Exeter, PA (February 2, 2018) The iconic 1968 Mustang fastback driven by Steve McQueen in the movie Bullitt (1968) will be on display during the Keystone BIG Show February 23-24, 2018 at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, TX. The Bullitt Mustang came out of hiding after 40 years of being one of the best kept secrets in automotive folklore.  It’s unveiling occurred at the North American International Auto Show this January in the Ford booth during the company’s announcement of a special edition 2019 Bullitt Mustang celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the movie.

Sean Kiernan, the car’s owner, had this to say, “I’m really looking forward to showing Bullitt at the BIG Show. Being a Keystone cousin – I’m an LKQ employee – it’s fantastic that the timing of the event and the attention the car is getting are so well aligned. I think it will be awesome for our customers while creating a real buzz in Holley’s booth.”

Sean has said that his family kept the car a secret over the years with plans to eventually restore it as a father-son project. It was used as a daily driver after the Bob Kiernan (Sean’s father) purchased it in 1974 from an ad that ran in Road & Track Magazine. Auction estimates place the value of the vehicle between $4-5 million – comparable to other iconic cars like the Batmobile and James Bond’s original Aston Martin.

Two 1968 Mustang GT fastbacks were used in the award-winning film. One was sold to a private buyer and the other one, due to its condition after being thrashed around the streets of San Francisco, was destined for the salvage yard. “This original Bullitt Mustang is one of the most iconic vehicles of all time,” said Mark Gessler, president of the Historic Vehicle Association. “It’s one of the most important artifacts of the 21^st century in terms of automotive history. It is a national cultural treasure.” (as quoted in USA Today).

 “We are really excited to be bringing Bullitt to the BIG Show and it wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of Holley. To give our customers the chance to see this very rare piece of American automobile heritage in person is thrilling,” said Bill Rogers, VP and General Manager for Keystone. “For most of our guests this will be a once in a lifetime opportunity and definitely worth the trip to Texas to see.”

The work of the Historic Vehicle Association with support from partners such as Ford Motor Company, Hagerty, Shell, Pennzoil, LKQ Corporation, American Fuel and Petrochemical manufacturers, and The NB Center for American Automotive Heritage have resulted in Bullitt being the 21^st vehicle listed on the National Historic Vehicle Register.

To learn more about the Mustang Bullitt visit www.historicvehicle.org. Details about the BIG Show can be found at www.keystonebigshow.com.

 For additional information and videos click here: https://www.historicvehicle.org/documentary-films/

Gaylord Texan and Convention Center, Grapevine, TX

KEYSTONE AUTOMOTIVE OPERATIONS, Exeter, PA.  -  Keystone Automotive Operations is pleased to announce the addition of Erik Qualman as keynote speaker to the 2018 BIG Show lineup, Friday, February 23^rd at 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM prior to show opening at 6:00 PM. “Our BIG show is bigger than ever this year and we wanted to add a Keynote Address as a new component to our program,” commented Fred Petrivelli, VP Sales for Keystone Automotive Operation. “We are always looking for ways to help our customers and believe that delivering thought provoking content and solutions that can expand the way they think about their business is important.”   He adds, “We are very grateful of Warn’s sponsorship of Erik Qualman and helping us provide an educational and entertaining jumpstart to our event,”

#1 Best Selling Author and Motivational Speaker Erik Qualman has performed in 49 countries and reached 25 million people this decade. His Socialnomics work has been on 60 Minutes to the Wall Street Journal and used by the National Guard to NASA. His book Digital Leader propelled him to be voted the 2nd Most Likeable Author in the World behind Harry Potter's J.K. Rowling.

What Happens in Vegas Stays on YouTube helped Qualman be listed by Forbes and Fortune as a Top 100 Digital Influencer. His business books are used in over 200 universities and he has received an honorary doctorate for his groundbreaking work.

His book How to Sell on LinkedIn is becoming mandatory reading for sales teams. Qualman was formerly a sitting professor at Harvard & MIT’s edX labs. “The digital age has brought an unprecedented focus on branding, especially social reputation. We feel Erik’s remarks will strike a chord with our customers as they look for new ways to connect with their consumers,” says Petrivelli.

For more information, attendees and suppliers should visit www.keystonebigshow.com or contact their Keystone representative.

Keystone is the leading distributor and marketer of aftermarket automotive products and services, uniquely positioned to offer customers and suppliers substantial scale, the most comprehensive inventory selection in the industry, high levels of customer service and innovative marketing support. Keystone is committed to expanding its offering to meet the ever-growing needs of its customer base, providing them what they need, when they need it most.

Gaylord Texan and Convention Center, Grapevine, TX

Join us and WEATHER GUARD to welcome Tim Montana for a LIVE concert before the BIG Show in Dallas, Texas on February 23rd at 8:00 p.m.. Protected by WEATHER GUARD.

* You must show your convention badge for entry.
* Must be 21 to attend.

ABOUT TIM MONTANA

It’s easy to see why Montana’s music connects with so many people far and wide. Dubbed as one of Rolling Stone’s “Artists You Need to Know,” his musical influencers range from Merle Haggard to Guns N’ Roses. Montana’s passion for music has not gone unnoticed by his fellow musicians. “Tim is the real deal. He’s a little bit country with lots of hard rocks — or maybe he’s a rocker in touch with some serious country roots,” says ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons. 

Tim grew up in Butte, MT in a household that did not support his musical career. He quickly learned if he wanted to make a reality of out his passion to sing and play guitar, he had to escape Big Sky Country. He packed his bags and made his way to the heart of country music, Nashville, TN. 

Soon after living in Nashville, a rodeo performance caught the attention of David Letterman. David was so impressed by Tim’s music, he personally invited Tim to perform on The Late Show with David Letterman. 

Montana continued to write and record which earned him a worldwide publishing deal with the Spirit Music Group. This led to an introduction with ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons. The two of them collaborated on multiple different tracks including, “This Beard Came Here to Party” which was the anthem for the Nashville Predator’s 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Tim followed up with writing on Kid Rock’s current single, “Tennessee Mountain Top” and “Greatest Show On Earth” as well as Mac McAnally’s current hit, “Amarula Sun.” 

In September 2017, Tim released his single, “Hillbilly Rich.” Rolling Stone called the song an, “an ode to fantasies about telling off your boss, making it rain, and having everything all at once.” Shortly after the song was released, Tim performed the single live on Fox & Friends.

To learn more about Tim Montana you can click here to visit his website.

February 24, 2018 Gaylord Texan and Convention Center, Grapevine, TX

KEYSTONE AUTOMOTIVE OPERATIONS, Exeter, PA.

Keystone Automotive Operations is excited to announce the return of BIG Show sponsor, WEATHER GUARD® for the eighth consecutive year. “We’re ecstatic to return as the 2018 BIG Show title sponsor. It’s one of the most effective ways we have found to connect one-on-one with our customers” says Lenny Colasuonno, Senior Vice President of Sales. “We utilize the time at BIG Show to showcase new products, hear what is working, and learn how we can improve the products and services we provide to help our customers be even more successful selling WEATHER GUARD® products. The fact we get to do it while having a little fun is a bonus” he adds.

A highlight of the WEATHER GUARD® sponsorship will be a concert following the show opening on Friday February 23^rd.  BIG Show guests are invited to kick up their heels with Tim Montana from 8:30 pm – 10 pm at the Glass Cactus. This up and coming band has been dubbed as one of Rolling Stone’s “Artists You Need to Know.”

The BIG show opens Friday, February 23, 2018 from 6 to 8 pm with a reception on the show floor followed by the WEATHER GUARD® concert. On Saturday, February 24 the exhibit hall will be open from 9 am to 6 pm and will feature more than 200 exhibitors with new products on display and the best deals of the year. The show concludes with a closing reception from 6 to 8 pm on Saturday at the Gaylord Texan Resort Hotel & Convention Center on in Grapevine, Texas.

Previously, Keystone held two (2) events annually, BIG Show East and BIG Show West. “This year, we’re combining our two events to create a BIGger, Better experience all under one roof. Our new one-show format will draw on the best elements of each event and be a destination for customers from all over the US and Canada to learn about new products while having the chance to capitalize on some of the best buying opportunities they will find anywhere,” remarked Fred Petrivelli, Keystone VP of Sales.  

For more information, attendees and suppliers should visit www.keystonebigshow.com or contact their Keystone representative.

Keystone is the leading distributor and marketer of aftermarket automotive products and services, uniquely positioned to offer customers and suppliers substantial scale, the most comprehensive inventory selection in the industry, high levels of customer service and innovative marketing support. Keystone is committed to expanding its offering to meet the ever-growing needs of its customer base, providing them what they need, when they need it most.

WEATHER GUARD® is an industry leader in truck and van equipment, including truck boxes, drawer units, shelving, cabinets, and racks for trucks, vans and utility vehicles. WEATHER GUARD® organizes trucks and vans for greater productivity and provides tools and valuables superior protection against break-ins and weather.