A YOUNG EVENT GROWS UP
San Marino Motor Classic 2013

Story and pictures by Sean Spear The words young and classic may seem an odd pairing, but the San Marino Motor Classic shows how these two words can co-exist beautifully. Started as a successor to the Los Angeles Concours D’Elegance when it folded its tent in 2009, this now annual event has truly come into its own. The sun came out early at Lacy Park in San Marino, California where approximately 4,000 spectators had the chance to get up close and personal with nearly 250 classic and modern cars. Proceeds from the event, initially estimated at $225,000, will benefit the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA, the Rotary Club of San Marino, and the Petersen Automotive Museum. Now in its third year, the San Marino event has been a showcase for the top-flight pre-war vehicles of members of the Classic Car Club of America, while also welcoming mid-century, modern specialty, racing, and hot rod vehicles of more recent times. This theme sets the event apart from the more traditional shows like Pebble Beach and Amelia Island; perhaps more reflective of Southern California’s less discriminate love of all types of cars from all eras.

Father to Son to Father Again There were 34 separate judging classes represented, with Alfa Romeo as the featured marquee this year. One Alfa owner, Scott Wilcott of Pasadena, had a hard time choosing which Alfa to purchase back in 1974. “I went to the dealer thinking about a Spider, but I fell for the GTV.” The latter being an aggressive-looking two-door sedan, as opposed to the convertible made famous in the movie “The Graduate”. “I’m glad I made the ‘practical’ choice. I just love the car.” Scott loves the car so much that after giving it to his son in high school, he took it back years later when his son moved on to another vehicle. “He added a hi-fi stereo system and other modifications that I had to remove to bring the car back to original. But she is now close to looking exactly the way I brought her new.” Alfa Romeo went on to do very well in the awards judging, winning three top awards including “Best In Show”. The Best In Show winner, a 1938 Alfa Romeo 2300B Superleggera, was actually featured in a previous LA Car article (“Tired Iron Works”).

Design In Motion In addition to the highlighted Alfa Romeos, other brands like Ferrari, Mercedes, Packard, Lincoln, Cadillac, and Delahaye were all well represented. But coveted cars from more recent times like Mustangs, 356’s, Corvettes, and Cobras also got to sit proudly on the parklawn. When describing their sleek 1965 Shelby Cobra, Bill and Christie Kincheloe of Sherman Oaks emphasize that their car is made to run. “You’ll see Cobras on trailers, but not this one. We drive it at least once a month and even race at Monterey. We just drive it up, and drive it down.” Purchased back in 1984 when a Cobra could be had at a somewhat reasonable price, “We had a choice between buying a house or this damaged race car. Even with a ten-year rebuild, we know we made the right choice.”

Counting Blessings “I feel like we really took off this year,” says Aaron Weiss, chairman and co-founder of the event. “We’re really happy to have the community support to produce a show of this level. It was great to see so many car enthusiasts young and old. We could have not done this without the support of dedicated volunteers, sponsors, entrants and hosts.” Among the car entrants, Mr. Weiss feels that having a balanced combination of privately-owned vehicles alongside a few display vehicles from the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center and the Petersen, Nethercutt, and Mullin Museums helps to make San Marino a unique experience. “With so many shows each year, it is hard to distinguish oneself. We try to make our presentation stand out.” Though ‘young’ by motorcar event standards, San Marino has successfully set itself apart. About the San Marino Motor Classic The San Marino Motor Classic features a broad array of motorcars that span more than a century. Co-founded by Aaron Weiss, Paul Colony and Ben Reiling, it is considered the successor to the Los Angeles Concours d’Elegance. For more information, including a list of past winners and competing classes, go to www.sanmarinomotorclassic.com.