Muscle car museum to liquidate its 200-car collection

After a little more than a decade, Rick Treworgy’s Muscle Car City Museum in Punta Gorda, Fla., is closing. Its 200-plus cars and walls of automobilia will be sold Jan. 22-23 by Mecum Auctions. The sale will come right after Mecum’s gavels have cooled following its giant Kissimmee, Fla., sale, held Jan. 7-16.

According to a previously published article in Old Cars (https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/more-muscle-on-thebeach), Rick Treworgy’s Muscle Car City Museum opened on March 1, 2009, following decades of privately collecting cars. After regularly showing his collection to small groups, Treworgy decided to make his collection a destination for the public. The museum is housed in a former Walmart store, and most of the vehicles within it are General Motors products.

Reportedly, Treworgy planned to retire soon, but the pandemic took a toll on admissions and accelerated the decision to close the museum.

To be offered at no reserved by Mecum are at least 20 Camaros, most of them first-gen models highlighted by 1967-’69 Z28s and two COPO 427 cars, one of which is an original Berger car. There are 17 Chevelles, many of them Super Sports and one of them a 1965 Chevelle Malibu SS Z16 with the 396. Half a dozen cars in the museum are Pontiac GTOs with a 1969 Trans Am for good measure. There are also several examples of the Olds 4-4-2 and the Chevy II Nova.

Treworgy clearly liked Chevrolets and there are a surprising number of vintage Chevrolet trucks and prewar Chevrolets in the collection, as well as many Tri-Chevys and Impala and Impala SS models. Dozens of Corvettes from 1954 to the 2000s also make up the collection.

The auction will be held at the museum. For a list of cars and additional details, go to https://www.mecum.com/auctions/punta-gorda-2021/lots/

1954 Chevrolet Corvette in Pennant Blue is one of the 200-plus cars from the Muscle Car City Museum in Punta Gorda, Fla., that is selling at no reserve. Mecum Auctions

One of two COPO 1969 Camaros, this example has the 425-hp 427 and is documented as being originally sold by Berger Chevrolet. Mecum Auctions

A 375-hp 1969 Chevelle SS 396 to be offered from the Muscle Car City Museum. All vehicles in the museum are selling at no reserve. Mecum Auctions

Dual four barrels became optional on full-size Chevys later in the 1956 model year, and this Bel Air Sport Coupe is so equipped. Mecum Auctions

Extremely rare 1967 Camaro Z28 is touted as an unrestored original. Mecum Auctions

1965 Chevelle Malibu SS is one of the rare Z16 versions with Chevy’s new 396-cid engine. Just 201 were built. (Mecum Auctions photo)

Full-size muscle is well-represented in the collection and includes this 1968 Impala SS 427 convertible. Mecum Auctions

Although touted as a muscle car museum, there are many prewar Chevrolet cars and trucks in the collection including this 1935 pickup truck; the collection also touts a very rare first-year Suburban. Mecum Auctions