Almost all ’62 409s were hardtops or bubbletops, but not this one
A complete rack of 1936 Fords in most but not all body styles | Jim McCraw photos
The first of what will be 16 events organized by the Antique Automobile Club of America took place late last month when the Winter Meet was held on the campus of the College of Central Florida in Ocala, Florida, the horse capital of the world. Around 250 vehicles were on display, ranging in birthday from 1912 to 1992, hosted by the AACA’s Sunshine State region and chapters of the Central Florida Region.
The weekend started with a Friday-evening ice cream social at Jimmy Schmidt’s National Parts Depot (NPD) car collection, which includes about 125 perfectly restored cars and is located just across Interstate 75 from the college campus.
Saturday morning, under a dark, heavy sky, the judges conducted education seminars on every conceivable aspect of AACA judging systems. Skies were clearing when the show field opened for judging at 11 a.m. sharp. By noon, the Florida sun was out in full glory and the cars were nothing short of wonderful in their variety and the incredible detail these owners go to on their machines.
With AACA, you don’t necessarily expect to see a lot of one-of-ones or last survivors, but there were a few here and there to spice up the mix, and a couple of never-seen-befores for punctuation, like the 1914 Marr cyclecar, created by Buick chief engineer Walter L. Marr with a host of modern features. A one of one, the Marr/Buick prototype was given the honored position next to the entrance of the spacious campus.
Throw in a Thomas Flyer, a couple of 409 Chevys, a screaming yellow LaSalle coupe, and some very cool trucks, and you have a show worth paying to see. Fortunately, the AACA put on this show free of charge.
What would Dick Tracy drive? Lucy Malcolm’s ’38 LaSalle coupe
1947 Nash Ambassador woodie wagon
Rare 1963 Willys 6-230 pickup truck
1933 Packard 8 Victoria coupe from Michigan
Fabulously styled Kaiser Manhattan sedan from 1954
1958 BMW Isetta 600 four-seater seda
Here’s the 1914 Buick/Marr tandem cyclecar, one of one
One of four built, a 1934 Chevrolet/Holden ute from Australia
Absolute perfection in a ’57 Chevy fuelie convertible with spinners and spotlight
’56 T-Bird engine had the NASCAR two-four-barrel option
From Studebaker’s glory days, a Golden Hawk 352 V8 screamer
Unrestored 1927 Packard from Argentina and England
1917 Milburn Electric
1933 Ford V-8 Cabriolet, ready for the drive-in
1929 Graham-Paige Opera coupe
1954 Packard Eight convertible
This is what a perfect 425-horse Ford 427 8-barrel looks like
Perhaps the most popular car on the field, the 1912 Thomas Flyer
1935 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Town Car
Hhigh-water carb air intake system on ’73 Bronco
Gorgeous ’49 Allard with Ford flathead V8
A spectacular 1914 Cadillac 4-cylinder engine with copper sleeves
Almost all ’62 409s were hardtops or bubbletops, but not this one
Tasty ’54 Bentley R Sports Saloon
Nothin’ can stop my 409. 409, in a red Impala Super Sport
Bright blue 1936 Ford Phaeton Deluxe with body by Murray of Detroit
Yet another rare Jeep, a utility in rare blue-and-white paint
1969 Ford Fairlane Cobra Jet 428
This 1973 Ford Bronco has the high-water carb air intake system
This is what a high-performance Hudson six looked like in 1953
Nobody ever said the AACA gang doesn’t have a sense of nostalgia
It wouldn’t be an AACA show without a red Cushman Eagle scooter
An absolute sweetheart, a 1934 Ford pickup in, uh, red
By 1951, most manufacturers offered a hardtop like this black Ford
Unrestored 1942 Chrysler in WWII décor and decals
A Harley-Davidson 125cc Hummer made by Aermacchi in Italy
The baddest Buick ever built, the 1987 turbocharged V6 GNX
Jim McCraw has been writing about cars, motorcycles, design, technology, car people and racing for 50 years, in such publications as Hot Rod Deluxe, Super Chevy, Muscle Mustangs, Road & Track, Car and Driver, Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, Penthouse, Winding Road, The Mercedes-Benz Star, AutoWeek, The New York Times, and a number of European publications. He was executive editor of Motor Trend, editor of Hot Rod and Super Stock. He co-holds the record for the drive from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, to Key West, Florida, 96:22, and has run in major events such as the Mille Miglia Storica in Italy, Goodwood, the California Mille, the Colorado Grand, the New England 1000, Forza Mille, and four One Lap Of America competitions He owns a pristine Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan.
Thanks for the great pictures of the AACA Ocala Winter Meet. Good story line also
Thanks for the great pictures of the AACA Ocala Winter Meet. Good story line also