Admittedly, I’m a little jaded when it comes to car shows. Maybe it’s a byproduct of making your passion your career, but having attended hundreds upon hundreds of meets, shows and other massive gatherings, but man, it’s really hard to find one event that stands out among the crowd. And while there are certainly larger events and shows with more flash and flare, there are few (if any) Mopar events that are packed with more heartfelt dedication than the Music City Mopar Club’s All-Mopar Show & Swap Meet.

First established back in 1990 by a small group Mopar enthusiasts in and around the Middle Tennessee area, this group of friends were dedicated to the restoration, preservation, and promotion of Chrysler products, and have put on its annual show (come rain or shine) for 30 years now. Taking up the show field at the Wilson County Fairgrounds in Lebanon, TN, the MCMC All-Mopar Show & Swap Meet welcomes hundreds of cars and their owners to browse the rows of Mopar iron, grab a hamburger and maybe find a deal on a much-needed part.

In recent years, the All-Mopar Show & Swap Meet has also paired with the Big Easy New Orleans Mopar club to provide authentic Cajun food on Friday evening with a “Kruzin’ at The Cruise-In” drive to a local ice cream shop for desert. Equally, the All-Mopar Show & Swap Meet has welcomed “Mr. 4-Speed” himself, Herb McCandless to give a live discussion and technical Q&A session on Saturday afternoon. Yet, the biggest draw is also it’s most unique: true national-level car class judging and trophies.

Unlike other national events that offer arbitrary judging cast by general car enthusiasts, or worst yet, the spectators, the MCMC All-Mopar Show & Swap Meet employs the same judging team from the Mopar Nationals (“The Nats”) to pour over every inch of your entry, providing a detailed review of the car, whether you’ve built a as-new factory-correct build or a period-fitting Day 2 modified build. For those looking to truly have their Mopar – new or old – judged by the best, the All-Mopar Show is the only show East of the Mississippi to offer it.

Without a running project car, I decided to load up the bed of the shop truck and see if I could sell some old clutter that was filling the shelves in my garage. Joined with the Mopar Connection Shadetree Garage shop dog Ruca, I set up camp and watched all the beauties roll down the show field’s center lane. In fact, I mused that I had the best seat in the show; as every entry had to pass by as I sat in the shade of my tent. And yes, I was more than happy to off-load some original ignition parts and the rotted-out dash from ZomBEE.

Celebrating both the Dodge Charger Daytona and the wild A12-code Road Runners and Super Bees, this year’s MCMC All-Mopar Show & Swap Meet was a real treat. There’s a difference between a show put on by true dyed-in-the-wool Mopar lovers and that, say from an organization just looking to make a buck – and if you’re more of the prior, like I am, you’ll love the All-Mopar Show & Swap Meet, which happens every late-September. Until next year, browse these pictures and start getting the bug to join the fun in 2020.

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