General Motors Heritage Collection

Members attending the 70^th AACA Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, February 10^th and 11^th, were treated to a special display of vehicles from General Motors newly organized Heritage Collection. The GM Heritage Center in Sterling Heights, MI, located a short distance from the GM Technical Center, officially opened in June 2005 with a gala party that gave invitees a glimpse at the collection of nearly 200 automobiles.

Heritage Collection vehicles are not available for viewing by the public. However, GM provided five vehicles for display at the Annual Meeting Trade Show - 1903 Curved Dash Oldsmobile, 1909 Oakland touring, 1918 V-8 "Chummy" Chevrolet, 1926 Pontiac Coupe - the first Pontiac ever with serial #1, and 1970 Oldsmobile 442 coupe.

The occasion for this display was the selection of General Motors for the prestigious AACA Plaque at this year's Annual Meeting. This award puts GM's historic vehicle collection into some very exclusive company - namely the great automotive collections such as those of the Smithsonian, Harrah's and the Blackhawk Collection. Steve Moskowitz, AACA Executive Director, noted that the National Awards Committee unanimously voted to honor the contributions General Motors has made to the hobby "not only in terms of the preservation of great automobiles, but also for their unselfish sharing of those remarkable cars at exhibits and shows from coast to coast."

General Motors collection of historic vehicles includes more than 700 cars and trucks in the US and hundreds more worldwide. The Heritage Center gives GM an opportunity to assemble into one location all the pieces of its history that literally had been scattered throughout the company.

One of the Heritage Center’s purposes is to provide an environment for business meetings and special events that will allow attendees to experience the inspirational milestones of the the Heritage Collection and it will serve as further inspiration to propel GM into the future. “The GM Heritage Center is as much about the future as about the past," said Thomas Kowaleski, GM vice president of communications. "As GM prepares to celebrate our 100th anniversary in 2008, the GM Heritage Center will play a key role in showcasing the company's rich history of success and linking it to our future aspirations and accomplishments," Kowaleski said.

First Pontiac, a 1926 Coupe with leatherette top, Serial#1 1903 Curved Dash Oldsmobile

1918 V-8 "Chummy" bodied Chevrolet

1909 Oakland Four Seat Touring 1970 Oldsmobile 442 Hardtop