August 1, 2017
Mopar Event Showcases All Chrysler Powered Vehicles
The resounding answer will be “YEAH, its got a Hemi!,” during the very popular MOPARS at the RED BARNS car show and swap meet that takes place at the Gilmore Car Museum on Saturday, July 29 from 9am to 3pm.
Presented by the West Michigan Mopar Club for its 29th year, this family-friendly car show and swap meet is the region’s largest event of its type. More than 350 Mopars— all-Chrysler products—will take over the Gilmore Car Museum historic campus. The show is open to all Chrysler powered vehicles of all eras, including muscle cars, antiques, street rods, and trucks.
2017 actually marks the 80th anniversary of the Mopar parts brand, created in 1937 from Chrysler Motor Parts Company, to exclusively handle factory parts for each of it individual car brands that included Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth, DeSoto and Imperial.
“Mopar” derived its name from the letters MOtor PARts of its full corporate name and has since become the affectionate slang for any Chrysler-powered muscle cars of the 1960s.
The iconic Dodge Charger was introduced in 1966 as a two-door fastback hardtop, dominated NASCAR in 1969 and ten years later the orange “General Lee” sped onto TV screens in the CBS hit “Dukes of Hazzard.”
Other Mopar Muscle includes names such as Dodge Challenger and Viper, Plymouth Barracuda, Road Runner, and Superbird.
When it comes to performance the Mopar HEMI engine has obtained legendary status and went on to help define an era and set the question - “That thing got a Hemi?” - into our memories.
The Saturday, June 29th event promises to be the largest all-Chrysler powered gathering in the Midwest as it fills the show fields at the Gilmore Car Museum. Whether your dream machine is a Dodge Charger, Plymouth Barracuda, or a vintage DeSoto or Imperial, you’re sure to find it—or that hard to find part needed to finish your project car—at MOPARS at the RED BARNS car show and swap meet on Saturday, July 29.
Participants can show their Mopar powdered vehicles for $20 each, while the general public will be admitted for only $12.00 per person. That includes visiting the entire Gilmore Car Museum campus and all exhibits at no extra charge, and those under 11 are FREE!
The Gilmore Car Museum—North America’s Largest Auto Museum—is located just 20 minutes northeast of Kalamazoo on M-43 and Hickory Road. You can learn more about the Museum and its events at www.GilmoreCarMuseum.org or call 269-671-5089 for more information.