For car lovers who enjoy trips down memory lane, the best way to get there is behind the wheel of a muscle car from the 1960s or 1970s or perhaps a showy 1950s-era Cadillac.
That’s why, for the fifth year in a row, the North Georgia Mopar Club has been invited to exhibit eight restored classic cars at the auto show. This year’s display will feature a side-by-side look at some classic restored cars and their 21st century versions supplied by local car dealers.
“The 'Then-and-Now’ group will include a 1951 Ford F1 truck, a 1972 Dodge Dart, a 1968 Camaro Rally Sport and a 1969 Chrysler 300 displayed next to a new Ford 150, a new Dart, a new Chrysler and a new Camaro,” said North Georgia Mopar Club president Rick Ellis of Tucker. “We’ll also have a 1957 Cadillac, a Ford Model A, a Studebaker Avanti and several other classics on display.”
Ellis, whose 1972 Dodge Dart Swinger will be in the show, said his classic bears little resemblance to a new Dart. The Dart was the carmaker’s 1960 entry into a growing compact market, although the first versions were actually just full-size cars with a slightly shorter frame.
Over the years, the Dart evolved into a high-performance muscle car. Production of the Dart ended in 1976. Then Dodge reintroduced it in 2012 as affordable, sporty, high-tech transportation marketed to first-time car buyers.
“I was a little surprised when Dodge brought back the Dart,” Ellis said. “But when you think about it, the Dart started out as good, reliable transportation in a compact size. The new model is energy-efficient and is loaded with safety features the old ones didn’t have, and it’s still good, reliable transportation in a compact size.”
North Georgia Mopar Club members consider it an honor to display their cars at the show. Many, like Hal King of Braselton, worked untold hours on their cars. Some aspire to restore cars as close to original factory condition as possible, while others get a kick out of modifying the old beauties.
“Mine was a rust bucket when I bought it on eBay from someone in Baltimore, Md., in 2008,” said King, who owns a 1968 Chevy Camaro Rally Sport. “Now it has a new 454 engine and new five-speed transmission, a good body and a nine-inch rear end.”
New Camaros have taken a few design cues from the classics like King’s 1968 model. The curve of the fenders, the raised profile of the hood, low-slung bucket seats and cockpit-style dashboard have a decidedly modern, high-tech flair, while paying homage to the sporting spirit of the legendary muscle car.
North Georgia Mopar Club members will be on hand at the show to talk about the cars and to provide information about the club and its activities.
“We have about 400 members, many of whom will staff the booth at the show. It’s a wide variety of people,” Ellis said. “It was originally a club for people with old muscle cars. Now, many of our members have the newer cars like Challengers and Chargers.”
Founded in 1990, the North Georgia Mopar Club is for people who enjoy getting together and driving their classic cars to cruise-in destinations for fun and socializing. The club holds monthly meetings at Galaxy Diner in Tucker, and a couple of picnics during the year.
“My wife actually got us involved in cruise-ins,” Ellis said. “She was absolutely crazy about the PT Cruiser, so we bought one, picked it up on a Saturday night, and went on a cruise-in with the Cruiser Club the next day. She was having entirely too much fun, so I went out and bought myself a (Chrysler) Prowler, and I got more involved in the Mopar Club after that.”
The club, which has raised around $20,000 for good causes, support Toys for Tots, scholarships, a breast cancer charity and Hero Fund boxes for military personnel serving in Afghanistan.
For information about the club, go to www.northgeorgiamoparclub.com.
