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The Palo Alto Concours: I came, I saw . . .
. . I took pitchers.
What an embarrassment of riches. Well, I wasn't embarrassed, certainly. I would have liked it a whole lot more if I could have driven my choice of any 5 cars. Maybe in the next lifetime. The million dollar barn find Ferrari was prominently featured -- it wasn't too far from the gate. I spotted the owner from the newspaper article and asked him if people had been begging him to pop the hood. He was keen to show off the car but didn't seem all that wild about showing the engine, saying, "well I guess so," kind of wearily. Oh well. I took two photos but for some reason, the first one didn't record, it was a better shot than the one posted here but oh well. He shut the hood pretty quick and I didn't want to ask him again. http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0334.jpg I'm not trying to diss the guy, he was cool, answered my questions like we were chewing the fat. He said the reason the original US owner sat it for so many years was a broken rear leaf spring. Amazing. Then again, lucky for us. Might have been wrapped around a tree or over-restored if he hadn't sat it. The new owner decided to keep it as close to 'as is' as possible. He said the engine needed the crank polished and new pistons but that was about it. The article implied that it sat in the sun for decades after the original covering of some rugs and black plastic was removed. Not to impugn anyone's honesty, but I'm wondering if some of that was journalistic exaggeration. These two shots of the seats don't fit with that: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0338.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0337.jpg I wish I'd asked him if he's had the seats recovered but it doesn't look like he did. And if those had sat in the Arizona sun for 10 - 20 years, even 5, I can easily imagine that they'd be serious trash -- the kind of stuff that you rip by sitting on it. I got there sorta late in the show -- the meet up failed to materialize -- and I was there when he started it and drove away. Damn, it sounded sweet. I'd asked him earlier if he drove it on the streets. He said "all the time." I said, "Brave man," and when he shrugged, I felt a bit sheepish and added, "Well why not -- life is short," to which he gave the sideways head cock, the you-betcha gesture. That's him holding the spacious boot open. http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0336.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0383.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0449.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0450.jpg As you can see, there was a similar model in the hardtop edition, kinda odd looking all in all. Nice, certainly, but I looked the more au natural red one a lot better. There were over 100 Ferraris there. I saw not only my first 330 GTC (the Ferrari I lust for) but my first three. http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0429.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0378.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0428.jpg |
I hope I'm not posting too many pics here. I know the limit is 10 per post. Am I cheating if I go for more posts with more pics?
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Sortal looks like my back yard:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0348.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0353.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0375.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0374.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0447.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0425.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0363.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0435.jpg Not to be outdone, couple a Maseratis: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0437.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0436.jpg |
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If you insist. Now I expect to see you at the next one, Chris. Oh my Ghod, I took in so much eye candy I got a sugar rush.
James Bond put in an appearance: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0401.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0402.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0454.jpg This is a police car I haven't seen in my rear view mirror, lights a flashin,' knock on wood. It's stationed in my neighborhood and provided by Carlsen Porsche, just about 100 yards away from my warehouse space. http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0440.jpg |
Another shot of that Maserati, which I thought was an especially cool car:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0439.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0438.jpg One of the early Lambos: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0441.jpg Not to mention more recent Lambos: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0360.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0422.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0361.jpg |
And of course, Mercedes was represented but only a few:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0388.jpg Note the classy old matching suitcase behind the front seat in the Gullwing: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0391.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0392.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0393.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0394.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0414.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0415.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0442.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0443.jpg |
Oh man, I got more, but it's getting late.
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Keep them coming, they are great shots, and it was like being there.
I could have sworn I saw a 1937 Coffin Nose Cord among the cars in one picture of yours... Carl I apologize sincerely for not responding to the invite for a meet up to go there, I simply could not make it then, but ordinarily I would have loved to have gone there, and hope to meet up with you one day, you are a good guy. Please accept my apology. With luck, next time a meet could happen, there are sometimes really interesting things going on in the bay area, like at Silverado Blackhawk and other such events. I haven't been down there for quite awhile. |
Wow. Houston has the Keels N Wheels Concours, but other than that we get nada. Cali has the best car shows.
Thanks for the pics - loved to see them. |
Awesome pics, thanks cmac!
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Speaking of which . . . Another Maserati. Wish I could tell you what's next to it: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0349.jpg I've always liked this Alpha, sort of a poor man's Ferrari: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0390.jpg Another Alpha: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0398.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0399.jpg Le Jag: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0350.jpg More from Britain: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0395.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0385.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0397.jpg This was some kind of Triumph racer, IIRC: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0384.jpg The real deal: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0396.jpg |
Man, that looked like a HUGE show!!!! Like a Hemmings Motor News come to life! Lots of really interesting stuff there, from all over the place. This was really something. I believe a gtg would have worked with more time and publicity....
(my email today said your PM to me bounced, I cleared out the MS mailbox a little, here is another apology to you!!) The pictures are really high quality, thank you for them... |
Made in America
A Tesla:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0362.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0386.jpg I first saw this one driving away from me, had to follow it. One of the original GT-40s: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0409.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0408.jpg I didn't realize they had a cooling fan setup like this. Makes sense: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0410.jpg Oh man: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0387.jpg El Dorado: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0419.jpg |
It's a Doozy
This thing was huge. Had about as much seating space as a Honda Civic. Wild:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0403.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0404.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0405.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0411.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0412.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0417.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0413.jpg There were quite a few Cords. Only got a shot or two of them: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0400.jpg I believe this one was a Packard: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0418.jpg I forget what this one was: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0389.jpg |
More cool shots, this is killing me!
The 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham was a rare and unique piece, it cost over $13,000 new, and had a stainless steel roof, air suspension, 325 hp V8, its own woman's vanity, thermos, glassware set, and cigar holders. Back in the mid '80s, when I lived in the inner Richmond in SF, a neighbor had one of them stored away in a garage, with Hawaiian plates on it, about twice a year they would start it up and back it out of the garage, it was really neat to see. I have one too, but it's just a Franklin Mint scale model version in 1/24" The Corvettes are nice, I went and saw a show of them down in Mt View years ago. But their owners seemed obsessive, using feather dusters and toothbrushes to clean the engines, pulling pebbles from the tire treads, stuff like that, it was not fun to see that kind of behavior. The '63 split window Vettes are among the most highly prized. |
Unbelievable, Coffin nose Cords, never saw a convertible!!!! They were so far advanced for their time, they had Front wheel drive, Lycoming superchargers, hidden headlights and so on, that they scared the public away. Like the Graham Hollywood sedans of about 1940-41 and the 1934 Chrysler Airflow sedan..
The Auburn-Cord-Deusenberg cars were the apogee of American car making. "It's a Doozy" is a phrase that still remains from their legacy. Like the Pierce Arrow Silver Arrow, trying to survive by only selling cars to the Ultra Rich was a bad strategy to survive the depression in the 1930s Packard got wise, and made it by selling the cheaper 120 and 140 cars. They lasted till 1956, then merged with Studebaker and built ugly Studebaker clones called Packards for 2 years, then folded in 1958 forever. Even Brooks Stevens and Raymond Loewy couldn't save them.....last Studebaker was in 1966. |
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I wish I could claim credit for the pic quality, I'm a bit surprised myself. I was using a Toshiba PDR 3300, a mere 3.2 mp, I got it for about $110 on ebay after reading several good reviews of it online. My first and only digital. :rube: Compared to the sleek models I see people using, especially the moneyed crowd at the Concours, this thing looks like one of those old, huge cell phones. It's 4 1/2 long, 2 1/2 tall, and 1 3/4 thick. I was afraid all the bright sun glints off of chrome and waxed paint would be a problem but apparently not. **EDIT** I just checked e-bay, they're giving them away, well, used -- mine was new -- but bids of only like $10 to $20, a day or so left. Good to know if I want to get a beater to use on jobs (construction jobs, not photo shoots ;)). |
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I can only imagine how cool it would be to see one of those on the road with you. When I see something remotely in that range, oh man, I give it a wide berth. Can you imagine spacing out and rear ending something like that? :eek: I've only had one chargeable accident in my life, a freeway stop and go rear end on an Accord (looked away for the wrong second), less than $1,000 damage, and I'd sure hate for my second to be whacking some rare old piece of art. They were saying in the program how the Cords were quite advanced but didn't have much of a run in the market -- something about the founder being sort of a tragic story. They do look just a tad odd, in a way. Like you say, the public just wasn't ready for them. Who knows . . . |
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More Ferraris
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0359.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0358.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0346.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0345.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0458.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0457.jpg This is a Ferrari, isn't it? http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0352.jpg A 2 + 2: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0444.jpg Might have trouble getting this one up the driveway: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0452.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0453.jpg |
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GREAT pics,,, thanks !!
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Geez, I wish I could drive to that show. All those cars and I couldn't care any less about the American-made stuff. Barrett-Jackson has absolutely killed that side of me.
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Great pictures ,,,, love the Silver GTO.
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beautiful.. just beautiful..
I'll rember to take pics when I go to the next Bug jam and such |
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http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0375.jpg Most all of these older Ferraris, it was my first time seeing even one of them and they had a few of each. Is this one of the old 250 LM series? http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0435.jpg I wish I’d had time to take notes. Like this one, I have no idea what or when it was: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0458.jpg |
>>You mean this one?
Yes, absolutely the most gorgeous piece of 4-wheeled art ever made. >>Is this one of the old 250 LM series? It's a SWB 250 Berlinetta,,,, not a LeMans car though (I don't think) ,,,, they had a weird-looking rear-end,, kinda like the old Lotus Europas. >>Like this one, I have no idea what or when it was: I think that's a 58 or 59 Testarossa,,, I'm sure someone here will know for sure! |
Cmac....What a GREAT POST!!!.....:huepfenic....... Love it!!!!!!!
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Oh well. I guess I'll stick to the Ferrari 330 GTC. |
Something for everyone . . .
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...PDR_0420-1.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...PDR_0421-1.jpg An old Studey: http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...PDR_0423-1.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...PDR_0426-1.jpg Paging R. Leo: I believe this was circa 1930s, had 4 huge pistons, around 1500 cubic inches IIRC. http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0433.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0434.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0430.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0431.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0432.jpg http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...2/PDR_0455.jpg |
Good heavens Carl, when will this tantalizing show of pictures ever end?
There was a lot of stuff there for sure. I guess between the Country Squires living in Woodside and Los Altos and the Silicon Valley millionaires there were a LOT of cars that could be coaxed to a get together like this. Some serious wealth resides around there. A visit to the Stanford Shopping Center is always enough to remind you of that. The Jeep wagon with the little trailer is pretty cute. Quite a few of those can still be found in South America, to this day, in fact, some strange and modern looking ones were built in Brazil to about 1961 or so, if I recall. They are the direct ancestor of the Jeep Grand Cherokee of today! The red Packard convertible is pretty cool. When I was in grade school, some kid had stolen the hood ornament, the Packard Swan bird, and mounted it on the fender of his Schwinn bicycle!!! I had forgotten that till I saw the red convertible in your picture. What memories some of those cars trigger for me. As to the antique farm machinery, there is a society that restores those those and you can see a good collection at the California State Fair every year, and sometimes at Picnic Day (April) at the UC Davis campus...... |
I've exhausted my pics from the show and not a minute too soon. I expect an e-mail from photobucket over this.
Actually, I'm not really sure what their policy is. They don't seem to have that much advertising on their site -- not sure how they make ends meet. :confused: I'm happy enough to use their service. That red convertible is a cutie, eh? |
Very well done, great photo documentation!
I haven't seen the pics, for some reason,through my company line the pics don't display in the posts...must be a filter :( Absolutely awesome. Kudos and ^^^^^ High Five! |
Thanks, but . . . . I don't get it, you haven't seen the pics?
Maybe a library computer would do it. |
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BTW, the camera does a real good job, the color rendition is very good, so is the exposure, which means it has an effective metering sensor. |
Fantastic pics Carl, thanks for sharing!
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Wow cool show, looks like there was something for everyone!
Those Ferrari's are just porn, really really good porn...:cool::D |
Thank you for sharing those pictures!
I'm happy to see you found another shot with the two 810's in it - would love to have the convertible! (there is a company that makes kit-cars/replicas...but they want $30k+) |
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love it!
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I used to have that 59 GT 250 pf coupe. I did pretty much all the work on it while I owned it. I had the engine apart, rebuilt the brakes and carburators, had the wheels rebuilt. The cars were built to run in the 24 race at lemans so all the parts are very high quality if they are important in a race. Door latch handles and such maybe not so much. Each individual part in a Ferrari is just like any other car. Levers and springs and bolts, etc. There are just a lot more of everything in a 12 cylinder car. They carry a lot of oil pressure, over 100 psi when cold and will keep going even if the bearings and such are worn. I'd not run around with no air cleaner as he is though. I imagine he did not want the hood open because someone might think it was cute to drop something into the carbs. |
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If it were a 750 it would have an inlne six instead of a v12. The 250 LM came right after the GTO and had the engine behind the driver. Otherwise it had a lot of styling cues from the second series GTO. The cars called 250 were all 3 liter V12s. The 250 is the displacement of one cylinder. (250 x 12 = 3 liters). |
That show is so great I'd be tempted to fly out just to attend it.
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The first Ferrari in the thread was taken apart and reassembled at a garage in Berkeley of all places, according to the article. IIRC he spent about a million, purchase price and restore. I agree on the no air cleaner bit. Use at least something, even minimal. Could you imagine seeing that next to you at a stoplight? I never saw him out and about. I saw a D type Jag a few days back in the vicinity, on a public road.
But whoops! Looks like the show is no more. Stanford quit participating in the use of the facility and they couldn't find another suitable one, this a few years back. I just now discovered all of this. https://www.mercurynews.com/2015/01/30/palo-alto-concours-delegance-to-be-called-off-for-good/ |
Holy crap, what a collection there. Ive been trying to find a legitimate business reason to fly out to monterey on concours weekend but it has eluded me so far.
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Was an amazing experience. Just eye candy all around. I was reading in the link above about it coming to an end how the organizer said that Stanford should have regarded it as a community outreach event and I couldn't agree more. Ivory tower indeed.
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