Thursday in Monterey

[Nine17]

As a "local" who has been attending Car-Geek-Week for over 40 years, I've gotten a bit fatigued over the ever-escalating prices and so-called "exclusivity." As recently as the early '90's Pebble Beach was $20 (and we usually bought our tickets second-hand for $10). I attended early editions of The Quail where the comps far outweighed the cost of the ticket (like being gifted a case of wine to take home or having an ounce of caviar show up at our table "because you guys look like you're having so much fun."). Now even the Event Formerly Known as the Historics has become over-crowded for the participants. There is, however, a solution. I take Thursday off. There is no gate charge to enter Laguna Seca. Nobody even notices if a Porsche or two slip into the Tour d'Elegance procession, so long as they've been recently waxed. The "Monterey Experience" for the price of lunch. I somehow took 500 pictures today; here are a few:

Part 1: Laguna

[Nine17]

I find looking at cars parked on golf courses tiresome. An automobile should be occupied and in motion. This is why I love the Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance.

[Nine17]

Remember that clapped-out Graber-bodied Packard from last year? It isn't clapped-out any more. Many Porsches as well -- mostly at the track this year. Jaguar is the featured marque at the Reunion.

[Bullethead]

Great pics! Love seeing the early Bugatti, and is the red roadster possibly something by Lowey or maybe Brooks Stevens?
What a shame... that Packard was perfect before!

You're right of course, the celebration is cars, and they should be moving. I must say as much as I used to look forward to an early viewing at Pebble, it's just impossible anymore. The "right crowd and no crowding" went away a long time ago.

You're fortunate to be local... the last time it seemed worth the effort for us to do Pebble and Carmel plus the Quail was pre-2000; '95 and '97 were fun. Goody bags, dinner tickets to the Aquarium, even Pebble was pleasant at 9AM. In 2009-10 it was a zoo at 8. We had a much better time renting a mile from the track and driving with different groups away from Monterey, which is how we'll do it from now on.

Just so long as Concours d'Lemons isn't overrun...

[Nine17]

Love seeing the early Bugatti, and is the red roadster possibly something by Lowey or maybe Brooks Stevens

Virgil Exner.

[Eminence Gris]

As a "local" who has been attending Car-Geek-Week for over 40 years, I've gotten a bit fatigued over the ever-escalating prices and so-called "exclusivity." As recently as the early '90's Pebble Beach was $20 (and we usually bought our tickets second-hand for $10). I attended early editions of The Quail where the comps far outweighed the cost of the ticket (like being gifted a case of wine to take home or having an ounce of caviar show up at our table "because you guys look like you're having so much fun."). Now even the Event Formerly Known as the Historics has become over-crowded for the participants.

Fantastic. I'm with ya. Started going in the 70s when you could walk out onto the green and watch them stage the cars for the concours. Tickets were cheap and the crowds were there more to see than to be seen. Now the 'weekend' is 9 days of high-roller car activities. OTOH, I probably wouldn't whine about it if I were a high roller.

[Nine17]

Just because...

[LongRanger]

. . . Remember that clapped-out Graber-bodied Packard from last year? It isn't clapped-out any more . . .

Do I! . . .

http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...ht=2010+pebble

Kinda sorry to see this one tidied-up . . . car was spectacular --- even as a ruin. Loved the WW2 headlight cuffs . . .

Any derriere-o-graphs? 'Cause the trunk of that car was a work of art, all by itself --- Buck Rogers does Big O

Rick

PS More please . . .

[Nine17]

Rick, I thought that you'd like that one! I remember your photos of this car on the lawn last year. The blackout covers were an interesting feature; I didn't get to ask the owners if they were restored as well. Automobile Quarterly Vol. 41 No. 3 features a short biography of Hermann Graber of Bern, Switzerland. The Swiss liked American cars and his carrosserie bodied 3 Duesenbergs as well as numerous Packards, mostly all-weather convertibles.

I think that this car is pretty amazing. Graber did something special to it -- like section the radiator surround and cowl. The car seems very modern in its proportions, much sleeker than a contemporary Packard Darrin or Lincoln Continental. I also love the "Topper"-style tail-fin. Very Art Deco.

-- David

[LongRanger]

Whew . . . . . . .


What a Ride.





Imagine having something like this . . . . then leaving it sit . . . . for half a century . . .



Thanks, David . . .

Rick