by Candace I. Davis
posted October 18, 2006
The era of Detroit's wildest horsepower years will be displayed for one weekend only at the 4th Annual Forge Invitational Musclecar Show. The cars will be on display at the Chattanooga Convention Center from Oct. 20-21, from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. both days.
Admission is $10 and children under 10 are free.
Some of the rarest Chevrolet, Ford, and Chrysler performance street cars and racecars of the 1960s and 1970s have been selected for admission to this show, the only event of its kind. These authentic invite only vehicles include the tire-blazing 427-inch Camaros and Corvettes, 426 Hemi-powered Plymouth Barracudas and Dodge Chargers, special Pontiac GTOs, Ford Shelby Mustangs, and much more.
The once-a-year invitational event, promoted by Tim Lopata, completely outgrew both former locations in the Sevierville and Nashville areas. Chattanooga was then selected as the upgrade in the show's stature.
The ability to move the cars into the premier Chattanooga Convention Center ensured that the multi-million dollar assembly of horsepower would be protected from the elements.
Cars will be coming from all over the country for the 2006 Forge event. Each example is carefully selected on the basis of its rarity and condition, including a group of rare but un-restored "barn finds" many auto enthusiasts dream of locating. Many other cars are pristine restorations that have never before been seen on public display.
The American musclecar has come back to the forefront of automotive interest recently, primarily due to high-visibility auction sales in the 100K-and-up range, the revival of the breed itself through late-model cars like the 2005 Ford Mustang, and a fresh resurgence in performance development from the major manufacturers. The 4th Annual Musclecar Show will give the Chattanooga area a chance to actually see the cars that made history from Detroit, when horsepower ruled the streets.
The Musclecar Show has been featured in Hot Rod, SuperChevy, Musclecar Enthusiast, MOPAR Collectors Guide, Collectors Guide to Musclecars, Mustang Monthly magazines and many more.
In addition to the cars, there will be several other racing personalities from the past, a select group of specialized parts vendors, a display of rare automobile dealership memorabilia, and other attractions.
A tribute to the late Dick Harrell, a professional drag racer responsible for many specialized Chevrolet performance cars of the 1960s era, will be presented by his daughter Valerie and wife Elaine. Mr. Harrell, who died in a racing accident in 1971, left behind a legacy. His nickname was "Mr. Chevrolet" because of all his success as a driver in both NHRA & AHRA drag racing events, and his devotion to Chevrolet. Harrel was involved with many of Chevrolet's developments like the Vintage nitro funny cars and 427" ZL1-code aluminum-powered street cars and even the 1969 Camaro so equipped.
For more information on the 4th Annual Forge Invitational Musclecar show, visit www.detroithorsepower.com/theforge.htm
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