2024 Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals

during holidays It’s already started! For most of the country, Thanksgiving begins with Thanksgiving, but for muscle car enthusiasts, it begins with the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals (MCACN). MCACN has been around for more than a decade and is located not far from O’Hare Airport in suburban Chicago, making it an easy place to get in and out of. However, if that’s what you do, you might learn your lesson and decide to stay at a hotel across the street from the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center because there are so many jaw-droppingly good things inside that you’ll want to spent two days there.

ClassicCars.com Journal can show you what you’re missing. To paraphrase Bette Davis, buckle up because this is going to be a great ride.

Detroit Steel Tubing was contracted to provide $3,400 worth of modifications to a 1963 Ford F-100 pickup truck, including a dual-quad 427. This is the only known modified pickup truck. After a brief stop in metro Detroit and a tour of the drag racing circuit, it eventually made its way to Delaware, where it continues to reside.

Hunt Palmer-Ball purchased this 1967 Shelby GT350 when he was only 19 years old. The last remaining Hi-Pos, this Shelby currently has only 8,631 miles on the clock.

Still remember that ridiculous sentence car and driver Article about Pontiac GTO versus Ferrari GTO? Then, some 35 years later, when it was revealed that the Goat was powered by a 421 HO massaged by Royal Pontiac? This is that car, the centerpiece of the GTO’s 60th anniversary celebrations.

Here are two GTO Judges: a 1970 Verdoro Green and a 1969 Cameo White. The former uses Ram Air IV, while the latter uses Ram Air V transplantation.

The Ram Air IV Judge convertible is the holy grail of Goats, with a total of seven taking part, along with one of three 455 convertibles.

The GTO’s little brother, the GT-37, was introduced in mid-1970 and lasted until 1971, playing the role of Pontiac Road Runner fighter and trim supercar, the latter being a real thing as the 350 two-barrel was standard. This original 1971 455 HO is one of 54 built.

The Class of 1969 is celebrating 55 years of history, so it’s only natural to find some of the Class of ’69 among MCACN. This 1969 Plymouth Barracuda comes with a Mod Top and matching interior.

Both the Mercury Cougar and Ford Mustang were redesigned in 1969. Although they have different standard engines, the top engine choice (besides the Boss 429) is the 428 Cobra Jet. Only 39 Cougar XR-7 convertibles were built with the Q code CJ (meaning no ram air) and automatic transmission. Equip the Mustang with the R code CJ (meaning ram air) and Drag Pack, turning it into a Super Cobra Jet.

Oldsmobile’s high-performance engines were launched in 1969 as W-Machines. The W31 was a 325-horsepower 350 that had a habit of stealing the spotlight from more powerful machines. This vintage race car is an F-85, Oldsmobile’s lowest-level A-body. Note the 1969 Chevelle SS 396 on the right.

1969 may also be the most popular Camaro model year. There’s a good selection here, from stock and Day 2 Super Sports to COPO and a pair of Z/28s.

Although it is a 1969 Road Runner, this Plymouth is not part of the 1969 class. Instead, it’s part of a celebration of the A12-equipped Road Runner and Super Bees. All models feature the 440 six-barrel engine, no wheel covers or hubcaps, fiberglass hoods with the most efficient hood scoop ever, 4.10 gears and other high-quality equipment.

Local Buick star Ajesh Parikh always brings the goods. In 2024, he delivered a batch of Stepchild Nation cars, also known as 1968-69 Buick Gran Sports. This is a 1968 GS 400 convertible.

Compare the red ’68 to this ’69 GS 350, which may have been the first muscle car to come standard with ram air. In addition to the Motor Wheel Spyder, this Gran Sport is equipped with a floor-mounted three-speed manual transmission.

Have you checked Buick GNX prices recently? This car has been popular since it became the fastest American car in 1987. Of course, they’re all black, but one of the builders at ASC (who was responsible for the modifications) used prototype parts on a white Regal T-Type, and his friends at McLaren helped with the engine modifications. As part of the GNX display, this car was created as a negative of GNX, hence the name GNX-RAY.

This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the 1974 class. One of the muscle cars of the Malaise era was the Pontiac Firebird Formula 455 with Super Duty engine, of which 58 were built. The blue one is a “regular” Formula 455 with ram air, it doesn’t have the shaker hood intake required for the SD engine.

The Camaro Z/28 last appeared in 1974 before taking a few years off. Note the Gran Sport Stage 1 Sun Coupe next to it.

Bob Perkins curated this Pinnacle certification showcase, showcasing the top judged FoMoCo cars in the country.

However, they aren’t necessarily all Boss 429s, as you can see from this picture of a 1969-71 Mustang Mach 1 in descending order.

This 1972 Mustang SportsRoof doesn’t look much like it, but hiding under the hood is a 351 HO, a low-compression version of the Ford Boss 351. It’s rated at 275 net horsepower, which is more than several 100-horsepower engines. +More cubes. All are four-speeds with 3.91 gears. Of the 398 HOs built, only 30 had sports roofs.

A small group of 1950s pilots gather together and prepare to take off into the depths of the sky. Various cars include a 1960 Chrysler 300-F, 1959 Dodge Custom Royal, 1958 DeSoto Firesweep, 1959 Pontiac Bonneville and 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air.

In which movie did this 1955 Chevrolet appear? if you say two lane asphalt road,you are right. if you say American Graffitiyou are right too.

Ryan Brutt’s Barn Finds & Hidden Gems is historically MCACN’s most popular exhibit. There’s still something to be discovered, as evidenced by the cars here: a fuel-injected Z06 1963 Corvette big-tank car, a 1968-69 Charger R/T (there was a Hemi in ’69), a 440-6 from 1970′ Cuda, and even hotter Mopars.

On this end of the Barn Finds display, I see a 1970 Dodge Coronet R/T convertible, a 1971 AMC Hornet SC/360, a 1972 Hurst Grand Prix SSJ, and a 1970 Rebel Machine, and a 1968 Cyclone CJ and 1968 Hemi Coronet R/T convertible hiding behind them.

Studebaker Legends displays are always award-winning. South Bend’s favorite station wagon company has close-knit fans and has a museum with extensive documentation showing the lineage of many interesting cars, such as the 1963 Avanti R2 and 1964 Super Hawk R2.

If this low-profile 1964 Dodge 330 looks interesting, that’s because it’s missing an inboard headlight. That’s what Dodge has done to reduce the weight of its aluminum-fendered Race Hemi vehicles. This particular car is one of several race cars featured on the factory lightweight display.

Let’s not forget that General Motors also produced several lightweight cars before imposing its own racing ban in early winter of 1963. This Super Duty 1962 Pontiac Catalina is promoted by Lane Moak Pontiac of Jackson, Mississippi.

If you know your racing history, you know that manufacturers were forced to offer special race equipment to the public, which meant the Race Hemi had to be offered as a Street Hemi. Dodge introduced the friendlier 426 in 1966 in models like the Coronet 500, one of several cars that showcased the Hemi heritage.

In 1968, Chrysler partnered with Hurst to produce several Race Hemi-powered Barracuda fastbacks and Dart hardtops. The Barracuda is a mule developed for production. Notice the Dick Landy 1970 Challenger behind it.

The big Pontiac didn’t go unnoticed at MCACN, thanks to the Pontiac 2+2 display. The big brother of the GTO, the 2+2 was produced from 1964-67 (and supplied to the Canadian market until 1970), with the 1967 model being the rarest and most mysterious. That year, Tri-Power was no longer on the option sheet, so both the standard 428 and 428 HO were equipped with the new Rochester four-tube.

You may have seen our coverage of pure muscle car drag racing in the past. Several attendees brought their cars to MCACN to show other cars on display that yes, Virginia, you can look great and Walk fast at the same time. This is a 1968 Camaro Z/28, a 1970 Oldsmobile 4-4-2, a 1970 AAR ‘Cuda and a 1970 GS 455.

Did you have a cool car in high school? Do you still own it? That’s the premise of a high school reunion exhibition. Imagine still owning this 1970 Challenger R/T, 1971 Barracuda or 1972 Challenger Rallye!

High school reunions are dominated by Chevrolets, which is probably common in American high schools. This is a 1968 Camaro RS and a 1969 Camaro Z/28.

A few years ago, the “Malaise Era” muscle show was very popular. This year, its focus is on the F-body. It’s hard to disagree that they’re hot, even though they may not be in the background.

MCACN originally started as a Corvette and Chevrolet show, but I know how it has evolved! Still, the world’s best Corvettes always grace the convention center floor. These ’67 models hold the distinction of being a “Triple Diamond” car, meaning they have won several of Corvette’s top awards.

These C3s are also Triple Diamond Award winners. As you can see from this Elkhart Green ’72, a Corvette doesn’t need to be big to look great.

If your car is a survivor and you want it to be approved by an expert, Vintage Certification is the way to go. There are various levels of survivor status, so don’t worry if the screws in the hose clamp are incorrect. As you can see, this LT1 1971 Corvette and 1968 L88 Corvette are one of several survivors, including 1969 Hurst/Olds, an LS6-powered 1970 El Camino SS 454, and a 1972 Plymouth Duster 340.

A few years ago, I held a Cobra Jet FoMoCo product demonstration. My friend Dan Pausch hosted the black and white formal show, which included black Mopars with white interiors. This is a 1970 Plymouth Road Runner convertible and a 1970 AAR ‘Cuda. Of course, the AAR features black strobe stripes that create an interesting effect on its black flanks.

The AMC crew at Chi-Town is solid, and Nash Nutz’s performance never disappoints. Hidden among these 1971-73 Javelin AMX is a 1970 AMX with Shadow Mask and a very rare 343 four-speed Rambler Rogue.

Without interest from all generations, these cars would never survive. Young enthusiasts had a spot at the Future Generations Invitational, with this 1988 Corvette 35th Anniversary Edition and 1980 Malibu demonstrating strong collector interest.

Do you remember the 1970 Hemi Road Runner pilot story we ran a few months ago? It made its debut at MCACN as a restored vehicle, along with a 1969 Hemi Coronet R/T and a sweet 1968 Hemi GTX (white with green stripes, interior, and vinyl top). All were wiped out by Hodge Restoration.

That year, several Michigan State University engineering students received a car donated by Oldsmobile and learned how to build drag racing machines. While that car is long gone, Garner Customs & Restorations decided to build a proper replica, as shown in this W31-powered 1969 Cutlass S.

Ron McHugh drove this 1970 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 W30 convertible for Lubik Olds in the 1970s when it became the NHRA E/Stock record holder. He restored it a few years ago and then sold it to David Goss. David then commissioned a replica of the racing suit to be restored – a nice touch.

Several popular cars were on display, including this 1 of 43 1973 Pontiac Firebird Formula and Super Duty 455 built. Note the 1971 GTO Judge, 1969 Ram Air IV Firebird 400 and 1969 Hurst/Olds Promotional Convertible in the background.

Another new restoration set to debut soon is this Sublime 1970 Dodge Charger R/T, complete with the 426 Hemi and other rare options like the “V21” hood stripe.

The king of muscle cars seems to be the 1971 Hemi ‘Cuda, but they don’t grow on trees. This is a newly restored “GB5” True Blue Metallic example with the infamous “Billboard” stripes.

This 1964 Plymouth Belvedere is like a lot of random cars not assigned to the show, but this one stands out because of its modern Hemi powerplant.