AZ Concours d'Elegance

There is probably not a nicer place, well maybe Pebble Beach, to show off great cars than the Biltmore.  The Mayan Deco style goes well with these aristocratic grand cars.  These images were taken at the AZ Concours D'Elegance held January 15th.  Tom photographed these cars in the morning.  The afternoon photographs will be posted soon.

Lincoln, probably a '38.  Image captured in the early morning as the cars were arriving on the grounds.

Bugatti

Rare 1955 Mercedes 300SL gull wing coupe.

A French manufactured Delage.

Circle Track racer mid-sixties era.

1956 Lincoln Continental Mark II.

Late 30's LaSalle, known as the baby Cadillac.

New model McLaren supercar with color changing paint.

McLaren

Mid-sixties Mercedes sports coupe.

Bugatti

Mid thirties Packard touring.

Lincoln roadster.

Line up of Bugatti race cars.

Custom bodied Bugatti.

Stumped Tom!

Maserati

Packard hood ornament.

Bugatti

Ferrarri

'Barn find', an early 60's AC, predecessor to the Ford Cobra.

Mid-fifties Grand Prix racer.

1948 Packard

Concours d'Elegance Part II

The fun continues!

An arriving Bugatti.

A gorgeous Tom Stumper!!

A Deusenberg Roadster.  Can't you just see Clark Gable driving this?

A Delahaye Roadster with full skirted fenders and adjustable windshield height.

A Deusenberg sedan.

A top of the line Packard sedan.

A Bizzarrini race car.

This is a streamlined Delahaye roadster with a body by Chabron.

This is a Cadillac powered HWM built in 1954, raced in England and New Zealand up until 1970.

There are Delahayes with Chabron bodies all lined up.

A Chabron bodied Delahaye.

This is one of the featured marques this year, a Lamborghini Miura.

Front detail of a Lamborghini Miura.  This model is considered the first supercar in the sports car world and the most beautiful by many design experts.

A Chabron bodied Delage.

A two seat Indy 500 race car.

This is a Horch, a Mercedes competitor.

A racing Ferrari.

A 1967 Lamborghini Miura.

Another two seat Indy 500 race car.  This one had a 16 cylinder engine.

A Chabron bodied Delahaye parked in the awards line!

Detail showing how long a Horch hood really is.

It's a Stutz!!  (You knew that, right?)

A rainbow car!  Well, it really is a Ford GT 40.

This is a Lister race car (British).

Engine from car above.

A concept Bugatti.

Cute rear end of car above.

Infiniti concept car.

Concours d' LeMons

This event is a full press parody of the Concours d'Elegance held on the 18th hole of the Pebble Beach Golf course.  Its web page extols its celebration of the 'Oddball, Mundane and Truly Awful of the Automotive World.  Admission is free.  The judges are proud to be inattentive, unprofessional and subject to bribery.  All manner of costume is welcome and free food may or may not be handed out.  There is one important rule.  If you came with a car you must take one home with you!  No mention was made that you had to leave with the car you came in with.

Happy to be participating.

Bored.

Found my bling!!

There are only three Panhards in the US.  This couple is VERY proud to have one of them.  She later put a loaf of French bread on the hood.

They were asked if they would be willing to pose in front of their car.  Of course! His t-shirt is a white Walgreen's 'special' that he put tape on in stripes, spray painted the open stripes and then pulled the tape off.

I talked to this lovely lady for some time.  She is a regular at Burning Man and her gift to the community there are these platters of fresh veggies which she hands out in the afternoon.  She believes that the Concours d' LeMons is of a similar character, a very sharing and tolerant community.

Interesting bumper!  There are propellers in the back that allow it to drive on water (or in it).  I guess the handle bumper makes it easier to pull out of the water.

Too nice to draw a crowd.

I tried to approach this shot as Tom might have.  I have seen him do it a hundred times.  Get down low and shoot down the car.  How did I do?

 Anything looks better in black.

It is complicated.

No worries.  I am leaving.

Really?  This car is too nice to be in with this crowd.

Just one good paint job away from the 18th hole at Pebble Beach.  This limo was parked next to a car that caught on fire.  The engine in the limo was in excellent condition.  This chap picked up for little more than a dime.

This was located in the German section called Der Self-Satisfied Krauten Wagen.

One step above a tent.

Motor homes have come a long way baby!

Working its way to a nice classic patina.

Could be a judge. I watched to see if he got an Espresso.  I gave up after a while.

Uncomplicated.

Sort of like a covered child's wagon.  I walked around it twice and did not find a tongue.

A fixed-up!  Sort of a camper honeymoon suite with horseshoes for luck!

Cute!

Needlessly complicated.

Tom liked this image!  Yeah!  One like!

The signs were adorable.  I admit to a chuckle.

Hahahaha! 

Yes!  Is he serving?

Price was right in line with my shivers.  The coffee was there to bribe the judges.  Oh well.  I suspect it goes right along with his Make America Great Again cap . . .

I thought of Barbara.  Surely she would have taken this shot.

I get the reference in French.  But, Pujó in Spanish mean pushed.  Maybe both apply.

This is a kit car.  The instructions are on the windshield.

In case the judges don't understand.

I think there is a rule.  The smaller the car the taller the driver!  (And vice versa)  Turns out that Wild Bill is a tattooist and has organized many tattoo-a-thongs with the money raised donated to the local children's hospital.  He is a well known artist featured in many magazines.  He also paints motorcycles and cars.  But, I was impressed that he has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for children.

I could not figure out what was special about this car.  It sure attracted a lot of attention.

Can't imagine that the folks at Pebble Beach sit on their cars.  And with boots on!!

If you didn't smile . . . rub your eyes and look at it again.

Tom was offered some.  Photographers must rate right up there with judges.

Laugh with me.  This car arrives and everyone gathers around. iPhone photos by the dozens.  So, of course I take a gazzilion photos too because this CAR must be really special.  Well no.  The driver is Wayne Carini, host of the TV show Chasing Classic Cars.  None of my photos featured HIM, rather mine were of the car.  He must have dug deep to find this doozie.  It is the worst 'barn find' Tom has ever seen.

Prizes!!  Plastic spark plugs.