boblichty

I agree with the bulk of the folks here that your company isn't worth the trouble. I have 60 cars insured with Grundy with excellent results, including claims. Haggerty and J.C. Taylor are also great. Your cars should all be insurable with a company like Grundy.

One more quick Hershey mud memory. Sometime in the late 1970's we had vendor spaces not to far from Harrah's. Of course we all worshiped Bill Harrah. He was the Jay Leno of that era. On one especially muddy day, right after a rain storm, I saw Harrah walking the swap meet early in the day in a white shirt, pale yellow pants with a white belt and white shoes. Hours later I saw him return to his space, absolutely spotless. I am convinced to this day the man walked "above" the mud. An impossible feat.

Of the Hershey and Carlisle trash can pickers, the world champion has to be Ken Buttolph, the former editor of Old Cars Price Guide. Key would hit the swap meet early Sunday AM before the trash was collected and with a fine eye for knowing what each part was, could come out if each barrel dive with some prize that I could never believe was thrown away. Ken had (has) such a eye for being able to identify every part for just about every car ever built it is amazing. And if you have ever been to his house and barn in Wisconsin you will realize he still has all this stuff.

There was a rumor for years that the bulk of the Clymer material was still in the hands of a publishing company in L.A. that had bought out Clymer Publications . I never tracked it down, but assume it is still there and a larger part unappreciated by the people who have it. I was also told by a publishing friend in L.A. that the people would not share with other historians or had a interest in selling the collection. I know a lot of automotive historians who would like to get access to, or purchase what is left of the collection. It would really be nice to see the Clymer collection donated to the AACA archives.

I think 58Mustang is right a theme park ride car Most likely from Wallyworld's new location in Estonia.

Looks like you are getting plenty of good advice. Weather resistant breaths better than Weatherproof. I like the custom fit ones like mentioned above. Here is a tip, NEVER, EVER haul your car on a open trailer with the cover on. A number of years ago I saw a guy taking his Hershey show car, a Cadillac I believe to Hershey on an open trailer with a car cover on it. He passed us on the PA. Turnpike cover flapping in the wind. When he got to Hershey the friction from the cover "protecting" his car had warn polished bare metal spots all over the car, right through the paint. Completely ruined his paint job and his fun a Hershey that year. Car Covers are great at home, I used them all the time, but not so good on hauling.

Thanks for sharing this with us not matter what the origin was. The observations by members above are right on. Most of the cars in the footage where 30-35 years old. The daily drivers in the background 'early '60's" cars are now hard to find in mint condition, and the clothes.....well actually I think a good many of our members still dress that way. LOL. Only a few years later in 1972 or 73 Chip Miller was turned away from Hershey because his '53 Corvette was "too new" to get in to the judging. So he and his buddy Bill Miller a (50's era Kaiser collection) started Carlisle Swap Meets in 1974 as Post War '74. A great little story, and had it not been for AACA rules there may have never been a Carlisle. Don't forget these are the "good old days" of the future.

One year in the late 80's, I had swap meet spaces on the crest of a hill. The aisle slopped downward across the aisle and down in either direction of the aisle as well. It was not a steep incline but enough that it was with great effort I finally roared up to my spots and got my ramp back truck into place across the front of the spaces. I figured I move it into place after unloading it. Of course we are talking all mud (even on top of a hill). I shut off the truck, shut the door, stepped way only to watch my truck slide ever so slowly, in gear, brake on, across the aisle and gently come to rest against a motorhome across the way. It did very little damage, but to took at least 10-15 good AACA'ers, to push my truck off the motorhome and out into the aisle without doing any more damage. But that is the sprit of the club and the team work that comes from all being in the same soup together each year. I agee we are all a lot softer, or at least a lot older. Vendors closing down early or even going home early makes me wonder why they come at all if their hearts are not into it to stay open for the folks who travel hundreds of miles and arrive late.

Dang, the ashes story is true. Good for him, I'd like to have able to be put there as well when my time comes, I always say if I am not a Hershey, check the morgue. Well at least if he is under Giant Center than they've rolled a few great cars over him during the annual auction. I guess I will have to settle for my second favorite car place on earth when I go. I'll have my family throw my ashes over the edge of the "Rainbow bridge" at the top of Donner Pass on old route of the Lincoln Highway near Truckee, California. A place all old car guys should get to visit at some time in your car touring life.

Steve, not even a little mud hauled in to celebrate the AACA 75th anniversary? Seems only far. Just because you work your hind end off all week doesn't mean we should get to have a little fun. Does anyone remember the guy who used to stroll through the swap meet with a Model A headlamp on his head as a hat, playing polka music on his boom box, as though it was his accordian? Fun days for sure. There are so many great stories of Hershey past, I bet West could do a great article about them. Not to mention the urban ledgions that may or may not have happened also. Did a member who passed away, really have his ashes spread in one of the aisles back in the mud days? Ok, you win, no mud, but can we get Herco to tear down the roller coasters so we can have the blue field back next year? They won't mind.

Is it just me? I honestly miss the mud at Hershey. Could we get AACA to haul some nice goooooie, sticky, Pennsylvania mud in and spread it on the aisles? When was the last time you had Hershey mud suck your boot off? or saw a giant John Deere pulling a motor home up a slick hill sideways? or saw parts floating in a mud puddle? How about the year it snowed back when the swap meet was over where the roller coasters are today. Or ankle deep water on the show car lawn beside the stadium. Ahhh, those were the days. Now all we get is dry tired feet from miles of pavement. Well, at least the fire police directing traffic are still mean spirted, thank goodness for small concessions. Hershey's comin' I can't wait. My first Hershey was 1967 and I have missed a total of three in 32 years. If I am not at Hershey check the morgue.

I spend a lot of time looking at cars for sale in my area. I am always astonished at how much time and money people spend to ruin perfectly good cars in the name of restoration. Never mind those who mean well, take a car apart and never put it back together because they had no clue what they were doing. I would submit that as many or more cars have been ruined by folks claiming to be restoring the car than rodders ever had. This week alone I have spotted a fairly nice 1958 Edsel for sale that has been "restored with a garish bright yellow (not Edsel yellow I mean canary) and black paint job with matching black vinyl and yellow velvet upholstry. Or how about a 61 Chrysler 300F with home made rocker panels and rear quarters, or get this a really nicely restored 1956 Oldsmobile with a Chevy 350 ci crate motor installed because his "mechanic" told him thta the perfectly good Olds motor would not be dependable and that parts are not available. Geez, it costs hardly anymore to do a car right but these folks have never heard of AACA, been to Hershey or held a copy of Hemmings in their hand. What a shame.

West and Paul are right, Volunteers have a thankless job and the higher up in the club the more subject they are to critique from the folks who have nothing better to do with their time. All thes folks deserve a very big "thank you" from our club members.

In my 35 years of doing this I have owned many cars and appraised many cars, and also had to act as an expert witness in court for guys who had their cars insured with conventional insurance companies. These type of companies have no clue about collector cars, seldom pay up without a fight and seldon pay the full amount. We are blessed with a number of great specialty insurers in the industry that are exactly the opposite. Grundy, Haggerty, J.C. Taylor, American Collectors, etc. etc are all good. and the rates are super low, as their loss ratios are really low. My advice to anyone, don't trusts the company that insures your home or late model car with your collector car, go with a specialist.

That is a shame. Many states have restrictions. I love to drive my old cars, so I actually register my antique cars with contempory plates. That way no restrictions at all. I have driven my old car to work for the past three weeks becuase every time I drive it it is a pleasure to do so. Well worth the annual registration fee in my state over the perminant historic car plate fee which does not have to be renewed. NPR is hardly the problem, it is usually local law enforcement that want to bust hobbyists for driving daily on historic or collector plates. They watch us close around here.

The day has already arrived. New cars today already have GPS driven black boxes. Rental car companies track every mile you drive, where you went and how fast. The government will be doing so very soon if not already. Speeding tickets will just be mailed out. Your driving habits right before a crash is already recorded. Ths nothing to do with Democrats or Republicans it is just fact. We better plan on going back to driving or antique cars as daily drivers if we want our privacy.

A totally cool car, and sounds like a bargain. Don't hesitate. Hudson hardtops and convertibles have really brought so amazing prices in recent years. RM Auctions seems to have had the best luck selling them, check their web site and results pages for details. I think they had several go through their Amelia Island auction a couple years ago for huge money.

We have bought from Fusick many times with total statisfaction. Only issue I have had with Fusick is occassionaly they just don't have what you need when you need it. But over all a A+ rating.

If you own a Bliss Surrey, 03 Olds replica, there is a registry for these great all-steel cars building in Canton, Ohio for only one year. Contact Gary Pelger with your serial number, name and address. Maybe if we can get enough folks, we could have a mini-meet in Canton. Respond here or email Gary at gpelger@motorcarportfolio.com . You can reach him at Motorcar on Saturdays' at 330-453-8900. Let's see how many Bliss' are still alive.

The idea that your car would be shared in stock form with many folks is admirable. Unfortunatly, we don't really have a right to tell someone who buys a car from us what they can or cannot do with it. Show it , restored it, part it our, bury it in the back yard or worse of all put a Chevy small block in it. Restores worry about their cars being street rodded all the time. I like stock vehicles, but in 35 years of being in this hobby/business I have seen more cars destroyed by "restorers" how get in over their head on a restoration and the car gets taken appart never to be put together again, OR, they do a really stupid job restoring the car with all kinds of incorrect parts, paint, tires, or upholstry.

Tolerance is not in the Hershey Region vocabulary. But, I would say t hat is just fine with me. Don't get me wrong I have nothing against hot rods, especially the great traditional rods built years ago. And, I don't think anyone who is a swap meet vendor should be banned because his daily driver has mag wheels on it. I can remembler in the early 1970's Posey's from Hummelston driving through the swap meet in his yellow 29 A model panel truck. BUT, as far as the car corral, parts sales and car show go. Hershey is the one event all year I can count on to be dedicated to the cars I love. Bone stock, restored and or original cars. I agree with the gentleman above. This is our event, for our cars. Last year the Region let a couple hot rods in the car corral including a stock looking but highly modified 36 Cord sedan. I felt that was a shame. Let's keep Hershey, Hershey and Goodguys, Goodguys, we can all co-exist and have fun seeing each others cars when we cross paths. AACA should never attempt to grow at the expense of the associations true mission.

THe closest large swap meet near here is the big Dave and Ed's Meets at the Canfield Fairgrounds, other than those, I mainly attend Carlisle and Hershey. That's coming up so we will see how it is this year. Last year at Hershey if your remember the banks collapsed the every same week as Hershey. One vendor next to me immediately packed up and went home. I asked him why? He said he lost his retirement and "had" to get home to do "something" about it. The bank collapse hurt us all but I stayed and had an excellent year in the car corral selling several cars. Back to local events, I don't deal in parts by my friends at Canfield tell me they have been doing just fine this year. The amount sales are down are usually attributed to competition by Internet sources and a general decline in people actually restoring cars. It is clearly cheaper to by a car done with the other guys labor in it. I am looking forward to another great year at Carlisle and Hershey this fall, lets hope I am right.

In Ohio both are considered "historic" for plates by the DMV at 25 years old. This is pretty common in a lot of states. The debate over Classic with a capital "C" wages on for years and for years. Most knowledgeable car guys know the difference and those who don't most likely could care less anyway. I like "Old car" and if you are enjoying your hobby don't worry about terms of those who get their undies in a bunch over it. Old cars are fun and that is what our hobby/industry is supposed to be all about.

I inherited a 1948 Nash 600 from my aunt this summer. I remember my uncle having all sorts of vapor lock problems with this same car 30 years ago. I drove the car all this summer with out the slightest problem. The quality of todays fuels stink, but I can't figure why I am not having issues when my uncle did have problems back in the day in the same car with no modifications since.

Thanks everyone, good advice. Of course these are all four identical matching tires I bought from Coker as always. I have been buying my tires, both radial and bias from Coker for 35 years and have never had anything but the best service and when a problem arrose they stood behind their product. Corky and crew are good folks.