October 2025 | Volume 202

The biggest THANK YOU imaginable goes out to all of the volunteers and the leadership team from the Hershey Region! Without you, Hershey would not happen.

THANK YOU to the vendors, judges, staff, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, AACA Board and all of the members who showed cars! Without all of you, Hershey would not be the biggest and best antique car event of the year.

THANK YOU to all of you for showing up to enjoy the show! Without you, Hershey would not create the most incredible experiences and memorable friendships that it does.

Finally, a big congratulations to all of our winners!!

Click the above link to view the Hershey winners list.

Enjoy a few photos from Hershey Week, and remember to check out the complete wrap-up article and even more photos in the November/December issue of Antique Automobile magazine... 

Photos below courtesy of AACA member Paul Wick and several others. 

Thanks again for joining us at the 2025 AACA Eastern Fall Nationals in Hershey!

We can’t wait to do it all again next year! (Click the link above to watch a great video!)

As usual, Hershey week passes by with the speed of a much-anticipated holiday – after months of preparation and expectation, it’s over in the blink of an eye leaving us wondering where it all went. But what a week it was…

To begin, the AACA library hosted an average of 77 visitors on any given day during the week. We totaled 93 research requests for the week, surpassing last year’s over-all of 89. We saw hobbyists from the East Coast, the Midwest, California and Alaska, Arizona, a small delegation from our Puerto Rico Region, and even a few travelers from Europe too. The variety of requests was extensive, and the archives got a real workout with requests from literature and shop manuals to magazines and periodicals. Researchers requested wiring diagrams, books, paint chips, and information on seatbelts. With so many folks in the library at a time, we are very grateful to the generous volunteers working “door duty” who helped us manage the flow of traffic into the library all week – we know you have a lot of options for what to do with your time while in Hershey, and we are so happy you choose to spend some of it helping us!

We also appreciate everyone who supported the library by purchasing duplicate material from us during Hershey week. This year we offered material in three locations: the library’s annual Yard Sale on Tuesday evening, the Pop-up Book Sale on the show field Friday, and (new this year!) our fearless leader, Steve, hawked $5 books and manuals at his tent on the Chocolate Field.

All told, the library raised $20,267 from all selling opportunities over the course of the week.

We outdid not only last year’s total profits, but that from 2023 as well. I cannot overstate the value of our volunteer force at the Yard Sale – these workers come out after what is already a long day in the flea market and elsewhere, to help us with our biggest event of the year. What has become a beloved literature sale and social event, the Yard Sale absolutely does not happen without these gracious volunteers.

Eastern Fall Nationals is often the only time of year that members visit AACA Headquarters here in Hershey, so it is also a big week for donation drop-offs. Thank you to all the donors who brought material for us to consider; we are grateful that you thought of us and our collection as a home for your literature, books, and memorabilia.



(Top photo: Jen & Amoi, Middle photo: Jim & Matt, Bottom photo: Spencer)

If anyone took photos that include library staff or our sales tents, we would love it if you could send them to us! Photos can be sent to me directly at jwolfe@aaca.org. And with that, we have returned to post-Hershey week times here at the AACA Library. Next up – the Annual Convention in February! We hope to see you all there. 

Thanks once again to our partnership with RM Sotheby’s, we are able to offer all of you a discounted rate at the Hershey Lodge during the 2026 Eastern Fall Nationals happening October 6-9. The auction will back again, and the special room block is already set up. The discounted room rate is $308 a night. Selling out this room block is the best way we can ensure that the auction remains a part of our event. So, if you are ready to make your reservations for next year and have always wanted to stay at the Hershey Lodge, now’s your chance!

To book your reservations online, click here.

If you prefer to speak to a reservation agent, please call 855-729-3108 and ask for the room block for RM Sotheby’s, October 4-10, 2026.

Hershey auction draws bidders from across the globe, led by the Suzy Q Collection and strong results across Brass Era and Classic cars

• Sales totaled $13,793,860 USD with an incredible sell-through rate of 97% over the two-day sale. Bidders hailed from 21 countries and 45 US states.
• The auction presented 145 motor cars spanning from 1904 to 1987.
• The sale was led by the Suzy Q Collection, a diverse group of 51 motor cars curated over two decades by the late Saul “Sonny” Schwartz and offered entirely without reserve.
• Standout results included the 1937 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet that fetched an impressive $759,000 USD and the 1908 Panhard et Levassor Type Q Racing at $605,000 USD.

RM Sotheby’s returned to the Hershey Lodge for its 19th annual sale, held during the AACA Eastern Fall Nationals. Over the two-day event, RM Sotheby’s achieved $13.79 million in total sales with 97 percent of all lots finding new homes, drawing a packed room of bidders and underscoring Hershey’s place as one of the most important gatherings on the collector car calendar.

The auction presented 145 motor cars spanning more than eight decades of automotive history. Leading the lineup was the Suzy Q Collection, a diverse group of 51 motor cars curated over two decades by the late Saul “Sonny” Schwartz and offered entirely without reserve. Strong bidding across the collection, as well as for Brass Era and Classic offerings, reinforced Hershey’s reputation as a marketplace where rare pre-war automobiles excel.

1937 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet - An early-production Type 57, chassis 57156, this cabriolet was originally delivered to Belgian industrialist Frederic Deflandre before being upgraded by the factory in 1936 and rebodied in 1938. After decades in long-term American ownership, it underwent a comprehensive, award-winning restoration by marque specialist Alan Taylor in 2013. Documented by Bugatti experts and shown at major concours events, it sold for $759,000 USD.

1908 Panhard et Levassor Type Q Racing - A rare and fearsome Brass Era competition machine powered by a 10.5-liter T-head four with double-chain drive, this Type Q is one of only two known surviving four-cylinder examples. Delivered new in Paris and later raced in Mexico, it retains remarkable authenticity, including its original staggered racing seats and period mechanicals. Freshly restored to its pre-1910 speed trials configuration and boasting Pebble Beach class-winning history, it sold for $605,000 USD.

1930 Cadillac V-16 Sport Phaeton by Fleetwood - One of just 85 Sport Phaetons built, this car is famed as the “European Tour” V-16, originally shipped overseas in 1930 for Cadillac’s promotional campaign across nine countries. Later rebodied by Saoutchik, it was eventually returned to its original Fleetwood configuration using the surviving firewall and cowl. Restored in the early 1990s and shown to acclaim, it has since been owned by respected collectors, including Dr. Joseph Murphy and John Groendyke. A recognized CCCA Full Classic with Premier status, it sold for $423,500 USD.

To view the results of the entire auction, please click here. 

1. Susquehannock Region Automotive Technology Scholarship
2. AACA Young People’s Award
3. AACA Scholarship
4. Louise Bianchi Chiotti Memorial Scholarship Award
5. AACA John & Janet Ricketts Leadership Scholarship
6. Hershey Region AACA Automotive Restoration Scholarship

If you have any questions, please contact:

Kyle Blake, AACA National Board of Directors, VP Youth Development & Awards

blakerestorations@gmail.com or 443-564-7268

In the September/October edition of Antique Automobile there was a postpaid ballot for the 2026 Board of Directors election. It is your ONLY ballot and must be filled out according to the instructions or it will not be counted.

Please read the biographies of all the candidates listed in the magazine and vote for the 7 of your choice. Our candidates this year come from widely different backgrounds, so please give serious consideration to those who match your ideas of what is important to the future of the club. All ballots must have 7 names selected or they will be considered "not valid" and will not be counted.

Your ballot must be RECEIVED by November 15, 2025.

THANK YOU to all of the volunteers, judges, property staff, AACA Board, AACA staff and all of our wonderful members who participated in the

show in Galveston, TX!

And a very special THANK YOU

to the Gulf Coast Region for doing such a great job hosting the event!

Congratulations to all of the Central Fall Nationals winners!!

Click the above link to view the winners list.

Thank you to AACA member Charlotte Dahlenburg for sharing some cool photos

from the event – enjoy and be sure to read the official recap article in a future issue

of Antique Automobile magazine.

It’s Time to Renew Your AACA Membership for 2026

By Karen White, AACA Membership Manager, kwhite@aaca.org

Regarding Membership Renewal Forms & Antique Automobile Magazine

In everyone’s life, there are just a very few decisions that totally impact your future. Buying my first antique car was one of them.

Background:

In 1982, before some of you reading this were born, we were visiting friends at a cottage on Keuka Lake, near Penn Yan, New York. A neighbor was selling the car that they had purchased new in 1947. She was 88 years old with fond memories of this car in their family for 35 years and wanted it to go to a good home. An offer from someone in California was quickly rejected since he wanted to street-rod it. At that point, I had no interest in old cars as we were living in an 1,100 square foot house in Rochester, NY, with 3 children, 2 modern cars, a company car, a one-car garage, and a camping trailer.

I agreed to look at the car one weekend in July 1982 because I had friends at work that might be interested. It turned out to be an unrestored, unusual, and well maintained 1947 Pontiac woody station wagon. And since one of my hobbies was woodworking, it piqued my interest. Mrs. Johnson and her husband bought the car new to keep at the cottage to take trash to the dump. She had kept it running and had the metal body repainted in 1975. Otherwise, it was totally original.

Mrs. Johnson turned out to be an excellent salesman. After we looked the car over, thanked her and started to leave, she suggested we start it up. It ran great so we thanked her and started to leave. She then suggested we take the kids for a ride around the block. That did it – 3 days later it was mine and my life changed forever. This photo is the day we picked it up in July 1982 with a borrowed Suburban and trailer. Our son Barry is on the left (now 58), my wife Les (now xx) and Mrs. Johnson (88 at that time) on the right.

However, one problem came up immediately. Our one-car garage was already occupied. Not with a car you see, but rather a 1903 dining room table that I was refinishing. Obviously, the woodie would take priority so I reassembled the table and put it back in the dining room with the top refinished and the legs mostly stripped. Six months later, we moved to Luxembourg in Europe with the unfinished table. I did finish the table 3 years later and we are still using it.

The most interesting feature of these true woodies is that the bodies are structurally wood. This includes the doors, tailgate, top and body structure. The bodies were made by wood working companies and installed on the standard metal chassis supplied by each car company.

By 1950, most manufacturers converted to metal bodies and doors with, in some cases, real wood applied as accents.

This car is commonly called an Ionia body. The original tag is still on the right front seat. The company was the Ypsilanti Reed and Furniture Co. located in Ionia, Michigan.

Restoration:

My work on the car (as the second owner for 43 years now) involved taking the doors and tailgate completely apart to refinish. When I was working, I could do one a winter. Each door has 22 pieces of wood and 125 wood screws. The procedure was to disassemble it, sand each piece down to the original wood, bleach areas where water had seeped in and turned black, and revarnish with a spar or marine varnish.

Note how light the wood is naturally. The spar varnish lets it mellow into the darker color you see on all woodies. The photos also show the tailgate disassembled during the wood restoration process. The inner and outer panels in each door and tailgate are wood veneer supported by the ash strips.

I also had to rebuild the brakes, rewire the complete car, rebuild the carburetor (of course!), install new shocks and re-chrome the bumpers. All of this is mostly routine maintenance. The rest of the car is original, including 99.85% of the wood. The engine, transmission and differential have never been apart, and the straight-eight (with three-on-the-tree) runs like a top. 

Ash is the typical wood used in the body due to its strength and ability to form it around the doors and fenders. For large sections, finger joints were used extensively for strength.

Car Shows:

As many of you know, these woodies always draw a crowd. The fact that the body is structurally wood, that the wood is virtually all original, that the owner’s manual recommends an annual revarnishing, and that it is a straight-eight are all very surprising to the average car show attendee. And the fact that the original owner used this car mainly to take trash to the dump is still beyond comprehension to all of us.

The End Result:

The rest of the story though is quite interesting… The decision we made in July 1982 to buy this car changed my life forever! It resulted in me:

• Joining antique car clubs
• Buying other antique cars (apparently required if you have only one antique car)
• Starting a quarterly newsletter for owners of early Buicks in 1997
• Doing carburetor presentations for our local AACA in 2002
• Doing a series of seminars on carburetors and related systems in my living room in 2022
• Doing carburetor seminars at the national AACA Annual Convention in 2023, 2024 and 2025
• Starting a new career at age 84 (technical author), publishing and selling the book Fundamental Carburetion, www.FundamentalCarburetion.com (This could be another story on its own!)

So, if I had never purchased this car, my life would be totally different today. And if it had been just a 4-door sedan, I would never have purchased it. The vast number of people we have met in all of the old car activities has been extremely gratifying and the highlight of my 28 years of retirement.

We are always looking to feature articles from AACA members in Speedster. We'd love to share your personal accounts of tours and shows you have attended, restoration projects, unique vehicle stories and history, and any other stories you think other AACA members would enjoy hearing about.

Stories should average about 500 words or less. And we love photos, so make sure to include some! Please send your photos and stories to szimmerman@aaca.org. 

The 2026 AACA Annual Convention will be held February 5-7 in Chantilly, VA, at the Westfields Marriott. We are working hard to iron out all of the details and food pricing with the hotel so we can open registration soon, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, we are excited to announce several event highlights that have been confirmed:

• Thursday pre-convention excursion: Downtown DC Tour (includes bus transportation, private tour guide & lunch)
• Thursday evening Welcome Reception Taco Party hosted by the AACA National Board of Directors
• Friday luncheon hosted by AACA First Lady Debra Anspach with keynote speaker Jacy Good
• Friday evening 1970s-themed Casino Night (Wear your bellbottoms, tie-dyed T-shirts, and Go-Go boots – play for free & win prizes!)
• Saturday evening National Awards “Oscars” (Dress to impress and support our special honorees!)

Book your rooms now – do not wait!! This hotel WILL sell out!!

Currently, 67% of the room block is booked!

Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles

14750 Conference Center Dr, Chantilly, VA 20151

Less than 10 miles from the Washington Dulles International Airport

Room Rates:

$139 per night OR $159 per night with 1 breakfast OR $179 per night with 2 breakfasts

Reservation Link: https://book.passkey.com/e/51001554

Reservation Phone: (800) 266-9432 (mention Antique Automobile Club of America)

Reservation Deadline: January 13, 2026

Have you ever thought about speaking or putting on a seminar at the Annual Convention? Well, now's your chance! If you would like to be a possible speaker, please fill out this form and send it in ASAP!

Have an idea for a workshop? What topics would you like to hear a panel of experts discuss? This is YOUR Annual Convention, and we want to know what you want to learn about. Please email Stacy with your seminar ideas and/or speaker suggestions (membership, leadership, chapters/regions, marketing, cars, technical, fun, historical, ladies-focused, etc.).

Trade show registration has begun! If you have a business that AACA members should know about, then you should have a trade show booth. If you use a service or have a friend who owns a company that AACA members should be using, a trade show booth is the answer. At only $200, this is the most cost-effective target marketing you could ever do!

If you want to spend some quality time sharing what your company does with AACA members, you NEED to be in the trade show! Click here for more information about the benefits of being a trade show vendor at the convention and a registration form.

Would you like registration materials mailed to you as soon as they are available for any of these events?

Email Sue with your name, member number and the event or send in the Activity Request Card from your next Antique Automobile magazine.

April 23-25, 2026

Grand Nationals (April 24)

Western Spring Nationals (April 25)

Las Vegas, NV

Host Hotel:

Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa

1610 Lake Las Vegas Parkway

Henderson, NV 89011

702-567-4700, mention Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA)

Click here to reserve your room online

$155 per night (includes resort fee) + tax 

Our next batch of car signs will be for the holiday season. To ensure delivery

in time for the holidays, sign requests must be received by Friday, November 7.

All requests received now through November 7 will be processed in November. Requests received after November 7 will not be available until January 2026. 

This is the only official AACA recommended car show sign and is intended for use at AACA events. The AACA car sign format, styled similarly to other Concours signs, when properly weighted or staked would limit potential damage to vehicles if bumped or blown. Signs are 16.5" tall and 12" wide and are made of hard plastic to withstand the elements. These signs are only available to AACA members and are custom created to tell your vehicle's story and history.

AACA car signs cost $45 plus shipping and handling. Add an image or images for $5 each. PA residents also pay sales tax.

Please allow 4-5 weeks for the entire process from start to finish.

Click here for more information and instructions.

Email Jon Curtis at AACA Headquarters if you would like to have a sign made.

Note: These articles are informational and not a political commentary. There are many moving parts in the legislative process and time will be the true teller of how the hobby will be affected both good and bad.

E15 is here, and likely year around. We’d like to gather a list of States, like New Jersey, that do NOT allow the sale of ethanol-free fuel so that we can understand how many states have this issue. The goal is to provide drafts of letters to help individual regions that have a passion for this issue so that they can contact their state and local representatives to try to make the necessary legislative changes so that “pure gasoline” could be legally offered for sale in their state. Please contact us and let us know if you have an interest in this topic.

Please feel free to express your thoughts, suggestions, and concerns including any topics of interest, to Fred Trusty, Chairman, at bearcamp1988@gmail.com. 

AACA Christmas and holiday cards are an annual tradition for many members. These beautiful 5x7 cards feature artwork from renowned artist Dan Reed. Here are this year’s new designs...

1969 Jaguar Type E

Inside: Season’s Greetings

1937 Buick

Inside: Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

The cards come in packs of 12 and include envelopes. Each pack is only $12 (plus shipping). You can purchase them in the AACA store on our website or by calling AACA Headquarters to place your order (717-534-1910).

The AACA Calendar is always a hot item this time of year, so be sure to order yours before they are gone! This 13-month calendar runs from January 2026 to January 2027 and highlights AACA National Activities in addition to moon phases, all Federal Holidays and many other observances. The best part of the annual calendar is getting to see the fabulous member cars showcased each time you flip the month. At a cost of only $14 postpaid, these calendars also make great, inexpensive gifts for all of the car-lovers in your life!

Order online from the AACA Store or call AACA National Headquarters at 717-534-1910. An order form will also be included with your next issue of Antique Automobile magazine.

We can't think of a better gift to give someone who loves this hobby than an AACA membership. Do you have friends and family who aren't current members and enjoy antique cars as much as you do? With the benefits of Antique Automobile magazine and the Library & Research Center alone, how can you go wrong?!

U.S Membership $45 – Non-U.S. Membership $50

Student Membership (up to age 25) $12

U.S. Life Membership $700 – Non-U.S. Life Membership $900

An AACA membership is a unique gift that gives all year long!

Call us today at 717-534-1910 to purchase a gift membership for 2026!

Looking for that unique gift for the antique car fan in your family? Well, look no further than the AACA merchandise store. Shirts, hats, sweatshirts, polos, jackets, fleeces, etc.

We have license plate frames, trailer hitches and window decals. We’ve got puzzles, tie clips and playing cards. We even have shirts for the kids and grandkids! And don't forget the stocking stuffers like coin purses and drink koozies that look like stacks of tires.

We've got a great variety of AACA-branded items, so you are sure to find something they will love! Warning: some items have limited quantities available, so get them before their gone!

Click here to visit the AACA store.

Can't find something in the online store? You can always call AACA Headquarters to place your order as well (717-534-1910, M-F 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).

Below are several exclusive deals on live events including concerts, sports, shows and more. Check out these and more deals by clicking here.

Walt Disney World® Resort

Eagles

Beetlejuice - Broadway

Florida Panthers

Kennedy Space Center

Andrea Bocelli

Antique Automobile Club of America

AACA.org | 717-534-1910

America’s Premiere Resource for the Collectible Vehicle Community

The Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, is the country's premier resource for the collectible vehicle community. Since its formation in 1935, the Club, through its national office, publications, and membership, aids individuals, museums, libraries, historians and collectors dedicated to the enjoyment and preservation of automotive history.