The Vintage Motor Car Club of America

An update from the Technical Vice President, John Zimmerman

- posted August 14, 2026

I have an interesting story about an old club member and a young boy who followed around a senior member in the VMCCA Great Lakes Region (GLR). As a Boy Scout, Seamus Hnat became interested in his scoutmaster’s old cars. As time progressed, he would be seen prior to a VMCCA group meeting at the scoutmaster’s garage, setting up chairs and tables. GLR members frequently held their fun meetings in members' garages alongside finished cars and ongoing projects.

After high school graduation, Seamus applied to McPherson College in McPherson, Kansas, for a four-year degree in auto restoration. After college, he landed a job at Stahl’s Motor and Music Experience Museum. This non-profit museum, located in Chesterfield, Michigan, has a collection of historically significant cars.

In October 2024, Seamus and some friends drove their 1914 Ford Model Ts from Michigan to Hershey, Pennsylvania, for the AACA Fall Meet. If you have never been to the Hershey Fall Meet, there are about ten miles of flea market aisles with antique auto parts and memorabilia being swapped and sold. Lots of antique and classic cars get sold and traded also.

Back to Seamus and his friends. Their happy ending goes like this. They drove about 620 miles in their 100-plus-year-old cars, mostly trouble-free. That sounds like a great time to me!

The VMCCA has a tent at Hershey each year where members can gather to chat about touring and attract new members. If reading this segment interests you, consider working at the tent to share your touring stories. Please let one of the national officers know, and we will be happy to see you there.

Remember, you don’t need to drive anything older than 25 years to be a VMCCA member and have some fun with fellow car friends. Our local chapter members may only travel five miles for an ice cream run or take a sightseeing day trip out to the country to visit a point of interest. At the next opportunity, ask a friend or grandchild to ride along for the enjoyment of it. Go ahead and smile so they can see what fun touring can be.

John Zimmerman
VMCCA Technical Vice President