The Vintage Motor Car Club of America

From the President

- posted May 21, 2026

On the first weekend of May, I went with some friends to McPherson College in Kansas to attend their annual car show and tour of the campus.

The school, celebrating fifty years of Automotive Restoration education, gives students hands-on training in:

• Engine rebuilding
• Metal fabrication and welding
• Paint and body
• Upholstery and trim
• Woodworking
• Electrical systems
• Chassis and drivetrain restoration
• Automotive history and documentation

The program is well respected in the high-end auto restoration industry and has strong ties to museums, restoration shops, and concours events such as Amelia Island and Pebble Beach. Jay Leno has supported it for years.

After arriving on Friday evening, we viewed an informal street show displaying many of the cars scheduled to appear on campus the next day. This gave us a preview of Saturday’s event. Although it rained lightly that night, even the most valuable cars remained on display, with presenters drying them off.

On Saturday, we returned to campus to watch the cars enter the show. It was a pleasure to see and hear them as they drove in. Five hundred seven cars were on display, grouped by age and vehicle type, including:

• Rare, historic, and classic cars
• Antique and Brass Era vehicles
• General Motors concept vehicles
• Exotic and sports cars
• Hot rods and customs
• Student restoration projects
• Local and regional show cars
• Concours-level cars
• In-progress restorations
• Vintage motorcycles

Cars of special interest this year included a 1908 American Underslung, a 1948 Tucker, a 1954 Kurtis 500M race car, and a 1968 Lamborghini 400GT. GM concept cars included a 1959 Cadillac Cyclone and a 1988 Cadillac Solitaire.

Students were available to guide visitors through the facility. We saw completed vehicles as well as others in various stages of restoration, with each phase housed in its own room. Every room was neat and well maintained.

As we wandered throughout the campus, I made a point of chatting with the students and show attendees, inviting them to join the VMCCA and passing out flyers. It was refreshing to see so many young people involved in our hobby. I highly recommend a visit to this event.

You can contact McPherson College and the C.A.R.S. Club through the McPherson College Automotive Restoration Program by phone at 620-242-0400 or 800-365-7402 (main campus). Their address is:

McPherson College
1600 E. Euclid
McPherson, KS 67460

The college's website can be found at: www.mcpherson.edu

Mark Hamlin,
VMCCA President