Grand National Meet and Car Show represents best of the best

Spectators at Saturday’s Antique Auto Club of America Grand National Meet and Car Show will see the cream of vehicles from past eras, drawn from a wide area.

Set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the annual show will be held on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg — the first time it has come to Western Pennsylvania.

The event is free to the public. Only club members were able to enter vehicles that are at least 25 years old and have won multiple awards, including a Senior Award, at other AACA meets.

Howard Finney of Hempfield, chief judge for the event, explained all antique vehicles in the show are assessed by how well they reflect their original state when they emerged new from the factory. Points may be deducted from a perfect score of 400 for shortcomings in a vehicle’s condition or for replacement components that aren’t faithful reproductions of the originals.

If the tires on a car don’t match the type it was fitted with when new, “You could lose five points for each tire,” Finney said. To earn the show’s ultimate trophy — a Senior Grand National award — a vehicle must score at least 390 points.

This year’s show has attracted about 500 vehicles that are divided among nearly 100 judging divisions. According to Finney, about 40 are entered in one of the largest divisions — non-Ford muscle cars. As for particular models and makes, registered entrants will show 11 Packards, 15 Studebakers, 20 Cadillacs and 28 Corvettes.

The show will feature vintage motorcycles — including a 1910 Harley-Davidson C and a 1948 Whizzer Pacemaker.

Other uncommon vehicles expected to be present include a 1929 Riley Ardent Alligator race car, a 1930 Marquette X351 Phaeton, a 1936 Hudson Terraplane panel delivery truck, a 1965 Lotus Super 7 Roadster, a 1974 Alfa Romeo Spider and a 1976 Checker taxi.

A kid-friendly youth judging program is set for noon.

Jeff Himler is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-836-6622, jhimler@tribweb.com or via Twitter @jhimler_news.

Jeff Himler is a Tribune-Review staff reporter. You can contact Jeff by email at jhimler@tribweb.com or via Twitter .