The 41st Hillbilly Tour of the Heart of the Ozarks Chapter of the Model T Ford Club of America rolled into Appleton City last Saturday morning under sunny skies. The cool day was perfect for motoring at a leisurely pace through the corn fields and farms in the heartland of the Midwest.
The visit was hosted by Steven Cross of Zink Motor Company, one of the oldest Ford dealerships in the country. A mecca for Model T fans, the two-story brick dealership on 4th Street was built in 1918, and the second floor remains the same as it looked 100 years ago. Several vintage Model Ts are on display on both floors of the dealership, which was owned by Wilbur Zink, then was acquired by Jeff Cross in 2002.
More than 40 Model Ts from across the United States registered for this year’s tour, which started on Sept. 4 with short drives around the Springfield area. On Sept. 5, the Hillbilly Tour’s first day drive was to Stockton Lake, where the motorists had dinner at the Orleans Trail Resort and Restaurant. The next morning, they drove to Appleton City, where they parked their vintage cars in Forest Park across from the Zink dealership.
Jim Armstrong and his grandson, Webb Scott-Boswell, from Colorado Springs, made the 50-mile trip from Stockton to Appleton City in an hour and half, Jim said. Model Ts are designed to go 25 to 30 miles an hour, he said. Jim, who is from Pittsburg, Kansas, has a 1910 Model T.
Zink Motors hosts visits from vintage car clubs regularly, according to Steven, who is a member of the Kansas City Chuggers Model T Club.
Around noon, the Model Ts started rolling out of the park and down 4th Street, many stopping at restaurants. They also visited the Appleton City Carousel, which Linda Lampkin opened for their visit. Several tour members who stopped rode the carousel, Linda said, which has become a regional draw after it was voted to the best Kid-Friendly Attraction in Missouri by Rural Missouri magazine.
The motorists then drove out of town, with plans to loop south to Lamar, Mo., to visit Harry Truman’s birthplace.
