Kokomo Tour

Kokomo Drive

April 30 2000

We had a good turn out for our day drive to Kokomo, meeting at 96th and Meridian and having lunch at the Hayes Museum at 1 pm. We also visited the Auto History Museum as well as a private car collection. This trip was planned by Steve and Robbi Ortman.

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Kokomo Tour Wrap up

by Don McCallum

Sunday, April 30, was a beautiful day for touring in our Classics. We met in the Kroger parking lot at 96^th and Meridian Street and followed Klein’s Dusenberg north on US 31 at 10:30 A.M. We met Dan and Susan Phenicie at Sherrill’s drive-in, just South of Kokomo. The Millers met us in their Duesenberg. It was nice to see this car out of the museum and on the road. We followed the Phenicies to Bob Gollner’s automobile collection. The Gollner’s had many interesting cars on display as well as a wide variety of auto memorabilia. Gene Perkins said he would not like to have to take an inventory of the collection.

We then followed Stephan Morgan in a red 1923 Packard (nc) to the Elwood Haynes museum where an excellent lunch was served. In the garage was a Haynes donated by the Mervis family, former active members of our region. Following lunch we toured the museum and watched a video. The museum is devoted to the life and accomplishments of Elwood Haynes a remarkable man who developed the first commercially successful gasoline automobile, as well as stellite and stainless steel. Mr. Haynes first car, a 1904, was donated to the Smithsonian Institute in 1910. An unusual 1905 Haynes was displayed in the sunroom. This car has a back seat driver, a moveable steering column, and front rumble seat.

From the Haynes museum we toured north to the Heritage Auto Museum at the Johanning Civic Center. The Gollners have spent much of their personal time in planning and developing this new museum including the hands-on construction of a replica of Elwood Haynes original homestead. Many unusual cars were on display including Dan and Susan Phenicie’s 1911 Hudson 33 speedster (n.c.) Also present was a 1935 Auburn SC cabriolet which Stephan Morgan plans to take on the Great Race. Many of our members perused the well stocked gift shop. We were all sorry when it was time to head for home. We want to thank the Ortman’s & the Phenicie’s for planning the enjoyable trip.

Participants on the Kokomo trip are as follows: