This article is an excerpt from the February 2011 "Bowtie Bulletin" Bennie Zimmerman - Long Time VCCA Member Bennie Zimmerman first heard of the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America in 1967 from his friend Ray Guthrie. Shortly after Ray told him that he had joined the VCCA, Bennie decided that he would join also and their VCCA national identification numbers are only 30 numbers apart. When he heard there would be a meeting on April 25, 1971 to form a club in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, he attended that meeting and joined the club that day to become one of the Lone Star Region’s charter members. At the charter meeting, Bennie met Roy Chambers for the first time. This was the beginning of a long friendship between them that was easy to keep going since they both live in the same area of Dallas. Bennie was born in the small east Texas community of Perryville, but moved to Dallas in 1948 where he first worked for Austin Steel Brothers. He left this job to work for a time at the defense plant in Fort Worth that was then known as Consolidated. This plant is what is now called Lockheed-Martin. In 1950 Bennie went to work for Kroehler Furniture Company and worked there until his retirement in 1980. Bennie has lived in the same home in Dallas since 1969. Bennie has had an interest in antique cars all of his life. At the time that he joined the Lone Star Region he owned a 1928 Chevrolet 4 door sedan. He and his brother had a stripped down 1930 Chevy that they used when they went fishing in their teenage years. He has owned and sold many cars over the years and they have all been Chevrolets except one. Due to health issues, he has gradually been downsizing for several years, and at the present time he still owns six antique Chevrolets. Two of his favorites are a 1950 2 door hard top and a 1955 red and white convertible. Chevrolet first made a hard top in 1950 and that is one of the reasons that his is so special to him. Anyone that knows Bennie and Margie has seen them drive the 1955 convertible to many of the Lone Star Region activities. Bennie attended his first National VCCA Anniversary meet in 1976 when it was held in Colorado Springs, CO. He and Margie have attended several of the meets since then, and many times combined the VCCA meet with a side trip to see other attractions along the way. He served as Director of the Lone Star Region during 2001 and 2002 and as a Board Member several times. Bennie was always a very active club member, attending almost all of the activities and rarely missing any of the tours. He acquired quite a reputation for his fondness for ice cream, especially Blue Bell and that hasn’t changed. During a recent stay at a physical therapy facility, Bennie said, “After dinner they always asked if anyone wanted ice cream, and I always raised my hand, and they brought me Blue Bell”. Bennie isn’t able to get out much anymore or do any traveling, but he still enjoys hearing any news about the Lone Star Region and receiving visits and phone calls. With their combined families, Bennie and Margie have had a very busy and interesting life. Together they have several grandchildren and great-grandchildren that they have enjoyed watching grow up. Bennie has two daughters, one that lives in Sulphur Springs, TX and one in Fort Collins, CO. The VCCA and the Lone Star Region have also been a big part of their lives, which gives us all many good memories to share. Note: Bennie passed away in June 2015. The LSR family misses him. When stories are told of the early days of the LSR the mention of Bennie brings a smile to everyone.

Bill Fulmer – A Life Revolving Around Cars I guess that I have been an old car nut since my first car in 1957, which was a 1952 BelAir Chevrolet. The car was my means of transportation through high school. In 1960 that Chevrolet was replaced with a 1955 BelAir hard top which I drove while attending Weatherford Junior College. While in college I became friends with a man who had a 1928 Chevrolet coach that I later purchased from his wife after his death. When we brought the car home everyone wanted to know what I was going to do with it. It didn’t take long to get the car driveable but Uncle Sam came calling and off to the Army I went. During my tour in the military, a Chevrolet dealer from California came to see the ‘28 and made an offer to purchase it. Selling the car had not been on my mind, but my father had moved the car out of storage and I didn’t want the car to deteriorate. My mother convinced me to sell it to the dealer and then buy another when I got out of the service. After getting out of the Army in 1965, a search for an old car began to replace the ’28 that had been sold. I found a 1931 Chevrolet 5 window coupe that did not have an engine and transmission. Don Dunlap and Doc Clinch suggested that I join the VCCA, as it would help me in finding the parts that I needed. I joined the VCCA in 1969. In 1969 I married my wife Dianne, who didn’t realize what a car nut I was. Also, that year I purchased a 1934 Chevrolet 4 door sedan. Doc Clinch, Don Dunlap and I met Jim Harris, who was trying to get enough VCCA members together to start a local region. In April 1971, we had enough people to apply for a charter. We met at Meadowbrook City Park off Abrams Street so that all the members could sign the application for the charter, and the first VCCA region in Texas was formed on April 25, 1971. In 1972, we purchased a 1938 Chevrolet pickup and in 1984, a 1936 Chevrolet coupe. Dianne had told me, “No more old cars in pieces”, so Hancel Brannon helped me get the car home and assemble it so when my wife saw it she would see a complete car. Dianne and I have attended all the VCCA national anniversary meets except the first one in Indianapolis. We are also planning to go to the 50th in Flint this summer. By: Bill Fulmer, April, 2011 Editor’s Note: Bill Fulmer was one of the first board members on the Lone Star Region board when the region was formed in 1971. He went on to serve in the capacity of director of the LSR in 1975 and also as a board member several more times. Dianne was the Christmas Party Chairman in 1974, which was the first year that the Lone Star Region had their party at the Vandergriff/Duncan Center. Bill and Dianne have a son and a daughter. Their son Troy lives in San Antonio and has one son, with another one due to be born in June. Their daughter Tracey lives in Ft. Worth. Needless to say, Bill and Dianne are very proud grandparents.

The Brown's won awards at the 2018 AASRA Charity Car Show for Bobby's '57 Cameo, and for Verna's '65 Chevelle convertible.