When the Professional Car Society was established in 1976, its priority was to foster acceptance and appreciation of coachbuilt funeral vehicles and ambulances within the old car hobby through its advocacy of authentically restored, preserved and presented autos that honored the history of the funeral car and ambulance. George Hamlin, recalls that in the past the Antique Automobile Club of America actually banned hearses outright from its events. How far the PCS has progressed in its efforts was emphasized with certainty in Milwaukee, Wisconsin when PCS member Dan Skivolocke won the Best-of-Show "Piston Cup" for his 1959 S&S Cadillac Victoria which was displayed at the prestigious Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours. Now, we are informed of yet another display of the progress the PCS has driven toward the acceptance of these vehicles by the automotive hobby at large.
Four separate feature articles written by Tom McPherson for TPC #151 (the Cars of Camelot issue) have been nominated for the prestigious Carl Benz award by the Society of Automotive Historians. The Carl Benz Award recognizes excellence in the presentation of automotive history appearing in a periodical. All commercial, club and academic periodicals are welcome. This is the first time that any of the work from TPC has been nominated and considered for this high profile writing award.
While I'm given to understand that the winner of the 2013 award will not be announced until October of this year, and I am sceptical about our chances, the very nomination of these articles from TPC should serve to heighten the awareness within serious automotive enthusiasts and historians of the Professional Car Society, The Professional Car as a publication and the vehicles in general.
As an organization, the PCS and the vehicles we admire, study and preserve are now starting to attract the kind of respect and admiration that was intended when the organization was founded back in 1976. We can all take a great deal of satisfaction in this.