The Garden State Region Mustang Club (GSRMC) held its “Mustangs & Merlot” car show at the Brook Hollow Winery in Columbia NJ on Sunday Oct. 15, 2023. The GSRMC President is also a member of the NJ Region of the AACA, and he requested a team of AACA volunteers with some judging experience to judge the Mustangs. Doing it this way would maintain impartiality, as none of the 6 judges were displaying cars. I agreed to be one of the 6, and we were split into 3 teams of 2.
Cars were divided into classes: first, either “stock” or “modified”, then by generation. (The “modified” distinction was made by GSRMC officers, and not the judges. Any cars with 3 or more mods were placed in the modified class.) My co-judge and I judged 5 stock classes: 1964-1966 cars, 1967-1970 cars, Fox-body cars, 1994-2004 cars, and 2015-2023 cars. While that sounds like a large number, there were 6 cars in the ’64-’66 class, only 2 in the ’67-’70 class, only ONE Fox-body car, and only 2 cars in the 1994-2004 class. The big numbers were in the 2015-and-up class which had 11 cars. (Again, these numbers reflect cars in the STOCK class only.) I estimated that there were about 50 cars on the show field.
As a former Mustang owner and GSRMC member, I was genuinely surprised at the very low turnout for all pre-2005 cars. Mike D., GSRMC President whom I’ve known for many years, told me a while back that club membership has taken a decided turn toward late-model vehicles. At least this speaks well of the continued enthusiasm for the Mustang among newer and presumably younger owners.
Cars were judged on workmanship and appearance (condition and cleanliness) only, so none of us were expected to be Mustang experts. Still, especially among the newer cars, judging became very tight when points were being subtracted for demerits as small as dirty floor mats, paint nicks, and less-than-stellar engine compartments. Our task was made easier because we only had to select one winner per class. We were not looking for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.
I took my photos before judging started, knowing that cars would leave as soon as winners were announced. In many cases, as you can see, hoods and trunks were open as required, so I had to accept that in my pictures. After the previous day’s rain, everyone was thrilled that it was dry, but a brisk breeze and a peek-a-boo sun meant jackets stayed on. I greatly enjoyed being immersed ever so briefly among Mustangs again, and I saw one or two that would look really nice in my garage!
The only car in the Fox-body class, he took 1st place, natch
ALL of the cars were in great shape; judging was challenging and came down to examining the tiniest details.
If you’re an enthusiast of classic cars, especially those restored to original condition, there is but one word which signifies the most anticipated day of the car show season: “Hershey”. Hershey as in the chocolate bar, and as in the quaint Pennsylvania town named after the chocolate company located there. About 70 years ago, local members of the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) decided that this town would be a great place to hold an annual combination flea market / judged car show. These founders could never have predicted what would occur in the ensuing decades: that their event would snowball into a mammoth spectacle known across the country and around the world.
Wednesday and Thursday were sunny and unseasonably warm; the forecast for Friday, car show day, was for rain. Based on the conversations I overheard, you would think that it was time to build another ark! When show day dawned, it rained for about 15 minutes (I missed it; I was told it rained around 8:30 a.m.) and then stopped. While we had overcast skies for the remainder of the day, it stayed dry, and the cars came out to play. Lots of them.
Show cars are in one of three categories: Class Judging, with class assignments based on model year and/or make (cars are restored to like-new and judged on a 400-point scale); HPOF, for Historical Preservation of Original Features (unrestored yet still kept to original specs); and DPC, for Driver Participation Class (cars don’t fit into the other two classes and are allowed “some” modifications). AACA’s introduction of the HPOF and DPC classes has been successful in opening up the hobby to a greater number of participants.
Someone from my AACA NJ Region told me that the show field can hold 1,000 cars, and I don’t doubt it. I would guess that the field was about 90% filled, so let’s round it down to about 900 vehicles in attendance. It’s always a challenge for me to decide which cars to see, as there isn’t time to see them all. While I did not see every car on the field, I did get to spend time with an assortment of vehicles from all 3 categories.
CARS IN CLASS JUDGING
A collection of C2 Corvette coupes
Stunning Lincoln
Class 19E: Classic Car Club of America vehicles, 1940-1948
Hershey is the place to see all the pre-war classics:
The LaSalle marque would not live past 1940
Dave and his 1924 Dodge Brothers Touring
I met Dave at the AACA Nationals in Saratoga Springs in 2021. My blog write-up from that show featured his 1955 Thunderbird. He was kind enough to reach out to let me know he’d be at Hershey this year with a different car. This Dodge Brothers Touring has been in his family since 1973, and the car was there to be judged for its Repeat Preservation, which I’m happy to say for Dave’s sake was awarded!
Howard and his 1979 Volvo 265
I met Howard and his wife for the first time on Friday, but it was far from the first time I had heard his name. He didn’t know it until I introduced myself, but we have something in common: both of us have purchased cars from Pete Wyman: in Howard’s case, this Volvo, and in my case, my Alfa Romeo. I told Howard that I knew much of the history of this car, and had even wrenched on it a few times while it was in Pete’s possession. Howard, a true Volvo fan (he also had a 1987 245 in the DPC class), had chased Pete for years, trying to get him to sell the car, before Pete finally relented. Based on its appearance here, I have no doubt that this 265 is in good hands with Howard. Like Dave, Howard entered the car in hopes of earning its Repeat Preservation, and I’m proud of both Pete and Howard, because the car was successful in earning that!
1937 Ford
1964 Austin-Healey
1963 Ferrari 250GTE
1994 Mazda Miata
1981 Fiat X1/9 (only Fiat at the show!)
1958 VW convertible
This 1938 Lea-Francis, which was recently on the cover of Collectible Automobilemagazine, was one of the prettiest cars in the show:
CARS IN HPOF
Larry and his 1980 Olds Cutlass sedan
Larry is a 30+ year friend, going back to our days together at VCNA. He and I co-hosted our Sunday Morning Breakfast Drives for about 15 years, and his ride of choice for those outings was his 1972 Chevrolet Nova. A dedicated GM guy, I knew that he had the itch for something different when, earlier this year, he stumbled on this 1980 Olds Cutlass sedan. It was on eBay, and located in New Hampshire. He took a ride, checked it out, and bought the car, driving it back home to NJ without incident. This was the first time Larry had entered a car at an AACA meet. He was extremely proud to learn that his Cutlass achieved its HPOF certification. That’s Larry with his wife Linda in their incognito shades next to the car.
James and his ’51 Packard
I have a thing for Packards; I’ve driven them, and have admired them for a long time, but have never owned one. Depending on the year and model, I’ve seen some which were incredibly affordable. This car, in HPOF, immediately caught my eye based on its wonderful condition. I struck up a brief conversation with its caretaker, who was the kindest and most soft-spoken gent I met all day. He told me that except for some touch-ups, the paint was all original, and that he owned the car for about 10 years. He invited me to open the door to take a closer look if I so desired. James was there to try to win a Repeat Original HPOF award for his Packard, and the announced results sheet showed me that he did!
1948 DeSoto
1987 Mazda RX-7
1978 AMC Concord
CARS IN DPC
1987 Volvo 240 wagon
1972 Opel GT
1963 Chevrolet Corvair
1972 Volvo 1800ES
And proud of it too!
When the week’s events catch up with you, and you need a place for a quick snooze…
A review of my Hershey blog reports from 2016, 2017, and 2018 provides visual documentation to support the notion that the car corral is less crowded than it used to be. This is not to say that it wasn’t still alive with activity: the corral was full or close to full across the entire front of the Giant Center. However, as one followed the road toward the back of the Giant Center, it was almost completely vacant. To be brutally objective about it, I’d guesstimate that the available spaces were about 60% full.
The crowded part of the car corral
The past 5 years or so have seen the expanding success of online collector car auctions take over much of the action which had been the domain of shows like Hershey. The Bring a Trailer website in particular has changed the game, offering 100+ special interest cars a day, 7 days a week, stopping only for the infrequent major holidays. The BaT sell-through appears to be around 65-70%, not phenomenal, but do the math: conservative estimates show BaT selling over 20,000 collector cars a year. It must be affecting what happens at Hershey and elsewhere. I’m not even going to comment on eBay Motors, a site I almost completely avoid.
Despite this doom-and-gloom-sounding message, sellers brought cars to Hershey, potential buyers walked the aisles, and some transactions occurred. There is no substitute for seeing your next toy car in the metal first. I saw enough “SOLD” signs to reassure me that some business was still being conducted. I walked the car corral all 3 days of my visit: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. While many asking prices struck me as above market, I continued to spot affordable cars, defined this year as $20,000 and under (inflation, you know), and remember, these were asking prices. Everything is negotiable. A handful of the ones I found interesting are documented below. I did not perform a detailed inspection on any of these vehicles, so the usual caveat emptor rules apply (I hope you were paying attention in Latin class). Cars below are arranged in asking price order from low to high.
1990 Chrysler TC by Maserati, white, tan interior, removeable hardtop, 87k miles, 3.0L V6, sutomatic.
Asking: $6,500
Some call this “Lido’s Folly”, as it was Lee “Lido” Iacocca who spearheaded the project, which he envisioned as a modern-day 2-seat T-Bird, complete with porthole hardtop. I think these have mellowed nicely with age. They will never be worth a lot of money, but think of it as a ‘90s Italian/American hybrid.
1985 Olds Toronado, green, tan “carriage roof”, 120k miles, owned by same family since 1987, AACA HPOF certified.
Asking: $8,500
This car looks so similar to the same-year Riviera that you would be forgiven for failing to distinguish them from each other (a common ‘80s GM malady). I much prefer the Riv, and really dislike the dealer-installed padded roof, but at this price, you could join the Olds club and tour in comfort with this.
1985 Ford Mustang SVO, red, grey interior, 66k miles. All SVOs had 2.3L turbo 4-cylinder engines and 5-speed transmissions.
Asking $10,650
Hmm, where have I seen this car before? At last year’s Hershey car corral, with an asking price $4,000 higher, that’s where. The owner must be extremely patient, or is not advertising it anywhere else.
In 2022:
1998 Ford F-150 pickup truck, regular cab, long bed, 160k miles, 4.6L V8, 5-speed manual, 2WD, tan metallic, red interior.
Asking: $11,500
I remember reading an article in the 1990s about collector vehicles. The author of that story proclaimed: “Trucks will never become collectible”. Reminds me of Yogi Berra’s quip: “It’s difficult to make predictions, especially about the future”. Of course, trucks are THE hottest thing in the new vehicle market and have been for years, so the trickle-down effect applies here. This F-150, with a V8, 5-speed, and rear wheel drive, is like a Mustang with a pickup bed.
1991 Chevy Corvette coupe, dark red, 69k miles. Interior color and transmission not noted. Sign claims $5,000 recently spent on “upgrades”.
Asking $11,998
There are always a multitude of C4 Corvettes for sale. This one was from the first year of the styling refresh, which in my opinion improved its looks. Depending on what is meant by “upgrades”, this could be a lot of performance for the dollar.
1940 Ford Tudor sedan, dark red, tan interior, presumed Ford flathead V8 under hood.
Asking $13,500
I’m shocked to find an iconic 1940 Ford for sale at this price. Yes, it’s not a coupe or convertible, but you’ve got that fabulous front end design with a flattie engine, and lots of aftermarket parts support. Looks like fun for not a lot of cash.
I’ve driven a few 544s and they can be a blast to drive. Just don’t expect a smooth and quiet ride. This car looked very solid but was perhaps overpriced by a few thousand. Cash talks!
1947 Fiat 500 Topolino, grey, tan interior, 569cc 4-cylinder engine, 4-speed, sign claims recent engine rebuild.
Asking $22,750
Rarely seen in the U.S., the Topolino (“Little Mouse”) was one of Fiat’s biggest successes. You might have the only one at the next meeting of the Fiat Club. Just don’t be in a hurry to get there.
1963 Buick Riviera, gold, beige cloth interior, factory A/C, sign claims front disc brakes which must be aftermarket (’63 Rivs had finned drums all around).
Asking: $24,000
This is the first year of the Riviera, which helped GM kick off its attack on the 4-seat T-Bird. These two cars and a few others begat the whole personal-luxury car segment which would live for the next 20 years. The colors on this Riv were great, and it had an honest look to it. I’ve been following this market a bit, and this asking price was in the ballpark, especially with the unmolested interior and the factory air.
1987 Porsche 928 S4, yellow, auto, 54k miles, sign details number of small defects.
Asking $29,500
I never saw a 928 in this color. In a word, it was ugly, and its ugliness only grew when one noticed the faded paint on the bumpers and side rub strips. Nothing about the car’s appearance exuded any confidence that there was a good car underneath. And while 928 values have risen of late, that is for “fine to excellent” cars, which this example is most definitely not. Pass.
1959 Messerschmitt KR200, red, black cloth top, red interior. Aftermarket front “bumper”.
Asking: $39,500
When I had my Isetta and would attend “microcar and minicar” shows, there would always be a small supply of these. Parking my rolling egg next to a “Schmitt” made the Isetta look normal. These have 2-cycle engines, 8 inch tires, a single rear wheel, and tandem seating. There are no doors: the roof tilts to the side to allow ingress and egress, much like a fighter plane. I’m including it here only because it’s a Messerschmitt.
1974 Alfa Romeo GTV coupe, silver, black interior with red piping, mileage not noted, bumpers removed but included, factory A/C removed but included, Panasport wheels.
Asking $42,500
This was the final year for this generation GTV in the U.S. market and was one of two Alfa GTVs parked near each other, presumably on offer from the same dealer. This car was the cheaper one by $27k, and despite the mods, none of which I cared for, there was some potential value here; it would be an even better value at $37,500.
CODA
There was a Series 2 Jaguar XKE (E-Type) OTS (Open Two Seater, or roadster) in the car corral. It was in one of my fave Jag color combos: primrose yellow with a black leather interior. I stopped to admire it. It was a ‘driver’: lots of nice things about it, mainly that it appeared unmolested, but it was a #3 condition car (on a scale of 1-to-5), with wear-and-tear here and there. The shock was the asking price of $125k which was way high. This was on Wednesday. On Thursday, the car was still there, I stopped again, and the $125k had been crossed out; the ask was now $100k. I kept walking. On Friday, once again, the Jag and I met. Now the sign indicated a “Friday” price of $75k and THAT was crossed out, replaced with $70k! I didn’t photograph the car, but I memorized the price slide! The car was probably worth $60k-65k based on recent sales. If someone had been looking for such a car, patience might have rewarded them!
The last time my driving club buddy Larry and I organized any kind of get-together for our misfit group of car enthusiasts was October 23, 2022, just under a year ago. In the interim, we had announced to our compadres that the days of arranging drives to breakfast destinations were over. However, during a recent conversation with Larry, he suggested that we could again “host” a Cars & Coffee which would involve no more work than sending an email. So we did, and we did, and the result was good!
We scheduled the shindig for Sunday October 1, and after a week of significant rainfall, we lucked out with a day that was sunny, warm, and clear. I counted 14 individuals who showed up, the vast majority of whom know each other from sharing office space at Volvo corporate. In my case, I’ve known some of these gentlemen for over 30 years. Ten cars which qualified as “special interest” were driven there, while a few souls drove modern iron, which was fine with us, because we were really there for each other’s company.
Thanks to Mike for taking the snap (after driving here from PA in his Volvo C40 EV!)
Cars started arriving at 8:30 am and we successfully occupied most of one row in the lot. The Dunkin’ in Mahwah had bagels, donuts, and coffee, and what more could a bunch of old guys want on a Sunday morning? We stood in the parking lot with our food and drink and gabbed the morning away. Cars started to depart around 10:30 and I made my own getaway a little after 11 am to get home for some personal business. After driving the Alfa as my classic car of choice for most of the year, I brought the Miata to this event so that I could put fresh fuel into it! Aside from a few local trips, I had hardly moved it. The ride to and from added another 120 miles to the odometer, which was good for it.
Larry and I decided that while we will adhere to the “no more drives” decision, hosting a Cars & Coffee once or twice a year might be worth it, so we’ll calendar this for a repeat performance in the spring of 2024. Sounds far away, but it isn’t!
Another Labor Day weekend, and another trip to Lime Rock Park for their vintage car weekend. The signage at the track made it clear that “Historic Festival 41” marks the 41st year for this treasure. As I have related in previous posts, racing is done on Friday, Saturday, and Monday, with Sunday racing banned by local ordinance (to give the locals a break from the noise). Cleverly, this becomes an excuse for the track to host a car show known as “Sunday in the Park”. I’ve been attending for over 30 years, and Lime Rock never fails to disappoint with the uniqueness and quality of the motor vehicles on display. Along with Greenwich, I consider it one of the premier car shows in the Northeast.
There were a number of featured classes again this year, and two which stood out for me were the letter-series Chrysler 300s, and the pre-war MGs. The 300s on display were stunning, but I was disappointed in the small number of vehicles. The factory produced them from 1955 through 1965, but only a few of those model years were represented. Conversely, the display of pre-war MGs was plentiful. I had remarked in my recent New Hope post that one of the highlights was a ‘30s MG; at Lime Rock, there were close to a dozen such vehicles. Given that they were never officially imported into the States, I was pleasantly surprised at the turnout.
Other specialized classes included Chrysler concept cars, Japanese performance cars, and American station wagons (which basically duplicated the wagons on display at Greenwich in June). And as we have seen every year for the past decade or so, the “Gathering of the Marques” gives owners of interesting daily drivers a chance to park with cars of the same make and/or model around the track. Sightings included groups of Corvettes, Volvos, Miatas, BMWs, Alfas, and Fiats among others. But large swaths of the track were empty this year. Notable by their absence were large-scale representations of Shelby Mustangs, BMW 2002s, and domestic vehicles of any brand. At previous shows, the Shelby Mustangs alone numbered in the dozens, driven by strong club support. I’m not sure why the turnout was low; I’m just hoping that this is not a sign of diminished participation in car shows in general.
The entire day was sunny and it got quite warm by late morning, with the temps hovering just under 90 degrees F. The round-trip was greatly helped by my friend Tony, he of the NJ Alfa club, who assisted with the driving both directions, and was great company for the entire day. We got to the show just before 10am, and were headed home by 2pm, with the heat having gotten to both of us. Lime Rock is a Labor Day tradition which I plan to continue as long as possible!
CHRYSLER 300 LETTER CARS
The canted headlights were a feature of all ’61 and ’62 Chryslers
CHRYSLER CONCEPT CARS
1995 Chrysler Atlantic
1963 Chrysler turbine car
Note resemblance to T-Bird
1952 Chrysler D’Elegance
1957 Chrysler Diablo
No signage accompanied this car above. I thought it was the Thunderbolt, but Google shows a 2-door with a retractable hardtop for that one. Can anyone identify this car?
1954 DeSoto Adventurer II
PRE-WAR MG CARS
JAPANESE PERFORMANCE CARS
Nissan 300ZX Turbo
Honda (not Acura) NSX, JDM spec. Note RHD
1992 Mazda RX-7 Efini Type R, JDM spec. Note RHD
GERMAN CARS
1952 “split window” VW Beetle
VW Cabriolet
BMW Isetta, original aside from one repaint
BMW 3-series wagon
BRITISH
Jaguar E-Type OTS
Series I, 3.8L
Jaguar E-Type Series I FHC
Triumph GT6
A pair of brightly colored Lotuses
VOLVO
1800S
1800E
V70R (with Atacama interior)
FIAT
This 1st series Fiat 124 Sport Coupe (“AC” in Fiat-speak) is the single-headlight version from the late ’60s. It was spotted in the paddock.
1973 124 Sport Coupe, 3rd series (“CC” in Fiat-speak)
124 Spider
X1/9
Chrome-bumper 124 Spider next to most recent gen (coined “Fiata” due to shared platform with Miata)
The New Hope (PA) Auto Show has been a mainstay of eastern Pennsylvania for over 60 years. (I was somewhat shocked a while back, when perusing some old copies of Car & Driver magazine in my library, to stumble across a story about the show they published in the mid-1960s.) It is ironic to me that despite my decades-long attendance at other relatively nearby shows in Macungie, Carlisle, and Hershey, I had not ever heard of the New Hope show until I joined the Alfa Romeo Owners Club (AROC). It was then that I learned that AROC members tended to turn out in support of it, and by 2015, I was invited to join the fray. The Alfa was there that year, and came back for more in 2021. My 2023 appearance makes it a triple play for my Milanese macchina.
According to our AROC NJ Chapter president, who also served as Chief Judge for our marque, there were 14 Alfa Romeos, which he felt was down in count compared to recent years. It was no surprise that Spiders comprised the most popular bodystyle there, which is almost always the case, given the model’s long production run. (Alfa made this final version of the US Spider from 1966 to 1994.) I counted eight Spiders, two Giulia coupes, one Milano sedan, two 164 sedans, a 4C, and a RHD British-spec Spider from the 1990s, a bodystyle never sold in the states. So my count is 15; it’s possible that the 4C was part of the “exotic car” class and was not counted among the Alfas.
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, the two-day New Hope show is two car shows in one, with domestic vehicles on Saturday and imports on Sunday. (This is how the Greenwich Concours used to be organized, which I preferred over what I experienced there this past June.) Alfa Romeos were far from the only brand on display, as my photos will attest. There was a wonderful assortment of British, Japanese, German, Swedish, and other Italian cars, liberally spread out in the paved parking lot and on the lawn of the school on Bridge St. which hosts the event.
For me, the best part of the show, any show really, is the willingness of spectators and other show car owners to engage me in conversation. I no longer try to count the number of people who point to my car and exclaim “I used to have one like it!”. Such comments are frequently laced with twinges of regret over having let go of their prized vehicle. I’m also asked for advice about parts, service, and vendors for the brand, which I’m always happy to discuss. But the most popular topic is the originality of my ’67 GT 1300 Junior, likely because it is so unusual to find a 56-year-old Italian car with 67,000 miles on it which has never rusted and has never been disassembled for restoration. The honor for this achievement goes to owner #2, my friend Pete, who was the car’s steward for 45 years. My 10 years of ownership have mainly focused on keeping the status quo.
The day was very warm but with low humidity and a surprising breeze. Still, sitting and standing in the sun non-stop from 8 a.m. was taking its toll. The Alfa judging team emerged around 2 p.m. to award ribbons. Unlike previous years when “closed cars” and “open cars” comprised separate classes, for 2023 all Alfas in attendance were judged as one class. First place went to a gorgeous violet 1971 GTV, 2nd place went to a red 1991 Spider, and 3rd place was given to my ’67, for which I was flattered and honored.
Once that part of the day was over, it was time to hit the road. New Hope is an easy 25-minute drive each way, and after baking in the sun all day, it was time to put both the car and me back into the shade for the remainder of the afternoon. I’ll make every effort to show the car at New Hope again next year.
SWEDISH
1967 Volvo 1800S
Saab Sonnett
ITALIAN (NON-ALFA)
1961 Ferrari 250 GTE
Lancia Scorpion
Fiat (Pininfarina) Spider
Modern Fiat 124 Spider (Fiata)
Lamborghini Huracan
GERMAN
Mercedes-Benz 280 SL
Porsche 928Pascha! Pascha!
Mercedes-Benz 190 SL
BMW 2002
BMW 2002 with rare soft rear window
1956 VW Beetle, unrestored of course
A newer Beetle in better condition
VW Corrado
Porsche 914s clinging together
Porsche 911 longhood
BRITISH
MG-TC entering the show grounds
Jaguar XK-140
A row of Jaguar E-Types
Series II E-Type roadster
Series I E-Type coupe
1953 Sunbeam Alpine
This 1935 MG P-Type was one of my favorite cars at the show. From my observation, pre-war MGs are rarely seen in the U.S.
JAPANESE
Mazda RX-7 3rd gen
1995 Mazda Miata M-Edition
Datsun 510
Nissan 300ZX
ALFA ROMEOS
Spiders
Giulia coupes
164 sedans
Milano sedan
4C coupe
A British-spec RHD Spider from the 1990s, never imported here:
The 2nd annual “Concours on the Palisades” was held in Fort Lee NJ on Sunday July 23, 2023. The show reverted to this rain date when threatening weather on the original planned date of July 16 made it imprudent to hold the event on that day.
The postponement was a wise move, as the weather on the 23rd was sunny and warm, with low humidity and a slight breeze. If there was a downside, it was the observed possibility that a number of registered cars didn’t show up because the owners were unavailable on the new date. Still, turnout was strong. I would estimate that there were close to 150 show vehicles on site, and a varied assortment they were. The featured marque was the Chevrolet Corvette, celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2023. Several blocks of Main St. in downtown Fort Lee were closed to outside traffic to allow the Corvettes to take over. There were 50+ Corvettes in attendance, from all 8 generations, from the C1s through the new mid-engine C8s.
The remainder of the show cars were arranged in a parking lot surrounding a large parking garage, just up the block from Main St. Classes included American, British, Italian, German, Japanese, and Swedish cars, plus ‘exotic’ and ‘vintage’ automobiles. Similar to what many towns have done during Cars & Coffee and Cruise Night events, the local restaurants and shops threw open their doors and hopefully were able to drum up some business with all the spectators milling about.
I was there to do more than spectate; I was also judging the show! (See sidebar.) Judging gave me a chance to converse with owners, which is always fun, but I then needed to race through the classes I didn’t judge so that I could take in the rest of the show. The event officially opened to the public at 10 am, and the awards ceremony was held at 1 pm, with everything wrapped up by 2 pm, so it was not an all-day affair.
I’m not familiar with any similar show in the northeast part of NJ (The “Ramapo Concours” ran for only one or two years and seemed to have petered out), so we shall see if Fort Lee can work their magic and have a 3rd consecutive show in 2024.
EXOTIC
2018 McLaren
One of two first-gen Ford GT cars in attendance
VINTAGE
1957 Plymouth
’57 Chevy; those are NOT whitewalls! The 18″ wheels have white outer edges!
’57 Chevy Nomad custom
’59 Chevy low rider
Highly modified 1955 T-Bird
JAPANESE
This Honda S2000 looked showroom new, had 180,000 miles on it
A pair of JDM Mitsubishi Pajero Minis
SWEDISH
Volvo 1800S, the only Swedish car in its class!
BRITISH
Jaguar XK-120
Triumph TR-4
ITALIAN
Ferrari 308GTS
Fiat 124 Spider
Alfa Romeo GTV-6
Alfa Romeo 4C
GERMAN
BMW 6-Series; note the license plate (body style was known as the “shark”)
Opel GT
AMERICAN
1963 Mercury Monterey
1964 Buick Riviera
Dodge Charger Daytona
’57 T-Bird
Chevrolet Corvair
Ford Mustang Mach-E EV
CORVETTES
C1:
C2:
C4:
C6:
C7:
SIDEBAR: JUDGING A CONCOURS
My very good friend Sal, whom I know from our now-discontinued Sunday breakfast drives, found himself invited to be a judge at the inaugural Concours on the Palisades last year. He invited me to also participate in judging, but I had a personal conflict in 2022 and could not join. Sal repeated the invite this year and put me in touch with the Chief Judge, someone I’ve known for decades: Bob Austin, a Volvo corporate colleague whom I met in the late 1980s. Bob signed me up and the emails began to fly.
I’ve judged a number of car shows, mostly AACA events. AACA has a rulebook chock full of specifics. Overall, AACA rules require that cars be judged based on how they would have appeared when new and about to be delivered by an authorized dealer to the car’s first customer. In essence, this means the vehicle being judged should be 100% stock with no factory deviations. In addition to shiny paint, sparkling chrome, and pristine glass, the colors, materials, and equipment must match what was used in the year the car was built.
As Bob explained it to us judges in Fort Lee, we would be judging by “French rules”. He explicitly gave these examples: “I don’t care if the color is one that was never original to the car, and I don’t care if the engine or the upholstery has been changed. We are judging cars on condition, of course, but the ultimate question you might ask yourself is ‘would this be the car that I would want to take home with me?’” Put another way, how did the cars impact us emotionally? We were handed outlines about exterior and interior judging, and also told that our judging would not include the engine or trunk. Bob said “be consistent. If you knock a car down because the glass is dirty, you need to be sure to objectively judge the cleanliness of the glass for all the cars.”
The French rules were 180 degrees from AACA judging, but we judges would be on teams that needed to reach a consensus, and no matter how many (or how few) cars were in a class, we had to select 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. As my fortune would have it, I was teamed up with Sal, with 4 smaller classes to judge: exotic, vintage, Japanese, and Swedish. There were few enough cars in each class that choosing the 3 cars was easy; we then had to rank them, which involved a bit more back-and-forth between us, yet it didn’t take us long to create the final lists.
I’m going to avoid the “how and why” of our choices, for several reasons. One, under French rules, it’s likely that any other team of two would have chosen completely different cars; two, if you weren’t there to see them in the metal, it could be very difficult to explain why we chose the cars we did; and three, I think it’s unwise to reveal any of the process should show car owners be reading this.
Judging can be fun; it can also be time-consuming, frustrating, challenging, and if one is not careful, inconsistent. The last point might be the most important. My own cars have been judged multiple times, and you want the judges to be fair. I believe we were, and I’d like to see Sal and I end up on the same judging team next year.
Members of the NJ Chapter of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club (AROC) were again invited to be guests at the Alfa Romeo of Englewood Cliffs NJ dealership, on Sunday July 9, 2023. The dealer opened their doors on a day when they are usually closed, provided breakfast food and coffee, and had several of the new Tonale SUVs on display.
Several Tonales were staged in front of the showroom
About 10 Chapter members showed up with their Alfas (and one Fiat Abarth); several other members drove to the event in modern iron. The number of vehicles was down slightly from our previous visit, and all the club vehicles were from the “classic” era. There was a nice assortment of Giulia coupes, Spiders, and one beautifully-modified Berlina sedan. We had a total of three 1300 Juniors: two coupes, including your author’s, and one Spider. Keep in mind the relative rarity of these Juniors, as it is a model which was never officially sold in the States.
Several dealer sales and service people gave us a walkaround of the Tonale, a PHEV with a 1.3L gas engine up front, and two electric motors, one front and one rear. The vehicle to my eye looks like a junior Stelvio, which is not a bad thing given that I consider the Stelvio to be one of the better-looking SUVs on the market today.
NJ-AROC members check out the new Tonale
The sky was grey all morning, and we were all aware of the pending thunderstorms in the forecast, which likely played a role in keeping the overall numbers down. The event was scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. I scooted at 10:45 to try to beat the rain. Aside from driving home in two very brief showers, I did make it back before the skies opened their taps.
I had missed the previous two NJ Chapter gatherings, only because of other commitments, so I was glad to attend this one, and it was good to see some Alfa friends again. On behalf of the NJ Chapter of AROC, I want to thank Alfa Romeo of Englewood Cliffs for their hospitality.
1300 Junior Spider
Giulia GTV
1966 Duetto (first year for the model)
GT 1300 Junior
Your author’s GT 1300 Junior
Fiat Abarth
Dealer personnel and Chapter members at the Tonale presentation
Berlina sedan
Tastefully modified
Four in a row
Close to what you would have seen in an Alfa showroom in ’66-’67
I showed up precisely at the announced start time of 8 a.m. to discover about a dozen cars already in place. The mall has a huge parking lot, and the designated spot for the show is in a corner at the rear. I staged my Alfa next to Mike’s beautiful ’66 Corvette roadster, and after exchanging pleasantries, I was on the hunt for caffeine, hoping there would also be something resembling breakfast food. A rep from the insurance company had complementary Dunkin’ Donuts coffee and donuts, so I made do with a cruller to accompany my brew. Next time, I’ll stop for a proper meal on the way down.
1963 Buick
Within minutes, a fellow car owner named Harry ambled over and introduced himself. He drove a stunning Chevy Nova which had been born with a 6-cylinder and now sported a 396 big block. Both Mike and I spent a good deal of time chatting it up with Harry, who proved himself to be a real “car guy”: knowledgeable yet humble.
What’s the plate mean?
396 BB replaces I-6
The vehicles on display ran the gamut of old and new, stock and modified, domestic and imported. The oldest vehicle was a ’38 Buick (but restomodded, with a modern drivetrain) and the newest was possibly the Mazda RX-8. As seems to often be the case, my Alfa Romeo was the only Italian car.
1938 Buick restomod
Although advertised to run from 8 a.m. to 12 noon, both Mike and I scooted a little after 10. First, I was famished; second, there were no bathroom facilities! (The mall would open at 11 a.m. for those willing to wait for food and restrooms.) This was an enjoyable way to spend a Sunday morning, and weather permitting, I’m going to try to make it to the next Quaker Bridge Mall event on Sunday July 9.
A Falcon and a Beetle (no, this is not the zoo)
Another Falcon
One of the newer cars there, a Honda S2000
Another ’66 C2; owner claimed it was all-original
1st gen Mustang fastback
DeTomaso Pantera
Great drivetrain access!
1962 T-Bird
Willys Jeepster
C1 Corvette
(Above): I don’t know when I last saw one of these; in fact, I had to look it up to write about it. The Chevy Monza was built from 1975-1980, on the Vega platform. Standard engine was the Vega 4-cylinder, but a V8 was optional. The fastback 2+2 is the one I remember, but this “Town Coupe” came later. I think this design has held up well.
Mercedes-Benz sedan
1967 Ford Ranchero
E-body Barracuda; note the “billboard” quarter panel treatment
(Above) The most unusual car at this show, this 1956 Canadian-spec “Meteor Rideau” wore a grille treatment and side trim unlike any U.S. spec FoMoCo product. The owner told me that “Rideau” is a river in Canada.
One of the nice things about Sunday’s show (and I presume Saturday’s as well although I wasn’t there) was the variety of cars. Perhaps it was too varied, but more words about that below. I have so far posted photos of Italian and British cars, as well as cars from classes not dependent on country of origin. To finish this off, here are photos of some of the American cars on display that day, primarily consisting of personal luxury cars and muscle cars.
Wayne Carini’s Studebaker
AMERICAN MUSCLE
One class consisted of “American muscle cars in high-impact colors”, some of which you see here:
Pontiac Grand PrixCadillac EldoradoOlds Toronado1969 Buick Riviera1971 Buick Riviera boattail
HAGERTY, THE SHOW OWNERS AND HOSTS
The Greenwich Concours d’Elegance began in 1996, when husband-and-wife team Bruce and Genia Wennerstrom decided to host a true Concours in the area. When Bruce and Genia passed away, their children continued the tradition. It was always a two-day event, with domestic cars on Saturday and import vehicles on Sunday. When it was a family affair, I showed cars there 6 times, an honor which I don’t take lightly. Attending the show was always an easygoing and relaxed day.
Hagerty bought the Greenwich Concours from the Wennerstroms a few years back. My 2023 participation was the first time under the Hagerty umbrella. Overall, Hagerty puts a tremendous amount of effort into organizing, arranging, and hosting an event like this. It’s still a two-day show, but now the classes are more varied. This year the Saturday show was billed as “Concours de Sport” and Sunday was the “Concours d’Elegance”. Sunday’s show consisted of a total of 19 different classes! From my observation, there was no overriding theme or sense of unity to the displays.
As a participant, I felt that Hagerty crossed the line from “organization” to “control”. Innumerable emails told me everything from what time I must load in on Sunday (“6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m., and we reserve the right to turn away entrants who arrive later”), to how I should park (“place the left front tire of your vehicle on top of disc hammered into the ground at your parking spot”), to what time I could leave (“show gates will be locked until 4:30 p.m., and no one will be permitted to exit before then”). I was told that absolutely no signage of my own was permitted on, in, or around my car, which didn’t stop me from putting informational posters I had created on top of my dash and rear parcel shelf. We had passes for an included lunch, which was nice, but were sternly told that “you may only enter once; once you leave you cannot reenter the luncheon area”. It was difficult to converse with showgoers at times because the MC blared incessantly through the too-loud PA all day long.
What was a relaxed, low-key, fashionable, reasonably-sized and well laid-out classic car show set in a verdant water-lined park has been turned into a mega-event. The communal spirit which flowed through every aspect of what the Wennerstroms had created has been displaced by a big-business approach as would be taken by a major corporation. It’s still a great show; it’s just not as great as it once was.
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