Automobiliac at the Greenwich Concours - FULL GALLERY

This weekend, I attended the annual Concours D'Elegance in Greenwich, CT.  It was the 5th or 6th time I've been, and I have to say that the highlight for me is always the parking lot outside the show! Not only is it free (unlike the now $30 entry fee, which is frankly exorbitant for an event so small) but there is more of a serendipitous aspect to seeing what happens to turn up! This year my Parking Lot Best in Show award goes to an exquisite Maserati Bora that was offered for sale. Finished in black, with an immaculate yet lived in tan leather interior, this Bora was as nice as they come. I really would love to know what the guy is asking for it!  Runner up was a lovely Lancia Fulvia HF which had a wonderfully snarling, snorty exhaust note as the owner pulled away.  Inside the show, there was a breathtaking Cisitalia "Nuvolari" Spider, which really should have had pride of place, but was inexplicably stuck by the port-a-potties in a spot where you couldn't even get close to it.  One of my other highlights was a lime green Ferrari Daytona Coupe, similar in color to the green GTO that was just sold for 35 million.  The Pininfarina-bodied Corvette Rondine show car was a surprise and delight, very much presaging the surfacing that would later be found on the FIAT 124 spider. This is natural, as both cars flowed from the pen of the young American designer Tom Tjaarda. Some other Italian rarities included an Iso Lele, De Tomaso Longchamp, an Intermecchanica Italia, and a Momo Mirage--the only car at the show that completely baffled me as to its identity!There was a "barn find" Chrysler Imperial custom that had a sumptuous Art Moderne interior featuring cabinetry and a clock in the passenger compartment.  In line with the current fetishization of neglect, the car was talked about in hushed tones. But photos of the car on display show that it was in reasonably good shape until the 90s-- I'd say someone owes us an explanation!Easily the most flamboyant car in the show was this tacky yet oddly compelling custom Rolls Royce.  The brightwork is quite fussy, but the actual geometry of the car is clean and crisp. The best design detail was the framless windshield, consisting of a single pane of glass! Quite remarkable.

Click HERE to see the entire gallery. Don't forget to see PAGE 2 as well!

Comments

[Auntie Loch-Braiques]

Nice to see these after spending part of last Sunday there myself. I would be very interested in reading (and seeing, if you took some pictures of it) your analysis of the Type 57 Bugatti that was re-bodied in an effort to make it look like a Type 57S. Or, on the other hand, perhaps it would be better forgotten.

[Bradley Price]

I didn't take a single photo of that car.

[GuitarSlinger]

Ahhhhh .... I see one of my old rides was there as well . The 365GTC/4 . Not my exact car , unless they repainted it from its original color , but the same model never the less

But ... a Type 57 rehashed as a 57S you say ??? Heresy ... plain and simple .

[F1 Tommy]

I like the Pinninfarini Corvette. I saw it sold at auction not to long ago. Also that 330 LMB I think is still for sale for a small fee. An old Alfa 2.9 beat Novalari in the 1948 Mille Miglia in that
port a potties Cisitalia.

Tom Tanner/Scale Designs/Ferrari Expo 2013-Chicago March 2013

[Bradley Price]

What was it like owning and running a GTC/4? Is it a reliable driver? I always have felt those were underrated cars.

[syed]

lovely pics. love the Fulvia quite a lot....does look like an original HF, but the HF's fetch quite a bit of loot these days....

[SR71]

I've always felt that what concours events need is more tanks. I should take my PzKW VI E to my local event next year.

[Lance Pierre]

That bizarre black and gold Rolls and the silver Horch, a recent concours winner (Pebble, I think), are two of the ugliest cars I've ever seen. There were plenty of great-looking cars there to make up for those two, however.