A 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K, winner of Best in Show at the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours dEleganceCobble Beach Concours dElegance A one-off 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K commissioned when new by a Swedish Olympian swimmer earned top honours at Canadas most prestigious classic car event this past weekend, the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours dElegance in Owen Sound, Ontario.The Best in Show win is the second in a row for owner Robert Jepson Jr. of Savannah, Georgia, who last year took the award home with a French coachbuilt 1938 Delahaye.Jepsons Mercedes-Benz was deemed the most elegant of the field of roughly 113 cars, and also won the Peoples Choice award. The event included a variety of pre-war cars, microcars, muscle cars, hot rods and Porsches from Ontario, Quebec and roughly a dozen American states.The cars body was built by Norrmalm in Stockholm for Max Gumpel, who won two medals swimming for Sweden in the 1912 and 1920 Olympics. Among the 6,300-lb cars many notable features are a siren; a hood mascot molded after the Roman goddess Diana; and a special split front bench seat widened so he could ride with two women. (Greta Garbo, in fact, was frequently seen with Gumpel in the car.)Gumpel put his significant influence to use protecting the car from harm and government conscription during the Second World War, but sold it in 1955. The car traded hands and was restored and re-restored numerous times before being bought up by Jepson in 2017. He also subjected the car to an extensive restoration, which helps explain its win at Cobble Beach. The three winners of the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance Cobble Beach Concours dElegance Walter Eisenstarks 1954 Siata 200CS, one of 11 made and seven remaining, was perhaps the closest rival for the Best in Show title; the South Carolina-based enthusiast took home the award for most outstanding post-war with the Fiat-powered race car.Outstanding pre-war went to a 1917 Locomobile 48 Type M owned by John and Mary McAlpin of Naples, New York. The concours was hosted by Porsche Canada, which showed off dozens of gorgeous old and new Porsche sport cars across two classes and around the Cobble Beach resort; and raised money for the Sunnybrook Hospital Foundation, among other charities.The fundraising efforts included the sale of a guitar by astronaut and car enthusiast Chris Hadfield, who performed a cover of David Bowies Space Oddity on the instrument directly before its auction, for $6,000, Saturday
Origin: Collector nabs Best in Show at Cobble Beach concours second year in a row
concours
Crescent Beach Concours a stunning end of summer treat
Ben Bekers beautiful 1954 Lincoln Cosmopolitan Sport Coupe on the Crescent Beach Concours lawn last Saturday.Cam Hutchins Last weekend was the perfect way to end the summer season thanks to lots of great showsAs always, Saturdays Crescent Beach Concours was outstanding. I was there for morning roll-in and the selection of cars was absolutely stellar. Too many great cars to pick my favourite, so Im lucky not to be a judge. John Carlson taught me most of what I know about working on engines and it was great to see him there as chief judge. I spent lots of time talking to many owners and one cool story concerned three generations of carnuts presenting a 1968 Fiat 500 bought new by Grandma (or Nonna) in Italy and the a SILA Bimboracer owned by grandson Massimo Calandra. This was an electric childrens car built by S.I.L.A. in Turin, designed by Giovanni Michelotti, and based on the open Ferrari Spider of its time and has Connolly Ferrari leather interior. Young Massimo was a hit with the judges.Another Italian supercar of its day was the 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C2300 Touring owned by noted car collector and vintage racer Jon Shirley of the Seattle area. This car has a supercharged straight eight-cylinder engine and its snarling exhaust note rivals any of the muscle eras V8s. It rolled in to a prime spot in the centre of the field and won best of show. But choosing best of show must have been tough because there were so many cool cars. There was a 1909 Pierce Arrow 24 Runabout that came in with protective bags over the brass to protect it, along with a 1910 Russell Knight 22 owned by Peter Findlay. The 1929 Franklin Speedster at the show has an aluminum body and a similar vehicle was given to Charles Lindberg in hopes of promoting the benefits of the Franklins air-cooled engine.Another cool engine was the six-cylinder in the 1936 MGNB. After the Thirties most MG were stuck with all sorts of four-cylinders so this was a pretty unique car to see. The flip side to small engines was the big bad Shelby GT 500KR of Postmedia columnist Alyn Edwards with the 428 Cobrajet. Alyn took a day off of reporting and judging to just come to the show as an entrant. Beside the Shelby was the biggest baddest of the 50s wild decade, the audacious 1959 Cadillac Series 62. The rear of these cars are probably the most photographed tails of all time.Other of the crazy 50s tails included: the 1958 Imperial 4 door Southampton, owned by Ernie and Colleen Stepney; Doug Taylors 1957 Mercury Turnpike; and the 1957 Dodge Custom Royal D-500 of Bob and Josie Cunningham. Similar to the Dodge Custom was the Orange Creamsicle-coloured 1958 DeSoto two-door hardtop Firedome Sportsman owned by LDonna Lynds. This weekend I am going to take a cue from Alyn and enter my old Chevy truck in the Langley Good Times Cruise-In, and look forward to meeting up with all my B.C. Hot Rod Association buddies at 6:45 a.m.at the Starlight Drive-In and all drive in together to park as a group. I have not been able to make it for the last few years but am really looking forward to being an entrant this year. I am going to start the weekend off with a visit to 192th Street in Surrey for the classic Cruise-In held every Friday evening and also to the Currus Metalworks open house. Sunday will probably include a trip down to Cloverdale for the Bill Larson Memorial Pub Run Newton Boys Hot Rod Run Show Shine. For decades the McLander brothers put on this awesome show, and although they are sort of retired it is still a super cool show and there is a great food at the pub. Another good place to eat that has a car show on Sunday is the Cat Fiddle Pub in Port Coquitlam.So the suggestion for this weekend is bring a kid and an appetite!SHOWSSEPT. 6What: Currus Metalworks Open House and Car ShowWhere: 208-19138 26 Ave., SurreyWhen: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.Admission: FreeInfo: 778-545-8422 or george@currusmetalworks.comSEPT. 6-7What: Queen City CruiseWhere: Downtown NelsonWhen: Friday Cruise 2 p.m to 6 p.m. Parade from the Railtown district of downtown Nelson.Saturday show 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Admission: FreeRegistration: Saturday 9 a.m. $25 and open to all vehiclesInfo: 250-551-5848 or info@nelsonroadkings.comWebsite: nelsonroadkings.comSEPT. 7What: Langley Good Times Cruise-InWhere: Downtown AldergroveWhen: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.Admission: FreeRegistration: $30Info: 604-371-3770 or registerforlangleycruisein@gmail.comWebsite: langleycruise-in.comWhat: Cars Rods RidesWhere: Archie Browning Curling Rink, 1151 Esquimalt Rd., VictoriaWhen: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Admission: Donations acceptedRegistration: 8 a.m. $5 to support children in the region over the holidays. A cash donation or a new unwrapped toy is appreciated.Info: 250-920-0946 orlorneargyle@gmail.comWebsite: esquimaltlights.ca/car-showWhat: English Car Affair in the ParkWhere: Government House, VictoriaWhen: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.Admission: FreeInfo: 250-477-9832, info@oecc.ca or susanchapp@shaw.caWebsite: oecc.caWhat: Endless
Origin: Crescent Beach Concours a stunning end of summer treat
Two-wheel heaven at Crescent Beach Concours d’Elegance
This 1928 Harley Davidson Model JL Special Sport Solo was purchased by Roger Seaholm from Fred Deeleyís Vancouver dealership in 1928.It has narrow fuel tanks, speedster handlebars and a high performance motor with larger inlet valves, a special camshaft and magnesium alloy high compression domed pistons. It also features standard 18-inch wheels as well as a speedometer, luggage carrier, tire pump, side stand and a fire extinguisher, which were special order accessories at the time. The J Range of Harley Davidson was produced from 1915 to 1929.Submitted For classic motorcycle fans, this weekends Crescent Beach Concours dElegance is serving up a 15 beauties from five countries.The 8th annual outdoor show on the grassy lawn of Blackie Spit in Crescent Beach in South Surrey actually marks the 17th year that event organizers have brought together a Labour Day long weekend gathering of collector automobiles and motorcycles, with the first nine taking place on the cobblestone streets of Gastown.This year, as in the past, the spectacular list of entrants80 cars in addition the vintage two-wheelerscome from all over the west coast of North America, and cover a broad span of makes and years and included vehicles that are often rare and seldom seen by the public. There will be six motorcycles built by British manufacturers and representing a wide variety of interests from the land that at one time virtually ruled the roost for motorcycles as transport and sport. Three of these represent the very best England had to offer for fast, efficient road travel for their time. These include two models from AJS, a 1956 Model 30 shown by Ben Bekker and a 1928 K6 shown by John Parsons, and a 1970 Norton Commando shown by master restorer Tony Cording. For fans of sport bikes Tom Nelson will be bringing his 1969 Greeves 380 Griffin, a bike designed specifically for motocross racing and the American desert racer market.Then there is a Brian and Randy Pollocks bikeor is it a car? Depending on where it was registered, the 1932 Morgan Aero Super Sports can be classified as both. This particular three-wheeler is registered as a motorcycle, and represents a unique and innovative vehicle that harkens back to an era when not all machines looked like they came out of the same mould.Rounding out the Brit bikes is a Triumph T160 Rob North Replica built and shown by John Martin. These bikes were raced by Triumph in the early 70s, and this particular example is believed to be the only Rob North special in North America that is street legal.Another rare motorcycle in the show hails from Germany. Alyson Nerkers very rare 1967 BMW R69S is a fine example of the R69 range, which was produced from 1955 to 1969. A 1962 magazine article published in Cycle World stated, It is still the smoothest, best finished, quietest and cleanest motorcycle it has ever been our pleasure to ride.From the land of the Rising Sun we have two bikes, as different as the proverbial chalk and cheese. A much modified 1982 Kawasaki KZ1000S1R Eddy Lawson Replica shown by Steve Willgoose and a 1974 Honda CT70K3 Trail 70 shown by Steve Gurry. The Kawasaki is about as close to a full race bike that can be legally ridden on the street, while the Honda is a charming little machine used for casual riding on streets and trails.From the U.S. there will be three remarkable machines. Representing Harley Davidson, a tasteful and skilfully modified 1992 Sportster Caf Racer shown by Fred Dallyn and a 1928 Model JL shown by Rod Busch. The differences (and similarities) between these two machines are remarkable, but both epitomize everything one can expect from this iconic company. Also from the U.S. is a 1948 Mustang 2 shown by John Crawford. These lightweight motorcycles, said to be named after the famed P51 fighter plane, were built in California from 1946 to 1965. This bike is a much sought after piece of U.S. history. In addition to beautiful bikes, the Crescent Beach show features an eclectic array of very collectible cars, such as this 1938 Steyr 220 Roadster, one of just six ever produced. Cam Hutchins And lastly, from Italy, are three of the very best produced by that country. A 1982 Laverda Mirage 1200 TS will be shown by Robert Smith. Primarily meant for fast cruising, it combines great engineering with superb styling. The 2002 Ducati MH 900 Evoluzione shown by Bill Dickinson and the 1981 Ducati 900 Mike Hailwood Replica shown by Rick Crebbin are both a perfect fit in the motorcycle world. They go extremely fast, are extremely beautiful, and sound fantastic, just what you would expect from their country of origin.Returning to the show this this year is well-known motorcycle journalist and photographer Robert Smith as part of the panel of motorcycle judges, joining Steve Harding, Gary Richardson and Alan Comfort.Awards will be presented for first, second and third in the Judged Class and for Best Presented Motorcycle from all motorcycles entered.IF YOU GOWhat:
Origin: Two-wheel heaven at Crescent Beach Concours d’Elegance
Karma SC1 Vision Concept will make first public debut at Pebble Beach Concours
Karma Automobile is bringing its brand-new SC1 Vision Concept to life and is prepared to show it at the Pebble Beach Concours dElegance, set to be the first public showing of the futuristic-looking vehicle.The SC1 Vision Concept is Karmas vision for the future of motoring, and if the future looks anything like the SC1, were in.The SC1 is a signpost to Karmas future, says Karma CEO Dr. Lance Zhou.Designed and engineered in less than 12 months, SC1 is a full battery-electric vehicle that explores the brands striking design language and the innovative technology integration possible through our collaborative Open Platform strategy.The most important thing about this vehicle is the tech: its been future-proofed to accept full self-driving when it becomes available. Eight radars, six lidar sensors and half a dozen external cameras help the car see what humans see. Almost. The infotainment system also has a humanized communication system with touch, voice, eye and graphical interfaces and a camera-based eye-tracking system that is capable of biometric identification. That all sounds like something out of Blade Runner, but we like it.As for power, we dont really know whats motivating it yet, but we think its safe to say this vehicle will be more on the sporty side of electric, rather than economical.The SC1 Vision Concept will be displayed on the Concept Lawn at the Pebble Beach Concours dElegance on Sunday, August 18. The 2020 Karma Revero GT will also make be on display next to the Karma GT during Monterey Car
Origin: Karma SC1 Vision Concept will make first public debut at Pebble Beach Concours
New concours event welcomes younger entrants with under-$30k class
A brand-new automotive concours event in Newport, Rhode Island is taking steps to make classic car shows more accessible for the next generation. ‘Bout time!The first-ever Audrian’s Newport Concours Motor Week will be hosted by Rhode Island’s Audrian’s Automobile Museum, and is scheduled to take place over four days in early October.And in a refreshing effort to keep the next generation from getting discouraged by classic car prices that tower higher than their life savings, the event creators have decided to include a 30 Under 30 class. “The 30 Under 30 is a class designed for hobbyists under thirty years of age who have not spent more than $30,000 on their project,” the concours website reads. “This class has been developed to encourage young people to get involved in the hobby of car collecting and restoration.” “By having this officially judged class, it is our goal to foster growth within the collector hobby, by showing young people that collecting and restoring is not just for the affluent, and isn’t limited to cars in the hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars.”The 30 Under 30 entrants will be displayed and judged (by Jay Leno, among other experts) alongside 23 other ‘regular’ classes on the final day of the event, which will include other, much more expensive cars, including the pre-Second-World-War classics typical of concours. Other concours highlights include a Tour d’Elegance.The event should draw a crowd, and not just because there will be millions of dollars of classic cars there; John Legend is also scheduled to perform at the International Tennis Hall of Fame.The inaugural event will take place at multiple venues in Newport from October 3 through 6, with proceeds going to a variety of local non-profit organizations. Entries are closed for this year, but guest tickets are still available on the official
Origin: New concours event welcomes younger entrants with under-$30k class
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