In honor of Fillmore’s Lin Thomas, who past away back in 2022, the Ventura County Model A club visited the Fillmore Historical Museum Saturday, October 21st, 2023 for a BBQ Lunch where they displayed their Model A vehicles pictured above. Photo credit Fillmore Historical Museum.

Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

On Saturday, Oct 21st, 2023, the Ventura County Model A club visited the Fillmore Historical Museum to display their Model A vehicles and to enjoy a BBQ lunch remembering and honoring Lin Thomas of Fillmore who passed away in 2022. Lin was a teacher of industrial arts at Fillmore High School until his retirement. During the last three years of his teaching career he led his students in an auto restoration project. Each year under his direction they restored a Model A pickup which was then driven on one of the History Channels’ Great Races.

The first pickup, a 1930 Model A, restored by Lin and his high school students is now in the garage display building at the Fillmore Museum located at 350 Main St. in Fillmore and can be seen any day the museum is open. The three pickups were all painted blue and white, Fillmore High Schools colors. Each also had signage signifying the year and route that they traveled on the Great Race. The auto at the museum traveled from Marietta, Georgia, to Anaheim, CA, in the 1999 race and took 4th place.

The restoration of the each vehicle was a yearlong project. Cars had to be restored with materials available when the car was manufactured. This meant that fiberglass body and solid state ignitions were not allowed. For safety, two taillights and seatbelts were required. Older cars were allowed to adapt front axles to four wheel brakes and electric systems could be changed to 12 volts. The project also required finding body and engine parts, painting, cleaning and assembling the car. Students also had to be taught how to connect wiring, fuel, transmission and brake lines.
During the race odometers had to be covered from view. One clocks other that the race issued wristwatch for the driver and navigator was allowed. Students were the navigators and a teacher or adult supervisor were the drivers. Any repairs during the day were to be done by the driver and navigator. Extensive repairs could be done at the end of the race day by the repair crew that was part of the group. Maps were not allowed.

The race to Anaheim took 13 days to cross the country and came in 4th.

Those attending the Saturday event enjoyed viewing the Model A cars, talking to the owners and visiting the various buildings on the museum site. They also enjoyed the BBQ lunch prepared by Doug and Andrea Legan.