Concours d’ Elegance best of shows

Bill Halpin

Wow. That’s all I can say about the 2004 Huntington Beach Concours d’

Elegance at Central Park on Sunday. My guess is it will soon be

giving Pebble Beach a run for its money. Each year seems to be

exponentially better than the last. I left Sunday before the winner

was announced but I honestly don’t know how the judges could pick a

best of show.

An 1895 Mercedes that two royal-looking ladies were driven around

in was one of only two in the world. (And they don’t know where the

other one is?) A 1937 French Delaye that was a show in itself. I saw

a 1932 Ford drop head Victoria that I didn’t even know existed, and

not far away a “D”-type Jaguar racer of the type that I saw Sir

Stirling Moss drive at Torrey Pines. This car had been hand-built in

New Zealand and the owner told me he bought it because the man had a

rare Ferrari engine that he didn’t want to sell to him but agreed to

if he bought the “D” Jag. Although Porsche was this year’s mark to be

esteemed, and there were about 50 of the little German cars, it

seemed like Corvettes and Ferraris might have had just as large a

contingent.

One entry was a GT Ford replica made in South Africa that costs

$70,000 and you then were allowed to put in the engine and drive

train of your choice. The one at the show had a special built 661

horse power Ford. My guess is the engine and drive train cost more

than $70,000.

This is an absolutely wonderful afternoon for the library fund and

the family (kids are free) and next year if you are not there you are

definitely square.

* BILL HALPIN is a Huntington Beach resident. To contribute to

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965-7174.