It’s been 17 years since Old Cars first chronicled Stapleton Salvage & Auto Repair in Dodge City, Kan., but a call from yard owner Henry Stapleton’s daughter, Liz Winn, unfortunately revealed that her 95-year-old father had passed away. The yard is now for sale, which prompted a return visit from Old Cars to get the details of the pending sale.

This story begins in 1959, when Henry Stapleton started storing old cars and trucks in his cow pasture where he occasionally hunted. His yard business came to fruition when Stapleton began selling parts from those cars and trucks, as well as doing on-site repair work on customer vehicles.

Moving to present day, the current yard inventory totals approximately 2,300 vehicles. According to Alex
Stapleton, Henry’s son, approximately 75 percent of that total number spans the 1920s to ’70s, while 20 percent of that age range is comprised of pickups. While there remain some desirable V-8 engines and sought-after transmissions, the bulk of the muscle car inventory was sold years ago.

The yard’s 18-acre layout is narrow and approximately one-half mile long. It has a sand-rich base soil, and sports mildly hilly terrain. The property contains several outbuildings, two of which include decades of boxed new-old-stock parts. The main Quonset-style shop building includes tools, loose parts and internal office space. The yard property itself contains many random collections of loose parts, including engines and transmissions, body panels, chassis and rear ends. Alex Stapleton also revealed that his dad stored many donor-quality parts in the trunks of random cars in inventory, but that no list exists of the parts or their whereabouts. An on-site car crusher is also included in the sale.

In conversation with Henry’s children, it becomes understandable why Liz and Alex want to find a buyer who will be as passionate about operating the salvage business as their father was over the 60-plus years he owned the yard. They, too, logged much of their youth working in the yard.

“I started working out in the yard when I was 4 (years old),” recalled Alex. “I was out in the yard every day chasing parts (for dad) and removing parts for customers.”

Asked if he had any interesting memories from his childhood yard adventures, Alex chuckled, “A customer junked his 1959 Ford, and my dad and I found that the trunk was loaded with Playboy magazines.”

Liz added that she, too, spent a lot of her childhood toiling in the yard.

“I was tall enough to be able to hold open a hood with one hand and remove a carburetor with the other (hand).” One forgettable memory for her involved working under a pickup installing a transmission. “While I was lying on my back, a bull snake crawled up my leg.”

Both Liz and Alex are representing the sale of Stapleton Salvage & Auto Repair. Liz Winn can be contacted at 316-833-3391. Alex Stapleton can be reached at 620-885-5080. The mailing address for the property is Stapleton Salvage & Auto Repair, 11525 Lariat Way, Dodge City, KS 67801.

The salvage yard is currently closed for business, being prepped for the sale. All photos accompanying this story are included to represent the types of vehicles that comprise the yard’s inventory. None are individually for sale at this time as the family hopes to sell the yard and its entire contents to a single buyer.

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

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We know you love old cars, but do you collect anything else? Ever wonder about the baseball cards in a box in the basement or Grandma’s old coins in a jar?  Do you love history or spin vinyl? Head on over to Collect.com and see what you are missing. Collect.com is the who, what, when and where of the collecting world! https://www.collect.com/

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What’s Collect.com you ask!

Looking for a place to get up-to-the minute show listings or searching for a reputable place to buy, fix or source parts for your vehicle? Old Cars has joined Collect.com, a one-stop resource for collectors to get the information they are looking for without the hassle of searching the web to only find dead ends.

Collect.com is not just about cars. Ever wonder about the baseball cards in a box in your basement? Have old coins…are they were worth anything? Do you collect vinyl? Interested in military history? Do you dig cool old things? Collect.com has you covered on these as well. If you are a collector, there is a pretty good chance there is information that you never knew you were looking for. Check out Collect.com and find out what you never knew you were missing.

No matter what you collect, Collect.com is the premiere directory of events, products and services in the collectibles hobby.  Find information and advice, appraisal services, event details and more in your area.

Are you looking to get the word out on what you have to offer?

Add your business, club, service, shop or event to Collect.com. Visitors use Collect.com for information and advice, appraisal services, event details and more. Get connected with the seasoned collector, the amateur hobbyist, and everyone in between. 

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Michael Petti delivers the goods with a Studebaker delivery truck

Doctor owner, George Hamlin is great at fixing his patients. That includes the four-wheeled variety as well. The impressive restoration of this 1951 Studebaker 2R6 step van is a testament to his determination and skill.

Al Rogers makes us “green with envy” of Kelly Schultz’s 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302

A one-of-one color schemed 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 is quite a sight to behold!

Old Cars Price Guide Listings

Old Cars Price Guide listings for Domestics 1960-1980 as wel as Light-Duty Trucks of 1905-2000 in this installment.

Al Rogers showcases a spectacular 1957 Ford Thunderbird

The Thunderbird is turning 70 this year, and what better way to celebrate than highlighting Stahls Motors and Music Experience’s gorgeous 1957 Ford Thunderbird in Flame Red.

Bob Tomaine spotlights a real grand Mustang

By 1971, the Mustang had changed significantly from the original version. Its identity, though, remained perfectly clear.

For 1971, Ford gave the Mustang a restyling and an increase in size. While many prefer the original best of all, the fact that it was a later example played a major part in owner, MIke Celiberti’s decision to buy his 1971 Grande in 2000.

These articles and a whole lot more can be found inside the May 1, 2025, issue of Old Cars.

Not a subscriber? Now is the time to find out what old car lovers have been loving since 1971.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OLD CARS TODAY!

Ever wonder what your classic ride is worth? Old Cars Price Guide is now online! Check it out and join to get the unbiased and real-world pricing on classic cars. You get pricing anytime, anyplace on your phone, tablet or computer.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

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A Storied Mack

Bob Tomaine catches up with Tim Hoover and tells he story of a locally famous 1937 Mack AC6. This Mack has pulled its weight many times in South Greensburg, PA.

Cars in the Coliseum

Gregg D. Merksamer recalls the Coliseum years of the New York International Auto Show.

The Birth of a Tow Truck

Al Rogers highlights a unique and stunning 1919 White truck turned tow truck.

Old Cars 2024 Golden Quill Award Winners

Club publications have been read, reviewed and the winners have been announced for the 2024 Golden Quill Awards for club publication excellence.

The Personal Buick

David Temple highlights the 1967 Buick Riviera that went to-to-toe with the Ford Thunderbird, giving it a run for its money.

Auction Results From Scottsdale

B. Mitchell Carlson recaps Barrett-Jackson’s recent Scottsdale auction where Pace cars shined bright.

Barn Finds & Hidden Gems of MCACN

Angelo Van Bogart spotlights some of the Hidden Gems and Barn Finds at the most recent Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals (MCACN in Rosemont, Ill.

These articles and a whole lot more can be found inside the April 1, 2025, issue of Old Cars.

Not a subscriber? Now is the time to find out what old car lovers have been loving since 1971.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OLD CARS TODAY!

Ever wonder what your classic ride is worth? Old Cars Price Guide is now online! Check it out and join to get the unbiased and real-world pricing on classic cars. You get pricing anytime, anyplace on your phone, tablet or computer.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

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Winners of the Old Cars Golden Quill Award for 2024 have been carefully selected based on each publication’s ability to meet the needs and preferences of club members while maintaining a high integrity in content, creativity, information, accuracy, design, variety, technical ideas and overall feel. Awards are given out in National and Regional Divisions for Compact, Intermediate and Full-Size print publications based on page count and page size of the magazines and newsletters. Speciality publications that fit this mode have also been considered.

Chief judge in the selection is Dr. Gerald Perschbacher, distinguished longtime writer for Old Cars. His experience has been enriched by collector car ownership, research and countless collector car events. With many years of editorial professionalism, he and the Old Cars staff intensely reviewed the large volume of club periodicals issued in 2024 to thin the selection to some of the very best in the hobby.

Perschbacher adds that these winners are “some of the very best,” since a small number of clubs, nationally and regionally, still do not submit their publications for consideration. “We would like to consider those in the future, so check with your editor if your club is not among the winners — and encourage the following addresses to be put on their regular mailing list for gratis copies: Old Cars Editor, PO Box 658, Neenah, WI 54957 (note this is a newer address), and Dr. Gerald Perschbacher, Chief Judge, 8868 Rock Forest Drive, St. Louis, MO 63123-1116.”

Angelo Van Bogart, Old Cars editor, indicates that occasionally clubs update mailing lists and these addresses may be inadvertently removed. “We cannot consider a club’s publication unless it is being sent to us. This works to the benefit of every club so that an honest and balanced review is made, especially since the judging staff are members of several clubs.” All publications are to be sent in printed form rather than electronic submissions. “Otherwise, it is like comparing bananas with watermelons,” Perschbacher says. “It just doesn’t work right. Quality in printing and color rendition are among the judged values for professional quality.”

Regional or local car clubs producing a small publication may choose two issues from the entire year and submit those for award review. Hard copies are to be sent to both addresses.

As a special benefit to car clubs and the hobby overall, publications that are sent to both addresses may be highlighted in Old Cars’ “Club Clips” column, thus expanding the reach of those clubs and augmenting potential membership growth.

A special category has been added in the recent competition: Exemplary status. “These publications are in the lead in advancing our hobby,” Perschbacher says. “This sets a pattern for growth as never before.” He joins Editor Van Bogart in congratulating all the 2024 winners mentioned in this issue. “May they continue to hold high the torch of our hobby.”

To assure that your club is entered in the Golden Quill Award competition for 2025, send gratis copies to both addresses:

Dr. Gerald Perschbacher, Chief Judge
Golden Quill Awards
8868 Rock Forest Drive
St. Louis, MO 63123-1116

AND

Old Cars Editor*
PO Box 658
Neenah, WI 54957

*Note new mailing address

2024 Golden Quill Awards

NATIONAL LUXURY

Antique Automobile, West Peterson, editor, The Antique Automobile Club of America 

Avanti, Lewis Schucart, editor, Avanti Owners Association International

Early Bird, Garrett Shropshire, editor, Classic Thunderbird Club International

Horseless Carriage Gazette, Tracy Lesher, editor, Horseless Carriage Club of America

Lincoln & Continental Comments, Jeff Shively, editor, Lincoln & Continental Owners Club 

Model “A” News, Helen Ehrenhofer, editor, The Model “A” Restorers Club

The NCRS Driveline, Vinnie Peters, editor, The National Corvette Restorers Society

Porsche Panorama, Ron Sass, editor, The Porsche Club of America 

The Restorer, Andy Scheer, editor, Model A Ford Club of America

Smoke Signals, Tim Dye, editor, Pontiac-Oakland Club International

Thunderbird Scoop, Terri McNeill, editor, Vintage Thunderbird Club International

Turning Wheels, Ann Turner, editor, The Studebaker Drivers Club 

V8 Times, Shannon Olson, editor, Early Ford V-8 Club of America 

The Vintage Ford, Aleesa Drennen, editor, Model T Ford Club of America 

NATIONAL FULL-SIZE

The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club Newsletter, Shannon Olson, editor, Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club

Brute Force, Danny Goss, editor, The Chrysler 300 Club

The Bulb Horn, Tracy Lesher, editor, The Vintage Motor Car Club of America

The Cormorant, Stuart R. Blond, editor, The Packard Club

The Corvette Restorer, Vinnie Peters, editor, National Corvette Restorers Society

Fork & Blade, Greg Bilpuch, editor, The Lincoln Owners’ Club

Generator & Distributor, Vince Taliano, editor, Vintage Chevrolet Club of America

The Legend, Tom Szymczyk, editor, GTO Association of America 

The Marmon News, George Bradley, editor, The Marmon Club

The Professional Car, Gregg D. Merksamer editor, The Professional Car Society

Professional Car Collector, Louis C. Farah, editor, Professional Cars International

Thunderbird Script, Tiffany Hillman, editor, International Thunderbird Club

Journey with Olds, Shannon Olson, editor, Oldsmobile Club of America

Quicksilver, Todd Haefer, editor, International Mercury Owners Association 

The Self-Starter, Jeffrey D. “Jeff” Shively, editor, Cadillac & LaSalle Club, Inc.

Woodie Times, Roddy Sergiades, editor, National Woodie Club

WPC News, Frank Pascoe, editor, The Walter P. Chrysler (WPC) Club

WTN, Sam Jackson, editor, Hudson-Essex-Terraplane Club

NATIONAL INTERMEDIATE

Air Cooled News, Alex Huppe & Jeryl Schriever and Ken Storer, co-editors, The H.H. Franklin Club

The Arrow and P-A Society Service Bulletin & Emporium, Steven Rossi, editor with Rick Morison and David White, Pierce-Arrow Society

The Brickline, Mark Bricklin, editor, Brinklin International Car Club

The Cormorant News Bulletin, Craig Handley, editor, The Packard Club

Corsa Communique, Don Keefe, editor, Corvair Society of America

Crosley Quarterly, Abigayle & Joyce Morgan, editors, Crosley Automobile Club

Dodge Brothers Club News, Tracy Lesher, editor, Dodge Brothers Club

Durant Partner, Shawn D. Humphrey, editor, Durant Motors Automobile Club

Hupp Herald, Robin Woolsey, editor, The Hupmobile Club

The Legend, Tom Szymczyk, editor, GTO Association of America

Nomad Post, Leslie Manning, editor, Chevrolet Nomad Association 

The Packard Cormorant, Stuart R. Blond, editor, Packard Automobile Classics

Pur Sang, Cornelia J. Cesari, editor, American Bugatti Club

The Riview, Ray Knott, editor/director, Riviera Owners Association

Runabouts to Rockets, Richard Winn, editor, National Antique Oldsmobile Club

Sallee Speaks, John Byrden, editor, LaSalle Appreciation Society

The Skyliner, Jim Conrad, editor, International Ford Retractable Club

The Starter, Evan & Linda Meyerriecks, editors, Willys-Overland-Knight Registry

Stutz News, Carl Jensen, editor, The Stutz Club

Talegate, George Holt, editor, International Station Wagon Club

Torque Tube II, Matthew Hinson, editor, 1936-’38 Buick Club

The Vintage Triumph, Shawn Frank, editor, The Vintage Triumph Register

Viva Carrera!, Charles & Elvie Clark, editors, Road Race Lincoln Register Club

VSA, Jim Bates, editor, Volvo Sports America

The Way of the Zephyr, Richard L. Cole, editor, Lincoln-Zephyr Owners Club

Wheels & Waves, John Kramer, editor, International Amphicar Owners Club

NATIONAL COMPACT

AEV – Action Era Vehicle, Charles R “Charlie” Smith, editor, Contemporary Historical Vehicle Association, Inc.

Airflow Newsletter, John Boyd, editor, The Airflow Club of America

American Austin Bantam Club News, Bob & Cathy Cunningham, editors, American Austin Bantam Club 

Cross Flags, Jeff Butz, editor, The 1965-’66 Full Size Chevrolet Club

EDSELetter, Bruce Dean, editor, International Edsel Club

Fomoco Times, Travis B. Sheaffer, editor, Crown Victoria Association

Front Wheel Driver, Dan Gulino, editor, The Toronado Owners Association

Jeepster News, Pete Mozzone, editor, Willys Overland Jeepster Club

Kaiser Frazier Owners Club International Monthly News Bulletin, Barbara Mueller, editor, KFOCI

The Marmon News, George Bradley, editor, The Marmon Club

NASOC News, Phillip Avis, editor, North American Singer Owners Club

Overhead Cammer, Jim Black, editor, Overhead Cammers Chapter—Pontiac-Oakland Club International

Professional Car Collector, Louis C. Farah, editor, Professional Cars International

Reo Echo, Stan Pream and Marty & Joyce Moody, editors, The Reo Club of America

Runabouts to Rockets, Richard Winn, editor, National Antique Oldsmobile Club 

The Silver Shell, Jeff Buckley, editor, Moon Car Club

‘53-’54 Buick Skylark Club Newsletter, Gary Di Lillio, editor, 1953-’54 Buick Skylark Club

The Supercharger, Dale Robbins, editor, Graham Owners Club International

SPECIAL CATEGORIES

The Ford Legend, Steven Stanford, editor, newsletter of the Henry Ford Heritage Association 

Foundation News, Henry Dominguez, editor, Early Ford V-8 Foundation Museum

Poncho Perfection, Don Keefe, editor in chief, Cruisin’ Tigers GTO & All Pontiac

Reflections, Jeffrey E. Bliemeister, staff executive director, America’s Transportation Experience/AACA Museum 

FULL-SIZE REGIONS & CHAPTERS

The Blue Gray Rocket Report, Darlene Myers, editor, Blue/Gray Chapter, Oldsmobile Club of America

The Cowtown “A”, Chuck Nixon, editor, Fort Worth Model A Ford Club

Crossed Flags, Bryan Parker, editor, North Central Chapter—National Corvette Restorers Society 

The Dashboard, Maureen Blevins, editor, Greater Illinois Region, Classic Car Club of America

The Fuel Line, Bob Kinstrey, editor, Florida Chapter—National Corvette Restorers Society

Gateway Gazette, Ted Baker, editor,
St. Louis Chapter—Buick Club of America

Hot Rod & Custom Magazine, Joanne Kranich, editor, HOPPERS Auto Club

The Legend, John Foster, editor, St. Louis Chapter— National Corvette Restorers Society

R.P.M., Jim Patitucci, chairman/editor, Pittsburgh Tri-State Chapter — National Corvette Restorers Society

Sallee Speaks, John Byrden, editor, LaSalle Appreciation Society — Cadillac & LaSalle Club

The Vette Signal, Tom Komendera, editor, Michigan Chapter — National Corvette Restorers Society

INTERMEDIATE-SIZE REGIONS & CHAPTERS

CORVAN-ANTICS, Molly Bacon, editor, Corvanatics of Corvair Society of America

Fiero Focus, Sadie Kaminski & Christopher Sass, editors, Northern Illinois Fiero Enthusiasts

The Gas Buggy Gazette, Angelica Yost, editor, Gettysburg Region — AACA

GSRA STREETTALK, Tina Schumacher, editor, Georgia Street Rod Association

High Plains Shifter, Dennis Dalton, editor, Rocky Mountain Chapter — National Corvette Restorers Society

Hoosier Tailfin, Jeff Shively, editor, Indiana Region, Cadillac & LaSalle Club

LaCad, Andrew & Rachel Rees, editors, Cadillac & LaSalle Club of Australia

Northern Lights, Kim Gardner, editor, Minnesota Region — AACA

ECONOMY-SIZE REGIONS & CHAPTERS

AIRHORN, Charley Biddle, editor, Chicagoland Corvair Enthusiasts

The Brass Lamp, Jim Gormley, editor, Horseless Carriage Club of Missouri

The Chatter, Kim Gardner, editor/president, AACA Captial City (Minn.) Chapter — AACA

The ECHO, Chris Collins, editor, Grand Canyon State Chapter, Studebaker Drivers Club

The Enchantment Flyer, Paul Duncan (supervising editor), Paul & Mariliyn Duncan, co-editors, Tin Lizzies of Albuquerque

ETCetera, Maryellen Myers, editor, Pontiac Early Times Chapter — Pontiac Oakland Club International

Fleetwood Flyer, Craig Masterson, editor, Cadillac & LaSalle Club Region

The Golden Rocket 57 Chapter, Carol Murray, editor, ‘57 Chapter — Oldsmobile Club of America

Good Olds Days, Dan Bodine, editor, Illinois Valley Olds Chapter 

Henney Program of Progress, George Hamlin, editor, Henney Chapter — Professional Car Society

Hudsonews, Richard Low, editor, David Jackson, associate editor, Dixie Chapter, Hudson-Essex-Terrplane Club

Nebraska Chapter — Pontiac Oakland Club International, Lori Steere, editor, Nebraska Chapter — Pontiac Oakland Club International

The Town Crier, Rick Schickling, editor, Valley Forge Region — AACA

Packardgram & News-Notes, Duane Gunn, editor, Packards International Region

Phantom News, Arlene Roth, editor, Phantoms Motor Club

Planetary News, Mike Zahorik/Newsletter, Greater Milwaukee — Model T Ford Club 

The Potomac Rambler, Chad Quella, vice president of publications, Potomac Ramblers — AMC and Rambler Enthusiasts

Prescott Antique Auto Club News, Dave Chubon, editor, Prescott (Arizona) car club 

Rocket Review, Judy Badgley, editor, RE Olds Chapter, Oldsmobile Club of America

The Town Crier, Rick Schickling, Valley Forge Region — AACA

The Windshield Post, Jeff Shively, editor, Upper Midwest Region — Classic Car Club of America

EXEMPLARY

On occasion, specialty and regional publications make significant progress in content, design and scope, thus raising the level of interest in their segments of the collector car field. These publications admirably represent the hobby and deserve special recognition as innovative beacons in their fields.

Hoosier Views, John & Robin Emmering, Indiana Regional Group #56 — Early Ford V-8 Club of America

The Hub Cap, Jim Nicholson, editor, Wisconsin Region — Classic Car Club of America 

Hudson News, Bob Morgan & Greg Davis, Northern Indiana-Ohio Chapter — Hudson-Essex-Terraplane Club

The Impala Update, Bryan Parker, editor, Minnesota Impala Club

Linechaser, Cheryl Loegering, editor, Minnesota Street Rod Association

The Livery, Chuck Snyder II, editor, Tri-State Chapter — Professional Car Society 

The Occasional, Steven Williams, editor, Model T Ford Club of Greater St. Louis

Overhead Cammer, Jim Black, editor, Overhead Cammers Chapter — Pontiac-Oakland Club International

Packard Digest, Kevin Luedtke, editorial contact, Motor City Packards

Packard Panorama, Ray Wotkowski, editor, Keystone Packards

Planetary News, Mike Zahorik, editor, Model T Ford Club of Milwaukee

The Rocket Recorder, Irma Benedek, editor, Delaware Valley Oldsmobile Club — Oldsmobile Club of America

The Rocket Review, Scott Phillips, editor, Capitol City Rockets — Oldsmobile Club of America

Royal GTO & Pontiac Tales, GTO Association of America

Sidelights, Jean Hawa, editor, South Florda Region — AACA

Snic Braaapp, Tom Morgan, editor, Illinois Sports Owners Associations

Standard of the World, Bill Levy, editor, North Texas Region — Cadillac & LaSalle Club

Studebaker Spokesman, Claude Chmielewski, editor, Wisconsin Region — Studebaker Drivers Club

Thunder & Lightning, John Lee, editor, Hurst/Olds Club of America

Whales on Wheels, Molly Bacon, editor, Corvair Society of America

Wheel Tracks, Anne Pierce, Nancy & Ken Gypson and Gary Fiske, editors, Vermont Automobile Enthusiasts

HONORABLE MENTION

The following submissions are not recipients of this round of Golden Quill Awards, but their publications indicate some worthy characteristics that may position them as future contenders. 

Airhorn, Charley Biddle, editor, Chicagoland Corvair Enthusiasts

Arc and Spark, John McLellan, editor, Kalamazoo Antique Auto Restorers Club

Belltown Bulletin, Dan David, editor, Belltown Antique Car Club

Bird Talk, Art Fleming, editor, Long Island Thunderbird Club

Bow-Tie Bulletin, Ron Panicucci, editor, Jersey Lakeland Region — Vintage Chevrolet Club of America

Caddy Chatter, Tom Pirog, editor, Cadillac Club of North Jersey — Cadillac & LaSalle Club

Carolina Plymouth Power, Dean Yates, editor, Carolina Region — Plymouth Owners Club

Chrysler Tonic, Carol Morice, editor, Northern Illinois Region — WPC Club

Classic Olds Journal, Mary Degler, editor, Olds Club of Florida — Oldsmobile Club of America

The Enlightener, Dan Cress, editor, Badger Region — Wisconsin Region — Cadillac & LaSalle Club

Finz, Ron Melville, editor, Cadillac & LaSalle Cub of New Zealand

The Fordist Newsletter, Martha Lazdins, editor, S. California Regional Group — Early Ford V-8 Club of America

GLR News, Steve Blakey, editor, Great Lakes Region — Vintage Motor Car Club of America

The GMC Times, Paul Bergstrom, editor, GMC Truck Chapter — Pontiac Oakland Club International

GR-RRR!, Gram Jean Nance, editor, Wichita GTO Club

Hudson-Aire, Lynn P. Horn, editor, Chesapeake Bay Chapter — Hudson-Essex-Terraplane Club

The Horseless Page, Cinda Dorholt, editor, Twin Cities Regional Group — Horseless Carriage Club of America

Nebraska POCI Newsletter, Lori Steere, editor, Nebraska Region —
Pontiac Oakland Club International

Packard Profiles, Ken Dunning, editor, Peachstate Packards Region — Packard Automobile Classics

PCPV Chapter Newsletter, Paul Bergstrom, editor, Pontiac Commercial and Professional Vehicle Chapter — Pontiac Oakland Club International 

The Rocket Recorder, Irma Benedek, editor, Delaware Valley Oldsmobile Club

The Ropeshaft Reader, Gary Stoiber, editor, Little Indians Chapter — Pontiac Oakland Club International

Rumble Sheet, Bill Gillies, editor, Early Ford V-8 Club of America

The Starterator, Richard A. Gibbs, editor Sunflower Region — CHVA

Thunderbird Flyer, Tom Przedwojewski, editor, Northwest Vintage Thunderbird Club 

Up to Speed, Maureen Blevins, editor, Greater Illinois Region — Classic Car Club of America

Verify your club’s information at www.oldcarsweekly.com. Send changes to oldcars@aimmedia.com

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

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RENO, Nevada – Ready to get a jumpstart on classic car season? Hot August Nights Spring Fever, presented by Grand Sierra Resort, is rolling into Reno May 16-17, where car enthusiasts can fuel up on nostalgia, chrome and rock-n-roll. This annual two-day event is the ultimate warm-up lap before Hot August Nights, giving gearheads and spectators alike a chance to celebrate automotive culture before the summer season officially kicks off.

With only 400 coveted spaces up for grabs plus 75 Insiders Club indoor parking spots, participants are encouraged to register early to secure a place at this premier spring showcase of vintage rides. Registration is now open for all 1979 and older classic cars, pickup-size trucks, and emergency vehicles.

Event Highlights:

• 2-day event held Friday, May 16 and Saturday, May 17
• Location at the Grand Sierra Resort, GSR Lot #7 near the Grand Bay Driving Range
• Celebrity Choice Awards on Saturday, May 17
• Show-n-Shine featuring classic cars starting at 9 a.m. daily
• Merchandise and memorabilia
• Enter the Hot August Nights Foundation 50/50 Raffle – where half the pot will be won while the other half benefits the Hot August Nights Foundation. Tickets are just $5 each.

Hot August Nights Spring Fever is an official HAN Event Series qualifying event; decals can be purchased in advance at the HAN Event Series website or during Spring Fever registration. Winning vehicles qualify for the HAN Grand Finale event taking place Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025, at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center in Reno, Nevada — where all Event Series winners throughout the year will converge, and one winning vehicle will be crowned the Grand Champion.

Spring Fever Registration Fees:

• $60 for two-day registration
• $25 for 2025 Hot August Nights registered car participants for two-days
• $100 for Insiders Club indoor parking upgrade –– space is limited; must purchase Spring Fever Registration first — includes exclusive indoor parking for two days, a limited-edition HAN Insiders Club T-shirt, swag and more
• All registrations can be purchased on the Hot August Nights Spring Fever website

Hot August Nights, a nonprofit organization, is a premier classic car event, annually drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators and participants to northern Nevada to revel in nostalgia, enjoy top entertainers from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s and participate in a variety of events including Show-n-Shines, controlled cruises, an auction, drag races and more. Since 1986, thousands of car enthusiasts from near and far have come to the Reno-Tahoe region to participate in one of the largest annual classic car events in the world. https://hotaugustnights.net/

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

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Jefferson, Wis – Spring is here and so is the 48th Annual Jefferson Swap Meet & Car Show on April 25- 26. Now two days! The Automotive related event will be held at the Jefferson County Fair Park located at 503 N Jackson Ave, Jefferson, WI 53549 just off Hwy. 18.

Madison Classics has always strived to provide a great place for auto enthusiasts to buy, sell, and display a variety of auto related items and vehicles. The event draws hundreds of vendors and spectators from just about every state. There are also folks that travel from as far as Europe each year for the swap meets! Whether it’s a professional vendor or a hobbyist cleaning out their garage, the vendors at the Jefferson Swap Meets know one thing – this is the auto swap meet to attend in Wisconsin.

Madison Classics Spring Jefferson event will feature Pontiacs. The featured cars will be displayed in the main Activity Center Building and be sure to look for a larger display of vehicles in front of the main building lined up Friday & Saturday morning behind the Show Car registration tent.

 “It’s a tradition!” Gary Esse stated, “The City of Jefferson and surrounding communities have shown great support for our events, and we have made many lifelong relationships here. We greatly appreciate that and thank everyone for 48 years and many more to come!” 

Spring Jefferson Swap Meet / Car Corral & Car show is now two days April 25-26. The spectator gates for the Swap Meet / Car Corral are open Friday 8 a.m.– 4 p.m., Saturday 6 a.m. – 4 p.m. All makes and models and specialty vehicles are invited to participate in the Car Show. No pets please.

Madison Classic’s newest addition to swap meets and car shows is a tribute to President Gary Esse, Gary’s Hot Rod Reunion (GHRR). The event will take place on June 21st, 2025 in Union Grove Wisconsin, located at the Racine County Fairgrounds. The show will feature an automotive related swap meet, show quality only car show and cars for sale corral.

Madison Classics will be following close to their long-proven recipe similar to Jefferson’s swap meet, car show and car corral at GHRR. The biggest difference with GHRR will be only allowing automobile related items at the event. Madison Classics goal of GHRR is to reunite everyone who has a passion for classic cars. 

In the words of Madison Classics operator Erick Esse, “GHRR is a gathering place to reminisce, reconnect, and celebrate the hobby we all love so much.”

As the promoter of Spring and Fall Jefferson (one of the biggest swap meet and car shows in the Midwest), Madison Classics is no stranger to classic automotive events.

Madison Classics is holds 3 events this year

• Spring Jefferson April 25-26, 2025 @ the Jefferson Co. Fair Park
• Fall Jefferson September 26-27, 2025 @ the Jefferson Co. Fair Park
• Gary’s Hot Rod Reunion June 21, 2025 @ the Racine Co. Fairgrounds

For more information visit us online at www.madisonclassics.com or call (608) 244-8416.

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

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The post Spring Jefferson kicks off the Wisconsin car show season on April 25-26 appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Back in 1971, Chet Krause of Iola, Wis., wished to diversify his publishing company after a downturn in the coin-collecting hobby jeopardized his coin-publishing business and the livelihood of himself and his employees. Since he enjoyed old cars (he collected Model T Fords), Chet decided Krause Publications needed a car magazine. With that, he founded Old Cars, the first successful newspaper dedicated to the car-collecting hobby. After hiring Dave Brownell as editor, he set to work creating the publication. A pilot issue with humorous “faux” classified ads was created to get attention, then an official first issue (complete with legitimate ads) was published for October 1971. To give his new publication traction, Krause handed issues out to people walking between fields at the AACA Fall Hershey meet in Hershey, Pa. He also bought Spoke Wheels and incorporated its mailing list into that of Old Cars.

The first newspaper-size issues of Old Cars were published on a monthly basis, then it moved to a twice-monthly schedule in 1973. In 1978, Old Cars became Old Cars Weekly to reflect its new frequency with the Feb. 21 issue. It was religiously published on a weekly schedule until 2012, when it began a publishing schedule of 48 times per year. By 2015, Old Cars Weekly was being published 39 times a year and when it returned to a twice-monthly schedule in 2020, the name was changed back to Old Cars, as the publication had been originally named. From 1971 to this issue, an estimated 2,290 issues of Old Cars/Old Cars Weekly have been published.

Over those 2,290 issues, Old Cars has undergone several size changes. The first change occurred with the Oct. 3, 1991, issue, when the publication went from its original 11 x 17-in. size to 11 x 15-in. For 1994, the size changed to 14 x 11 in., and that was short-lived, because by the Nov. 9, 1995, issue, the size had changed again, this time to a 11 x 12-in. tabloid.

In the post-Sept. 11, 2001, world, times had changed, and Old Cars had to change with it. Due to the threat of anthrax being sent through the mail, the United States Postal Service designed new machines with “scrubbers” that could not automatically process a tabloid publication. Old Cars changed to a magazine size to avoid having to be hand-sorted, a very expensive process which would have raised the subscription price of a weekly publication to more than $100. So, with the April 15, 2010, issue, Old Cars became an 10-3/4 x 8-in. magazine. Glossy pages have finally become part of the package, but Old Cars remains in this magazine format.

Through the changing world, the changing hobby, the changing size of Old Cars and its changing staff, a surprisingly large number of readers have remained loyal subscribers for 50 years. That devotion is especially impressive when one factors in the adverse affects of the internet upon print publications. Many beloved automotive publications have vanished in the 20th Century, but thanks to Old Cars’ many steadfast readers, the publication remains strong 50 years later.

The Old Cars staff wishes to thank all of its readers, regardless of the length of their readership, but especially those who have been with Old Cars through all of its changes over 50 years. The following are letters from every charter subscriber and very early subscriber who contacted us to share the longevity of their readership. These letters represent just a sampling of the many fellow hobbyists that the Old Cars staff has the privilege of serving with each issue.

CHARTER SUBSCRIBERS:

I don’t know when I first subscribed, but I have several stacks of Old Cars over waist high. I looked through a few of them and the oldest one I saw is dated June 1972 — almost 50 years. The price was 50 cents per copy, or $4 per year.

I have always enjoyed the articles and “Otto Mechanic.”

I have been selling NOS mechanical parts since 1957 and have gone to your advertisers in the “wanted” columns. I am 90 years old and still selling.

Keep up the good work.

Lester J. Harris, Minden, Nev.

I knew Chet Krause before he started Old Cars newspaper. I have been a lifetime subscriber and have attended all Iola car shows. I remember and knew many of the first Old Cars staffers: Bob Lichty, Kenny Buttolph, Terry Boyce up to Angelo Van Bogart.

I’m 82 years old and still a reader.

Thank you, Old Cars, for all the stories and information through the years.

Gary Nehring, Appleton, Wis.

I am an old fan of Old Cars, right from the beginning. I had just returned from Vietnam while serving in the U.S. Navy and once discharged, started working for a commercial printer. One of the pressman was a car nut, like me. He owned a beautiful 1958 Impala. He gave copies of Old Cars (it was tabloid-size and came out every week). I loved getting it and decided to get my own subscription. The rest is history. Been with Old Cars all this time. It was in 1970.

I gave my copies to a friend of mine for awhile. Now he has his own subscription.

Helmut Boehl, Tucson Ariz.

I have been a non-stop subscriber since 1971, and have seen many changes over the years (all good).

Keep up the good work. I always look forward to the next issue of Old Cars.

David Vollenweider, San Jose, Calif.

I’m one of those original subscribers to Old Cars from 1971. As I remember, I received in the mail an offer to subscribe, in answer to which I subscribed. At the time, I had two 1927 Ford Model Ts (a Tudor and a coupe) in various states of restoration. I’ve learned an awful lot from Old Cars over the 50 years, and have enjoyed every issue. Presently, I have a 1947 Studebaker Champion Regal Deluxe four-door. The body has been restored and repainted, but the inside is original. Keep up the good work.  

Don Ryman, Buchanan, Mich.

I have been an Old Cars subscriber for nearly the entire run of the publication. In 1973, when I was a student at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, I was working part time at the post office. Copies of Old Cars newspaper were coming through the sort area for distribution. The top copy of all periodical bundles at that time had a generic sort label indicating the zip code location for delivery of the whole stack. That copy (and the same with other magazines) would end up in the break room for employees to read. I asked if I could have the Old Cars copy. Permission was granted and I took it home, read it and subscribed. I have subscribed and read Old Cars for nearly 50 years. I have owned many collectible cars over those years… and still have the first car that I bought while in high school in 1968: a 1949 Studebaker Champion four-door. Keep up the great work and fine publication for the next 50 years!  

Kirk VanGundy, Adel, Iowa

I was at the very first Iola car show as a guest of Chet Krause, and he bought us a pork chop dinner (I do not think they had chicken at the first two shows). I have been to every show until two years ago, and a subscriber of Old Cars from the very first one (the pilot issue), which had a lot of substituted fake ads with no address or phone numbers.

Cletus Vanerem, via email

I want to include myself as an early 1971 subscriber to Old Cars, at which time I lived in Chicago. I continued to subscribe for most of the rest of my life while I lived in Algonquin, Ill., and then Mesa, Ariz.

I am also the guy who teamed up with John Gunnell and Frank Malatesta of Horseless Carriage Carriers in 1990 to publish Krause Publications’ very first orange-covered wreck photo book titled “Antique Car Wrecks.”

Randy Fleischhauer, Mesa, Ariz.

I was at the 1971 AACA Fall Hershey meet and picked up the free initial copy of Old Cars. I remember lots of red ink on the front sheet.

 My Hershey goal in ’71 was to find a 1937 Chevrolet, which I did, and still have. 1937 was the oldest-looking style of Chevrolet with a modern running gear. I wanted running boards, free-standing headlamps and vertical grille, as well as safety glass, hydraulic brakes and a well-engineered engine.  A Chevy from 1937 was the only year that fit my specs.

 Working on the Chevy was more satisfying than my day job, so I eventually quit that to open my restoration shop. I’ve met some wonderful people, as well as a few with unrealistic expectations. The past 50 years has been a wonderful ride.

Bob Adler, Adler’s Antique Autos, Inc., Stephentown N.Y.

I think I subscribed, by mail, to the first Old Cars issue. If I recall rightly, there was a special offer by mail, which I accepted. At the time, I had two 1927 Model T Fords that I was doing amateur restorations on.

Don Ryman, Buchanan, Mich.

I am not a charter subscriber to Old Cars, but I am an early subscriber. In January 1972, I was in the U.S. Army stationed in Hawaii. I was reading an auto-related magazine when I saw a small ad soliciting subscriptions to Old Cars. I have always enjoyed learning about old cars and reading history, so I immediately sent in my request. I received my first issue in late January or early February, 1972. I have been a continuous subscriber ever since. 

I served in the Army until 1986 and Old Cars was mailed to me wherever I was stationed in the United States or overseas. Hometown newspapers and publications such as Old Cars were considered “boat mail,” and were sent overseas by boat instead of air. During my overseas tours in Germany and Korea, I would go several weeks without receiving an issue, and then receive about six or eight issues at a time.

When I began subscribing to Old Cars, it was a monthly publication in a newspaper format. It has gone through several changes in appearance and frequency of publication over the years, but I have always enjoyed receiving it. I remember with great fondness some of the early regular columns. Henry Austin Clark, Jr. had an unsurpassed knowledge of early automobiles. His column, “Young Nuts and Old Bolts,” was full of history and stories about early automobiles, and the people associated with them. I thought Rolland Jerry’s articles about old trucks were especially interesting. I didn’t know much about the history of trucks, and his articles were always well written, well illustrated and very informative. Perhaps “The Old Filling Station,” by Bob Horvorka, was my favorite column. The articles were full of tips and written in a homey, comfortably nostalgic way, especially those that told a story involving Mr. Miller. I always looked forward to reading that column, and missed it when it was gone.  

There have been a lot of changes in Old Cars over the past 50 years. Cars that sold new in 1971, and even much later, are now considered collectible “antiques.” Old Cars has kept pace with the changes and is still one of the best old car publications out there. I hope Old Cars continues to be a source of information about old cars and a voice for the old car hobby for at least another 50 years.  

Ron Seekins, Oregon, Wis.

I am writing to add my name to the list of charter subscribers to Old Cars.  I don’t remember if I had attended that 1971 Fall Hershey meet, but I probably did.  I don’t know how else I would have known about the publication.

I kept every issue of Old Cars for years, but the collection got so large, I did weed out the majority of issues. I do have the first edition and many milestone editions though the years. Examples are the last of the full-size tabloid editions, and the first of the smaller format. 

Thank you for so many years of interesting reading about old cars. Keep up the good work.

Don Warnaar, Garfield, N.J.

I signed up to Old Cars either at Hershey in 1971, or when Chet Krause sent out his first promo mailing. For many years, I had all the issues from Vol. 1, No. 1, but they have been lost over time. I still have the six “Best of Old Cars” anthologies you published some years ago. 

Bob Joynt, via email

Congratulations on the upcoming 50th year for Old Cars! Quite an accomplishment! I’ve been a subscriber since the beginning, and still have Vol. 1, No. 1. I look forward to each issue.

Dave Sinclair, Edsel Owners Club cofounder and past national president

Please add me to the list of original subscribers. I subscribed to Old Cars as soon as it was offered in 1971. Since then, it has followed me from Wisconsin, to Southern California, and now into retirement in Oregon. It’s better than ever.

Thanks for the memories.

Denny Napier, Roseburg, Ore.

I saw the editor’s request for names of original Old Cars subscribers. I was there, at Fall Hershey, for the first one and every year since.

Steve Newell, Lexington, Mass.

I received my free sample copy of Old Cars at the Antique Car Parts Shop in Woodinville, Wash. I subscribed immediately and have never broken my subscription. For some reason I still call it “Old Cars Weekly.”

Congratulations at 50!

Richard B. Smith, Hessel, Mich.

I’m not quite an “early” (1971) subscriber, but I have been a continuous subscriber to Old Cars since July/August of 1978, when the publication schedule was “every other week” (or, like it is now, twice monthly).

Ed Thompson, Greenfield, Wis.

Just want to add my name to the list of early subscribers to Old Cars magazine.

Dave Hoptak, Orwigsburg, Pa.

I have been a subscriber to Old Cars for a long time. I don’t remember the exact date I started my subscription, but I can narrow it down to approximately 1976-1978. I was grocery shopping one evening and stopped by the magazine section to “treat” myself to a car magazine (I’ve loved cars since I was a little kid in the 1950s). I saw an ad in the back of the magazine to subscribe to Old Cars. I mailed in my subscription, and have greatly enjoyed the magazine ever since. I certainly remember when, for years, Old Cars was in the “tabloid” format. 

My parents lived close to me, and I would often spend Sunday afternoons at their house; I’d always take my issue of Old Cars for my dad, who really enjoyed reading it. 

For 25 years, I was a paralegal (attorneys’ assistant) in an office of the Civil Division of the U.S. Dept. of Justice in downtown Washington, D.C.; I remember chatting with one of the young attorneys one morning, and he mentioned that his dad’s birthday was coming up and he’d like to give him a car-related gift since his dad had an old car. I asked the young attorney, Mark, if his dad subscribed to Old Cars; he didn’t think his Dad did, so the next day, I gave Mark my current issue of Old Cars. I suggested Mark give his dad this issue of Old Cars, and to send in the subscription form for a year’s subscription for his dad. Mark later told me that his dad who, up to that time, had not been familiar with Old Cars, really, really enjoyed his son giving him a subscription to Old Cars.

I remember the column “Somewhere West of Laramie” that used to appear in Old Cars. I have always marveled at the talent of automotive artist Ken Eberts, and every year, I order, from the AACA Museum in Hershey, Pa., Christmas cards with pictures of old cars on the front painted by Ken Eberts. I always receive wonderful comments on these holiday cards.

So, keep up the good work! Like all Old Cars subscribers, I am looking forward to the 50th Anniversary issue.

Larry Lange, Adamstown, Md.

I have been a subscriber to Old Cars Weekly (it will always be Old Cars Weekly to me) since the beginning. I have saved all of my magazines — quite a collection!

I am into Model A Fords, and have copied articles pertaining to the Model A and filed them for quick reference.

Keep up the fine work.

James “Jim” McPherson, via email

I have been reading Old Cars for a long, long time. I remember when the magazine was twice the size it is today.  I am 82 years young and always look forward to getting my Old Cars in the mail. I used to save them all, but about a year ago, started giving them away to friends to let them know how interesting the magazine was. I would like to see how much the cars were going for when the magazine started! 

Thank you for a wonderful magazine.

Russell Shaw, via email

I don’t remember the year I first subscribed to Old Cars, but it was published monthly at the time.

Kenneth F. Morrison, Eagan, Minn.

I have been a 50-Year subscriber to Old Cars. That year, I bought a 1971 Ford F100 with the Ranger package. I bought it new for $2,887 and went on a cross-country trip with it. Within five months, it had 10,000 miles on it. It was a daily summer driver until 1990. It currently has 158,000 miles on it.

David R. Schryver, Alex Bay, N.Y.

A friend, whose a daily driver at the time was a 1962 Chrysler Newport two-door hardtop, introduced me to Old Cars around April 1972. I subscribed about June 1972 and have been a subscriber since. At the time, I owned a 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Town Sedan as a daily driver. Old Cars is the very best! Keep up the great work — I always look forward to the next issue.

Myron M. Kuchera, Marcy, N.Y.

I believe I am an original subscriber to Old Cars. I still have the sample issue from 1971, and a pretty substantial collection of them over 50 years. There sure have been some very interesting articles lately.

Jim Davis, via email

I first was offered the first issue of Old Cars by Krause Publications, the original publisher of Old Cars. I subscribed immediately and still have every issue for those 50 years. I will be 85 years old at the end of this month, and I have been an automobile literature and magazine collector since I was about nine years old. That is when I learned to drive in a 1940 De Soto. Luckily, I was a tall kid and could reach the clutch and see out the windshield with the help of a pillow. I put on a lot of miles before I was old enough to get a license.

In 1971, I was driving a Datsun 240Z with Michelin XAS tires and dual exhaust. I have never owned a car with an automatic transmission and am presently driving a 2017 Volkswagen Golf Sportswagen AWD six-speed.

It is a shame that so many of the automobile magazines have been driven to the internet, as that is a poor substitute for a well-designed magazine. However, the auto manufacturers’ websites offer a wealth of information, and usually offer downloadable brochures, which I add to my collection.

I hope Old Cars will last as long as I do.

Keep up the good work! I look forward to the 50th Anniversary issue.

Frederick W. “Ted” Mansfield, via email

I have all of the Old Cars publications back to 1971, except the issues that the post office lost. They are all packed away in my shop with my three old cars: a 1953 Chevy, a 1966 Corvair and a 1967 El Camino.

Wallace E. Markham, La Pine, Ore.

I have been subscribing to Old Cars since its beginning. At that time, it was a large newspaper. My old car friend, Herb Hansen, and myself would always share stories and prices in Old Cars —it’s a great paper to look forward to as it is today. Great stories. Thanks to all.

Coy Thomas, Port Angeles, Wash.

I was a subscriber to Cars & Parts as well as Spoke Wheels, which was a predecessor to Old Cars, so I guess that makes me a 50-year subscriber. I have enjoyed the magazine for that long and still do. Great publication!

Glenn O. Petersen, Wardell, Mo.

I am 87 years old and have been interested in antique cars, and looking for them, since I was a 68-lb. boy and had lost my father when I was very young. I was one of the first persons around here to look for and collect antique cars. My first was a 1913 Overland touring that was such a nice old car with its original paint and upholstery that I bought for $60 when I was only in seventh grade. At that time, the only publication that advertised antique cars was Motor Trend. Then E.R. (Ernest) Hemmings started a mimeograph paper in 1954 out of Irving, Ill., 75 miles east of my hometown. For years, Ernest Hemmings’ dad sold Model T Ford parts and I used to call him and also advertise in Hemmings. Ernest Hemmings came to know me; I was just a young kid, and he was, too.

Then, several years later, Spoke Wheels came out with a publication each month, or bimonthly. Then a few years later, in 1971, we subscribers were notified that they were selling Spoke Wheels to a man named Chet Krause, who had an old coin magazine and had just started the new publication Old Cars. Chet was also interested in antique cars and old military vehicles.

I have subscribed to Old Cars for as long as it has existed.

Name and address withheld*

*This letter provided great background information and context, so we included it with the wish to remain anonymous by its author.

In regard to the editor’s request for charter subscribers, at the 1971 Fall Hershey meet, my brother and I did, indeed, receive that first complimentary issue. In addition to still having that issue, I am proud to say that I have a copy of every Old Cars/Old Cars Weekly issued since day one!

Do you know anyone else who has saved all of the issues? How many issues have been printed?

John Sutorik, Frankenmuth, Mich.

I have been a subscriber since Old Cars’ first issue. At that time, I had a subscription to Spoke Wheels. As I recall, Chet Krause of Krause Publications bought Spoke Wheels, which included its list of subscribers. Based on that, the remaining issues of my subscription to Spoke Wheels were converted to Old Cars, and I received the first issue in lieu of Spoke Wheels, which then ceased publication.

As an aside, my uncle was Don Knutson, who owned property adjacent to the property Old Cars was published upon, and I could conveniently attend your annual car shows while staying at his home (I lived in Illinois). I recall Krause Publications purchased this property after my uncle passed away, as it was perfect for expanding the car show grounds.

Additionally, I purchased my 1939 LaSalle convertible coupe through an advertisement in Old Cars in 1983 or 1984, and I still have this car.

Ronald Stigler, Lago Vista, Texas

I went into my basement storage to check out my old copies of Old Cars. My subscription started in October 1971.

Karl Sickles, Crown Point, Ind.

Other readers who contacted us to mention they were charter subscribers:

Gary Menkin

Arthur E.Z. R/T Sedmont 

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

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The post Cheers to 50 years: Celebrating Old Cars’ long-haul readers appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

There were more than 5,000 hopeful U.S. vehicle manufacturers around the turn of the 20th Century. By World War II, there only about two dozen left mass producing cars and pickup trucks, making the benchmark of 50 years of production rare in the automotive industry.

To recognize the historic occasion of building cars or trucks for 50 years, manufacturers often produced golden-anniversary editions. These 50th anniversary editions not only marked a company’s success, they often afforded the company additional public relations in the media, as well as solidified trust in customers. (After all, if a company had been building vehicles for 50 years, it would probably be around long enough to service and support its current models.) The upcharge of an anniversary model also added some cash to the company’s coffers, sometimes for the relatively small additional expense of special gold paint or trim.

The following are a selection of 50th anniversary editions of makes and models produced for car-loving Americans through the years.

1949 Packard

Oldsmobile, once America’s oldest manufacturer, skipped 50th anniversary celebrations in the immediate-postwar sellers’ market, but Packard didn’t let the opportunity pass. By 1949, it was a buyer’s market, so Packard created great publicity around its golden anniversary that year. On May 3, it gathered “nearly 2,000” (some sources state 1,500) gold-painted, 23rd Series 1949 Packards at its Packard Proving Grounds in Shelby Township, Mich., on May 3. These cars were parked there as part of a highly publicized drive-away event in which they were picked up by dealers and Packard “distributers” for eventual delivery to customers around the country. Packard touted that the gold Packard sedans and club sedans at its proving grounds were worth more than $3 million, and were driven away at a rate of 3 cars per minute.

The gold paint involved a clear lacquer (paint code R) and did not hold up, so many 50th anniversary Packards were repainted. As a result, finding one today is an especially rare occasion.

1952 Cadillac

Like Packard, Cadillac heavily touted its golden anniversary in its ads and brochures, but it didn’t create a special anniversary model or event for the occasion. Instead, it decked all of its little-changed 1952 models with a golden anniversary feature: new gold crests and Vs on the hoods and decklids. A golden, winged emblem also appeared beneath each headlamp, flanking the grille.

Cadillac also built two show cars for its 50th anniversary, both specially trimmed and equipped for the occasion. One of these was a Sixty Special sedan dubbed “Townsman,” the other a convertible with a unique wrap-around windshield named “Eldorado,” which became a special model for 1953. Neither show car is known to survive.

1953 Buick

Marking its 50th anniversary the same year as Ford, and one year later than Cadillac, Buick’s golden anniversary campaign shared features with both makes, but with more subtlety. For 1953, Buick came up with a medallion showing the profile of an early model encircled by splinters of red, white and blue. This medallion appeared on the front bumper overrider of all Buick models and often as the horn button in the steering wheel. Buick ads sometimes featured this medallion, or simply mentioned Buick’s 50 years of production, but they certainly didn’t scream “Golden Anniversary!”

Like Cadillac, Buick also offered a sporty, top-of-the-line 1953 convertible — the Skylark — although this car was rarely, if ever, marketed as a 50th anniversary model, although its retroactively been treated as such.

1953 Ford

At its 50th anniversary in 1953, Ford touted “50 years forward on the American road” and “50 years forward with Ford” in commercials, and on June 5, 1953, the company broadcast a live, two-hour TV program called “The American Road” highlighting its milestone. Issued were tokens/medallions depicting profiles based on Norman Rockwell art of Henry Ford, Edsel Ford and Henry Ford II. No special 50th anniversary Ford models were built, but horn buttons of Ford cars and trucks were scribed with the occasion.

1957 International

1957 International At the occasion of 50 years of truck building, and to market its new and up-to-date A-100 pickup, International Harvester offered a specially painted gold-and-white version trimmed with gold upholstery accents. Additionally, all Golden Jubilee International A-100s featured a deluxe cab and a 7-foot box with modern bed sides built flush with the cab. Old International trucks don’t see to die, and with appreciation for trucks generally growing, more and more 1957 International Golden Jubilee trucks seem to be receiving comprehensive restorations, although they still are not common.

1958 General Motors

General Motors started celebrating its 50th anniversary Golden Jubilee with nationwide newspaper ads in October 1957, followed by its “General Motors Fiftieth Anniversary Show” aired on NBC on Nov. 17, 1957. GM based its festivities in Flint, Mich., the birthplace of the company, but there were also open houses at 20 GM plants across the country, an AACA region held a car show at the Fisher Body plant in McKeesport, Pa., and many chambers of commerce sponsored celebrations for GM,

For all of this hoopla, special GM Golden Jubilee models were minimal. A special Anniversary Gold paint color was offered on Chevrolet and Pontiac models, but only Pontiac ran farther with the Golden Jubilee campaign.

For 1958, only Pontiac offered Golden Jubilee models, but that was generally a marketing phrase to sell standard Pontiac models. Pontiac advertised that its 1958 models were “planned from the ground up as the Golden Anniversary showpiece for Pontiac and General Motors,” and it was “The Golden Jubilee Car.” It did additionally decorate 1,070 Anniversary Gold-painted Star Chief four-door sedans (Z included in paint code) with a gold emblem centered on the trunk lid that said, “The Golden Jubilee Car” and “Pontiac 58.” There are a few survivors of this rare edition.

1962 Chevrolet

Chevrolet began celebrating its golden anniversary on Nov. 3, 1961, when the 1962 models were already in production. However, you would only know that if you had access to press materials of the time, or vintage TV commercials, as Chevrolet didn’t advertise its 50th anniversary in its brochures, and rarely, if ever, in its print ads. To find out about Chevrolet’s golden anniversary in late 1961, you’d have to have seen an Anniversary Gold-painted Impala to learn of the milestone. Chevrolet may have painted as many as 16,925 of its Impala and Impala SS models Anniversary Gold (paint code 927), or as few as 300-some — sources greatly disagree. Some early Chevy documents say Anniversary Gold paint was available only on Impala Sport Coupes, but it’s been documented on nearly every Impala and Impala SS model, regardless of body style, but never a Bel Air or Biscayne. Anniversary Gold Impala Sport Coupes were fitted with yellow-gold bucket seat interiors (trim code 891). There were no other special identifying features of these anniversary models, which hasn’t helped clarify the mystery of these Anniversary Gold cars.

1968 Chevrolet trucks

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Chevrolet trucks, Chevrolet painted some of its pickups, Sports Vans, Suburbans and panels Anniversary Gold and Ivory White (paint code 551). The pickups seem to have been the most popular truck model to feature the anniversary treatment, with gold covering most of the bodies and white running along the bottom and covering the roof and grille. Pickup models given the golden anniversary paint schemes were Customs or CSTs and had chrome bumpers and side trim to divide the Ivory White and Anniversary Gold paint. Inside, golden anniversary pickups had a gold and parchment interior (code 625).

The 1967-’72 generation of Chevrolet pickups have always been beloved, and there seems to be a fair amount of golden anniversary survivors.

1971 Lincoln

Lincoln celebrated its 50th anniversary with all of its 1971 Continentals, and even issued a gold-colored token showing profiles of an early touring and new Continental sedan. It also built a limited-edition Lincoln Continental Town Car painted code J9 Gold Moondust Metallic. These cars featured all of the Town Car edition’s features: “Town Car” scripts, glovebox vanity, deep-pile carpet, an upgraded vinyl headliner, the owner’s monograms on the driver’s door and instrument panel plus softer leather upholstery. Anniversary Lincoln Continental Town Cars also featured an anniversary plaque on the passenger side of the instrument panel and 22-carat-gold-plated keys in a presentation box.

There were 1,040 Lincoln Continental Town Cars painted the anniversary Gold Moondust Metallic color, but we’ve never seen one in person.

1976 Pontiac

While America’s bicentennial was grabbing all of the attention, Pontiac had to fight to get noticed at its 50th anniversary in 1976. For that model year, Pontiac came out with one “official” golden anniversary edition, and one simply identified as a Special Edition.

At its golden anniversary, Pontiac debuted its black-and-gold Special Edition Trans Ams. The striking combination went on to be an annual offering by Pontiac, which may explain why its name didn’t reference Pontiac’s 50th anniversary.

Pontiac’s lesser-known 50th anniversary model, but its official model, was the 1976 Pontiac Golden Anniversary Grand Prix. Quite a few were built: Pontiac planned to build 50 per day from Oct. 1 to Dec. 12, 1975, but the final total was 4,807 Golden Anniversary Grand Prix models.

All of these Golden Anniversary Grand Prix models were painted anniversary gold with gold Rally II wheels and a white padded Landau roof plus body accent stripes. The interior trim was doeskin with buckskin vinyl trim. The anniversary model was given a special hood ornament and trunk lock cover with an Indian head, Pontiac crest and the number 50 (this ornament design also appeared on lapel pins and key chains that year). All Golden Anniversary Grand Prix models had Hurst Hatch T-top roofs and were based on the SJ model with LJ appointments.

With nearly 5,000 produced, one might expect to regularly see Golden Anniversary Grand Prix Pontiacs at car shows, but that is not the case.

2003 Corvette

Long-running models can also get the 50th anniversary treatment, as 50 years is a long track record for a manufacturer, but outright rare for a model. The Corvette is one of those few models that has been in almost continuous production for more than 50 years, only missing a beat in 1983 when C4 production was delayed. However, there were a few 1983 model year prototypes built

For 2003, Chevrolet offered a 50th anniversary Corvette, RPO Z25, painted Anniversary Red Metallic with a Shale interior (and top, on convertible models). There were also 50th anniversary badges on the fenders, deck lid and hood, and also embroidered on the headrests. The 50th Anniversary Edition Corvette also came with special painted wheels and the new F55 Magnetic Selective Ride Control Suspension.

2005 Ford Thunderbird

Although it wasn’t in continuous production, Ford didn’t miss the chance to mark the 50th anniversary since the Thunderbird was first offered in 1955.

All 2005 Thunderbirds were badged as 50th anniversary models, but Ford also offered a golden anniversary collector’s edition of 1,500 cars in a Cashmere color with matching leather and a number plate on the inside of the glovebox door. Unique 17-inch wheels were part of the package.

Many of these cars were bought new as instant collectables and have been sparingly driven.

2020 Dodge Challenger

MoPar really didn’t bother with mass marketing anniversary models on a grand scale until the 21st Century. When it did, it milked the milestone to the max.

Even though the Dodge Challenger hadn’t been in continuous production since its debut as a model in 1970, Dodge offered a 50th anniversary model for 2020. Well, two anniversary models, actually. Dodge’s first run of 50th Anniversary Edition Challengers was limited to 1,960 cars. These cars offered a Shaker hood scoop and special colors and 50th badges and pre-orders quickly sold out.

Not wanting to miss an opportunity to sell more cars, Dodge then offered its 50th Anniversary Commemorative Edition Challenger. Production of this anniversary model wasn’t capped, and it featured many of the same features as the limited-production 50th anniversary model with some tweaks.

The Challenger is hot and people haven’t yet tired of anniversary models, so these cars are expected to remain in as much demand as they were when Dodge first offered them.

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The post Old Cars turns 50 and celebrates 50th anniversary models appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Old Cars continues to celebrate 50 years of bringing the old car hobby to our valued readers. To commemorate this milestone we decided to go back to where it all began. 

Please click on the first issue cover of Old Cars below to download our first edition. Take a trip back in time with us to 1971 when Old Cars was born. Much has changed, but the love of old cars has remained the same throughout the years. 

Please enjoy the trip back in time. 

CLICK HERE

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Want a taste of Old Cars magazine first? Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine.

The post Old Cars turns the clocks back 50 years to where it all began appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.