BARRINGTON, ILL. – June 20, 2013 – The 7th Annual Barrington Concours d’Elegance will feature a show field of 1960s American muscle cars designed to showcase the power and performance synonymous with an era that redefined how Americans viewed high-performance street vehicles. The collection will be shown at the Concours on July 12-14, 2013, at the Makray Memorial Golf Club in Barrington, Ill., and will feature several rare cars, such as a 1965 Shelby GT350, a 1967 Shelby GT500 and a 1962 Chevrolet 409 Bel Air.
“American muscle cars are revered around the world for their power and performance,” said David Cooper, Concours Co-Chair and Chief Executive Officer. “The popularity of these vehicles came from manufacturers packing their largest engines in their smaller vehicles. Their performance created a following that changed the world of performance automobiles in a way never before seen.”
Among the cars on display is a 1965 Shelby GT350. As the first Shelby Mustang, the 1965 Shelby GT350 still stands as a powerful race car, which helped enhanced the Mustang’s image as a performance street and track vehicle. Carroll Shelby transformed the Mustang into a well-respected racing machine and ushered in an era of prosperity and growth for both Shelby and Ford. This particular vehicle was raced heavily in its earlier years at SCCA racing events.
Also among the group is a 1962 Chevrolet 409 Bel Air. Immortalized by the Beach Boys’ song, “409” this muscle car has a rich racing heritage. Although this model was only produced for a short time, the cult following behind this car gives it the reputation of one of the greatest high-performance muscle cars ever built. This particular vehicle, emblazoned in Roman Red, is a perfect highlight of the series.
“Carroll Shelby put his stamp on automotive history with the creation of the Shelby GT350,” said Cooper. “It wasn’t long before manufacturers like Mercury, Dodge, Chevrolet and Oldsmobile began introducing their own muscle cars, making the streets and tracks a little faster and more impressive.”
The Concours is a year-long celebration of automotive excellence featuring more than ten events. The muscle cars will be displayed at the Concours’ capstone event on July 12-14 along with 100 of the world’s finest and rarest vehicles, including a collection of Corvettes, Porsches, Duesenbergs, Avions Voisins, Indy cars and Vincent motorcycles. General admission tickets are available for purchase at http://www.barringtonconcours.org/home/tickets-for-all-events
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