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:
