Earl Beauchamp Jr., vice president of public relations for the Antique Automobile Club of America, says the common denominator is enjoyment, not social status. Doctors and lawyers, carpenters and plumbers, they all just treat each other like they're brothers. The Antique Automobile Club of America, which has a network of 404 regional clubs, including one in New Jersey, sponsors major tours that draw thousands of cars. Some are for cars made before 1935, and others for cars made after 1935 and at least 25 years old. There are hundreds of other organizations, many dedicated to a single model or year.
Big clubs publish their own magazines.
But in general, it's the thrill of gathering, of pulling up in a sleek model, restored to its former glory and dripping with nostalgia, that fuels the clubs. On Wednesday nights during the summer, for example, Tucci heads for The Fireplace, a family restaurant on Route 17 in Paramus, along with other Caddy lovers. Just strictly Cadillacs, we've been doing it for three years. It's a ritual that is replayed in many other spots, over and over, on summer nights. They roll in around 6 and stay until 9.