1963 330 America 2+2, Chuck and Janice Kirkpatrick at Morgan Adams.
CENTENNIAL COLORADO AIRPORT, August 27th
Text and Photos by Al Axelrod
A concours event at an airport? Didn’t we all complain when Concorso Italiano was held at the airport a few years ago? But when the planes are vintage WWII like the P51 and a B25 combined with a select group of excellent vintage cars and bikes, the airport setting becomes a plus rather than a liability. And that was the ambiance of the Morgan Adams Concours, held on August 27, 2011
1944 P51 Crusader aka 'Mary Lou', owned by Gene Mallette. Go to a concrete concours and see both Bugattis and P51s? You bet.
In the Denver area east of the Rockies, one does not expect much excitement as to special interest vehicles, but then summer comes, and suddenly all sorts of cars and bikes show up, having been stored and cared for somewhere inside away from the cold and snow over the winter.
This annual event is a fund raiser to support research and hope for children fighting cancer. Over 1000 guests show up to view a line-up of rare examples. The Morgan Adams Foundation includes live and silent auctions and has raised over $1,000,000 as of 2010 Year End.
Cars such as a: 1931 4/8-litre W.O. Bentley Le Mans, a 1958 Frick Vignale Cadillac and a beautifully detailed red 1952 Allard J2X were crowd pleasers.
Type T-40A Roadster, James Stranberg owner.
Planes flown in for the show included: two P51 Mustangs from 1944 and 1945, a 1977 Russian MIG 17 and a 1943 North American B-25 Mitchell Bomber, in D-Day paint scheme.
Bikes were plentiful, including six classic highly styled Indians: Chiefs from 1928, 1932, a 1937 raced by Ed Kretz Sr., a 1941 Indian Four, 1947 and 1953 Chief.
This is a Frick Vignale Cadillac. Behind it is a Nash Healey.
Two hangers, well appointed for the event were filled with cars, a few planes and bikes. The parking and access areas to the hangers and the nearby taxiways around the hangers allowed the open space for a great display of machines, some under-cover and some in the open. The evening weather cooperated with a beautiful sunset.
Cars of note included a 1955 Austin Healey 100S, 1938 Delage D8 120 Convertible, a very original Facel Vega HK 500, a very clean 1966 Maserati Sebring, two lovely MG TC Roadsters, two 1957 Porsche 356A Speedsters and 1934 Packard 1107 Dual Cowl Sport Phaeton.
Best of Show went to the 1938 Delage D8 120 Convertible (Tom Kowalski owner).
Best of Show Overall
1938 Delage D8 120 Convertible “2 tone” (Tom Kowalski owner)
Awards judged by ones fellow entrants include:
Best Automobile
1934 Packard 1107 Dual Cowl (Lonnie Fallin Owner)
Best Aircraft
Fokker D-Vll (Andy Parks owner)
Best Motorcycle
1948 Ducati Cucciolo (Jim Dillard owner)
Awards People’s Choice include:
Auto
1933 Packard Coupe Roadster (Terry Johnson owner)
Aircraft
1952 Hawker Mark ll “Sea Fury” (Joe Thibodeau owner)
Motorcycle
1941 Indian Four (Gary Re owner)
1952 Hawker Mark ll Sea Fury, owned by Joe Thibodeau.
1956 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe, owner Buzz Calkins.
MIG 17, Jack Wilhite
owner.
Alfas in front of 1983 and 1984 Aerovodochy L39's.
North American B25 Mitchell Bomber is owned by the HistoryFlight Foundation.
Website Address Morgan Adams Concours
Al Axelrod of Centennial CO owned a foreign car business adjacent to Beverly Hills for over 30 years. He is now a forensic accident investigator in Centennial CO and has piloted a Pantera for 33 years.
Al Axelrod
Hello,
Richard Schnyder here, from the “old days” at your shop, with Gary and Leroy.
Matra and Sprite and Gt350s, etc.
How are you?
Do you know were Leroy is ? I know Gary is very sick….
As usual my friend, an outstanding job! From high school to the old folks home, you have always done a thorough job when it comes vehicles of the automotive species. I enjoy the inclussion of the other vehicles…. motorcycles and of course the aircraft.
There is an attraction here, down south of Orlando, called Fantasy of Flight…. google it, you will enjoy. This September 24th I will attend a boy scout jamboree there, where the youngsters will have an oportunity to meet and socialize with retired military aviators in order to gain some insight of the part military aviation has played in our countries’ history.
My friend Lt/Colonel George Hardy will attend with me. George and I worked together in Vietnam where I was the 14th Special Operations Wing fixed wing gunship Operations Officer. George is also one of the few remaining black Tuskegee fighter pilots of WWII where he flew 21 missions over Germany escorting B-17s and B-24s on their bombing missions. He is a fine gentleman and a good friend. I am lucky and proud to know him.
If you ever get back to Florida, we will have to go down to Fantasy of Flight. With your bent for, and interest in vehicles, I’m sure you would enjoy the visit.
As ever, good work AL keep it up….. But try to slow down a bit. At your age you’re running on backup power.
OK, while this is NOT Facebook, good to hear from you guys.
My brilliant (?) college educated son Aaron corrected my thoughts on where I am geographically, like Denver EAST of the Rockies. He also said something I do not understand about id 10 t, which is clearly beyond me!
Sorry about that.
thanks,
I didn’t know about this event. Can you put me on the list for next year?
JW
Nice report, Al; thank you. I’m proud to say that’s my ’59 Sprint in the foreground of the “Alfas” picture, and my brother Scott’s red ’59 Spider fourth-back from there.
The Morgan Adams Concours is an exceptionally well-organized event and supports a worthy cause: children’s cancer research. I encourage anyone near (or far from!) Denver to come out for the 2012 event. It’s worth the trip.