2024 Monterey Car Week

Sooner or later a car show devotee will attend an event and experience what may be a special treat in seeing a vehicle that they have only heard about, or only seen in pictures, or perhaps have not known of its existence at all. Such occurrences can enhance the occurrence for the viewer to the point of making the show a favored and long-remembered occasion. Given the depth and breadth of rare and unique vehicles that have historically been displayed at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, there is an increased opportunity for the attendee to have at least one encounter with a previously unseen or unknown vehicle and perhaps more.

In tribute to the element of exclusivity, this edition of the Guide to Monterey Car Week contains almost double the number of pages from last year’s issue with the addition of images of some of the unusual and rare cars competing in past Pebble Beach Concours. Several cars with notable rarity and/or provenance that are planned to be auctioned during Monterey Car Week are also included. A feature on the delightfully un-concours event called Concours d’Lemons presents examples of one-step-from-the-junkyard heaps, wildly imaginative creations, or plainly unremarkable transports selected for display at this purposely fun-filled opposite to Pebble Beach and concours in general.

 

 

Two Unusual Restoration Teams

Last year’s guide carried a short story of a 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300S Cabriolet competing for Best of Show that was a surprise in that it had been restored by students in McPherson College’s Automotive Restoration program. It is probably old news that the college’s entrant won second place in the Postwar Luxury category, thus making history as the first student-restored car finishing in the top three in any class at the Pebble Beach Concours. Their victory was also special in that their car was one of a select few to win an award out of 216 cars from 18 countries and 30 states entered in the competition.

Interestingly, another surprise entry competed at the Pebble Beach Concours as far back as at least 1993. A pre-concours edition of the Los Angeles Times (July 15, 1993) contained a story about a 1931 Duesenberg J that had been accepted for the 1993 event. The notable aspect of this car was that it had undergone restoration in an automotive program within a prison in the state of Nevada, specifically at a facility in Indian Springs. The program was started two years before by the administrator of a classic car collection at the now-former Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino in nearby Las Vegas, of which the Duesenberg was one of 750 cars in the collection. The goal was to provide useful skills to selected inmates which they could use to rebuild their lives after serving their terms. No information has been found to identify the Duesenberg entered in the concours, as there were 52 Duesenbergs in the collection at the time, nor has any information surfaced concerning any inmates who put their automotive experience to good use at the end of their sentence. Nevertheless, the program still exists today as one of several state-run enterprises that provide productive, compensated work for inmates in the Nevada prison system.

 

 

Selected Cars Consigned For Auction During Monterey Car Week

 

1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider, chassis number 1795 GT, by Sotheby’s

1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider

In response to dealer’s requests for a sports car that could be raced but also driven on the road, Ferrari developed the 250 GT SWB California Spider as an upgraded model of its highly successful 250 GT LWB that was produced from 1956-1959. Chassis number 1795 GT was exhibited at the 1960 Geneva Motor Show as the first of just 56 completed 250 GT SWB California Spiders. It drew a great amount of attention from the show’s attendees due to its styling and features such as the latest version of the company’s proven Tipo 168 V-12 engine, adjustable telescopic shock absorbers, four-wheel disc brakes, covered headlights, and a removable hardtop. These enhancements over the SWB California Spider and others helped to make what was arguably the highest-performance open car in its time, often viewed in the same light as supercars like the McLaren F1 would be many years later. This perception may account in some way for chassis 1795 GT having only five owners since its initial delivery after the show in Geneva. Additionally, Sotheby’s has placed an estimated sale price of $16,000,000 – $18,000,000 USD.

 

1963 Shelby 289 Cobra Roadster, by Mecum Auctions

Over the years the value of vehicles associated with legendary actor and collector Steve McQueen have benefitted from this provenance when sold at auction. They include his 1963 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso ($2.31 million in 2011) and 1968 Ford Mustang GT390 Fastback used in the movie “Bullitt” ($3.74 million in 2020).

This year the Shelby Cobra illustrated above carrying serial number CSX2161 is advertised as associated with McQueen through his maintaining possession of the car that he drove regularly from 1965 to late 1967. In addition, auction promotion material states that “McQueen enjoyed CSX2161 so deeply that he advocated for the privilege of retaining it for several months after it was sold to its next owner”. During the advertised time of its possession by McQueen the Cobra was actually owned by Hollywood film composer Elmer Bernstein, a personal friend who composed the music for “The Magnificent Seven” (1960), “The Great Escape” (1963), and “Love With The Proper Stranger” (1964) in which McQueen had major roles.

Interestingly, McQueen previously drove another 1963 Shelby Cobra carrying later serial number CSX2174. This car was loaned to him directly by Carroll Shelby either with the goal of making a sale through a try-before-buy arrangement or for promotional purposes. McQueen was undoubtedly interested in owning a Cobra, but it turns out that he reportedly could not do so due to a specific stipulation in his studio contract. The result is that McQueen appears to have driven the car for a period of a few months from June 1963 until Shelby requested its return, after which it was refurbished and sold.

 

1954 Lincoln Cosmopolitan Coupe, by Gooding & Company

1954 Lincoln Cosmopolitan Coupe, by Gooding & Company

Lincolns of the 1950s may not fit the image of being high-performance racers, but the decals and markings on this car mark it as a distinctive 10-time participant in the grueling 2200-mile La Carrera Panamericana rally. This event was reborn in 1988 from its origin as an annual race from southern Mexico to the Texas border that was held from 1950-1954 before high costs and accidents forced its cancellation.

The later La Carrera Panamericana is now a vintage race in which 1950s-era cars predominate throughout the vehicle classes, which partially explains the choice of a Lincoln Cosmopolitan as an entrant. The Cosmopolitan and the similar Capri also compiled excellent records in the original races, notably taking the top four places in the stock car division of the 1952 and 1954 events.

With a number of modifications made over successive years as a participant in La Carrera Panamericana, this Lincoln was sold for $42,069 on May 13, 2022. As of this writing, auction estimates for its sale in 2024 have not been released.

 

 

A Most Undignified Event: The Concours d’Lemons

In 2024, only eight miles separates the location of the notorious Concours d’Lemons from its prestigious inspiration held at the Pebble Beach Golf Links. Undoubtedly some participants at the latter venue may wish the physical distance to be exponentially greater. Nevertheless, setting aside geographic proximity, the Concours d’Lemons is light-years from its neighbor in almost every other aspect, as its mission is to “celebrate the mundane, oddball, and truly awful of the automotive world.”

Event founder and proclaimed “Head Gasket” Alan Galbraith jokes that arrest records indicate it was started in the Monterey Peninsula town of Seaside in 2009. It has since become a can’t miss event for many Monterey Car Week attendees, including celebrities as judges and spectators, who come to see hoopties of every description (and some defying description). The show’s general entry criterion is that vehicles be “good examples of bad cars and bad examples of good cars.” In the spirit of tacitly poking fun at the Pebble Beach Concours and similar affairs, participants compete for prizes of absolutely no value and spectators view the whole debacle for free, meaning that they get what they pay for and perhaps a little less.

The classes below illustrate the light-hearted designations of the show’s classes, whose judges are openly available for bribes per one of the few rules of the event.

The following pages contain ten offending examples of participants in previous Concours d’Lemons that are presented for viewing displeasure. Further information about the 2024 event is available on Car Show Safari.

One of just 16 of this post-World War II design was brought by frequent show visitor Wayne Carini of Discovery Channel’s “Chasing Classic Cars”. The Divan did not go into production due to financial issues with manufacturer Davis Motorcar Company. All 16 prototypes were reportedly not sold but instead were given to creditors.

Winner of the top prize of “Worst in Show” in 2010. Several sources claim that the modification is easy to do but results in an even more unstable vehicle.

The car is shown at the presentation of “Rust Belt American Junk – Ford” award. According to the owner, the brake and gas pedal are reversed from the standard on the Model T.

The Reliant Robin was one of a number of English three-wheeled cars that peculiarly appealed to Britons. This 1974 van version won the Rueful Britannia category.

B&Z Electric Car Company of Long Beach, CA produced a number of electric vehicles for golf carts, airports, and industrial uses after its founding in 1961. Models built before 1972 had a 1-horsepower DC electric motor, but subsequent models were equipped with any of four motors, including Army surplus tank turret motors. The model illustrated above is a three-wheel version that was also available with four wheels until production ceased in the early 1980s.

Also known as “Killer ZomBee”, this MGB acquired its moniker after a spectacular rollover crash in the first 24 Hours of Lemons race in 2009. Its bodywork was pulled out by hand and hammer after which it was used as a daily driver and racer in “crapcan” races up to its last sighting in 2019. Note that possibly due to the aerobatics of its 2009 crash it has acquired a “0” added to its usual race number, as in a full circle of 360 degrees.

Renault’s R5 was a big seller in Europe in the 1970s, but its name was changed to Le Car when introduced in the American market in 1976. Uneven dealer support through a partnership with AMC and quality issues with the cars were some of the reasons for its lack of respect in this country. Two interesting quotes from Le Car owners at other Concours d’Lemons provide some insight into the car’s inclusion in this event:

• “Like any French restaurant in America, it was overpriced, noisy, moody, and would put you in mortal danger if you had an accident with anything larger than a croissant.”
• “I left it unlocked overnight, and it was finally stolen. The insurance check paid for a textbook.”

This scaled-up and street-legal copy of a Radio Flyer wagon is built of plywood on a modified Ford hotrod chassis and powered by a small-block 350 Chevy engine. It has been featured on network TV in the comedy “Home Improvement” and on Discovery Channel’s “Monster Nation”. Note that the builders changed the name to “Radio Fiyer” as they were unable to make contact with the wagon manufacturer regarding the right to use the actual product name.

Competing in the category Soul-Sucking Japanese Appliance and showing more rust than wagon, it amazingly held together long enough to reappear at the 2022 event in a more advanced state of decay and won the Driving On A Prayer award.

The owner has brought his western-themed “Buttercup” to a number of Concours d’Lemons over the years where he allows spectators to climb into the saddle of his motorized steed. He has also driven the car in the 24 Hours of Lemons with the horse and cowboy figures attached as illustrated. In a contest which includes gatherings of some of the most imaginative vehicles in one place, “Buttercup” stood out in the 2023 Concours d’Lemons by winning the Sight for Sour Eyes prize.

 

 

 

Concepts, Dream Cars, And Rarities At Past Pebble Beach Concours

 

The Lincoln Indianapolis was a concept design from coachbuilder Carrozzeria Boano of Turin, Italy built on a stock 1955 Lincoln chassis. The Indianapolis was no stranger to high-profile stages, as it was originally shown at the 1955 Turin Automobile Salon. Like a number of cars of the period, the Indianapolis has aircraft-inspired lines that include a tapered center section, decorative side exhaust pipes and cooling intakes, and a top that resembles the canopy of a fighter aircraft. These features engender thoughts of the Indianapolis as a real “Hot Rod Lincoln” per the song by Charlie Ryan and the Livingston Brothers also introduced in 1955, however there is no known connection.

After the Turin event the Indianapolis was acquired by the Ford Motor Company, then was sold into private collections and not seen for several decades until it was restored and entered in the 2001 Pebble Beach Concours, where it was the winner of the Postwar Custom Coachwork class. In subsequent years it garnered more awards at other venues before it reappeared at Pebble Beach in 2013 as seen above and won the Lincoln Trophy. The Indianapolis later made another notable appearance at Pebble Beach in 2019 where it was sold at auction by Sotheby’s for $1,105,000.

This 1951 Manta Ray Roadster is another period piece inspired by aircraft and real or imagined space vehicles. Its designers were Glen Hire and Vernon Antoine, two aerospace engineers from Whittier, CA who developed the car while working for North American Aviation in El Segundo. At the time, North American was producing versions of the F-86 Sabre jets that achieved air superiority in the skies over Korea during the 1950-1953 conflict, rockets and missiles for defense against Cold War threats, and systems for NASA utilized in the race to space. Through a series of mergers and acquisitions North American was eventually absorbed into The Boeing Company.

The Manta Ray is a 3-seat roadster made of fiberglass molded in 14 sections and mounted on a 1951 Studebaker Commander chassis. It was originally painted gold and retained the Studebaker’s stock V-8 engine. Hire and Antoine added the prominent nose cone and air intake along with three rear fins whose tail lamps were reportedly borrowed from the 1952 Lincoln.

As an initial proof-of-concept vehicle, the Manta Ray was intended to test improvements for incorporation into eventual mass-produced cars. Unfortunately, plans to institute production did not come to fruition. By the late 1950s this sole example of the car ended up in the collection of a Midwestern car dealer. As seen in the above image, it is now painted pink. It also has a dual quad Cadillac V-8 engine in place of the Studebaker V-8.

A 1938 Phantom Corsair that was at Pebble Beach in 2007 is the brainchild of Rust Heinz (October 18, 1914 – July 24, 1939), a member of the family whose name and products are still part of a global food and beverage company. After his parents disapproved of his involvement in developing the car Rust obtained financing for development from an aunt.

Utilizing a clay model and the services of California design firm Bohman & Schwartz, the car’s body was crafted from aluminum onto a custom-designed chassis. The car was powered by a V8 Lycoming engine with front wheel drive taken from a Cord 812. It was equipped with advanced safety features such as tinted glass windows, fog lights, and hydraulic bumpers. Its instrument panel featured aircraft-style instruments that included a warning light that lit when the automatic push-button doors weren’t closed.

Rust planned to market the car as a limited production model priced at $15,000, which was a huge sum given the ongoing recovery from the economic impact of the Great Depression. Initial marketing efforts and production plans for the Phantom Corsair stopped upon Rust’s death just before his 25^th birthday in a car accident (not involving the Phantom Corsair) and were never resumed. It was kept by the family for a period before going to noted humorist and car collector Herb Shriner before ending up in The Harrah Collection, now called the National Automobile Museum, in Reno, NV.

he 1935 Hoffman X-8 is a one-off experimental car with a rear-mounted X-8 engine, in which its eight cylinders are mounted in an “X” configuration. The car was designed and built by Roscoe C. Hoffman (March 22, 1888 – October 22, 1976), an automotive engineer who reportedly was nicknamed “Rear-Engine Hoffman” due to his interest in engine and drive train placement other than the prevailing engine in front and rear-wheel drive. Research continues regarding development of the X-8, with indications that Hoffman’s work on the car was funded through commissioning by the Fisher Brothers (of Fisher Body fame) in the early 1930s to create the car for display and potential production after their intended takeover of Hudson Motors.

The Hoffman X-8 was built using relatively-new (at the time) monocoque all-steel body construction, meaning that its external skin is weight-bearing, just like an egg shell. This technique was pioneered by Budd Automotive, who was tasked with stamping the car’s streamlined unitized body. Both Budd and Hoffman were adherents of streamlining, as that style was becoming more prevalent in 1930s designs. The Hoffman X-8 could seat five people propelled by the rear-mounted engine producing 75 horsepower. It is the only car known to exist that is powered by an X-8 engine.

When the takeover did not occur, Hoffman kept the car until he gave it to noted industrial designer (Clifford) Brooks Stevens (June 7, 1911 – January 4, 1995, whose portfolio of over 3,000 products includes the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile) in 1961. Stevens’ family retained ownership of the car after his death until selling it in August 2010 to its current owner.

The bullet nose and rear fender lines that illustrate this car’s origins as a stock 1947 Studebaker Champion. It was customized by Studebaker designer Vince Gardner who purchased it to purposely turn it into a sports car design that he believed his employer should be offering. Modifications included moving the passenger compartment 18 inches back as well as lengthening and lowering the hood and cowl panel between the windshield and the hood. The rear deck was also modified to incorporate a hydraulically-operated rear hinge and with exhaust ports installed through the tail lights. With the installation of a bubble top, the Sportster was awarded “Most Magnificent Custom Roadster” at the first Grand National Roadster Show in 1950.

Gardner sold the Sportster sometime after the Grand National Roadster Show whereupon it went to a number of owners who retained the car for various periods. When the Sportster was photographed as seen above in 2012 its current owner had recently had the car restored to its 1949 configuration. The car had previously been displayed at the 2012 Amelia Island Concours and went on just a few months later to win second in its class at Pebble Beach.

The Fiat 8V (Italian: “Otto Vu”) was produced from a design by Fabio Rapi, chief designer for Fiat, and is shown above at Pebble Beach in 2006. First displayed at the 1952 Geneva Motor Show, it is the only Fiat equipped with an 8-cylinder engine, since Fiat was seeking to improve its image as solely a maker of rather pedestrian products. Its designation came from Fiat mistakenly believing that “V8” was trademarked by Ford Motor Company, which was not true.

In addition to factory-produced bodywork, Fiat outsourced many 8V bodies to Italian design houses Carrozzeria Zagato, Ghia, and Vignale. The result is that no two cars are alike and each has a unique style. This example has an Art Deco grill, special hood scoop, and wired wheel covers that were standard for Series I. The car’s exterior is painted in Flame Red Metallic and Cognac Livery interior.

While the 8V had some success as a racer, it did not do well commercially, with the result that only 114 cars were produced from 1952 – 1954.

The 8C 2900B was developed as a street version of the company’s 8C 2900A racer, the latter designed specifically to compete in Italy’s famous Mille Miglia road race, which it won in 1936 and 1937. For street use the 8C 2900B is powered by a 180 hp version of the original racer’s 220-hp engine, but is otherwise similar to the competition-designed machine. Buyers had the choice of the Corto model with a wheelbase of 110 inches and the longer 118-inch Lungo. Coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring in Milan was the primary source of bodies in Berlinetta, Roadster, and Spyder styles. Despite the 8C 2900B’s beautiful lines and excellent performance, its high price resulted in the production of only 20 Corto and 10 Lungo chassis during 1937-1939.

The car in the image above is Lungo chassis number 412026, whose history of appearances at Pebble Beach includes 2005, when Alfa Romeo was a featured marque, as well as the 2015 event. It was also at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering in 2009. One additional note is that the related 8C 2900B Berlinetta has the distinction of twice winning Best Of Show at Pebble Beach, a 1937 and a 1938 model respectively taking the top prize in 2008 and 2018 with different owners.

Unlike the previous cars that were captured on static display, this 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica “Superfast I”, serial number 0483SA, was photographed while being driven in the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance in 2021. The Tour d’Elegance is a designated 70-mile drive around the Monterey Peninsula that provides an opportunity for Concours participants to prove that their entrants are roadworthy and obtain valuable points in the judging of their vehicles.

Ferrari Superamericas were an outgrowth of the earlier “Americas” series that started in early 1951 with the Ferrari 340 America. It was first displayed at the 1956 Paris Auto Show where it received special notice as a very different design from Ferrari due to features such as its extended length, tailfins, two-tone paint, and a roof line that resembled American cars of the period. These features were no coincidence, since the 410 Superamerica was targeted for sale in the American market. As an additional inducement to potential customers in the USA, the car’s  twin-ignition 340 hp V-12 engine pushed it to a top speed of 180 mph, making it one of the fastest road cars of the period.

After its premiere at the 1956 Paris show, Superamerica serial number 0483SA, one of only 37 total cars produced in Series I, II, and III, was purchased by pioneering oilman William Doheny of Beverly Hills. Its provenance was further enhanced when it was subsequently acquired by actor Jackie Cooper. With a new owner in 2004, it was prominently displayed at Pebble Beach in 2005 in a commemoration of Pininfarina’s 75^th anniversary, then afterwards underwent an exhaustive restoration by Pininfarina in Italy.

This is another car with direct aeronautical heritage and was photographed at the 2022 Pebble Beach Concours. Its designer was a French aviation pioneer and aircraft manufacturer named Gabriel Voisin (February 5, 1880 – December 25, 1973), who with his brother Charles made a fortune by supplying military aircraft to the French government during World War I. After the war he leveraged his knowledge of aircraft structures into a 30-year involvement with the automotive industry that included the design and production of automobiles.

The Aérodyne is a classic example of Gabriel Voisin’s expertise. It was introduced at the Paris Auto Salon in October 1934 as the follow-on to the company’s previous C 24, whose electromagnetic gearbox and retractable roof were carried over into the Aérodyne. Between 1934 and 1935 only 28 Aérodynes were produced, but only 6-8 were built as 4-door models, of which just four are known to exist.

Regarding C 27 Aérodyne history at Pebble Beach, one that was owned by the late Peter W. Mullin (January 14, 1941 – September 18, 2023), a noted collector and founder of the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, CA, won Best of Show in 2011. Interestingly, it is one of a small number of four-door cars to take the top prize at Pebble Beach. Another Aérodyne owned by wireless telecommunications pioneer Craig McCaw won the Vitesse ~ Elegance Trophy at Pebble Beach in 2023, an annual award to the car that best embodies the combination of excellence in performance and elegance in design. Its U.K. license plate was last registered in 2014, which is possibly related to its sale in 2013 by Gooding & Company for $1,925,000.

In 2022, the Pebble Beach Concours included a 10-vehicle class entitled “Unorthodox Propulsion”, in which the Citroën illustrated above was a major attraction. It and similarly-fueled vehicles operate via gas generated from burning wood, coal, or charcoal in onboard equipment through a process called Gasification. These systems were utilized when gasoline for military, commercial, and private vehicles was very expensive, scarce, or non-existent, such as in many European countries during and after World War II. The resulting fuel was called “gasogène” or “gazogene”, and in some areas the vehicles were also identified by the same name.

This Citroën burns coal and uses the methane gas generated from the process as fuel. The large bulges on the fenders contain a coal hopper/burner on the right side and a filter on the left side. After the coal is ignited, it takes about 30 minutes to generate a sufficient quantity of methane that rises out the tops of the containers and is directed into the carburetor for combustion. The performance penalty is approximately a one third reduction in horsepower and a drop of the top speed to about 45 mph. Range is about 30 miles before a need to stop and add more coal is required. The photographer notes that in the image above the car is shown operating at idle.

Another coal-burning Citroën, a 1938 Berline 11 Gazogene, was also in the 2022 class. However, the top prize went to a 1912 Rauch & Lang Electric Roadster from the Audrain Collections.

The B.A.T. 5 above leads a lineup of three Alfa Romeo concept cars of the 1950s at Pebble Beach in 2005, with a 1954 B.A.T. 7 and 1955 B.A.T. 9d displayed in order to the rear. B.A.T. stands for Berlina Aerodinamica Tecnica to distinguish each of the cars commissioned by Alfa Romeo to study aerodynamic efficiency in automobiles. They were handcrafted by coachbuilder Carrozzeria Bertone of Turin, Italy from designs by Franco Scaglione.

The first of the B.A.T. series was the B.A.T.5 which debuted at the Turin Auto Salon in May 1953. The B.A.T. 5 impressed viewers with both its sleek appearance and its performance that was the result of an advanced low-drag design. Consequently, the car was reported to have achieved a top speed of 123 mph, which was even more impressive in that it was powered by a 43 horsepower 4-cylinder engine.

This Graham Model 97 won second place in Class C1: American Classic Open at Pebble Beach in 2015. Its origins began in 1927 when Indiana-based brothers Joseph B. Graham (1882–1970), Robert C. Graham (1885–1967), and Ray A. Graham (1887–1932) purchased the Paige-Detroit Motor Car Company of Detroit, MI, which manufactured Paige and Jewett cars. They renamed the company Graham-Paige as well as the vehicles that they produced but which was later shortened to just Graham.

In the 1938 Paris Auto Salon, the company displayed two Model 97 Cabriolets (also known by the nickname “Shark-Nose Graham”) featuring bodywork by French coachbuilder Jacques Saoutchik of Paris that was inspired by the company’s tagline “Spirit of Motion”. The featured display car at the show had its Art Deco look further enhanced by the absence of running boards, a molded fin on the rear deck, cantilevered doors that swing out and over the rear fenders, a swept-back chrome-framed folding windshield, and three-position top. This is the same car that is shown in the image above. Its history includes wartime service during World War II in Algeria, where it was converted to run on coal gas for a period before later re-conversion by the French military back to gasoline power. Postwar, it was brought to the U.S. and eventually acquired by the Harrah Automobile Collection, then later underwent a restoration by a new owner prior to its appearance in 2015 at Pebble Beach. In 2017, the Graham was sold by Sotheby’s at Amelia Island for $770,000.

It was commissioned by Nash Kelvinator president George W. Mason (March 12, 1891 – October 8, 1954) for development by Pininfarina as a potential replacement for the Nash Healey line of sports cars (1951-1954). As a result, Pininfarina built the car from Nash Rambler components with a goal to create an almost production-ready prototype and not a one-off fanciful concept car.

The influence of aerospace design is readily apparent in the sloping lines of the hood that end in an oval-shaped air intake located between smaller vents with chrome horizontal splitters. The tapered body has small rear fins which flank the twin-humped rear deck with chrome bumper caps at the lower rear ends of the car.

After making its first public appearance in Pininfarina’s exhibit at the 1956 Turin Auto Show, the Palm Beach was displayed in Europe throughout 1956 before making its first U.S. stop at the Henry Ford Museum in the spring of 1957. Despite extensive positive coverage in a number of publications while being shown around the country, the new parent company American Motors did not go forward with production of the Palm Beach. It was subsequently obtained by Roy Chapin Jr., Chairman and CEO of American Motors, who kept it for a period before selling it to a private collector. A new owner in 2007 consigned the car for restoration to its original appearance in 1956 which resulted in its display at Pebble Beach in 2009 as seen above. The Palm Beach changed hands again in 2011 when it was sold at auction by Gooding & Company in Scottsdale, AZ for $528,000.

Aviation heritage courses throughout this Pebble Beach Concours. It was manufactured by Hispano-Suiza, a Spanish car maker that was the most voluminous aircraft engine supplier to the Allied air forces during World War I. After the war, Hispano-Suiza returned to automobile manufacturing and produced the first H6B in 1919.

A former French Air Force pilot and ace named André Dubonnet (June 28, 1897 – January 20, 1980) became familiar with Hispano-Suiza through his service in World War I. He was the grandson of Joseph Dubonnet, founder of the Dubonnet apéritif firm, as well as being a race car driver and inventor. In 1932 he used a custom Hispano-Suiza H6B chassis to develop a prototype automobile equipped with a new suspension system that he sold to a number of manufacturers. Following this success, he became interested in aerodynamics which led to his development of a highly-streamlined prototype using his prior H6B-based car. He named it Xenia in tribute to his second wife of the same name who had died in 1936. The Xenia had a streamlined design based on previous work that he had done in 1935 on another prototype with the help of aerodynamicist Jean Andreau. The body was constructed by French coachbuilder Jacques Saoutchik.

Externally, the Xenia reveals aviation-inspired details that include the cockpit-like windshield and rear-hinged doors that slide out to the rear of the car. The car’s flared front fenders and tail are teardrop-shaped to reduce drag as do the fender skirts covering almost all of the rear wheels.

Dubonnet drove the Xenia for personal use until he hid it during World War II under the German occupation of France. The Xenia remained in France until it was bought by a U.S. collector in 1999. After being restored again by its new owner, it was displayed at the 2000 Pebble Beach Concours where it won the award for “Most Elegant Enclosed Car”. It subsequently won Best in Show at the 2001 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. The Xenia was last purchased in 2003 by Peter Mullin and placed on display at the now-closed Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, CA.

Displaying a cherished green ribbon, this car was essentially a two-seat version of the Kurtis Kraft 500 racer, which in various versions was a five-time Indianapolis 500 winner (1950-1955) that was produced by successful roadster and midget car manufacturer Frank Kurtis.

The 500S was first manufactured with an aluminum body and separate cycle fenders, but later models had fiberglass bodies and integrated fenders that came from noted designer/custom car builder George Barris. Its toothy front grill was based on the similar but smaller grill installed on the Kurtis race cars. Total 500S production during a run from 1953 – 1956 was an estimated 30 cars in a combination of complete cars and kits. Many of the country’s leading amateur drivers achieved a large number of victories with 500S cars that were powered by a wide variety of engines, including Cadillac, Ford and Chrysler HEMI V8s.

Familiarly known as “The Copper Car”, this car was awarded a third-place ribbon in Class C-2: American Classic Open 1933-1941. This Thunderbolt is one of five streamlined concept cars built with this name, of which only four exist today. Its nickname stems from its electrically-operated retractable hardtop roof that was made of copper as was its lower body trim. The body is aluminum with steel used to make the hood and trunk. An automatic sliding rear deck lid provided access to the trunk, which was a feature that was not incorporated into a production car until the Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner appeared in 1957. Each of the Thunderbolts had a different body and top color combination as well as small interior and exterior differences that differentiated each of the cars from the others. However, they all shared a stylized small lightning bolt on the smoothly contoured doors.

After debuting at the 1940 New York Auto Show, the Thunderbolts were sent around the country to dealers and various events as examples of Chrysler’s focus on integrating advanced engineering with appropriate coachwork. When its publicity tour days ended, the Thunderbolt illustrated above was sold to actor Bruce Cabot (famous for being the hero in the 1933 film “King Kong”) in March 1941. In 1954 the car’s original 8-cylinder “Spitfire” engine was swapped out for installation of a 331-cubic inch hemi-head Chrysler engine. The “Spitfire” engine was then installed in a 1932 Chrysler CP-8 Convertible Sedan. In 1960, the Thunderbolt was added to the Harrah Collection in Reno, NV. In September 1985, it was purchased from the dispersal auction of the Harrah Collection, and through a chance encounter the original “Spitfire” engine was located, purchased, and re-installed into the Thunderbolt. The Thunderbolt returned to Pebble Beach in 2011 where it was sold at Sotheby’s annual auction in Monterey.

A 1922 Megola Touring Motorcycle that was at the 2022 Pebble Beach Concours is a German machine of which 2,000 were produced in touring and racing versions from 1921 – 1925. Its Munich-based designers Meixner, Cockerell, and Landgraf loosely combined their names to create the company’s name.

At the time of the Megola’s development, motorcycle designers were still experimenting with engine placement, thus various manufacturers were making bikes with engines mounted on the front, mid-frame, or the rear. At first glance, the Megola appears to have a small 5-cylinder radial engine (like the ones installed on aircraft) mounted within the front wheel. In radial engines on aircraft the cylinders are attached to the airframe and are therefore stationary while the crankshaft rotates to spin the propellor. However, the engine on the Megola is actually a rotary type, such that the crankshaft is stationary and the cylinders rotate around it by their attachment to the wheel. Fortunately, to facilitate maintenance the cylinders could be disassembled without having to remove the wheel spokes to service the engine.

The engine’s location required an interesting starting procedure in that the rider had to push the bike onto its front wheel stand and spin the tire by hand or push-start it. An additional challenge is that the bike did not have a transmission, so that when the bike stopped the engine stopped as well. In the event the rider encountered a situation where a temporary stop was required, it was necessary to restart the bike as previously stated. Alternatively, the Megola manual suggested that the rider turn the bike in small circles, such as when waiting for traffic to clear at an intersection.

History has shown that the first Lincoln Continental surpassed its originally envisioned purpose as a personal vacation car for Edsel Ford in that it has often been cited as one of the most beautiful cars in the world. Nevertheless, renowned industrial designer Raymond Loewy may have thought that he could do better. The car pictured above was one of two stock Continental V-12 coupes that he purchased in 1941 for personal use. Loewy then contracted with Derham Body Company in Rosemont, PA to customize the car per his specifications. His changes included lowering the frame by six inches, a new grille and hood (more about that below), a removable Plexiglass top, porthole windows, and his initials affixed to each side in front of the doors. As an added touch Loewy had a piece of trim reportedly from a Frigidaire refrigerator (another Loewy design) installed to encircle his initials. It also had a 24-carat gold horn ring, instrument bezels, and control knobs.

When the Lincoln was finally completed in 1946, a Saturday Evening Post article called it “The Fanciest Thing on Wheels”. However, Loewy’s replacement of the Lincoln’s distinctive “waterfall” grille with a stylized version of the often-maligned “bullet nose” of postwar Studebakers was a puzzle. The reason was that at the time Loewy’s firm had an exclusive contract to design Studebakers, so it would not have been prudent to be seen driving anything clearly identifiable as a Ford product. In regard to the Lincoln’s later history, a second and similarly equipped model made for Loewy’s wife has apparently disappeared. Perhaps due to its one-of-a-kind status, the Derham Coupe was sold at auction by Gooding & Company in 2008 at Scottsdale, AZ for $451,000, approximately three times what a stock Continental of that vintage was worth at that time. The car now resides in the Richard H. Driehaus Collection near Chicago, IL.

The mid-engine and futuristic Ferrari 512 S Modulo Pininfarina Coupe is a radical concept sports car based on the company’s 512 S racing chassis. It was designed by Paolo Martin at Pininfarina and unveiled at the 1970 Geneva Motor Show where it won 22 international design awards. Originally painted black, it was universally acclaimed as the most spectacular vehicle at the event.

The extremely low-slung body of the 512 S Modulo was made of two overlapping components separated by a band formed around its middle. Instead of conventional doors, it has a canopy-style glass roof that slides forward to allow occupants to enter and exit. The black plexiglass engine cover has 24 holes that provide a view of the rear-mounted 5-liter V-12 engine that produces 550 hp, reportedly enabling the car to accelerate from 0 – 60 mph in 3 seconds and reach a top speed of 220 mph.

After the Geneva show, the 512 S Modulo was repainted white and ended up in Pininfarina’s possession until 2014 when it was sold to American film producer, automotive entrepreneur, and Ferrari enthusiast James Glickenhaus. After a 5-year restoration, it was showcased at the 2018 Concorso d’Eleganza at Villa d’Este in Lake Como, Italy, before appearing at Pebble Beach in 2018 and winning the Most Elegant Sports Car award.

This advanced prototype is credited with influencing a later generation of wedge shape-designed supercars like the Lamborghini Countach and Ferrari Testarossa. It also inspired other futuristic Pininfarina concepts, such as the Lancia Stratos Zero, which debuted a few months after the Geneva show at the 1970 Turin Motor Show, and the 2005 Maserati Birdcage 75th.

Despite the individuality of hotrod designs that naturally reflect their builder’s tastes, since the hobby’s earliest days the 1933 Ford roadster has been the blank canvas from which many masterpieces of the type have been produced.

The Ford-Auburn above is an example of a masterpiece created from Ford roadster origin. Builder David Addison assembled it in a one-car garage in Santa Monica. He equipped it with a short V-8, a cut-down vee radiator shell from a Cord Front Drive L-29 and used other Auburn parts that include fenders, running boards, dashboard, adapted centerlock wire wheels, and instruments.

Addison raced the Ford-Auburn in what became the Pebble Beach Road Race in 1950 – 1952, then sold it to Dr. Robert Louis who also raced it in Pebble Beach each year until the demise of the event after the 1956 race. After that time the Ford-Auburn’s history is almost unknown until it was discovered in a shipping container in Anaheim in 2004. After undergoing restoration, its owners brought it to the 2006 Pebble Beach Concours that featured a salute to the former Pebble Beach Road Race called “Cars that Raced in the Forest”, where it earned a class award. It was sold for $265,500 in a subsequent sale in 2008 at The Quail in Monterey, then was purchased by Wayne Carini of “Chasing Classic Cars” fame for $240,000 in 2013.

 

 

Complete List Of Best of Show Winners

 

The table below is a complete list of winners of the ultimate prize at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. As a result of a Mercedes winning the award in 2023, that marque now leads Bugatti in wins with 10 after both were tied at 9 following the 2022 event. These and the other marques with multiple Best of Show awards and their total wins are listed in a separate table that starts on page 40.

 

Marques with Multiple Best of Show Wins

 

 

 

Owners with Multiple Best of Show Wins

 

 

CONCOURS OVERVIEW

The Entry Process for the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Considering the high value of the vast majority of the cars that compete in such an event, and their undoubted very well-heeled owners, it is easy to assume that the payment of a tidy admission fee is the major item that a potential participant would need to take care of to enter the competition. Anyone in the hobby who has attended and/or participated in relatively formal shows has experienced such an occurrence. Unlike a standard Car Show, Cars & Coffee, Cruise Night, or other classic car gathering, it takes more than money to be an entrant in the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. In conjunction with the grandeur and prestige of such an event, or perhaps to emphasize its importance, participants are selected to compete through a formalized and lengthy process.

The whole thing kicks off each November, when entry applications go to many annual participants with a due date at the beginning of January for all completed applications. The Concours Selection Committee reviews the material over several weeks, then meets in late February to determine which cars to invite to the contest.

Most of the applicants are notified of the committee’s decision by April. Logically, one would expect a key factor in their decision to be that just as in life experience is an advantage, therefore giving previously successful applicants an edge over first-timers. Once again, the Concours application process does not follow convention. In this case, cars that have not previously been shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance or another major Concours are given preference. Additionally, cars are usually screened out by the Concours Selection Committee for a period of ten years unless they have 1) changed ownership, and 2) are freshly restored, or they are an original preservation car.

After acceptance to the Concours there are more conditions for owners to adhere. The first is that cars cannot be entered during the month of August at any other event prior to the Concours, with the possible exception for certain cars that are participating in the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. A second condition is that Concours personnel request that they be informed before a car accepted for the Concours is shown at another venue earlier in the year. The reason for this request is that the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance has a strong desire to be unique. A car shown in another event may diminish its rarity by just being seen too often, which subsequently may diminish the Concours team’s interest in its display at Pebble Beach.

The Green Ribbon

A glance across the show field on Concours Sunday will yield a host of cars sporting bright green ribbons — proof that they’ve participated in one of the time-honored traditions, the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance presented by Rolex.

The Tour affirms one important fact: automobiles are not merely objects of beauty, they are designed to transport people from one place to another.

Faced with criticism that concours beauties were too seldom driven, Concours Co-Chairmen Lorin Tryon and Jules “J.” Heumann (at the urging of local car guy Craig Davis), decided in 1998 to ask Concours entries to prove themselves. They invited them to participate in a tour of the area — part driving test, part social outing — just a few days prior to the Concours.

As incentive, they stipulated that cars that participated in the Tour would have the advantage if they tied in Concours class competition. Also on offer was a new Elegance in Motion trophy.

Seventy cars, about a third of the entrants, participated in that first Tour, and it was deemed a grand success. Today, about 80 percent of Concours competitors traverse the scenic 70-mile route of the Tour — and they are cheered by spectators all along the way.

The route has changed over the years, variously incorporating a trip along Cannery Row, climbing steep Laureles grade, taking a turn at the track, or tracing the coast to Big Sur. But always waiting at the finish line are glasses of champagne and the gift of a green ribbon to mark each car’s successful completion of the Tour.

Best of Show Criteria and Vehicles Classes For 2023

Winners of First, Second and Third in Class are selected by the Concours’ Class Judges, led by the Chief Judge, based on originality, authenticity, and proper and excellent preservation or restoration. A team of Honorary Judges, headed by the Chief Honorary Judge, then approach the field with an eye on elegance.

Both Class and Honorary Judges work in tandem to review and oversee their designated classes. Eligibility to win the top award of Best of Show a car must first win its class. Once all of the Class winners are announced and reviewed, a team consisting of the following personnel casts their vote for their choice for Best of Show, and the car with the most votes wins the award:

• Chief Judge
• Chief Honorary Judge
• Each Chief Class Judge
• Each Honorary Judge team leader
• Selected Class Judges

Identification and information concerning each of this year’s featured classes is in the next section.

2024 Classes

A-1: Antique
A-2: Packard Early (Pre-Twin Six)
C: American Classic
D: Packard 125th Anniversary*
G: Duesenberg
H: Rolls-Royce Prewar
J: European Classic
L-1: Prewar Preservation
L-2: Postwar Preservation
M-1: Ferrari Grand Touring
M-2: Ferrari Competition
O-1: Postwar Sports Racing
O-2: Postwar Touring
P-1: Maserati*
P-2: Maserati Frua
Q: Frua*
R: 1990s BPR & FIA GT Race Cars*
V: Wedge-Shaped Concept Cars and Prototypes*

* Denotes Featured Class described in detail on the following page.

 

Featured Classes in 2024

Class D: Packard 125th Anniversary

To underscore Packard’s standard of excellence as an American luxury brand, various models have been awarded Best of Show at four Pebble Beach Concours, putting it just behind Mercedes-Benz, Bugatti, Duesenberg, and Rolls-Royce as marques with multiple wins. To celebrate Packard’s 125th anniversary this year’s concours features a special class for early Packards that cover the full spectrum of the company’s brass-era automobiles plus a display of selected models in the 1930 Packard 734 Speedster Series. These cars were built to be elegant and well-engineered cars, traits for which the company’s products were known, but were offered with five body styles and performance options to compete with the “hotrod” Duesenberg Model J and Cadillac V-16.

Class P-1: Maserati

After its founding in 1914, the three Maserati brothers, Alfieri, Ettore, and Ernesto, developed their own designs before coming up with the Tipo 26 in 1926. Their later V4 reached 154 mph in 1929, which put their cars in demand from drivers and owners throughout the 1930s and made competitors like Alfa Romeo and Ferrari take notice. After the company’s purchase by Italian entrepreneur Adolfo Orsi, the resulting cash-infusion provided the opportunity to move production to a new facility in Modena, where Maserati continued to build race cars but also branched out to make performance cars for road use. In the 1960s and subsequent years Maserati was bought and sold several times, and today is a subsidiary of Stellantis NV, an entity that is the result of prior owner Fiat Chrysler merging with the French automobile manufacturer PSA Group in 2021.

Class Q: Frua Coachwork

Starting from a bombed-out factory and just 15 workers in 1944, Pietro Frua became a leading Italian coachbuilder and car designer during the 1950s and 1960s. He worked for Maserati and other companies before selling his small coachbuilding company to Carrozzeria Ghia in Turin in 1957, then opened his own design studio that flourished through the 1960s. He showed an adaptability to working with design trends that spanned his entire active period. Frua developed a reputation for routinely following each car’s practical realization to the last detail of the fully functional one-offs and prototypes, in some cases driving them to the European shows in which they debuted.

1990s BPR & FIA GT Race Cars

The history of road-driving sports cars developed from racing machines in the 1950s and 1960s includes legends such as the Jaguar E-type, Ferrari 250 GT, and Shelby Cobra. In a reversal of this process, BPR Series founders Jürgen Barth, Patrick Peter, and Stéphane Ratel began in 1994 to organize races of iconic supercars. They were successful in accomplishing their mission, as cars like the McLaren F1, Ferrari F40, Bugatti EB110, Mercedes CLK GTR, and Porsche 911 GT1, plus exotics like the Lotus Elise GT1 and Dodge Viper, competed in races on tracks that spanned the continents. In 1997, the BPR Series was renamed as the FIA GT Series.

Class V: Wedge-Shaped Concept Cars & Prototypes

This class focuses on the wedge-shaped cars that appeared as concept prototypes in the 1960s – 1980s. Italian designers were particularly intrigued with this shape that saw cars like the Ghia Gilda Streamline X, Alfa Romeo Carabo, Ferrari Modulo 512, and the Lancia Stratos HF Zero displayed at the big European shows. Later, the styling of production models of the Lamborghini Miura and Countach, Lotus Esprit, and Fiat X1/9 evidenced the influence of the aforementioned concept cars. The Chevrolet Astro III, Dodge Deora, and Ford Gyron were developed to test the wedge shape in potential production cars in the U.S., while Toyota’s EX-III and the privately developed Dome Zero P2 are examples of wedge-shaped prototypes developed in Japan.

Awards and Trophies

As noted in the list below, there are many other awards besides Best of Show given to Pebble Beach participants. Special committees of Honorary Judges select Special Awards and Elegance Awards winners per the stated criteria.

Interestingly, the Concours website notes that most Special Award Trophies are perpetual and are maintained at Pebble Beach. As a result, winners receive a suitable trophy often based on the Pebble Beach Concours Trophy.

Special Awards and Established Dates

Alec Ulmann Trophy (2012): Awarded to the car that best embodies the combination of excellence in performance and elegance in design.

Ansel Adams Award (1984): Named for the famous photographer who was a frequent Honorary Judge at Pebble Beach, this award is given to the most desirable touring car in its era.

Art Center College of Design Award (2002): Awarded to the car that showed the best use of new technology in its era, had groundbreaking style and engineering, and has had the greatest impact on car design today.

Briggs Cunningham Trophy (1978): Well-known automobile creator and collector Briggs Cunningham donated this trophy to recognize the most exciting open car at the Concours.

Cars At Stanford Award (2013): The winner of this trophy is determined to be the most technologically advanced automobile of its time on the show field by students and professors from The Center of Automotive Research at Stanford University (CARS).

Classic Car Club of America Trophy (2000): Awarded to the most significant classic car at the show.

Chairman’s Trophy (1983): This award is for the most deserving car in the show as selected by the Chairman.

Charles A. Chayne Trophy (1978): Named for a former General Motors Vice President of Engineering and noted supporter of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, this is another award to the car with the most advanced engineering of its era.

Dean Batchelor Trophy (1977): In homage to the noted automotive writer and historian, this award to the most significant car associated with Hot Rod heritage was donated by Ford Motor Company.

Elegance in Motion Trophy (1988): Recognizes the car deemed to be the most elegant participant that successfully completed the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance.

Enzo Ferrari Trophy (2005): As an award to the best Ferrari in the show, the name speaks for itself. The trophy also has its own history in that it was preceded by the Hans Tanner Trophy from 1974 – 1995 and the Luigi Chinetti Trophy from 1996 – 2004.

FIVA Awards (1999): Presented to the best preserved and regularly driven cars as determined by a special committee guided by FIVA regulations.

Gran Turismo Trophy (2008): Awarded to the most significant car balancing both artistic beauty and performance at the highest level and most desired for inclusion in the Gran Turismo game series.

Lincoln Trophy: This award goes to the most significant Lincoln at Pebble Beach.

Lorin Tryon Trophy (1999): Named for the long-time and dedicated Co-Chairman of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance who was a significant contributor in the successful efforts to attract the most elegant cars to the event. As a result, the award recognizes an automotive enthusiast who has contributed significantly to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and the car collector world.

Lucius Beebe Trophy (1966): Given in recognition of the Rolls-Royce considered most in tradition of Lucius Beebe, a show judge in the Concours’ early years who contributed greatly to its success, and is also the first perpetual trophy established at the Concours.

Mercedes-Benz Star of Excellence Award (1987): Donated by Mercedes-Benz and presented to the most significant example of its products in the show field.

Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy (1982): Donated by noted English vintage car collector and hobby supporter Edward John Barrington Douglas-Scott-Montagu, more familiarly known as Lord Montagu, this award is presented to the most significant car of British origin.

Road & Track Trophy (1989): Donated by one of the industry’s leading publications and awarded to the car that the editors of that magazine would most like to drive.

The French Cup (Mid-1980s): Awarded to the most significant car of French origin.

The Phil Hill Cup (2005): In its original incarnation this award was called The Pebble Beach Cup and given to the winner of the Pebble Beach Road Races, which was the marquee event from which stemmed the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. With the end of the road races after 1956 it transitioned to a Concours award for the most significant race car. Since 2005 it takes its name from the celebrated racer who also participated in the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance as a two-time winner of Best of Show as well as being a longtime judge.

Tony Hulman Trophy (1993): Awarded to the most significant open wheel race car by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation in honor of the man who owned the iconic race track for decades.

Elegance Awards

J.B. & Dorothy Nethercutt Most Elegant Closed Car: This award given to the most elegant closed car in the show is particularly noteworthy as a recognition of excellence in that it is named for the owners who accumulated the highest number of Best of Show awards (6) at Pebble Beach.

Gwenn Graham Most Elegant Convertible: Named for one of the event’s founders, this award goes to the most elegant convertible at the Concours.

Jules Heumann Most Elegant Open Car: Annually awarded to the most elegant open car in the show, competing amongst other cars of its type classified by not having side windows.

Strother Macminn Most Elegant Sports Car: This award to the most elegant sports car in the show field is named for a respected automotive designer, instructor, and historian who served for years as Chief Honorary Judge at this event.

 

Monterey Car Week Calendar

The number and variety of events leading to the capstone Concours d’Elegance means that there is something for fans of almost every aspect of automotive history to enjoy. The week’s events are listed below for quick reference, with details available using Car Show Safari’s easy-to-use Events Page. This flagship section of Car Show Safari’s site also contains information on other shows around the nation that span the entire spectrum of automotive enthusiast’s interests.