The following paragraph comes from the AACA web pages and describes the purpose of the AACA The Antique Automobile Club of America, founded in 1935, is the world's largest automotive historical society with over 60,000 members and 400 regional clubs worldwide. The AACA is dedicated to perpetuating the memories of early automobiles by encouraging their history, collection and use. The purpose of the club is to encourage interest in the history, collection and use of old cars. I have two Metropolitans that I show at AACA shows, one with a First Jr and one with 3 AGNM Seconds. Although I?ve done my best within the confines of my wallet, these cars are not perfect but they are as close to the way they came from the dealer as I can make them. To further make my position clear, a few years ago I bought a Studebaker Speedster basket case because I heard the owner was going to tub it out and make it a hot rod. Making cars correct is what most of the people in the AACA are into and many agree that people who cut up old cars should be shot. But remember, the purpose of the club is to perpetuate the memory of old cars, collect them, encourage the preservation of their history and use them. AACA has a judging system that encourages perfect cars, and that?s what we are getting. AACA shows, especially the AGNM show, is a traveling museum and I?m proud to be a part of it. I don?t know how many AACA tour cars are also shown competitively at meets, but I?ll bet it is hard for someone with a convertible to win a prize if they put their top down and spend a sunny Sunday on the road. Even if they spent hours cleaning it up they would lose a point or two for a wrinkled top, paint dings, rusty exhaust manifolds and a little oil around valve cover gaskets. Your typical AGNM meet has 450 cars and about 430 covered trailers. People don?t ?use? cars and win prizes at AGNM shows yet encouraging the use of antique cars is one of the charters of the club. So which is it? Do we encourage the use of antique cars or do we encourage the reconstruction of museum pieces? AACA members can have both kinds of cars, the museum pieces and the antique cars we ?use?. Some are lucky enough to have both. There is room for many kinds of antiques in the club as we encourage members to participate in tours and to bring cars we ?use? and museum pieces to some shows. I recently went through the Northeast Classic Car Museum in Norwich, NY. If you?re in upstate New York, make the trip to see the Franklins, Dusenburgs and other really fine cars on display. You won?t be disappointed. In the back room, separated from the other cars, is a collection of Hot Rods. You don?t have to go back there if you don?t want to because you may be shocked at what people have done. Someone bought a 32 Ford, took off the fenders and hood, changed the seats and put in a 49 Cadillac V8. And they did it in 1950. The display also points out that there are more 32 Fords on the road today than Ford built. You may not like it, but this car certainly encouraged the production of something. I may have my opinions of what both individuals and Detroit are doing today, and I may not appreciate the history, but I can not deny what has already taken place. Class 37 allows that documented authentic antique hot rods can be displayed at some shows. There is no reason to judge them and the club will not be glorifying them any more than it is encouraging the reproduction of Mets. You can find pioneering history in lots of cars, even a Met, one of the first cars to have the headlights above the top of the hood and one of first throw away imports. A 32 Ford roadster built 50 years ago is a pioneering automobile influencing what people did with cars ever since and if documented properly is a part of automotive history. 25 years from now are we going to allow a Plymouth Prowler at a show and exclude the antique roadster that inspired it? Remember, the purpose of the club is to perpetuate the memory of early automobiles by encouraging their history, collection and use. It is not the exclusive charter of the AACA to preserve every old car out there. The people who object to class 37 probably don?t have a Hemmings abandonded car calendar. Its my opinion that a 32 Ford turned into a hot rod in 1950 that has survived as a museum piece is probably more significant to the history of automobiles and will perpetuate the memory of old cars and generate more interest in antique autos than a 57 Nash. We should not let the judging and preservation part of AACA overshadow other things the club should be doing, perpetuating the memories of early automobiles by encouraging their history, collection and use. Just like we can make a place in AACA for museum pieces that are not used every day, I think there is a place for genuine antique hot rods. Put me down in favor of class 37. Bill Clark
