Old cars

[Bhigdog]

Saw a brass era and another oldie with FL plates traveling through Tamaqua, PA this after. One had a "Founders Tour" banner on the back. What's the details?.........Bob

[Peter J.Heizmann]

Hi, Bob.

I do not know the details however the 2010 Founders Tour was held this past June in the Greensburg, PA area. Perhaps they left the banner on as a token. The Glidden Tour is the next one however held in Michigan.

Regards,

Peter.

[Bhigdog]

I checked the AACA web site but couldn't find anything that matched up. Anyway one was a brass era and the other, I think, a Simplex. Both were fully restored and maybe 15 minutes apart motoring South on Rt 309. Strange...............Bob

[Marty Roth]

Founders Tour was originally for vehicles newer than Glidden Era which was then through 1935, so Founders was for 1936 and newer, but at least 25 years old.

The years became more fuzzy since Glidden is now Pre-WWII, allowing up through 1942.

When Vintage Tour was extended newer from "through 1927" to the current "through 1931",

it seems that Founders Tour now accepts 1932 and newer (again at least 25 years old).

Neither of those cars you describe would have been officially elligible for Founders Tour. Having attended and participated in ALL 22 AACA Founders Tours, and previously serving on the AACA National Touring Committee, I feel confident in offering these comments.

[Bhigdog]

Don't doubt you for a minute, Marty. The brass era was a high 4 door, lots of brass, and white tires. Across the back was tied a fabric sign maybe 3 X 5' . I couldn't get a good look but it sure looked like the round AACA logo in the center and I could make out "Founders tour" in large letters. Does anyone have a pic of an official tour sign so i could see if that's what I saw. Like I said very curious. The other car which had a brass scrip on the radiator that I think may have said Simplex had FL plates and was also open with 3 mature gents in it. I'm beginning to feel like someone reporting a UFO. I suppose it's possible I mis-read the banner ............Bob

Edited September 13, 2010 by Bhigdog (see edit history)

[Peter J.Heizmann]

Marty,

Could you post a photo of a Founders Tour banner?

It was perfect old car driving conditions today in Pa and to see old vehicles on the road on a Monday would grab my curiosity, too.

Regards,

Peter.

[Bhigdog]

A local friend and AACA member was telling me, this morning, that he saw 3 more old cars yesterday, the day after my sighting. One was a yellow Rolls Royce. All were fully restored very early cars and were proceeding on the same road as my sighting..................Bob

[Terry Bond]

Isn't it fun to wonder what's up with those cars we see on the other side of the road occasionally. This year I've seen an Amphicar towed behind a u-haul rent-a-truck headed East on I-70, a brass T touring looking very much like a fresh barn-find headed South on I-95, and a car-hauler with a Model A and an Avanti on top going west on I-80. There have been others too including a 50's Corvette on a trailer that looked like another barn-find, and a couple of MGBs headed north on I-81. Tells me there is "movement" in the old car hobby.

Terry

[Bhigdog]

It must be some other club, Terry. 5 brass era fully restored cars all driving around in the same place means something is up. Well they've certainly had some georgeous weather here, at least so far..............Bob

[oldcarfudd]

Every year there are a few progressive tours for brass cars. They are usually unadvertised and often by invitation only. A progressive tour has some obstacles that the typical hub tour doesn't. If you break down on the third day, you might be 400 miles from your trailer. And if the weather's lousy, going modern isn't an option, because your modern car is back where you left your trailer. So these tours are for people who are gutsy enough to drive a brass car regardless of conditions, and skilled enough to get themselves back on the road virtually no matter what; that's why they're so often invitational. And most of the cars are fairly large - Peerlesses, Rollses, Locomobiles - because they have to carry a week's worth of luggage for two (or more) people and more than the usual complement of tools and spare parts.

One group that does these tours is called the FARTs - Friends of Ancient Road Transportation. I think you have to be invited to become a FART. Another group is the Snappers, a non-regional brass-era touring chapter of AACA based in the midwest. They have an annual progressive tour in the summer. That tour isn't invitational, but you'd better know what you're doing. For example, a couple of years ago they drove around Lake Superior in the rain, not a place you'd want to be in your 1909 Burpmobile if the burps became irregular. There are some HCCA guys in the northeast that do their own invitational tour every year - they may be the folks who were recently spotted. And there's something called the Red Rocks tour out west every year or two, of which I know nothing at all.

I've never been on any of them!

Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ

[DAVE A]

I think you hit it Gil. A little research shows that the FARTS has a "Founders Tour" show in Lahaska on Sept. 17th in the evening. Looks like cars from that may have been what Bhigdog and others have been seeing.

[Bhigdog]

Sounds like you have the answer. I'm only about 50 North of Lahaska. All 5 of the cars were big touring types. Wish I could have had a few words with one of them. At least I don't feel like I'm explaining a UFO sighting anymore..................Bob

Edited September 15, 2010 by Bhigdog (see edit history)