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Concours d'Elegance


Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL)

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Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL)

I had the pleasure of attending the Concours d'Elegance yesterday at Amelia Island, FL. I have never seen so many CLASSIC cars (and I do mean "classic" by the definition of the CCCA) in one place in my life! Rolls, Bentley, Auburn, Cord, Duesenburg, Cadillac. Someone said this was second only to Pebble Beach. I don't know if that was just an opinion or what. At $25/adult, it was a little expensive, but well worth it. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

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I had the pleasure of having one of my cars in the show last year. Having been to alot of shows the past 5 years never prepared me for the Amelia Island Concours. It is amazing the vehicles that are there. My friend had 3 cars (clients) entered in this years show and asked me to go along to help him out, however this thing called work would not allow it!<P>$25 dollars is not cheap, but it goes to a good cause. Your luckly you didn't go to the auction on Saturday. I foget how much the spectator fee was but a hot dog and water was $12.50. wink.gif" border="0

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Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL)

1937hd45,<P>I didn't tell'em I was really just a redneck. I just gave'em the money, took the ticket, and walked in. They never knew the difference. grin.gif" border="0

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Bill puts on a great show at Amelia Island! Another show you might want to attend someday is the Meadowbrook Concours, it is usually the first weekend in August and has about 300 cars I believe. I have shown there and at Pebble and quite frankly, other than the setting was more impressed with the breath of cars at Meadowbrook. There seem to be more and more Concours events every year and usually they are for a very good cause. They really have opended classes up in the last several years from full classics to classic hot-rods.

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Has anyone heard anything good or bad on the Greenwich Concours in Connecticut that is held the first week of June? I think this Concours is only a few years old. From a magazine article it looks like a nice place to have a show by the water. The show runs 2 days with Saturday for the antiques and classics and Sunday for sports and racing vehicles.

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I live just 45 minutes away from Greenwich, but for some reason I've never had the time to go to the event. Friends that have displayed cars there say it is a top shelf event. It does draw some very fine automobiles, and the setting is very much like Pebble Beach.

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I agree, Amelia is a great show, I unfortunately missed it this year, but have attended twice. My favorite is Meadowbrook-even over Pebble Beach. I have shown cars at both. Meadowbrook really attracts a "car crowd", probably because it is located outside the Motor City (Detroit) and is largely sponsored by the Big Three and their suppliers. Another great show in Detroit is Eyes On Design. It is a benefit for the Detroit Institute Of Optomology which provides eye care for those in need as well as supports the research and development. It is a Meadowbrook style show, with about 150-200 selected vehicles, but the emphasis is on design, not necessarily rarity or desirability. This year's show is June 9 at Chrysler's World Headquarters in Rochester Hills. This year's theme is performance vehicles. So far, the vehicles range from the only-known 90HP Simplex from the Crawford Collection to some wild, never before seen prototype/concept cars, European roadracers, significant American racecars, custom bodied high performance Full Classics, etc. Contact313-824-4710 for more info..

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If you think 25.00 is steep for a concours try Pebble Beach at 100.00 a head. What a rip off and all in the name of good old charity! Haven't gone in years and never will as long as those snobs think money grows on trees!

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One has to realize that the Concours d'Elegance is the Thoroughbred of car shows. A league of its own.<P>A similarity would be a Thoroughbred Horse Show vs. a Quarter Horse in a rodeo.<P>The Concours of the Eastern United States hands out entry forms like confetti. One has to take the trouble of photographing your car from various angles, fill out a list of accomplishments, and, or, history of the car, then send in the package. All at your expense. A committee scrutinizes all submissions, and picks what cars will be invited. This takes a few months with the promise that you will be notified if your car has been selected, or, not. I tried it in 2001 figuring why not? I knew my car is probably not what they were looking for, but, what the heck. Lehigh University is only 1 hour away.<P>In a nut shell, having not heard from them, I had to plan my trips for the Summer. Had to e-mail them 3 times and phone twice to see if my car had been selected. On the 3rd try, a lady finally said no, however, 2 spectator admission tickets would be sent. Never received the tickets which was not a big deal as I was that disappointed with the lack of courtesy at this point I had made up my mind not to attend, even as a spectator.<P>Sound like sour grapes? Maybe. The purpose of airing out is to let you know what league you are in when comparing cost of spectator fees, my experience wasting time and money to enter, and, do you feel your car is worthy. If you are offered an entrance form, be certain to describe your car to the person so time and money will not be for naught. <P> <P> <P> <P> confused.gif" border="0confused.gif" border="0<p>[ 03-12-2002: Message edited by: Peter J Heizmann ]

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In the initial my thread on best/worst car experiences I relate the story of a major car event I used to help manage. We were actively in the process of setting up a true concours for Sundays at that event at the time of our "dismissal". We'd planned to get it off the ground in 1998. <P>We were going to have an application process similar to the Eastern U.S. event, but we were planning on firm deadlines for the approval of the field and the mailing of notices. There would've been a small application fee to cover expenses and provide funds for the charity. <P>If I were to do it again today I'd have a web page for the event, with invitees names and or vehicles posted (if no objection were voiced in the application).

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Peter,<BR>I had the same experience as you with the Eastern US Concours. I am 1 1/2 hours away and the car that was invided to Amelia Island by Bill Warner was rejected at the US Concours. Months and months went by without a word from them. I held that weekend date open as long as I could as I had alternate plans. Finally after many repeated calls was told no, however 2 free tickets would be mailed.<P>I received the tickets and went only because my friend had a clients car entered. I was not impressed with the quality of vehicles. They had 5 Chrysler 55 or 56 cars in the show and one of the woodie wagons had pitted trim all over. Some of the cars appeared to be a work in progress. Some were perfect. Your car would have been much better then the sports cars that were there!<P>I ran in to the gentlemen that runs the show at the Annual Meeting and was told my car was in a holding pattern for this year. Which means if they get something in their opinion better it will bump me. <P>I am hoping that my car is accepted so I can wait to the last minute to tell them no. And this isn't sour grapes, its fun. smile.gif" border="0

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Is it just me or do others feel that putting "concours" on a car show makes it to hoity-toity? Put "d'Elegance" after it and my negative reaction is a lot stronger. Just the name makes it seem to stuck up.<P>I'd rather just go to a car show. There are a couple of "concours" in this area: I have never gone to any because they just seem too stuck up.<P>Oh well. To each his own.

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Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL)

Tod,<P>I am just a working class dog. I knew before I went that it was a fancy schmancy deal. I didn't expect to be invited into any of the tents for cheese and wine (I am not exagerating here). I realize that if my car were restored to like new condition, it still would not be welcome. BUT... Before Sunday, I had never seen a Duesenburg, and had only seen one Cord. There were dozens of cars that I would not have had the opportunity to see, had I not gone. Yes, I doubt that I would ever be accepted into the social circles that a lot of those there are in, but what the heck. I enjoyed looking at their cars.

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I have had a "little" experience with Concours events having had cars invited to Amelia, Pebble, Meadowbrook, Cincinnati and one in the Pennsylvannia area. My experience with these folks has been good. It is too bad that the committee in Conneticut does not appreciate that car owners are the lifeblood of these events.<P>All my cars have been in the Antique class which is really not the prime merchandise for a Concours, however, I understood that going in. Just to be invited and to get the opportunity to view some of the most exotic and rare cars in the world is pretty exciting to most car guys. You have to also understand that many Concours committees do not necessarily pick the best restored vehicles or the most correctly restored vehicles. They are basically looking for high quality cars with style. Some unrestored cars have made the cutat shows. Also, you know the adage about who you know......<P>Judging is another fun thing some times. Do not get caught up in whether you have the best restored car in your class. The usually judge by "french" rules and after numerous events that I have won and lost I still am not sure how they determine the winners!<P>In fact, at one show I had my worst judging experience ever (after 30 years in the hobby, i have had a few). I showed a car owned by GM, however, the restoration was done by friends of mine with my overseeing the project. A nationally known judge comes up to me after the judging and tells me that although the car i was showing deserved the class award they could not give it to us "because of who owned it". I was flabbergasted since i niavely thought they judged cars not owners! It soured me so much that at Pebble the same car was put in for display only and we refused to allow it to be judged despite the request of the Pebble organizers.<P>Whew, thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

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oldscarnut:<P>Thanks for the interesting experience. Your observations sort of confirmed how I suspected.<P>How about this approach. Under owner's name I'll write "Biff and Buffy Montague from the Hamptons" to see if the lack of courtesy improves?<P>Best regards, Peter J. grin.gif" border="0<p>[ 03-13-2002: Message edited by: Peter J Heizmann ]

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Oldscarnut, I was told by a friend that judged at Pebble Beach that the curb appeal is the driving force in picking the class winners. He was told that in the event of a tie, the car that would turn the most heads would be the winner. <BR> I don't want to see any more class envy posts. The main attraction at car shows is the cars, who gives a rats backside who ownes them! I take photos of cars I have never seen, I have NEVER taken a photo of the owners. End of discussion.

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My wife and I have gone to Monterey a few times. Yes it's expensive but so is Disneyland. We make a long weekend out of it, get a nice hotel and put on the dog.<P>There are a several really high points, out of a kaleidoscope of car stuff. Getting to the car show early in the morning so you can see and hear some of the show cars still moving onto the show feild. Seeing the ocean mist drift over the peninsula, a backdrop for the gorgeous cars. Even the walk along the small access roads to the show field is fun, with all the 'normal' play cars, like Astons, old inline Buicks, Jags, etc., parked along the way. At the show itself the crowds are oppressive but the cars are so great that you actually feel privileged to be there. <P>A very big thrill is the vintage races at Laguna Seca. This is one of the premier events of its type anywhere. You can wander the pits, smell and hear the cars, everything from a Model T speedster to Mark Donahue's 917-30, fresh from the works museum in Stuttgart. The races themselves are thrilling as well. <P>On the streets of Carmel throughout the weekend you'll see more unusual, exciting and sometimes weird cars than you'd see in ten years elsewhere. We were windowshopping and saw parked at the curb amongst all the modern stuff, an absolutely perfect 21 window VW van, salmon and white. Inside were scattered about many period accessories including a mint owners book, a very early transistor radio(!), a picnic basket and on and on. It was just a Volkswagen, sure, but there it sat, a car show of one, with a Ford on one side and a Chevy on the other. <P>I could go on but you get the point.

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I too was at Amelia and I must say the cars were gorgeous (as were the models)! I believe that lumping all the owners in the snob class is a bit unfair. Yes, there is no doubt that some of them are indeed snobs, but I talked with several of them for quite a while and found them to be very down to earth folks who loved cars just as I do.

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I to agree that most car owners are willing to talk and have ran into very few that had ego problems. In fact many times the car owners do not even attend these concours.<P>I consider myself fortunate to have a friend that has being restoring cars for years in the 40 year old family business. He has taken me under his wing in regards to a Concours show. I like him am a working stiff 6AM to 6Pm who is luckly enough to have one of my cars Concours quality but worked my a** off for years to get it there. He has introduced me to many of these car owners that are all to many times refered to as a snob.<P> I was down at their shop a week before Amelia Island watching them get these 3 cars prepared for the show. They were putting on a new cadillac top which the old one looked fine to me. He said the owner wanted the car freshened up for Amelia island even though he would not be attending. With the top and transporation to and from he was spending over 10 thousand dollars. <P>I for one am glad there are people that keep these cars perfect and are willing to throw money at it that most of us could only dream of for others to see. Down the road it may be a different story as many of these guys are older and may not be around a whole lot longer and most of us will never be able to afford such vehicles. And we all know most of there children could car less. tongue.gif" border="0

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Guest rcirilli

I made it to Amelia Island this year as well and was impressed with the affair of it and the $20.00 my two drinks cost at the Ritz-Carlton. I'm very glad I went but honestly with exception of the one off cars and proto types, I've seen them all at AACA show's over the past 25 or so years. I went with a work associate who lives near there, I convinced him to come to Hershey this year. Imagine his eyes the first time he see 1800 cars at one show. Sure we don't get as many million dollar cars as we once did but we had a duzie at the 1999 Founders Tour. They still show up. By the way there is normally a very expensive display at the lodge each year, I'll take AACA!

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