Yes, it's the first Sunday in November, that means it's time for the Best of France and Italy Car Show!
The oddest collection of oddball cars west of the Los Angeles River...kinda.
Here's some of the neat Stuff that showed up:
Ah, the Concours d'Elegance. A gathering of the snootiest car people ever. And, a lot of fun, and amazingly beautiful examples of the automotive arts. And all scrupulously judged by hoards of blue-blazer, khaki-trousered, panama-hatted experts so precise that they debate if "anal retentive" should have a hyphen or not. And why not? There's a lot of money involved (selling an award winning car can boost the value enormously) as well as prestige and a fancy trophy.
The San Marino Concours isn't Pebble Beach or Amelia Island, but it's a pretty fancy do. It's perhaps less intense than the Grande Dames of Concours, but at the same time, it's a lot of fun and hosts an eclectic range of cars.
All in all, it's worth the $35 to get it. Or the $100 to enter. No, I didn't enter. My old friend from high school and fellow member of the Wire Wheel Club of Pasadena, Tom Oldfield entered his Caterham/Lotus 7, and Chuck Forward from Autobooks had his newest pet, a Citroen Traction-Avant Light 15/6 out there. As usual, Creigton Turner, another old friend had his magnificent (and former winnter at SM AND Pebble Beach) Jaguar XK120 as well as his Morgan +4.
The Usual Suspects of Packards, Duesenbergs, Cadillacs, and Lincolns were in evidence, their block long hoods probing snootily at us mere proles who genuflected before their mightyness.
All in all, a fine day out. Here's a few photos:
