Category Archives: Car Shows

Photo galleries from places we’ve been and events we’ve attended

Car Shows

Radnor Hunt Concours: 1927 Rolls Royce “Springfield” Phantom I Pall Mall Phaeton

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1927 Rolls Royce "Springfield" Phantom I Pall Mall Phaeton

We saw this gorgeous 1927 Rolls Royce “Springfield” Phantom I Pall Mall Phaeton at the Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance back in September. It was among the majority of Phantom Is that were built stateside, at Rolls Royce’s factory in Massachusetts. This particular car has been completely restored to its original condition, with its stunning tri-color scheme that consisted of a creme tan and navy blue with red accents. I have seen a few stunning prewar Rolls Royces this summer, but this one may well be my favorite because of its color scheme alone. It is just so rich looking, and extremely unique.

This example also had the distinct honor of carrying none other than Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor Roosevelt during a 1936 parade in Houston, Texas. Its original owner, at the time, was Roy Garret Watson, the Publisher of the Houston Post. This Phantom I resided in Houston until just recently in 2012, when it changed hands and moved to Pittsburgh, PA.

This was my pick for “Best In Show” at Radnor Hunt this year. It didn’t win (my picks never do, somehow), but it was still my favorite car in attendance that day. Enjoy the photos of this immaculate machine.

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Car Shows, SHOWCASE

2013 Radnor Hunt Concours: 1948 Chrysler Town and Country Sedan

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When people think of a Chrysler with wood paneling, of course the Town and Country comes to mind.  However, this particular body style rarely is brought up.  Loren J. Hulber, however, bucks this trend and was happy to bring this pristine 1948 Sedan to the 2013 Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance.  Only 1,175 wood-bodied sedans were produced for 1948 and this was the final year for that body style, making this Chrysler quite rare today.  These cars needed hand assembly after the panels were fitted due to the difficulty of the curved frames of the wood.  This Sumac Red example features a Highlander plaid finish interior, and won the American Classic Postwar class.  Nick and I saw it yet again at the St. Michael’s Concours, where it also won its class.  I was happy to see not only two different Town and Country models in the same place, but joyful that the rarer (and very striking) sedan was the award winner instead of the more often-seen convertible variant at this show.  Note the unique wood roof rack as well.  Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 2013 Radnor Hunt Concours: 1948 Chrysler Town and Country Sedan →

Car Shows, SHOWCASE

St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance 2013: 1954 Jaguar XK-120

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On my way home from Pebble Beach, I met this guy named Ron Schotland.  He and I got to talking and we both realized that we lived in the tri-state area and had both attended the Pebble Beach Concours.  He showed me a few pictures of his XK-120, which I was delighted to see in person at the St. Michael’s Concours down in Chesapeake, MD.  In fact, I wasn’t the only one who was elated to see this clean and well-cared-for little cat–the car won 1st in its class that weekend over a 1953 model.  The deep maroon finish over natural leather looked stunning against the chrome wire wheels and brilliant sunshine.  Enjoy the photographs.   Ron, congrats on your award–we hope to see your car at many more events in the near future. Continue reading St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance 2013: 1954 Jaguar XK-120 →

Car Shows

Amelia Island Festivals Of Speed: Ferrari 333 SP

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Ferrari 333 SP

This Ferrari 333 SP was at the Festivals Of Speed event at Amelia Island last March. In the 1990s the 333 SP marked Ferrari’s return to sports car racing after around two decades absence. It competed in the prototype class, and while it never did too well at the 24hrs of Le Mans, it did see some decent success racing in America.

The 333 SP utilized a 4.0L V12 that was an enlarged version of the engine from Ferrari’s F92A Formula One car. It produced around 600hp in the 333 SP. Interestingly enough, Ferrari actually outsourced the chassis of this car to a manufacturer called Dallara, so you could say it is a sort of joint effort.

This is the first 333 SP I’ve seen in person. What an incredible machine it is!

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Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Best in Show at Radnor Hunt, 2013: 1928 Isotta Fraschini 8A SS Boattail Convertible Coupe by Lebaron

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Coachbuilt cars tend to attract a crowd.  The name Isotta Fraschini is a well-known one inside the world of classic car connoisseurs, but not really known as well in the automotive public.  This particularly pretty burgundy boat-tail coupe at Radnor Hunt is the first one I’ve gotten a good look at and I was very impressed.  The brightwork looked great, the coachwork was full of great details and the car’s history offered a lot of information on just how famous this one is.  Owned by a silent-film star actress by the name of Marguerite Clark and her aviation pioneer husband Harry Williams, this gorgeous convertible had only 22,000 original miles on the clock.  It fully deserved its win at Radnor Hunt this year, and the owner, Peter Boyle, looked incredibly proud.  Congrats to Mr. Boyle on your award-winning Isotta Fraschini, thank you for showing it at Radnor this year.
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Car Shows, Motorsport

Porsche 911 GT1 and Two 935s at Laguna Seca

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Porsche 911 GT1
Porsche 911 GT1

While out at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion we were treated to a fabulous display of Porsche racing cars, one 911 GT1 and two 935s, including the famous 935 Moby Dick. Just seeing these race cars sitting in the paddock is incredible, but getting to see them in action out on the track was beyond any describable form of excitement. Enjoy the photos and the video.

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Car Shows

The 2013 Scarsdale Concours d’Elegance

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Maserati 300S
Maserati 300S

We attended the Scarsdale Concours d’Elegance last weekend. As always it was a wonderful event with a fantastic turnout, and the Fall leaves beginning to turn just made the pictures that much better. I’ll let the photos from the event do the talking from here. Enjoy.

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Car Shows, SHOWCASE

2013 New Hope Auto Show: Porsche 356 Speedster

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As soon as I arrived for the second day of the New Hope Auto Show, I found myself face-to-face with this little Porsche.  I happen to love the 356 Speedster, and it’s not often that I see one in original condition.  This 1954 or 1955 pre-A model was a sight to see and kept my attention for a solid amount of time among the other early Porsches around it.  Less than 1300 of the pre-A Speedsters were made until 1955 and they tend to sell high at auctions–in fact, don’t be surprised to see one sell for over 200K.  A red 1955 model sold by RM went for more than $250,000 at an auction this past May.  This one, with its light blue exterior and timeless bathtub looks, grabbed everyone’s attention effortlessly.  Enjoy the photos.

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Car Shows

Scarsdale Concours d’Elegance: Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series

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Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series
Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series

Evidently, Darth Vader was at this year’s Scarsdale Concours d’Elegance because his car was parked prominently at the event. This Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series certainly is evil-looking enough for the Dark Lord of the Sith, and its twin turbo V12 certainly packs enough punch to suit his needs — to the tune of 661hp and a planet-moving 738ft/lbs of torque.  Any challengers beware, go up against this monster and you may share the same fate as the doomed planet of Alderaan.

Ok, Star Wars themes aside, this was the first chance I’ve really had to shoot an SL65 Black Series in a good setting. It was a beautiful day in Scarsdale, New York, and this demonic machine was just sitting there, ripe for the picking. I’ve always said that black is the only appropriate color on any “Black Series” AMG Mercedes, and this car definitely reinforced my opinion on the matter. This is one of just 175 in the USA, and made the SLS AMG, parked in front of it for much of the day, look mundane. Enjoy the photos.

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Car Shows, SHOWCASE

2013 Monterey Motorsports Reunion: Ferrari 250GT SWB

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The Motorsports Reunion at the famed Laguna Seca racetrack in Monterey during Concours weekend is a place where the phrase “expect the unexpected” is more true than anywhere else in the car world. This is a place where it’s no surprise to see a older Formula One car, a Porsche Le Mans racer decked out in the classic orange Jagermeister livery, and a Trans-Am era Chevrolet Camaro in the same place. However, I wasn’t necessarily expecting to see a pristine Ferrari 250GT SWB in the paddock. Nonetheless, this bright yellow piece of Italian craftwork sat in the side of the paddock, sharing space with a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster. Against the gray sky and flanked by a blue Porsche racer, calling it a standout would be a bit of an understatement. Enjoy the photos.
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Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, Obscure Autos, SHOWCASE

The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering: The 1935 Bugatti Type 57 Aerolithe Coupe Re-Creation

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When The Quail came to a close, I stepped into the grassy field and stumbled upon this gorgeous piece of automotive sculpture. My skin tanned from the sunlight, but this icy green Bugatti looked frozen cold. This particular Type 57 example is built as an Aerolithe Coupe, a styling study done by Bugatti back in 1935 and lost since 1936. Very little visual information is left of the original Aerolithe coupe–there was enough technical information passed down through the years, but it took a Canadian group 5 years to build a version of the Aerolithe. This remake of that famous automobile uses 100% genuine Bugatti components. Even the tires, a set of Dunlop Ballon whitewalls, are completely correct and were custom-made for it. The color was matched through a painting made of the original to Bugatti paint chips of the era. However, by far the most impressive aspect of this breathtaking automobile is the bodywork. The body is made from a magnesium alloy, notorious for its flammability and volatility–this is why the body is riveted, not welded, together. The swoopy lines and stunning shapes of this car were more than enough to keep my attention for a solid hour or so. It was difficult for me to stop shooting pictures, even after a frantic call from Nick about Pagani allowing people to sit in the new Huayra (if that’s what it had to take to get me away from this Bugatti, then not much else would have). Enjoy the photos.

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Car Shows, Obscure Autos, SHOWCASE

Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance: 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Rondine

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1963 Chevrolet Corvette Rondine
1963 Chevrolet Corvette Rondine

This comes on a similar note to the Lincoln Indianapolis Boano Coupe we featured a few weeks ago. This 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Rondine was created by, Italian design house, Pinninfarina for the 1963 Paris Auto Show. Those of you who know Corvettes know that 1963 was the first year of the iconic C2 Sting Ray. While I personally believe the Stingray is the best looking Vette of all time, especially the ’63 split window coupe, the Rondine’s Italian style is breathtaking.

The Corvette Rondine was the top-spec Sting Ray underneath, with the fuel injected 327ci V8 under its hood making 360hp. There is one key difference, though, and that is the body of the car. The Rondine had a steel body whereas the Sting Ray’s was made of fiberglass. This resulted in the Rondine being a bit heavier than the standard Corvette, however I’d say it is worth it for those beautiful curves.

The Corvette Rondine marks another fantastic example of an American car being fitted with Italian styling. Whether the Rondine looks better than the Sting Ray is entirely subjective, but it certainly is a unique and interesting automobile. The Corvette Rondine recently sold for a hefty $1.6 million back at the 2008 Barret Jackson Auction, and its value is certain to keep appreciating. It is always a pleasure to see such a stunning car as this, and the 2013 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance was the second time I’ve had the pleasure of seeing this car in person. Enjoy the photos.

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