Classic Car Show Off At The Sacramento International Auto Show

In the 1960s, very few cars evoked the term “muscle car” like the Chevrolet Camaro. Built to compete with the runaway success of Ford’s Mustang, the Camaro was an instant hit when introduced for the 1967 model year and is still going strong in its fifth generation.

The Camaro Generations club will have a variety of classics on display at the Sacramento International Auto Show, including a 1969 model that was featured in the national publication “Muscle Car Review.”

Members of the Generations club own about 15 original ’67 models, including one whose owner purchased his brand new and has held on to it for 44 years now.  

But president Chip Strnad was quick to point out that Camaro Generations members live up to their club’s name by showing up with classic and contemporary models. “Quite a few of our members have new Camaros,” he said. “They’re very popular.”

The Golden Hills Mustang Club will have a dozen of their prized Fords on display in Building C, including a personal favorite of the Say Hey Kid, Hall of Fame baseball player Willie Mays.

The smoke silver colored 1964 Mustang convertible was hand-picked by Mays to parade him around Candlestick Park when the San Francisco Giants presented their All-Time team in 1999.

Among the other classics in the exhibit will be an exotic 1970 Boss 429 - yes, it has a hemi in it - one of only 859 ever created. There will also be a ’68 Shelby GT-500 KR convertible on display. The KR is short for “King of the Road,” and when you get a look at this jewel of a muscle car up close you’ll see that the moniker applies.

And there’ll be two display favorites on the floor: a 1967 gas-powered Mustang Junior, a miniature “go-kart” model, and a ’65 AMF Mustang Peddle Car that was available for kids for $12.95 in its day. An original today will set you back around $1,250.