Automotive events come in many shapes and sizes encompassing everything from cool local cruise nights, to massive national shows held at facilities holding thousands of vehicles. While hot rods and customs are welcome at most any event, there was always one venue where their presence was not well-known until recently. Prestigious Concours d'Elegance events showcase some of the worlds most highly regarded marques thought to be the highest form of automotive sculpture and design. At any number of these events it's common to see such revered names as Duesenberg, Bugatti, Rolls-Royce, and Ferrari, to name but a few, all presented in their highest form for acknowledgment by the judges. Hot rods and customs have finally started to receive their well-deserved recognition, via personal invitations to owners asking them to join the ranks and participate from coast to coast. Hosted at the Fairfield County Hunt Club in Westport, Connecticut, the two day event kicked off on Saturday with the Nutmeg Tour for Autism, a 50-mile driving tour where classic car owners were welcome to participate on the winding roads with their breathtaking views through the lower Fairfield County. The rest of the day was packed with numerous seminars including one by Bob Sharp on vintage racing, a car and motorcycle club celebration, Bonhams classic auto auction preview, and a late afternoon cocktail reception benefiting The Drive to Treat Autism Fund. Sunday was show day and the lawn was artfully laid out to represent cars spanning 100 years, from the earliest to the latest and each one with a specific show card telling of the cars history and its owners. The hot rod and custom class attracted plenty of attention among all of the domestic and European classics and was a favorite with the personal guided field tours where visitors would learn about each cars specific heritage. Fun stuff like the noontime "start your engines" call was neat, as was the chance to check out plenty of art and memorabilia presented by various artists. The featured artist of the Concours was photographer Jesse Alexander, whose breathtaking images left you in awe with his documentation of road racing throughout the decades. Add in a special display of historical race cars which had competed at the 24 Hours of LeMans, an exhibition called "Styled by the Wind" showcasing many pre-war automotive styles with dramatic coachwork, a special gathering of cars designed by Howard Darrin, and the Bonhams classic car auction and you have a full day of automotive decadence. To be able to see a show field packed with everything from historical Deuces to a dramatic '38 Alfa Romeo 2900B Berlinetta, or '61 Ferrari 250TR with racing history made the journey well worth the trip. You can check it all out at www.fairfieldcountyconcours.com/
Built in '55 by Norm Wallace,...
Built in '55 by Norm Wallace, this legendary East Coast Deuce roadster won the coveted Sweepstake Award at the prestigious Hartford Autorama back in '58. It is currently owned by Larry Hook.
The Wallace/Hook '32 roadster...
The Wallace/Hook '32 roadster has plenty of acceleration on tap with a 276ci SCoT blown Flathead capped with Edelbrock heads breathing deep through a pair of Holey 94-series carbs.
Now this is true on-the-floor...
Now this is true on-the-floor seating thanks to a dramatic 8-inch channel. The dash is filled with a bevy of Stewart Warner gauges while a column shift works the gears through a '39 Ford box.
Laura SanGiovanni's '32 Ford...
Laura SanGiovanni's '32 Ford coupe spent part of its life as an old drag car when it was rescued from a field where it sat for years. Chopped 3-inches, coated with rich maroon vibe, and filled with a blown Flathead the car is all hot rod.
Power for Laura's coupe comes...
Power for Laura's coupe comes from a Ron SanGiovanni-built 245ci Flathead. Vintage Navarro heads and an Italamechanico supercharger topped twin Ford 2110 series carbs help the coupe make its presence known.
Ron SanGiovanni's iconic Deuce...
Ron SanGiovanni's iconic Deuce roadster looks equally at home on the show field or on a coast-to-coast run. Its vibrant blue body is perfectly accented by Radir wheels topped with wide whites.
A 258 ci Flathead wearing...
A 258 ci Flathead wearing a rare set of Ardun heads combined with a SCoT supercharger helps give Ron's roadster plenty of go-fast attitude.
The Golden Starfire '61 Olds...
The Golden Starfire '61 Olds owned by Andrew Scorzato is a perfect 60's-era mild custom. Bathed in Pagan Gold, it features a shaved body, '60 Mercury grille, and '56 Olds taillights.
Appearing on the cover of...
Appearing on the cover of Car Craft Magazine in September '66, Gerald Lettieri's '32 Ford roadster was channeled hard giving it a perfect stance. It was originally built into a hot rod in British Columbia.
Gerald's Deuce has a '51 Caddy...
Gerald's Deuce has a '51 Caddy mill nailed to the 'rails featuring dual-quads, an Isky stick, and Edelbrock finned aluminum valve covers.
Classic lines from a vintage...
Classic lines from a vintage rolled white interior combined with a '40 Ford dash compliments the red exterior of the Lettieri roadster.
Crafted into a custom in '57...
Crafted into a custom in '57 by Jim Karcher, this '50 Ford drop-top was chopped 6-inches, treated to '55 Buick side trim, molded bumpers, and loads of other custom touches. It is currently owned by Raymond Soff.
Peter Martin's '39 Ford DeLuxe...
Peter Martin's '39 Ford DeLuxe coupe could be the ultimate sleeper with its clean exterior combined with a full-race Flathead linked to a Columbia 2-speed rear.
Chopped 3-inches, shaved clean,...
Chopped 3-inches, shaved clean, frenched, and treated to a '54 Desoto grille makes Frank Loscalzo's '49 Merc a memorable custom. Its deep sapphire blue exterior is complimented by period-perfect scallops.
Victor Collins' and Ron Blaufeder's...
Victor Collins' and Ron Blaufeder's tribute to the original Barris Kopper Kart was as perfect as you could get! Based on a '55 Chevy pick-up, it was built with era-correct parts and featured an endless list of custom touches including a 4-inch chop, 4 1/2-inch channel, quad headlights, signature paint, and just enough copper.
Sculpted to perfection, Bob...
Sculpted to perfection, Bob Barkoff's '54 Mercury custom was originally built by John Pazsik and shown at the Hartford Autorama numerous times. It features a '55 Pontiac front bumper, '56 Packard taillights, and endless custom molding and fabrication.
The Pazsik/Barkoff '54 Merc...
The Pazsik/Barkoff '54 Merc features a highly detailed engine bay complete with a period-perfect vintage T-Bird V-8 dressed with an Offenhauser 3-deuce intake, finned aluminum valve covers, and plenty of dazzling plating.
Nothing 'sez custom like a...
Nothing 'sez custom like a futuristic interior in the Pazsik/Barkhoff Merc with its swivel seats, T-Bird shifter, telephone, custom console, and razor sharp rolls & pleats.
Built by the Alexander Brothers...
Built by the Alexander Brothers in '61, the Golden Indian '60 Pontiac appeared on the cover of Rod & Custom Magazine in November '63. It was completely restored by Lou Calasibetta in 2002 and looks as fresh as the day it debuted back in the day.
The interior of the Golden...
The interior of the Golden Indian still wow's the crowds today with its slender bucket seats, floating console, and golden carpeting.
There were no more than 30...
There were no more than 30 Alfa Romeo 2900B Berlinetta's produced and this particular long-wheelbase model was exhibited on the floor of the Paris Automobile Salon in'38. It is owned by the Collier Collection.
The Concours featured a Barn...
The Concours featured a Barn Fresh exhibition which included this recently unearthed '28 Austin Seven. It was found in a barn in rural Pennsylvania and is currently owned by Murray Smith.
One of the coolest motorcycles...
One of the coolest motorcycles on the lawn was this 1930 Henderson with custom coachwork created in the 50's by O. Ray Courtney who was a designer for Kaiser and GM at the time. It has been restored by its current owner Frank Westfall.