AJFord54

It's put out by Ford - small brochure glove compartment size with pictures of 54 Ford wearing them. I just bought it for documentation. Will post photos when I receive.

Just found the 1954 Ford tubeless tire brochure which shows the advantages of them and additionally shows a photo of a '54 with them. So, we can now move that '55 number back to '54 at least (for Fords).

That's a 1954 Ford - Customline, Tudor. Caption: "Bottoms Up"!

This is very interesting. It had never ocurred to me that my tubeless tires (or anyone else's for that matter) might be incorrect for my vehicle. Is there anything specific in the judges manual regarding this? I realize that things like seat belts and turn signals are acceptable for safety reasons - would tubeless tires fit into that description? Judges?

Just a suggestion - you might want to remove your e-mail from your text for safety-sake. A pm would be better, although not entirely without risk.

I just wanted to clarify a point by asking a question: I have always thought it to be that, unlike a "car show" where someone gets "First Place", the "First Junior" is not about one car being "the winner". The concept is that there are mulitple "First Junior" winners and thus no "First Place" in AACA. As an example, if a car attains 400 points, he is not "First Place" - others can still win their "First Junior" as well, by being within 10 points of that car. As I recall, at the awards ceremony, it is always announced something to the effect: "In class 32B, we have a tie and have multiple "First Junior" awards". Thus, there is no one car deemed better than the others. Is this a correct analysis? As a final point: I believe the concept that attending a smaller meet will provide less competition and therefore make it easier to attain a First Junior or a Senior has its faults. If enough people think that way, some of the finest cars will attend that smaller meet and the judging will be just as difficult. It should come out the same in the wash.

Ideally, the only difference between being judged at the Hershey meet and a smaller one is the fact that there is less chance of a 397 point car showing up. Thus, the 10 point rule kicks in and you have now gone from 365 points required to 387. (or in the case of a Senior award, the 375 points has moved up to the 387 number). I have never understood the purpose of the 10 point rule, as it does seem to go against the concept of every car standing on its own and does actually pit them against another car. However, it is a rule that was developed at some point and it kind of makes it more interesting. Someone out there may want to chime in as to why the 10 point rule exists, but as they say - "it is what it is" and we work with it and polish and double check just a bit more to save points. And frankly, I find the higher up the ladder we go, it gets more fun, as you start to really critique your car, look for impending rust in small areas, make a list of the weakest parts and improve on them, etc.

Under AACA rules, there are (can be) more than one First Junior winners. If you are above the minimum points (365 out of 400 I believe), all receive that award - unless someone is above that number, and then you must be within 10 points of that car. ie: if someone is at 386, the cars to also receive a First Junior must be at 376 or above. Otherwise, they drop to a Second Junior. I suspect that judges corrected his score and awarded him a First Junior upon review, sort of like "instant replay", which is allowed, but I suspect unusual.

Opps - what started as a nice thread has gone toxic. Suggest we give it a final rest. All in favor?

Perhaps it should read something like - pickup in Seattle - no shipping available.

I arrived Weds night and was on the field by 9 am. It was raining off and on most of the day, but there were some decent dry times to get in some shopping. Unfortunately, only about 25-30% of the vendors were open, so a lot of time was wasted running from spot to spot. Rain came in heavy around 3 pm, but we stayed in the car coral until 5 or so. I had intentions of hanging out through Friday, but as I left the parking area, I could see the grass starting to turn to mud. I can only imagine what it is like in those two parking areas today. I have watched the radar on my smart phone continuously and it has never let up. I'm hoping that someone will post pictures of the parking areas just for my own info. Sad - we wait for Hershey all year and this happens. Pretty much the only place in the country that the rain hit. I did get some nice things, so it wasn't a total "washout" for me.

Very interesting thread - now, could someone post the exact rules for HPOF or at least tell us where to read them so we don't go in circles on this? Does it state anywhere about paint, interior, engine bay, etc.?

I only speak from a 50s+ perspective with regards to gloss vs. flat, etc. and have posted this previously. Krylon in cans works very well and can easily be aimed at the proper spots with minimal masking for overspray. If you do get some on the underside where you don't want it, alcohol will work if you do it quickly before it sets up. A friend of mine uses brake cleaner in place of the alcohol. Don't use laquer, as it will dull anything that you want to protect. Krylon has even come out with a paint that is "all in one", meaning you don't need to prime first. I think I'd still prime where you can on the bare metal, but that's just me. With regards to gloss paint, I prefer it that way. It is much easier to clean and it will dull a bit with time. Over-restoration is becoming more acceptable, especially in what it appears you are trying to do. However, you might want to contact someone with a car of your vintage and see what they say. I couldn't agree more with regards to sandblasting being best, but that's a can of worms with regards to accidentally getting it on the body, not to mention the fun of just sandblasting itself. It ends up in your ears, nose, mouth and eyes it seems. Plus, if the humidity is high, it tends to clog up the valve. Do what you can and enjoy yourself.

I purchased my car in 1988 and video-taped my walk around with my daughter, who was 4 years old at the time. I suspect that my love affair with owning an antique car was similar to bridge67's desire to get involved with a restoration. I was on a limited budget and brought home a rusted 1954 Ford convertible. It required new rear-quarters, floor-pans, etc. It became a wonderful experience of visiting Carlisle and Hershey each Spring, Summer and Fall with my daughter. Yes, the car needed everything, and while I could have bought a nice "driver", the experience of restoring the car myself and with my daughter meant more to me that driving an old car down the street. It took 20+ years to get my car to where I want it, and it will continue to be upgraded each year. The highlight of all of this was receiving a First Junior this past week at Carlisle. Thus, I might make some recommendations to bridge67. First of all, do you want to actually restore a car from the ground up and get totally involved in knowing what electrical connections go where? Do you want to remove and clean/replace window regulators, starters, generators/alternators, fuel pumps, carbs, etc.? Do you want to replace ball joints, brake lines, etc? Are you prepared to spend big bucks on rechroming bumpers, hood ornaments, bezels, etc.? Note: you don't have to do this all at once, but eventually you'll want to if you really get involved with your car and want to make it a "show-car". It is expensive, but in my case I am on the "plus side" financially with my investment. (not that it's going anywhere - it will always stay with my daughter as time goes on). On the other hand, I have a good friend who drives a 50's Ford with some true originality. He registers it in our AACA HPOF class, where by definition much of the car must remain original - ie: you can perhaps paint the car, but you must then leave the interior and engine compartment original (or visa-versa). He loves his car and is proud of the fact that it hasn't been touched. He drives it to Hershey every year, goes on tours, and just has a ball with his car! Think it through as to what you really want out of an antique car. You can learn values of these cars in many publications. Perhaps you might fit into the catagory of my friend, where you would buy a nice running car that is original and you can enjoy driving it today. As time goes on, you could make improvements as your budget allows. Or, maybe you're like me and many of those in the AACA where we spend our time in the shop rather than on the golf course. Perhaps you'd love to get in deep and dig your way out. Most of us have, and found we enjoyed the hole! Let us know what your thoughts are.

I have the tags that attach to the radiator, radio, heater, etc. that were used when the car arrived at the dealership and sold to the customer. I am assuming they are acceptable for display during judging - correct? I am also assuming that mirrors located underneath to show the cleanliness of the vehicle are a no-no - correct on this question? Thanks!

I'm planning on attending the Carlisle AACA event on June 1st and will be towing my 1954 Ford with automatic transmission on my tow-dolly. Various friends have told me that I cannot tow the car without removing the driveshaft. While I believe this to be true, I would like confirmation on it. One part of me believes that nothing is moving when the car is in neutral, but another part of me thinks there could be something turning. Some have recommended that I tow it backwards. Any thoughts on that? Finally, my dolly has lights built-in. Is it necessary for me to purchase and attach magnetic (ugh - possible scratches) to the car. I will be towing during the day. Thanks for the responses in advance.

I have two carburetors in my barn that I am attempting to find out what cars they were made to fit. The first is a Langsenkamp-Linkert with the number 7-1108. It is a 1 bbl and I believe it was used in the 30s to 40s. I know they were used on Indian motorcycles and Harleys, but this is far too large for that. I think it is automobile related. The next is a 1bbl Stromberg marked EXV-2. The person I got these from had a large collection of early automobiles, including Auburns. Anyone have any ideas? Many thanks.

I'd really like to go to the meet in Stowe, VT - but it is a very long way for me - 508 miles. I really don't want to drive my car that far. I have a GMC all wheel drive Safari that I have thought of tow-dollying my vehicle. Have any of you done this before? Do you think my GMC will pull it without blowing up the tranny? Another thought I had was to rent a small moving van from Penske or Budget and go with a tow-dolly on that. Any ideas for a guy on a somewhat limited budget?

Just returned home from the finest weater I have ever experienced at Hershey. Temperature on Thursday was in the mid 70s while Friday got into the 80s. The sun was out the entire time and while the wind chimed on a bit on Thursday, it made for a nice cooling breeze as you walked from vendor to vendor. Another bonus for those of us that camp out was the warm evening temperatures. For once I didn't experience (too badly!) that 4 am freeze in the sleeping bag, and I didn't even turn on the van to warm in up in the middle of the night. The visit to the museum was spectacular!!! What a great job everyone has done with all of the exhibits. The Woodie presentation was especially enjoyable. Lots of nice cars - kind people everywhere - what could be better? Thank you AACA locals for all of your hard work. PS - Did I mention I spent two wonderful days with my 27 year old daughter? That was the icing on the cake!!! Andy Jochum Jamestown, NY

I own a '54 Ford with the very rare deluxe hood ornament in NOS condition and it is installed on my car. I also own a beautiful rechromed original standard hood ornament. I plan to have the car judged for the first time at an AACA meet this summer. My question is: will I be penalized for showing the car with the deluxe hood ornament installed? Should I bring the regular ornament with me and show it to the judge? Is this a case where the documentation showing that it is an accessory available from Ford be helpful? Unfortunately, removing the ornament exposes a small hole in the hood required for installation.