Off-Road Adventures for the Summer at the AACA Museum

Sponsored by: National Parts Depot & Brenner Jeep Family

Hershey, PA - It's time for some Off-Road adventure this summer at the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Museum as they feature their newest exhibit "Early Off-Roaders" celebrating the fun and adventure of these early SUVs including the 50th Anniversary of the Ford Bronco and the 75th Anniversary of the Jeep. This off-road adventure runs from May 21 - October 15, 2016.

Sport Utility Vehicles today are often more "luxury" than sport or utility. Plush heated leather seats, automatic four-wheel-drive and power everything are the norm and often outsell the bread-and-butter sedans. Most never go off the pavement. 

"It's as faithful as a dog, as strong as a mule and agile as a goat." - War correspondent Ernie Pyle describing the Jeep.

Years ago, it was a completely different mindset. Our world famous Jeep and the British Land Rover were borne from necessity. A military needed a rugged, capable vehicle to get from Point A to Point B when no roads connected the two. Farmers, ranchers, hunters and guides were desperate for something to reach places not on the map. Just ask Marlin Perkins from "Wild Kingdom"! Off-road traction and keen mechanical survival skills were more important than doors, heaters, carpeting or other 'creature comforts'.

The AACA Museum salutes these icons and the vehicles begat from them. Ford GP-No.1, a prototype for a light, rugged four-wheel-drive vehicle for reconnaissance and other military use, was delivered to the Army for tests Nov. 23, 1940. Built by Ford, Willys and Bantam, this rugged vehicle became the Jeep we all know today.

The first generation Ford Bronco, introduced in 1966, had a twelve-year run with a huge cult following and later became infamous as O.J. Simpson led the LA police on the world's slowest chase. Diminutive offerings from Asia such as the Suzuki Brute emerged as the icons grew in size. All told, these early simplistic vehicles changed the way the world traveled to the far reaches of the globe.

They would like to thank National Parts Depot and The Brenner Jeep Family for their sponsorship of the Early Off-Roaders exhibit. The AACA Museum also offers some two-wheeled fun with their Mods Vs. Rockers exhibit on view through October 15th. Visitors can also enjoy their Pinstriping & Automotive Art exhibit through July 31st and Steampunk U art exhibit which has a preview gallery open now followed by the full exhibit opening on June 10th.

Exhibit Vehicles List:

1942 Ford GPW - AACA Museum Collection

1947 Jeep CJ - On loan from Wally Hunt

1957 Land Rover - On loan from Kelby Steele

1959 Scout half cab - On loan from Benjamin Snyder

1964 Land Rover - On loan from Bob Raffensperger

1967 Bronco half cab - On loan from Donald P. Peroni

1969 International Scout PU - On loan from Ben Snyder

1971 Steyr Puch Haflinger - On loan from Charles J. Frick, Jr.

1972 Suzuki Brute IV - On loan from Tom Ferrier

1972 VW Thing - On loan from Ron Mann

1974 Uni Mog - On loan from Andrew M. Taylor

1978 International Scout II 2-Door - On loan from Christina Gaeta

1990 Lamborghini LM002 - On loan from Ken Swanstrom

About the AACA Museum 

The Antique Automobile Club of America Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, displays beautifully restored automobiles, buses and motorcycles in unique life-like scenes representing the 1890s - 1980s in a cross-country journey from New York to San Francisco. This Museum, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, is known to be one of the largest automotive museums. Special exhibits change several times a year and focus on a variety of eras and types of vehicles. The Museum is in South Hanover Township, located just off Route 39, one mile west of Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, Pennsylvania. Regular admission $12, seniors age 61 and older $11, juniors age 4-12 $9, children age 3 and under and AACA Members are FREE. The Museum is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. For further information, please call 717-566-7100 or visit www.AACAMuseum.org.