Flashback: Wellborn Museum’s 1971 Charger Event Sets Stage for 2012 Show
2012 WMM Show date is announced! October 11-13
Charger fans gathered at the Wellborn Musuem last October for the 40th Anniversary of the 1971 Charger .
story and photos by Geoff Stunkard
The Wellborn Musclecar Museum hosted a very special show late last year honoring the 1971 Charger. With vehicle attendance available by invitation, this unique inaugural has set the stage for an even larger, more inclusive edition this coming October 11-13, 2012.
“We wanted to honor the Charger’s 40 year heritage last year because that vehicle has meant so much to Pam and I,” says Tim Wellborn. “However, we really desired to showcase and host something that was for the whole hobby. This October, we are making plans for an event that will be open to all makes of musclecars at our facilty here in Alexander City.”
Due to the invitational nature of the show itself, some people might have misunderstood that attendance to the event’s display was open to the public. The invitational process was simply done to ensure the museum was not overwhelmed by participants, and is again open to a limited number of participants for that reason. The Wellborn Musclecar Museum will release the details for the 2012 version shortly, and recommends that interested parties consider registering early to get one of the available openings. There is room for approximately 150 cars between the museum’s immediate parking lots and the nearby small-town shopping area.2012 Show Dates: October 11-13
Shown this week are a few images from the Wellborn Musclecar Museum show last October. Taken by Geoff Stunkard, several images are also slated to run in an upcoming issue of Mopar Muscle magazine.
Three sequentially serial numbered Hemi Chargers were among the highlights of the event, which was largest gathering of 1971 Hemi Chargers ever done.
One unique car that came in for this event was the original 440-equipped model that paced the Winston Cup World 600 NASCAR race in Charlotte, N.C., back in 1971.
Inside, a new exhibit on display was this just restored operating Hemi cutaway, one of two in museum and the only one still existent with the transmission attached.
Not only Chargers were on hand; these two E-bodies staked out a comfortable corner in the lot. The Uniroyal sign is authentic and still part of the operating garage next door.
Late models on hand included cars like these from private owners as well as a Petty Enterprises beast with a supercharger that was driven in.
On Saturday night, the Sonic store next door to the museum graciously allowed attendees to fill up the parking lot with vintage musclecars. Contact the museum for 2012 event information!
