2011 DANA POINT CONCOURS: DOING WHAT IT DOES BEST

Words and pictures by John Grafman Is too much of a good thing a problem? Those in Orange County get to ask that question this year. Nearly every week there is some event or another around town for a car junkie to get a fix on. But this year, we had the collision of two major events on the same weekend. Both the Barrett-Jackson Auction and the Dana Point Concours are a magnet for enthusiasts. This is plenty for any car lover to overdose on.

Barrett-Jackson is now pushing its way into the crammed car calendar in Southern California, and muscling in on the annual coastal concours, which itself has been hopscotching venues for over the last couple decades. This will be interesting to see how this plays out. The concours is still a well-established event that brings out the very best from those that have absolutely no intention of departing with their favorite set of wheels. Additionally, the Dana Point Concours just inked a deal to carry on at the regal St. Regis Hotel for the next five years. The overall Dana Point Concours format is essentially the same as the prior year, with one notable exception: It’s a lot like an annual pilgrimage to another Orange County favorite, Disneyland. No matter how many times you go, it’s still the happiest place on earth.

This year, in addition to the three-day schedule featuring a private collection tour, a superlative automotive fine art exhibition, a flyover of several vintage airplanes, and countless cars and motorbikes of amazing pedigree to enjoy, we have the opportunity to partake in the inaugural Dana Point Vintage Automobile Auction presented by EG Auctions. On any other week, this would be a worthy addition. With the aforementioned Barrett-Jackson Auction on the same weekend, it really feels like an also-ran. Doing what it does best, the Dana Point Concours has incredible cars gathered in a place that rivals some of the other great concours. There are standout automobiles on an individual basis, however the totality of this event is what impresses the jaded. How many places on the face of the earth will you see more than a handful of 1950s gullwing Mercedes Benzs? Certainly, being the featured marque in celebration of its 125th anniversary is bringing out the three-pointed star car. And this area is home to the Mercedes Benz Classic Center just a few miles away in Irvine, which doesn’t hurt either. Nevertheless, those attending today are very fortunate indeed.

Other cars are literally museum showpieces. Both the Nethercutt Collection and the Petersen Automotive Museum battle it out with flawless cars. Other major collectors like the Crevier Classic Cars and that of General William Lyon are also fielding class-winning cars. Well-endowed museums do have a leg up on the private collector, but that doesn’t mean these cars are any less mesmerizing. A gorgeous example of this is the 1956 DeSoto Adventurer two-door hardtop of Malcolm and Steve Schneer. Money goes a long way to restoring cars to their former glory, but love goes even further. And, there is no shortage of that across the entire green of the hotel. As the afternoon continues on under the pleasant coastal skies, the most prestigious award of the day, Best of Show, is bestowed on a 1931 Bugatti Type 51 from the acclaimed Nethercutt Collection, located in Sylmar, California. The black cherry 1931 Bugatti, built in France by coachbuilder Louis Dubos, was originally created as a factory team Grand Prix racer. Following the 1931 race season, Ettore Bugatti gave the Bugatti to famous racing driver Louis Chiron. The Nethercutt Collection purchased it in 2000 and reunited the body with its original chassis. And the rest, as they say, is history.

(Please note, the owners of each car are in parentheses) • Briggs Cunningham Award – 1948 Bentley Mark VI Saloon (Pierre Lemieux) • Catherine Thyen Award – 1956 Continental Mark II Coupe (Representative John Campbell) • Design Achievement Award (Closed) – 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB (Robert Aldridge) • Design Achievement Award (Open) – 1955 Porsche RS 550 Spyder (Peter & Cheryl Dunkel) • Meguiar’s “Finish Fantastique” Award – 1931 Packard 833 Roadster (Mrs. James Edwards) • Elegance Award, Pre-War Award – 1938 Delahaye 145 Coupe (Peter & Merle Mullin) • Elegance Award, Post-WarAward – 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Coupe (William Keck)

First place winners in each Concours class include: • Class 1 - Antique and Vintage (to 1925) – 1913 Mercedes-Benz 37/95 Double Phaeton Torpedo (Nethercutt Collection) • Class 2a - American Classics CCCA (1925-1948) Open – 1931 Marmon 145/Le Baron (Aaron & Valerie Weiss) • Class 2b - American Classics CCCA (1925-1948) Closed – 1937 Packard 1501-1012 Formal Sedan (Philo & Diane Smith) • Class 3 - European Classic CCCA (1925-1948) – 1931 Bugatti Type 51 (Nethercutt Collection) • Class 5 - Auburn / Cord / Duesenberg – 1935 Duesenberg Speedster (General William Lyon) • Class 6a - American Luxury Touring (Postwar) – 1956 Ford Thunderbird (Crevier Classic Cars) • Class 6b - European Luxury Touring (Postwar) – 1961 Jaguar Mark II (Tom Krefetz) • Class 7a - Porsche (to 1965) – 1962 Porsche 356 Cabriolet (Paul Colony) • Class 7b - Porsche (1966 - newer) – 1986 Porsche 930 Turbo (Joseph DeMeo) • Class 8 - Woodies and Wagons (to 1960) – 1941 Packard Woody (Kornier Family)

• Class 9a - Austin Healey / MG / Triumph – 1955 MG TF 1500 (John Farwick) • Class 9b - Italian Sports Cars under 3 litres – 1972 Fiat Dino Spider 2.4 Litre(Bill Reinert and Jan Kreider) • Class 9c - Sports Cars under 3 litres (all others to 1984) – 1959 A/C Bristol (Crevier Classic Cars) • Class 9d - Sports Cars over 3 litres (to 1984) – 1963 Apollo 3500 Coupe (Bud and Stephanie Bourassa) • Class 9e - Italian Coachwork with American V-8 Engines – 1969 Iso Grifo 7-liter Coupe (Don & Carol Murray) • Class 10a - Mercedes Benz (125th Anniversary) – 1958 Mercedes-Benz 180 D (Mercedes-Benz Classic Center) • Class 10b - Mercedes Benz 300SL – 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing (Russell Hook) • Class 11 - Ferrari (to 1984) – 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 (Robert Aldridge, Crevier Classic Cars) • Class 12 - Mini-cars to 1970 (Special Class) – 1948 Davis Devon Tarnutzer & Carini Collection(Rick Tarnutzer) • Class 13a - Jaguar XK120/140/150 – 1961 Jaguar XK-150 3.8 DHC (Tom Krefetz) • Class 13b - Jaguar XKE (1961-1963) – 1962 Jaguar XKE Convertible (Aaron & Valerie Weiss) • Class 13c - Jaguar XKE (1961-1973) – 1967 Jaguar XKE Series 1 4.2 Roadster (Ken & Ann Smith) • Class 14 - Shelby Cobra and Mustang (to 1970) (original cars only) – 1963 Cobra Roadster (Richard Munroe) • Class 15a - Race cars (pre-1960) – 1946 Kurtis Ross-Page Special (Petersen Automotive Museum) • Class 15b - Race cars (1960 to current) – 1967 MG C-GTS (Henry Camisasca) • Class 17 - American Muscle Cars (1960 to 1974) – 1969 Oldsmobile 442 (John Lewis) • Class 18a - Corvette (1953 – 1964) – 1962 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible (Bob Cuevas) • Class 18b - Corvette (1965 to 1967) – 1967 Chevrolet Corvette (Peter Koretz)

• Class 19a - Traditional Hot Rods (to 1934) – 1933 Ford Deluxe Roadster (Dennis Proud) • Class 19b - Customs (1935 to 1960) – 1936 Ford Roadster (Fred DeFalco) • Class 24a - American Production (1901-1929) – 1912 Pierce (Carl Haren) • Class 24b - American Production (1930-1977) – 1941 Indian Chief (Robert Myers) • Class 24c - European Production (1901-1929) – 1952 Vincent Black Shadow (Dick Klatt) • Class 24d - European Production (1953-1964) – 1956 Velocette 500 (Charlotte Martin) • Class 24e - European Production (1965-1977) – 1967 BSA Spitfire (Brian Pearson) • Class 24f - Japanese Production (1957-1969) – 1969 Honda CL 350 (Jane Brennan) • Class 24g - Japanese Production (1970-1977) – 1975 Kawasaki Mach 4 (Dan Ambrecht) • Class 24i - Competition (1950-1977) – 1955 Ducati 125 (Hugo Gallina) • Class 24j - Motorcycles of Interest or Significance – 1959 Ducati Mariana Gran Sport (Marcelo Doffo)