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Welcome to SPEEDSTER! |
Happy New Year!

We are looking forward to a wonderful year ahead full of fantastic shows and tours! Here is a listing of our
2011 National Activities.
We hope to see you there!
Division Dates Location
AACA Annual Meeting Feb 10-12 Philadelphia, PA
Winter Meet Mar 4-5 Homestead, FL
Special Spring Meet Mar 10-12 San Juan, PR
Southeastern Spring Meet Apr 7-10 Charlotte, NC
Founders Tour Apr 17-22 Lake Mary, FL
Southeastern Tour May 1-4 Wilmington, NC
Eastern Spring Meet May 19-21 Stowe, VT
Central Spring Meet June 9-11 Detroit Lakes, MN
Special Vintage Tour July 24-29 North Central PA & NY
Southeastern Fall Meet August 11-13 Bristol, TN
Annual Grand National August 24-26 Santa Rosa, CA
Western Fall Meet August 27-28 Santa Rosa, CA
Central Fall Meet Sept 8-10 Oak Brook, IL
Glidden Tour AACA Sept 18-23 Cumberland, MD
Eastern Fall Meet Oct 5-8 Hershey, PA
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Announcements | AACA Members to Tour the Rick Hendrick Private Museum!
Going to the Charlotte AutoFair? Going to the Southeastern Spring Meet in Charlotte? If you are, you do not want to miss this once in a lifetime opportunity. A private evening at Hendrick Motorsports has been arranged for the benefit of the AACA Library & Research Center and the AACA Museum. Limited to 200 guests (must be AACA members), every one will get up to ½ hour in each of the major buildings including the race shop, chassis shop, engine shop and the all new 60,000 sq. ft. private museum built by Mr. Hendrick. The museum is amazing and is not open to the public. Food and drink will be served. Find out more details HERE.
To reserve your spot please call Adriana Bruno at 717-534-1910
AACA Annual Meeting
The 75th AACA Annual Meeting at the Center City Sheraton in Philadelphia, February 10-12, 2011, is approaching quickly. If you have not registered yet, you still have time. The deadline for AACA Annual Meeting registration is January 28, 2011. Registration form available here. As you make your plans for the trip to Philadelphia, take a look at the preliminary seminar schedule, now available online.
CPR Course
We will once again be offering a CPR certification class at the AACA Annual Meeting, held at the Sheraton Philadelphia Center City Hotel, February 10 - 12, 2011.
The CPR course will be on Friday, February 11, 2011 during the annual meeting.
This class is a credentialed American Heart Association (AHA) Course. To be held in the Logan's 1 Room on the Sheraton lobby level at the bottom of the escalator. The Class will begin at 12:30 PM and last for approximately 3 hours.
Please help us by passing the word to your fellow members and friends! Pre-Registration is required.
The club is splitting the cost of the program as we feel it is important to have more people who attend AACA events qualified with this special skill. Your cost is only $25.00
Those completing the course will have the credentials mailed to them from the AHA training center two to four weeks after the program. The course is video driven with AHA certified instructors facilitating the hands-on CPR skills practice for each participant, using mannequins.
Registration for this course is on the AACA registration form, link listed above.
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Fall Meet at Hershey Pre-registration
Pre-registration forms for the Car Corral and Flea Market at the Eastern Fall Meet at Hershey have been mailed out. In order to submit the form you must have your 2011 AACA dues paid. To renew your membership please call 717-534-1910.
Visit the Hershey AACA Region website for more information on the Fall Meet.
Thank you! |
Member Contribution |
The Story of Thunder Road
By Member Tom Murrah
We lived in Memphis, Tennessee and my dad was a truck driver. One Friday night in 1972, he came home and told my mom that she and he had to make a road trip the next day. He wouldn't tell me why. They got up early on Saturday and late that afternoon, they came back, with my mom driving our 'normal' car and dad was driving...well...what was that? It turned out to be a 1950 Ford Crestliner that he found in Gordo, Alabama. His first words about it were, "You need to fix the brakes". This was my first car.
The drivetrain had been replaced with 1964 Falcon Sprint components, a 260ci V8, a four speed trans and an 8 inch rear. The vinyl top had been sprayed on and the Coronation Red metallic had some funky green painted over it...but it was MINE!
Over the next few months I learned to arc weld because I had to constantly change out the exhaust system. I would go through city inspection with a normal muffler and get home and swap it out for a thrush glasspack.
The speedometer didn't work, so there is no telling how many miles I racked up on that car over the next 6-7 years. I joined the Navy in '73 and took the car to Virginia and back, several times. Then we transferred to Florida and drove it down there...breaking the rearend gear when we hit the state line.
We went through 5 different paint jobs over the next 33 years, one engine overhaul, a fresh rearend and many, many gallons of gas. In 1980, I swapped in a 1965, 396ci Chevy motor with a powerglide. While the 'Ford guy' in me wanted to keep it all Ford, that 396 dropped in so sweetly that it would have been a crime not to put it in.

When I remarried in 2003, I still had my Crestliner- still in primer, didn't run, no interior...a true 'project car'. My new, lovely wife, decided she had seen enough of the primer and she wanted to go cruising, so we had the car done right by The Hot Rod Shop in Corinth, MS.
Yes, I still have the car and the parts list reads like a who's who of automotive goodies: 1965 Chevy 396, 700r4 trans, Fatman spindles, power windows, killer stereo system, front disc brakes, 2003 Mustang Laser Red and '73 GMC Sliver paint, 2003 Chrysler Sebring convertible front seats and whitewall radials.
This is our cruiser and there is no telling where we might show up...not too bad for a 60 year old car that I have owned for 38 years...
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Wanted: Extreme Drivers for World Race 2011
International Road Rally to Emulate 1908 New York to Paris Auto Race
In, October 2010, the winner of the grueling 1908 New York to Paris Race, George Schuster, was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan. He pushed himself and his Thomas Flyer to their limits, crossing a virtually road-less US, Russia and Europe, and reaching the finish line 169 days later in Paris. His incredible feat proved to an unbelieving public that cars were indeed the wave of the future.
In the spring of 2011, teams of adventuresome drivers will test their driving and endurance skills as participants in World Race 2011, an international overland journey based on the historic race of 1908.
participants can sign up a driver and navigator team for the entire journey from New York to Paris, or enter the US portion of the international leg from Beijing to Paris separately. An individual can still participate as a passenger in one of the few spots available in a support vehicles.
After traversing the US and shipping the vehicles to China, participants will fly to Beijing to meet their cars and hit the road on the international leg of the epic overland auto adventure. They plan to visit the classic sites of Beijing while the cars are undergoing customs formalities, then drive off into the sunset towards their ultimate destination, Paris. Comfortable hotel rooms wait ahead across China, Kazakhstan, Russia and Europe, and support vehicles follow along.
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Library & Research |
Military Vehicles
Military vehicle enthusiasts must certainly be happy about the recent introduction of judging class 22I. The class, specifically for military vehicles through 1986, will group all of the military vehicles together on the show field. If you own, or enjoy learning about these vehicles don't forget that your AACA Library may have helpful information for you.
The library owns four binders of information on the American Motors Mighty Mite M-422 and M-422 A1 off-road vehicles. The Mighty Mite, built specifically for the Marine Corps, featured aluminum bodies, differential-mounted brakes, a 52 HP engine, and a transmission that could be shifted from 4X2 to 4X4 on the fly. The vehicle was capable of 65mph and could carry a maximum of six men. As quickly as it was introduced, the Mighty Mite became obsolete thanks to the increased capabilities of the era's helicopters.
Within the library's Mighty Mite collection we have operator's manuals, parts lists, maintenance manuals, military photos, information on winterization kits, and more. As always, research is just a mouse click away. Fill out our Research Request Form and tell us how we can help you today. |
Trivia |
How well do you know your car names?
Name the car that is another name for.....
1. a soft and gentle wind.
2. a type of cracker.
3. a University in Alabama
4. a river in New York.
5. a French nobleman who founded and named Detroit.
6. a wild horse.
7. the chief of the "Rough Riders".
8. a Spanish explorer who discovered the Mississippi. |
AACA Museum |
Featured Exhibit...
Rare 1922 Dixie Flyer Firefly Speedster
When the automobile was in its infancy nearly every city and large town in America boasted at least one enterprise engaged in the manufacture of cars. Most of these companies and their vehicles are lost to history. The AACA Museum is pleased to present a survivor from this era that has travelled half way around the world to return to its home. On temporary exhibition is a 1922 Dixie Flyer Firefly Speedster, which was manufactured in Louisville, Kentucky, exported to Australia, saved from the junkyard, restored and finally purchased by Kentucky Trailer, the company that originally built the car! The Speedster will be on display at the museum until the spring of 2011.
Upcoming Exhibit...
Shelby Retrospective
February 11 - April 24 2011
From his first project that combined the British built two-seat AC Bristol with a Ford V8 to create the "Cobra," to his current partnership with Ford, Shelby has always had his sights set on building the ultimate American sports car. Along the way he has created a long line of popular and extremely successful street and race vehicles bearing the names Cobra, Daytona Coupe, GT40, GT350 and GT500 Mustangs and the Chrysler Omni GLHS.
Beginning on February 11th this compelling story will be told at the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Museum through the special exhibition, Shelby: A Retrospective. The exhibition will feature approximately 18 cars representing the manufacturers and body styles that chronicle Shelby's history as a sports car manufacturer and performance tuner. The exhibition will include cars from all phases of Shelby's career.
To see the full listing of current and upcoming exhibits and events visit the Museum website.
www.aacamuseum.org
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Trivia Answers |

Name the car that is another name for.....
1. a soft and gentle wind... Zephyr
2. a type of cracker... Graham
3. a University in Alabama... Auburn
4. a river in New York... Hudson
5. a French nobleman who founded and named Detroit... Cadillac
6. a wild horse... Mustang
7. the chief of the "Rough Riders"... Roosevelt
8. a Spanish explorer who discovered the Mississippi... DeSoto |
Speedy's Notes |
2011 Raffle! AACA Merchandise and Gifts
We have lots of unique Merchandise and gift ideas available on our online catalog. Plenty of to choose from for the whole family and friends. Visit the merchandise website and start shopping!
Join in the discussions and check out our topics on the AACA Forum
SPEEDSTER Archives
 Read and print newsletters. Visit the links provided in each section for more information. Use the articles in your region publications and updates. Join our mailing list and please share issues with family, friends and future AACA members! SPEEDSTER Archives Here. |
Calendar Spotlight! |
February
17-22 - Founders Tour (1932-1986 vehicles) in Lake Mary, Florida, sponsored by AACA Florida Region. Call 407-327-0740 for more information.
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Member Contribution | We want to hear from you!
We want to get to know our regions, members and their cars better! So please send us a short story (200-500 words) about your vehicle, region or event for consideration to be published in SPEEDSTER. Be sure to include photos!
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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.
Contact Information for Speedster Newsletter: AACA Headquarters 501 W. Governor Road Hershey, PA 17033
Phone: 717-534-1910
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