Registration for the Car Corral, Car Show, Flea Market and Events for the 2013 Hershey Fall Meet can be attained by submitting the activity card included with your May/June and upcoming July/August issue of AACA Magazine.  Registration for the Fall Meet has a firm registration deadline of August 15, 2013.  No exceptions will be made, so be sure to be prompt! 

Vehicle registration can be printed online by clicking here and logging in then completing the form and mailing it to the Hershey Region AACA.

Judges registration deadline is September 13, 2013. Judges can register now online with Visa or MasterCard. 

Get ready to have some fun in the sun with the Sun 'n Sand Region for the Western Fall Meet in Palm Springs, California, from October 24-26.  For more information on this great upcoming event, click here.

Judging School will take place on October 25, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. and the Judges Breakfast will take place on October 26, 2013 at 8:00 a.m., at the Doral Desert Princess Resort Palm Spring.

Join the AACA "Family" for another memorable Night at The Museum presented by RM Auctions.  Attendees will enjoy a great evening with amazing food and beverages while viewing the Museum's stunning collections including current featured exhibits "Pop Culture & Cars,"  "The British Invasion" and "Beautiful Buicks - Buick 110th Anniversary"!  The evening will also include a Silent Auction with some amazing items! 

Try your hand at something new this year as we introduce a Monte Carlo Night theme. Or, study up on your car knowledge and compete against other attendees in our car trivia game show contest.  No matter what you play, you'll find something new to try at this year's event! 

The cost to attend is $125/person and benefits the entire AACA "Family" - Club, Library, and Museum.  RSVP to the Ticket Counter at (717) 566-7100 ext 100 or at www.NightAtTheMuseum.org by September 30, 2013.  We're working on fun surprises for this year's event, watch the website for updates!

A Dynamic Automobile

By: Matthew Hocker

What makes a car stand out from the rest of the crowd?  Is it engineering, styling, or a combination of both?  In 1936 (though marketed as 1937 model), the esteemed French automaker Panhard et Levassor introduced a vehicle which encompassed all-of-the-above.  The Dynamic, as it was known, was both visually unique and technically impressive. 

Long before the Dynamic hit the streets, company founders Rene Panhard and Emile Lavassor decided to have a go at marketing their own cars by 1890.  By 1891, Panhard et Levassor had established itself as a trendsetter, pioneering a front engine design which would spread throughout the industry over the next four decades.  They also invented the panhard bar, a component of the rear suspension system still used in vehicles today.

Industry firsts and racing victories contributed to Panhard's solid reputation.  By the 1930s, models like the opulent Panoramique were especially popular with middle and upper class French citizens.  At this time, however, Panhard's pull began to wane, and there was a clear need for something different...something dynamic.

After the Dynamic was unveiled in 1936, Panhard proclaimed it "...the most spacious car in the world," complete with room for three passengers in the front and four in the back.  Five body styles were initially offered: the Major, Major 4 Glaces, D�capotable (Convertible), Junior and Berline.  Between these, there were three different wheelbases, with the Major coupes and convertible models sporting 110.2" wheelbases.  The Berline was the longest model at 118.1", while the appropriately named Junior was the shortest at 102.3".

In the realm of style, an early brochure claimed "...la Dynamic marque une date dans notre histoire automobile" (The Dynamic marks a milestone in our automotive history).  Designed by Louis Bionier, the Dynamic's unusual appearance would have likely caused heads to turn and jaws to drop.  Influenced by the age of streamlining, the body featured elegant curves, flush headlights, a panoramic 3-pane front windshield, and fender skirts covering all four wheels. 

By far, the car's strangest trait was the steering wheel, which placed the driver at the center.  Because of this feature, a third windshield wiper was added for the driver's benefit.  Though intended to provide maximum visibility, many people disliked having to slide in and out of the driver's seat.  In response, Panhard eventually offered the steering wheel on the left-hand side.

Under the hood was a six cylinder sleeve valve engine, a type of motor which fell out of vogue after World War II.  Initially, Panhard offered two different engines at 2516 cc and 2861 cc.  By 1939, the smaller of the two engines was dropped and replaced by a 3834 cc model.  Grafted to the engine were the front suspension and central steering systems.

Engines aside, the Dynamic was a technical marvel for its time, complete with dual-circuit hydraulic brakes and an underslung worm drive rear axle. Thanks to torsion bars, the car also possessed independent suspension on all four wheels.  Another standout feature was the Dynamic's unibody construction, in which parts of the frame were welded to its backbone chassis.

With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, commercial production of the Dynamic ceased.  Once the war ended, Paul Panhard (the company's president and managing director from 1916 - 1951) was insistent upon manufacturing an updated version of the Dynamic.  Paul Panhard was increasingly resistant to change, and his son Jean struggled to convince his father that the postwar economy was more favorable for smaller cars.  Eventually, Jean's point of view would prevail when the Dyna X was introduced for the 1948 model year.

Although the Dyna won out over the Dynamic, few could argue that the latter was the most memorable of the two.  In terms of appearance and technical achievement, the Dynamic was a head above its competitors.  Even in today's world, it turns just as many heads as it did more than seventy years ago!

Discover More:

 Interested in learning more about the Dynamic and other Panhard cars?  The Library has a nice collection of Panhard et Levassor sales literature, photographs and news clippings, from 1891 to 1966.  Whether you're a big fan of Panhard or looking to brush up on your French, the AACA Library has something for everybody! 

Interested in Doing Research with the AACA Library?

More info available on our website. Visit AACA Library or

contact our head librarian, Chris Ritter, critter@aaca.org or 717-534-2082.

http://aacalibrary.tumblr.com/

The AACA Library's eBay Store!

Looking for the perfect gift for your favorite motor head?  The Library's eBay store offers a wide variety to choose from, with everything from automobilia and photographs to books and sales literature. 

We are also currently holding our monthly eBay auction, with nineteen great items, many of which are hard to find.  The auction will end Sunday, June 30th at 9:00 PM EST, so don't miss out!

To view our available selection, be sure to click the links below!

 Items Available for Auction:

• Pegaso catalogs 
• Panhard catalogs and brochures, including the Dynamic
• 1959 Packard prestige catalog
• Cadillac sales literature
• 1919 Beech Creek Truck brochure
• The book, Never Leave Enough Alone, autographed by Raymond Loewy
• And much more!     

• Automobilia
  • AACA Ertl banks
  • Dash plaques
  • Models
• Reproduction Factory Photos
  • More than 2,000 different vehicles!
• Books:
  • Pre-War
  • Racing
  • Biographies
  • And much more!
• Sales Literature:
  • 1948 Tucker Reprint Brochures
  • Vintage 1950s Pontiac and Chrysler catalogs and brochures

Check back often, as we will continue to add new items throughout the year!

For more information, contact our Library Assistant, 

Matthew Hocker, mhocker@aacalibrary.org or 717-534-2082. 

At the AACA Museum in Hershey

May 15 - October 13, 2013

Photo by Bill Rothermel

Named after founder David Dunbar Buick, the firm is one of the oldest active makes both in America and in the World.  The First Buick made for sale was in 1903 in Detroit, Michigan, and the factory was moved to Flint the following year.  Buicks were originally built to replicate a living room within a moving automobile and were nicknamed the "moving couch of America."  Buick became one of the original members of General Motors when the corporation was formed in 1908.

Photo by Bill Rothermel

This special exhibit includes the following vehicles:  1910 Buick Model 10 Surrey, 1935 Buick 96S Sport Coupe, 1964 Buick Riviera, 1967 Buick Sport Wagon, 1970 Buick GS Stage I, 1972 Buick Riviera, 1975 Buick Indy 500 Pace Car Replica and the 1987 Buick GNX.  Click here for more information.

 For a full listing of exhibits and events at the AACA Museum visit www.AACAMuseum.org. 

Each $20 ticket has a chance to win a 1973 Mustang (or $15,000 cash), $2,000 cash, or $1,000 cash. Proceeds benefit the Antique Automobile Club of America, The AACA Library & Research Center, and The AACA Museum.  The drawing will take place on October 12, 2013 at the AACA Fall Meet.

Winner need not be present to win and is responsible for all taxes. Mustang Donated by George and Margaret Vitale.