Club Clips: May 16, 2019 Edition

Airflow Club does justice to its colorful national meet 

Hobbyists who have not gone to many (or any) national meets should consider it. Big annual events attract a wide range of favorite cars and interesting people at the steering wheels. National meets are both enlightening and joyful; they can be formative events where friendships for life can be established.

An example:the 55th national meet of the Airflow Club of America. As with so many other “nationals,” this meet moves about the country, providing attendees with varying encounters in changing landscapes with different assortments of vehicles each year, plus historical and social contexts to sweeten experiences. Last year’s Airflow gathering centered on Chico in southern California, as reported in Vol. 57, No. 5 of Airflow Newsletter, edited by Frank Daly.

That issue, with photos in full color, showed cars and an added abundance of other visuals catching people having a great time. This is one of the smaller clubs in the hobby but, even so, there were 24 Airflows depicted. It was a great learning experience for attendees and for members who could not attend but were blessed with the publication.

I did not attend, but the club magazine made me feel as though I had. How often does a person see five 1934 Airflows, six 1935s, eight 1936s and five of the last-gasp 1937s?These were not all fully restored gems and trailer queens. Some were unrestored originals, a couple were modified and at least one was clearly “in process” of completion. Yet, all were equally covered in the publication.

Day-by-day coverage of the meet amply filled the text, and the color photos complimented the members. Even more, colorful renditions of the Airflows served as a palette for those who couldn’t make it to the event or for interested historians and the curious who wished to sharpen their knowledge by seeing the various colors dressing each Airflow.

Something caught my eye as I read the report: Chandler Smith was given his “first star” for “twice driving to meets in all three regions of the club.” Rare as Airflows were in their days — and even more rare today as survivors — it is heartening that the club encourages the rarities to be driven, regardless of the challenges.

A good number of members enjoy driving their Airflows in this club, which is the best way to appreciate the past firsthand.

Airflow Club of America
1651 209th P1 NE
Sammamish, WA
989-074-4212