HPOF Changes

[Rick Lay]

The talk on the parking lot at Charlotte was that the judging committee had voted to recommend to the AACA National Board to open up the HPOF (Historical Preservation of Original Features) Class to vehicles 35 years of age and older. Presently, only vehicles 45 years old and older are eligible. If voted on this year, the change would be for the 2001 meet year - as I understand it. <P>I will go ahead and say that I think this is a great idea!!!!! There are a lot of nice early 60's vehicles which need to be saved - and this should also attract a lot more folks to AACA who might otherwise not elect to show their original cars in an existing competitive class.<P>I hope this recommendation passes - I see nothing but positives from this.

[novaman]

I heard the same thing about opening up HPOF to cars 35 yrs and older. I think it is a great idea before we lose all the original cars to being restored. I have one car I'd like to have in the class. A '63 Chevy II Nova with 60,000 miles. Yea, the exterior paint might be dead as a doornail but, it a pretty decent car. Maybe ronbarn can help with this question. How do you go about getting a car entered into HPOF. I've read the Judges Manual but it seems to be a little vague. Who would I need to see? How much of the car can be restored while still having orginal items? How much documention on the oringal features do you need? Just what you would have if it was being judged on the field and the item questioned? Thanks for any help.<p>[This message has been edited by novaman (edited 07-24-2000).]

[Jay Wolf]

HPOF I have a 1916 HPOF Elgin, my comments on HPOF.<BR>First HPOF is not a competition. <BR>Remember the purpose behind HPOF. There are lots of reasons but the main one being to preserve original cars to document how they were when the came out of the factory.<BR>For instants if you are restoring a 32 Nash, need information about where the pin stripes went.<BR>You can get the name of an owner of a 32 Nash with HPOF striping and find out.<P>As far as the HPOF certification, from what I understand is <BR>You fill out a form where you state what is original and what isn't. (I have done this)<BR>The car must be at least 50% original, broken down into different 4 categories.<BR>When you get your HPOF you get a plaque, but then that is it, each meet you get a little participant tag.<BR>So if you want to do HPOF, do it for yourself not the award. <BR>I have met the guy (his name escapes me) from TN who is in charge of HPOF, he is real great guy and is not in AACA to argue with anybody, but is in AACA to do the best job he can, any car he certifies as HPOF we want it to be "take it to the bank" sure it is the way it came out of the factory. We should all applaud him for that. This is not as easy as it may seem, my car is 85 years old, and parts replaced 75 years ago are hard to tell from original. Remember HPOF is not a completion so it is better to error on the side of a feature not being original that to say one is when you are only 70% sure it is and incorrectly document something.<P>If your car doesn't win the HPOF certification, you can still enter it and show in HPOF and have fun with it.<BR> <BR>I would bet, if you wrote AACA they would send you a HPOF certification sheet.<P>Jay Wolf <BR>1916 Elgin.<BR><P>------------------<BR>

[ronbarn]

A few comments on the HPOF discussion. First off, the scuttlebutt heard during the meet was based on a decision by the Judging Committee to recommend the change. The proposal must now go to the AACA Board for approval. It's not a done deal, but my bets are that it will be approved (I'm only one vote).<P>Second, we are also working on a "driver class". This will be for cars that due to some restoration in the past do not qualify for HPOF status, are frequently driven, and the owners would like to show them off on the field. (Got a couple of those myself) Again, not a done deal, but in the working stage.<P>Third, comments above are good. To enter HPOF get a registration form the same way you get one to enter a National Meet and in the block for "AACA Judging Class No." enter HPOF. If the vehicle has already been HPOF qualified there is another block to enter the "Year Qualified". Leave this one blank if it has not yet been certified. When you pick up your registration package at the meet, you will get the form for you to identify which features of the vehicle are original - NOT restored to be as original, but actually are original and NOT restored or replaced. If the HPOF determines that a significant portion (roughly 50%) of the vehicle is original the team may certify it as HPOF.<P>Finally, the guy in charge is Gary Ensman and he is from Ohio, not Tennessee - however, all the other good thing said about him are indeed very true.

[novaman]

Thanks guys for the infromation on the HPOF. I did realize that HPOF is a noncompetitive class. My '63 4dR Chevy II Nova would be a match for this class. It's too original to restore and I just want to show it off. The driving class would be perfect for my '63 Chevy II wagon. I'm restoring it to be a driver for car events. Thanks again guys.<BR>

[Rick Hoover]

Still sounds like a BIG PLUS for AACA and it's membership!<P>Driver class? Still need to think on that.<P>Rick

[Guest]

Elgin 16 ~ The man from Tennessee who you met that was formerly in charge of HPO was Forrest Sloan. He passed away a few years ago.<P>Gary Ensman is now in command and is carrying on the good work. Howard