Photo galleries from places we’ve been and events we’ve attended
On June 30, I flew to California to meet with my brother, Matt. He was kind enough, after a gut-busting BBQ lunch in Hollywood, to take me over to the Petersen Automotive Museum. Here’s some highlights from the floor. Some of the notable cars in the building include a selection of cars that have become legendary in their own right, including a Bugatti EB110, Steven McQueen’s Jaguar XK-SS, and many other unique and gorgeous cars. Enjoy the gallery.
The Ferrari 275 GTB is my favorite variant of classic Ferrari road car. the 250 cars were obviously fantastic, but with the 275 I feel like Ferrari road cars were starting to truly come into their own. Keep in mind that Enzo Ferrari didn’t really care for road cars, and only saw them as a means to fund his racing efforts. In my opinion, the 275 GTB stands as the true precursor to the Ferrari Grand Touring cars we know and love today. The likes of the current F12 Berlinetta, all the way back through the 599, Maranello and 365 Daytona can all trace their lineage as road-specific GT cars back to the 275.
The car you see here is a series two coupe with a two-cam V12. The four-cam version of Ferrari’s 3.3L Colombo V12 would come out in 1966 in the 275 GTB/4. The two-cam V12 made around 280hp compared to the four-cam’s 300hp, but either 275’s performance is still impressive today, capable of speeds in excess of 160mph.
This particular car, fitted with an alloy body, caught my eye among the three or four other 275 GTBs at this year’s 2013 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance. The reason was its stunning and uncommon color scheme. The stereotypical Ferrari is red with a tan interior, whereas this 275 was a gorgeous teal-green with red leather inside. It just took my breath away.
I really love when cars are adorned in uncommon colors because it makes them more interesting to look at. Seeing my favorite type of classic Ferrari in such an uncommon specification really made this year’s Greenwich Concours that much more special. I hope you all enjoy this car as much as I do.
Continue reading 2013 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance: 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Alloy
This beautiful Auburn 851 SC Phaeton was at the recent 2013 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance. The 851 came about when Cord, who owned Auburn at the time, was looking to make an effective car for the times, which had changed. America was now caught in the midst of The Great Depression, and V12 luxury cars were no longer the best idea.
The 851 was a more downmarket model than previous Auburns, though very much still a luxury car. While most people think of the famous Boattail Speedster when they hear the name Auburn, this 851 SC Phaeton was aimed more at clients with families. The car you see here is equipped with Auburn’s supercharged inline-eight cylinder engine, producing 150hp. That was a lot of power at the time, and an 851 Speedster with the same engine set a record, averaging over 100mph for a 12 hour long run. Auburn sold around 5000 851s in 1935, but sales dropped sharply in 1936. It was at that point that Cord decided to end Auburn production altogether.
This 851 SC Phaeton caught my eye because of its immaculate appointments. Its beautiful two-tone blue exterior sits strikingly over its read leather interior, and the detail work all around the car is incredible. I tried to capture as much of it as I could through the lens of my camera. Enjoy.
Continue reading 2013 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance: 1935 Auburn 851 SC Phaeton
This Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale is one of just nine in the world. It is based on the Dodge Viper ACR-X, and shares the same 640hp 8.4L V10 engine. The TZ3 was built to commemorate Fiat Group’s purchase of Chrysler after the onset of the recent economic crisis.
In attendance for the 2013 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, this is the second TZ3 Stradale that I’ve had the pleasure of seeing in person. It’s appearance is beyond striking, especially in this sky blue color. A Viper is a phenomenal performance machine, and now, with the addition of some Italian bodywork, it may well be one of the sweetest cars on Earth in the form of this Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale.
Enjoy the photos.
Continue reading 2013 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance: Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale
Ferraris produced before the 250 are not something I’m very well-versed in, because for some reason, they aren’t as prevalent as the later models. Yet, here was one, a 212 Inter, in a stunning sea-blue color at the Elegance at Hershey last month. While Nick got busy shooting the Bizzarrini Spyder a few yards behind, I got busy shooting this and took a few steps back to admire its classy styling and stunning condition. I’ve only seen one other 212, during Concours Weekend in 2011 over in Monterey. Suffice it to say, I think I like this one more thanks to its 1950s-esque colors and the backdrop that accompanied the car. Enjoy the photos.
Continue reading The Elegance at Hershey: 1953 Ferrari 212 Inter Coupe Pinin Farina
This is meant to be a simple post. I saw this beautiful Alfa Romeo Montreal at the Newtown Classic Car Show this past weekend. Just take in its beauty.
Continue reading Newtown Classic Car Show: Alfa Romeo Montreal
Yesterday we attended Waterfest 19, in Englishtown, NJ. It is one of the largest gatherings of Volkswagen and Audi lovers in the country. While a large portion of the show consists of modified slammed cars, there was a wide variety of other things as well, including a few exotics and an Audi R10 Le Mans car. Waterfest is always a wonderful event, with drag racing and autocross supplementing the massive auto show. Much can be said about this particular crowd of car enthusiasts, but they are definitely an interesting bunch. I usually find one-make car shows boring because everything looks the same, but somehow many of the cars here managed to stand out, even if they are the same make and model. A little dab of creativity does wonders. Enjoy the gallery.
I stopped by Bimmerfest 2013 in Aberdeen, MD to see one of the largest gatherings of Bavarian automobiles in the eastern US. I must confess I was only able to catch the afternoon portion of the show, but there were still plenty of cars left. There was a wide variety of cars present, everything from the latest M-Cars to classics to slammed late model 3 Series’. Enjoy the photos.
Recently we attended a Porsche Club of America meet in Mendham, NJ. It was a nice evening and some fantastic cars showed up. I was able to take my dad’s 996 Carrera, and I had a nice drive up with some family friends in their bright blue 914. Enjoy the photos.
Most of the cars we feature are quite special, but this Delage D8 120SS Aerodynamic Coupe is a special sort of special. This car is the only one of its kind, a unique short wheelbase variant of the D8 120S Aerodynamic Coupe. Going off of what I’ve found about this car, the 120SS shares the same 4.7L inline-eight cylinder engine found the D8 120S. Producing as much as 160hp, this motor gave the car quite a large amount of punch for its day. Its top speed was said to be in excess of 115mph.
Originally the D8 120SS was a commission order for some European prince, but after World War II it wound up in the Gerry Albertini collection in London. Today it has been recently restored by RM Restorations, and is poised to be a major contender in the concours circuit.
This is one truly stunning automobile, likely my personal favorite from The Elegance At Hershey this year. We wound up only having a short time to get our photos this year, on account of bad weather, so I hope to see the car again soon to capture even more of its details. That said, I am happy with the photos I got, so enjoy.
Continue reading The Elegance At Hershey: 1937 Delage D8 120SS Aerodynamic Coupe
That’s right. We are headed back to what is arguably the greatest automotive event on earth, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
There is something uniquely wonderful about Car Week on the Monterey Peninsula. From the moment you get there you are literally engulfed by incredible things. Every event has so much to offer that when you get there it’s hard to decide where to even begin. I always feel the same sense of excited confusion that a dog feels when his master throws not one, but two!, tennis balls into the yard.
The fun doesn’t end after the events either. There are droves of incredible cars just roaming the streets all over the place. In 2011 we were greeted by a pack of 12 Bugatti Veyrons, and a few seven-figure vintage Ferraris. We always wind up standing in the middle of the street (on the median) in Carmel, trying to get every spotted shot we can. It is both frantic and fun.
By the time the actual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance happens on Sunday, we are overcome with exhaustion, our feet are pounding with pain, and only adrenaline seems to keep us going. This event is an unbelievable amount of fun if you’re a gear head. It is a place where we get to see, and maybe even get to drive, some of our dream cars. By the time it is over, and we get on the plane to go home, it is like waking up from the most wonderful dream….. one that actually finished, and doesn’t wake you up right as Jessica Alba is undoing her bra.
Needless to say we are unbelievably excited. Mid-August can’t get here soon enough!
-The MoM crew
Mopars are definitely my favorite cars from the muscle car era, and the Woodward Dream Cruise is always full of them. This awesome 1968 Plymouth GTX caught my eye in a special way, though, because of its rare teal color. I love when cars are painted in uncommon tones because it makes them stand out, especially in a traffic jam like this, with literally thousands of cars in it. Enjoy.
Mind Over Motor 