amelia island concours d’elegance

The Eichenbaum’s1955 Lancia B24S Spider America.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

Wednesday March 11: Arrival

Just a quick E mail to let you know we have arrived at Amelia Island. Do you know, I have already seen my first classic of the trip without having even left Heathrow Airport. Whilst looking out of the window of our somewhat tired Boeing 767 and trying to psyche myself up for an eight hour flight to New York, I spotted the most beautiful airliner ever built, greatly missed Concorde. Got me thinking; with the Concorde, it would be only three hours and a couple of glasses of champagne and we would be in New York. She was parked just outside the British Airways maintenance hangar and still looking like she is ready to fly at a moment’s notice. I think that maybe the world of aviation took a step back the day she ceased to fly. At any rate, should be an easy day tomorrow with just my pass to pick up at Amelia.

Thursday: Auctions

Got my pass, no problems. Took a quick peak at the RM auction preview. My wife fell for a cute Italian, the 1952 Fiat Topolino they had on offer; well she is half Italian herself. She also decided that the red Muira with gold wheels and a blue interior was far too gaudy and still would not want to own it even when I told her that the colors were probably period correct. The Topolino made over $52k, and the Muira? – over $2 million. For my fantasy garage? Oh probably the 1931 Alfa 6C, or possibly the 1953 Siata 300C but at $2.4 million and $258k respectively all I can do is dream, and perhaps buy a lottery ticket.

Friday: 8 Flags Tour

James Sprague's 1937 Alvis Speed 25 awaits the start of the 8 Flags Rally early on the Friday morning.

The first major event of the weekend was held today. The Tour is a more recent addition to the main Concours Event. A varied mix of 35 cars from Hot Rods to Ferraris departed the Ritz Carlton Hotel at around 8:30 am and toured down to Huguenot Memorial Park which is on Fort George Island, and then drove back to downtown Fernandino Beach via the Fort Clinch State Park. I caught the start and then followed the cars down to Talbot Island where I managed to snap the cars on their return leg. Shot back to our Hotel to pick up my wife and we arrived at Fort Clinch just as the heavens opened. However the rain did not stop tour and my wife became my glamorous umbrella holding assistant. But the rain stopped and my wife was able to meet the great Sir Stirling Moss, something she had wanted to do for years. He really is a proper Gent of the old school. Now Stirling had started the tour as a passenger in Simon Taylor’s HWM Stovebolt Special, a car which Sir Stirling had driven back in the early 1950s. However, as the weather had turned inclement, it was thought best that Sir Stirling complete the tour in a car with a roof on it. Well he is 85 years old! This left Simon with an empty passenger seat. That is until he offered it to my wife, who, much to my surprise, jumped at the chance. Was I jealous? What do you think? Still somebody had to drive our rental car back. My last view of my wife was of her head being flung backwards as Simon unleashed 600 BHP per ton on a wet road. Simon has had the car for over 17 years and drives it on average 3000 miles a year, on the road and on the track. My wife and I were reunited at the end of the tour when the cars were displayed in and around the center of Fernandino Beach. My wife is not really a car gal but she was bubbling and full of Stovebolt facts and figures. The green Fiat Topolino of the day before being quickly forgotten. She had previously decided at Fort Clinch that the Grey Lancia B24 was her new favorite. The Lancia is now number two on her list. Thanks Simon, you made her holiday. Later in the afternoon we took a trip to the Omni resort to pick up another pass and whilst there took a look at another auction preview. Luckily nothing took her fancy.