My week with the rich & famous...
#1
Posted 17 August 2010 - 11:38 PM
However, even if the seagulls (AKA flying rats) are using our cars for target practice, the view is fantastic. Here, Lady Dokk and our host Todd contemplate the infinity:
The house comes with free Monterey Aquarium passes, so it's Wednesday, we go there. First, we sample the local food supply:
This hammerhead is also looking for lunch:
Walking back to the house, we have a discussion with this very noisy seal about keeping it under 150 decibels.
After spending some time at the memorabilia show (great if you like automotive books, everything else is way overpriced), we go to Carmel to watch the old car parade on Ocean avenue. This Duesenberg SJ is so quiet, it nearly ran over a couple of people who never heard it coming:
My favorite car of the weekend was this stunning and so pure 1957 Ferrari 250GT "Tour de France". Unfortunately, nowadays it takes 4 to 6 mils to get one, and I am fresh out of cash right now.
This Don Lee Special is a 1932 ALFA Tipo B (please do not spell ALFA, "Alpha" if you wish to stay alive!) that saw long and hard service, the last time in the 1947 Indy 500, as it still wears its tech inspection decal:
As a good ALFA should, it also marks its territory like a cat would:
Another gorgeous ALFA, actually by now, an Alfa-Romeo, this 8C Touring roadster made my ticker go ballistic. I really need some of that union payola soon.
We stop for lunch at Casanova, the sophisticated dive for riff-raff visitors like us. The crab cake is quite good for the outrageous 13 bucks they charge for it.
Of course, this did not include the bottle of local Chablis:
Morning comes, and we have to scoot to Pebble Beach as guests of the Ford Motor Company, for the unveiling of the freshly-freshened 1965 Lotus 38, chassis 01, the very car driven to the Indy 500 win by Jimmy Clark. It was about time that that poor car, ignored for years by an unsympathetic management, received some attention. Fortunately, Christian Overland, a TRUE enthusiast, is now VP of the Henry Ford museum in Dearborn.
It is cold and drizzly, but we are quite honored to be part of the very small circle of guests for this celebration, and besides, they don't charge us for breakfast at the Lodge.
Once uncovered, the car is truly splendid and thanks to Clive Chapman and his team at Classic Team Lotus, they did not overdo it, and no part that was not is chromed or polished. This is followed by two brief speeches by Bobby Unser and Dan Gurney, who are both men of few words; thanks for that.
Christian, Bobby, Dan, and Edsel Ford (the one with cheap sneakers) are presenting a painting of the car by Michael Turner. To whom remains unclear.
After we digest the wonderful omelet, time to go to Laguna Seca to see the action, of which there was plenty, on and off track. I selected this well-patinated Bugatti T35B and its equally patinated driver. Both lost their hair a long time ago.
This aero-engined monster had no patina, but was sure to scare its occupant to the legendary change of underwear after the race.
Meanwhile, my bud Jay Whatshisname is telling me that his are bigger than mine, and since it is so cold and I may have the George Costanza's famous Negative Shrinkage, I prudently retreat.
Believe it or not, this splendid Bugatti T59 with the gorgeous radial-spoke wheels is more than likely a British-built replica. It looks great and runs like a scalded cat with its supercharged 2.3-liter twin-cam 8, derived from the Miller engine.
A phone call from the Concours people ruins my day as they make me rush to get our car on the fairway for the Concours, then make me wait for three hours for a flatbed. Eventually, the car is where it is supposed to be and I cover it for the night with an eBay ten-dollar special and bungee cords.
Philippe de Lespinay
#2
Posted 17 August 2010 - 11:49 PM
It is damp and I have to dry the car several times before the judges arrive...
Here they are, already nitpicking...
We pose for posterity and to uphold standards that are, as we all know, falling everywhere.
Meanwhile, a few cars away from ours, the Lotus receives little attention from the viewers, as many have little clue of what it represents in the history of the sport.
The place is full of Alfas, including this 1952 Disco Volante (Flying Saucer for the uni-linguist) that belongs to the Alfa Museo in Torino.
We ran into Bob Bondurant and wife # 9, truly in love and showing it. Bob is the nicest guy but likes new wives, often. And he must be like 150 years old by now!
More power to them.
The Dokk and Alice Hanks, widow of the late Sam Hanks, winner of the 1957 Indy 500. Alice is a beautiful lady in every sense of the word.
The Boyle's Maserati 8CTF, the 1940 and 1941 Indy 500 winning entry of Wilbur Shaw. Mike Boyle was a Chicago union boss who had no hesitation in eliminating his opposition through murder and various interesting forms of assassination. How things have changed in Chicago lately? Oh yes, please don't remind me.
This Miller front wheel-drive was stolen from Griff Borgeson, who had secured its return to the USA from the Bugatti works in Alsace, and had entrusted the Los Angeles Natural History museum for safekeeping. The small print on the loan contract was organized robbery and Griff lost the car to the IMS. Surprised? Not me.
The Wonder Bread Special was one of the many Rigling chassis to run during the "junk formula" of the early 1930's, powered by Fred Offenhauser's engines.
The lonely Lotus is beginning to attract some interest:
A car I would love to drive to work in the morning, a Jag XKSS. There were a dozen of them on display...
Lady Dokk is cold and would like to spend the rest of the day having tea in the Pierce Arrow house trailer. I would, too.
This fantastic Isotta-Fraschini is an Indy car, yep, ran in 1913.
This 1919 Miller is a precursor of things to come. Already an inline-8, twin-cam, four-valve engine, derived from the winning 1913 Peugeot.
Guess who made a guest appearance - none other than Sandy Gross, larger than life! Sandy is starting a new speaker company and had a great time at the Concours.
We sure had a great time, and even avoided another dozen or so CHP speed traps, thanks to our Valentine One creep detector.
Back home again, until another day...
Philippe de Lespinay
#3
Posted 17 August 2010 - 11:59 PM
Mike Boemker
#4
Posted 17 August 2010 - 11:59 PM
Was that Dungeness crab meat? Yummy.
#5
Posted 18 August 2010 - 04:08 AM
"TANSTAAFL" (There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.)
Robert Anson Heinlein
"Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word, equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude."
Alexis de Tocqueville
"In practice, socialism didn't work. But socialism could never have worked because it is based on false premises about human psychology and society, and gross ignorance of human economy."
David Horowitz
Mike Brannian
#6
Posted 18 August 2010 - 07:14 AM
"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty" - Peter Egan
#7
Posted 18 August 2010 - 07:58 AM
Any photos from the Dan Gurney related activities at Laguna Seca?
SD
#8
Posted 18 August 2010 - 08:30 AM
Aren't you rich and famous, too?
A count of your pics emphasizes that the people at such events are at least as interesting as the cars.
Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
#9
Posted 18 August 2010 - 10:00 AM
#10
Posted 18 August 2010 - 10:46 AM
Someone has to pay some taxes so that others can get free money while sitting on their collective butts. When you run out of rich people to pay for everybody else is when things get ugly. We are quickly getting there.
And yes, it was a lot of fun, and thanks for all the enthusiasts that keep these grand old machines from being recycled into Toyota Priuses.
History counts, if anyone cares to study it so as to avoid the pitfalls and mistakes of ignorance. This is what these shows are all about, besides raising money for real and deserving charities.
Philippe de Lespinay
#11
Posted 18 August 2010 - 04:17 PM
I have always been torn between the 38 and the 49 as the most beautiful Lotus, but those bundle of snakes sporting two trumpets ....
Jeff Morris
"If you push something hard enough, it will fall over." Fud's 1st law of opposition
#12
Posted 18 August 2010 - 05:00 PM
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"No one is completely useless - you can always serve as a bad example." -PartiStan
Democracies endure until the citizens care more for what the state can give them than for its ability to defend rich and poor alike; until they care more for their privileges than their responsibilities; until they learn they can vote largess from the public treasury and use the state as an instrument for plundering, first those who have wealth, then those who create it -- Jerry Pournelle.
Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action. - George Washington
Things that are Too Big To Fail sooner or later become like Queen Bees, the Alpha and Omega of all activity, resulting in among other things, the inability to think of anything else but servicing them. - Richard Fernandez, The Belmont Club
#13
Posted 18 August 2010 - 05:15 PM
One question aren't you suppose to stand behind her?
Or maybe I'm a bit old school?
Nesta
Nesta Szabo
In this bright future you can't forget your past.
BMW (Bob Marley and the Wailers)
United we stand and divided we fall, the Legends are complete.
I'm racing the best here at BP but Father time is much better then all of us united.
Not a snob in this hobby, after all it will be gone, if we keep on going like we do, and I have nothing to prove so I keep on posting because I have nothing to gain.
It's our duty to remember the past so we can have a future.
Pistol Pete you will always be in my memory.
#14
Posted 18 August 2010 - 05:55 PM
Barney Poynor
12/26/51-1/31/22
Requiescat in Pace
#15
Posted 18 August 2010 - 06:03 PM
Remember, two wrongs don't make a right... but three lefts do! Only you're a block over and a block behind.
#16
Posted 18 August 2010 - 06:06 PM
Philippe de Lespinay
#17
Posted 18 August 2010 - 06:10 PM
I think their actions and successes say more than anything they could possibly verbalize.
I have met Dan Gurney once and I perceive that he's a rather shy person who really doesn't want the notoriety he has. Still, one of my heroes.
I have met Bobby Unser once and he seems much more extroverted.......
Click HERE to contact Sonic Products. The messenger feature on my Slotblog account has been disabled.
#18
Posted 18 August 2010 - 07:02 PM
Loved the Pebble Beach pictures and comments. The picture of Jay whoever remined me of a TV clip where Jay was introducing a Pebble Beach event, He said "Pebble Beach, the place where the billionairs let the common millionairs mingle".
I sure am glad some people have the resources to keep the classic alive, that includes slot car toys also.
Lee
5/10/35-4/30/14
Requiescat in Pace
#19
Posted 18 August 2010 - 07:04 PM
He is on my desktop also.
Nesta
Nesta Szabo
In this bright future you can't forget your past.
BMW (Bob Marley and the Wailers)
United we stand and divided we fall, the Legends are complete.
I'm racing the best here at BP but Father time is much better then all of us united.
Not a snob in this hobby, after all it will be gone, if we keep on going like we do, and I have nothing to prove so I keep on posting because I have nothing to gain.
It's our duty to remember the past so we can have a future.
Pistol Pete you will always be in my memory.
#20
Posted 18 August 2010 - 07:09 PM
That's all folks.
Nesta
Nesta Szabo
In this bright future you can't forget your past.
BMW (Bob Marley and the Wailers)
United we stand and divided we fall, the Legends are complete.
I'm racing the best here at BP but Father time is much better then all of us united.
Not a snob in this hobby, after all it will be gone, if we keep on going like we do, and I have nothing to prove so I keep on posting because I have nothing to gain.
It's our duty to remember the past so we can have a future.
Pistol Pete you will always be in my memory.
#21
Posted 18 August 2010 - 08:07 PM
Philippe de Lespinay
#22
Posted 18 August 2010 - 08:19 PM
You are over due.
Also you know we like big race events at BP.
Nesta
Nesta Szabo
In this bright future you can't forget your past.
BMW (Bob Marley and the Wailers)
United we stand and divided we fall, the Legends are complete.
I'm racing the best here at BP but Father time is much better then all of us united.
Not a snob in this hobby, after all it will be gone, if we keep on going like we do, and I have nothing to prove so I keep on posting because I have nothing to gain.
It's our duty to remember the past so we can have a future.
Pistol Pete you will always be in my memory.
#23
Posted 18 August 2010 - 08:22 PM
Philippe de Lespinay
#24
Posted 18 August 2010 - 08:51 PM
Have to say I never understood why bad drivers are gravitating to faster cars when they can't be successful in regular D3?
Nesta
Nesta Szabo
In this bright future you can't forget your past.
BMW (Bob Marley and the Wailers)
United we stand and divided we fall, the Legends are complete.
I'm racing the best here at BP but Father time is much better then all of us united.
Not a snob in this hobby, after all it will be gone, if we keep on going like we do, and I have nothing to prove so I keep on posting because I have nothing to gain.
It's our duty to remember the past so we can have a future.
Pistol Pete you will always be in my memory.
#25
Posted 18 August 2010 - 09:17 PM
Let's talk about the great historical cars and the snob's, hmm Jay Leno.
Got some more story's about the snobs?
Nesta
Nesta Szabo
In this bright future you can't forget your past.
BMW (Bob Marley and the Wailers)
United we stand and divided we fall, the Legends are complete.
I'm racing the best here at BP but Father time is much better then all of us united.
Not a snob in this hobby, after all it will be gone, if we keep on going like we do, and I have nothing to prove so I keep on posting because I have nothing to gain.
It's our duty to remember the past so we can have a future.
Pistol Pete you will always be in my memory.