Summer is officially here and in full swing and, with it, the usual spate of car shows, cruise ins and miles and miles of open road. A lot has happened in the last couple month, so let’s take a look at some of the most recent HVA award winners.
This August, the HVA is partnering with the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum in Hershey, PA, to offer a once-in-a-lifetime chance to not only check out the 1986 comedy classic, but also spend a little time with one of the film’s stars. No, it’s not Ferris Bueller himself Matthew Broderick, but it is the car he drove around Chicago with his best friend Cameron Frye (Alan Ruck) and girlfriend Sloane Peterson (Mia Sara) in the iconic film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
We spend a lot time focusing on people and places in the U.S., but as we all know, there exists a thriving car culture in Canada as well. In keeping with our museum-centric theme this month, we put together a list of just a few of the must-see car museums that can be found north of the border. If you’re headed that way this summer, be sure to check these great museums out!
Summertime is a great time to get out on the open road and check out the many wonderful car museums dotting the country. We’ve touched base with a few to find out what they have planned for this summer and will continue to do so with museums across the country throughout the year. Check ‘em out and then get out there and enjoy!
Five cars are being celebrated this month at the Historic Vehicle Association’s Cars at the Capital exhibition in Washington, D.C. All are on the National Historic Vehicle Register and are recognized as historically significant by the Library of Congress. Anthony Mason reports.
When the original Highland Green 1968 Ford Mustang GT from the classic Steve McQueen film Bullitt resurfaced this year after decades of obscurity, the car immediately became a hot property.
Ford shocked the collector-car world at the 2018 North American International Auto Show, unveiling the 1968 Ford Mustang GT featured in film “Bullitt.” In case you weren’t in Detroit to see the ultracool classic in person, the car is now on display on an even more prominent platform, our nation’s National Mall in Washington, D.C.
This morning, Mark Strassmann is in hot pursuit of the most famous, yet most elusive Ford Mustang of them all: the 1968 Ford Mustang GT Fastback from the movie Bullitt.
An original 1968 Ford Mustang from Bullitt is currently on display in a special glass box in the capital of the United States.
For car enthusiasts, the 1968 Ford Mustang driven by Steve McQueen in Bullitt represents everything that’s great about America. So it’s appropriate that this movie icon will be displayed on the National Mall among other American landmarks.
Do you have a heart? Does it pump blood through your veins and, eventually, to your right foot? Then this story is for you. The Historic Vehicle Association—a national organization dedicated to the preservation of the most important, unforgettable automobiles in human history—has returned to Washington D.C. for their fourth annual Cars at the Capital event.
The classic car junkies are flocking to the Washington, D.C., in hopes of watching the 1968 Ford Mustang GT made popular by the renowned Warner Bros. cult film “Bullitt.”
The iconic green fastback will go on display under glass in D.C. to celebrate its induction into the National Historic Vehicle Register.
The 1968 Mustang that Steve McQueen drove in the movie “Bullitt” is on display on the National Mall, on April 18, 2018 in Washington until April 23rd. The Bullitt Mustang is one of only a handful of vehicles to be placed on the National Historic Vehicle Register and is recognized as historically significant in the Library of Congress. The car is part of a month-long Cars at the Capital event put on by the Historic Vehicle Association.
Classic car junkies are flocking to Washington, D.C., in hopes of seeing the 1968 Ford Mustang GT made famous by the Warner Bros. cult film “Bullitt.”
Whether it’s the original or the remake, there’s no mistaking the signature roar of Ford’s “Bullitt” Mustang. According to Road and Track, the Mustang GT helped invent the modern cinema car chase with its appearance in the 1968 Steve McQueen film “Bullitt,” and to commemorate the film’s 50th anniversary, Ford recently revealed a souped-up 2019 special edition called the Mustang Bullitt.
The classic green Ford Mustang GT that served as the “hero car” in the 1968 Steve McQueen film Bullitt is heading to Washington, D.C., where it will go on display in celebration of the 54th anniversary of the Blue Oval’s iconic pony car.
One of the surprises of this year’s Detroit Auto Show was the reveal of the last surviving 1968 Mustang that was actually used in the Bullitt movie. The car was displayed next to the new model, and was around for the public days. But in case you couldn’t make it to Detroit to see it, you’ll have another opportunity in Washington D.C.
The original 1968 Mustang from the action flick “Bullitt” (1968) with Steve McQueen is on display on the National Mall through Sunday as part of a weeklong event, sponsored by the Historic Vehicle Association.
One of the most recognizable vehicles in film history — the green 1968 Ford Mustang GT driven by Steve McQueen in the action masterpiece, “Bullitt” — is on display on D.C.’s National Mall.
The 1968 Mustang that Steve McQueen famously drove in the movie “Bullitt” sat in a D.C.-area garage for decades. Now, it’s headed to the National Mall. News4’s Leon Harris got to ride in the car and hear the emotional story of how its owner restored it.
It may be the most iconic chase in an American film, as the Highland Green 1968 Ford Mustang GT fastback screamed through the streets of San Francisco with Steve McQueen at the helm during 11 minutes of “Bullitt.”
The Historic Vehicle Association is currently running its fourth annual Cars at the Capital event. That means that throughout April, cars of historic significance will be displayed in a glass case located between Washington, D.C.’s National Gallery of Art and National Air and Space Museum.
If you’re planning a trip to Washington, D.C. this month, and want to include the automobile in your touristy activities somehow, might we suggest a stroll down the walkway between the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and the National Gallery of Art facing the U.S. Capitol building?
What better way to honor America’s love affair with cars than to place the replica Ferrari from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off on the Mall?
The 2018 car show season is officially underway. Check out the winners from last month’s Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance and Boca Raton Concours, as well as a better-late-than-never look at an award winner from last summer’s jam-packed season.
The 1985 Modena Spyder California featured prominently in the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is on display through the 2nd of April as part of the 2018 Cars at the Capital.
It’s a story that sounds as though it were ripped from the pages of fiction or the basis for a harrowing World War II drama directed by Steven Spielberg. The remarkable story of Helene Rother is far from fictional, however, despite bordering on the fantastic.
In honor of the 15-Millionth Ford being on display from April 3-9 on the National Mall as part of this year’s Cars at the Capital, we take a look at a few other heavy-hitters and break it down by the numbers.
Steve McQueen’s Highland Green 1968 Ford Mustang GT fastback vanished 38 years ago. The ominous-looking pony car with the barking 390-cubic-inch V-8, which starred in one of the greatest chase scenes in movie history in the film Bullitt—with McQueen doing the driving in many of the shots—may have been lost, but it was never forgotten.
Fourth Annual Historic Vehicle Association Cars at the Capital Exhibition March 30 – April 30, 2018 | National Mall in Washington, DC
At the time of its release in November 1983, much was made of the Plymouth Voyager. It was seen as a revolutionary new vehicle that would change the American consumer market and help save a flagging corporation. And while much of this was true, it was not the first “mini” van. It was, however, the first most commercially successful, arriving in the right place at the right time to truly take off. In honor of those that came before it, we take a look back at some of the precursors to the latest addition to the National Historic Vehicle Register.
In 1910, world champion boxer Jack Johnson issued a challenge to any race car driver willing to face off against him. Barney Oldfield took him up on it. Here’s the story of the unlikely race between the boxer and the racer.
Created for the iconic 1986 film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, in which the titular character skips school, kidnaps his best friends Cameron Frye and Sloane Peterson, borrows Cameron’s dad’s beloved “Ferrari” and makes a day of it in the city of Chicago, the 1985 Modena Spyder California is not what it was made to appear.
This will be the fourth annual Cars at the Capital display, and this year it will stretch throughout the month of April, with five vehicles taking their turns being displayed in a glass garage that will be lit at night for round-the-clock viewing by Mall visitors.
Expanded Exhibition Celebrates Broad Spectrum of American Automotive History
Revealed at the 2018 North American International Auto Show, the recently-discovered 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback, serial #8Ro2S125559 from the movie Bullitt (1968) will be featured in the Hagerty booth at the 23rd Annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.
Fresh from its reveal on the Ford stand at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the 1968 Mustang “hero” car from Steve McQueen’s cop-movie Bullitt headlines a weekend of special events in Traverse City, Michigan.
Since “Bullitt” premiered in 1968, millions of Americans have fallen in love with Steve McQueen’s iconic, emerald green Mustang Fastback. Especially Sean Kiernan and his dad — the car was their best-kept secret.
The AACA Museum, Inc. is excited to display a 1920 Anderson Six Convertible Roadster in the Historic Vehicle Associate (HVA) exhibit in the Museum Lobby. This will be the second car on display for this exhibit through early June 2018.
February 12, 2018 marks an important anniversary in automotive history. It was 110 years ago a race began which changed the perception of the “horseless carriage” from a novelty for the rich, to a viable means of transportation for everyone.
Sean Kiernan’s family kept a secret for decades. They had a celebrity in their garage. Not a person, but the most famous Ford Mustang ever made. The green one from the 1968 Steve McQueen film “Bullitt.”
The Hollywood car chase was born during a thrill ride on the streets of San Francisco in the 1968 classic “Bullitt,” when Steve McQueen chased the bad guys for almost 10 minutes on screen.
By late October in 1966 Steve McQueen had Hollywood on a string. His company, Solar Productions, inked a six-film deal with Warner Bros., and McQueen was now in the driver’s seat, hired to produce and star in his own films. He and director Peter Yates were intent on bringing real, almost documentary-like action to the screen, and they succeeded with Solar’s first film, Bullitt.
The Historic Vehicle Association this week announced that a 1968 Mustang Fastback, serial No. 8R02S125559 from the 1968 movie “Bullitt,” was selected as the 21st automobile on the National Historic Vehicle Register.
Steve McQueen made one last effort to buy his favorite Mustang in 1977. He sent a letter, typed on a single piece of heavy off-white vellum, to the car’s owner in New Jersey. The logo for his movie company, Solar Productions, was embossed in the upper left corner and opposite that resided the date, December 14, 1977. The letter is just four sentences.
It doesn’t matter how hard we try, pop-culture will always steer our automotive culture into tangents we could’ve never expected — and for Ford, who knew that a simple Highland Green ’68 Mustang GT would be enough to propel the pony car into the highest reaches of hollywood fame and car culture lore? 50 years later, Ford is revealing the 2018 Mustang GT 50th Anniversery Bullitt Edition with a splash: by bringing out the long-forgotten “Bowling Green” Bullitt!
The 2019 Bullitt is mighty fine, but pales in comparison to the original 1968 car
The star of arguably cinema’s greatest chase was long thought to be lost to history, but it’s just been in a New Jersey garage for a few decades.
The National Historic Vehicle Register (NHVR) is not open to just any classic car. Selected vehicles must be significant to the fabric of automotive history in America. Only 20 vehicles have been deemed important enough since the NHVR launched in 2013, and until now, a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro was the only pony car in the NHVR corral.
Ford is going to bite the Bullitt again. The Mustang that Steve McQueen drove into Hollywood history for the 1968 movie Bullitt emerged for the first time in 40 years Sunday at the Detroit auto show in tandem with the debut of a new, limited-edition 2019 Mustang Bullitt.
Today, the Historic Vehicle Association (HVA) announced that the 1968 Mustang Fastback, serial #8R02S125559 from the movie Bullitt (1968) was recorded as the twenty-first automobile on the National Historic Vehicle Register.
Seven years ago, the collector car community was staging its annual automotive love-in at Pebble Beach. Among all the other activities — cars shows, auctions, vintage races, a concours, etc. — a meeting was held with representatives of something call FIVA, which is shorthand for the Federation Internationale Vehicles Anciens, which was founded in 1966 with a mission of protecting, preserving and promoting the world’s motoring heritage.
Join John and noted transportation author Peter DeLorenzo, McKeel Hagerty of the Hagerty Group and Mark Gessler from the Historic Vehicle Association for a fascinating discussion of what driving does for Americans.
For the third year in a row, Shell’s “Pioneering Performance” stage will be returning to the SEMA Show at the Las Vegas Convention center in Las Vegas, NV.
U.S. Representatives Tim Walberg (R-MI) and Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) introduced bipartisan legislation to commemorate the legacy of American automobiles and highlight their role in our nation’s history. H.R. 4066, the National Historic Vehicle Register Act, will establish a standalone register at the Department of Interior that documents historically significant automobiles, trucks, and motorcycles. U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
Photographs from the 2017 Antique Automobile Club of America Fall Swap Meet in Hershey, PA.
The pages of history are lined with failed attempts to create an automobile in the 19th century. One such “orphan” that remains with us today is the Benton Harbor Motor Carriage.
Put down that rubber chicken and pay attention! National Clown Week—yes, it’s a real thing—has been observed the first week of every August since President Richard Nixon signed a joint resolution into law back in 1971. To mark the occasion, we took a look back at some classic examples of one of clowning’s most iconic props.
HVA President Mark Gessler relates the story of Amos Northup, the Graham Blue Streak and the integral role both played in the next phase of the Historic Vehicle Association’s move to preserve automotive history and heritage.
HVA partner Shell this week informed the American Red Cross that it will make an initial contribution of $1 million to the Hurricane Harvey disaster relief fund. As recovery and relief efforts evolve, Shell will consider where else to offer assistance that can have the most immediate impact.
Looking for a car-related activity the whole family can enjoy? Read on. Cars from the blockbuster movie franchise, Transformers, are coming to Allentown, Pennsylvania next month and we got the detail.
Everybody knows that success is often the result of being in the right place at the right time with the right idea. The Graham brothers of Evansville, Indiana, are a perfect example. Read on to learn more about how their ingenuity at the dawn of the automotive revolution led to the creation of icon and the latest vehicle to be documented and added to the National Historic Vehicle Register.
Exciting events, auto shows, rallies, concours and car auctions—Monterey Auto Week is truly a magical way to end the summer car-show season. Take a moment to relive some of the memories with this special photo collection taken by the Historic Vehicle Association’s Casey Maxon. Make sure to follow along on Instagram and Facebook as we post a continuing selection of the thousands of images captured!
This year Historic Vehicle Association awards were a feature at four events during Monterey week. Three car received the coveted HVA National Automotive Heritage Award for a vehicle eligible for the National Historic Vehicle Register. At the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance the FIVA/HVA Awards were presented for the most well preserved pre-war and post-war cars on the field.
Photographs from the 2017 Monterey Car Week taken in and around the Monterey peninsula.
Amos Northup and the Graham Blue Streak Seminar presented by Hagerty With special guests: Mark Gessler, Historic Vehicle Association President, and Bill Rothermel.
The HVA will display five influential Amos E. Northup automobile designs at Concours d’Elegance of America on Sunday July 30th at The Inn at St. John’s in Plymouth, Michigan.
You’ve heard about National Historic Vehicle Register, the stringent criteria for entry and the lengthy documentation process required. Now, you can see all this glorious research for yourself as the Library of Congress as added four of the now 19 vehicles on the Register to their website for your perusal. Read on to learn more.
What’s your idea of the ultimate muscle car? If you had free access to any high performance, emotion inducing car part or platform, what would you assemble? That was the opportunity given the guys at Car and Driver in the late 1960s, and what they put together might be considered the ultimate Camaro. Read on to learn more about this one-of-a-kind creation dubbed “Blue Maxi” – Car and Driver’s once abused, “Company Car.”
Sixty years ago this month, one of automotive history’s most radical looking factory experimental vehicles appeared on the cover of Hot Rod magazine. Looking as though the entire top had been shorn off save a single, shark-like fin directly behind the driver, the “Mermaid Merc” was unlike anything else ever conceived or designed up to that point. Built specifically for the 1957 Daytona Speed Trials by Bill Stroppe and other Mercury crew/team members, the Mermaid was created for one reason—speed.
While old car photos hold a certain level of fascination, there’s nothing like some old film footage to really make automotive history come alive. Check out this short film edited by Joe Santacroce showing a shipment of Buicks being unloaded on August 1, 1928 at the New York Central Rail Road Freight yard on their way to New York’s Broadway Garage.
Photographs from the 2017 Carlisle Chevrolet Nationals in Carlisle, PA.
Photographs from the 2017 Carlisle Ford Nationals in Carlisle, PA.
Every month we spend some time scouring the web for some of the best classic car stories so you don’t have to. In this month’s installment of The Roundup, we link you to articles about the Mona Lisa of lowriders, the passing of Vic Edelbrock, Harley-Davidson racing bikes and more.
June is here and that means summer and the heart of car show season. Here’s a rundown of some of the events we’ve attended so far this month.
More than 80 years ago this month, America’s first drive-in movie theater opened in Camden, New Jersey, ushering in an era of pure Americana as millions gathered in their cars to watch the latest blockbusters, horror and sci-fi B-movies and grindhouse classics. Read on.
Every July 1st the United States’ neighbor to the North celebrates a patriotic national holiday known as Canada Day. To mark the occasion, check out this rundown of our favorite Canadian classics.
Seventy years ago this month, Preston Tucker unveiled the now iconic automobile that bears his name. Check out this retrospective along with a video of John Tucker remembering his legendary grandfather.
One-of-a-kind ’64 Impala takes its rightful place in the pantheon of American auto history
Every month we spend some time scouring the web for some of the best classic car stories so you don’t have to. In this month’s installment of The Roundup, we link you to articles about Preston Tucker’s “other” car, a visit to Jay Leno’s garage, a trip to the property of an obscure micro-car hoarder, and more.
Beauty, it’s been said, is in the eye of the beholder. In the world of custom vehicles, aesthetic beauty is admittedly subjective, but one thing that can’t be disputed is a vehicle’s historical significance. To follow-up the center-stage appearance of the Hirohata Merc at this year’s Cars at the Capital in Washington, D.C., this month we decided to take a look at five more of the interesting customs from the heyday of the trend.
Can you feel it? Summer is finally in the air and, with it…wait for it…the summer car show season! This month, the Historic Vehicle Association presented awards at four prestigious events across the country. Read on to learn more and share your events in the comments section below or over on our Facebook page.
Robert Pirsig, author of counter-culture classic Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, died last month at the age of 88. Though he never mentioned the make/model of motorcycle he rode in the book, it’s well documented that Pirsig loved touring on his Honda CB77 Super Hawk. This little bit of trivia got us to thinking: With the summer reading season almost here, what are some other great old books that use classic vehicles to help drive the plot? Read on.
Is there any hot rod more iconic than the McGee Roadster? A souped-up 1932 Ford V-8 Roadster, the car’s design aesthetic helped establish the universal template for what could and would be considered the quintessential hot rod.
As part of a three-week tribute to the importance of custom cars in American culture, the Historic Vehicle Association placed the McGee Roadster on display in the National Mall in Washington DC to honor its significance in hot rod history.
Sen. Rob Portman co-introduced legislation Thursday that will create a new national register for historic vehicles.
Every month we spend some time scouring the web for some of the best classic car stories so you don’t have to. In this month’s installment of The Roundup, we link you to articles about the mythic, multi-fuel Model T, “Smiling” Ralph Mulford’s record-breaking 1916 Hudson Super-Six, the story behind the man who created the electric vehicle starter and more.
Automotive history is full of lost treasures. From the rediscovery of CSX2287’s strange legacy to the seemingly endless number of barn finds that have cropped up in recent years, there is no shortage of great stories to be told. With that, this month we take a look at one of the earliest instances of a lost automotive treasure.
National Twilight Zone Day—yes, it’s a real thing—is coming up on May 11th. Rod Serling’s sometimes creepy and always mind-bending series aired from 1959 until 1964. Still a favorite in syndication, The Twilight Zone is also a window that looks back into a great time for the automobile. Here’s a look at some of our favorite “Zone cars.”
Featuring some of the world’s most important custom cars on the lawn of Washington D.C.’s National Mall, this year’s Cars at the Capital offered no shortage of stunning photographic opportunities.
A car with a fascinating backstory and massive cultural impact, the 1964 Chevrolet Impala lowrider known as “Gypsy Rose” is an important new addition to the National Historic Vehicle Register that was chosen to kick off the third annual Cars at the Capital exhibition on the National Mall in Washington, DC.
Custom American classics immortalized by Historic Vehicle Association.
The McGee Roadster hot rod, a Hirohata Merc radical custom and the Gypsy Rose lowrider were announced as the 16th, 17th and 18th vehicles to be added to the National Historic Vehicle Register in recognition of their significance in American automotive history.
HIROHATA MERC, MCGEE ROADSTER AND GYPSY ROSE LOWRIDER EACH GET A TURN ON THE MALL
Photographs from the third annual Cars at the Capital, held in our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C.
The McGee Roadster hot rod, Hirohata Merc radical custom and Gypsy Rose lowrider became part of history today. They were announced as the 16th, 17th and 18th vehicles to be added to the National Historic Vehicle Register in recognition of their significance in American automotive history.
In celebration of its Ninth Anniversary, America on Wheels (AOW) will feature two unrestored early Mustangs as the centerpiece to the museum’s new exhibition “Pony Cars: Then and Now” running April 8th through October 2017.
In celebration of its Ninth Anniversary, America On Wheels (AOW) will feature two unrestored early Mustangs as the centerpiece to the museum’s new exhibition “Pony Cars: Then and Now” running April 8th through October 2017.
Forget Democrat versus Republican. Are you Team Hot Rod or Team Lowrider? You’re a third-party type? How about a chopped and channeled Mercury with a back story that stretches to WWII internment camps?
It started out as a standard 1951 Mercury Coupe. And then Sam and George Barris got their hands on it. Here’s a look at the “the most famous custom of the classic era,” a one-of-a-kind original that set a new standard for style and attitude in the custom car building scene.
Not many individual cars can claim credit for giving rise to an entire automotive subculture. And yet Gypsy Rose, rolling out of the barrios of East L.A., down Whittier Boulevard and into world-wide recognition, has managed to do just that. Read on to learn more about the car that helped shape modern lowrider culture.
For many, a 1932 Ford roadster is the quintessential hot rod. Take a look back at the original—the trendsetting car that became the benchmark of style for so many hot rods that came after it and remained an icon even as hot rod tastes changed throughout the decades.
While the big focus for us here at the Historic Vehicle Association is next month’s Third Annual Cars at the Capital in Washington, D.C, we still managed to take in some of the exceptional cars on display at this year’s Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in Florida. Check out our report as well as a recap of last year’s Cars at the Capital if, for some reason, you’re questioning whether or not you should attend.
Every month we spend some time scouring the web for some of the best classic car stories so you don’t have to. In this month’s installment of The Roundup we link you to articles about the U.S. Army’s World War II testing of the iconic jeep, the life and fast times of fuel-altered pioneer Leon Fitzgerald, a rare 1948 “Air Force” Chevy Suburban barn find, and more.
Three iconic pieces of California custom-car culture take center stage next month on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., as the Historic Vehicle Association displays the latest vehicles to be commemorated and recorded in the HVA National Historic Vehicle Register and archived in the U.S. Library of Congress.
2017 HVA Cars at the Capital Exhibition features a Hot Rod, a Radical Custom and a Lowrider
Aside from a few cars built for racing, the National Historic Vehicle Register has yet to include any modified cars, an omission that the Historic Vehicle Association will reverse next month when, ahead of joining the register, three of the most widely recognized lowriders, hot rods, and customs will go on display on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
The historic ’64 Impala will be on display representing Lowrider culture as part of the 3rd annual Cars at the Capital Exhibition
This month, the HVA, along with Volkswagen, honored the Black American Racers Association (BARA) and its contributions to the recognition of African-Americans in motorsport.
Every month we spend some time scouring the web for some of the best classic car stories so you don’t have to. In this month’s installment of The Roundup we link you to articles about Roadsters, Family Trucksters and the legendary Route 66.
Remember when you had to pay extra to have seat belts installed in a new car? How about 90-days warranties, new car “break-in” periods and 30,000-mile tires? It wasn’t so long ago that buying and maintaining a daily driver was really a chore. Here’s a few, fun little reminders of what went into buying and maintaining a new car 50-odd years ago when times were slower and our attention spans longer.
January may be a little slow in terms of actual car shows, but it offered enough to get the blood pumping for what’s in store during the year to come! Read on and check out the highlights.
From 1924 to 1936, the Midwest’s best and brightest black drivers and mechanics competed in what became known as the Gold and Glory Sweepstakes. Here, we take a look at this important yet nearly forgotten auto-race that altered the course of history for America’s black mechanics and drivers.
Every month we spend some time scouring the web for some of the best classic car stories so you don’t have to. In this month’s installment of The Roundup, we link you to articles about Checker’s foray into making kitchen sinks, the unlikely discovery of a rare, 1967 Shelby G.T. 350, a new bill to protect and preserve Route 66 and more.
Each year, the month of January kicks off the official auto show season with some of the most innovative new car designs being showcased in cities around the globe. While these events remain a fascinating spectacle, they pale in comparison to the hyper-stylized “dream cars” showcased from 1949 until 1961 during General Motors “Motorama.” Some of these cars were preserved, some were destroyed and others simply disappeared under strange circumstances that today tantalize collectors in search of long-lost automotive treasure.
Bronco, Wagoneer, Scrambler and Ranger. When news from this month’s North American International Auto Show announced that these once hugely popular brands would be returning to automotive showrooms soon, longtime fans were all a twitter. Here, Hagerty’s Glenn Arlt takes a look back at some of what made these models so great.
At this year’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the Historic Vehicle Association, along with representatives from the Center for Design Research at Stanford University, Shell Oil Company, Hagerty Insurance, the Welburn Group and Michigan Senator Gary Peters delivered presentations on the future of automobility in the face of changing tides. Each presentation was filmed and is available for viewing below.
To restore or not to restore? If unrestored, what is responsible use? Should unrestored vehicles be made to run and drive? This was the hotly debated topic at this past fall’s Driving History conference held at the Historic Vehicle Association’s Laboratory in Allentown, PA. In conjunction with the College of Charleston, presenters, students and enthusiasts alike came together to discuss the future of automobility and the merits of preservation.
Driving a Model T across the country for last year’s Road Trip Century Celebration made 2015 tough to beat in terms of photographic opportunities. But then along came 2016, a year that offered just as many, if not more, unique shots. Take a look back at some of our favorite photos,captured by Historic Vehicle Association staff photographers Casey Maxon and John Paul.
The past year proved to be a memorable one in more ways than one. Take a look back at what the Historic Vehicle Association was up to over the last 12 months, and catch up on any news you may have missed along the way.
This past year was a particularly rough year in terms of icons the world lost not only within the automotive industry, but across the whole spectrum of creative pursuits.
If you’re an adult who loves old cars, you were probably once a child who loved automobile inspired toys like these. From the “Crashmobile” to the “The Visible V8,” here’s a look at five memorable car toys from Christmases past.
In this month’s installment of The Roundup, we link you to articles about the fastest motorcycle on the planet in 1907, Chrysler’s first Ghia, a coast-to-coast journey of an 80-year-old Packard, an old car graveyard in the California redwoods and more.
Questions of the future are in everyone’s mind. What’s the future of cars, and our mobility? “The Future of Automobility” holiday window display was unveiled today at 432 Park Avenue. The display is curated by Stanford University Professor Michael Shanks of the Center for Design Research and the Historic Vehicle Association.
Minivans are the automotive equivalent of the comedian Rodney Dangerfield’s routine about not getting any respect. They’re uncool at any speed.
If you happen to be in New York City doing your holiday shopping, be sure to hustle over to 432 Park Avenue to see a very special window display.
The College of Charleston, in Charleston, South Carolina, is home to a large and well-respected program in historic preservation. Most students in the major, which grants a two-year undergraduate certificate and a master’s degree, focus their studies on the traditional areas of fine art, architecture, and urban design.
Every month we spend some time scouring the web for some of the best classic car stories so you don’t have to. In this month’s edition of “The Roundup,” we link you to articles spotlighting ‘60s dragster legend Mickey Thompson, the 70th anniversary of Unimog, Checker Cab’s foray into transit buses and more.
How far we’ve come with automotive navigation in a mere 35 years. With GPS navigation systems built into every mobile phone and standard equipment on many cars, now we can easily answer that timeless holiday travel season question—Are we there yet?—with accuracy down to the mile and minute.
Winner of the very first Indianapolis 500, the Marmon Wasp is an icon of early automotive racing. Check out these five facts to learn more about this fascinating piece of American automotive history.
Leading picks at a Lowcountry resort town’s yearly automotive formal hailed from the Carolinas, and a rare hardtop crafted in Rock Hill 96 years ago also starred at the event
Event Celebrates 100 Years of Automotive Manufacturing History in South Carolina
A 1920 Anderson, a model Six convertible roadster, has become the first automobile added to the National Historic Vehicle Register because of its local and regional historic significance, the Historic Vehicle Association announced.
‘Pioneering Performance” is the theme for the Shell Oil Products US display at the 2016 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Among the 25 vehicles in the display are a couple of customized Chevys — a 1960 Impala convertible and 2017 Camaro SS — the 1972 Ford Maverick “Project Underdog,” and one of the earliest and best-known of all customized rides, the 1911 Marmon Wasp that won the inaugural Indianapolis 500-mile race.
The very yellow winner of the first Indy 500 opened SEMA 2016. See it here
The Marmon Wasp, one of America’s most historic automobiles that was driven to victory in the first Indianapolis 500 race in 1911, makes its first visit to Las Vegas to appear at the 2016 SEMA Show.
Earlier this month, legendary automotive journalist and founder of the famed Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, Brock Yates, passed away at the age of 82.
A conventional view of automotive history remembers that the muscle/pony car era pretty much began with the debut of GTO and Mustang, respectively, in 1964½. Not according to Hagerty Historian, Glenn Arlt, who looks back a decade prior to the evolution of Studebaker’s line screaming “family sports cars.”
September marks the end of summer and the unofficial end outdoor car show season. But, thankfully, not everywhere. Some great events were held last month in the U.S. and Canada, and the Historic Vehicle Association was there to hand out awards to some amazing automobiles.
This month, in partnership with the College of Charleston, the Historic Vehicle Association will be holding an academic conference in Allentown, PA, entitled “Driving History: Putting Preservation on the Road.” In advance of the event, students in the college’s historic preservation program have begun work on the necessary documentation for the next vehicle to be added to the National Historic Vehicle Register.
Every month we spend some time scouring the web for some of the best classic car stories so you don’t have to. In this month’s edition of “The Roundup,” we link you to articles spotlighting the evolution of Camaro, an Oakland 50 that’s been driven by the same family for 100 years, the real man behind Studebaker’s Starlight coupe and more.
On Thursday, September 22nd, Michigan Senator Gary Peters (D-Michigan) introduced the National Historic Vehicle Register Act. If passed, this legislation is an important step toward preserving the legacy of American automobiles and motorcycles and the vital role they play in our history and culture.
CTV’s Your Morning program posted this video on the history of the Chevrolet Camaro on the anniversary of its official release.
After more than two years and more than a dozen cars have been added to the National Historic Vehicle Register, a Michigan congressman last week introduced a bill that would establish the register under the Department of the Interior.
No other piece of technology has affected the American way of life more than the automobile — the very foundation of hot rodding. However, until recently, there’s been no official register of historically significant models in automotive history.
The Historic Vehicle Register launched by the Historic Vehicle Association will become the National Historic Vehicle Register if legislation introduced by Michigan Sen. Gary Peters wins congressional approval. The bill would authorize the Dept. of Interior to establish a federal register of historic vehicles, basically giving federal approval to the HVA effort.
U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today introduced legislation to help preserve the legacy of American automobiles and motorcycles and the vital role they play in American culture and history.
Sen. Gary Peters’ (D-Michigan) Legislation Extends Landmark Designation to Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles
From Plymouth’s not-so-legendary version of the Suburban to a look at the “original” Mustang (not by Ford)…Readers so much enjoyed Glenn Arlt’s look back at his favorite “reused” old model car names that we decided to ask Hagerty’s favorite historian to give us a few more. Read on.
Every month we spend some time scouring the web for some of the best classic car stories so you don’t have to. In this month’s edition of “The Roundup,” we link you to some of the great coverage granted the first Camaro, a rare 1966 Dodge Charger Hemi and more.
Falling in the middle of summer, July often feels like the calm before the storm. There are, of course, a number of events still taking place—and very good ones, we might add—but the primary focus is generally ahead to August and the promise of mile after mile of cars streaming down Woodward Avenue in the Midwest and an entire green of glitz and glamour on the West Coast.
It all starts with an idea on the designers table—a series of lines and shapes laid to paper that come together to create a vision of the future.
The circumstances under which Logan Lawson happened upon the very first Chevrolet Camaro sounds a little farfetched…especially when you consider that the person who found it was just a kid at the time.
It’s like finding a Honus Wagner baseball card or a painting by Pablo Picasso at a yardsale. The automotive world has produced many remarkable barn finds and discoveries of thought-to-be lost treasures.
The Historic Vehicle Association (HVA) awarded two Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens (FIVA) preservation trophies at the 66th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Sunday, August 21, 2016.
With apologies to “Field of Dreams,” that’s what happened last week as Detroit’s famous Woodward Ave., prepared for its annual Dream Cruise; That’s where a million people worship thousands of vintage cars as they drive up and down the road for the day. And reviewing the proceedings from a special position was this unique car owned by Logan Lawson, an 18-year old gearhead from Oklahoma who found what even GM didn’t know existed: the very first 1967 Chevrolet Camaro. Watch its Woodward throne being built here!
Join us as we celebrate 50 years of Camaro at the Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit, Michigan.
Now part of a historic vehicle registry, VIN 100001 helped start legendary Detroit muscle car rivalry.
The first ever Chevrolet Camaro prototype, VIN # 100001, has returned to its spiritual home of Detroit, and will be sitting on the side of Woodward Avenue for the next few days. Here’s the car’s incredible story.
The Historic Vehicle Association (HVA) illuminated glass showcase containing the very first Camaro built in 1966 will light up Woodward Dream Cruise from Wednesday, August 17th through Saturday, August 20th.
The first Camaro Chevrolet ever built sits on a turntable in a photographically perfect white room devoid of right angles and shadows.
Chevrolet Camaro No. 100001 is a simple car that took a complicated road to its place of honor on Woodward Avenue this week.
Logan Lawson was only 13 in 2009 when he stumbled upon a message board comment and later an eBay ad for a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro that was touted as possibly the first Camaro built.
“The ’66 Hemi Charger was the start of something extraordinary,” Historic Vehicle Association president mark Gessler said. “It was the most muscle you could buy in a street car. It was engineered to compete with the Chevrolet Chevelle, Pontiac GTO and Oldsmobile 442. Top dog status was important in Detroit and around the country.”
The Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance will hold a special gathering of historic Anderson Motor Co. cars manufactured in Rocky Hill, S.C., from 1916 through 1925. Several of these rare automobiles will be shown during the Nov. 4-6 Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival.
The 1938 Buick Y-Job Concept has long been considered the vehicle that most influenced the design of American cars in the 1950s, and due to that accomplishment, the Y-Job will become the 14th automobile named to the National Historic Register.
Since 1994, BMW has been building a variety of vehicles in South Carolina, where Volvo and Mercedes-Benz plan to open assembly plants in the next two or three years. But many don’t realize that the state’s automotive history spans a full century.
A cross between the Automotive Hall of Fame and a Library of Congress, the idea behind the Historic Vehicle Association’s NHVR is to preserve for eternity the most significant cars in US motoring history.
The auto industry’s first concept car — the 1938 Buick Y-Job — was inducted into the National Register of Historic Vehicles just days after the dynamic new Avista concept was named Most Significant Concept Vehicle of 2016.
The Buick Y-Job, which holds the status of the automotive industry’s first-ever concept car, has been added to the National Historic Vehicle Register.
At a reception last week, the Historic Vehicle Association staged the formal opening of its National Automotive Heritage Laboratory, a facility designed for doing laser scanning and measurement and archival photography of entire automobiles, as well as providing library research space, all in support of documenting the most significant automobiles in American history for future generations.
Two years ago, the Shelby Daytona became the first inductee in the National Historic Vehicle Register. The 14th car to get the same treatment is the Buick Y-Job, the first-ever concept car.
General Motors’ styling department, led by design legend Harley Earl, was tasked in the late 1930s with imagining the car of tomorrow. That car, known internally as the Buick“Y-Job,” predicted the design trends of the 1950s and beyond, and is regarded by many as the first American concept car.
The Buick Y-Job, one of the most influential concept cars of all time, became the 14th car to be named to the National Historic Vehicle Register today.
Concept cars draw attention both for their cool potential and, after time, their impact on contemporary design. Buick’s Y-Job, a “Car of the Future” developed by General Motors’ Style Section and Buick engineers in the late 1930s and announced in 1940, was one such effort.
HVA historian Casey Maxon takes hundreds of photos of every car that makes it to the National Register of Historic Vehicles, a list similar to the National Register of Historic Buildings. HVA works with the Department of the Interior and the Library of Congress to document every moment in the existence of specific vehicles of historic and cultural significance.
This month marks the 100th anniversary of the Federal Aid Road Act. Signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson, the Federal Aid Road Act established a national policy of providing federal aid for highway construction and maintenance. In so doing, a uniform system of roads was established and helped to further usher in the golden age of American motoring.
In this month’s web roundup, we link you to articles spotlighting some rare old video of Boston Fire Trucks in action, the upcoming auction of CSX2000 (the very first Shelby Cobra ever produced), a 1950s era European rocket car that never made it into production and more.
June marks the official start of summer, so it’s no surprise the month is also one of the busiest in terms of the sheer number of car shows. From local cruise-ins to national meets, June always has more than enough to keep even the most finicky auto enthusiast entertained. Check out just a few of the events from this past month, each of which found the Historic Vehicle Association in attendance and handing out awards.
Reusing old model names is something pretty common in the auto industry. And it’s definitely nothing new. But here’s an interesting wrinkle: Have you ever seen a Studebaker Daytona? How about a Plymouth Concord? Some well-known car names actually owe their origins to entirely different makers than we associate them with today. We asked Hagerty Historian Glenn Arlt to give us a list of his all-time favorites.
Imagine driving from New York City to Paris. Now, imagine doing so in 1908—long before the establishment of interstates, service stations on every corner and even reliable maps.
On July 12th, the auto world lost one of its record-breaking legends: Art Chrisman—one of the founders of NHRA Drag Racing and the first drag racer to break the 140 mph barrier—passed away at the age of 86.
Jeep is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the vehicle that gave it its name.
The 1907 Thomas Flyer that won the 22,000-mile New York to Paris event in 1908 is the latest vehicle to join the National Historic Vehicle Register, the Historic Vehicle Association announced Thursday.
Today, a flight from New York to Paris is a mere seven-hour journey, but when this 1907 Thomas Flyer Model 35 set out from the Big Apple, the journey was far more challenging.
Ray Harroun is best remembered as the first champion of Indianapolis 500. But his greatest contributions to the automotive world arguably happened behind the scenes. Here, we take a closer look at the storied career and off-the-track accomplishments of this pioneering inventor and automotive engineer.
With the weather hinting at summer and roads once again beckoning motorists, May often serves as the official start of the summer car show season. Take a look at some of last month’s highlights from events attended by the Historic Vehicle Association.
In this month’s web roundup, we link you to articles spotlighting the history of the ZL1 Camaro, the first modern safety cars, a collection of over 200 Nash vehicles resting at the bottom of Lake Michigan and more.
For over 40 years, driver safety classes across America included the now bizarre practice of screening graphic educational films designed to scare the bejesus out of young drivers. Melodramatic narration and grisly images of bloody, broken bodies being pulled from twisted wrecks were shocking staples of this strange film genre. Here, we highlight some of the more notorious classics millions of Baby Boomers would probably like to forget.
Until he saw it stripped to the chassis with his own eyes, George Schuster simply wouldn’t take anybody’s word that this old touring car was the one and the same that ferried him and a few other fellow travelers almost around the world in 1908 to win the legendary New York-to-Paris race. But confirm its identity he (eventually) did, and more than 50 years later, his authentication remains key in documenting the 1907 Thomas Flyer for the National Historic Vehicle Register.
At this year’s historic 100th running of the Indianapolis 500, a very special car took to the track for a ceremonial lap with four-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser behind the wheel. The Marmon Wasp raced to victory under the guidance of Ray Harroun at the first Indy 500 in 1911. Check out our latest THIS CAR MATTERS film to learn more about this amazing car.
The long and storied history of the Indianapolis 500 is positively brimming with iconic cars and drivers. Of these, none hold the distinction of the latest addition to the National Historic Vehicle Register—the Marmon Wasp. Check out this breakdown on why this legendary Indy racecar qualifies as being one of the nation’s most historically significant cars.
When one of the Marmon Wasp’s tires blew on the brick surface of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at 90 miles per hour, Ray Harroun could do little more than hold on as the Wasp headed toward a wall.
HVA Celebrates First Winner, the Marmon Wasp
Historic Indy Race Car Laps the Brickyard with Four-Time Indy 500 Winner Al Unser Behind the Wheel
Though it rolled down the assembly line at Norwood, Ohio without a name or nameplate and with a simple six-cylinder engine, the car then known only as N100001 was destined to play an outsized role in the rise of Chevrolet’s Camaro and the late Sixties pony car wars, and it’s that outsized role that led the Historic Vehicle Association to add N100001 to the National Historic Vehicle Register.
Chevy’s pony turns 50 this week. Let’s have a party.
After many months of secrecy, the first Chevrolet Camaro emerged from the General Motors Assembly Plant, located in Norwood, Ohio, on May 21, 1966. This was the pilot car, the Number 1 prototype Camaro of 49 that were built in preparation for mass production of a new kind of sports Chevy.
The team at the Historic Vehicle Association recently paid a visit to the U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum in Huntsville, Alabama, where the oldest known “jeep” currently resides: the 1940 Ford Pilot Model GP-No. 1 Pygmy. In the YouTube show This Car Matters, they take a look at the history of this important Jeep and even take it out for a quick drive.
The first Chevrolet Camaro ever built still exists, and the Historic Vehicle Association in Gaithersburg is commemorating 50 years of Camaros with a display of the pilot prototype.
Fifty years ago this week the first pilot prototype Camaro was built. To commemorate this golden anniversary, the Historic Vehicle Association (HVA) uncovered these little known gems.
This year is one celebration after another: BMW turns 100, the Lamborghini Miura is half a century old and the Chevrolet Camaro has also turned 50 years old.
When you first encounter the massive White Model M Steam Car, you’re immediately struck by its size. As you begin to acclimate to its outsized proportions, you begin taking in the random details: the golden presidential seal; the steering wheel within a steering wheel; and the wild assortment of levers. But all of this pales in comparison to the historic significance of the car itself, one which arguably set the stage for much of what was to come with the dawn of the automotive age. Watch the film to learn more about President William Howard Taft’s 1909 White Model M Steam Car, the first presidential limousine.
At first glance, this battered red jeep appears to be little more than an old vehicle showing its age and long since having served its primary function. But once you start to learn the details behind the jeep—its significance, its owner and the special place it held in his life—you begin to gain a far greater appreciation for what you are seeing.
For only the second time, historically significant cars made their way onto the National Mall in Washington, DC. Read on to learn more about this year’s event held in our nation’s capital.
For all you old car aficionados who weren’t able to attend last week’s special event, you’re in luck. Staffers from the Historic Vehicle Association were scouring the National Mall, with cameras in hand, to bring you this special photomontage from the event.
Washington sightseers and old car lovers weren’t the only folks who turned out at the National Mall last week to get a unique automotive spin on U.S. presidential history. Reporters from some of the most recognized names in news were also there to cover this annual Historic Vehicle Association event. Check out what they had to say.
Looking back on all the strange trends in the history of the automobile, the popularity of “mini-cars” (what we now call micro-cars) in Europe after WWII has to rank up there as one of the most capricious and fun. Now that spring has finally come and another fun, summer season of driving is well on its way, now seems the perfect time to bring you our picks for five of these tiny classics that always bring a smile to our faces.
Spurred by the success of the Historic Vehicle Association’s National Historic Vehicle Register here in the United States, the Federation Internationale des Vehicules Anciens has started to consider a similar registry for Europe-based cars, trucks, military vehicles, and motorcycles.
The only thing better than a historic car is an historic jeep—especially if that jeep is Ronald Reagan’s Willys CJ-6.
The best parking spot in Washington is currently occupied by the 1962 Willys Jeep that Ronald Reagan used to drive all over his California ranch.
If President William Howard Taft, the rotund 27th president of the United States, is remembered, it’s usually for his girth rather than being the only president to become chief justice of the Supreme Court. But he also was an early automobile enthusiast and, after a fight with Congress, spent $12,000 on the first White House automotive fleet.
A 1962 Willy’s Jeep CJ-6 once owned by President Reagan is on display on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., as part of the Cars at the Capital event organized by the Historic Vehicle Association.
Two famous presidential vehicles are being displayed this month at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in the second “Cars at the Capital” collection.
Who knew? We were planning on making a short mention that the Heritage Museums and Gardens in Sandwich had opened for its 2016 season yesterday.
The open top, steam-driven limousine that took the White House from the horse-and-buggy era into the automobile age is among two vehicles that are being displayed this month at the National Mall in the second “Cars at the Capital” collection.
President Reagan’s Jeep and President Taft’s White Steam Car are Going Down in Automotive History
“Cars at the Capital” features President Taft’s 1909 White Steam Car and President Reagan’s 1962 Willys ‘Jeep’ CJ-6
FIVA AWARDS ‘BEST PRESERVED VEHICLE’ TO CORD L-29 – as first action under UNESCO patronage of FIVA World Motoring Heritage Year
It’s got dings and dents. It’s been rolled. It’s neither the first nor the last of its breed, has no particularly special equipment, and is one of thousands like it to roll off an assembly line. But the Historic Vehicle Association saw fit to choose President Ronald Reagan’s 1962 Jeep CJ-6 – even over the pristine CJ-8 that the president also owned – as one of a pair of presidential vehicles to go on the National Register of Historic Vehicles.
Two more cars are being added to the National Historic Vehicle Register, and they will be on display next month in Washington, D.C., when the Historic Vehicle Association stages its second Cars at the Capital celebration. Both cars selected for registry honors have presidential ties. They are the 1909 White steam car owned by President William Howard Taft and the 1962 Willys Jeep CJ-6 owned by President Ronald Reagan.
A 1915 Ford Model T was the lead car in a parade of semi-autonomous cars at the 2016 Washington Auto, which concluded in late January. The Model T’s presence at the run from Capitol Hill to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center was obviously anachronistic. What could a century-old Ford have in common with the self-navigating Audi Q7 that followed it?
Seventy-five years after it wowed the U.S. Army, the oldest known Jeep is getting its due as a symbol of the Greatest Generation’s fight and Detroit’s role in what Franklin D. Roosevelt called “the Arsenal of Democracy” — the manufacturing might that helped the Allies win World War II.
In 1940, well before Pearl Harbor, the United States Army was on the hunt for a versatile multipurpose light vehicle. A number of automakers built prototypes in an effort to win a sweet production contract, and this proto-Jeep — Ford GP-No. 1 Pygmy, aka Numero Uno (OK, we just made that up) — was one of them. It has just been added to the National Historic Vehicle Register in recognition of its significant contributions to automotive history, to say nothing of its role in the Allied war effort.
Of the three prototypes that automakers submitted for the U.S. Army’s new lightweight scout car in the early days of World War II, Ford’s Pygmy probably shouldn’t have stood a chance. It wasn’t the lightest, it wasn’t the fastest, and it wasn’t the first submitted. But it’s still around today, making it the oldest jeep prototype tested by the Army as well as an excellent candidate for inclusion on the National Historic Vehicle Register.
The 1940 Ford Pilot Model GP-No. 1 Pygmy, the prototype for what would become known around the world as the U.S military Jeep, and later would spawn an entire automotive brand, has been selected as the eighth vehicle to be recorded in the Historic Vehicle Association’s National Historic Vehicle Register.
The 1940 Ford Pilot Model GP-No. 1 Pygmy, the prototype for what would become known around the world as the U.S military Jeep, and later would spawn an entire automotive brand, has been selected as the eighth vehicle to be recorded in the Historic Vehicle Association’s National Historic Vehicle Register.
The 1940 Ford Pilot Model GP-No. 1 Pygmy, the prototype for what would become known around the world as the U.S military Jeep, and later would spawn an entire automotive brand, has been selected as the eighth vehicle to be recorded in the Historic Vehicle Association’s National Historic Vehicle Register.
According to the Historic Vehicle Association the oldest known “jeep” recently celebrated its seventy-fifth birthday. Here are some of the more intriguing facts of the early history of the ¼ ton, four-wheel-drive reconnaissance truck that became known affectionately as the “jeep.”
The Historic Vehicle Association (HVA) announced today the 1940 Ford Pilot Model GP-No. 1 Pygmy as the eighth vehicle to be recorded under the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Heritage Documentation. The documentation will be part of the HVA’s National Historic Vehicle Register and the Historic American Engineering Record that is permanently archived in the Library of Congress. The documentation is part of an ongoing collaboration between the Historic Vehicle Association and the U.S. Department of the Interior, Heritage Documentation Programs to document historically significant automobiles, trucks and motorcycles. Principle funding for the documentation of the 1940 Ford Pilot Model GP-No. 1 Pygmy has been provided by Shell Lubricants and Hagerty.
Washington, D.C. (November 4, 2015) – The Historic Vehicle Association (HVA) announced today that the 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe (serial number CSX2287) was the featured car at the Shell exhibit at the 2015 SEMA show. Shell presented a selection of vehicles that represent a broad scope of automotive innovation spanning the last 100years and the role Shell played in this development.
A documentary is in the works for a piece of military history on display in Huntsville. A rare, unrestored Ford Pygmy is inside the U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum on Airport Road. It’s believed to be the world’s oldest remaining military jeep. Ford began producing the Pygmy prototype in 1940. They were shipped to Europe and Japan during World War II. On Wednesday, staff of the Historic Vehicle Association from Washington, D.C., was at the museum to gather data and video on the vehicle.
With the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance once again in the rearview mirror, we take a look back at a very special interview we conducted there a few years ago. Check out the story behind Jim Callahan’s 1932 Stutz, a rare and unrestored beauty discovered in Wisconsin and owned by the same family for 73 years.
Each year, hundreds of cars from the dawn of the automotive era gather for the running of one of the world’s oldest car-centric events, the London to Brighton Car Run. With the event’s 119th anniversary on the horizon, Bonhams London to Brighton Car Run’s sponsorship and marketing manager Michelle Warner offers a bit of what participants and attendees alike can expect from this year’s event.
Sometimes the most enduring travel memories come not in what you do when you reach your destination but in the stuff you see along the way. Check out this shortlist of roadside sights once commonplace along America’s highways and rural byways that are now disappearing or completely gone.
If coverage of the Historic Vehicle Association’s “Road Trip Century Celebration Tour” isn’t enough to get you excited about hitting the open road with friends, history offers plenty more inspiration. Imagine tagging along on one of these “epic” road adventures.
Each month, we like to take a look back at the events at which the Historic Vehicle Association was in attendance and presented awards. Here are July and August’s big winners from a handful of events across the country.
Throughout the Road Trip Century Celebration, our staff photographers Casey Maxon and John Paul had their cameras at the ready to capture the action as it transpired. We’ve collected a few of our favorites below. Full photographic coverage of the event is available on our Facebook page.
The idea of driving a 100-year-old car across the country certainly seemed to resonate with people. In nearly every city we stopped, media outlets turned out to cover the story. We’ve collected but a handful from the past couple months for this special edition of The Roundup.
What’s it like to travel across the country in a 100-year-old car? Read on to find out that and more as we recap our month-long journey from Detroit to San Francisco in a 1915 Model T.
After some 3,500 miles and countless hours behind the wheel, we sat down with the 1915 Model T’s two primary drivers to ask a few questions about the trip. Read on to hear firsthand accounts of HVA Historian Casey Maxon and President Mark Gessler.
With the HVA’s Model T Tour looming large on the horizon, we thought we’d take a look back at another cross-country trek, this one made in a 1912 EMF Touring Car.
In this month’s web roundup, we link you to articles spotlighting a secret stash of 1960s superspeedway winged-cars, the time legendary drag racer Don Prudhomme filled in for Steve McQueen, the incredible advertising creations of Jordan Automotive Design and more.
This Friday, members of the HVA staff will begin a cross-country trek that will see them following in the footsteps of Edsel Ford 100 years after he and a group of friends traveled from Detroit to the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco.
In case you didn’t know, July is Women’s Motorcycle Month. From trailblazing riders to racers, here’s a shortlist of famous females who ditched the sidecar for the saddle and shaped the early history of motorcycling.
June is always a busy month in the world of classic cars, and the Historic Vehicle Association has been making the rounds handing out awards at the nation’s top events. The HVA was on hand at five separate events last month. Read on for our monthly recap of HVA award winners at shows across the country.
Out of the nearly 15 million Model Ts manufactured, this one in particular holds special significance for being a 100-year-old homebody. After leaving the factory in Dearborn, this special car arrived in the small, Northern Michigan town of Traverse City and never left. Check out Hagerty CEO McKeel Hagerty as he shares the story of this special Model T.
In this month’s web roundup, we take a look at articles profiling one of the most original 1950s hot rods in the world, Toyota’s first car sold in the U.S., GM’s first experimental economy car and more.
Next month, to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, a team of Historic Vehicle Association staffers will be driving a 1915 Model T across the country. Read on to learn more about why the Exhibition is significant in the history of modern American car culture, how Edsel Ford plays into the equation and how you can follow along on the HVA’s trek.
With the arrival of warm summer weather, more and more classic cars have begun making their way out of winter hibernation to again enjoy the sun and the feel of pavement under their tires. Here’s a brief rundown of several notable shows at which the Historic Vehicle Association was in attendance.
Last month, we turned the spotlight on five of our favorite summertime driving roads. Readers responded by letting us know about some of their own. So here, in no particular order, are five more great American highways recommended by you.
Not all fathers are remembered for their devotion to family, giving good advice and stuff like never missing a son’s baseball game. Check out these five men whose pioneering work established our modern American car culture.
A summer vacation staple for generations, the Great American Road Trip has become a rite of passage for many a car guy and gal. Check out the story of Carol Cromley and her family’s 1934 Chrysler Airflow, a car that saw a good deal of the country when new.
Ever wonder what a $20,000 British dirt bike looks like? In this month’s web roundup, we take a look at articles profiling British motorcycle maker BSA, a 1973 Corvette versus Pantera speed test, where GM’s design legend Harley Earl got his start and more.
War is deadly serious business. But it takes some unconventional thinking and unbuttoned creativity to constantly dream up new ways to carry soldiers into war and annihilate the enemy. Check out this selection of wild wartime vehicles that proved a little too far out.
A great summertime drive starts with a route that blends long, unbroken miles of countryside with a little history and a lot of spectacular natural scenery. Add a few uniquely American towns and some cool roadside attractions to the mix and you have the makings of some wonderful driving memories. Every car enthusiast has a favorite. Here are a couple of ours.
Despite lingering cold and snow, spring somewhat begrudgingly began to make an appearance as March gave way to April. While not quite as hectic as the summer months, springtime can often prove just as rewarding when it comes to the great automobiles that make their way out of winter hibernation and back on the road for a handful of car shows across the country.
Last week, the auto world lost a true original with the passing of race-car driver, writer and all around auto enthusiast Denise McCluggage.
Meet the latest addition to the National Historic Vehicle Register—the first factory-produced Mercedes-Benz Type 300 SL. An iconic two-door coupe with distinct gullwing doors, this particular Mercedes was also the first 300 SL sold in the United States. Current owner, Dennis Nicotra, talks more about the incredible history of this storied classic.
A monthly roundup of some of the best automotive articles out there.
What you drive supposedly says a lot about your values, personality and priorities. From Lyndon B. Johnson to “Average” Joe Biden, we take a look at personal vehicles owned by some of America’s most influential and headline-grabbing politicians over the last 50 years.
With spring playing a stubborn game of hide-and-seek throughout much of the country, the idea of a car show in March might seem the product of an overactive imagination longing for the warm, sunny days of summer. But in the Sunshine State they’re very much a reality and, with the amazing cars on display, a dream come true for car guys and gals everywhere.
A ground-breaking, European sports car with an incredibly American story—the 1954 Mercedes-Benz Type 300 SL has become the seventh addition to the National Historic Vehicle Register. Check out all the reasons why.
In our continuing series taking a look at General Motors “Dream Cars” of the 1950s, we spotlight GM’s one-of-a-kind “rolling laboratory,” the first gas-turbine-powered “rocket car” and a Buick with features decades ahead of its time.
With the 2015 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance on the horizon, we decided to take a look back at a favorite from the THIS CAR MATTERS archives. Captain Keith Gaston helps tell the story of this 1940 Ford Patrol Car, one of the first of its kind, used by the Florida police to catch moonshine vehicles in the ’40s.
The 2015 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance will be the stage for the announcement of the next vehicle added to the National Historic Vehicle Register. Watch for details in the coming weeks and, in the meantime, check out this video featuring the six vehicles currently on the NHVR, as well as further information on the Register itself. History buffs and car guys and gals alike, take note!
In our continuing series taking a look at General Motors “Dream Cars” of the 1950s, we turn the spotlight on the first Cadillac with fins, a one-of-a-kind, chauffer driven Pontiac and the Oldsmobile that many believe would have crushed Corvette in the marketplace.
Today, car companies routinely use popular music to connect with a target demographic. Modern musicians eager for the exposure and licensing dollars are more than willing to help. But there used to be a time when licensing your image or a hit song for a car commercial was considered career suicide. Whether you consider them sellouts or music-marketing pioneers, here are four of the earliest examples of popular musicians pushing cars.
While the Internet often seems to be little more than a breeding ground for assorted memes, mundane life moments and cat videos, it does offer a handful of genuinely worthwhile articles deserving of your attention. Here at the HVA we’ve taken it upon ourselves to sort through countless articles to find some of the best for your consumption.
If you judge the historic value of an automobile by the number of lives it touched, then this most usual looking truck just might be the most important vehicle General Motors ever produced. To go along with the recent announcement of the GM Futurliner No. 10’s place on the National Historic Vehicle Register, the HVA caught up with Don Mayton, head of the vehicle’s all-volunteer restoration team, to get the story behind this fascinating piece of history.
With the snow and temperatures still falling across much of the country, the New Year kicked off the auto show season into high gear with a concours in the desert and a massive auto show in the heart of the Capital City.
With their futuristic styling offering a glimpse into the minds of some of the auto industry’s most forward-thinking designers, dream cars often proved truly awesome. Sadly they were often just that, dreams, and not intended to live much beyond their originally intended use. But fortunately, insiders who saw the benefit in preserving these sterling examples of design and innovation managed to squirrel a few away. Here we take a look at a few that still manage to draw crowds of awe-struck onlookers.
Warning: History has shown that the songs on this list are memorable to the point of causing mild torment to some listeners. Listening may cause uncontrollable singing, obsessive humming, an insatiable urge to buy a new car and/or a general inability to concentrate on anything other than melodies, words and phrases contained in these selections. Proceed at your own risk.
Last month’s installment of What’s In A Name? prompted so many comments (and requests for the backstories behind other fabulous old car factory colors) that we decided to do it again. From Evening Orchid to Grabber Blue, here are five more of automotive history’s most memorable car colors.
With the turning of the calendar, another round of momentous automotive anniversaries are once again upon us. Among the more prestigious is the centennial, celebrated this year by this 1915 Chalmers. Check out the video to learn more about this now 100-year-old automobile.
We’re only a couple weeks into the New Year, but here at the HVA we’ve got a full slate ahead of us in the coming months. Here’s the rundown of what’s coming in the year ahead.
In the mind of the inventor, the line between insanity and sheer genius is often very thin. But on that, we’ll let you be the judge. From pedestrian nets to the in-car minibar, here’s a nostalgic look back at a selection of automotive inventions that never really took off.
While the Internet often seems to be little more than a breeding ground for assorted memes, mundane life moments and cat videos, it does offer a handful of genuinely worthwhile articles deserving of your attention. Here at the HVA we’ve taken it upon ourselves to sort through countless articles to find some of the best for your consumption.
Carmakers used to offer some pretty dazzling, whimsical and bold color options to consumers. From “candy apple red” to “big bad blue,” check out the backstories behind some of automotive history’s most memorable car colors.
This month we're again venturing into the THIS CAR MATTERS archives to share the story behind the iconic 1948 Vincent Black Lightning motorcycle, the so-called “bathing suit bike”, used by Rollie Free to set a land speed record in 1948 at Bonneville.
With much of the country experiencing historic amounts of early snowfall, car shows are already little more than a fleeting memory of warm summer days, green grass and cool cars. For those lucky Americans living in parts of the country where summer-like weather extends into late fall, a handful of car shows help ease the seasonal transition. Get the rundown on a few of these events the HVA attended last month.
From legislation that recognizes America’s automotive heritage to the first ever car show on the lawn of the National Mall, 2014 proved to be a very busy year for Historic Vehicle Association. Here’s a rundown of HVA highlights and headlines that had car enthusiasts talking this past year.
Christmas season car ads definitely aren’t like they used to be. And that’s a shame. Some of the earliest holiday car advertisements in magazines and newspapers were nothing short of an American art form. Take a look at some of our classic Christmas favorites.
Starting this month, the HVA will begin rounding up some of the best articles on the web dealing with our automotive heritage, preservation efforts and the stories behind some of the greatest vehicles to come rolling off the line.
With Dodge celebrating its 100th Anniversary this November, it seemed like a perfect time to highlight the backstories behind some of the interesting model names used by this iconic American carmaker over the last century.
To go along with the recent announcement of the 1947 Tucker ’48 Prototype known as the “Tin Goose” having been added to the National Historic Vehicle Register, the HVA caught up with the grandson of Preston Tucker, John Tucker, to get the story behind this amazing vehicle and the Tucker Corporation itself. Check out this month’s video for more on this fascinating story.
November is always one of the most exciting in NFL football. A month where the two teams most likely headed to the Super Bowl really begin to separate themselves, November culminates with the games on Thanksgiving Day—an American television traditional as much a part of the holiday as turkey and pumpkin pie. In looking forward to the great holiday matchups ahead, we put together this shortlist of classics owned by some of the biggest past and present names in football.
It’s one of the most compelling automotive stories in history: the rise and fall of Preston Tucker and his Tucker Corporation. Appropriately enough, the Tucker prototype, known as the “Tin Goose,” has become the fifth vehicle added to the National Historic Vehicle Register. Read on to learn more about this iconic vehicle.
Ever wonder how the monkey wrench, Phillips-head screwdriver and bastard file got their names? In a twist on our series highlighting the stories behind famous names in classic automobiles, this month we take a look at the back stories behind the tools home mechanics use in their garages everyday.
The Historic Vehicle Association recently met up with Sam Barnett to get the story behind this fascinating post-war car. One of only a handful built, this Keller represents one man’s attempt to become the next Henry Ford.
Jerry Seinfeld’s web series will be returning with a seven-episode fifth season premiering on November 6th. Great old cars and entertaining, often revealing, conversations with some of the greatest comedy legends are the hallmarks of this unique show. In honor of CICGC’s return, here are seven of our favorite past episodes.
After 60 years in business and too many models to count, Matchbox has produced plenty of die-cast miniatures now considered valuable by collectors. Here’s a shortlist of the most rare (and most expensive) Matchbox vehicles ever.
Despite summer having officially come and gone, the car show season saw no signs of stopping during the month of September. Throughout the month, classic car lovers across the country celebrated our automotive heritage with hundreds of great cars turning out for a number of events. As always, the Historic Vehicle Association was present at a handful of these to hand out its THIS CAR MATTERS Award, along with the HVA/FIVA Preservation Award. Read on to learn more, and find out about the events and great cars seen along the way.
When it comes to famous cars in film, director John Carpenter is probably best known for the film adaptation of a certain Stephen King novel about a demonically possessed Plymouth. Here’s a closer look at a few other Carpenter films and the now memorable classics this influential director of horror used to set the stage.
Continuing our series on the stories behind the names of some of the most famous names in classic automobiles, this month we take a look at Plymouth, Firebird, Dart and Jeep. Read on to learn more.
THIS CAR MATTERS: From The Archives 1962 Shelby Cobra CSX 2001
If press coverage is any indication, the launch of the National Historic Vehicle Register is the biggest news to hit the classic car world in recent memory. So how does the Register work, exactly? What is the government’s roll in the program? How does help the community of people who love old cars? President of the Historic Vehicle Association, Mark Gessler, answers these and other important questions.
Best known for portraying rebellious, anti-hero characters who challenged the status-quo, “The King of Cool” made most of his best and most memorable films throughout the 1960s and ’70s — decades coinciding with some of the last century’s most iconic automobiles. Check out this shortlist of the most memorable McQueen movie cars.
The official end-of-summer provided another banner month for car-loving folks with a number of great events on the Monterey peninsula during the Monterey Car Week, as well as a handful of smaller events across the country. Read on to find out about a few of the events at which the HVA was present.
Check out the backstories behind a few of the most famous names in classic automobiles.
The Historic Vehicle Association recently met up with Marc Lassen, current owner of this 1918 Cadillac Type 57 (U.S. 1257X) to get the full story behind this WWI survivor.
A survivor of the battlefield of World War I, the 1918 Cadillac Type 57 (U.S. 1257X) is one of America’s most important automobiles. Read on to see all the reasons why this rare survivor deserves a special place of recognition in the National Historic Vehicle Register.
Over the course of his long Hollywood career, Robert Redford starred in many great film dramas where some great old cars helped set the stage. The actor turns 78 this month, providing a perfect excuse for looking back at the best Redford movie classic cars of all time.
On Thursday, July 31st, a bi-partisan Bill was introduced on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives that seeks to further elevate the status and federal recognition of the National Historic Vehicle Register. Read on to find out more about this historic achievement.
