Original Buick Collectors Club publications (predecessor to BCA)

I have unearthed some of the original Buick Collectors Club newsletters from the 1960's, before the BCA was formed. How rare/collectible are these? They are neat, but not sure how sure how scarce these are. They were my dad's, who was one of the early BCA members also.

I would think they are quite rare, all things considered. Are you thinking of selling them? Or possibly contacting the BCA office to see if they want to scan them and add them to the growing library of past Bugle magazines on-line?

I also have a set of these BCCA newsletters as I was a BCCA member (I believe my membership # was 545). The BCCA went bust around 1965 (I believe Pete did an article in a past Bugle about the BCCA). Not too long after that, I received a letter from California asking if I wanted to join a new Buick group being formed to be known as the BCA. I held off joining a couple of years to see if the new club would make a go of it. (Looks like it did!) Hence my BCA number of 2098. I originally joined the BCCA because of my 1941 Buick, purchased in 1963 as my daily driver, which I still have. A few years later I saw an ad in "Old Cars" and an article in the Bugle about a BCA national show being put together by Terry Dunham in California and Bud Cline in Flint , to be held at Buick headquarters in Flint. I sent a photo of my car to Terry, asking if he thought it would be OK to enter it in the show. I received a nice letter from Terry telling me to bring it "for sure". To make a long story short, that first national BCA meet was the starting point for the formation of the Buicktown Chapter in early 1972 (Just ask the "Old Guy").

I have a few of the BCCA letters also ,and they are interesting because the organization was the fore runner of the BCA. The BCA is the organization that is the foremost Buick club in the world. My BCA number was 1308 and my BDE number was 001

Hey Joe "The Old Guy", don't forget that it was you that got the Buick Bug in running shape for the first national meet, and drove it around the parking lot. I have photo's to prove it.

I would love to scan those newsletters and get them uploaded to the BCA website. If one of you guys would ship me the newsletters, I'll reimburse you for the cost of shipping and I'll be sure to take good care of the newsletters and then send them back to you ASAP. If you are willing, please email me at cwldesigns@gmail.com. Also, I have a photo of some of the very early members - 6 men and two women. I met one of the men last summer in Portland, but having trouble identifying the others. If I can figure out how to upload a photo to this forum site, maybe some of you early members can identify the people in the photo? Thanks, Cindy

Not sure that it matters Cindy, but the Buick Collectors Club was not part of the BCA nor did it turn into the BCA, the BCA was formed after the fact. I have seen a few of these and while they may be of interest I am not sure they belong or should be on the BCA's site. Just some thoughts, nothing more.

Hey Joe "The Old Guy", don't forget that it was you that got the Buick Bug in running shape for the first national meet, and drove it around the parking lot. I have photo's to prove it.

Dave, those are priceless!!!

Posting this picture for Cindy. She would like to know who the people are. Anybody?

3rd from right looks like Greg Fields (Fallowfields)

I was there when they took that picture, it was a year or two before Greg passed away.

I I need to look at the pic on my computer, it's not very clear on my phone and will list the names

Fireball - I'm so excited. I will send the photo to you in email at a higher resolution so it will be easier to see. I'm positive that is Greg and am pretty sure I know the fellow on the left, but not the others.

Thanks Keith. I know the newsletters are not BCA newsletters, but since that BCCA club is the predecessor of the BCA, the newsletters might be interesting to some of our members and also somewhat historically significant. If they are posted to the website, we'll make sure that it's clear the newsletters are not early BCA newsletters. By the way, for anyone who is interested, Pete wrote an excellent article in the May 2014 issue of the Bugle titled "The Early BCA and It's Predecessor Organization (BCCA)".

Here is a bit more info, this was a meeting at Greg Field's house to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Buick Club of America on April 14th, 2001.

The folks in the picture are left to right: Russell Aves BCA#14, xx, xx, Lloyd Paschal BCA#2, xx, Greg Field BCA#1, Marvin Lewis BCA#4 and Leonard Hayes BCA#5. They are standing in front of Greg's 1938 Century convertible coupe on his driveway.

The second picture is Greg's 1938 Century Slantback Convertible Sedan, his 1936 Packard 120 Convertible Sedan and the next car is a 1931 Series 60 convertible coupe belonging to a local member whose name escapes me.

I will see if I can dig up any pictures or LA Chapter newsletters covering the gathering as well as the missing names in the picture.

Steve

I may have the membership package from the original club stashed away. I remember joining and spreading the newsletter copies and a couple of publications out on the dinning room table. It was pretty exciting stuff back in the days of long distance phone calls and mailed letters.

If I find the envelope it should show the date. I'm a little foggy, but it seems like the club made two tries to get started and they sent dated newsletters in the package for the second attempt.

It would be interesting to see if I was listed as a new member. I would have been 16 or 17 at the time.

Bernie

That's so interesting FlatTop! What year did you join the BCA? If you (or if anyone else) finds or remembers anything of interest from the very early BCA days, please contact me at cwldesigns@gmail.com. If all you do is send me an email with a story or memory in it, that's fine. I'd love to keep a log of these memories from members who have been part of the club since the '60s and even early 70s. I have no idea if I'll get the time to do anything with it, but I think it is interesting and worthwhile to somehow have a record of memories from long-time BCA members. Especially with the 50th anniversary coming up, I think this might be of interest to others in the club. Thanks!

I would love to scan those newsletters and get them uploaded to the BCA website. If one of you guys would ship me the newsletters, I'll reimburse you for the cost of shipping and I'll be sure to take good care of the newsletters and then send them back to you ASAP. If you are willing, please email me at cwldesigns@gmail.com. Also, I have a photo of some of the very early members - 6 men and two women. I met one of the men last summer in Portland, but having trouble identifying the others. If I can figure out how to upload a photo to this forum site, maybe some of you early members can identify the people in the photo? Thanks, Cindy

Cindy, I'd be willing to either send you my BCCA newsletters or maybe just scan them myself and send them to you. I'm short on time lately, but I'll get around to it at some point.

lancemb - That would be fantastic! I appreciate anything you can send.