Several vintage vehicles belonging to members of the Old Fort Model A’s were seen in the Dairy Queen parking lot on Winona Avenue Wednesday evening, Oct. 7.

By Lasca Randels
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Some of our readers may have been curious as to why there were numerous vintage automobiles in the Dairy Queen parking lot on Winona Avenue in Warsaw Wednesday evening.

The vehicles belong to members of the Old Fort Model A’s, a group of vintage automobile enthusiasts. 

The group is traveling around Northeast Indiana on a series of tours to visit the murals of Mural Fest.

Wednesday’s group included Roger and Linda Byers of Fort Wayne; Bob and Mary Richhart of New Haven; Joe and Pam Baxter of New Haven; Jim and Betsy Graham of Fort Wayne; Bob and Sharon Minnich of Fort Wayne;  Gary Bird of Columbia City; and Steven Witte of Hudson.

Pam Baxter said the group plans to visit the murals in all 11 counties participating in Mural Fest, which includes a massive mural along South Buffalo Street.

“We’ve done six already and did number seven and eight today,” Baxter said. “We did Columbia City and Warsaw today.”

Bird said his automobile is “probably the purest of the cars here,” because it doesn’t have the modern features that many others have.

Bird’s car, a 1930 Model A Tudor he refers to as “Judy,” was manufactured in Indianapolis. 

“The only thing updated on my car from 1930 is that it has a 12 volt battery system so that I can have turn signals,” Bird said. “Because if you stick your arm out the window these days, people think you’re doing something other than telling them you’re turning left or right.”

“I’m what they call a purist,” Bird said. “I don’t want to change my car. I want it to look just like it did 90 years ago.”

The Old Fort Model A’s have approximately 60 members at this time. 

This 1930 Model A Tudor belongs to Gary Bird of Columbia City.

One of the vintage automobiles seen in the Dairy Queen parking lot Wednesday evening.

The vehicles belong to members of the Old Fort Model A’s, a group of vintage car enthusiasts.