Gentlemen Car Club

The Gentlemen Car Club originated in 1959 in Loves Park, Illinois. The club was active until the late 1960's. The club disbanded because all of it's members had either enlisted or were drafted into the armed forces because of the Vietnam Conflict.

In 2010, a group of auto enthusiasts, many that were original members of the club, resurrected the club in the Fall. During 2011 the club hosted two Cruise Nights each month (May-Sept.) at Hawks View Restaurant. The club is also involved in a number of fund-raisers to support veteran activities and local charities.

In 2012 the club scaled back its Cruise Night endeavors to only once a week, the third Thursday of the month, at the Meadow Mart Shopping Mall on N. Second St. The club also selected Nunzio's as its meeting place for 2012, still held on the second Tuesday of each month (May-Nov).

For 2013 the Gentlemen moved their meeting place to the Loves Park VFW Post 9759. Meetings will remain the second Tuesday of each month (May-Nov). The new location is expected will provide additional space for the growing number of club members.

“They’re hot-rodderss, but they’re gentlemen of the roadways” was written in a June, 1960 news story about the newly formed Gentlemen Car Club.

“They are all youths who regard the automobile as a privileged and a person treasure – not as a public weapon. They want all the speed that they can build into their cars – but they want to see it in a proper place, not through residential neighborhoods,” the story continued.

One of the club’s first projects planned is to conduct a “safety lane” inspection of anybody’s and everybody’s automobiles, the story added.

The Gentlemen Car Club was also chartered as a member of the National Hot Rod Assn.

Click here to see photos from "the early years".