The 15th Annual Unique Motorcars' Homecoming Celebration took place a couple of weeks earlier than it did last year. There was some sort of scheduling conflict with another automotive event. No worries. That simply gave KIT CAR the excuse to head out to Gadsden, Alabama, when the temperatures aren't so Southeast U.S. sultry and sticky.
Our flight arrived in Alabama soon enough to scramble to the rent-a-car agency, pick up our temporary wheels, and race out to Gadsden for a Southern catfish fry at a local restaurant on the Thursday evening prior to the festivities. By saving me a seat at the same table as brothers Maurice and Alan Weaver, Unique's talented owners, they showed KC's editor the sort of Southern etiquette that is a hallmark of Southeastern U.S. hospitality. Electing to have the catfish grilled Cajun-style was a smart move. We had a built-in reason for eating more hush puppies without feeling too guilty. There were upwards of 60 people who attended the Thursday-night catfish fry, which portended well for the Homecoming the next two days.
Sure enough, Friday's visit to the Unique Motorcars' headquarters was jam-packed with Unique 289FIA, 427SC, '36, and '35 Ford cabriolet replicas and their owners, not to mention many more prospective customers of the Unique Motorcars offerings. The first several hours, we snapped a multitude of photos and visited with many of the great folks we'd met at last year's event.
Everyone went to the nearby mountains at Noccalula Falls that evening for a barbecue dinner within the Kiwanis Clubhouse. Three awards were handed out after the barbecue feast. Bob and Brian Carlson of Rogers, Arkansas, won Favorite 289. Lou and Theresa Sicurezza of Marietta, Georgia, had a Unique 427SC that earned Favorite 427. Yet again this year, the People's Choice award went to Rick Bagley for his 427SC.
The small-block Ford mill...
The small-block Ford mill that powers Kent Berry's 289FIA is fed with a quartet of Weber two-barrel carbs. Cool, daddy! Kent's car was also in the lead photo.
Saturday is typically when all the celebrants take a nice cruise throughout the Gadsden and surrounding Alabama countryside. Unfortunately, we all awoke that morning to some fairly heavy showers and thunderstorms. We waited out the weather and were rewarded with afternoon sunshine, crystal clear rain-drenched skies, and temperatures in the 60s. We had more than enough time to take a 60-mile cruise before the last supper celebration at Villa Fiesta that night.
The big highlight of the event for KC's editor was getting to partake in the shortened cruise as the driver of a scintillating 400hp Unique 289 roadster. Though constructed over 10 years ago, the Cobra drove as if it had been freshly finished and fully road tested, which was no surprise to us. Unique Motorcars has been building replica Cobras since 1977. It has more experience building these replicas than the company that built the original cars, if you think about it. Of course, without the gentleman who concocted the cars from 1962 through 1967, there wouldn't have been any replicas. So, thanks to you too, Mr. Shelby, for imagining and creating these fabulous machines.
After enjoying the afternoon in such an iconic racing time machine, the dinner at Villa Fiesta was tremendously tasty, but a bit anticlimactic. We all reminisced about the good times we had enjoying each other's company and this great automotive enthusiast hobby that we share.
Back at the Hampton Inn host hotel parking lot, somehow we missed the annual embarrassing personal moments discussion/tailgating session, which was just as well. Last year's personal embarrassing stories will probably be etched on everyone's brain cells for some time to come.
For more coverage of the 15th Annual Unique Motorcars' Homecoming Celebration, visit www.kitcarmag.com. Should you wish to learn more about the stunning replicas that Unique Motorcars creates, visit www.uniquemotorcars.com.
 Voted on by all Unique Homecoming...  Voted on by all Unique Homecoming participants, Lou and Theresa Sicurezza's roadster was the Favorite 427SC. That's Theresa and Lou, of Marietta, GA, sitting behind their black beauty. |  Several years ago, Ralph Long's...  Several years ago, Ralph Long's Unique 427SC was featured in KC. His roadster still looks like it just came out of the paint booth. |  The father and son team of...  The father and son team of Bill and Brian Carlson, of Rogers, AR, built a beautiful 289FIA. According to the homecoming crowd, it won Favorite 289. |
 Newton, NJ, is home for this...  Newton, NJ, is home for this Ford Red Fire Metallic Unique 427SC. It's owned by Dave and Sandy Betts and has a fire-breathing 427ci Ford side oiler V-8 under the bonnet. |  |  Friday evening all the Unique...  Friday evening all the Unique Motorcars Homecoming participants parked their racy rides within the Noccalula Falls parking lot, adjacent to where we'd be eating a delicious barbecue dinner within the Kiwanis Clubhouse. |
 The owners of that red rookie-striped,...  The owners of that red rookie-striped, white meatball-equipped and navy blue Unique 289FIA, father Bob and son Brian Carlson, inspected someone's sweet Unique roadster while waiting for the barbecue dinner to start within the Kiwanis Clubhouse at Noccalula Falls. |  |  Alan Slide, of Flowery Branch,...  Alan Slide, of Flowery Branch, GA, is so proud of his freshly finished DuPont Hot Hues Blue Unique Motorcars 427SC, he presented the Weavers with a framed multi-photo depiction of rockets being launched. Alan works for the United Launch Alliance. The ULA combines the Delta and Atlas rocket programs of Boeing and Lockheed Martin and provides world-class space launch services for the U.S. government at a lower cost. The Weavers let KC's editor drive the silver 289 roadster on Saturday for some classy cruising. Blast off! |
 At Friday's Open House, we...  At Friday's Open House, we had full access to the Unique Motorcars shop for taking photos. |  Within Unique's fiberglass...  Within Unique's fiberglass molding room, we admired all the blanks that will produce the roadsters and cabriolets. |  |
 Homecoming participants drooled...  Homecoming participants drooled over someone's stunning drivetrain filled Cobra chassis. |  There was such a gathering...  There was such a gathering of Unique Motorcars, especially in the 427SC and 289FIA variety, that visitors of Noccalula Falls asked how much it cost to attend the car show. Next year will no doubt be another fun and Unique Homecoming. | |