The Thomas Totcky Award & Trophy

The following article was submitted by charter member Don Pryor and published in the January 2002 Spoke Folks

Over the past 40 years, the North Alabama Region has awarded one of its members with the Thomas (Tom) Totcky Award for the best restored car of the year. Since our club has added a number of members during the years that the award has been given, we felt it was appropriate to give the background of the award for those who never knew Tom.

Tom was a typical antique car enthusiast. A transplanted Yankee who had a slow Michigan accent and a basic knowledge of cars and mechanics acquired during the 1950's. During those years he, like so many others, recognized a 25 year old car first as a good candidate for a customized hot rod and second as an antique car.

But that changed and by the time our club was formed in 1962, Tom had developed a genuine interest in restoring antiques and had developed all the typical characteristics of the hobby. He enjoyed chasing down car leads and parts as much as any of us but, more than that, he exemplified the main purpose of the club: The sharing of knowledge, talent, and equipment among his friends in the hobby. He was always available to lend a hand, his gas welding outfit, or some other specialized tool that he had accumulated while becoming an experienced auto mechanic.

I recall his willingness to be of help from a number of personal experiences. My first contact with Tom was when he helped get a rumble seat lid for my 1931 Model A Coupe then under restoration. The lid cam from Tom's 1931 customized Cabriolet which he had recently sold in a final break with his hot rod interests. There were other occasions during the restoration of my Coupe when he was to help out. The seasoned oak he gave me to make body mounting blocks. The introduction to one of his metal-working friends when a floor pan had to be reproduced. The list goes on with me and many others active in the club during those days.

Tragedy struck Tom on September 4, 1965 when he lost his life in an attempt to save the lives of three others in a boating accident. Even in his death he was, as always, helping someone else.

Our club wanted to do something in remembrance of Tom and completion of his 1928-29 Model A mail truck restoration seemed appropriate. This project, in a sense, embodied the helping hand quality that we all admired in Tom. Each member contributed some part or effort until the mail truck was presented to Jackie, Tom's wife, in the summer of 1968.

The vehicle is now owned and maintained by Tom's son Tom and his wife Lisa.

The trophy for the best restored car was anonymously donated for presentation in Tom's name each year and, as fate would have it, the little 1931 Model A Coupe he helped me on was the first car to receive the award in 1966. This trophy serves as a reminder of the true spirit of comradeship that our club should represent and hopefully it gives an incentive for every member to put out a restoration worthy of receiving the award.