DougWalters wrote:
Today's report of them emerging with Renault might be another nail in the coffin. Tom, the DBC did not donate our collection to the AACA library. We pay to store it there and anyone has access to it anywhere in the world. We can take it back anytime we want, but that would be foolish. It is safe, there are three professional librarians there, and easily accessible. The library will soon have it's new search available to use. If you look under the garage section to the left you can see the list of DB manuals we own. Also you can view the 3400 Budd photographs and about 2000 pages of loose papers. There are many boxes of literature not listed here, you have to look in the online catalog of AACA library for that. Most of the DB videos on utube from the AACA library belong to the DBC, but are made available to watch by the library. It is a near perfect relationship. That is why several other major car clubs store their literature at AACA, Pierce Arrow Soc'y, NCRS, Vintage Chevrolet, among others.
Hi Doug,
I spoke to someone at the AACA library (very helpful) who explained the new process to me and I fully understand what's available and what changes are coming. I've searched the database thoroughly countless times now thinking I must be missing something. However, it does not hold any further answers that a researcher would need to fill in the blanks (for trucks at least). It's mostly common materials like catalogs and such that most of us already have. Nothing in there to do with production processes, production dates for changes, etc.. (for trucks). It is very good they are helping and I'm glad they are storing it but there really isn't much depth to it for those of us in the truck community.
As for the photos and docs on the left under the garage section, those have shed more light (many thanks to those that provided them) because they are documents not readily available to the public. Those are the kinds of things (as an example) that I'm sure the Chrysler Museum has and it seems they are hell bent on taking it to the grave with them. God forbid it would be available to those of us that need it for further documenting the history of these trucks (a work that is VERY incomplete for future generations).
Danielle claims it's because of all of the thieves who have stolen material when visiting in the past. Here words, not mine...
If that's the case then that would mean they are clearly in protection mode of what they have on file. Question is, who are they protecting it for …. especially if it's never made available to anyone ?
I just don't get it. SMH