SAAC Forum

Big banner over the cars is for Motor City Region SAAC.  '67 GT500 #2484

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVedLbA15EQ

For a research project, I'm trying to find the 1967 phone number for Republic, if anyone has a car from there with any dealership paperwork, I'd be grateful! 

Event is now online to sign up.  Huge turnout last year, 500+ cars at a beautiful location. 

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ray-evernhams-americarna-live-car-show-2023-registration-657944157687?aff=oddtdtcreator

https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/peopleandplaces/drag-combine-harvester-v-shelby-gt-350-ridiculous-rides/vi-AA19jw2u?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=464dccae4a664856b659baf4d07989c7&ei=16

SAAC Carolinas Region and Hickory Aviation Museum, weather permitting, are looking forward to hosting Snakes and Planes #3!  We've been lucky the last two years with perfect weather, so fingers crossed that we've selected a good date.  Sandwiched in between Mother's Day Weekend and Memorial Day Weekend, we've decided on Saturday, May 20th, 10am-2pm.   More details as we get closer to the date, but we'll have a swap meet area in a private meeting room for all attendees to socialize and enjoy lunch and I'll arrange for a good food truck to feed the hungry masses.  We also have a new and improved patio/picnic area near the aircraft as well, plus plenty of shade under the aircraft should it be a hot day.  More details to follow.

Hasn't been a show in two years, but it's back, the Americarna gathering is planned again November 26th. 

https://www.facebook.com/events/863198498404281/?ref=newsfeed

I look forward to welcoming everyone to the Museum again this year on Saturday May 21, weather permitting.  There is no rain date.  We have added three aircraft since last year, including an FM-2 Wildcat WWII Fighter plane that saw action in the Pacific Theater, and then spent 45 years at the bottom of Lake Michigan before being located, raised and restored.  I also hope to have our F/A-18 jet cockpit open for everyone to sit in and get some photos. 

We had 35 cars last year and that's about the max to get everyone parked near a plane without cars blocking other cars.  I ask people arrive by 9:30am, I will be there earlier.  The museum opens at 10am and the less car movements, the better.  I ask that folks stay until 2pm, but understand that is not possible with other commitments, but please do not move any cars without myself or museum volunteers controlling the movement. 

The Flight Line Cafe at the airport terminal where we are located, has a great lunch menu with good prices, and there are plenty of tables in the terminal, plus three picnic tables outside and of course by your cars or the shade of our planes. 

If anyone is coming on Friday, I-40 Exit 125 has a cluster of hotels with lots of parking:  Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn, Courtyard, Crowne Plaza, Fairfield Inn and Suites, and Best Western.  There is a Carrabas in the parking lot, Outback up the access road and many food choices within a 3-4 minute drive.  For those more adventurous, there is a Red Roof Inn across the highway at the same exit! 

From this exit, we are 7 miles away, I-40W, Hwy 321N, left at 4th light onto 9th Ave, follow for 1.5 miles to the airport on the left.  Trailer parking immediately on left in the large parking lot.  Drive down to far end of parking lot, around the terminal and wait at open gate until a Museum volunteer brings you in.  It's very tight entering, so very slow!  GPS address for Museum is 3101 9th Drive NW, Hickory. 

Please RSVP to this thread or drop me an email at info@hickoryaviationmuseum.com for questions and include a photo of what you're bringing as I will advertise the event on the Museum's social media pages and website.  I want to have Carolina's SAAC folks and their friends locked in, so RSVP as early as possible.  I'm getting requests to attend from non Shelby owners and want to fill the field first with our cars. I will be inviting the Carolinas Cobra and Southeast Sunbeam Tiger folks as well for a great variety. 

Anyone attending?  I'm coming up from Charlotte for it, a friend runs the museum and invited me.  I was a SAAC MD member in 1996-98 while stationed at Pax.   

New addition to the Hickory Aviation Museum, Hickory NC where I volunteer is our recently retired Blue Angel #5 F/A--18A Hornet.  The Blues have now moved on to the Super Hornet for 2021.  Maybe some time this year, the group would like to come over and hang out for a day and park amongst our aircraft.  One of the aviation museums on the West Coast does a Shelby gathering at their place and they get a nice turnout. 

Always look forward to this great show, but we'll have to participate virtually this year. 

https://my.360photocontest.com/AmeriCarnaLIVE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wasTi2EJ_w&list=PLiUmqrJyrYBaHZ7sYZrPOWpCY2c6rXn9w&index=16&t=0s

Built today on 3/22/1967, one month later than scheduled. 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiUmqrJyrYBaHZ7sYZrPOWpCY2c6rXn9w

SAAC-23 was a nice convention, the open track time was good as well.  VHS footage compared to today's digital GoPro video is stone age quality.  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiUmqrJyrYBaHZ7sYZrPOWpCY2c6rXn9w

VHS video from SAAC 21 now converted and uploaded to my YouTube page.  First part is on track action, second part is in-car from my friends' GT Developments GT-40 and more trackside video taping.  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiUmqrJyrYBaHZ7sYZrPOWpCY2c6rXn9w

Taking advantage of this downtime to convert my VHS footage to digital.   First up is SAAC 22, Road America in 1997.  I think this was my favorite open track I ever did, despite the oppressive heat and mosquitos.  No matter how big the run groups, and mine was relatively small, drivers had a lot of open track to enjoy their high performance vehicles and I had more track time, than I could ever want.  Mr Shelby attended and despite the temperature, he signed items for hours, first in a small trailer and then under a canopy.  My friend with a GTD GT40 and I made the trip, towing our cars from Patuxent River, MD and Virginia Beach, VA.  I still recall the banquet being almost "tornado'd out" when a storm cell from hell hit the track, and people were looting running off with trays of brauts and rolls!  I stayed an extra day to watch the historic races that followed the convention.  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiUmqrJyrYBaHZ7sYZrPOWpCY2c6rXn9w

The City of Hickory NC is throwing it's first Fall Wings and Wheels event this Saturday, November 16, 10a-3p.  There will be a parking area for collector and classic cars and I think it's more of a cruise-in than a judged car show and there is no charge.  I will be bringing out #1609 for the day.  For eats, there will be food trucks and the airport café will also be open.  They are offering av-gas at a discount, so hopefully we'll get some interesting aircraft visiting, plus they are selling helicopter and airplane rides.  We will have the Hickory Aviation Museum fully open for the day and I will be giving tours of our mighty Lockheed   P-3C Orion Anti-Submarine Warfare aircraft, the only one in the country that is open for visitors to tour.  There are also 15 other aircraft on display.  Forecasted weather is supposed to be around 50 and sunny for the event.     

Hello again, Carolinas!