The Return of the King…Mr. Norm’s new GSS Hemi Dart represents the 1960’s at 100th Chicago Auto Show

Grayslake, IL - February 2008 (For immediate release)

View the Full Photo Gallery of Mr. Norm's GSS HEMI Dart at the 2008 Chicago Auto Auto Show

Mr. Norm stages a Chicago homecoming as his new GSS HEMI Dart makes its 2008 Chicago Auto Show Debut. The 1968 GSS HEMI Dart has been chosen to represent the 1960’s in the 100 Years of the Chicago Auto Show display hosted by the Volo Auto Museum. “The Volo Auto Museum display, is located in the North building…” said Greg Grams, proprietor of the Lake County based auto museum. “Our educational display illustrates how much progress the industry and this show have made during the past 107 years.”

The decade of 1960 – 1969 will be illustrated by the 1968 GSS HEMI Dart with a 725 hp 528ci Hemi V8 developed by the Iconic “Mr. Norm” of Chicago’s Grand Spaulding Dodge fame. Norm Kraus and the Chicago automobile scene have been linked for more than 60 of those 100 years. In 1948 he began his automotive career selling used cars with his brother from a gas station their father Harvey owned, located at the corner of Grand and Spaulding in Chicago. The famous appellation "Mr Norm" first appeared, due to a space limitation in a newspaper ad selling performance oriented cars. The name stuck and Norm Kraus became "Mr. Norm."

The new Grand Spaulding Dodge showroom and service department was built in 1963. Tying in the performance theme that was established from the onset, the "Mr. Norm’s Sport Club" was started and the relationship with youthful performance purchasers was further developed. The first Clayton Chassis Dynamometer was installed in the service department and the dealership began selling "Mr. Norm’s" racing apparel. By 1965 Norm teamed up with Gary Dyer and began match racing with a factory altered wheel base Supercharged Hemi Dodge Coronet that changed the course of racing forever, laying the groundwork for what became the professional Funny Car Category.

Mr. Norm developed the first 383 Dart that became the prototype for the factory 383 Dart GTS in 1967. In 1968 Mr. Norm also developed the first 440 Dart GSS that became the prototype for the factory M Code 440 Dart GTS. Mr. Norm also sold the majority of the legendary Hurst/Campbell-built 1968 Hemi Darts. By this time Mr. Norm had well earned the honorary title of the “Hi-Performance King”

Many who grew up in Chicago during the 60’s will remember the “Get with the Go Group” jingle on WLS radio, the many "Mr. Norm’s" Sport Club social/dances with The Buckingham’s as feature music group took place at the dealership, hot summer nights spent hanging out in the Grand Spaulding Dodge dyno bay on South side of Chicago at 3300 West Grand Avenue.

If you are too young to have been in the bleachers to watch the Mr. Norm’s Super Charger dominate the factory backed Ramchargers on their home turf at Ubly Dragway in Michigan, you may have still witnessed many “Mr. Norm’s” vehicles crashing through Dixie Square Mall or piled up at the intersection of Illinois Routes 12 & 176, in Wauconda, IL in the film the "Blues Brothers". Grand Spaulding Dodge fleet department became so large in 1975 that it supplied many of the Chicago Police Department cars, as well as the Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Transportation and many municipalities. Special orders of police pursuit vehicles equipped with 440 Magnum V8 engines were dyno-tuned for maximum power.

It is particularly fitting that the Mr. Norm’s new Hemi GSS Dart has been chosen as the benchmark contribution of the 1960’s automotive history at the 100th Anniversary of the Chicago Auto Show. At age 72, Mr. Norm by have already received Hall of Fame Status and at least one Lifetime Achievement Award, but he is hardly content to rest on his laurels. Just like he did in 1968, Mr. Norm is once again revolutionizing the way performance vehicles are created and sold. The vehicle that will be on display is the pre-production prototype of the Limited Edition New GSS Series. These aren’t “continuation” or “tribute” cars, this is a new GSS program developed by Mr. Norm and his hand picked team.

Designed to blend the finest 21st century components and technology with classic muscle car style, this is the Hemi Dart that Mr. Norm would have offered in 1968 had the methods and products existed. The Mr. Norm’s GSS Hemi Dart exceeds the performance of the original in every category, making it a far superior vehicle. Amongst the notable features is a base 472 cubic-inch HEMI which makes street friendly 610hp on 91 octane pump gas. Each drive-train component, like the transmissions and rear-ends, are dyno tested to withstand up to 850hp to ensure they are able to take to punishment of even the biggest optional Hemi mill. This would be the all-aluminum 572 cubic inch Hemi headed monster which produces a mind bending 825 horsepower, also on everyday 91 unleaded.

Another note worthy aspect of this new GSS is the use of nearly zero body filler. Each of the 40 Limited Edition GSS Darts requires 400 hours of body prep and the use of leading-edge water-jet technology. This process means the body is stripped down to bare metal using a solution treated with a potent rust inhibitor. Each Dart is then painted in sealer, basecoat, intermediate tinted clear, final clearcoat layers, and then baked at 150 degrees for thirty minutes. Once final assembly is complete, each GSS is dyno-tuned, road tested and dialed in so its owner can enjoy hassle free performance. On the day of delivery, Mr. Norm himself will show up and present your new GSS. The customer is still king.

The 1968 GSS HEMI Dart being featured at the 100th Chicago Auto Show signals the return of the Hi-Performance King. The New GSS Dart itself marks the beginning of an entire line of classic GSS Performance Vehicles. Mr. Norm has also teamed up with noted custom vehicle designer Larry Weiner of Performance West Group and respected collectable automobile marketer Patrick Krook of Show Your Auto LLC to offer a limited edition series of 2008 Mr. Norm's Hemi Ram 1500 Super Trucks. The Super Truck promises to be the first of many modern Mr. Norm’s Super Cars.

Show Your Auto LLC is the exclusive retail sales agent for both the Mr. Norm’s GSS and Mr. Norm’s Super Car programs. For more information about Mr. Norm’s Performance Vehicles can be found at: MrNormsPerformance.com

Later this week, on October 19th we will be debuting the first production Mr. Norm’s Hemi GSS Dart at Mopar Collector's Guide- Mopars at the Mansion. If you are considering the purchase of a Mr. Norm's GSS Hemi Dart, this is your chance to see the first production model as it is being delivered to her owner (and it's a good excuse to go the Playboy Mansion). We will have a display table where you can meet the Mr. Norm's girl and get more info on the Mr. Norm's High Performace Vehicles. I will be flying in a day early on Thursday the 18th and a day late on Saturday 20th so any one in the LA area wants to meet, has cars they want me to look at, please let me know!

SEMA Show Las Vegas, October 20 – November 2, 2007 We will be in October 30-31 to unveil the ultra-limited edition 2008 Mr. Norms Super Truck at the Sony Booth. These are brand new sport trucks based on the 1500 Series Ram. Only 100 will be produced and Show Your Auto is the exclusive retail outlet for this and any other Mr. Norm's Performance Vehicle's to come. I will also be attending the Lateral-G.net Benefit SEMA Party for fun and networking. All funds raised will be given to charity; the Las Vegas First Church of Nazarene, Pinerock Camp for Kids. The goal is to raise at least $5,000.00 for the kids. Let me know if you are going to be at either venue so we can meet up!

Over the past year we've seen buyers become more discerning about their muscle car purchases, making them more out from the investment side of the hobby side of the piggy bank. As prices continued to climb in 2005 and 2006 for "no excuses" vehicles, bigger checks have been increasingly harder to write for the common collector, each of them grumbling about the "Barrett Jackson Effect".

2007’s Barrett Jackson saw only a few big players buying muscle cars. Mopar prices are dying down, with gavel prices nearly in line with private party sales we’ve seen in the last year. That said, Ford was the principal sponsor of the event and Carroll Shelby bringing the Super Snake Cobra and primetime charity auctions, created a potent admixture for Mustangs to draw the most attention and the biggest money. The triple white 1970 Shelby GT500 Convertible offered here on Show Your Auto sold at prime time on Saturday at a gavel price of $230,000, final settlement of $253,000, that was the top price for Shelby Mustangs. Boss 429’s and Boss 302’s made a strong showing, Shelby Mustangs seem to also have held their own. While most everything else seemed to be coming down, be prepared to pay top dollar on the general market for a Boss 429.

One 1969 Boss 429 brought extraordinary money, more than $600,000. This car is #43, one of the first 50 hand built ‘S’ motor Boss 429’s. These hand built 429’s had more than 20 unique elements, not found the rest of the production run, according to Ed Meyer, Boss 429 Aficionado, restorer, and seller of this Candy Apple Red “Semi Hemi”. This example is regarded in the community as the most remarkable and most factory original and correct Boss 429 known to exist. No small statement. Ed knows his stuff and is maniacal about the details. Combine the significance of this particular car, along with the fact that it was also on display during the VIP banquet when the auction house realized that a couple of well healed buyer each had their eye on it, you can say the Barrett-Jackson did their job to set the stage for a world class bidding war. So, does that mean the next Boss 429 you see on eBay is worth $600k? No, not even close.

"2006 also marks the 40th Anniversary of the Shelby American Team victories at the 24 Hours of LeMans, 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1966.

Lead by Carroll Shelby this years special guests include:

Bob Bondurant - 1964 Le Mans GT class winner and 1965 F.I.A. World Championship driver
Phil Remington - Director of R and D at Shelby American
Jack Sears - Shelby American Team and 1965 F.I.A. World Championship driver
Tom Yaeger - Shelby American Team member
Chuck Cantwell - Shelby American Team member & GT350 Project Manager
Lew Spencer - Shelby American Team driver

This isn't one of those snooty noses in the air things. No doubt, these people have money, hell the going price for a 1967 427 S/C is 1 million plus these days. Every time I've been to a Shelby event, I've been greeted by warm, down to earth folks.

It took everything I had NOT to act like a star struck teenager [insert stock footage of shaking, screaming girl at Beatles Concert here]. These characters are some of my real life heroes.

These guys are known throughout the automotive world for the legacy they created in the Shelby Cobra, GT40, and the Shelby Mustangs. I found talking to Jack Sears, Chuck Cantwell, Bob Bondurant, and Phil Remington in particular most remarkable. Each one of them expressed that they had no idea that their accomplishments would've the impact on American car culture that it has, nor did they set out to create the commercial success that the Shelby name is today. They were just a bunch of young guys with a fire in their belly and the talent in their bones to get the job done, damn the rest of it. That is how I want to live. Granted, the opportunities for me to shine in the world of automobiles are more limited, my talents and training have prepared me to sell stuff, not wrench or race, sad as it may seem.

The best I can do is honor their accomplishments by building a sales process that respects the history, the hobby, and the personal passion each guy who comes to me looking to buy or sell a Shelby. The reality is this, a Cobra would be worth a million bucks today if the feats of these men whom I met this weekend did not resonate at a gut level with all of us: Carroll Shelby was an underdog with an unwavering vision, a heaping amount of swagger, and an eye for talent spoke truth to power: "Ferraris ass is mine!"

Here's the thing, in my mind, there is a difference between people who are "famous for being famous" and those who have earned notoriety by doing something truly remarkable. These guys are the genuine article and do so with a humble and unassuming demeanor. That, to me, is true greatness.

During the dinner and day after I had a chance to interact with each of these men. I'll do a little "bloglette" of each of those conversations and what a took from them. It was an intense weekend!

The night began standing inline at the hotel while 183 (only 100 were requested) "rented girls" loaded up on shuttle vans while men who had paid $500 to $750 bucks a piece stood around staring at their shoes. That would have been fine if the girls, show all showed up drunk, also crowded the bars at the mansion instead of mingling with aforementioned car guys. The result, more shoe staring, more waiting for drunk women young enough to be daughters, not dates, blocking the bar, loccking themsleves in the bathroom with the bartenders (that is another story all together).

Celeb sightings: Dwayne and the Boyd Coddington Crew from American HotRod holding court with camera crew in tow. I chose not to talk with them in honor of their contribution to the hobby. Building art in motion should be spiritual experience, not a frat prank, pissed-off, "we hate our life and yours too" look at the corporate approach to building cars...

Clueless Actor- The tall gangly guy from Crossing Jordan chatted me up. I asked if he was into Mopars. His tough tied up in knots and mumbled something like, "I'm just here for the party." and slunk away. I didn't mean to put him on the spot, but oh well.

I was chatting with some dude who was all decked out in tight leather rock'n'roll gear and big hair, goes by the name Ricky. We rapped for about 45 minutes, hanging out appreciating and unrestored 440 SIX Pack Challenger RTSE owned by a Playboy Butler. I later was informed that "Ricky" was Ricky Rocket, drummer of Poison. Granted, I wasn't a girl when I was 12, so I didn't follow the band, but it was cool to know that "Ricky" came off as an approachable "regular guy".

I am truly a car geek. At 10:30pm all the guys who paid $500 buck to get in finally felt like they were getting the price of admission when a few of the girls took a dip into the pool to take their tops off. I took this opportunity to go back to the automobile display area (now devoid of people) to more closely admire the cars and take snapshots of each of the cars. Car pics are my porn!