For more than 100 years, since Henry Ford employed the meat-packing assembly-line technology to car manufacturing, resulting in a significant increase in the number of cars produced, people from all walks of life have been intrigued by the automobile. Whether used primarily as transportation tools, or, at the other extreme, as luxurious or sporty vehicles for leisure outings, automobiles, with their distinctive features, styles, and performance capabilities have continued to delight owners, drivers, collectors, and the general public. This weekend, New Hope, PA will again serve as a summer gathering place for automobile enthusiasts and as a venue for the showcasing and competition of up to 500 classic cars—as it hosts the 2010 New Hope Automobile Show.
“It’s a 2-day show, and each day different cars are showcased,” said Deborah Lang, one of the show’s organizing committee members, who also serves as its sponsorship director. “That’s what makes the show unique.”
On Sunday, the “Senior cars” return, but other marques on display will include Alfa Romeo, Austin Healey, Corvair, MG, Morgan, Triumph, and Viper. Foreign Exotic Cars will be among the Sunday entrants, as well as Jaguar models through 1985; Production cars manufactured by Chrysler/Plymouth, Ford/Lincoln Mercury, and General Motors; and authentic Vintage and Contemporary foreign racing cars; and many more.
One of the “Senior cars” that will be exhibited this weekend is a 1955 Chrysler New Yorker Deluxe. “It’s national showroom quality; it’s beautiful,” said Lang.
This year, since the manufacturing of Pontiacs is being discontinued, the New Hope Automobile Show is saluting this particular series of cars. “All years of Pontiacs will be allowed to enter—even the later years—so people can see the full range of the car’s marque,” said Lang. This is something different compared to previous shows, and as part of this Pontiac celebration, Jeff Bliemeister, the curator of the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Museum in Hershey, PA, will be bringing a Pontiac from the museum floorshow.
Among the other fabulous, unique cars that will be exhibited on Sunday is a 2010 Morgen. The Morgen has begun to be remanufactured, and there are currently only 11 in the United States, only 2 on the East Coast. To date, only a total of one hundred of these 2010 Morgans exist worldwide, and one will be on display in New Hope.
Another unique Sunday entrant is a tangerine-colored 1988 Porsche 959. This particular car was previously owned by Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld and is one of only 337 of that particular model ever manufactured. Very few of these are on the East Coast as well, but it, too, will be at New Hope this weekend.
“We showcase all these fabulous cars,” said Lang. “People just love cars. They have stories. They usually relate to one particular kind of car, or they come to show their children something different. A lot of guys come [to the show] together, too—it’s a buddy thing.”
Started back in 1957, this annual fundraising event will take place this year on August 14 and 15 at the New Hope-Solebury High School, located on Bridge Street (Route 179) in New Hope, PA. The hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, and admission is $5 per person; $3 for Seniors 62+; children 12 and under are free if accompanied by an adult; and active duty military and their dependents are free. Parking is $5. NO alcoholic beverages or tobacco are permitted on school property; no bicycles and no pets are allowed, except those animals assisting handicapped individuals. Beautiful magazine-sized program books will be distributed to all attendees. For more information, call (215) 862-5665 or see http://www.newhopeautoshow.com/.
Back in the 1950’s, the New Hope-Solebury High School needed a gym, and the community formed the New Hope-Solebury Community Association to try to raise funds for the project. At first, the Association held bake sales, then later a horse show. In the end, the horse show developed into the first automobile show in 1957. Since then, the Association has held the Automobile Show each year, during the second weekend in August, and the proceeds have helped build not only the high school gym, but the tracks at the school and community fields. They have also been used annually to provide scholarships to deserving area high school students. This year, 12 scholarships were awarded.
“[Organizing the Automobile Show] is a lot of work,” said Lang, who has a background in information management in the field of nuclear energy, “but the committee members are wonderful, and [the completely volunteer work] is just for the love of the community.”
Lang, who with her husband owns 2 antique cars, volunteered to help with the registration of the cars about 5 years ago. “The next thing I knew, I was totally involved,” she said. Her husband and daughter followed her lead and now volunteer as well. “It’s become a family affair.”
“We did a survey last year and [surprisingly] people gave us all these detailed answers,” said Lang. “We were shocked to learn that [the] visitors were not just from the Tri-State area.” Indeed, people from as far away as Maine and Tennessee have attended the show. “[We learned] some people even plan their visits back home around the dates of the show, so tradition plays a part in how many visitors we get each year.”
“It’s a pretty nice show; it’s one of my favorites,” said Charles Daily, a general contractor from Holland, PA, who has been entering his car in the show for the past 4 or 5 years. “There are a lot of very unusual cars, and most of them are pretty nice.”
Daily got involved with antique cars a number of years ago when a fellow contractor was given a Jaguar by one of his clients. Daily got the car and began work on it. “I totally redid the entire car from bumper-to-bumper,” he said. The car has won first place in auto shows and will be an entrant for the Sunday show in New Hope. A unique feature of this black 1959 Jaguar Mark IX Saloon Sedan is its dropdown backseat, which can be used as a picnic table.
“We have a vendor area, and we have live entertainment—an a cappella doo wop band, RB Express, from the Asbury Park area,” said Lang. “There are 5 guys and 4 girls, alternating, and they’re just terrific! They’ve been so popular that people want them back, and we set up a spectator’s tent across from them. People dance to their a cappella singing.” RB Express has been part of the New Hope Automobile Show for the past 5 years.
There is also a Car Corral, where vehicles are displayed for sale at the show. This area allows for the avoidance of “For Sale” signs in car windows, and the cost to display a car in the Corral for both days is $50.
The information for each vehicle is displayed in its window, and Automobile Show attendees are encouraged to vote for their favorite car each day by 2 p.m. in order to participate in that day’s People’s Choice Award. Ballots will be available at either gate, at the Awards Table, or at the show’s merchandise tent.
Finally, each day, all the award winners will parade through the awards area in a Parade of Champions, so owners can receive their trophies. All other show car owners are asked to remain on the show grounds until this cavalcade is completed.
“[The show] has unique people and unique cars, and they have pretty nice entertainment,” said Charles Daily. “The organizers are friendly and accommodating, and the judges are fair.” The judging guidelines in most divisions are those accepted nationally by owners groups such as the AACA. In marque divisions, the standards of the marque owners’ club are generally used.
“We hope everyone comes out and enjoys the show,” said Deborah Lang. “That’s what it’s all about,” and with such a large mix of old and newer cars, as well as a host of special model cars and other unique vehicles, the 2010 New Hope Automobile Show is sure to be a real crowd-pleaser.
© 2010 by Catherine J. Barrier. All rights reserved.
