[johnei]

This is the first year they're doing the event, should be good. I'm going to be there (mainly because it is a lot warmer than here). I think there are some outstanding cars in that area, so if even a few of them come out it should be a great event. There will also be a tour on Feburary 29th.

Welcome to The Desert Classic: Concours d'Elegance

 

[araknd]

That's cool. Thanks for posting this. We used to go over there for the vintage races and auction. They used to have a concours then also. Sort of like a mini-Monterey weekend.
I'm putting it on the calendar.

 

[johnei]

I want to encourage Northern CA people to think about coming down too. The Palm Springs area is a lot more warm and sunny in late February and early March than it is up in the Bay Area. Makes a nice break from the rain. It isn't too far from a number of other major cities either.

 

[smestas]

Looks like this should be a nice event.

I just added it to our site calendar.
http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=88&day=2008-2-29&c=1


.

 

[smestas]

Here is some info that was sent to me by one of the event organizers Paul Merrigan.

------------

We would like to have an Alfa Corral and some more great Alfa's for exhibit.
We will be showing the first car Enzo Ferrari built with all of the know how gained running the Alfa F1 team. Ferrari No. 01C, the first Ferrari will be here. First time shown on the West Coast after years in hiding.
Paul Merrigan

------------

 

[johnei]

Well this should be an interesting show. After bringing it up on fchat, the contributors haved turned up a lot of information and it actually sounds like 01C exists and will be there. I'm mildly surprised and don't know quite what to expect.

I'm hoping we can get a lot of Alfas to show up as well.

 

[johnei]

Looks like this is the car, there is a picture after the jump.

italiaspeed.com

 

[jimcra]

Desert Classic C d'E

02/12 2:00P (PN) Very First Ferrari Makes Rare Appearance Inaugural Desert
Classic Concours d'Elegance, February 29 & March 1, 2008
Story 6387 (C/BUS, C/HEA, C/WST, U/ANI, R/CA, U/CAN, P/CLD, P/COL, I/FOD...)
PALM SPRINGS, Calif., Feb 12, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The
first Ferrari ever built, Chassis Number 01C, will make its first-ever western
United States appearance during the Inaugural Desert Classic Concours
d'Elegance, at the historic O'Donnell Golf Club in Palm Springs, Calif.

"This is the first time in 20 years this pristine automobile has made a public
appearance," said Paul Merrigan, event organizer. "Ferrari has a unique history
in Palm Springs, by recording its first western U.S. win here in 1951, and we're
bringing that excitement back with another historic Ferrari."

The event kicks-off on Friday, February 29, with the Tour Classique. Beginning
at the O'Donnell Golf Club at 11 a.m., spectators are invited to catch a glimpse
of many of the automobiles as they parade the streets of Palm Springs and other
Coachella Valley cities.

On Saturday, March 1, the gates to the O'Donnell Golf Course open to the public
from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. This is an extraordinary opportunity for car aficionados to
see some of the finest and most beautiful automobiles ever made. The featured
marque is Maserati, with early participants from Ferrari, Austin-Healey and Alfa
Romeo clubs, the Classic Car Club of America, as well as Maserati and Packard
clubs.

Other noteworthy entries include a 1930 Rally ABC, a 1926 Studebaker, a 1956
Alfa Villedeste, a 1955 Jaguar D-type and a rare 1941 Packard, custom-designed
by Howard "Dutch" Darrin.

"One of just a limited few built, the 1941 Packard is a perfect match for our
event, because of its association with Darrin, who crafted many of his cars for
the same celebrities that brought worldwide attention to Palm Springs in the
early 1940s," said Merrigan, who won first prize in the Post-war GT Italian
Coachwork class at the world-famous Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 1998.

General grounds admission tickets are $20; clubhouse tickets are $40; VIP
tickets that include clubhouse admission and food/beverage are $150. Children
under 10 and active duty/reserve military and seniors over 80 are free. For
details and other information call (760) 346-1810 or visit:
Welcome to The Desert Classic: Concours d'Elegance.

Proceeds benefit non-profit organizations: Lucy Curci Cancer Center, College of
the Desert, Animal Samaritans and Angel Light Academy's Leadership Training
Institute.

SOURCE Desert Classic Concours d?Elegance


URL: Welcome to The Desert Classic: Concours d'Elegance
PR Newswire - news distribution, targeting and monitoring

Copyright (C) 2008 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

-0-

 

[araknd]

The plan for the San Diego Alfisti --

Breakfast at Mama Kat'sMama Kat's Restaurant in San Marcos early (6AM). Depart about 7. North to Temecula, east on SR-79, north on SR-371 through Anza to SR-74 (the Palms to Pines Highway) down to Palm Desert. North on 111 to Palm Springs. If you can't join us in for breakfast, then join us along the way.

 

[johnei]

Well tomorrow is the tour and then the concours is Saturday. I'm looking forward to a high of 80 degrees instead of 25. Hope to see a number of Alfas there, I think it is very likely Alfa Romeo could be the feature next year.

 

[araknd]

Pix of the Desert Classic in Palm Springs

Too many to post here; check them out at
Picasa Web Albums Desert Classi...

 

[johnei]

Well I had fun, hope everyone who attended did as well. Friday there was a tour with a lunch stop at Cuistot in Palm Desert, then a tour of the Pond collection. Later on Friday there was a dinner at the Top of the Chop in Palm Springs. The show on Saturday seemed to go well although I think it was a bit unorganized in places and ran behind schedule a bit. Some members of the Aston Martin OC came as did some members of The Maserati Club. Bill Noon of Symbolic brought the 6C Alfa and drove his A6 Maserati. Tom Shaughnessy drove his 375 on the tour and had it in the show. Several mostly original Maseratis were driven over from the Riverside International Automotive Museum, everything from the PF A6G to a MC12.

There weren't many Alfa Romeos. Two very original Montreals. One orange car that was in stunning condition and the white over grey car. Supposedly that was a Paris show car.

If you attended and have any suggestions on ways to improve it for next year please post them.

I've put up most of my pictures up in various sets. Also the Lancia Fulvia HF has low miles and may be on the market soon.

all the rest - a photoset on Flickr

 

[araknd]

Great Day in the Sun

My wife and I were there in the "Car Club Corral" in the green 164L. I was also disappointed that there weren't many Alfas either in the show or in the corral. I didn't see the white over gray Montreal at all, but I was really impressed with the 6C2500 Villa d'Este.

All in all we had a good drive over from San Diego and a really nice day in the desert.

 

[italcarguy]

Nice pictures. As usual, too many events in Southern California in one weekend. I hope the show does well in future years. I like that old Lancia racer. Do you know more about it?

 

[araknd]

Desert Classic

Nice pictures. As usual, too many events in Southern California in one weekend. I hope the show does well in future years. I like that old Lancia racer. Do you know more about it?

The Lancia did not have a entrant's card on it when I went by it; maybe johnei has some info on it.

 

[1.6 HF]

The Lancia did not have a entrant's card on it when I went by it; maybe johnei has some info on it.

In a PM earlier this evening, he mentioned that it's Paul Guttman's car, which means it's a 1.3HF (1 of about 830 made), ex-Cunningham Museum. Paul's an ALC member living in NV, and I have the car in my Fulvia registry, but I don't have any other details. I don't know if it has any race history; HFs were homologation specials, and the majority were stradale, not corsa. This one's a bit unusual for a 1.3HF in that it has bumpers. These may have been added later, as I've never seen another 1.3 HF with them--not in any photo and not in any factory brochure. Even from just that one photo, it looks like it's in beautiful shape.

 

[araknd]

OK. I'm not up on my Lancia's at all. I thought that he was referring to a different old Lancia racer that did not have a card or any identifying sign on it.
P Desert Classic Lancia

 

[jimcra]

From Desert Classic Concours. Great Day, great people great cars.

 

[jimcra]

1949 6C 2500SS Ville d" Este

 

[1.6 HF]

OK. I'm not up on my Lancia's at all. I thought that he was referring to a different old Lancia racer that did not have a card or any identifying sign on it.
P Desert Classic Lancia

An entirely different kettle of fish. That appears to be a special, but I'm not sure it's old.

I know that Gary Byrd was working on a Lancia Lambda-based special. He showed the partially-finished version at BoFI last November. I wonder it that's the finished version (it's certainly based on a sliding-pillar chassis like the Lambda).