A Brit in the Court of Cavallino Part 2

I am told it is a tradition that the entrants line up on one side of the long entrance drive to the Breakers where they are signed in, then sent around to form another line on the other side of the entrance before being sent onto the show fields. As you might imagine, my walk up and down the lines brought forth many a sharp intake of breath, often followed by an expletive, and the realization that I had only ever seen pictures of that car in a book or magazine or VeloceToday. [And Sharp is no rookie; he covers all the major Classic events in the UK as well as Monterey. Ed.]

I was instantly blown away by the 1959 250GT Speciale (2429GT of Peter Sachs) and again by a NART 275 LM, then the metallic-blue 250GT PF Cabriolet Speciale 1737GT, then a fly-yellow 275 GTS. At about 8 am the entrants were brought onto the two show fields – or to be more correct – manicured lawns.

In front of the hotel, Field 1 contained various coach-built 212s (this being the year of the 212, a Tipo you do not often see). They were joined by three 250 TdFs including the special-bodied model chassis 0425 GT I had seen earlier. Also on Field 1 was The NART 275 LM, the 400 Superamerica, a 500 TRC, a SWB and LWB California Spider, 250 SWB and a very rare model, a 166MM with bodywork by the Belgian coachbuilder Oblin. It is one of only three cars bodied by them and possibly the only Ferrari.

On Field 2 were the Pininfarina tribute cars which included two of my favorites, 500 Superfasts chassis 8083 and 6043, both left hand drive. Joining them were a 375 America PF Coupe 0293AL, the ex Gianni Agnelli 1959 375 America, and the 1955 375 America PF Speciale 0355 AL. The 1969 365 GTB/4 Speciale is a car I had only seen in the form of a model kit which is still in my cupboard waiting to be built. Various 275GTBs, Boxers, Daytonas and Dinos including the rare 1969 206GT chassis 0300 were about.

Grouped on a mound were a 1931 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 with British registration number 872 UXE together with a quintet of Bugattis. After wearing out my feet and my camera it was time to take lunch which was served near the ocean.

Ferrari Classiche had a stand on which they displayed a 212 and a 512 BBLM. Graaf Jewelry displayed a silver Enzo guarded over by three lovelies in little black cocktail dresses. At the end of the commercial stands I found a 333SP which sounded brutal when being positioned onto the stand.

A superb day at a beautiful setting, with the right cars and the right people. Tomorrow it’s Mar-a-Lago.

Sunday, Classic Sports Sunday at Mar-a-Largo.

At the recommendation of some of my fellow photographers I arrived a Mar-a-Lago early at around 7:45 am. Only three cars had arrived at that time; an ivory-coloured Alfa Romeo, the 400 Superamerica and the 1953 250 MM PF Berlinetta, Chassis 0258. The 250 was being photographed by a German team for a forthcoming Ferrari calendar.

I learned from a gruff, but lovely New York security guard that they had been taking “Goddam photos for the past two hours,” so it should be an interesting calendar. [No doubt the fantastic Calendars from Raupp Ed.]

The next car to arrive was a 1947 Talbot Lago T26 Cabriolet number 100109 which our gruff security guard described as “freekin art on wheels”. This car was displayed around the pool to great effect later in the morning. Following the arrival of the T26, we photographers were excited by the sight of a silver Zagato-bodied Maserati with the most unique headlight configuration of two large Frenched-in headlights. I do not think however that this car made much of an impact on our New York Guard, but it certainly did on me.

Much like Saturday, the cars were displayed on the manicured greens of the Mar a Largo golf course. The two Fiat 8V’s with Vignale and Ghia Supersonic bodywork looked good parked behind what is probably the 18th hole. Around the pool in addition to the T26, was a type 57C Stelvio Bugatti and a DuPont resplendent with its Eagle crystal mascot (Lalique?).

Right by the champagne bar was a rather lovely 1936 Lancia Astura Pinin Farina cabriolet serial number 335313. It was good to see other cars, not just Ferraris. The GT40 parked next to a new Ford GT certainly made its presence known on arrival. The cars were grouped together very well so the two 8Vs had all the Aston’s parked next to them. The German cars (300SL Gullwing and Porsche 356s) side by side, and a 1956 Ford Thunderbird next to a Cadillac Eldorado Convertible.

My favorite lineup included the ivory Alfa Romeo and 8C mentioned earlier and a one-off 6C 1750SS with unique coachwork, believed to be constructed by a worker of one of the major Italian coachbuilders as a hobby. The owner very kindly gave me a book about the car and its restoration so you may want to revisit this car, and perhaps the Ferrari 166 Oblin at a later stage.

At the end of the day, I tried to bag a lift back to the Chesterfield from one of the new Astons being used for road test purposes but had to resort to a taxi back; my English gift of the gab must be waning.

Best of the Rest

Tuesday, Back home

Dear Peter, you asked me how these events compared with other events I had attended. I have only been to Pebble Beach once, and whilst the entrants of the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours were sublime with 21 GTOs lined up on the 18th green, I have to say that Cavallino was right up there for quality. As I mentioned, there were cars on display at the Classic that I had only seen in pictures. Not only that, it was not crowded or FOGGY. Mar-a-Lago was again different to anything I had been too in the UK, a bit like Salon Prive perhaps, but very much its own event.

Can I go again next year, please?