Masterpiece party to honor Shelbys
Organizers of the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d’Elegance have invited a host of superlative vehicles from the original muscle car era — and a noteworthy whippersnapper from today’s muscle car resurgence — to a 50th birthday bash for the Shelby GT350.
Colin Comer of River Hills says his GT350, which features its original drivetrain and all of its original Shelby/Paxton components, was restored under the guidance of experts acquainted with 1967 models. They must have done a good job, because it’s won several Shelby American Automobile Club and Motor Club of America awards, appeared on the cover of Muscle Car Enthusiast—and got invited to the annual Masterpiece Concours d’Elegance here, which is a by-invitation-only event.
The Masterpiece is set for Aug. 22-23 at Veterans Park on Milwaukee’s lakefront. The first day of the event is Club Day, in which local classic car owners show off their motorized pride and joy. The by invitation Concours is on Sunday, and will feature rare and special autos of all eras, and from around the nation.
The show raises money for the Autism Society of Southeast Wisconsin, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee and Meta House, a residential substance abuse treatment facility for women. Last year, The Masterpiece Ltd. distributed $37,000 to the three organizations.
Among this year’s sponsors are JACK SAFRO’S Brookfield and North Shore Lexus stores, which helped bring a racy locally owned Lexus LFA to the Masterpiece. Gina Safro-Resch, marketing director for the Jack Safro Automotive Group, said the LFA that will be at the show was among the first of the limited-edition, hand-built super cars Lexus produced.
“We’re always looking for ways to reach the masses of people who appreciate the art of the automobile,” Safro-Resch said. “We’re also always looking for ways to give back to our communities through donations and sponsorships.”
LFAs were only sold during 2009 and ’10, while Ford Mustang-based Shelby GT’s run lasted from 1965 to 1970. Joining the birthday party, and demonstrating how gracefully great vehicles can age if they keep in shape, will be two Oldsmobile 4-42s, which are souped-up versions of the Olds Cutlass, owned by Mark Bednar of Burlington.
“Muscle cars are coming back because everyone likes powerful, fast, cool-looking cars,” Bednar said. Though he owns two present-day muscle cars — a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro and a 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat — he said the originals hold a special place in his heart. “I bought my first 4-4-2 when I was 18,” he said. “I traded it in five years later for, of all things, a Cutlass Salon to drive back and forth to work.”
After he retired, Bednar said he started looking for 4-4-2s to collect. Two specimens he found, a black ’69 W-30 4-42 convertible and a ’70 in Aegean Aqua, will be in the Masterpiece’s Sunday lineup.
The aqua 4-4-2 is one of only four 1970 convertibles in the special-order color still known to exist in the U.S., Bednar said. It had several owners, but was meticulously and faithfully restored a few years ago.
Olds built only 91 convertibles with four speed gearboxes in ’69, and Bednar has the dealer invoice, broadcast card and cancelled receipt from date of purchase. He said that with an odometer reading of merely 40 original miles, it may be the last surviving black one.
Bednar said the condition of the cars, the documentation, the matching bodies and engines and the thoroughly researched provenance of the muscle cars led to the
invitation from ,asterpiece oryanizers.
,asterpiece spokeswoman Beverly Jurkowski noted that the show will feature a lot more than muscle cars. For example, a St. Paul, ,inn., man will display a restored, all-oriyinal 1928 Gardner ,odel 85 Sport Roadster that was manufactured in St. Louis and spent part of its lony life in Racine. Several other classics, includiny a 1951 Porsche 356 coupe and a handful of boats datiny as far back as 1920, also are on the docket for this year.
The two-day schedule of events includes:
• Club Saturday at the C, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., is a casual show open to anyone who wants to show off their vehicle and compete for People’s Choice, Judye’s Choice and Sponsor’s awards. Reyistration requires a $25 taxdeductible donation. Last year, Club Saturday drew more than 300 vehicles
• The 2015 Cil4aukee Casterpiece Style & Speed Social, which includes appetizers, beverages and a silent auction, is set for 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Blue Mound Golf and Country Club in Wauwatosa. Tickets are $110 per person, a portion of which is tax deductible.
• Subday’s Cobcours d’Elegance runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Tickets cab be ,urchased at Milwaukeemasterpiece.com at $25 per person for two days or $15 for Sunday only.