Story and Photos: Annie Tukman, Director of Operations
On July 16th, Gunbarrel, Colorado crackled with the sweet roar of over 100 hot engines. Shelby Mustangs, Pontiac GTOs, a few Jaguars, and a huge assortment of smokin’ cars rolled their way down Chaparral Court toward The Shelby American Collection where they were guided by museum volunteers to park. By 7 am the driveway, cul-de-sac, and street were lined with glimmering beauties, sparkling in the early Colorado sun.
Museum staff and volunteers hummed with excitement: this was the first time The Shelby American Collection had hosted a Cars and Coffee event, and it was a hit! Blended Coffee Roasters set up a table and delighted the crowd with their aromatic and hearty specialty coffees, contributing to the excited buzz in the atmosphere. They operate on a donation basis, and we highly recommend that anyone attending a Cars and Coffee event take a few minutes to talk beans with these connoisseurs. You will love their specially curated coffees!
Car owners and visitors had the chance to wander among the throng of rare and high-powered vehicles that sparkled in the cul-de-sac outside the museum building. Weather was perfect for mingling, and the sheer joy of sharing a passion was evident as laughter filled the air and owners had the chance to talk shop with fellow drivers.
Attendees also had the chance to walk through The Shelby American Collection, which displays some of the most famous Shelby American cars ever built, along with historical photos, trophies, and other memorabilia. People who hadn’t visited the museum before were amazed to see how much history we have packed into 10,000 square feet! Everyone was thrilled to see one of the newest additions to the museum, CSX2128, which Dave MacDonald drove in USRRC in 1963. This was one of the three Sebring team cars for 1963, and was raced by Dan Gurney in his first Cobra drive. This car is perhaps most recognizable due to its appearance on the cover of the 1963 LP “Hey Little Cobra” by the Rip Chords. This car is currently on loan to the museum from the Miller Family Automobile Foundation.
Shelby Cobra CSX2435 is always a hit with visitors, as well; this car is in the exact, unrestored condition it was in as Bob Bondurant booted it up the hill at Rossfeld in southern Germany on June 13, 1965 for the GT win. Yep — cracked paint, dents, scratches and dirt on the tires included!
Perhaps most exciting to visitors wandering through the museum was the custom, 1-of-1 Shelby GT500 Heritage Edition in Brittany Blue that the museum is giving away on September 3rd, 2022 at our annual car show and party. Many people hadn’t yet seen the car in person, and she’s a stunner! Featuring a custom red pinstripe painted by Ford Performance, and the dazzling Brittany Blue that was first introduced in 1967, there is absolutely no car like this in the world — truly one-of-a-kind. This sweepstakes giveaway is part of the nonprofit museum’s annual fundraising plan. Every dollar raised helps The Shelby American Collection continue to preserve Shelby racing history and make it accessible to the general public. If you would like to enter to win, do it quickly, before September 3rd! Or, if you miss the September 3rd cutoff, visit our website to find out which car will be given away in 2023 (we have something really special planned!)
The Shelby American Collection in Boulder, Colorado was founded in 1996, and houses the finest collection of Shelby Cobras and GT40s in the world. Come by and see us! We are open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 10 am – 4 pm. Admission is $5 for adults, children 12 and under are free.
Thank you to everyone who turned out for Cars and Coffee in July! We hope to see you again on the third Saturdays of the month from 7-9am until early fall. Check our website for upcoming events.
https://www.shelbyamericancollection.org/