Alabama couple on mission to promote, preserve classic muscle cars
The 1970 Plymouth Superbird, one of 1,920 built so they could be raced on NASCAR speedways, on display in the Wellborn Musclecar Museum in Alexander City. Its pointed nose and wing allowed the car to surpass the 200 mph mark. (Scott Baker / Alabama Living)
Tim Wellborn has been making grand entrances wherever he goes for many years.
In the early 1980s, the Lineville High School building shook and classroom windows rattled every afternoon as he arrived in his 1970 Dodge Charger to pick up his sweetheart, Pam, as classes let out for the day.
The Wellborns outside their home with Tim’s father’s 1971 Hemi Charger. (Scott Baker / Alabama Living)
Together almost 40 years now, Tim and Pam Wellborn are still making their presence known, and often in that same vintage “muscle” car that Tim drove when they dated. That Charger R/T was not only a special ride for the young couple, but represented the beginning of Tim’s hobby of restoring old muscle cars, dabbling in occasional restorations and establishing their own muscle car museum in Alexander City.
The turning point into a true commitment occurred with a serendipitous event in the late 1990s on a sidewalk in New York City when he happened to meet Bob Lutz, who at the time was president and vice chairman of Chrysler. That chance encounter – over a similar wristwatch, of all things – led to a spontaneous lunch. There, Tim and Bob hatched a plan to display the Wellborns’ Dodge K&K car at several major car events throughout Europe. The car was made famous in the 1970 Grand National and the land speed record-breaking events at the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Chrysler provided an original 426 horsepower engine for the car. With the Wellborns as emissaries at the events, the car was overwhelmingly popular. This beginning of their muscle car-collecting careers may have been fortuitous, but the Wellborns’ rise in the car world was no accident.
Tim’s encyclopedic muscle car knowledge and Pam’s infectious personality make them a formidable car-collecting team. As perennial favorites at the Mecum Auction, the world’s largest collector car auction, they are sought out for their muscle car knowledge and entertaining style.
Likewise, the Wellborn name attached to or associated with a particular car can affirm the quality and increase the value of a car. Tim and Pam share their expertise and knowledge as longtime board members of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame at Talladega. While their muscle car collecting and promotion have made them a household name in the car-collecting world, their home base is in Alexander City, home of their Wellborn Musclecar Museum. Tucked away in a vintage car dealership, the museum is a testament to their commitment to preserving and promoting these high-performance vehicles.
On display, Tim said, is “a rotating collection of more than 85 fully restored and perfectly running muscle cars from model years 1968 to 1971.” That collection includes “Aerocars designed for NASCAR, Ford Boss Mustangs, GTOs, LS6 Chevelles, W30 Oldsmobiles, Buick GSX and Mopars, which showcase all of the major manufacturers of muscle machines of that era.”
The museum’s curator, Alton Freeman, shares interesting stories about the provenance of the cars or in-depth, technical factoids about engines, interiors and subtle year-to-year chassis modifications. Having been with the museum for several years, he’s also quick to entertain with anecdotes and heartfelt stories about the Wellborns’ connection to the cars.
The cars alone are enough to warrant a visit; however, the stroll back in time with the added benefit of the curator’s stories make it a truly memorable experience. For more information, visit wellbornmusclecarmuseum.com.
This story originally appeared in Alabama Living magazine.
Wellborn Musclecar Museum
256-329-8474
124 Broad St., Alexander City 35010
Hours: Saturday, 10 a.m. -3 p.m.; Sunday-Monday, closed; Tuesday-Friday, open by appointment only
Admission: adults, $11; children 7-17, $7; children 6 and younger, free
Private tours by appointment, $50 for one to five people; regular rates apply for each additional person. Large group (10 or more) inquiries welcome; contact the museum for discounted group admission rates. Email wellbornmusclecarmuseum@gmail.com or call 256-329-8474.
