Where is the Klingberg Model T Now?
May 3, 2008
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The oldest car at Klingberg Family Centers is a red and black 1914 Model T Ford Depot Hack. It was given by two of our longtime and generous donors, Morande Ford of Berlin and Story Brothers Auto Service Center of New Britain. It is main vehicile in the Klingberg Auto Restoration Program and serves as a mascot of the Antique Auto Show. Purchased in Florida, it was purple withwhite trim, not exactly what Henry Ford had in mind back in 1914. In fact, that was the year you could no longer buy a Model T in one of six original colors but only in a quick drying black used to keep the assembly line moving fast.
One of our residents, living in the Boy’s Unit and attending the Raymond Hill School, helped work on the Klingberg Model T, first taking it apart for painting and reassembling it , then stripping and polishing the brass and doing routine maintenance and repair. He developed a love for car restoration. His family is now restored also, so he is home and involved in an automotive program in a technical school. Often at Klingberg, the Model T can be seen in our garage with young budding mechanics learning and working around it.
The Model T is also a mascot for the Klingberg’s Annual Antique Auto Show so it makes public appearances, sometimes in some very unusual places. Mohegan Sun was the location of the Model T’s first appearance in 2008. Dattco Bus of New Britain, held an expo and requested our Model T be on display in the lobby outside the ballroom where the expo was being held. The very elegant wood paneled lobby , with it’s high ceilings and brightly colored carpet, made the Model T seem very small.
On May 17th the Model T was on display in front of the New Britain City Hall (see photo above) at the second annual New Britain Downtown District Auto Show. Dispite the threat of rain, over 100 antique and classic automobiles were on display around Central Park in the middle of the downtown . Several of the local restaurants set up tents and provided a “taste of New Britain”.
West Hartford Downtown Cruse Night was held on May 21st and the Model T was there for the second year. We had a grand entrance as we were escorted through the show the length of LaSalle Street by a West Hartford police motorcycle. We took our place at the front of the line at Farmington Ave. The event had the feeling of a home town festival and we spent the whole time in conversation with many great folks. The frosting on the cake came when the Klingberg Model T was awarded the “Best in Show” trophy.
On June 5th the Model T will be the center of the Klingberg Family Centers display at the Connecticut Expo for Business at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. Two goals for participating in this event are to become better know among the business community in Hartford and Central Connecticut and to requit business sponsors for the Klingberg Antique Auto Show in October.
