Hilton Head Concours

A Few of My Favorite Things...Hilton Head Concours Less than a Week Away!

The Hilton Head Concours d'Elegance & Motoring Festival is less than a week away. It's being held Nov. 1-4 partly at the Roebling Road Raceway in Bloomnigdale, GA (Thurs & Fri for track day events) and at the Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn all four days.

I plan on being there all four days and, as I find out more about it, am getting really excited!

 Top 10 Highlights:

1. Vintage motorcycle display dating from 1912-1974 (will include Ducatis and Moto Guzzis from Italy, Indians and Harleys from the U.S., a Triumph from Germany, an Abingdon and Brough Superior from England, late 1950s Dream from Japan, others)

2. First Responder displays (seven+ antique fire trucks, six+ antique ambulances, a 1974 police cruiser from the NYC Police Department and modern day apparatus. Two of the fire trucks are coming from American LaFrance)

3. Famous People (Bill Jr. Marriott of Marriott Hotels is the Honorary Chairman [he’s also bringing two of his own Italian sports cars including a 1955 Maserati PF Coupe-1 of only 4 ever made], Dennis Gage who hosts My Classic Cars on the SPEED channel and Bob Sharp who used to race and own race teams)

4. Southern Belle Fashion Show (Fashions by Palmettoes Boutique – one of my local favorites – and vintage fashions too)

5. Hilton Head Auction (renowned auction group The WorldWide Group is hosting again)

                6. World’s Smallest Car (2 cars from Lane Motor Museum are coming – one, the Peel P50                 is listed in Guinness as the world’s smallest passenger car. It has 1 seat and weighs 250 lbs.                     The Peel Trident is also coming and is a 2-seater version)

7. Havoline Exhibit (a NASCAR simulator, pit crew simulator, NASCAR “Car of Tomorrow” and the Nextel Cup Car competing in the 2007 season driven by Juan Pablo Montoya

                8. JCB Diesel Max Car (car designed entirely by computer and powered by diesel engine.                 Raced in the Bonneville Salt Flats races in Utah)

9. Hilton Head/Savannah Historics Track Event held at Roebling Road Raceway in Bloomingdale, GA (practice runs, qualifying rounds with HSR, hot lap rides at racing speeds, parade laps in your own car, small bore classic formula cars, historic formula cars, B.O.S.S. formulas cars)

10. Concours d’Elegance (of course!) (the official competition with 150 vintage cars competing for ‘Best of Show’ title

 I’ve been involved with the Concours a lot this year so I can personally say that it’s going to be a good one.

 

 

Those “green” hybrids have nothing on these efficient roadsters.

The Peel P50 is the world’s smallest ever passenger car and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “smallest street legal car.” It’s 4’ 5” long, 3’ 3” wide, 4’ high and weighs only 250 pounds. There’s no reverse gear in this one-seater but (have no fear), if you need to reverse, the car is so light you just use the “reversing handle” at the back, pick up your car and turn it in the direction you want!

The Peel Trident is a roomier two-seater version. No blinkers either– just a window small enough to stick an arm out and make hand signals. The cars average about 100 miles to the gallon. Talk about efficient! Both of these cars are coming to the Hilton Head Concours this year as part of the new “microcar” exhibit. They are coming from the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville which is one of the only museums in America that specializes in European cars like these.