Canadian, USA Car Collectors Join With Europeans to Create Huge International Lobbying Group

Filed in archive Antique Autos , As We See Things , Information About on December 15, 2009

The greatest risk to the collector car community comes, not from rust or scarcity of parts, but from politicians. In an effort to reduce pollution caused by automobiles, lawmakers in a number of countries have tried to institute scrappage laws that would rule off the road every car of a model year prior to a certain date. Most were well-meaning yet all were ignorant of the facts regarding vintage autos. For example, the age of the owners, coupled with their vehicle's high dollar value, makes it obvious that the cars are not a threat to the environment because of limited use. Collector cars are operated in a professional manner and are appreciated by their local communities. As a result, owners have been lobbying to obtain exemptions for vintage autos, including performance-modified vehicles such as hot rods.

In a move that will help strengthen efforts worldwide, the National Association of Automobile Clubs of Canada, together with the newly formed Historical Vehicle Association North America (HVA), was invited to become a member of the International Federation of Ancient Motor Vehicles in Europe, the most powerful group of its type. HVA was formed by McKeel Hagerty and a group of vintage automobile collector enthusiasts. His Hagerty Insurance Company has funded the new association; however Hagerty Insurance will remain at arms length from the HVA. This bringing together of car owners from Canada, the USA, and Europe now creates a lobby group of over 1,000,000 members whose names can be put in front of lawmakers in any country. Something no politician can afford to ignore.

[Photo Credit: Ned Sanders]