MYTH BUSTED!!!! Concours d'Elegance

After wondering about them for 30 years I finally went to the Concours d'Elegance in Greenwich, Ct. yesterday. All you needed was $25.00 to get in, I was in clean work clothes, and better dressed than many, sure the judges had the blue jackets and big floppy hats. But the myth that has bothered me all these years didn't exist. Not every car was a head turner either, lots of common late model stuff that every drivein cruise nite has, I'm guessing Pebble Beach is a notch or two above this. If you like looking at cars, go to one. My favorite car there ? The 1949 Kurtis that Wally Parks ran at Bonneville setting a Record at 142.515.

 

Every Concours is going to be different. If you ever watch Chasing Cl***ic Cars on HDTheater he goes to a lot, and was probably at the Greenwich one too since his shop is in CT. He was at the Ameilia Island Concours and it was just a step below Pebble Beach. I think the level of cars there is top notch, I'd like to make it down there one year.

 

Several years ago we hit the LA roadster show and by pure chance ended up at the Beverly Hills Concours. It was pretty cool, lots of variety and great quality. We were really cl***y and lifted some Cardboard Beverly Hills No Parking Signs. Still have one in the garage!

 

Glad you went as they do a good job but make sure you go to the Fairfield Concours http://www.fairfieldcountyconcours.com/ in Connecticut in September.

It is a step up from Greenwich and they do an even better job. We took a car there last year and it was wonderful.....best in the North East. They also have a good racing car cl***.

synthsis mentions Amelia Island...... I have been to all of them and it is my favorite. I have shown cars there twice w/a client and it is spectacular. I like it better than Pebble Beach. It has also has many racing cars on exhibit, I would guess at least a hundred. http://www.ameliaconcours.org/default.asp.

As to the cost to get in they all are set up to help charities, so you are having fun and doing something good at the same time.

 

It's one of those things on my list is to start hitting them up. I would much rather go to one of them then to another piss poor **** rod show.

 

Bob, they have more a bad reputation than they have in reality. Some people feel they are a bit snobbish but then again I have been to some marque shows that the exhibitors can be just a bit full of themselves. Many if not most of the guys exhibiting cars at these high dollar affairs are real car guys-their wallets are just a bit fatter.

My hands down favorite is Amelia Island as well. Being from Michigan I like Meadowbrook but it is pretty hard to beat Amelia. I have only been to Pebble three times and of course it is impressive but I recently spoke to two winners from both Pebble and Amelia Island and both of told me they liked Amelia Island much better.

In my opinion if you go to Amelia Island get out there early and watch the parade of racecars drive onto the grounds (you can stand right on the crosswalk/sidewalk across from the parking lot and it is a treat for the eyes and ears). My wife thinks I am a bit nuts to spend all of that time there but then again she does not appreciate that symphony as much as I do.-Jim

 

Amelia Island is one of the must do's on my bucket list.

There are a couple of events in the PNW that along with the cl***ics draw some really interesting racing machines out of the past.

 

Amelia Island coolant.

 

My friends and I went to a Concous show in Akron Ohio last summer. Was well worth it. Pierson Bros coupe, So-Cal Coupe, The red one that was in Rodders Journal, plus several others. The High end cars were well worth looking at too! Highly recommended!

 

My wife and I went to Pebble Beach two years ago to help a buddy show a Packard he had restored, there was a few pretentious people but for the most part it was just a good time.


My buddy won third in cl*** and we also got to meet this guy.


there was a few old junkers too.

 

You have good taste....

 

I went to my first last year at Meadowbrook and loved it. They had a nice ***ortment of cars with a few from each group. Included were US, Import, race cars and some original 60's drag cars. Planning on going back in JUly

 

uh, bob...pics?

 

Special Ed just posted the one I would have taken if I had a camera.

 

This is that Kurtis at a diiferent show...

 

I went to Pebble Beach last year. When I picked up my tickets in jeans and a tee shirt, the lady behind the counter gave me the once-over and then the dirtiest look. Whatever - no one inside seemed to care. It's something everyone should go to once.

 

No camera?!...

NO SOUP FOR YOU!

 

Thats all I need,, A car that drinks as much as I do

 

Thanks Ed, I never would have been able to get a nice side view like that at Greenwich. the owner brought the car out all the way from Utah. Body is aluminum, with steel doors and a fibergl*** hood, all very nicely restored. That Davis three wheeler was also there, the light green car two away in your photo. All these years I'd thought they were a small car, not so about the size of a Chevy from the same era.

 

If these were the junkers.. I would look at these all day... None of the others....

 

my experience is that when you see the very top of the hobby in person, it really leaves a lasting impression on you. I have always enjoyed the Concours that I have gone to over the years.

 

They had a bunch of the cars from the '50s "motorama" tour including that big ol' bus that would travel around with it. Very cool stuff!

 

Those would be worth the price of admission alone to see..

 

If you are really into "cars" it's hard to beat Pebble Beach. Stuff I can't begin to afford but it's amazing. Not to mention the gals with the stylin' dresses, floppy hats, champagne in their hand , and of course, spike heels.

 

Pebble Beach & Amelia Island are the pinnacle of Concours shows. I have been to Pebble Beach for the past 5 years, and will be going again this year....

If I had to choose ONLY one car show a year to go to, it would be Pebble Beach...yeah, its expensive, but you will NEVER see the range of cars there anywhere else...

This year, they have an American Motorcycle cl*** & the Hot Rods return again too...

This was 2007...The Pete Henderson roadster, with its restorer Chuck Longley (His son Mike is on here too)




I'm off to the Palo Alto Concours in a couple of weeks

 

G'day A32Flathead, I will be attending Pebble Beach this year to see the Hot Rod cl***, how about a HAMB meet & greet on the lawn??

 

I know it's in August, what is the actual date?

 

Sounds good to me...I'm the one with the funny accent...wearing this jacket

Sunday, August 15

Info at http://www.pebblebeachconcours.net/index.html

There is another couple of significant hot rods coming too...looking forward to it

 

I've been going to Pebble Beach off and on for years, even getting engaged there in 1980. In 1981 I drove a ratty pink '67 Mustang with rattle-canned red flames right up to the front of the Lodge, on the pretense that my new wife had a bum leg. Got a lot of "**** you" looks for being a member of the hoi-polloi, but there was one elderly lady with a HUGE rock on her finger who just smiled, flipped us an OK sign, and ******ed my wife into the Lodge, laughing all the way. Unfortunately, I had to move that POS car!

We went back to Pebble Beach in 2005, to celebrate our twenty-fifth anniversary of our engagement, and guess what was on the lawn... the Bertolucci-Ohanesian '40 Mercury that started my love for customs in 1964, when I walked the wrong way home and ended up at Bertolucci's Auto Body on Fair Oaks Blvd. in Carmichael, where the Merc was parked out front. I was totally in shock, and shared my story with the chair of that section. He later introduced me to **** Bertolucci at the show, who did not remember the lost 8 year-old who repeated ended up at his shop, but we had a great talk just the same.

It is the best auto show, expensive to attend, and worth it every single time.

 

Great Bertolucci story. I'm going for the first time this year.

The friends I'm meeting there suggested getting out early to beat the crowds. Apparently if you already have your tickets you can get in as early as 6 am.