4 replies to this topic

[edworth]

Recently I posted a thread that included an image I took at the 2006 Amelia Island Concours. While waiting for a reciprocal response . . . Still waiting . . .

. . . I stumbled across images I took of the featured Can-Ams at the show. Including of course every Slot Bloggers dream. Yes, that one.

Let me say now, at the time I had bumped into the Slot Blog, but hadn't thought of sharing images. And certainly about capturing good details of the Can-Ams that clearly so many folks are interested in. But here are some snaps.

This show in the North-east corner of Florida in March is, and I am positive Dokk will agree, not to be missed. Bill Warner's affinity for race cars sets this Concours apart.

What's more the water surrounding the island eminently swimmable even in mid-March . . .


Can-Am City!!!


The 429'er. The Honker II? This McLaren M6B is powered with a, as the Brits say, 'All-ally' Ford 494 Can-am motor.

(Tthe engine was derived from the better known 429 built by Ford to compete, read that kick butt, with Hemis on the High Banked raceways. Quick! The question is; how many nicknames for this engine can you come up with? I can think of six . . .)


"NOT FOR HIGHWAY USE" (M6B detail).


For those that are curious this is the correct orange!!!


Pipes! Smokin . . .


Oh no . . . a furrin' Can-Am car.


Zerex Special. Hemi-Power no less.


Quiet. We must not speak in its presence . . .


This was cool, hearing these guys tell the stories of racin' those things. I got to sit next to Dick Smothers!!!!!


I know, I know I should have gotten some good detail shots. But . . .


. . . I got autographs!!! Does that count?


Racin' at the Ritz. At the hotel. This was a fun surprise. Just up the 'hall'. I won my heat against a 5 and 11 year old, and their really tough mother. Still, the rep says, "you're two seconds behind a 13-year-old girl".

Hope you enjoyed them and feel free to add details and facts.

[slotbaker]

Two seconds behind 13-year-old girl. :shock:
Did ya go back and have another go?

Great pics, thanks for sharing.

Was it a mobile type event with engines a-revvin'?

Would love to be part of that.
:mrgreen:

[Cheater]

Ed, the "rep" at the slot car track was none other than Alan Smith, proprietor of Slot Car Illustrated.

Let me second your comments about Amelia. For three years, I was an editor for Car Collector magazine and a large part of my job involved going to car shows. I probably averaged better than two major shows per month during my tenure at the mag. I also worked for ten years at the Classic Motorbooks tent at the big Hershey swap meet every October.

Since my first Amelia Concours, I've basically stopped going to other car shows. In one visit to Amelia, one will see more rare, historic, one-of-a-kind cars than would be seen at 20-30 other shows combined. And since Bill almost never lets the entrants bring the same car twice, every year it's totally new in terms of the cars on the field.

Steve, there is a way to hear a lot of these cars run and along those lines, I have a confession to make. The show field opens to ticket holders at 9:00 AM, but the entrants start bringing their vehicles onto the show field before dawn. For the last five or six years, I rise quite early and sneak past security to get onto the show field (which is the fairway of the 18th gole at the Ritz-Carlton golf course) before dawn (with the receipt for my tickets in my pocket) so I can see and hear the cars as they are driven in. It also allows me to chat more freely with the owners, as after the gate opens the crowds can get pretty large.

If you only go to one car show a year, Amelia should be that show.

[Tex]

Beautiful pictures! :shock: Thanks!

[MG Brown]

My pics aren't as pretty... but you are invited to check out my gallery of Road America Vintage Racing events past.

RoadAmerica Vintage Gallery



Note that the Hussein-Hemi "Zerex Special" is on display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway "Hall of Fame" museum (if you should happen to be there this month).