VCCA salutes club’s 50th year, Chevy’s 100th

There are two great anniversaries for the “bow-tie brand” in 2011: the 100th anniversary of the marque, and the 50th anniversary for the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America (VCCA). These two landmark anniversaries will make for a blockbuster Anniversary Meet July 17-23, 2011, at Flint, Mich., the birthplace of Chevrolet.

50 years in the making

The VCCA started in 1961 when 12 Chevrolet enthusiasts in Southern California formed a club dedicated to preserving and restoring their beloved Chevys. The club grew as news of the VCCA spread across the country and additional vintage Chevrolet owners joined for support and camaraderie.

A system of local regions followed and the VCCA became the standard for the “stock” Chevrolet owner. Monthly meetings, car shows and tours became just some of the advantages of belonging to the VCCA, and that tradition continues today. The club’s monthly magazine, the Generator & Distributor is a valuable resource for technical advice, articles, member stories and the much anticipated classified section, which contains free listings for members.

Today, the 50-year-old VCCA has more than 8,000 members with 78 regions across the United States and 297 members throughout 26 foreign countries. Club business is conducted online and during a national board meeting held annually. Anniversary Meets are held every five years at alternate locations from east to west all over the United States.

Club resources

One of the club’s most important resources is its website at www.vcca.org, the premier source for information on restoring and troubleshooting Chevrolets. There are year-specific forums with technical experts that provide valuable advice on all aspects of restoration. The club has indexed and archived more than 100,000 posts with questions and answers covering Chevrolets of all eras. The website also offers services and an online store.

In addition to the community it provides, judging remains a strong mainstay of the VCCA. The club sets the standard for the most accurate, precise judging of Chevrolets and features multiple judging divisions from the distinguished Junior and Senior Award system to the ultimate Preservation Class. The unique Historical Preservation Of Chevrolet Features class (HPOCF) recognizes original, unrestored Chevrolets, and the Chevrolet Drivers Participation class (CDPC) awards “drivers”— those cars that have modern alterations for safety and comfort, yet can be judged without deductions for points. The VCCA Judging Program is a structured point system built on progressive levels. Chevrolets 25 years and older are judged reflecting the club’s mission statement of preservation and restoration.

Touring has been a part of the VCCA from the beginning but today it’s the fastest-growing area of VCCA activity. In response to the fun and popularity of organized tours, the club launched the VCCA Touring Program in 2004. It starts with a member being issued a “passport” for his vehicle fashioned after an official U.S. passport, but with a photo and description of the vehicle. The passport lists mileage accrued on VCCA sanctioned tours. Awards are achieved at milestones beginning with the Louis Chevrolet Oval, issued at 500 miles. As the vehicle accrues additional touring miles, it receives “stacking” mileage tabs at the 1,000-mile, 2,000-mile, 5,000-Veteran and 10,000-Master levels. The owner can display the award on the grille of his vehicle in the same manner as judging awards. This program has been so successful that the club recently issued its 1,000th Touring Passport. All Chevrolets are welcome to participate regardless of model year.

Party time

All of these club features and more will be part of the anniversary festivities in Flint from July 17-23. The full week of activities includes special tours of the GM Heritage Center and Sloan Museum, along with treks to the GM Proving Ground and a Silverado truck plant tour. Judging, a Plaque Tour, seminars, a swap meet and more activities also await participants, including a special car show display featuring 1961-’62 Chevrolets to commemorate the founding year of the VCCA.

For more information about the VCCA and the Anniversary Meet, go to www.vcca.org, or call 708-455-VCCA.

Interested in Chevys? Check out Just Chevys.

More Resources For Car Collectors

: