The Vintage Motor Car Club of America

An update from the Executive Vice President Mark Hamlin

- posted July 3, 2025

How old does one need to be to appreciate old cars? I don’t really remember when I was first afflicted, but my siblings and I definitely got a push in that direction from our parents. The earliest I remember being involved was when I was about six or seven years old. It wasn’t like one day I woke up and decided, wow, I really like old cars. It was more gradual.

As I recall, my brother, sister, and I didn’t like getting dressed up in knickers, knee socks, and newsboy caps but we had no choice. We would go on Model A Club tours where everybody dressed like that, and we decided it was not so bad. It didn’t take long for me to start noticing all the beautiful, restored cars everybody was driving. My dad’s car wasn’t restored (see photo) and he often said he was embarrassed by it. Today it would be called a barn find and people would be crowding around to see it. Even so, we always had a great time on the tours and met a lot of friends.

Every time I go on a tour with the VMCCA it brings back those memories. I’ve met so many new friends and seen so many beautiful places, it makes me glad I got to experience all those years that pushed me into the hobby. If you see someone with their kids admiring your car on a tour, be sure to chat with them, let them know how great it is to tour, and invite them to join. You’ll make another new friend in the process.

Mark Hamlin
VMCCA Executive Vice President