This has to be one of the best displays of automotive excellence in the country for $20, bar none. June 28th was the 43rd year and it never disappoints. Considering the variety easily rivals the big one in Pebble Beach at $150 per person, you can't go wrong. This year Porsche and Mustang were the featured marques. After thirty years in the Chicago suburbs, even though I was about 1 hour from three dragstrips at the time, living in California can really spoil you if you're into the automotive culture. http://www.paconcours.com/
At this particular show were some very, very rare sights. Topping my list is a Ferrari F-50. The rarest of the modern Ferrari's. Seeing this car is so unusual that the largest Ferrari gathering in the country, the Concorso Italiano, doesn't always have one. It was a real treat to see it again. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_F50
I've never seen a Mosler on display either. It is strangely similar to a Saleen S7, but then again, you can only cheat the air in so many ways. For me the dark grey was the wrong color, but then again it resembled something from another planet that just happened to stop by. In red or yellow, it couldn't fly under the radar, literally. But in grey, it was like a UFO. http://www.moslerauto.com/
Even though a local dealer brought it, I've never seen a Ferrari California in person. At first I couldn't comprehend what it was. I thought a chop-top 599GTB? That would be heresy! But it did seem large...and then a split second later it dawned on me - a California! A number of "firsts" for Ferrari: Front-engine V8, dual-clutch transmission and hard-top convertible. I wish it wasn't under the tent - the proximity to the poles and the shade detracted from it's presence. I'm undecided about it's size and vertically stacked tailpipes. But I wouldn't kick it out of the garage for eating crackers!
A 1974 Datsun Skyline; one of the early generations of the current Nissan GTR, right-hand drive and all. A Corvette C5-R race car from 2002, which I've actually seen race at Laguna Seca and perhaps even Sears Point. The valve cover said Corvette SRT. Interesting Chrysler/Dodge picked up that moniker and ran with it.
There was a 1959 Ferrari Testarossa sitting virtually overlooked at times. I was told it's value was approximately $1.5 million. A stunning car with classic racing lines, velocity stacks for engine air intake poking through a cut-out in the hood and blue seats. Yes, it was red, of course! It was in the always spectacular "Gallery of Greats" along with the C5R and the Mosler.
The classic Porsche representation was good, although I think there should have been more emphasis on modern Porches. The Porsche race cars still look like serious business today with timeless gorgeous lines. The Mustangs had an impressive showing with a lot of GT350s. You know you're in California when that many special edition Mustangs show up in one place. For the aficionado, the displays were indeed impressive.
There were other displays that made for interesting variety. The classic trailers was one along with police cars from the past. The cop cars were interesting, all the various makes and models over the years. Hey! I just realized, the four-door Dodge Charger should have been called the Dodge Interceptor! Many complain the car was mis-named due to having 4 doors. Interceptor would have been perfect!
At this particular show were some very, very rare sights. Topping my list is a Ferrari F-50. The rarest of the modern Ferrari's. Seeing this car is so unusual that the largest Ferrari gathering in the country, the Concorso Italiano, doesn't always have one. It was a real treat to see it again. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_F50
I've never seen a Mosler on display either. It is strangely similar to a Saleen S7, but then again, you can only cheat the air in so many ways. For me the dark grey was the wrong color, but then again it resembled something from another planet that just happened to stop by. In red or yellow, it couldn't fly under the radar, literally. But in grey, it was like a UFO. http://www.moslerauto.com/
Even though a local dealer brought it, I've never seen a Ferrari California in person. At first I couldn't comprehend what it was. I thought a chop-top 599GTB? That would be heresy! But it did seem large...and then a split second later it dawned on me - a California! A number of "firsts" for Ferrari: Front-engine V8, dual-clutch transmission and hard-top convertible. I wish it wasn't under the tent - the proximity to the poles and the shade detracted from it's presence. I'm undecided about it's size and vertically stacked tailpipes. But I wouldn't kick it out of the garage for eating crackers!
A 1974 Datsun Skyline; one of the early generations of the current Nissan GTR, right-hand drive and all. A Corvette C5-R race car from 2002, which I've actually seen race at Laguna Seca and perhaps even Sears Point. The valve cover said Corvette SRT. Interesting Chrysler/Dodge picked up that moniker and ran with it.
There was a 1959 Ferrari Testarossa sitting virtually overlooked at times. I was told it's value was approximately $1.5 million. A stunning car with classic racing lines, velocity stacks for engine air intake poking through a cut-out in the hood and blue seats. Yes, it was red, of course! It was in the always spectacular "Gallery of Greats" along with the C5R and the Mosler.
The classic Porsche representation was good, although I think there should have been more emphasis on modern Porches. The Porsche race cars still look like serious business today with timeless gorgeous lines. The Mustangs had an impressive showing with a lot of GT350s. You know you're in California when that many special edition Mustangs show up in one place. For the aficionado, the displays were indeed impressive.
There were other displays that made for interesting variety. The classic trailers was one along with police cars from the past. The cop cars were interesting, all the various makes and models over the years. Hey! I just realized, the four-door Dodge Charger should have been called the Dodge Interceptor! Many complain the car was mis-named due to having 4 doors. Interceptor would have been perfect!
Unlike the Concorso Italiano, the vendor displays were minimal and there was even a greyhound rescue organization there as well. Obviously dealer participation is welcome - last year was the first time I saw the new ZR1 Corvette and Nissan GT-R. The year prior to that was the Audi R8. This year the Ferrari California.
There is a "Coral" for non-judged cars which can have some of most interesting vehicles including the F-50. If you have a car that isn't pedestrian, I recommend the Coral since you get a great parking spot, a place to picnic with the car and a deal for admission. There is also a "for sale" area.
The Green car display, off in a corner, really wasn't too interesting since there were a couple of Teslas in the Coral and Smart cars can be seen on the showroom floor. But it's a good idea because there is innovation in that field with conversions and modifications to existing vehicles. So giving them a venue besides the internet is definitely worthwhile. http://www.teslamotors.com/ http://www.smartusa.com/
There were so many notable cars it is really a disservice to try to describe them all. With donations annually typically over $100,000 to 35 charity organizations and an incredible variety of makes and models even a non-car person can enjoy the sights and ambiance of this show. Would you laugh if I said if it wasn't for the ninety-degree temperatures, doing a little celebratory jig or rolling around in the grass with a grin on my face wouldn't be exactly out of the question for this car enthusiast?
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