Lincoln Car Clubs and Foundation Honor Bert Huffman
North Carolina Gentleman and Lincoln Collector
By Tom Brunner

Bert Huffman lived on this earth from 1924 to 2007. During that time he and his friends lovingly restored dozens of vehicles, mostly fire engines and Lincoln automobiles. During his lifetime of accomplishments he was also family man, industrialist, mayor of Granite Falls, NC for 27 years, pilot, and sometime motorcyclist.

Members of the four major Lincoln car clubs and the Lincoln Motor Car Foundation will journey to North Carolina on Thursday, April 8, 2010, to honor Bert's memory and recognize his achievements with a visit to one of the great Lincoln automobile collections in the world.

Bert would probably tell us that his lifelong love affair with the Lincoln began in 1941 when his father purchased a new Zephyr coupe, one of the last produced before World War II. Over the years, as time and resources permitted, he acquired more vehicles, ending with more than 100 restored and original vehicles, the vast majority being Lincolns. 28 of the Lincolns are HV-12 cylinder cars representing the years 1936-48. But Bert has cars featured by each of the Lincoln clubs, some of them very rare. His car barn is probably the only place in the world where one can see an example of each year's Lincoln-Zephyr coupe sedan assembled from 1936-39, the total production of which was 3598 for all four years. Bert also has Continentals, early Lincoln models (1920-39) and so-called "road race" Lincolns (1949-57). If that is not sufficient, how about 13 Fords, 2 Edsels, 5 Mercurys, 1 Pantera, 2 Amphicars, 1 Franklin, and 15 fire engines, as well as an undetermined number of future projects and parts cars?

Bert and his long time friend Elbert "Hot Rod" Chapman were regular attendees at Lincoln Zephyr Owners Club and Lincoln and Continental Owners Club events, carrying away multiple trophies at nearly all meets, making memories, and setting high standards for other restorers.

After visiting Bert's collection, the Lincoln clubs will journey to Dennis Carpenter's manufacturing facility for a complete tour, and will follow with a large display of all Lincolns at the Charlotte Auto Fair, on Friday and Saturday April 9, and 10, 2010. The weekend's events will close with a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Lincoln Motor Car Foundation and a giant barbecue for all attendees on the afternoon and evening of Saturday April 10, 2010.

Make plans to attend this festival of Lincolns, to be known as "Carolina in the Morning" to kick-off the next decade. And who knows? Maybe the Lincoln Division of Ford will have their new models available as well.

Registration forms are available starting November 1, 2009, at www. LZOC.org or by writing Bonnie McWade-Furtado, 118 Elliott Street, Pepperell, MA 01463-1412, 978-433-5886.

• The largest gathering of Lincoln enthusiasts and their cars in 10 years
• The largest gathering of Lincoln enthusiasts ever in the Southeast
• Join your friends and meet new friends at the first great Lincoln meet of the new decade