The Fredericksburg Vintage Car Club began on March 21, 1972, when an organizational meeting was held at Pape’s Barber Shop in Fredericksburg, Texas. Those attending were Erwin Anderegg, Robert Pape, Elgin Tatsch, Clinton Kramer, Tony Sauer, Bob Borchers, Red Weinheimer, Randy McBride, Paul Frisch, Del Benedict, Forrest Rees, and Wayne Zimmerman. An election of officers was held with Bob Borchers elected President, Erwin Anderegg as Vice President, and Tony Sauer as Secretary/Treasurer. Annual membership dues were $12 payable in April of each year. The time frame was later changed to pay dues on the calendar year. The monthly meeting was held on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. Two months later, members voted to name the club the Fredericksburg Vintage Car Club, and the club applied for a charter with the Veteran Motor Car Club of America, which in 2017 became the Vintage Motor Car Club of America. On October 21, 1972, the National VMCCA Charter Banquet was held at Birck’s Bar-B-Que. Mr. Heitz from the national organization was present, and the club was off and running.
By-laws were written shortly after the club was organized, but the minutes do not reflect an approval date. The first reference of approved by-laws is April 1, 1986. Several amendments have been approved: January 8, 1991, February 8, 1995, February 7, 2012, April 1, 2014, and May 2, 2017.
The FVCC voted to begin the incorporation process in September 1986 and received the incorporation papers on October 1, 1991.
Dues remained at $12 per family unit except in 1981 when they were lowered to $6 per family unit due to the big increase in the VMCCA national dues. The following year, dues returned to $12 per family unit and remained thus until 2018 when dues were increased to $25 per family unit per year. The club voted in 1982 to have each member be responsible for paying their VMCCA national dues.
Club meetings were held at the Rumple Kammer Building in Fredericksburg for a cost of $10 per month for several years. Then dinner meetings were held for many years by rotating from town to town. Meetings were held every other month from 1998 to September 2001 when meetings were again held every month. In 2004, members voted to hold the meetings at one location, the Golden Hub Community Center in Fredericksburg. A new meeting format was also instituted with a short membership meeting, informative presentation, and then social time with refreshments. The format was changed a few years later to have the informative presentation first, then the short membership meeting followed by the social time with refreshments. The refreshments would be furnished by those celebrating a birthday and/or anniversary during that month.
The club secretary was responsible for mailing a newsletter to members during the early years of the club. In 1984, an editor was established, and an official name, Rumbleseat Chatter, was selected. Editors have been Vivian Keeling, Jody Tomforde, Marilyn Talbot, Paulette Sontag, Joel Keefer, Margaret Scott, and Cindy Brown. In 2006, members began to receive the newsletter by email.
Those who have served as FVCC President are:
