:) :) :) :) :) :) SAAC Carolinas Spring Event :) :) :) :) :) :)
New Spring 2021 SAAC Carolinas Event!!!
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The pandemic is officially over!! Ok, maybe not, but warnings of the pending apocalypse have been greatly exaggerated. As such, you are officially invited to attend the SAAC Carolinas Spring Event on Saturday, May 22nd, 2021, at the Hickory Regional Airport, in Hickory, NC.
This is a great opportunity to have your Shelby, Cobra, or Mustang posed and photographed in front of unique military aircraft as well as just commiserate as to how miserable it was being locked down through the Covid 19 experience. They have a fabulous museum, one of the best in the United States.
The museum is open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and we'd like to get as many cars in and parked amongst the planes as early as possible, so plan to be there between 9:00-9:30am. There are plenty of trailer parking spaces located in the airport parking lot for those who may need them.
As for lunch, there is a short order cafe at the museum, and the food is quite good. We have asked Gordan Ramsay to come and create some of his famous dishes, but truth be told that's quite a long shot. There is plenty of room to sit inside and eat, plus there are three picnic tables outside by the planes and around your cars. There are also plenty of restrooms inside the terminal including ones that are handicap accessible.
If anyone is thinking of staying overnight, there is a Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Inn, both located about 15 minutes from the airport on I-40. From there, you can easily drive to the event in your car.
It's been a while since we have had a spring meet up, and I think this just might be what the Doctor has ordered. Well, it's at least what the Dentist has ordered, so we hope to see you all there. Please RSVP if possible.
Thanks,
Brian Denny
SAAC Carolinas North SAAC Carolinas South[/size]
Thanks for putting this together. Looking forward to it!!
Bump
If not for a date conflict I'd have come over the mountains to attend this event. Sounds like a fun day though.
~Steven
Sorry to hear that Steve, perhaps next time? :)
Brian,
If weather prevails and Lord willing, my wife and I will be there with our 69 Mach 1.
I will be there, looking forward to it! Rob
I will be there as well along with four or five other Shelby/Mustang enthusiasts from the Asheville area.
Great to hear guys!
I'm going to start letting the local populace in Hickory know about the gathering, I would like to keep a running tally of attendees (cars and people) so we can make sure we have adequate volunteer staffing on hand and I can figure out parking amongst our aircraft. Also, if anyone would like to send me photos of their cars that I can use on our social media to let people know the great rides they can come out and see, please do so and email to me: info@hickoryaviationmuseum.com. Any questions, just ask.
We plan on being there with the 68 KR
I'll send email with photo
Thanks for doing this.
Ted
I plan to attend if the weather forecast is good that day.
Michael
We've got it on the calendar and plan on trailering 6S1467 down. Praying for a nice day!
Be sure and send me a photo of your car if you're attending so I can use as I do updates for the Museum on social media. So far, maybe a 10-12 cars. Fingers crossed for a nice weather day. The parking lot as you enter the airport is pretty big, plenty of room for trailer parking.
Bill, I have about 5 more definites coming, I think the turn out will be quite nice.
Sounds good. I've received a few photos of cars that are coming, hopefully everyone can send photos of their cars so I can use on our social media to attract the locals. Been a positive reception so far since I announced the event.
Anyone who'd like to send me a car photo to use before our gathering, please do so. The ones I've received have been posted and I think we're going to get a great turnout of spectators to come out to see the cars and aircraft. I've arranged for our nearly finished complete F/A-18 cockpit to on site for everyone to sit in for photos, and I will relate a great story of this front fuselage and it's connection to our F/A-18 Blue Angels Hornet. Also subject to appear, one of our volunteers has this beautiful PT-17 Stearman and as an added bonus, I've been told that scheduled to arrive on the day, is our newest aircraft, flying in from Charlotte is an OV-1D Mohawk that is now part of our museum. Finally, after being closed for Covid for 15 months, the P-3C Orion aircraft is going to reopen for tours as well. Hopefully the weather won't suck and ruin everything!
I got the Shelby out yesterday. It has been almost two years since I last started it. Planning to make the drive to Hickory. Looks to be about 84 miles for me.
Quote from: Darrpo on May 17, 2021, 07:51:47 PM
I got the Shelby out yesterday. It has been almost two years since I last started it. Planning to make the drive to Hickory. Looks to be about 84 miles for me.
Give it a good once over! What year?
67-350 Its a FORD so not really worried.
Hoping to be there, have some scheduling logistics we are still attempting to work out.
Bill
It's going to be a big day, and I appreciate everyone who is able to bring their cars. I think the residents of Hickory who are planning on coming out are going to love seeing them. The OV-1D Mohawk will definitely be flying in around 12:30ish and I know people want to come out and see this fly in. We are a small not for profit 501C museum that does not charge admission and so events like this and potential donations from the public go a long way in financing our projects as we continue to grow and preserve aviation history. Thanks again.
Checking for a friend - just wanted to make sure the gathering is open to all Mustangs and not just Shelbys. Thanks!!!
Quote from: 6T6SHELBY on May 18, 2021, 08:07:52 PM
Checking for a friend - just wanted to make sure the gathering is open to all Mustangs and not just Shelbys. Thanks!!!
Absolutely! I'm bringing a '65 Mustang, and I asked a friend with a Pantera to come by.
Going to be a hot one tomorrow, sunscreen! Plenty of shade under the plane wings and the terminal is air-conditioned with plenty of places to sit and cool off. Upon arrival, those with trailers park on the left as soon as you enter airport grounds, please park and allow room for others as I have no clue how many cars are coming on trailers. After unloading, continue down the parking lot and then turn left at the end of the terminal building and enter thru the gate underneath the P-3C Orion. Museum volunteers and/or SAAC folks will help guide you through to park. Park by your favorite aircraft and please park two or more cars between the aircraft, and there will be plenty of room for all. No clue as to how many that might be, thinking maybe 20 cars or more? The cafe will be open for lunch, or bring your own. I will have coffee and donuts in the public room next to the cafe in the morning. I've asked for cars to be in place between 9:30-10am. At approximately 12:30-12:45 (hopefully) our newest acquisition OV-1 D Mohawk will be arriving at the airport to join our museum, will be very cool to see land and taxi near our planes and park for the day.
"Gonna be a good day Tatta". Lots of cars here and more coming.
I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their time and effort in putting this show on. We had a great time the location was perfect!!! Hopefully this will become an annual event.
Bill-Sincere thanks for hosting this event. Excellent venue! What a superb aviation museum! Huge turnout! Perfect car show weather! Wonderful seeing old friends again and making new ones. Hope the local folks enjoyed seeing our cars with the planes.
My Wife and I had a Super time today and also the Hickory Aviation Museum and the Staff was Absolutely Amazing, very knowledgeable and most were Veterans which made it even more Special!!
Rich & Carol
Had a great time today at the show. It was a great location and was very nice to park our cars next to the planes. My daughter followed me there in her 2008 Shelby for her first show with her car. It was good that my old Shelby was able to drive 80 + miles at 70/85 MPH at 2500/2800 rpm(thanks to the five speed trans). Looks like 11.5 MPG.
Got back at 3am and over slept this AM, someone post some pictures when you can.
Thanks
Bill
Yes, great day, thanks to Bill for setting this up. Someone should be posting pics soon.
Brian
Here are a few of the photos that I took with my iPhone. I know this is only a small representation of the cars that were there yesterday. More pictures to follow when I receive them. Fantastic show, perfect weather, great hosts from the airport museum, huge turnout. Such a nice facility that we'll have to do it again. The F-4 Phantom was my favorite plane. Thanks to Bill Baker for all his work behind the scenes to pull this off. Denny
More photos
Few more
Last ones
Thanks Denny! ;)
Thanks for organizing a nice event, it was nice to see old friends and meet new ones. I had a great time with my my son and son in law. It was a good balance of old and new Shelbys. I think we can all appreciate both. The planes gave good shade and I'm ready to do it again. I took a 65 #73 and my boy took a 2013 GT500 they both needed to be cranked and this gave us a good reason to get them out. Sorry We had to leave a little early to go to a wedding.
A few pictures
Photos
Photos 2
Photos 3
Even more photos
Thanks for the additional photos Ted!
WOW :o 8) looks like an awesome event, thanks for the pix.
Thanks for posting, hate I missed this...
Here's a few we took:
...and a few more:
Thanks for posting the pictures!
I'm still trying to figure out which '91-'93 SAAC car that is. I have a few ideas.
These 4 photos below were posted somewhere on Facebook (from an internet search) by the Hickory Aviation Museum.
We know I'm into the cars, but those planes are AWESOME!
That would be '92 SAAC MKI #001. Did you guess right?
Quote from: 6T6SHELBY on May 25, 2021, 02:51:19 PM
That would be '92 SAAC MKI #001. Did you guess right?
Thanks D, that was my top choice. ;D
Rich, you could always ask the SAAC Registrar what number car? ;D
I know we focus on the cars but we were at an "air" museum. In reply #48, the blue plane with the blue Cobra seems like something Carroll Shelby would build. It's a Curtiss XF15C-1 "Stingeree", an experimental conventional piston/propeller driven plane but with an added jet engine. One of only 3 built in 1945. This aircraft, the third and final prototype, has the distinction of being the very last aircraft manufactured for the US Navy by Curtiss.
http://nebula.wsimg.com/5b5e21a7fb5b1cb5f1e7d90857975e47?AccessKeyId=2158F2CB6BFA6619063B&disposition=0&alloworigin=1
The museum also has a Bell AH-1W "SuperCobra". How fitting.
http://nebula.wsimg.com/b32ad126262c08220ea186dfc4f6c8d6?AccessKeyId=2158F2CB6BFA6619063B&disposition=0&alloworigin=1
Ted,
Your KR looks fine. You did the KRs great.
Brad
I got this video sent to the museum Instagram page, what a fantastic production Craig Hanus did on the event, plus his YouTube page is pretty good with other content. It's about 11:30 long, and has a few pop up ads, just "skip ad" when prompted. Thanks to all who came out, I think it was a successful gathering and as always, there were lessons learned to improve on how to do this better. We are a "not for profit" museum, and the donation box was pretty full so thanks to everyone for dropping a few bucks in the box, plus having your cars there brought out the public who also helped fill the box. 100% of the donations go right back into the museum restorations and acquisitions of aircraft. Thanks again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs9QfhMBYJs
Great video