Tag Archives: Pre War Cars

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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Cars We've Seen

Spotted! 1940 Buick Eight Woodie Wagon, Carmel, CA

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After a long day of watching race cars tear around Laguna Seca and shooting some amazing cars in the paddock, Nick and I headed back to Carmel as the customary Pacific fog began to roll in.  Luckily, I got some pictures of this very well-kept Buick wagon which was making rounds over on Ocean Avenue in the early portion of the evening.  The driver seemed to be happy just to have the car outside that evening.  We stopped shooting cars as the lighting got worse, but luckily, this car arrived before that happened.
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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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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

St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance: 1932 Auburn 12-160A Boattail Speedster

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1932 Auburn 12-160A Boattail Speedster
1932 Auburn 12-160A Boattail Speedster

We attended the St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance a few weeks ago, and right as we walked through the entrance we were greeted by this stunning machine.  It is an Auburn 12-160A Boattail Speedster, and I was told it is the same model that was used recently in the Great Gatsby. The difference is that the one in the movie was quite plain, while this one is nothing short of immaculate. Just look at the way those orange accents flow along the lines of the car, and of course, there is also the hood ornament… a naked woman made of crystal. What’s not to love? Enjoy the photos.

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Car Shows

1938 Talbot Lago T150C SS Teardrop Coupe at Radnor Hunt 2013

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If there’s one thing the French knew how to do in the 1930s, it was elegance in automobiles.  Figoni et Falaschi was a design powerhouse at this time and this Talbot-Lago was a true jaw-dropper at the 100 Cars of Radnor Hunt.  While Nick got busy snapping the Delahaye (itself a beautiful car) my college buddy Chris Azarko and I admired this piece of French automotive artwork.  Even among these beautiful classic cars the swoopy Talbot caught everyone’s attention.  Only 14 of these were made during its short production run and this one was hidden from the Nazis during WWII.  I’m glad it’s been restored and I’m even happier to see it here at Radnor.  Enjoy the photos.
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Car Shows

2013 Radnor Hunt Concours: 1938 Delahaye 135M Roadster Figoni et Falaschi

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1938 Delahaye 135M Roadster Figoni et Falaschi
1938 Delahaye 135M Roadster Figoni et Falaschi

Those of you who’ve been following this blog will know that I LOVE Delahayes. I am generally a fan of all French Art Deco cars, but Delahayes have a flamboyance and a craftsmanship to their designs that make them unique.

While many Delahayes come in bright, flashy colors, this 135 M Roadster Figoni et Falaschi took a different approach. It is a rich black, and looks very sinister with its swooping lines, almost like a bat. Inside the interior is fitted with red leather, and finely crafted wood. Black and red is one of my favorite color schemes on a car, so this really hit the spot for me that much more.

The car itself is currently owned by J.W. Marriott Jr. (Yes, of Mariott Hotel fame), and it was fully restored in 1991. One detail that I particularly loved on this Delahaye was its hood ornament. At first glance it is a dragonfly, which would be great on its own, but looking closer, it becomes apparent that the dragonfly is actually a glider stretched over a beautiful, naked woman — Oh how French!

It was wonderful to see this stunning Delahaye 135M Roadster at this year’s Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance, and it wound up winning the “Best Open Art Deco Car” award. Enjoy the photos.

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Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Pebble Beach Concours 2013: The Lincoln Continental and Zephyr

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I’ll be honest, I’m a complete sucker for the Lincoln Zephyr and the Continental of this era.  They get overlooked occasionally by Cadillacs and by independent marques of the Depression era, but their long-standing reputation of simple elegance, beauty, and dashes of brashness are symbols of what the Lincoln name used to mean.  They all pack V12 engines, they all have (except the ’42 model in this gallery) restrained styling, and each one was an excellent example of its year and body type.  This being a feature year for Lincoln at Pebble Beach, they had their very own class.  The cars within this class included everything from the classic 1938 Zephyr coupe in black, to an all-original 1940 Zephyr Continental Cabriolet, to a 1942 Continental Cabriolet (1 of 11 left in the world).  Some of them included all the original brass fittings in the interior, something I’ve never seen on a Lincoln.  The car pictured up top is a 1941 Continental Coupe which won the class.  In fact, for those of you with good memories (or those of you who can pair cars with movies as well as I can sometimes), that body style and year were featured in one of the most memorable mob movies ever, The Godfather.  Sonny Corleone, played by James Caan, drives a black 1941 Continental coupe to his grisly death in one of the most memorable scenes of the film.  If you don’t remember, I’ve included it at the end.  Enjoy the photos of these understated, elegant automobiles.

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Car Shows, MoM Vlog

Highlights from the 2013 Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance

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We were in attendance for the 2013 Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance this past weekend. Instead of our normal photo highlights, we have decided to try on a video compilation of the cars at the show. For those of you who like the photo galleries, do not worry because we have plenty of still shots from the show as well (to be used later on).  Let us know what you think of the video in the comments.

1929 Isotta Fraschini 8A SS Boattail Convertible Coupe LeBaron
Best in Show winner, a 1929 Isotta Fraschini 8A SS Boattail Convertible Coupe LeBaron

Radnor Hunt is always a wonderful show, with some fantastic cars and a great venue. It is basically Philadelphia’s major Concours event, for those of you unfamiliar with the area. The features this year were Art Deco cars, Rally cars, and Aston Martins, but there was quite a motley crew within those classes.  Some of my favorites included a pristine 1927 Rolls Royce Phantom I, a Ferrari 250 GT Boano Coupe, an Aston Martin DBR1 racing car, and a genuine Subaru STi 22B. “Best in Show” went to a 1929 Isotta Fraschini 8A SS Boattail Convertible Coupe LeBaron (seen above and at the end of the video), and yes, the cars with the longest names always wins these events.

Check out the video, and stay tuned for the features to follow. Enjoy.

-Nick

Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, SHOWCASE

The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Best In Show is…this beautiful Packard.

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This year at the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, I was overjoyed when the master of ceremonies announced the Best of Show winner from the finalists. I’d been photographing this stunning brown Packard convertible the entire afternoon, and when it drove through the confetti as the trumpets sounded, I was elated.

In fact, the owners of this car, Superior Court judge Joseph Cassini III and his wife Margie, live in West Orange, NJ–less than 20 miles from the town I grew up in (Randolph).

This particular Packard is a 1934 Packard 1108 Twelve Dietrich Convertible Victoria, and was fully restored by RM Restorations in Canada. It is a particularly rare example in that the coachwork was done partially by Dietrich and partially by the factory as a special. The 10,000 man-hour restoration was finished only recently, and this was its show debut.

Enjoy the photos. Congratulations to the Cassini family on your award!

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Car Shows

The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering 2013

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Ferrari P4/5 owned by James Glickenhaus
Ferrari P4/5 owned by James Glickenhaus

The Quail is probably the most exclusive show during Monterey Car Week. The best cars are always in attendance, many of which don’t even show up at Pebble Beach — despite Pebble Beach being the far more prestigious event. There is some political BS surrounding the event that I could address, but frankly, I only care about the cars.

Put simply, the Quail is absolutely the show to go to on the Friday of Monterey Car Week, provided you can get in. Every event on the Monterey Peninsula is worth checking out, but the comparative quality of the automotive crop at this event is staggering, even with the high standards of the other events. We got there a bit late because of prior engagements that day, but I we still managed to see most of the event. I’m going to just let the pictures do the talking from here. Enjoy.

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Car Shows

Highlights from the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

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Best in Show Winner, the 1934 Packard 1108 Twelve Dietrich Convertible Victoria
Best in Show Winner, the 1934 Packard 1108 Twelve Dietrich Convertible Victoria

We have just had a mighty few days  in the midst of the automotive Valhalla that is Monterey Car week, but the capstone event is surely the most grand of all, and that is the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

This is an event where champions compete against champions. At any other event, every participant in the Pebble Beach Concours would likely win best of show. The field of automobiles is just plain unbelievable — the second you think you’ve seen everything, something incredible catches your eye. This is a place where a Lamborghini Miura may go overlooked, a place where everywhere you look, there is something astonishing to take in. This is la creme de la creme de la creme of automobiles.

Pebble Beach was once again kind enough to grant us media passes for this event, for which we are extremely grateful. I definitely feel like we put it all to good use this year, capturing tons of material to be used over the coming months. This is a highlight gallery of the event that aims to wet your appetite for what’s to come. Enjoy the photo gallery, and check back for much more from the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

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