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.”

2012 Show Dates: October 11-13

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!

Musclecar Milestones by Geoff Stunkard

Text by Geoff Stunkard / Photos by John Stunkard

 “My dad had Fords, and my first car was a Mustang, so I was not a Mopar girl when we first met; in fact, I had never seen a Hurst Pistol Grip until our first date when I climbed into Tim’s Charger. I saw it and said ‘what is that thing;’ my first thought was that it was some aftermarket redneck part.”

Pam Wellborn was laughingly recalling her first encounter with Chrysler’s legendary musclecar options. Tim Wellborn and Pam Twilley had known each other in high school, and Tim had arrived in a 1970 Charger for their first date that occasion. While the two enjoyed those carefree days, career and life choices would cause them to go their separate ways into other relationships and responsibilities after graduation. Pam moved to Birmingham to get her nursing degree, while Tim ended up beginning his serious work responsibilities at the family business, Wellborn Forest Products.

The ‘cuda seen here had originally came from the Phoenix, Arizona, being sold new through the well-known Town & Country franchise out there. It was the mid-1980s, and Tim had purchased it as part of a growing group of classic Mopars he owned. Partial to Chargers and NASCAR-oriented B-Bodies, it was the only E-body he owned at the time he and Pam’s relationship reignited in 1986.

“There is something about that car,” he says. “Blue, white top, big block…” “Yes, do you remember we drove that car to the Mopar Nationals in 1988 in Columbus?,” Pam replies. “We got married in 1987, and we had four or five cars at that time, including the Jamaica-blue 1970 Charger we had dated in a few years earlier. Now, I love convertibles; Tim loves the 1971 Chargers.”

As things worked out, the financial requirements of Tim’s family-owned cabinet business in Alexander City, which he took over when his father passed away unexpectedly in the early 1990s, eventually resulted in the painful separation of virtually their entire collection, saving just one wing car (a yellow Superbird) and the Tawny Gold Hemi Charger that Tim’s late father had owned. However, those lean years were time and money spent wisely, and, once back on solid footing, Tim and Pam were able to reacquire the droptop E-body from its then-current owner in Canada.

This car is unique, as most people forget that the only year you could get a 440 four-barrel in the Plymouth ‘cuda convertible was 1970. No 440 convertibles were ever built on the A-body platform, and in 1971, the final year of production, the 440 high-performance motor was offered only in Six Pack trim. The standard 440 option allowed A/C to be installed on this car; only 34 1970 440-4 ‘cudas converts were constructed. Moreover, it is fairly high-optioned: EB5 Blue Fire Metallic paint, color-coded Elastomeric bumper, racing mirrors, hood pins, AM/8-track, and side-sill-deck moldings. Pam, for one, is very glad to have it back.

“Yes, I have had an impact on our collection with the cars I’ve picked,” says Pam with a big laugh. “If it were up to Tim, we’d have mostly 1971 Chargers!”

Tim laughs and nods in agreement. Though Pam might have not been overly impressed with that Pistol Grip and the brawny Mopars at first sight, she was a quick and thorough study. Tim’s previous serious relationship had not been very happy; having admitted that his car interest was a pretty important part of his life, he wanted to make sure that any other woman he became serious about having a relationship with ‘got it.’ So, within a short time of their reacquaintance, Pam was learning.

“Tim gave me all these reference books when we first started dating, and I really liked him, so I studied them,” Pam says. “Back then, a lot of them were little guides listing options and parts. Pretty soon, I had memorized a lot of details, and eventually I was actually doing judging at some of the events we went to. Of course, I had a great teacher.”

As mentioned, this car was sold in 1994 to help keep the business moving, and went through a number of owners before returning to Alabama. When it came back, though pretty unmolested and still garage kept, the unrestored numbers-matching machine was showing its age. To this end, the Wellborns turned it over to restorer Andrew White of Apex Autosports, who did a spectacular job of bringing the rare metal back to award-winning status.

Meanwhile, Pam’s interest in convertibles resulted in some other cars that have come into the collection, including their W30 4-4-2 ’70 Olds and their Ram Air IV GTO Judge, both outstanding droptops even if they are not Mopars. The couple also has a 383-cid Challenger R/T convertible in the museum’s holdings. These rarities have become part of the museum’s best-known holdings, and remain an important part of the heritage of the musclecar era.

Why not a Hemi? Well, beyond the addiitonal cost and maintenance associated with it, you could not get air conditioning with the 426. Indeed, this would also go away in 1971 on this model, as it was not available with the Six Pack design, either...

One unique aspect of this car was the single 4bbl carb, a Carter AVS model that was superceded in 1971 with the 3-2 Holley Six Pack layout on Chrysler's performance 440 engines, making the 440-4 'cuda a one-year only offering.

The blue interior in the E-body was augmented with the dictaphone recorder, plus bucket seats with a console-mounted automatic shifter.

The rocker moldings along the bottom edge were an extra-cost option that only a few 'cuda owners chose to purchase. These and other styling cues were typical for American performance cars that year.

They were called pony cars, models that fit a small but sporty segment between economy models and midsize cars. Named for the sales niche that Mustang had established in 1964, all the major manufacturers were making offerings to this marketplace by 1970. Prior to that, Plymouth had used their A-body platform to release the first Barracudas, but sales proved that it and the Dart from the Dodge Division was not quite what the public wanted. For 1970, it was the new Duster 340 aimed at the economy muscle market, because now Chrysler had released a completely new design, designated as the E-body, to meet the desires for ‘pony’ muscle.

These new models, Dodge Challenger and Plymouth Barracuda (that was called ‘cuda in performance trim), could be had with any engine in the Chrysler line-up, right up to the 426 Hemi. Though based on the B-body platform, big blocks in the E-bodies tended to be nose heavy. When it came to handling prowess, the refined 340 small-block ended up being the best overall choice, and you could get the four-barrel version in the both the coupe or convertible E-body styles. For hardcore fans, you could also get a very special E-body with a Holley six-barrel layout, which arrived in the special A53-coded Trans Am models that came off the line in March.

The Sports Car Club of America’s Trans-Am racing series had become a big deal for the manufacturers, and 1970 was by far the most visible year the SCCA ever had. Dodge hired Sam Posey to direct their Challenger program, while Dan Gurney’s All American Racers oversaw the Plymouth ‘cuda development. Part of the SCCA rules required that race-engineered equipment needed to be available on production examples. Thus the Cuda AAR (named after Gurney’s company) and the Challenger T/A (named after the racing series) were born, to homologate that hardware for the racetrack and promote the factory’s involvement in the series.

Continued

Special graphics and callouts in black tape were also standard, as was the rear spoiler, rear-mounted radio antenna, and mixed-size tires (Goodyear raised letter Polyglas E60x15 up front and G60x15 in the rear, all on 15x7 rims, with a Sav-A-Space inflatable spare in the trunk). Special heavy duty suspension equipment, front power disk brakes, and the special E55 340” engine completed the package.

Based on a stock 340, this was the most radical small-block done by Chrysler in the era. A high nickel content block with meat for four-bolt mains, head castings drilled for offset pushrods, and an Edelbrock aluminum intake (painted the same color as the engine) topped with three Holley two-barrels, were all part of it. Rated at a paltry 290 horses, the E55 was never again offered as a production option. With changes in policy and government mandates, the factory pulled out its money and support of the series after just one season, and the cars were never revived (though a ’71 Challenger was depicted in some 1971 model advertising).

The Wellborn Musclecar Museum features two of the most impressive examples from the one-year experiment. Moreover, both vehicles are low-mileage survivor cars, something the museum has specialized in. The duo came from the legendary collection of Otis Chandler, were subsequently sold to Carlos Monterverde and shipped to England, and finally returned to the States to become part of the Wellborn’s then-private museum in 2002. Take a look at them: Plymouth ‘cuda AAR and Dodge Challenger TA.

“I think this is likely the best survivor T/A in existence,” says Tim. “There are a couple of things that have been changed or fixed on it over the years, but it is a real time capsule. I don’t own many small-block cars, but I have never regretted buying this one. Like the AAR, it is a lot of fun to drive.”

Mileage: 30,000

Production: 2400 (989 four speeds)

Color: EB3 Light Blue Metallic with a B5 Blue interior

Standard Equipment: A53 Trans Am package (T/A graphics, fiberglass hood, rear fiberglass spoiler, side exit exhaust, heavy duty suspension, E55 340 engine, D21 four speed, D56 3.55 Sure grip, U01 Goodyear tires - E60 front/G60 rear tires front, V6H tape stripe, W34 collapsible spare)

Continued

The T/A hood was by far its most visible feature, and for good reason; this was perhaps the most effective scoop design to ever come from Detroit. Chrysler engineers used the raised forward opening to prevent turbulent over-hood air from entering the inlet. It proved to be a winner in drag racing when the hood was optionally offered on all performance models due to safety issues with the Challenger's original ‘Shaker’ design.

Options: (A44) rear window louvers (includes black vinyl top) * (A45) front spoiler package * (C16) console * (G34) outside LH remote painted mirror * (R11) AM radio * (J46) locking gas cap * (J55) undercoating * 15x7 Rallye wheels.

Cost in 1970: $4200 – plus.

The lines of the Challenger remain classic, enough so that this was the basic design selected for the re-release of the model in the 21st century. The T/A was certainly the most visually radical of the breed offered during the car’s five-year production cycle 1970-1974.

Offset tire sized on the E53 models were a first for Chrysler, allowing the body to attain a forward rake right off the showroom floor. The chrome exhaust tips were dealer-added following delivery to prevent damage in transit.

This Sav-A-Space spare tire came with a can of inflator; all of it is very hard to find if you need one for your E-body restoration.

The E55 small-block had the Six Pack Holley set-up on an Edelbrock manifold. The motor also had adjustable rockers, which had been discontinued when production ended on the 273 four-barrel. It was the most serious LA-series engine Chrysler released back in the day. Keith Black did the actual Trans-Am race versions, which displaced 305” inches.

Among the options on the T/A are the B5 Blue interior, which gives it a great deal of curb appeal. Note the Pistol Grip and dash layout; this is an unrestored car.

The view from above and behind again shows that raw muscle was a characteristic of the E53 package cars, making both the T/A and AAR legendary small-block vehicles from the musclecar era and very much at home at the Wellborn Musclecar Museum.

“I really enjoy this car,” says Tim. “Compared to the other Mopars, it handles like something modern, and it responds; it’s definitely the most fun car in my collection. I normally keep a set of radials on it so I can take it out when I want to just drive. I bought it thinking I’d resell it; after driving it, now I will never sell it.”

Mileage: 20.600

Production: 2724 (1,120 four speeds)

Color: FE5 Rallye Red paint with accompanying A22 elastomeric bumpers, black interior

Standard Equipment: A53 Trans Am package (15x7 Rallye wheels, AAR graphics, fiberglass hood, rear fiberglass spoiler, side exit exhaust, heavy duty suspension, E55 340 engine, D21 four speed, D56 3.55 Sure grip, U01 Goodyear tires - E60 front/G60 rear tires front, V6H tape stripe, W34 collapsible spare)

Continued...

FE5 Rallye Red was not a High Impact color (EV2 Tor-Red was), but the color works perfectly on this terrific survivor car, especially with the color-matched elastomeric bumpers and mrrors. Many AARs were not heavily optioned due to the high initial price; this one is an exception.

Options: (A22) Elastomeric front and rear bumpers (includes outside mirrors (left remote control) and deck panel treatement) * (A62) Rallye instrument cluster group * (R22) solid state AM / 8-track * (R31) dual rear speaker * (S74) power steering fast ratio (Y16) sales group * (A67) rear window louvers * (C16) console *(G15) tinted windshield * (J55) undercoating * (J78) front spoiler package.

Cost: $4,724.05

Helping boost the sticker price to over $4700.00 were the optional rear window louvers.

The Pistol Grip was one of the highlights of the 1970 model year; it looks right at home in the AAR.

The AAR hood used a scoop designed by National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA); created due to issues with aircraft approaching the speed of sound, it was not as functional on an automobile. It looked cool, though…

This air cleaner sealed the Six Pack carb layout to the scoop to keep cool air moving into the engine.

From behind, the car takes on the classic appearance of an American street machine, yet is completely stock as sold to public.

On the road? Actually, the GSX is making tracks at an airport with Roger Gibson driving. The styling of this particular car may have scandalized the dealerships it was sold through, but it cemented the legend of Buick in the minds of the performance enthusiasts. John Stunkard photo.

Museum Masterpieces by Geoff Stunkard

VEHICLE: 1970 Buick GSX

Engine: Buick 455 Stage 1

Transmission: M22 Rock Crusher by Muncie

Rearend: 3.46 PosiTrac

Interior:  black vinyl

Wheels: Rallye type

Tires: Goodyear Polyglas G60-15

Special Parts: GSX package, Saturn Yellow paint, Stage 1 engine

Owned by The Wellborn Musclecar Museum

Astronaut Neil Armstrong talked of mankind's steps as he became the first person who ever walked on the moon, and for many musclecar fans, what was happening back on earth was also pretty far out, too. After all, the auto manufacturers had announced they would be pushing the limit for the 1970 model year. Chrysler's Six Pack and Hemi engines would be in a new line of sporty E-bodies, Ford had 429-cid engines in street (SCJ) and race (Boss) trim, and GM lifted its 400-cid limit in midsize performance models.

Under the hood are 455 inches of Buick big-block in Stage 1 trim. Buick's casting technology made this engine almost 150 pound lighter than the Chevrolet 454" that also arrived in 1970.

Buick was one of the more 'stoic' brands being built, just below Cadillac in the GM hierarchy of excellence. However, that had not kept the Flint, Mich. company from engaging in projects with a more youthful outlook. The GS-series models based on the Skylark had carried that banner forward during the 1965-1969 years, using the thin-wall cast Buick big-block at 400" for power after its arrival in 1967. For 1970, both the 400" and the 430-cid Buick luxury engine were superseded by a new package that pumped out a big 455" cubes. It should be remembered that the 455" used by Buick was not the same as the 455" displacements offered by Pontiac or Oldsmobile (which were also different from each other).

Buick made use of an over-squared (bore larger than stroke) design in the new engine, and offered it in different states of tune. In the new GS455 model, it was paper-rated at mere 350 horse at a lowball 4600 rpm, with 425 lb./ft. torque. Buick was notorious for underrating true performance numbers, perhaps to persuade buyers to consider other options in the GM line, and most likely to allow the division to fly beneath the 'respectability' flag of its banker and broker audience. Most people in the know will quickly tell you that Buicks could hold their own against most anything else that was factory-available once that 455" lung became the mill of choice.

Ironically, Buick stayed with tried-and-true Rochester-design Quadrajet, even in Stage 1 trim. Replacements are hard to come by if you need one, to say the least.

Pontiac offered various states of tune for their 400” and new 455” mills (the Ram Air II,III, and IV packages), while Olds had what they called the W30 option . Buick used a hop-up they called Stage 1 available from the factory, and a Stage 2 that was dealer-installed. The Stage 1 program, begun in 1969, continued into 1970 with a hotter cam and reworked heads with larger valves. That got you another 10 horsepower at a mere 4600, to 360 hp on paper (with the true max rpm power ‘sweet spot’ someplace well north of 400 ponies) and a monstrous 510-lb/ft of torque at 2900 rpm. The cars were capable of times in the mid-13s, impressive when considering that these were fully-optioned machines with the same standard of quality that all Buicks were noted for.

But getting back to our space-age analogy, the names Saturn Yellow and Apollo White would be enshrined forever as special to Buick fans when the Chicago Auto Show opened in early 1970. Buick had pulled out all of the stops with a new model they called the GSX. Announced in the print advertising of the time as a Limited Edition, the X was a special $1195.87 option on the GS455 hardtop. Only the two aforementioned colors were offered, using black graphics and black-out hood, spoilers fore and aft, a hood-mounted tach, upgrades to the suspension, and more. Optional G60-15 Goodyear Polyglas tires, the last hurrah of OEM street bias-plies as the radial age dawned, made it handle. A fully-dressed GSX could come off the showroom floor with a sticker price of approximately $5,000, not small change in that time, but its appearance and notoriety were guaranteed to turn heads in any setting.

From behind, the biggest visible change was the trunk-mounted wing that stretched from fender to fender, coupled to a black stripe and special GSX logos. Cool...

The car in the Wellborn collection is one of 188 that received the 455 Stage 1/M22 rock-crusher four-speed combo. There were only 678 GSXs produced in 1970, and the few examples produced after that first year suffered from the decline in compression ratios that affected all GM models. Like all other 1970 GSX models, the car in the collection has a black vinyl bucket seat interior, plus the Sonoramic radio.

Inside, the GSX models all had black interiors; this one used the front bucket seats and special consolette with four-speed Hurst shifter. Options on these model were minimal other than radios…

“We wanted to have an example of all the midsize GM performance models from 1970,” remarks Tim Wellborn. “The GSX is a legendary example of just how extreme things became. I like driving this car because it really is a Buick in terms of its build and ride quality, but it is also a real musclecar in terms of performance.”

The 1970 GSX would be a true legend of the age; the relative few that were built were treasured by their owners and made no bones about their ability when put to the test during a stoplight or highway joust. As a result, it has a fitting home in the collection, and a most deserving vehicle of the title 'muscle car.' Even (or perhaps especially) as a Buick…

GS options included on the Wellborn GSX

* A-X (included Stage 1 performance 455” engine, plus A-9 parts – GSX exterior trim, paint, hood-mounted tach, and color-coordinated mirrors and headlight bezels.

* B-M (included B-3 Manual transmission, B-4 consolette, B-8 floorpan with shift opening)

The hood-mounted tach, which has been introduced by Pontaic, was a fantastic touch to the image of the GSX. Black-out time, body-color outside mirrors, and spoilers completed the look.

Other options

* C-D  Quick ratio steering and power disc brakes

* D-1   Sonoramic radio

* F-7   G60-15 Super Wide Oval raised letter/chromed wheels

* H-6  Rallye Ride control package

* U-9  Gauge Cluster & Rally clock

* 3-N   Special paint – Saturn Yellow

432nd unit produced in 1970 invoiced 5/22/70

The G60-15 tires on styled wheels, heavy-duty suspension, and spoilers gave the GSX a real sense of all-around purpose, and all agreed that that this last hurrah of the high-compression GM era was much more than a stripped-down drag strip beast.

Pam on the road in the FM3 1970 Charger; like most of the cars in the Wellborn Museum, the car can be driven, and is…

Museum Masterpieces by Geoff Stunkard

VEHICLE: 1970 Dodge Charger R/T

Restored by: Dale Gyorvary

Engine: Dodge 440 Six Pack Magnum

Transmission: 727 Torqueflite

Rearend: 8.75 banjo-type with 3.23

SureGrip Interior:  black hound’s-tooth/white insets

Wheels: Magnum 500

Tires: Goodyear Polyglas G70-14

Special Parts: FM3 Panther Pink paint plus standard equipment for R/T package (believed to be one of two FM3 440-6 Charger R/Ts built).

Owned by The Wellborn Musclecar Museum

Musclecar paint schemes grew more and more crazy in the late 1960s, and Chrysler’s legendary foray into the world of HIP (High Impact Paint) began in 1969, when five special paint colors debuted. These paint hues were actually an extra cost option, so such colors can add to a car’s collector value today. Things got even more extreme in 1970; the Charger here is painted code FM3, known as Panther Pink.

Other Dodge HIP colors in 1970 were EK2 Go-Mango (yellow-orange), EV2 Hemi Orange (or red-orange), FC7 Plum Crazy (purple), FJ5 Sublime (light-green), and FY1 Top Banana (yellow), with FM3 Panther Pink and FJ6 Green-Go (a deeper green than Sub Lime) both added at mid-year. For Plymouth, the corresponding colors were EK2 Vitamin C Orange, EV2 Tor-Red, FC7 In-Violet Metallic, FJ5 Limelight, FY1 Lemon Twist, with FM3 Moulin Rouge and FJ6 Sassy Grass Green added later.

Indeed, it appeared that all of Detroit had gone psychedelic by then; colors plus wild graphics and styling options abounded from the Big Three – scoops, blisters, wheels and wings. And the displacement wars were waging – the 440 was joined in 7+ liter territory with GMs 454” and 455” inch plants in the midsize body range that year. Chrysler did not add cubes for 1970, choosing instead to add more carbs, a package Dodge called the Six Pack.

After showing up in a handful of Road Runners and Super Bees in 1969, the 440 Six Pack was the newest mill for the Dodge line-up in 1970, available in the B-Body and E-Body performance lines and rated at 390 horses. It featured heavy-duty internals and the trio of Holley two-barrels just like the 1969 version, and its main benefit was more fuel throughout the RPM range. Indeed, it was a better street choice for many than the Hemi, since it achieved quicker peak horsepower on a lower torque curve than the 426 ‘elephant’ did. The Six Pack in this Charger R/T is coupled to a Torqueflite and a highway happy 3.23 SureGrip 8 ¾ differential.

Outside, this particular car was optioned with the white vinyl top and the longitudinal sport stripes that were new for 1970 (you could still get the Scat Pack rear-wrap stripe as well). Though it was an R/T model, it did not get a deck wing, and there was no ‘sport hood’ available yet for the Charger (that year’s Road Runners, GTXs and Coronet R/Ts, on the other hand, offered several variations). It also left the St. Louis assembly line with both left and right outside sport mirrors, tinted windshield, and front and rear bumper guards. Magnum 500 road wheels (code W23) and Goodyear Polyglas tires were part of the mix as well. . The F70 tire was the largest available from the factory on this model, but this example now uses the wider G70-14 replacements.

Inside, our Charger came with the scarce hounds-tooth buckets, covered with black vinyl featuring white cloth insets, plus the console with floor mount, woodgrain appliqué  dash with the standard Rallye cluster design (but no clock or tach), AM radio, and the black steering wheel with lower ½ horn ring.

So, who ordered it that way? Believe it or not, this was a sales bank car. These were models built by the factory for general distribution, and sales bank cars helped keep the assembly line busy and helped assure that a ready supply of cars was on hand for the dealerships. It was built very late in the 1970 year, July 10 being the scheduled production date, and may well have been done to help clean up what was laying around the plant since the Charger would undergo some serious restyling the following model year (which would actually begin a little more than a month later).

Tim and Pam Wellborn spotted it at the Mopar Nationals in 2004, and Pam knew it fit her outlook on life to a ‘T.’ Owner Dale Gyorvary had decided to sell it, and it is believed to be one of just two FM3 Six Pack Chargers built that year; the price was reasonable and Pam wanted something that could be driven around. The Six Pack fit that final requirement perfectly.

“What I like best is the color obviously, and I love ‘70 Chargers, unlike my husband, who’s crazy about the ‘71s,” she says with a grin. “The car was done, we didn’t have it do anything to it, and the white accents make this car a standout. It also has that hounds-tooth interior, and it was the only 440 Six Pack in our collection at the time. Those are all the reasons I gave Tim when I said ‘we need this car!’ that day.”

There was one other important reason: she and Tim had first dated in a 1970 440 Charger many moons ago. That car, unrestored and painted Jamaica Blue, is still in their collection as well.

This car has been featured in Musclecar Review and Old Cars Weekly magazines

Four years ago, MCG came up with the idea of a Mopar Enthusiast of the Year award - an award to honor those who go above and beyond to promote our hobby to the masses. In 2007 we honored Curtis McIntyre for creating what most enthusiasts thought Chrysler should’ve been building at that time; a modern-day Hemicuda along the lines of the new generation Challenger. Keep in mind, that was before the new Challenger had officially gone on the market! The ‘Cuda was quite an undertaking, since it had to be built off a cut down four-door Charger platform. The car was contracted to be built by the very same company, Metalcrafters, that builds Chrysler’s prototypes and concept cars - so, the end result was nothing short of what you’d expect of an auto show concept car.

For 2008, the award was expanded to encompass two individuals who are inseparable. Bob and Sharon Malcom, who are owner/operators of Malcom Chrysler/Dodge in Peebles, Ohio. Bob and Sharon exemplify what every Chrysler dealer should be, by being ambassador, literally, from coast-to-coast for Chrysler products both new and old.

The following year, as Chrysler Corporation rapidly imploded, was going through bankruptcy, and trying to reemerge under government control, the Mr. Norm’s group kicked it into overdrive and took over while Chrysler was in disarray, mass marketing specialty performance cars and making a new name for the old brand. Most people saw just how much trouble the mother company was in by mid year, at the Chryslers at Carlisle show, when the usual corporate support (new vehicle displays, ride and drives etc.) were nonexistent. If it wouldn’t have been for the large group of modern muscle cars displayed by Mr. Norm’s that year, there would have been no real new car representation at Carlisle. Financially driving the Mr. Norm’s Group is Bill Sefton, our Mopar Enthusiast of the Year for 2009. It wasn’t just Bill’s financial and business muscle that landed him the Enthusiast of the Year accolade though, it was much more than just that - it was his unselfish philosophy of sharing his personal time and car collection with other enthusiasts for ride and drives. Doing things like that sealed the deal that year.

This year, the whole world seemed to be sucking in their money to pay off loans and reduce debt. Very few were investing in the future, and spending money on muscle cars was low on everybody’s “to do” list. That’s not to say people stopped appreciating muscle cars, they just took a “let’s wait and see” approach, awaiting clarification of where things were headed, like health insurance, taxes, and interest rates. While that approach is certainly prudent, it’s that money that’s not being spent, that is needed to grease the wheels of the economy and get people back to work. Certainly not taking a blind eye to the nation’s economy, but realizing life is short, this year, Tim Wellborn and wife Pam opened an everlasting homage to the muscle car that is destined to outlast most of us, insuring muscle car history lives on long into the future. Brilliantly refurbishing a classic old car dealership in Alexandria, Alabama, the Wellborns have massed over sixty very significant muscle cars on display.

The way I understand it, Tim and Pam have a trust set up for the museum, funding it for many years after they’re gone. Because the museum is a “muscle car” museum, it houses Fords, Chevys, Buicks, Pontiacs, and AMC’s alike, but anyone who’s been there will tell you it’s a Mopar museum first and foremost. It’s also a treasure trove of Mopar history, housing original artwork, NOS parts, and even Harry Hyde’s (of K&K Insurance fame) personal briefcase with all of his original correspondence back and forth with NASCAR! The Wellborn museum is set up for a multitude of gatherings going into the future, and the plans are to have at least one gala event each year that’s designed to inspire the imagination of both young and old enthusiasts alike. There’s even talk of a brick and mortar wing being built specifically for MCG’s proposed Mopar Hall of Fame.

When you roll into the Alabama welcome center and get a free map, you’ll notice a couple of attractions pictured on the front; the USS Alabama Battleship Park in Mobile being one, and another being the Wellborn Muscle Car Museum! So, for 2010, we salute Tim Wellborn as Mopar Enthusiast of the Year for literally putting Mopar muscle cars on the map for years to come!

On Monday, November 22nd Chrysler brought the Hemi Highway Tour to the Museum to showcase their newly re-designed Charger and the new 392 Challenger. It was an exciting day for everyone. Many Mopar fans turned out espcially from the Deep South Mopar Club. Everyone was wowed by the cars. The new Charger is a "Charger" it has all those 70's ques that we all loved. I can see Pam and I driving one soon, especially when they come with the 6.4 engines. And I'm betting they do.

Visit redletterdodge.com and follow them on the tour across the country.