It’s been a rite of summer for decades. Just like fireworks, picnics, retreats to the lake and other traditions we enjoyed during those long hot days and cool nights. For Mopar® enthusiasts, the annual Carlisle Chrysler Nationals is a long-standing tradition. These ravenous fans of Dodge and Plymouth muscle cars and just about anything else that rolled off a Chrysler assembly line over the past 100 years schedule their summer around this event. And while the formula has been successful with year-after-year growth in show cars, swap meet vendors and attendees, the Carlisle staff never rests and looks at ways to keep the show fresh with fun activities that honor the iconic nameplates, milestones and brands that have made Mopar devotees the most loyal and diehard car fans on the planet.
For this year’s event, Carlisle will be celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Chrysler Brand with a special exhibit. “We are honored to team up with Frank Rhodes, who is the great grandson of Walter P. Chrysler, as well as the Walter P. Chrysler Club to bring you this once-in-a-lifetime celebration of the company that brings us all together each July. This gathering will include special displays, guests, seminars and more,” noted Ed Buczeskie, Show Manager at Carlisle Events. “Due to the anticipated size, we will be utilizing the Carlisle Expo Center located just across the street from Gate 3. This celebration will include everything under the Chrysler Corporation umbrella for over the last 100 years with an emphasis on the early history of the company. We plan to go beyond the cars and include military vehicles and other items produced by Chrysler over the years. The Chrysler 100 will be more than just a display, it will be the main theme of the event.” Because of this historic once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, Chrysler brand CEO Chris Feuell will be attending to acknowledge this momentous event.
Another way to change things up for this year’s show is a parade through downtown Carlisle on the evening of Saturday, July 12. This is the first time for Carlisle Events and the Downtown Carlisle Association to fully embrace the significance the car hobby has had on the local economy for over 30 years. The parade will be supported by the Walter P. Chrysler Club and is one of the unique ways they’ll be celebrating 100 years of the Chrysler brand. What’s nice is the parade is open to any vehicle built under the Chrysler brand, such as Dodge, Plymouth, Ram, Jeep® and DeSoto. Downtown Carlisle has not heard this much thunder rolling through their streets since the Civil War when Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart shelled the town, along with the Carlisle U.S. Army Barracks after facing resistance from the Union militia. “The parade is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time. This new event is a great way to bring the cars and the show excitement to the Carlisle community, while giving our show participants a chance to enjoy all that downtown Carlisle has to offer, including its shops, restaurants and history,” said Ed.
Not looking to stray too far from what has made the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals one of the premier Mopar events in the world, this year’s show will also highlight major Mopar milestones. One of these will be the 1964 ‘A864’ and 1965 ‘A990’ HEMI® Super Stock machines. These cars forever changed drag racing history and began a long tradition of Chrysler’s commitment to produce factory-built racecars and dominate the sport. Carlisle will have these historic HEMI engine-powered cars under a big tent on the show field. Everything from as-delivered Super Stockers to fully prepped racecars. This display is courtesy of the efforts of Kramer Automotive, American Racing Performance Museum, the Drag Race Hall of Fame and Harold LaPlatte. The display will be dedicated to the memory of Jim Hall, who was an integral member of the Golden Commandos racing team that campaigned HEMI and Max Wedge engine-powered Plymouths all over the country from 1963 to 1965.
Another highlight that’ll be recognized at this year’s Carlisle Chrysler Nationals will be the 1970 Plymouth AAR ’Cuda and Dodge T/A Challenger. With this being the 55th anniversary of Chrysler’s one-year effort in the Trans Am series, Chrysler built a limited number of street versions to homologate the package for SCCA. These cars with their unique front and rear spoilers, fiberglass hood, 340 Six Barrel/Six Pak engines and wild stripes, made more of an impact on the avenues and main streets of America than the race tracks. As part of the celebration, there will be seminars, Q&A sessions and special displays that will include cars, parts, literature and much more. If you’re a fan of these cool E-body Mopar vehicles, this is another great reason to attend this year’s show.
Along with special exhibits, the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals will have its vast show field of old and new school muscle cars, trucks, sport compacts and just about anything with Walter P. Chrysler’s DNA running through it. Spread among Carlisle’s lush green fairground, it’s quite a site to witness when a sea of multi-colored vehicles spanning decades of innovation, changing consumer tastes and trends. “The show field is a great way to see the cars up close and speak to the owners. Every car has an interesting story and many of our show participants document their car’s journey with paperwork and pictures,” said Ed, who himself is also an enthusiast who has a 1967 Plymouth Belvedere that he transplanted a modern GEN 3 HEMI engine into.
For those looking for current or obsolete parts for their Mopar projects, Carlisle’s enormous swap meet is legendary. From vintage sheet metal, grilles, taillights, seats, door panels, engine parts and just about anything else that was bolted on a Chrysler-produced vehicle for the past 60-70 years, chances are you’ll find it at this event. You can even shop for a cool Mopar project vehicle that’s in need of some TLC. There’s also tons of cool Mopar memorabilia for those looking to decorate their man cave. We’ve seen everything from old Chrysler/Plymouth and Dodge dealership outdoor signs, gas pumps and posters, along the rows and rows of swap meet vendors at Carlisle.
There’ll also be a few automotive celebrities at this year’s Carlisle Chrysler Nationals as Steve Dulcich of MotorTrend will be hanging out. We’re sure you remember Steve from hosting Roadkill Garage and Engine Masters. Steve was also the Tech Editor for Mopar Muscle magazine in the early part of his career. Look for Steve to do his Tech Seminar in the Hospitality Tent and afterwards will hang around and sign autographs.
Mopar drag racing legends Buddy Martin and Herb McCandless will also be at Carlisle doing a seminar about the golden era of Chrysler’s involvement in Super Stock and Pro Stock. Both Buddy and Herb will be signing autographs and taking selfies with fans.
Get it in gear and head to the 2025 Carlisle Chrysler Nationals. The dates are July 11-13 and once again it’ll be perfect for your yearly Mopar vacation and relaxing with fellow enthusiasts from around the world.
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