Shelby American Auto Club annual convention 1991

[aeropilot]

So, 30 years ago today, I was at Charlotte Motorspeedway, for SAAC 16 (the 16th annual convention of the Shelby American Automobile Club)
In the days before internet, it was a bit of a mission to try an arrange such a visit from the UK, involving writing and posting letters, and using a travel agent to arrange flights and hotel, car hire etc.
Anyway flew into Atlanta from Gatwick, and collected car and headed the 3 hours or so drive to Charlotte. It was hot and humid, not surprisingly, but with wall to wall Cobra’s and Shelby Mustangs, plus a sprinkling of BOSS and other performance Fords of the era, I wasn’t caring.

Here’s a few photo’s from a long time ago…..

Continuation MkII GT40 and Galaxie owned by Holman & Moody (who are based locally in Charlotte)


The Galaxie wasn't standard, as it had one of these under the hood


Fabulous '69 BOSS 429


And a BOSS 429 motor on an engine stand, giving a idea of the shear size of the thing


Cobra 427 filling up with race gas for an outing around the track


One or two Shelby Mustangs and a few BOSS's parked up in the infield


One or two Cobra 427's lined up


A couple of GT350's thundering around the Charlotte banked superspeedway


One of the many cars for sale at the time in the car corral.....a '67 GT500 auto, 2 owners from new & 47k miles....$27.5k....... what would that be worth 30 years later, $150k+...??


Got to briefly meet and shake the hand of some old ex-chicken farmer


Had a free full day after the weekend show before flying back to the UK, so armed with only a Rand McNally and no mobile or satnav, I drove off through the back country roads to visit the NASCAR museum at another of the great oval tracks, Darlington SC.....but sadly the museum was closed

[newsatten]

Great memories there, i envy you, never actually made it to the states, my kids all went,West Coast and Skiing on the east coast, we were supposed to go last year, New York and Route one,
but Covid put paid to that! , and now weve just ordered a new kitchen thats our holiday fund gone


Ce'st la vie...........................................................................................................................................

[rat rod]

Same here,managed 8 hours in South Beach while i waited for my connection flight back home,

Most of my mates have been ,even the ones that aren't interested in American cars.

Always something gets in the way,i think they call it life or a unexpected bill needs paying

I would love to see all that but would probably leave me very discontented with life ,

Been told that if i went i wouldn't come home ,not sure if they mean i would be arrested or murdered.

Had my chance when i was younger, sold a LA attorney a S1 Bentley and he invited me over and one

of the top men at the the Wells Fargo bank was interested in a Clould 3 i was selling and offered to put me up at his ranch

and even said he would send a limo to the airport, one of life's big regrets ,I think i was to busy getting married

and having kids,: and lovely kids they are so not all bad,