By ARCHIE MOUNTAIN
NEWPORT —Leapin’ Lena, a household name in Newport, will get to strut her stuff in Downtown Indianapolis Sunday afternoon.
Newport’s most loved and oldest automobile, will get to do her wheelies before thousands of spectators Sunday afternoon during the parade at the 100th anniversary of the American Legion.
Lena won’t choke either. She’s been to these historic conventions before and every year the Newport-based relic gets out and about at many functions, including 14 this summer.
No. 15 comes up on Sunday and this will also be a special occasion for Lena, a 1919 Ford Model T, who will also be celebrating her 100th birthday.
Although it may be hard to believe, according to Jason Avery. Lena’s chauffeur, many of the parts in its engine are still original. “They’ve never had to be replaced,” said Avery who will be at the wheel of Lena on parade day.
Avery expects the 898-mile trip will take between 14 and 15 hours. He’ll be accompanied by his son, Reilly, a recent graduate from Newport High
school with the Class of 2019. Another Avery son, Dakota, has been a regular rider but he will miss the Indianapolis trip as he is currently completing Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base. He is scheduled to graduate from Basic Training at the San Antonio base on Sept. 20.
Another member of the parade crew will be Peter Lovely Sr. a longtime member of Brewster-Gould-Lee-Rollins Post 29, American Legion, based in Newport. Also riding with the Newport group will be Tony Rabia from American Legion Post 59 of Hillsborough.
Lena has had several drivers over the decades along with others who worked on the historic vehicle. Names from the past include Clifton “Red” Fisher, Jim Brady, Roy Billings and John Harold. For a stretch of 40–plus years Bill Hoyt was the official driver.
Avery has been its driver for the past three years. “It was always something I wanted to do since I was a little kid. I was fascinated by the car,” he said.
“For me to be part of the legacy is sort of a dream come true. I wanted to do it and was able to make it happen,” he stated.
Jason Avery figures Lena probably gets about three-miles per gallon of gas while on duty. The gas tank holds about10 gallons, he said.
Lena will be able to relax during the trip to Indianapolis as it will be hauled on a trailer towed by Avery’s pickup truck.
It will also be able to do what it does best…a whole bunch of wheelies along the parade route.
And that will be greeted with plenty of smiles and appreciative giggles by youngsters with their parents. Then they will get to know what thousands and thousands of other folks already know, Leapin’ Lena is a keeper.
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