LA'S THE PLACE
This article is from our archives and has not been updated and integrated with our "new" site yet... Even so, it's still awesome - so keep reading!
Published on Sun, Jun 17, 2007
By: The LACar Editorial Staff
LOS ANGELES CONCOURS
d'ELEGANCE
1925 Rolls Royce
And to give collector cars even greater eye appeal, you display them in a
beautiful natural setting on a picture-perfect Southern California day. The site
of the Concours is the Brookside Golf Course at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The
impressive array of vehicles covers 25 acres and is separated into 32 different
categories, ranging from Horseless Carriages and Vintage to Euro / American
Hybrids and classic Musclecars.
The centerpiece of this year's Concours is a 1925 Rolls-Royce with a body built
in 1934 by Jonckheere of Belgium. The unique design features round doors, a
large fin, a sloping radiator shell and two sunroofs. As legend has it, the
original owner didn't like the car and, in the years that followed, the car had
several owners. In the early 30's the car was fitted with its aerodynamic body.
Following a period of neglect in later years, the car was discovered and has
been restored from top to bottom. The car now resides at the Petersen Automotive
Museum in Los Angeles.
Of the numerous classic car shows I have attended, I find this Concours to be
very well organized and easy to navigate. The cars are categorized and each
class of vehicle is spaced slightly from the next. As I look to my left, I see
an outstanding collection of pre-1950 race cars and midget racers; as I glance
to my right, I notice an impressive variety of classic convertibles. Straight
ahead are the classic woodies.
1942 Chrysler Town & Country wagon (above)
Woodies have always been my favorite part of any car show. It's hard to beat the
contrast of the rich wood tones against the lustre of a beautifully designed
automobile. Among the woodies at the Concours are a 1948 Packard Station Wagon,
a 1946 Ford V-8 Super Deluxe Wagon, and a 1942 Chrysler Town & Country.
1941 Commodore 8
With so many cars on display at the Concours, a number of them have already
caught my eye. A 1941 Commodore 8 with a bright red interior and an even
brighter yellow exterior is not only an attention-getter here, but may also fit
in nicely if they ever decide to hold a car show at Disneyland's Toon Town. Just
a few feet away, a shiny red 1936 Auburn Boattail Speedster 852 is a stylish car
I definitely would not mind parking in my driveway.
1936 Auburn Boattail Speedster 852
The sleek, sporty automotive design theme of the 50's is apparent in several of
the cars in todays concours. The 1954 Hudson Italia, a limited production
automobile based on the Hudson Jet platform, looks as great now as when it first
rolled out of the showroom. The 1954 DeSoto Adventurer II has a unique shape and
must have been a strikingly modern design in it's time.
1954 Hudson Italia (above)
1954 DeSoto Adventurer II
While I haven't run into any celebrities today, one of the cars is a TV star of
sorts. A long-wheelbased, chauffer driven 1959 Rolls-Royce has appeared in such
classic television programs as "Murder She Wrote", "Columbo" and "The Thornbirds".
The Los Angeles Concours d'Elegance is about more than just admiring classic
cars, however, as all proceeds benefit the services of the Assistance League of
Southern California. Founded in 1919, Assistance League cares for those with
critical needs, including children and the elderly.
For additional information on the Los Angeles Concours d'Elegance:
www.laconcours.com
For additional information on the Assistance League of Southern California:
www.assistanceleague.net
