• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Hershey 2022

Y07Roadrunner

Well-Known Member
Local time
5:40 AM
Joined
Jul 20, 2016
Messages
96
Reaction score
94
Location
Maryland Eastern Shore
Anyone here attend the AACA Hershey fall meet last week? Just curious what your thoughts are about the AACA (and the meet in general). When I joined the AACA several years ago I was jokingly told that it was an "old mans organization" that didn't care too much for our "modern" muscle car-era vehicles. After last week's meet, I'm having trouble arguing that point.

Being in my early-50's, I felt like one of the youngest people on the show field. My car was being evaluated for their "HPOF" (originality) designation. The judges who evaluated my vehicle left me believing that had no idea what they were looking at (to the extent that they told me that my body-color hood springs were "wrong" because they were supposed to be gray!). Of all the things they had to examine, one judge took the time to tell me that my spare tire & jack equipment was installed incorrectly in the trunk! I pointed to the 50-year-old jacking instruction decal on the trunk lid and showed him that my spare was mounted identically to the decal. He just kinda shrugged his shoulders and moved on. I know they were busy evaluating tons of different vehicles that day, but they showed little interest in my attempt to explain why my specific vehicle was correct down to the original vacuum hoses.

I guess this is just a rant, but it was disappointing that such a large organization couldn't find at least some judges who were versed in Chrysler production standards. The AACA claims that they stand for the preservation of automobiles, but then fell short when it came time to evaluate a completely OE time-capsule Chrysler product.

Am I out in left field, or have others had similar experiences???
 
There is a 1968 GTX, which has appeared on the auction circuit several times over the last decade. The car had received the AACA senior award in years past. I had looked it over numerous times at the Chrysler Nationals, and in 2008 made an inquiry when it was offered for sale. The car was nice, but nowhere near OEM in many areas, would not have fared well in OEM judging at Carlisle. I have owned seven GTXs, including two well preserved unrestored cars and I appreciate originality. I didn't feel the AACA had anything to offer me in terms of either bringing my cars to a higher level, or providing a forum to observe better examples of what I already owned.

My accountant, who is a few years older me (69), is a member, but has no collector vehicles newer than the 1930s. A friend of my dad owned a 40 car collection and was an officer in the organization. I remember well that his newest vehicle was a 1967 Lincoln convertible. I've been to Hershey a few times, and enjoy seeing the classics from the pre WWII era, but if I want to see OEM 60s and 70s Mopars, I go to the Chrysler Nationals.

I don't think you are in left field with your assessment.
 
The organization that has always put on the Hershey show concerns itself mainly with pre WW II vehicles. When I used to have '30's cars, this is where I went. This was back in the 1970's. As the Hershey event got more popular, with all makes and ages of collector cars and parts for sale showing up, the area got overwhelmed. At some point, the organizers decided to go back to their roots in predominately pre-war entries, turning away the newer stuff. This is when Carlisle swap meets and car shows were started up by the Miller's, to accommodate this newer overflow. I no longer go to Hershey because my interest in collecter cars changed to '60's Mopars, and this venue mainly supports older vehicles.
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top