Sure, Colorado is one of the truly great states, boasting a careful balance of big-city progression, spectacular scenery, and outdoor sporting fun. In fact, it's one of my favorite places to vacation, having floated down the Colorado River with a guide on a week-long fly-fishing trip, and after enjoying a short time in Aspen, followed by an impressive sampling of Denver cuisine. All over-the-top experiences I will never forget, none compare to viewing the Shelby American Collection at the Shelby Museum in Boulder.
Open to the general public only on Saturdays, you'll want to plan a weekend trip that way if you are ever in the vicinity, and by vicinity I mean that if you have to spend a day driving to get there (and another to get back), you're sure to still be impressed.
Yes, it's that good.
With some of the most famous Shelby American cars ever built on display, the Shelby American Collection takes you down memory lane where you learn about the rich history of Shelby American. This includes automobilia from years past, an array of tools and tributes to some of the biggest names in the industry.
Also noteworthy, you can browse the collection by selecting a vehicle type and serial number on the left. Museum hours are 10am to 4pm Saturday and admission to the museum is $5.00.
For those of you looking for a real holiday treat, you may want to make plans to attend the Eleventh Anniversary of the Shelby American Collection Holiday 2007 Holiday party, which celebrates Carroll Shelby's many years of success in the industry and his countless contributions to the sport.
This year, the Shelby American Collection will feature the magnificent 427-powered GT40 Mk II driven by Ken Miles and Denis Hulme to second place in the three-car sweep of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966. The GT40 won first, while the GT40 of Ronnie Bucknam and Dick Hutcherson captured third in one of the closest finishes in the history of the endurance classic.
Rumor has it that a life-size bronze of Shelby will be unveiled at the event and this year's commemorative poster is an original created by renowned automobile artist Bill Neale.
Also attending will be Bob Bondurant, 1964 Le Mans GT class winner and 1965 F.I.A. World Championship driver; Tom Yeager, Shelby American Team member; Phil Remington, R&D Director; and Bill Neale, creator of this year's commemorative museum poster.
The holiday celebration is slated for Saturday, December 1, 2007 from 6pm to 11pm. Admission to the event is $125 and this includes one of Neale's museum posters. A limited number of autograph session will be available at the Museum for $75 each, according to organizers. This year's party will feature a silent auction of Shelby American memorabilia.
The party is the non-profit organization's only fund-raising event of the year. To purchase your ticket to the event, go to:
http://shelbyamericancollection.org/collection.html
