Northern Illinois & Rockford Regional Groups

Team Up for “Drive Your Ford V-8 Day”

By John Emmering

Anxious to celebrate “Drive Your Ford V-8 Day” and the 116th birthday of the Ford Motor Company, a group of 19 enthused members and friends of the Northern Illinois Regional Group of the Early Ford V-8 Club of America gathered shortly after eight o’clock am at the Hanover Park Train Station on Saturday June 15th. Several members were clad in their commemorative T-Shirts designed with special logos observing the day and each driver received a commemorative dash plaque especially prepared for the occasion.

Overcast skies with a chance of rain were a worry for the planners and participants of the event but keeping a positive attitude and hoping the weather would remain dry, participants lined up their cars to proceed to the destination, Rockford’s Midway Village Museum Complex. The procession headed out of the train station at 8:30 and then south down County Farm Road. Next it took a right turn for a long west bound stretch on Stearns Road.

A s the cars passed by Randall Road in Elgin, Pat Maroney noticed noise and vibrations from the engine compartment of his 1936 Ford. Pulling off into a parking lot Pat parked his Ford and the others followed. A group gathered to render assistance. It was discovered that the generator became loose, and the fan had slipped out of position with the blades encountering the coil. Once the generator was secured back in place, Pat’s 1936 Ford started up once again and was ready to continue on its way.

The tour vehicles headed north on Burlington Road through the quaint hamlet of Burlington, Illinois, passing through the vintage buildings that comprise the town’s business district. Continuing to Route 72 and turning west, the group came to the small town of Genoa where a short pit stop was made at the McDonald’s Restaurant. Tom O’Donnell in his 1953 Lincoln joined the group at this point. When the short stopover was completed the vehicles involved in the tour, now including seven Early Ford V-8s headed back onto Route 72 and then north on Genoa Road.

A n especially rural and isolated section of road came next as the group headed up Cherry Valley Road and crossed over the Kishwaukee River through an area of forest preserves. From there it was a straight shot north on Mulford Road and right on Guilford where the much anticipated sign indicated that we about to enter Midway Village.

P ulling into the village driving Early Ford V-8s was Ken Bounds, 1951 Mercury Sport Coupe, Ed & Diane Crane, 1941 Ford Super DeLuxe Convertible, John & Robin Emmering, 1951 Ford Custom Fordor, Pat & Dee Maroney 1936 Ford DeLuxe Fordor Sedan, Tom & Madeline O’Donnell with their daughter, Maureen and son-in-law Joe Joos, 1953 Lincoln Sport Coupe, Joe Serritella, 1941 Ford Super DeLuxe Coupe and George and Dawn Zulas, with their 1940 Ford Standard Tudor.