Tag Archives: Classic Cars

Car Shows, Obscure Autos, SHOWCASE

2013 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance: 1935 Auburn 851 SC Phaeton

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1935 Auburn 851 SC Phaeton

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.

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Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, SHOWCASE

The Elegance at Hershey: 1953 Ferrari 212 Inter Coupe Pinin Farina

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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.

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Car Shows

Newtown Classic Car Show: Alfa Romeo Montreal

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Alfa Romeo Montreal

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.

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Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

Drive tours Aston Martin Works

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This fascinating video from Drive shows the efforts Aston Martin is willing to go through to preserve its historical cars for customers. Definitely worth 14 minutes of your time to watch. Enjoy.

-Nick

Opinions

Leagues Lost in Luxury

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Rolls Royce Phantoms old and new
Rolls Royce Phantoms old and new

Going to all of these concours events I’ve had the privilege to see some of the most glorious prewar luxury cars imaginable. Packards, Duesenbergs,  Delahayes, Bugattis, the list goes on and on. This got me thinking about how most of these wonderful cars haven’t survived the ages, and it begged the question, why?

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Car Shows

The Elegance At Hershey: 1937 Delage D8 120SS Aerodynamic Coupe

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1937 Delage D8 120SS Aerodynamic Coupe

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.

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Car Shows

We’re headed back to Pebble Beach!

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Ferrari 250 GTOs Bugatti Veyrons
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

Car Shows, Cars We've Seen

Woodward Dream Cruise: 1968 Plymouth GTX

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1968 Plymouth GTX at the Woodward Dream Cruise

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.

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Car Shows

2013 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance: 1929 duPont Model G Merrimac Speedster

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1929 du Pont G

The duPont family had amassed a vast fortune by the turn of the 20th century, and members of the family were beginning to try their hands at other ventures. For E. Paul duPont the venture was into the realm of luxury automobiles. His aim was to make the most luxurious car in the world, a hefty task with competition from the likes of Duesenberg, Stutz, and Cadillac at the time.

The duPont Model G was brought out as a response to the mighty Duesenberg J, which completely reset the standards of the day. The Model G featured a new Continental 5.3L inline eight cylinder engine that made anywhere from 114hp to 140hp. The Speedster you see here was constructed by the coach-builder Merrimac. Around 200 duPont Model Gs were built in total, making it the most popular duPont model built before the company stopped production in 1931.

I haven’t seen too many of these around, and this Model G really caught my eye at this year’s Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. I’ve always been a sucker for black and red color schemes, and with its white-wall tires, this car was just gorgeous. Enjoy the photos.

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Car Shows

The Elegance At Hershey: 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C-2900B Spider

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1938 Alfa Romeo 8C-2900B Spider

This 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C-2900B Spider won “Best In Show” at The Elegance at Hershey 2013. The awards were handed out very hastily as there was a rain storm moving in, but this Alfa deserved to win. This is an unrestored car, just maintained over the years, and it was a magnificent sight in person. It is one of just 22 8C-2900Bs ever produced, and of those it is one of only five short wheelbase versions. Under the hood it shares the same supercharged 2.9L inline-eight cylinder engine with other 8C variants of the time, producing 180hp in 2900B specification. It featured a super lightweight body from Touring in Milan, Italy that gave it a solid power-to-weight ratio. Alfa 8Cs dominated racing during their day, and it isn’t hard to see why.

Today this car resides in the Bahre Collection, and has won awards at other events, including Pebble Beach in 2002. Pre-war Alfas are always a treat to see, and this 8C-2900B was no exception. Enjoy the photos.

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Car Shows

Greenwich Concours d’ Elegance: 1930 Stutz SV-16 Monte Carlo Weymann Body

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1930 Stutz SV-16 Monte Carlo Weymann Body

This Stutz was the first car that caught my eye at the 2013 Greenwich Concours d’ Elegance. Its body, entirely wrapped in fabric, is the work of renown French coach builder Charles Weymann. The SV-16 Monte Carlo was the top of line model offered by Stutz at the time, and only three Weymann bodied examples exist. Thankfully, all three Weymann Monte Carlos are present, accounted for, and in top notch condition. This particular car sold for $550,000 at RM Auctions in 2000, and was restored to its original condition by RM Restoration.

Under the hood there is a 322ci (5.3L) inline 8 cylinder engine producing 113hp. It sends power through a three speed manual transmission, and has solid axles front and rear supported by leaf springs. The Monte Carlo featured some very European styling for the time, despite being built in Indiana, because Stutz wanted it to appeal to clientele on both sides of the Atlantic. This car was high end back in its day, and it may be even more high end now. Certainly, no American company makes a car of this caliber today.

Enjoy the gallery.

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Car Shows

Hopewell Cruise Night: The Beatles’ Beetle

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The Beetles’ VW Beetle

This sweet VW Beetle, all decked out with The Beatles, was at a recent cruise night in Hopewell, NJ. Gotta love when people make an otherwise common car into a work of art. Enjoy.

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