How did you become involved in AACA?

[Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL)]

In another thread, BruceW touched on how he had become involved in AACA. What about the rest of you?<P>

[Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL)]

OK, I'll go first. My sister and brother-in-law had purchased a Model A from his father several years ago. It was in need of some serious work. Not able to do this, they just held on to it and kept it garaged for 12 years. Upon deciding to move into a condo, they no longer had a place to keep the car. Having always loved antique cars but not owning one, I purchased it from them.<P>I knew that I would need some help in restoring the vehicle. I began to look on the internet and found this site. I had never heard of AACA, but there was a region listed in my area complete with the President's phone number. I gave him a call and he had the region send me a copy of their newsletter and invited me to a meeting. <P>It was a couple of months later before I got around to going to a meeting. It was being held in a historic bed and breakfast in downtown Savannah, GA. For what reason, I don't know, but we chose to drive my raggedy ole '79 Ford pickup. When we got there, we found a parking place along side of some Mercedes and Rolls Royces and quickly began to feel we were out of our league. We walked through the gate and up to the door and, I kid you not, seriously considered turning around and getting back in the truck. <P>We decided, "What the heck", and knocked on the door of the 150 year old home. The owner came to the door wearing an AACA shirt. We told him who we were. He happened to be the newsletter editor, so he already knew who we were.<P>To make long story short, They were the nicest group of folks you'd care to meet. They have taken us in and made us feel at right at home. My wife and I laugh when we think back two years ago how we almost didn't knock on that door. It would have been a big mistake.<p>[This message has been edited by MODEL A HAL (edited 03-08-2001).]

[ThomasBorchers]

In 1999 I was the first time at the AACA Fall Meet and after this I found this forum. Wow, what a great group. I wanted to be a member of this group.<BR>That's it. <P>Tom <p>[This message has been edited by ThomasBorchers (edited 03-08-2001).]

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

Better than 25 years ago I started to be interested in our 1925 Model T Ford, it has been in the family for over 50 years. My father knew someone at work who was into old cars and said there was this national club and they had a big show in Hershey, Pa. I joined up and we went to Hershey that year. I did not join my first region until 1989, I now belong to 3. I have been secretary, tres., newsletter editor, board member, picnic chairman for 9 years and I have run many shows, flea markets, etc. in one region. In another I was the 50/50 guy, coffee supply guy and I am running the next game night/covered dish dinner. I have been a Lifer for about 8 years. SalG<p>[This message has been edited by SalG (edited 03-08-2001).]

[John N. Packard]

In the early sixties I spent a tour in Denver, CO and found a lot of well preserved antique cars. Upon returning home to Baltimore a co-worker told me about the local antique car club. I ended up buying a '37 Packard from a couple of the members and joined Chesapeake Region in 1966.<P>jnp

[ply33]

In 1974 or 1975 I saw a picture and a short write up in the Baltimore daily newspaper about antique cars being at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum the next weekend. I drove my old rust bucket of a 1933 on over to the museum. (I parked way far away, walking the last bit to the museum. I did not want to be embarassed (sp?) by the car )<P>I met the a number of nice people, including Fran and Richard Byard. And I signed up into the Chesapeake Region and the national club.

[JanK]

I took a less direct route into the club. Almost 18 years ago I was dating a man who was an AACA member, and he invited me to some of the regional events. I had a great time. Even though most of the people were quite a bit older than I was, they were still a lot of fun. My "boyfriend" (he hates that term, and I use it knowing he'll see this posting the next time he's on the DF) was a local Board member and the newsletter editor, and before I knew it, I was dragged into the heart of the club. How fair it that I ask you -- not even a member but doing a lot of the work! <P>We eventually married. Initially, I was content to be the "and" on the membership application. It didn't really seem to make that much difference. However, I spent enough time close enough to the action to know that I wanted to take a more active role, so about four years ago I signed up to be a full member, both locally and nationally. Next thing I know, I'm on the local Board of Directors and the editor of the newsletter. They don't let grass grow in our club! To my further surprise, I was elected President my final year on the Board. That was a fun job!<P>The best part about becoming a member was that I got my OWN car to drive. I don't think my husband ever expected me to embrace the hobby as I have, but he ain't complainin'!<P>I must admit, I have never regretted my decision to become a member. It's one of the smartest decisions our family has ever made. We support the hobby fully, and have continued the tradition into the next generation. Our two grown sons are members, and we just signed our youngest up as a junior member.<P>Jan K.<P><BR>

[Guest]

My wife and I, back in 1963, visited Hershey for the annual fall car show and I joined the AACA shortly thereafter. I've always been interested in antique cars, in fact our '24 Model T has been in our family since the early 1960's. I didn't actually join a local region until the mid-nineties and that's the best decision I could make. We've made such great friends.<BR>We belong to two regions and I'm the recording secretary of one. As I've always said, some of the nicest people we've known have been fellow members of the AACA regions we belong to.

[Guest]

Hi<P>I got interested in the hobby when starting dating my husband. My first experience with a car show was in April 1983. I was picked up in a 1932 Chevy. Unfortunately "Mom Nature" had other ideas that day and the show was a TOTAL WASHOUT. The rain was so high that we had to step from a modern van into the Chevy because the water was higher than the running boards. However that day I met a great group of people, who I was later to learn had acutally established the Greater New York Region. As it turned out, this show was re-scheduled for October, the one and only time we had/or have re-scheduled because of bad weather. The show was on a Sunday, we had gotten married on Saturday, so our first day of married life was spent at a car show. I would not have missed it for the world. Over the past 17 years I have met a lot of great people from all over the country at the national meetings and just by attending local car shows. The people in this hobby are the greatest, always willing to give you a helping hand to fix a problem. As newsletter editor for our region for the past 9 years and by exchanging with other regions I feel I have expanded my family many times over.<P>Ruth

[novaman]

When I was old enough to stand on my Dad's '39(I believe)Mercury Convertable's frame rail and sand one spot on the cowl. I think someone after about 20 years from my dad buying it, it finally got restored. Anyways, I grewup going to Early Ford V8 meetings and AACA meeting with my parents. In '82 I help swap engines in my Dad's '49 Willys Jeepster and got bite really hard by the old car bug and I still haven't been able to shake it. I got it worse than my dad. He only has one old car. I got three.<P>Been a life member for about 18 or 19 yrs.<p>[This message has been edited by novaman (edited 03-09-2001).]

[Dynaflash8]

On day in 1959 I drove my 39 Buick past Jim McKay Chevrolet in Fairfax, VA and saw a car show, so I stopped in.<BR>The newest car I saw was a 1935 model, but I didn't realize my 39 Buick was too new. So, I asked for an application to the club and was given one.<BR>When I got home I found that I needed a sponsor, but didn't know anybody.<BR>In 1962 I looked Antique Auto up in a guide to periodicals in the Library where I worked. I wrote to AACA and got an answer. By this time I lived in Glen Burnie, MD. They gave me a sponsors name, Harry Heiger, President of the Chesapeake Region. I called him and he told me to look up the Shop Manager at the local Gladding Chevrolet dealership. The rest is history. I signed up immediately. In 1974 the 39 Buick was accepted as an antique and I lived, mostly, happily everafter <smile><BR><p>[This message has been edited by Dynaflash8 (edited 03-12-2001).]

[Guest c.johnson]

Ok, my turn..<P>I had been interested in "old cars" ever since my father would tell me stories about the ones he had restored in the past. I was young enough at the time that I didn't have a clue what he talking about - either what was an "old car", or what it meant to "restore" one. <P>I finally started to understand and appreciate what he was really talking about. And was nieve(sp) enough to think that I could do it. I asked him about an Oakland that I knew he had traded work for. He gave me the car, and I began to look for information about it.<P>I typed "antique automobile" in my browser (nice "meta tag" guys!) and was hooked on the web site. I really enjoy the friendship of the DF, and look forward someday to have a local chapter to experience some of the same. <P>cj

[jaxops]

In college, i met a "car-nut", Bob Bryant. He helped me repair the "northern rust" on my '70 Electra's lower quarter panels and fender bottoms. After repainting, he suggested that I enter their local AACA car show at Jeckyll Isl which I did. I took 3rd Place, a compliment to his paint & body work. Soon afterwards, I joined the National AACA. Since I moved every 2 years with the U.S. Navy, I held off joining a local club, until my shore duty here in Norfolk, where I joined the Tidewater Region. <P>------------------<BR>

[Guest]

I had always had an interest in automobiles, <BR>either new or old. Before I could read, I could tell you the names of cars on the road. <BR>After doing quite a few years in the Navy, I suddenly found myself a civilian. Quite a culture shock! I had bought a 1950 Plymouth to tinker with, but was missing the comraderie of military life, also I needed a network of sorts for parts locating. Just so happened , the Great American Race was starting in Norfolk that year. The Tidewater region had a display of vehicles nearby. As I was looking over their vehicles, I spotted a Desoto that was about the same vintage as my Plymouth. I left a note on their car that I was interested in joining, and they actually called me back. Later I was contacted, signed up, and been a member for about 10 years now. <BR>Thanks to Don & Carol Finley. The members of the AACA are the greatest bunch of car-nuts I know!<P>------------------<BR>

[Janet Ricketts]

I became involved in AACA like many other members - we were invited to a region meeting by good friends of ours. Previously, we belonged to the Buick Club of America.<P>JR

[Terry Bond]

For me it was several things coming together at the same time - first, I'd been following this pretty red-headed girl home from school for nearly a whole year when one day, after deciding she wasn't interested, I took a detour and walked past a garage in the neighborhood where an old guy was working on a 1910 Cadillac. He welcomed me in, took me under wing and started telling me about things like Hershey. I got really interested in going to events and looking at the cars and later that week picked up a copy of Antique Automobille Magazine from him that listed some upcoming events - so I started "hanging around." After joining the Navy in 1969 I landed in Washington DC and immediately started getting active and joined National. Didn't belong to a region for a few years tho as the Navy had other plans and sent me off to Scotland, where thankfully we were able to carry on our interest through a Scottish antique auto club. When we returned to the USA a couple of years later we were in Baltimore and joined Chesapeake Region - at that time Earl Beauchamp and Howard Scotland were also active there as well as on the National scene. Our level of activitiy has steadily increased, and now that were here in the Norfolk area and proud members of the Tidewater Region we are enjoying AACA more and more each year. Im pleased and honored to serve the greatest hobby, the most wonderful people and the best organization in the world!