1984 Mopar Nationals

[Imperial One]

I think she may have actually gotten MORE attractive over the years!

Or there may be something going on with your eyesight.

 

[moparedtn]

1981. My '67 GTX may have passed the "Pace" van as well.

I have a great story about that day....well, I've probably already told it on here somewheres....

 

[moparedtn]

Or there may be something going on with your eyesight.

Nope, actually just had them checked and they're the best they've been in decades!
In fact, one had lost most of its' astigmatism, as if by magic...
only to find out, cataracts have started in it and it's actually helping things for now....
ah, getting old.

 

[69 GeeTeeX]

You are right.

1981-Chelsea, Michigan, Chrysler Proving Grounds/Milan Dragway: 500 cars, 1,500 participants, and seven vendors-five of which are still with us today. The event was closed to the public because of its location. It was the first event of its kind, with Mopar car clubs across the country invited to attend. Since it was a gathering of Mopar car clubs, it came to be known as the Chrysler Car Club Convention. Direct Connection served as the sponsor. Car judging and drag racing were the highlights of the event, along with individual car clubs and certain car lines posing for pictures on the high-bank oval.

1982-St. Louis, Missouri, Mid-America Race Track: 500 cars, 1,000 attendees. The Scat Pack Club, National Hemi Owners, and SIAC clubs combine efforts to produce the event. The car show and small swap meet were held in the hotel parking lot, with the racing activities held at Mid-America Raceway.

1983 - Chelsea, Michigan, Chrysler Proving Grounds/Milan Dragway: 1,200 cars, 1,500 participants. For the first time, the drag racing portion of the event is open to the public, and the show debuts the name Mopar Nationals. Carrol Shelby is the guest speaker, along with the original members of the RamChargers and designers of the NASCAR Wing cars. Debut of the Shelby Charger 2.2., track tours, autocross, and drag racing are the event activities, plus an organized photo session on the high-bank oval featuring same body/models shot at one time: AAR/T/As, Daytona- Superbirds, Hemi power, B-Bodies, and A-Bodies. Twenty-seven car clubs participate. The Dodge Daytona and Chrysler Laser debut.

1984-Indianapolis, Indiana, Indy 500 Track: 1,500 cars, 4,000 participants. Produced by the newly formed Chrysler Car Club Council. Midway and swap meet grow in size and are located across from the track, while parade laps and show and shine are held inside the infield of the Indy 500 Track. Miss Direct Connection and Chrysler concept cars are in attendance. They had a showing of the Shirley Muldowney movie, Heart like a Wheel, and a Herb McCandless seminar. This was the only year drag racing was not held in conjunction with the event. We learned our lesson, drag racing had to be a part of the Nats.

1985-Chelsea, Michigan, Chrysler Proving Grounds/Milan Dragway: 1,850 cars, 9,000 participants. The Nats debuts the Grand Prize give-away car-a '69 Plymouth Road Runner-night cruising, exclusive Mopar-only drive-in with the movie Christine showing.

Information extracted from this article chronicling 25 years of the Mopar National:

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/mopp-0508-2005-mopar-nationals/

I grew up in Chelsea and graduated from Chelsea High School in 1984. Very small town back then and when the nationals came to the Chrysler proving grounds they took over the town. Very good memories and good times!! I had a 1969 GTX back then and still own it today along with a couple other collector cars.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Here's a list of the locations and dates of the Mopar Nats....

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/mopp-0508-2005-mopar-nationals/

 

[Budnicks]

 

[Budnicks]

 

[Budnicks]

not sure who's Daytona, that was
but her photo by it
was pretty well used/recognized

 

[Budnicks]

Michelle Pfeiffer wasn't no slouch either
about the very same time era,

when she did 'Hollywood Knights' movie

 

[Mopars & Missiles]

View attachment 1061622

That's Suzanne on that poster, maybe you mistook her for Claudia?? IDK, just wondered. Suzanne is a redhead and was on the '83 DC poster as well as the one you posted above which I believe is from '85.

'79 is DeDe (not Nicki, don't know where I came up with that name? DOH!)
'80 is Kimberly
'81 is Stephanie
'82 is Natalie
'83 is Suzanne
'84 is Claudia
'85 is Suzanne (again)
'86 was ??
'87 is Maureen

I have '81,'82,'83,'84,'85 & '87 posters hanging in the shop. Still looking for '79,'80, & '86 posters, evidently not easily available though anymore.

Above: DeDe (1979) on the left, Kimberly (1980) on the right.

1981 through 1984 DC girl posters.

 

[TiMopar]

View attachment 1061625

not sure who's Daytona, that was
but her photo by it
was pretty well used/recognized
View attachment 1061626

That Daytona belonged to Monroe Schellinger ( please forgive me if misspelled), founder of the Daytona Superbird auto club.

 

[69ChargerR/TSE]

View attachment 1060564

"Claudia" - Miss Direct Connection 1984. I remember owning this poster. It looks like you can still buy this poster at Mancini Racing!

Not bad for

I found more of Claudia Abel, (Miss Direct Connection 1984) over on Allpar. These photos are from 2014 as well, one from the Mopar Nats, and the other from Michigan International Speedway (I am not the lucky guy with Claudia).

View attachment 1060965

View attachment 1060966

she’s amazing at 61

 

[Nxcoupe]

I also remember the first time in Columbus, driving into the motel parking lot and there were three guys sitting in lawn chairs holding up score cards like the olympics, as the cars idled by.

Which hotel? That was probably me. We also did that for women walking by.

 

[qkcuda]

Which hotel? That was probably me. We also did that for women walking by.

Can't remember that was a long time ago. I do remember that it was on Brice Road.

 

[Bee1971]

Was there even 500 cars last year - I went back in 2017 plus 2021 and , well , was hoping and praying

Didn’t realize it was in Indy for four years in a row , why did it move to Indy in the 90s ? , don’t remember honestly , but it knocked off some hours of driving time - We started going in 1992 and I swore I would never miss another

Well that ended around 2012 if I remember - What a run

Some of the greatest times , Just pulling into Columbus on Thursday like a kid on Christmas Day waiting to spot that first Mopar - Brice Road until 2AM , up at 5AM for breakfast , head to the track for 7- 8AM , park in the free parking field walk across the bridge and enter the grass for the judged show cars and clubs - Walk around in the humidity and 95 degree heat until 5 or 6 PM , try to get in some drag racing just to sit for a bit , get a quick shower before heading to Brice Road for a parking spot - Start the process again

Do it all over again the next day
Could never get enough

 

[Nxcoupe]

Was there even 500 cars last year - I went back in 2017 plus 2021 and , well , was hoping and praying

Didn’t realize it was in Indy for four years in a row , why did it move to Indy in the 90s ? , don’t remember honestly , but it knocked off some hours of driving time - We started going in 1992 and I swore I would never miss another

Well that ended around 2012 if I remember - What a run

Some of the greatest times , Just pulling into Columbus on Thursday like a kid on Christmas Day waiting to spot that first Mopar - Brice Road until 2AM , up at 5AM for breakfast , head to the track for 7- 8AM , park in the free parking field walk across the bridge and enter the grass for the judged show cars and clubs - Walk around in the humidity and 95 degree heat until 5 or 6 PM , try to get in some drag racing just to sit for a bit , get a quick shower before heading to Brice Road for a parking spot - Start the process again

Do it all over again the next day
Could never get enough

Yep, those were the days. I stopped going in the 90s, the people had changed, it just sucked for me, personally. I'm back into it now and have friends that go with me and met new friends from this board as well. I went the past two years and it was a lot of fun. I'm back to looking for parts and picking up new stuff I need. I know there were well over 500 cars there, probably more like 1000 or more.

 

[Nxcoupe]

Can't remember that was a long time ago. I do remember that it was on Brice Road.

Yep, prob me and some friends, Jeff Johnson being one of them. We were all part of the AAR and TA club.

 

[Bee1971]

Yep, those were the days. I stopped going in the 90s, the people had changed, it just sucked for me, personally. I'm back into it now and have friends that go with me and met new friends from this board as well. I went the past two years and it was a lot of fun. I'm back to looking for parts and picking up new stuff I need. I know there were well over 500 cars there, probably more like 1000 or more.

We went to Carlisle last year - Man what a show - But then you miss the aspect of Drag Racing and Car Cruising - The grounds are incredible along with the cars and swap - B Body club tent and people where so friendly and downright awesome , such a great job putting that together . Such a long drive - Thinking of flying this year , especially on how much I spent on gas last year

Mopar Nationals , man what a change - Especially on what used to be the judged show on the other side of the track that is now weeds and parking

Then the non existent midway and grounds blah blah blah

It is what it is - Times a changing changed for sure

 

[qkcuda]

Yep, prob me and some friends, Jeff Johnson being one of them. We were all part of the AAR and TA club.

This is the car I rolled through in back then. It had a fairly healthy cam in it sounded pretty good at idle. Drove it 8 hours there, raced it for the weekend, and drove it 8 hours back home

 

[Nxcoupe]

This is the car I rolled through in back then. It had a fairly healthy cam in it sounded pretty good at idle. Drove it 8 hours there, raced it for the weekend, and drove it 8 hours back home

View attachment 1478817

That's cool! I drove pretty much everything I took up there. Those were the days. They were just cool old cars, now they are 'investments'