Aboite Township and Waynedale received a lot of damage. I know that club VP Keith Landis had many trees blown down and a huge mess to clean up. Also, club member Ruth Darnstein had roof and tree damage. Her son's Mustang received damage too. Those are the only members having damage that I know of. There may have been more. At my house, I was spared any damage, but did have some powerful winds and a specular light show the likes of which I have never seen.
Those attending The James Dean Event included Bud Gibson, riding with Larry Sneary in his 1964 Thunderbird Convertible, Gina Rodrigeuz in her 2003 Sky Blue Thunderbird, our planners for the day were Kevin and Diane Mark driving their newly acquired 2005 50th Anniversary Edition Thunderbird. I drove my 2004 Merlot.
It was a little warm, but not unbearable as we drove South on I-69 to the Fairmont Exit. The first stop was the graveyard where 'Jimmie', as the locals all refer to him, is laid to rest. Interesting, we learned that people from all over the world come there to pay respects. Some were thoughtful enough to leave him a couple of cans of beer and cigarettes.
Our next stop was The James Dean Gallery located in a huge old house. It was crammed with memorabilia including his motorcycle,
several of his jackets and many photos. There even was a small theater where several of his movies were playing.
After a leisurely drive through the back roads to Noblesville, we were headed for the Ford Garage for a late lunch. The busy restaurant is filled with Ford memorabilia including Model A Fords
hanging from the ceiling. One, nearly above our heads belched blue smoke from its exhaust, sounded its horn, and occasionally back fired in case you were sleeping. The hamburgers had the
Ford logo burnt into the top bun. The food was great and we all had a really nice time. I wish that more of you could have made the trip. Our thanks to Kevin and
Diane who planned our day!
Our next adventure will be on July 16th, The Annual Three Rivers Festival Car Show at Lawton Park in the Fort. So that we can all park together, let's meet at our usual rendezvous point for this event, The Burger King Restaurant at the point of N. Clinton St. and Spy Run Ave. just North of State Street at 8:30. I can remember at one of our many times that we attended this show, on our arrival I heard one bystander say....Look at that Thunderbird! WAIT, THEY ARE ALL THUNDERBIRDS! It did my heart good just to hear that. I hope to see you all there!
We now have a date for our August Event on the 14th, our excursion to beautiful Lake Wawasee for a tour of the lake with a wonderful lunch served on board. New members, this is a 70 foot long double decker houseboat that has been plying the lake for many years. It is one of our most popular events of the year for us. Last year we had around 70 members and friends aboard. This is one event that you are welcome to bring the kids, grandkids, friends, etc. The cost is only $20.00 and includes your lunch. We will be needing a headcount, as the date gets nearer. Make your plans to join us!
The VCTI Convention will be here before we know it. (Aug. 10-14) Some of our members are planning to go. You must get your reservation in ASAP as I hear that rooms are filling up fast.
The Annual Bloomington Rendezvous is on Oct. 7-9th. This event is hosted by another sister club, The Land of Lincoln Thunderbird Club. Several of us have attended this event many times over the years. It is a really fun event, with dinners planned, activities to do, and ending with a car show that is so laid back, they don't even care if you wash your car. I have knowledge that they are running out of rooms, so if you plan on going, get your room reserved now. I have registration forms that I can get to you if you want to attend. It is an easy drive down US Highway 24 West, then turn left on I-55 and you are there!
A couple of us are planning to an All Thunderbird Show at Wilson Barn in Livonia, MI. on Sunday Sept. 18th. This isn't an official club event, but if you are interested, let me know and I can email you the information. It is sponsored by our sister club, The Water Wonderland Thunderbird Club.
I hate to mention this, but it appears that some of you haven't paid your dues as of yet this year. If you are unsure if you are in arears, contact Club Treasurer Ric Echler at Inspectorric@yahoo.com 419 551 4924.
So, it looks like the best is yet to come this year, Let's get the flock out!
THAT'S ALL THE NEWS FROM HOOSIERLAND, COME FLY WITH US!
Best regards,
Roger Noll, President
HVTC
June 2022
Our next Club Event will be on June 18th, a road trip to The James Dean Museum in Fairmont. The Museum houses the world's largest collection of James Dean personal belongings. For those living close to Fairmont, you may want to meet us there. The address is 203 E. Washington Street, Fairmont, IN. 46928. Our ETA should be around 12:00 noon.
After our tour, we will head to Noblesville for lunch at The Ford Garage. The building is designed as a 1920's service station and includes Ford vehicles, gas pumps, and fixtures. If you want to check out their menu, go to FORDGARAGEUSA.COM
The plan is to meet at Morgan's Tap and Grill (the old Waynewood Inn) at 8421 Bluffton Road in the Fort at 10:00 AM. Depart at 10:15. Due to construction on several of the back roads to Fairmont, we will be taking I-69 South. (We promise not to break the speed limit as we know the little Birds run at a higher RPM)
The trip to Fairmont should take around 1 hr. and 15 minutes. The route that we will take leads past the cemetery with James Dean's gravesite. We will stop there for a first quick stop. At the museum, there is a video presentation with seating for 12 people at a time. Depending on the group size, we should be there for an hour or so.
We will be taking the back roads to The Ford Garage in Noblesville, about an hours drive. After late lunch heading back North, we may make a stop at Ivanhoe's in Upland for dessert.
Our sincere thanks to club member Kevin Mark for planning this event and taking the pole position on our trip South. As always on our road trips, if your Thunderbird isn't up for the trip, you are always welcome to take the daily driver.
THAT'S ALL THE NEWS FROM HOOSIERLAND, COME FLY WITH US!
Best regards,
Roger Noll, President
HVTC
P.S. WE WILL BE NEEDING A HEADCOUNT FOR THIS EVENT, WE WILL BE NEEDING A HEADCOUNT FOR THIS EVENT, WE WILL BE NEEDING A HEADCOUNT FOR THIS EVENT.
May 2022
Hello Club Members,
It looks as if Spring has finally sprung here in Northern Indiana. If we wait a while, that too will probably change, but we will enjoy it while we can.
Our latest club outing was on April 23rd, a visit to The NATMUS Museum in Auburn. A lot of improvements have been made there since our last visit. Our docent was very informative and I learned some interesting facts about the museum history. We were allowed free reign of the place, including having our pictures taken at the controls of the GM Futureliner.
Joining us were Greg Minnich, Kevin and Diane Mark, Gary Nordman, Bud and Freda Gibson, Larry and Helen Kwolek, Bob Tucker, Keith Landis, and myself. We were excited to see Bob Tucker’s newly acquired 1962 Thunderbird Hardtop in Metallic Red. It reminded me of my first Thunderbird, a white 62 hardtop done with mag wheels and no Fender skirts, just like Bob’s. It is a very nice car!
After our museum tour, we headed to Bo Doogie's BBQ for a great meal. We were also scheduled to visit The Early Ford V-8 Museum, but I am not sure if anyone made it there as I had to leave for a family dinner.
Our thanks to club V-P Keith Landis for leading the pack and making our lunch arrangements. Be sure to check out our photos on our Facebook page.
Our next club adventure is a car show in Bluffton, on next Saturday May 14th, The Sweets, Hot Rods and Freedom Show at The Family Ford Dealership 970 Main Street. It is from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Donuts by Grand Sweet Shop, Food and Ice Cream, Dash plaques for the first 50 cars. If you want to caravan there, lets meet at 8:30 AM (ugh) at the old Waynewood Inn, 8421 Bluffton Road, just North of The Bear Field Thruway.
Plans are also underway for Thunderbird Appreciation Day on May 22nd. details as they develop.
That’s all the news from Hoosierland,
COME FLY WITH US!
Best regards,
Roger Noll, President HVTC
P.S. If you are planning on attending The VTCI Convention or the Bloomington Rendezvous, be sure to get your reservations in soon.
March/April 2022
Hello Club Members,
We had a nice turnout for our annual club planning meeting and Ziano's Italian Eatery handled our large group for lunch with ease.
With the absence of our club secretary Amy Minnich filled in for the job. We also gave out door prizes that were the idea of Amy and she even shopped for them. Thanks Amy!
The best surprise of the day was that we have gained new members. Please welcome Dan and Sheri Shafer from Bluffton, Indiana. They are the proud owners of a 1955 Thunderbird and are in the process of getting it road ready. They also contributed to several ideas for upcoming club events. Dan told us that he has many more collector cars in his possession. We can't wait to see the Thunderbird and many more of his collection.
I recently heard from club member Jim McCann. He informed me that he will be very soon moving the Bonita Springs, Florida where he has a new job! Jim told me that our members have become like family to him over the years and that he would like to still keep in touch. He has been a member for quite a long time and we will miss him and seeing his beautiful 57 Thunderbird. We know that he will do great in his new endeavors.
Elections were held with no surprises, each officer was asked to hold their offices for another year.
Be sure to check out our 'Events' page for all of our new adventures. We may need to do some adjustments to as it as we find out some of the dates. Also read new articles of 'Tech Tips' from Larry Sneary.
We are encouraging everyone to try to make it to one of our National Conventions and/ or The Bloomington Rendezvous. You won't regret it. I know that gas prices will be a killer this year, but maybe....like coffee it will come back down. (It could happen.)
We are all anxious to get this year off of the ground, now if only Mother Nature would cooperate and warm this place up! Geez!
THATS ALL THE NEWS FROM HOOSIERLAND. COME FLY WITH US!
Best regards,
Roger Noll, President
HVTC
November 2022
Hello Club Members,
Our latest event was the Fall Color Tour, planned by club vice-president Keith Landis. Our tour started on October 17th with brunch at Hall's Original Drive-In on Bluffton Road. Our trip
wound its way through parts of Allen, Wells, and Huntington Counties. The color GREEN stood out as the predominate color as our warmer than usual October failed to bring out the usual gold and
red colors. If we had waited a week, we would have had torrential rain and cold temperatures. It looks like we made the right call.
Joining us were Keith and Brenda Murphy, Larry Sneary and guest, Kevin and Diane Mark, Gene and Beth Kline, Ruth Darnstein, Gina and Carlos Rodriguez, Gerold and Dorothy Germann, Phil Walter, Keith Landis, and myself. Also joining us were potential new club members, Brian Gatzemeyer and his daughter Jane. They were driving a pristine 1963 Thunderbird Hardtop in Fieldstone Tan. It was great to meet them and we hope that they will decide to join our Thunderbird family.
We ended the tour back in the Fort, touring The Fort Wayne Museum of Art. Our thanks to Keith Landis for planning our day. It was nice to see our club within a club, the three nearly identical Merlot's in our group.
For those of us who are on Facebook, we now have 411 members from all over the world. Check us out by doing a search for Hoosier
Vintage Thunderbirds. We share pictures of our events and announcements or anything pertaining to The Car That Is Unique In All The World, The Ford Thunderbird.
Our Events from this last season included:
March 6th, was our planning meeting.
March 20 was a joint event with our sister club, The Vintage Thunderbird Club of Indiana. We headed to Indy to tour a private owner's massive collection of collector cars including many Thunderbirds. We ended the day with lunch at Sero's Restaurant.
April 17 was The Spring Fling Car Show in Garrett.
May 16 was Thunderbird Appreciation Day with lunch at Arcos Mexican Restaurant and then a tour of The Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Museum in
Auburn.
June Was to be our Lily Pad tour, thunderstorms in the area cancelled this event.
July was the Annual Car Show in Lawton Park. Also on July 31st was Rock The Fort Car Show at SweetCars.
August 7 was The Wheels and Weiners Cruise-In at The Conservation Club at Pretty Lake, hosted by Club Members Ken and Di Hensch. Early morning rain kept many members away.
August 22 was our tour of beautiful Lake Wawasee aboard The SS Lily Pad. It included a wonderful lunch on board. We set a new club record with around 60 members and friends joining us! Our thanks to club member Larry Sneary for setting up our day and leading the caravan.
October 1-3 was The 37th Annual Bloomington Rendezvous hosted by another sister club, The Land of Lincoln Thunderbird Club. Those attending included Kevin and Diane Mark, Wayne Settlemeyer, and myself. Make plans to join in next year!
October 17, we ended our year of Thunderbirding Across The Land with the above mentioned Fall Color tour. Stay tuned for our annual 'After the Holidays' club party, the date to be determined.
That's all the news from Hoosierland, COME FLY WITH US!
Best regards,
Roger Noll, President HVTC
October 2021
Hello Club Members,
Happy Fall! Time is running down for our car show season, but we have at least one more event for October. More on
that later.
Our last club event was the annual car show at The Mike Anderson Chevy Dealership in Ossian, Indiana. Those in attendance in included new members Walter and Sylvia Hartley from Albion in their
Torch Red 2002 Thunderbird. Also, Lowell Lepper -1955 Thunderbird, Bob Steffan and son -1965 Landau, Bud and Freda Gibson -1964 Mercury Monterey Convertible, Larry and Helen Kwolek -2003, 007
James Bond Edition, Keith Landis -2002 Thunderbird Convertible, and myself in my 1966 Thunderbird Convertible. Congratulations to Lowell and Larry and Helen winning trophies for the top
40.
Sorry for the late response to the newsletter. I have been a little busy lately, having returned from vacation last week, then attended The Bloomington Rendezvous in Normal, Ill. on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and came home Monday.
For those that have never been to the Rendezvous, it is a weekend show packed with fun things to do. It is sponsored by The Land of Lincoln Thunderbird Club and this is their 37th year of putting it on. It is similar to a convention, but without all of the tension and fuss. It starts on Friday evening with a salad and pizza party, on Saturday they bus you to fun events, each year different. This year we visited a restored gas station on Old Route 66. Then to a business that restores Ford Broncos. If you go to our face book page, you can see pictures. Their work is simply amazing, doing custom work or mild to wild restorations. Some of their Broncos have sold in the $200.000 range. They sell them to customers from all over the world. Our next stop is hard to describe, but someone has a lot of time on their hands. It is a house with metal figures, stone animals, all sorts of craziness. You just had to be there. Saturday night is dinner at a local Steak House. On Sunday is the car show using 'People's Choice' ballots. It is so relaxed an atmosphere that they don't even care if you wash your car or not. Club members attending included Kevin and Diane Mark (ask Kevin about his broccoli), Wayne Settlemeyer, our club member from Missouri, and myself. Gina and Carlos Rodrigeuz were planning to attend, but after working all day and checking the weather forecast for the Bloomington area, they decided not to make the trip. Members from the Indianapolis Club included Elaine Anderson and Mike Sercer. There were members from as far as Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota and Chicago. Most of the predicted rain held off until the very end of the show. I hope that some of you would consider attending next year, the 2nd weekend of October. It is very easy to get there, just take US 24 West to I-55 South and you are there. It is also very inexpensive with reduced room rates and low registration fees. Think about it, OK?
The man with the plan, club VP Keith Landis has been busy planning our Fall Color Cruise. The date is Sunday, October 17th. We will meet at the original Hall's Drive-In at 1502 Bluffton Road at 10:00 AM for brunch or meet at 11:00 AM if you just want to do the cruise. We will cruise thru Allen, Wells, and Huntington counties and then end at Two EE's Winery . As this may be the last club event until the snow flies, we hope that you can join us.
We regret to inform you of the passing of Harold Secrest, a longtime member of The Vintage Thunderbird Club of Indiana. Our condolences to wife Margaret and family.
That's all the news from Hoosierland, COME FLY WITH US!
Best regards,
Roger Noll, President HVTC
September 2021
Hello Club Members,
On August 22, 57 club members, relatives and friends boarded The S.S. Lilypad II for lunch and a tour of beautiful Lake Wawasee in Syracuse. Having this tour postponed once before in June because of inclement weather, it turned out to be a most wonderful day with Mother Nature providing lots of sunshine and none of the dreaded rain that shut down the event earlier. We had a very nice lunch on board, with some members choosing to stay in the air-conditioned comfort of the first-floor cabin, while others enjoyed the open-air cruising offered on the second floor. It was amazing to see this 75-foot-long boat wind its way down a narrow channel to enter the open waters of Lake Wawasee. Everyone that I talked to seemed to be enjoying themselves and many remarked of what a bargain it was for the tour and the delicious lunch. The two-hour tour came to an end with the boat winding its way back through the channel that we left from and it was amazing to watch this huge boat do a 180-degree turn using its bow thrusters to once again dock at its home berth. From the conversations that I heard, it was unanimous that we do it again next year. With the exception of the Regional Convention that we hosted in 2011, we set a new club record for that many people attending one of our events. Life is Good!
We would like to thank club member Larry Sneary who not only planned our day, but let the caravan to the lake.
I would like to welcome our newest club member Ruth Darstein from Fort Wayne. Ruth is the proud owner of a pristine Mustang Convertible and also a 1956 Thunderbird that is in the process of restoration.
Our next club event will be on September 18th, The Ossian Car Show at Mike Anderson Chevrolet. Those wanting to caravan there, we can meet at our usual spot for this event, The Waynewood Inn at 8421 Bluffton Road at 8:00. Come earlier if you want to have coffee and breakfast. New this year, there is a $100.00 reward and a huge trophy to the largest attending club! Let's get the flock out!
Club Vice-President Keith Landis will be once again putting together a Fall Color Tour sometime in October. More on this as the date gets nearer.
For anyone looking for Thunderbird parts, check out a new entry in our Parts/Cars for sale on our website: www.hoosierthunderbird.com
Several club members will be attending the Annual Bloomington Rendezvous hosted by our sister club, The Land of Lincoln Thunderbird Club. If you are planning to attend, make your reservation now, as they were running out of hotel rooms.
Thats all the news from Hoosierland, COME FLY WITH US!
Best regards,
Roger Noll, President
HVTC
August 2021
Hello Club Members,
Where the heck did July go? It seemed to flash by in the blink of an eye. I wish January would pass by so quickly. We sure are having some beautiful weather this week though.
Our last club event was July 31st, The Rock The Fort Car Show held at SweetCars in the Fort. We had a nice representation of Thunderbirds there including Greg Minnich, 1955 Thunderbird, Gary Nordman, 2002 Thunderbird, Gina Rodriguez, 2003 Thunderbird, Lowell Lepper 1955 Thunderbird, Gerald Germann, 2002 Thunderbird, and Larry and Helen Kwolek, 2003 James Bond Edition Thunderbird and myself in my 1966 Thunderbird. Congratulations to Lowell and Larry, winning awards in the Top 40.
Our next event will be:
August 7th WHEELS AND WEINERS CRUISE-IN at the Conservation Club at Pretty Lake 4410 S. 890 East, Wolcottville, IN. 46795.. Hosts are Club Members Ken and Di Hensch. 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. After the show we will head to The Shady Nook for an early dinner. This will take the place of our usual Club Picnic. We can meet at Hall's Hollywood Restuarant at 10:15 if you want to caravan there. (I have a family reunion that day so Keith can lead you there. I will try to catch up with you at the Shady Nook.) We need a head count for the Shady Nook by August 1st. Send to me and I will inform Di.
August 22nd LUNCH AND CRUISE ABOARD THE LILY PAD at Lake Wawasee. (Let's hope for good weather.) IF you are caravanning there, we will meet at The Marathon Gas Station at W. Washington Center Rd. and US 33 North at 9:30 AM. If you are North of the Fort, we will meet you there. Bring friends, relatives, but we need a head count and need to know if you are meeting us at the Frog or plan to caravan with us from the Fort. WE NOW HAVE AROUND 45 MEMBERS AND GUESTS SIGNED ON TO ATTEND. IF YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED ON AS YET, PLEASE LET ME KNOW ASAP!
For some reason when I talk to club members, they don't seem to know what is going on in the club. We have a Website with an events calendar on it to keep you informed. WWW.hoosierthunderbird.com We also have a Facebook page where we post reminders there. If you go to our Facebook page, you can see a video of The Rock the Fort Car Show. Thanks to club members Bill Honor and Gina Rodriguez.
We had 10 or 11 members attend the Celebration of Life for Darrell Will. Thank you, Sue and family, for inviting us. It was a very special time and it was nice to share memories of Darrell. They sent us home with a packet of seeds to plant for ourselves in memory of him. It was very touching.
NEW MEMBERS, please welcome Bruce and Karen Stopher from Harlen, Indiana. They are the owners of a 1955 Thunderbird. Glad to have you on board! We are looking forward to meeting you!
On our website, be sure to read the latest edition from our tech editor Larry Sneary.
THAT IS ALL THE NEWS FROM HOOSIERLAND, COME FLY WITH US!
Best regards,
Roger Noll, President
HVTC
July 2021
Hello Club Members,
Happy Birthday America! I hope that you are enjoying this holiday weekend!
On June 11th, we added The Canal Days Car Show and Cruise-in held at the high school in New Haven. We had a several members attend including Bud and Freda Gibson, 64 Mercury Monterey Convertible, Larry Sneary, 64 Thunderbird Convertible, Bill and Kathy Crowley, 65 Thunderbird Hardtop, and myself in my 04 Merlot. With temperatures in the 90's and on a black top parking lot, it was one hot time. I think that all of us left early, it was just a bit miserable.
June 27th was to be our tour of beautiful Lake Wawasee with lunch aboard the S.S. Lily Pad. We were watching the Weather Chanel closely, as rain and thunderstorms were predicted for the day. With thunderstorms and winds of 25 mph moving in, we made the call to postpone this event and we will try to re-schedule this in August. This was too bad, as we had over 31 people signed up to go. And so it goes, in The Hoosier State.
Our next club event is July 17, The Car Show in Lawton Park, just North of downtown Ft. Wayne. It is hosted by The Mizpah Shrine Car Club from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The best represented car club receives $100.00, so let's get those Thunderbirds out! Let's meet at 8:00 AM at the Burger King restaurant at the point of N. Clinton Street and Spy Run Ave. to that we can arrive and park together. Our club always seems to do very well at this show. Those members coming from a distance, I know that this is an early call. You can just meet us at the park so that you don't have to get up in the middle of the night. Just look for those glistening Thunderbirds. Hope to see you there!
Also in July is The Rock The Fort Car Show at SweetCars 2404 W. Jefferson in the Fort. The date is July 31st from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Let's meet at the Western most entrance to Swinney Park at 9:00 so that we can arrive and park together. All proceeds go to Crime Stoppers.
That's all the news from Hoosierland, COME FLY WITH US!
Best regards,
Roger Noll, President
HVTC
June 2021
Hello Club Members,
I hope that you all enjoyed your Memorial Day Weekend. It was a little cooler than normal, but still, plenty of
sunshine.
Our last club event was on May 16th for Thunderbird Appreciation Day. We met for lunch at Arcos Mexican Restaurant in the Fort and then traveled to Auburn to enjoy The Auburn, Cord,
Duesenberg Museum. We couldn’t have asked for better weather, sunshine and temps in the low 70’s. Perfect for drop the top cruising.....and we did!
Joining us were new members Keith and Brenda Murphy from Marion, driving their excellent Dusk Rose/Raven Black 1957
Thunderbird. Also new member Phillip Walter from Goshen, driving his very original 1964 Wimbleton White Convertible. Other members included Bud and Freda Gibson driving a white Ford
Convertible that we hadn’t seen before. Greg Minnich met us at the Museum in Auburn driving his Snowshoe White 1955 Thunderbird, Gary and Christine Nordman in their Torch
Red 2002, and Gerold and Dorothy Germann in their Whisper White, 2002. Keith Landis in their Inspiration Yellow 2002, and myself driving my Diamond Blue 1966 Thunderbird Convertible.
It is always a treat to visit the ACD Museum and it never disappoints. Our thanks to club VP Keith Landis for planning a most enjoyable day.
Our next club outing will be on SUNDAY June 27th, lunch and a tour of beautiful Lake Wawasee aboard the S.S. Lily Pad II. We have invited our sister club members The Vintage Thunderbird Club of Indiana (Indy) to join us. For those who have never been to this event, The Lily Pad has been serving guests fine dining on Indiana’s largest natural lake for over a quarter of a century. The 70-foot-long houseboat includes two decks, one offers air-conditioned comfort and the top deck offers open air seating with an overhead canopy. An open bar is included for your refreshment needs. You are allowed to bring along guests.
The Lily Pad departs PROMPTLY AT 11:00 AM from the rear of The Frog Tavern located just off of Highway 13 in Syracuse, Indiana and on the far Western part of Lake Wawasee. For those living North of Fort Wayne, or if you are coming from Indy, we will meet you there. Take Highway 13 to the Southern part of Syracuse and turn East at the stoplight near the Wilby’s Sunoco Gas Station.
The address is: 1116 S. Harkless Drive, Syracuse, IN. 46567
For those who will be caravanning from The Fort, we will depart from the gas station at 4136 W. Washington Center Rd. And Goshen Rds. at 9:30 AM. We encourage you to drive your Thunderbirds, but if yours is down for that week, the daily driver will do just fine. WE WILL BE NEEDING A HEAD COUNT BY JUNE 20TH in order for the crew to know how much food to prepare.
THAT’S ALL THE NEWS FROM HOOSIERLAND, COME FLY WITH US!
Best regards,
Roger Noll, President
HVTC
P.S. Since our Lily Pad Cruise isn't until the end of the month, we thought that we could add another event to our June schedule.
Canal Days Car Show and Cruise, June 11th, 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Grace Gathering Church, Minnich Rd & Moeller Rd. We can meet up at the Hall's parking lot in New Haven at 4:45 so that we can park together when we get there. Cost is $10.00.
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
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