Showed at the new york state fair ...and on the plaque was written Concourse of Elegance... i have seen this before.. does that mean it is a special type of show... special class ??? thanks ...

A concours is a pure beauty contest. It is a term in common use enough to even be defined in Werbster's Dictionary (see link for their definition).

very good i will look it up... thanks in my websters it says concourse means an open space for crowds.... nothing about beauty...i like this webster dictionary better..

Liz, as the saying goes, not all Concours are created equal! Traditionally, most concours are not point judged but handled under so called "French rules". To Dave's point it is a beauty contest in the eyes of the judges and at times an unrestored car could beat a restored car. Many of these events consider the styling as being #1.

Concour events in this country usually benefit some major charitable organization(s). Each year they traditionally highlight a particular car, brand of car, etc. Many of them are in existence and more seem to crop up each year with some also failing as they are very expensive to produce.

Pebble Beach, Amelia Island, Meadowbrook all have websites that you might enjoy.

Simply put, I`ve always felt it means....
"Cream of the Crop".
If anyone is in the area, or interested, The "Lake Mirror Classic" will be in Lakeland, Florida in October. This show usually features Concours cars, boats, AND motorcycles in a park setting around the lake. Live classical music in past years too. Have a look.....
Lake Mirror Classic

We've been in 25 Concours, all the majors except Pebble, and they all have a common thread as Steve stated, they all benefit charities. However, they also benefit the car owner as many of the expenses related to bringing your car to a show are tax deductible. Without the car, there is no show. Without the owner, there is no car. Transportation and lodging are deductible for the owner, as is transportation cost for the vehicle. The majority of the shows are 501 (c) (3) tax entities that pass the proceeds, less expenses, to an associated charity.

That charity can benefit one or a number of organizations such as women's shelters, cancer fighters and the like. Shows like Meadow Brook benefit the venue as the Matilda Dodge mansion is an historic 110 room home.

Many of the Concours have fundraiser black-tie or business attire functions that have ticket prices from $50 to $250 per dinner. The dinner is typically paid for by a sponsor so that the ticket price goes right to the charity. You get to deduct the ticket price from your taxes less the value of the meal. These events often attract more of the local social elite and less of the exhibitors. My wife loves the dinners so we go to most of them. BTW, tickets for Concours spectators are also deductible.

For your $250 dinner ticket you also get be bored to tears hearing a race car figure or automotive author drone on about how great they are. If you survive without slitting your wrists you get to schmooze with other owners, automotive big wigs and the local gentry crowd. In effect, you get to play with the rich and famous, without being either. I've heard a lot of people describe Concours as snooty affairs. Maybe it's the charity events they're referring to. It's certainly not the shows themselves.

As far as the judging is concerned, many of the shows do use a points-judged format. You'd almost have to so that there was a basis for comparison. Many of the events I participate use AACA judging formats with a big pinch of WOW factor thrown in. West Peterson has judged in many of the shows that I've been in and can probably throw a better light on judging.

I much prefer Concours events over club events because I like people telling me what they like about my car, rather than what's wrong with it. But that's just me. Club shows tend to focus on authenticity while Concours focus on wow factor.

For me the Concours events are a great 3-4 day weekend where I can do well and good at the same time. However, the real and lasting value is the friendships that I've made all over the country.

Thank you for very valuable information... i learn so much from all of you... i really got into this as a noobie...and sometimes i ask a question thinking it will be unnoticed and instead i get better then average answers; you guys know your stuff.... thanks again....

Thank you i will definitly visit those sites... amazing how theres so many interesting things to learn ...

Thanks for the tax tip. I will be attending as an exhibitor at the Kirkland Concours in 2 weeks and am going to occur some expenses such as room and towing charges. I wonder if my helper's room and meals are deductable. I assume they are.

This Concours is judged on beauty and style vs. a point system. Engine compartments and trunks are to remain closed and no one is allowed to start their engine when on display.

My CPA has instructed me to only take my expenses, not my wife's as he, not me, would consider her presence unnecessary. However, if a helper were necessary I can see how those expenses would be legitimate.

Concours d'Elegance literally means parade of excellence. In the late 1800s or early 1900s the city fathers of Pasadena, California, adapted the concours idea (that they saw on a trip to France) for an event to bring attention to their city. It evolved into the Rose Bowl Parade.

The following article may better explain early Concours d'Elegance. It's from George Hildebrand's excellent The Golden Age of the Luxury Car (Dover, 1980, ISBN 0-486-23984-5), a great book for any serious automotive library.

http://photos.aaca.org/data/500/Concours_29_1.jpg Click once after opening to enlarge.

http://photos.aaca.org/data/500/Concours_29_2.jpg
NOTE: In the list of prize winners, OUVERTES means OPEN, FERMEES means CLOSED.

I liked the book so much I even wrote a small review of it after purchasing a copy on ebay in 2007...
http://catalog.ebay.com/_W0QQ_fclsZ1QQ_pidZ1337315QQ_tabZ3QQ_uaidZ36362800

Enjoy,
TG

BTW, it took a while to find out what became of the Bugatti Royale above, but here was its fate.



It was reportedly wrecked with Ettore himself behind the wheel in 1931; that explains why we haven't seen it since.
According to this article,
http://www.bhvccc.co.uk/Bugatti%20Front%20Page.htm
it was the 4th body built on the prototype chassis, the 5th and last body of which is the fabulous Coupe Napoleon.

Here are a couple of pix of the Coupe Napoleon as rendered in 1/43rd scale by Solido of France.




This is probably the closest hands-on experience I'll ever have with any Royale.

What a great automotive experience. I rate it with receiving our AACA Grand national award.
In 2003, Joan and I were invited to take our orange, 1970 BOSS 302 Mustang to the Radnor Hunt Concours. They were celebrating 100-years of Ford and they only invite 100-cars. Also, you only get to go once unless you take a different car.
We were treated like celebrities and enjoyed a great lunch and
made some new friends. We drove the BOSS there on wet roads but that didn't seem to matter. After some Meguiar's Spray and Shine it looked great and we won our class. I think I was walking on air when I accpeted the award.

Jim Aberts

When they limit the number of cars that really does make it special. I'm looking foward to be surrounded by some great cars as the Kirkland Councours is limited to 80.

My question is since I have two collectible cars, under owner should I list as owner "Tbirdman's Collection"? How many cars does it take to make a collection?

Very wonderful... i can amagine how great the day was at the show to be invited and to win your class at such a prestigiousshow... such an honor... and thanks for all additional information and history of councours d' elegance and pics...

I was in the 2004 show at Radnor. It is a special show. The setting, in the middle of horse country, is really spectacular. The show cars are on terraces allowing for great views of the cars and the surrounding countryside. That show benefits the conservation of the equestrian land attached to the club. Had they not preserved the property it certainly would be covered in McMansions.

Technically, I'd say two.

Are any of these shows besides the NYS fair located in NY, and how do i obtain a list of shows...?

expenssive cars!

For those interested, there is a new "Concours De Elegance",
held at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs Colorado.

The second annual event was was held this last weekend, I had a 1961 Olds D 88 coupe entered. Did not win anything but it cost nothing to enter and I had a great day. It was fun to spend the day with the folks that enter and attend this class of an event. Just talking to Dennis Gage and Chip Foose as they perused the showfield and checked out your entry was a blast. You can go to RMCONCOURS.COM and see a lot of this years info and last years winners.

Thanx, Dave Holt

what beautiful cars and what a beautiful view to go with them.