Double Take

Shared Memories

By Missy Kavanaugh

Part of the ritual of AAA membership is a decal that bears the club’s logo—the most widely recognized symbol of this 100-plus-year tradition of auto safety and service.

Upon its receipt, the decal is peeled from its casings and affixed to the car with a smooth pass of the hand. The most complicated part of the process is finding the “sweet spot” along the faint line that separates the decal from its casing to remove it.

But there was a time, several decades ago, when it wasn’t so simple. Perhaps you remember drilling holes into the trunk of your 1965 Chevy to bolt your metal AAA decal to your car, or maybe your parents hung it on the grill of the family’s 1948 Ford? (Not the best idea in retrospect, as covering the grill prevented air to pass easily through it, and many cars overheated as a result.)

Rolf Bradfisch witnessed the transition from metal to plastic during his career with AAA that began with the Canadian Auto Club in 1965 and concluded 30 years later at AAA national headquarters in Heathrow, FL. As the metal decals were phased out, it occurred to him that these icons might make a great collector’s item. So he began collecting them.

Rolf Bradfisch at awards presentation in 1982.

“During my career, I attended many conferences,” Rolf explains. “Executives from auto clubs in other countries also attended. I made a lot of contacts and would mention my interest in the metal decals. My new friends would send them to me when they returned home.”

Rolf had quite a collection by the time he retired in 1996. Decals from auto clubs the world over graced his office wall.

After he retired, the collection hung in his garage. He recently decided it belonged in a place where others could appreciate the sentimental value. So he donated his collection to his home club, AAA Auto Club South.

“These decals are a great reminder of the past,” said John Tomlin, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of AAA Auto Club South. “AAA has a rich history of providing aid to travelers for more than 100 years. As we look forward to the next 100 years, it is important not to forget our past. Thanks, Rolf, for sharing these with us.”

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