Pictures from the Hilton Head Concours D'Elegance

Thought all y'all might like to wade through a bunch of photos of classics, people, fashion show and so forth from the HHI Concours a couple of weeks ago.

Great shots (so you know I didn't take them!) and you can choose the gallery, the slide show or go directly to Pearl getting her "Crescent Award" in her class (and, I think, the only 356 to get a Crescent award).

Here you go:

Gallery:
http://kaufmanphoto.zenfolio.com/p84701809

Slideshow:
http://kaufmanphoto.zenfolio.com/p84701809/slideshow

Photo of Pearl on the award floor:
http://kaufmanphoto.zenfolio.com/p84701809/e14a0af2e

Gordon, the only class where a replica would be allowed in a concours is "special Interest", can I assume that is the class you won an award in...Crescent Award?

Cool show, Gordon! Thanks for sharing those pic links.

Vinny:

The Concours was a multi-day affair and the day I was there was the "Car Club Car Corral" day. 16 clubs are invited in every year, and each club is allowed ten cars to be shown. It is not the high-points, high bucks Concours D'Elegance day (which was Sunday, the next day). The awards were from spectator and entrant judging (two separate awards and no formal judges) and totaled twenty; top ten spectator and top ten entrant based on their votes. Pearl was one of the top ten Spectator awards, and as far as I know, the only 356 in either bunch. there were, however, some amazingly cool cars singled out.

As a rule, I don't enter into judged shows since it's a replica and was entered into this show as such (noted in the entry registration, big sign on the windshield, all that stuff). If it were on the Concours day, I'm sure I wouldn't even have been considered (much less allowed on the field!)

Still, it was a nice show and quite an honor to be thought well of.

gn

Thanks, Gordon. Hopefully you didn't get frost bite, it looked miserably cold with everyone wearing jackets and al l:-)

Always great to be recognized for your work. Congratulations.

Oops! I was wrong!

There was another 356 that got an award. I think it's photo 316 of a GORGEOUS '65 SC coupe that I was drooling over for so long the owner finally shoo'd me away. I kept thinking how cool that car would be with a Sooby turbo in it.

It's all good!!!

Pearl would draw attention no matter what event is taking place!

Over the years, I have noticed that Pearl is a magnet for two or three types of people:

- Older (40 years and up) ladies - They really like the pearlescent color

- Teen-age girls - They really like the pearlescent color - I don't know what the hell happens to them between teens and 40. If my daughter is any example, they turn into "Witch Woman" until they hit 32 or so and NO car will impress them during that time......

- Gnarly, tattooed Biker types - It took me a while to figure this demographic out, until I asked a few of them and found that they all worked in the paint booths of autobody shops and had, at times, had to spray that type of paint. "That stuff's a bitch to apply" is the common opinion of 3-part pearlescent paint, but they respect that and like the quality of Pearl's gown ("Damn! That guy knew what the F#&! he was doin") is an oft comment.

Then, there were those two "ladies" in a pickup in West Virginia who LOVED my car! I think they had six teeth between them and looked like they were from the same (very close) gene pool.........

Gordon,

Just wanted to share a great experience I had in your backyard. My company

Now THAT'S a great weekend!

Clint:

Next time, along with the GoPro, bring along a helmet, just in case!

I would LOVE to take a SAS around that track. Those things handle so well, it would be a head trip for the following month!!

I've driven hot laps on there with a couple of the car club cars; a LeMons racer made from a '98 Honda Accord (affectionately called, "Frankenhonda") which will soon be getting a Chris Nichols-sourced Turbo (it's a little short on wind without one) and the club's Gymkhana car, a 1989 Alpha Romeo GTV-6. I looked at the crazy-assed drivers who showed up there during the Hilton Head Concours and decided NOT to take Pearl out there with them, but I have driven some decent laps with her at Roebling Road, on the other side of Savannah. Both are pretty flat road courses and a lot of fun, but I almost prefer the Hutchins Island course as the asphalt is a bit better (it doesn't get the beater traffic that Roebling does).

Bob Woodman of Woodman tires, here in Beaufort, is the local rep for "Hooked on Driving" and stages track days at Hutchins Island several times each year, so the club has shown up with either the "Frankenhonda" or the Alpha. Next, we're looking forward to taking the club's full-blown race car, a '99 Mustang 302 which some of the guys will be running in races in the Southeast (we consider the southeast to be anything east of the Mississippi and south of Canada). It's still being assembled at the club's "cave" and should be ready for track break-in with the newly rebuilt engine in a month or so. The track days are a lot of fun, VERY educational, very safe and, all things considered (since we bring our own track cars), pretty inexpensive for the club.

Glad you got a chance to blast around Hutchins. It's a cool track and very close to Savannah for you working stiffs!

gn