You've probably noticed that we've had a bunch of groups visit Coker Tire in the past few months. Today, we had the Eliminators Car Club, all the way from Bucyrus, Ohio! They came in a diverse group of cars, ranging from a '67 Mustang to some more obscure cars, like a '60 Pontiac and a '57 Ford wagon, converted into a sedan delivery. There was even a '64 Ford ex-drag racer, which had all of the documentation, old pictures and event decals to prove it! Other cars included a cool '57 Chevy 150 and a Ford panel truck, rolling on Coker Classic wide whitewalls.
[caption id="attachment_2796" align="aligncenter" width="640"] SHAY OWNER'S CLUB INTERNATIONAL Tour Group[/caption] Look closely and you'll see the lug count isn't quite what you expected. They're replicas! Harry Shay's Model A replicas were built between 1979 and 1982 and could be bought through Ford dealers and a group of Shay Model A enthusiasts found their way to Coker Tire Company today for a tour.
If you're new to the old car hobby then you may not have heard of a guy by the name of Henry J. Kaiser. He was quite the engineer and he certainly developed some of the most unique cars of the late '40s and early '50s. Kaiser, Frazer and Henry J were the big three offerings, and each car had its own set of models, with various trim levels and configurations. The company didn't last very long, but it left behind a great legacy that results in a dedicated group of owners. The Kaiser-Frazer Owners Club has a national meet once per year, and the 2012 event is just up the road from us in Sweetwater, Tennessee.