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Ron and Jeannie Higgins with Ollie the 1903 Olvera Horseless Carriage.
April in Arizona. It’s the most perfect time of year.
Perfect for spending time outdoors. Hiking. Biking.
And it’s absolutely perfect for taking in a car show.
Not just any car show, mind you. But the annual Oracle Spring Run Car Show sponsored by the Oracle Historical Society.
The weather was perfect. No wind. No rain. In fact not a cloud in the sky. Just bright beautiful sunshine to lend a bit of more dazzle to the shiny array of cars, trucks and motorcycles on display in front of the Oracle Court House.
The food was yummy with the traditional fare from the Oracle Historical Society as well as kettle corn, ice cream, shaved ice, hot dogs and street Italian. The tunes were even better! DJ Supetown (otherwise known as David Sinteral) was mixing the tunes and keeping the whole area dancing and jamming.
This year, there were 158 registered entrants. There were a few that were not part of the judging, just part of the show.
There was one surprise entrant, Ollie, the 1903 Olvera Horseless Carriage. His owners Ron and Jeannie Higgins were eager to show him off and readily shared his story. (If you must know, this author fell in love with Ollie. He stole the show and my heart.)
Ron and Jeannie are snowbirds, spending the winter months in Florence and summers in Craig, Colorado. This was their first time showing Ollie at the Oracle Spring Run Car Show.
Ollie was born (made?) in Cases Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico. Ron said that Mormons who had migrated there from the United States built Ollie. It is uncertain how many were built, but it is believed that Ollie is now only one of five known Olvera Horseless Carriages in the world. There used to be seven, but two have gone missing.
According to the Higgins, Ollie sat in a warehouse of a Maqueladora (a factory in Mexico run by a foreign company and exporting its products to the country of that company) in Matamoras, Mexico, for 35-40 years. When the owner of the business retired, an employee purchased the “old car parked in the corner” and brought it to Brownsville, Texas.
Ollie spent the next five years in his new owner’s garage. In 2000, Frank and Sandra bought the car as a birthday present for Sandy and it was moved to Green Valley, Arizona. It was there that the restoration began on Ollie.
His body is made of wood and his fenders are metal. A 1950 Kohler engine was installed, one that was made only for distribution in Mexico. It has one spark plug and 10 burro power.
Frank and Sandy showed Ollie in many car shows and parades during their ownership. In 2006, Ollie was purchased by Kempton and Eileen Ashborn of Casa Grande, AZ. The next six years were spent at more shows and parades. He has won many trophies and plaques.
On March 9, 2016, Ron purchased Ollie for Jeannie as her birthday present and they plan to show Ollie off at car shows and parades in Colorado and Arizona.
One question the Higgins are often asked: how many miles per gallon does Ollie get? Their answer: Ollie has a one gallon tank and has never run out of gas in a parade. So he averages one parade per gallon.
For something that has passed his eleventy-fourth birthday (114), Ollie is remarkably well preserved and loved.
Welcome to Oracle, Ollie!
While Ollie would have been our pick for the top award, there were five other notable winners in the 31st annual Oracle Spring Run Car Show.
Winners
Best Engine
Best Engine Paul Harrison from Green Valley, 1932 Ford coupe
Best Paint
Best Paint Jim Brant from Idaho, 1934 Ford Two-Door
Best Interior
Best Interior Frank Pella from Oro Valley, 1968 Chevy Corvair
Best of Show (Car)
Best of Show (Car) William Spagnola from Arizona City, 1939 Chevy Town Sedan
Best of Show (Truck)
Best of Show (Truck) Terry White from Tucson, 1957 GMC Suburban
There are news or informational items frequently written by staff or submitted to the Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner, Superior Sun, Pinal Nugget or Oracle Towne Crier for inclusion in our print or digital products. These items are not credited with an author.
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