Pictures from Oklahoma City's 3rd Concours d'Elegance: September
2005
Here are some snapshots from the 3rd annual Concours
d'Elegance, held on the grounds adjoining the Governorn's Mansion
onSeptember 18, 2005. About a hundred exotic, classic and antique
automobiles were exhibited. Groups of Corvettes, Mercedes, hot rods and
muscle cars were included, but my eye was drawn to the antiques and
classics.
Long before there was an American Motors in Wisconsin, there was an
American Motors in Massachusetts. This 1913 American "underslung" (the
springs were attached under, not above, the axles) has a spendid logo
on the
radiator: a proud eagle on a globe, as if to proclaim what would become
the American
century.
In 1953 this impressive Buick was custom-ordered for the wife of
William Crow. As Admiral Crow, he served as chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff.
If your garage door is eleven feet high, then this is the car for you!
And if your garage door is only six feet wide, no problem--just use the
car's rear entrance!
Hudson made a line of vehicles called the Terraplane. This pickup is
one of only two operative examples known to have survived.
What's the difference between a 1911 Packard and a 1914 Ford
Model T? Well, for starters the Tin Lizzie is about 3/4 as big.
And now for something completely different. Only five of these
"Fascination" vehicles were made. Hard to understand why it wasn't a
commercial success. It looks like the perfect car for a quick run to
the grocery store -- if you live on Mars.
b
This 1913 Mercer raced at Indy.
The show included a variety of customized cars, hot rods and muscle
cars. This sleek '54 Chevy stuffed with a big V-8 is just the thing for
cruising by the Sonic.
b
When a car's trunk really was a trunk. The red car is a 1930 Cord L-29,
notable for its front-wheel-drive. Behind it is another classic, a 1932
Auburn. E. L. Cord's auto empire included three legendary marques:
Cord, Auburn and Deusenberg (the "Doozy" was the most expensive and
powerful American
car of its era). None would survive the Great Depression.
International Harvester's first motor vehicle was the Autobuggy. In
1910 those enormous wheels were a good match for the atrocious roads of
the era:
In a more proper time, when a fellow took his girl out for a spin, it
was expected that a chaperone would accompany them. You don't see many
three-seaters nowadays; apparently that chaperone idea wasn't too
popular.
