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2006 Palm Beach International Concours d'Elegance
By: Fritz Kloepfel
Photos by the author
February 18, 2006

Article Images


Synergy: An increase in the value of assets as a result of their combination.

That’s what the recent Palm Beach International Concours d’Elegance seems to be counting on as they follow up the increasingly popular Cavallino Classic, and act as the lead-in to a new collector auction by Gooding and Company. And it seems to be working! With more than 200 vintage, antique, racing, and collectable cars and more than 5,000 car collectors and enthusiasts, this show was a grand success for being only its second year.

The event was held on the large, open grounds of the Palm Beach Polo & Country Club in prestigious Wellington, FL. There was plenty of room to display each car and allow spectators and photographers the opportunity to stroll in a leisurely fashion from one to the other. Even with the terrific number of spectators present the grounds never seemed crowded, nor did any car ever seem inaccessible. After the confined spaces available for the Cavallino Classic the prior day, this was quite a treat.

The variety of cars was interesting and impressive. There were, of course, plenty of notable Ferraris, including Michael Regalia’s beautifully restored ex-Steve McQueen 1963 250 GT Lusso, in a rich metallic brown, and the 1951 212 Export Spider Vignale owned by Palm Beach resident Jeff Fisher, which won last year's Coppa d’Oro at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este at Lake Como, in Italy. There were also race cars, muscle cars, antiques and one lone street rod.

One of the oldest cars there was also one of the most interesting: a 1910 “Underslung” Traveler built by the American Motor Car Company, and designed by Harry Stutz. The “Underslung” got its nickname from its unusual chassis and suspension design. The frame actually hangs below the axles and elliptical leaf springs and gigantic 40-inch wheels were used in order to allow clearance below that frame. Your 300C with “Dubs” ain’t got nothin’ on this ride.

One of the more unusual vehicles was the silver 1936 Stout Scarab which won the Icono Classic Award. Chrysler believes that they invented the minivan, but perhaps we should take a second look at the uniquely styled Scarab before we allow them that claim. This vehicle was certainly interesting, even among this intriguing collection of cars.

Certainly one of the most beautiful cars at the event was James Patterson’s 1947 Talbot-Lago T26 convertible. And I wasn’t the only one who thought so. This car won three of the top awards including “The Palm Beach Cup - Best in Show,” "The Wilmington Trust - Best in Show People’s Choice Award" and the “Putnam Leasing - Best in Show Car Owner’s Award." It's gorgeous two-tone paint and flowing lines leave no doubt that it was deserving of each.

Unlike the previous day's Ferrari event, there were no expert judges here. Each class is judged by the entrants, with an advisory board available should there be difficulty in determining a winner in any class. The spectators were encouraged to cast their votes for “Best of Show” along with the entrants. While this may benefit cars that are less than technically perfect, it also produces show winners that are pleasing to the eye and deserving of acclaim.

After the grand parade of winners to the Awards Ceremony, a portion of the crowd shifted from the open field to the spacious confines of the tent erected for the Gooding and Company auction. While it may have seemed sheer folly to schedule an auction of this sort on the same weekend as the Barrett Jackson auction in Scottsdale, the synergy of the three events in Palm Beach seemed to work. A number of interesting cars were sold including a le Mans veteran 1962 Corvette which sold for almost half a million dollars, a 1966 VW Microbus which brought $40,000 and the piece de resistance, a 1938 Talbot-Lago T150 C SS Teardrop Coupe which brought the hammer down at $3,550,000.

The Palm Beach International has established a place for itself in the world of collector car shows, and with the help of Cavallino, Gooding and Company and the strong draw of Palm Beach in the winter, its future seems secure. Mark your calendars NOW for
January 2007.