Texas is such a huge market for trucks that various manufacturers make specific editions of their pickups just for the Lone Star State. Ford has an entire trim level named after the King Ranch in Texas. But Jeep is aware that other states also like trucks. That’s why it came out with the Florida-specific 2024 Gladiator High Tide Edition. Now comes news of the 2025 Gladiator Big Bear Edition designed with Californians in mind.
Paying homage to Big Bear Lake, a mountain lake tourist destination in Southern California, and the California grizzly bear, the Big Bear Edition uses the Sport S trim level as a starting point. In addition to Command-Trac part-time four-wheel drive with 2.72:1 low range gearing, it comes standard with off-road features such as black 17-inch wheels with 32-inch mud-terrain tires and steel rock rails. A removable body-color hardtop, removable roof panels and doors, and a fold-down windshield let in the fresh air and provide better views of the Golden State’s natural beauty. No special-edition Jeep would be complete without the proper identification so the Big Bear gets special hood and tailgate badging.
Inside, there are Black McKinley-trimmed leather seats as well as the comfort of heated front seats and a heated steering wheel and the convenience of adaptive cruise control, a universal garage door opener, and a 12.3-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen infotainment system. For those seeking even more outdoor fun, the Uconnect 5 system features AppMarket, which offers adventure apps like Geocaching and The Dyrt. Both rows of passengers are protected by side-curtain airbags.
Jeep will offer the Gladiator Big Bear Edition in seven colors: Black, Bright White, Granite Crystal, Hydro Blue, Firecracker Red, Anvil, and ’41, a shade of green that’s new for 2025. Only 5,000 will be produced, all priced from $46,090 (excluding a $1,995 destination fee). You can find the 2025 Gladiator Big Bear Edition now at California Jeep dealerships. Then it’s just a matter of deciding where to take it in that big, beautiful state—with the roof off, of course.
Plymouth had a problem in its hands when it redesigned its full-size series for 1962. Though interior measurements were on par with Chevrolets and Fords being sold down the street, the trim exterior proportions did not suit the public’s perception that bigger was better. The upside was that, all things being equal, Plymouths performed better than their heavier competitors. Even at the drags, Super Stock 413s gave 409 and 406 racers fits.
Plymouth added several inches to its length to 1963 to help rectify the issue, which helped while it worked on the “true” full-size series that would appear for 1965. Featured on AutoHunter is this 1963 Belvedere two-door sedan, which embodies everything that was impressive about Super Stock Plymouths of the time. Even better, this red-over-red example sports a Keith Black 572ci Hemi, pushbutton 727 TorqueFlite, Dana 60, bucket seats, and more.
Look at this sanitary Mopar! Other than the longitudinal side trim, this Belvedere is completely unadorned—not even side mirrors to distract . . . well, perhaps I spoke too soon because a Hemi-inspired hood scoop has been added. Fifteen-inch American Racing Torq Thrust wheels are wrapped in Hoosier radials, the latter measuring 26 x 7.5 inches up front, 29 x 12.5 out back.
The cabin is furnished in red vinyl, with a pair of bucket seats replacing the original bench. Chrysler’s famous push-button automatic transmission selector is to the left of the steering wheel, while below to the right you’ll find a custom gauge stand. Other features include AM radio, Grant steering wheel, and a removed rear seat but don’t fret, racers—sure, no rear seat means less weight on the driving wheels, but two batteries reside in the trunk to rectify that.
The instrument panel consists of a 120-mph speedometer and gauges for oil pressure, coolant, alternator, and fuel. Also present under the dash and the aforementioned gauge stand are a voltage gauge, 10,000-rpm tachometer, and even more gauges for the oil pressure and coolant. The odometer currently shows 143 miles, which clearly is not a reflection of the actual miles.
The Keith Black Racing Engines Hemi measures 572ci and puts out a dyno-rated 750 horsepower with the assistance of twin 850-cfm four-barrels. Other underhood features include a 4030 racing cam, 10-quart oil pan, and four-inch Doug’s headers. With the TorqueFlite being within arm’s reach, this is among the cars that became known as “Dial-A-Winners.”
That prodigious horsepower is harnessed by a Dana 60 rear axle with 4.10 gears and limited-slip. Of course, this kind of power demands a dual exhaust system.
This Hemi-powered 1963 Plymouth Belvedere two-door sedan a substantial car that will require muscles to drive. Up to the task? Consider this a challenge—just be sure to place your bid before Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at 11:45 a.m. (PDT).
To some, the family station wagon is a goofy, unloved relic of their childhood, a reminder of forever-long road trips filled with sibling fights and frequent stops at boring roadside attractions. But to others, that wagon is a time machine that takes them back to fondly remembered times, a member of the family to be preserved and cherished. Care to guess which of those two descriptions fits our Pick of the Day, a one-family-owned 1950 DeSoto Custom Station Wagon posted on ClassicCars.com by a Virginia dealership?
It’s rare enough for a vehicle that was made 75 years ago to be more than a pile of scrap metal in an overgrown field these days. A car that old remaining in the same family that purchased it as a new car during the Truman administration? That’s the automotive equivalent of a unicorn—and this one has a hood ornament for a horn. Granted, this DeSoto wagon was restored at some point in the past, so it had some help staying alive, but that was somewhat offset by being stored for a long time after the owner died. Fortunately, their family held onto this handsome longroof until the selling dealer recently added it to its inventory.
Despite its age, this DeSoto appears to be in great shape. Thank goodness for that. There are a lot of woody wagons out there, but you don’t see DeSoto woodies all that often. Clearly, the combination of a restoration and time away from the elements and the hazards of the road served it well. All the burgundy paint is intact, and the wood trim is in remarkably good condition.
The same goes for the handsome tan vinyl interior, which comes equipped with two rows of bench seating and a rear cargo area floor with wood planks and metal dividers that will make any luggage or gear look more special than it is. However, the dealer notes this beauty will need a brake service to get it back on the road. Some new whitewalls probably wouldn’t hurt, either.
According to the dealer, the Powermaster 236ci inline-six is believed to be original to the car, and it “starts easily and runs smoothly.” A look at the brochure for the 1950 DeSoto lineup shows it was factory-rated at 112 horsepower at 3,600 rpm. The L-head six is connected to what DeSoto called a “Tip-Toe Shift transmission” with Fluid Drive, aka a four-speed semi-automatic.
This DeSoto wagon’s time with its original family has passed, but that means it can join your family now. The adoption fee is $59,900.
When I got into my friend Justin’s 2003 Honda Accord recently to take it for a spin, the odometer read 59,030 miles. If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve taken that reading at face value – after all, the car looked virtually new both inside and out. And it drove equally well.
But in reality, the car had 1,059,030 miles on it. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that Justin had added a “1” to the instrument cluster at the left side of the odometer. How was such an automotive feat even possible? One million miles comes out to about 40 times around the equator of the earth or traveling to the moon and back twice (and then some).
Justin drove the roughly 1,125 miles from his home in Corpus Christi to mine in Phoenix so we could take our high-mileage V6 coupes out on the town (my 1994 Acura Legend now has just over 595,000 miles on the odometer). Our destination for the day was a restaurant called Horny Toad, located about 30 miles north of Phoenix in Cave Creek. About 10 other Honda/Acura enthusiasts joined for the occasion. Following lunch, Justin and I got together for some Q&A in my garage.
One-Owner History
Justin’s wife bought the Satin Silver EX coupe new off the lot at Pensacola Honda in 2003 with about 10 miles on the odometer. At least initially, the Accord led a somewhat “normal” life in terms of mileage accumulation. But Justin took on a side job of delivering medical supplies and that’s when things started going crazy. There were nights when he would drive a seven-hour route at night after getting home from his day job. His highest-mileage year was in the 140,000-mile range.
Maintenance-wise, the “J30” 3.0-liter V6 remained unmodified and received synthetic oil changes every 15,000 miles or so. The original six-speed manual transmission was replaced with a used unit around 300,000 miles. At 922,000 miles, Justin noticed the car started to shake and had a shop do a full evaluation. He had lost the exhaust valve in the number one cylinder, so the car was essentially running on the remaining five cylinders. “Can I make it to a million on five?” he asked. “I don’t see why not,” the shop told him. And so, he did. He said the car made very little power, and it ran a little rough, but he plugged along and eventually hit the milestone in Tennessee in early 2023 with a few other Honda Accord owners in attendance.
At 1,015,000, the Accord finally received a new “crate” engine. In addition, a mechanical and cosmetic refresh was carried out that included paint, interior and suspension work in addition to many other checklist items. Even the original shift knob and steering wheel were replaced. And of course, since the original odometer froze at 999,999, a new one was installed showing zero miles. The car’s entire lifespan is documented – and the CARFAX report is 16 pages long.
Aside from talking about his car, I wanted to pick Justin’s brain a little about his road-tripping habits. I asked him how he passes the time on longer drives, and he said he listens to SiriusXM and his favorite channel is Octane. His favorite road in the country to drive is Highway 20 running north out of Oak Harbor, Washington, and crossing the Deception Pass bridge.
Connect with Justin
For our readers on the east coast, if you want to get up close and personal to a unique Accord coupe, Justin is planning on showing the car at “H Day” in Maryland the weekend of April 12. The event started in 2002 and now attracts over 1,000 cars each spring.
Regardless of where you’re located, you can follow Justin’s travels on his Instagram as well as his YouTube channel to keep tabs on his ownership experience with the high-mileage Honda.
On January 1, 2003, Rolls-Royce opened the doors to its all-new Goodwood manufacturing facility in southeast England. Set on 42 acres, the limestone and cedar buildings housed an Assembly Hall with floor-to-ceiling windows that provided generous views of Phantom VIIs being made by hand, a Surface Finishing Centre, Bespoke services, and other operations. In January of this year, Rolls-Royce announced it would be allocating £300+ million ($390+ million) to a substantial extension of its Goodwood plant, the biggest investment in the site since it opened. To commemorate the occasion, the ultra-luxury automaker had employees from various departments choose items to put inside a time capsule that will be opened on Rolls-Royce’s 150th anniversary in 2054.
“The capsule’s contents were collated by representatives from each of Rolls-Royce’s Future Talent programmes, including Interns, Graduates and Apprentices,” according to Rolls-Royce. The company has not disclosed what was put inside, only stating that some of the items will be obsolete in 2054 and serve as reminders of the time from which they came while others will still be relevant the day the capsule is opened.
Nobody will have to dig the container up when the big day comes, though. Instead of burying the time capsule, Rolls-Royce put it on display in Goodwood’s reception area. Once the 40,000 square-meter (430,556 square-foot) extension is complete, it will become the new home of the commemorative container of memories and tactile connections to times past.
The Goodwood addition will also enclose a new Exterior Surface Centre (Paint Shop) and provide more room for Bespoke builds, which were at an all-time high in 2024, and the even more challenging and complex Coachbuild projects. Overall, Rolls-Royce did incredibly well last year, delivering 5,712 vehicles (primarily to clients in North America and Europe) and making 2024 its third-best sales year ever.
This news has us wondering what exactly made the cut for the time capsule. Perhaps a jar of Gray Poupon got approval because people still associate it with Rolls-Royce 40 years after the commercials were relevant. Hopefully, traditional buttons and knobs did as well. Why get rid of something that still works? As for items that will be obsolete in 2054, perhaps a key fob is in that group. Or a miniaturized side mirror because external mirrors will probably be replaced by small cameras within the next three decades.
What do you think is inside the Rolls-Royce time capsule? Write your estimations in the comments section below.
The SL has been a Mercedes-Benz icon since the 300 SL “Gullwing” came out in 1954. Over the past 71 years, there have been seven generations of the signature model. Today’s AutoHunter Spotlight car, 1967 Mercedes-Benz 250 SL, comes from a short chapter in that long, illustrious history.
In the early 1960s, Mercedes needed a follow-up to the 300 SL coupe and roadster as well as the four-cylinder 190 SL. Adapting parts from the 220 SE, the automaker created the 230 SL and presented it to the world at the 1963 Geneva Motor Show. According to the automaker, the W113 generation “took its curtailed and reinforced framework from the tailfin sedan including the front and rear axle suspension.” As its name implies, the 230 SL had a 2.3-liter engine that was essentially a bored version of the 220 SE’s straight-six.
Although the second-generation SL borrowed some hardware from one of its corporate siblings, it made a name for itself—literally. The concave shape to its removable hardtop spawned the nickname “Pagoda,” a term still used in reference to this version of the SL. Additional characteristics that distinguished the W113 from its predecessor were its front and rear crumple zones.
Although Mercedes started producing the 250 SL, the replacement for the 230, in 1966, it officially introduced the upgraded model in February 1967. Major updates included a larger 2.5-liter I6 and a reworked braking system with front and rear discs. However, the 250 SL’s newness soon faded as Mercedes rolled out the even more powerful 280 SL as its successor less than a year later, though the 250 continued to be built until 1968.
The 1967 250 SL you see here was put through a restoration that was completed in 2010. It comes finished in the attractive combination of Ivory over a red MB-Tex interior. When the weather gets bad, there are two options for staying dry: a black soft top with a plastic rear window or a body-color hardtop, which comes with its own stand.
Inside the brightly colored interior is an interesting surprise. As expected, there are conveniences such as power steering and brakes, air conditioning, and an AM/FM radio, but look behind the low-back buckets—yes, that’s a third seat.
The VDO instrumentation includes a 7,000-rpm tachometer, 140-mph speedometer, and gauges for the fuel level, oil pressure, and temperature. The odometer has rolled over, so the 46,762 miles shown are actually 146,762 miles.
The selling dealer reports the fuel-injected 2.5-liter I6 under the hood is original to the car. Updates include the replacement of the fuel injection pump and injectors less than 100 miles ago. Although the W113 was available with a four-speed automatic, this one sends its power to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox.
If you place the winning bid for this 1967 Mercedes-Benz 250 SL, you’ll not only get a handsome and tasteful piece of the company’s history, but you’ll also receive plenty of documentation. The selling dealer will send it your way with the original owner’s manuals, data plate, original purchase agreement, original window sticker, and service records. Bid now because the auction ends Tuesday, March 25 at 11:00 a.m. (PDT).
Trivia: What was the first model year that Chevrolet offered concealed headlights in three series? Nineteen sixty-eight. Did you get the correct answer? The Corvette had them standard, and the Camaro and Caprice had them optional. Our Pick of the Day, a 1968 Chevrolet Caprice Estate Wagon, is the first of two instances that a full-size Chevrolet could have hidden headlights. It is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Quebec, Canada.
Chevrolet’s wagons fluctuated in the 1950-60s—for example, in the exalted model year of 1955, the wagons were tied to the traditional trim levels of 150, 210, and Bel Air, with the unique Nomad being a special Bel Air model beyond the Bel Air wagon. Starting in 1956, the wagons became the 150 Handyman and 210 Handyman (both two-doors), 210 Townsman, and 210 Beauville and Bel Air Beauville.
For 1959, when Chevrolet settled with Biscayne, Bel Air, and Impala models within its full-size series, the corresponding wagons became Brookwood, Parkwood and Kingswood, and Nomad, respectively. Starting in 1961, the mid-level Kingswood was discontinued, leaving the Parkwood among the Brookwood and Nomad wagons. And then, for 1962, wagons lost their specific names, instead returning to conventional series names like Biscayne, Bel Air, and Impala. When the Caprice became a full-line model and top trim level for 1966 (after its 1965 introduction as a four-door hardtop), a Caprice wagon joined the lineup.
Starting in 1969, full-size wagon models returned to using unique names. In this case, Brookwood, Townsman, Kingswood, and Kingswood Estate reflected the respective Biscayne, Bel Air, Impala, and Caprice trim levels.
Of course, 1969 was the second and last instance a full-size Chevy could have hidden headlights—in fact, a 1969 Caprice appeared as our Pick of the Day earlier this week. The 1969s with this option are much more familiar than the ’68, though neither model year with hidden headlights is rare—for 1968, 14,929 Caprices were built with option “T83” compared to 23,797 built for 1969.
This Capri Cream 1968 Chevrolet Caprice Estate Wagon looks fabulous with its hidden headlights, but there’s more than meets the eye thanks to the big-block 427 backed by a four-speed manual. Seller claims the engine is not original, and he’s unsure about the transmission, but we can recognize that this is a fun family hauler with “mild choppy cam, Edelbrock Performer intake, [and] Holley 750cfm carburetor” to give more than the 385 horsepower that an original 427 may offer. Rally wheels with hubcaps ride on BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires. Inside, the tan interior features a full bench seat, column-mounted aftermarket tachometer, clock, and rear-facing third seat.
Yes, this Bow Tie is located near Montreal—somewhat far for many of you—but the dealership has experience with importation and transportation, so there shouldn’t be an issue. But wouldn’t you rather fly your family to Quebec and drive back home in this? For 35,995 American dollars, it would be the trip of a lifetime.
So I will say at the start that I did not like the Panamera when it was introduced. Maybe it was because the first one I saw was in metallic brown and looked like a big potato to me. I also did not understand why Porsche thought that their 4-door sedan needed to look like a 911. I had not driven one, but it was in many ways an example of contempt prior to investigation.
Then a few weeks ago, while attending The Amelia Concours d’Elegance, I got my first ride in a 2014 Panamera. I was in the car with three other people and was in the back seat. I am 6 feet, 4 inches tall, and sitting beside me was my 6-foot-tall friend Morgan. The driver and front-seat passenger were my friends Alan Galbraith (6-foot-6) and Brian Hengeveld (6-foot-3), who is the owner of the Panamera Turbo S we were in. Unbelievable as it sounds, every one of us was able to sit comfortably in this Panamera ‒ and I don’t just mean the car was comfortable for our short trip back to our hotel, but comfortable enough to be in for hours. That surprised me. It was a nice car, honestly at the level of an Aston for fit and finish.
The second surprise came with the Panamera’s performance. These are not only incredibly well-crafted and luxurious cars; they are also staggeringly fast and handle amazingly well. The ride was an eye-opener. I have since driven another Panamera and can testify these cars are the essence of a 4-door sports car, much in the same way the BMW M5 is.
Also, as time passes, the styling ‒ which I initially did not like ‒ has really grown on me. No, I would not want a brown model, which I still think looks like a potato, but in other colors ‒ gray, blue and red specifically ‒ the Panamera is starting to look better and better to my eye.
The exterior of this Panamera 4S is in Agate Gray Metallic over a Luxor Beige interior. The car has nice options, such as adaptive air suspension including PASM, Lane Change Assist (LCA) with blind-spot detection, Sport Chrono Package Plus, a heated multifunction steering wheel in Tineo wood, an interior Tineo Wood Package, Bose audio and the Premium Package. The price for this 2013 Porsche Panamera 4S when new was $113,900.
The performance of the 2013 Porsche Panamera 4S is quite strong. The 4.6-liter V8 under the hood has 400 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, which gives the 2013 Panamera 4S a 4.6 second 0-60 time and a top speed of 177 mph. Combine that with the amazing grip of the Panamera’s all-wheel-drive system and you have a serious performance car that just happens to have room for four.
This Porsche Panamera 4S looks to be in truly excellent condition with no wear on the exterior or any detectable paint issues. The Agate Gray paint looks great on this car and gives it an elegant look.
The interior is the same, with the Luxor Beige leather showing no wear whatsoever. The wood trim elevates the interior and the options on this car, especially the cool Sport Chrono Package, make the view from the driver’s seat something special.
The underside of the car is somehow as clean as the exterior. I see no signs of any wear or damage and cannot even see any surface rust on fasteners.
I would ask the seller about the service history and see what you can find, as these cars require care and don’t always get the services they need.
Now for the best part. Due to market depreciation, this 2013 Porsche Panamera 4S has an asking price of only $36,995, which is less than one-third of what it cost new. When you take in the fact that the car has covered only 33,000 miles since it was new, this seems like a no-brainer at the price. It would be very difficult to find another model that offers the kind of performance and luxury as this Panamera does for the same price.
I now admit that I was wrong about these cars and have become a bit of a fan, especially at their current prices. My advice is to buy it now before the world wakes up and recognizes just how good the Panamera is.
For the fourth time in a row, I had the opportunity to take a car from the Maine Classic Car Museum (where I am the collections manager) and show it at The Amelia Concours d’Elegance. This year, we chose a 1954 Hudson Italia for the event. This was not just any Italia (already a special car with only 26 built)—it is the only unrestored car out of those 26, being completely original down to its 71-year-old tires.
I went up to Maine prior to the Italia being shipped to Florida and spent four days carefully cleaning and prepping it for the Concours. This might not sound like a big deal but, with a car this old and original, you have to be extra careful as some of the paint is cracking and your job is to clean the car without causing more paint to flake off. After we finished that, we made sure the car was mechanically ready to go, checking all the systems and ensuring that the car was drivable. Everything checked fine, so the Hudson was loaded on the transport trailer bound for the Sunshine State.
On the Monday before the show, while I was still at home in Connecticut, my driver, Mark, called to let me know that the car was at the destination but that there was a problem: while the Italia was being moved off the trailer, it had developed a pretty serious cooling system leak and was pouring antifreeze all over. I asked Mark, whom I knew from previous shipping adventures, if he could find out where the leak was coming from. He said he would check and let me know.
About an hour later, Mark told me it was a broken heater hose. As we had originally thought it might be a blown head gasket, I was thrilled to know it was something simple. I went to my local auto parts store and bought three feet of 5/8-inch heater hose and several hose clamps, gathered some extra tools, and packed it all in my luggage. I also called Mark and let him know I would be by the car by 3 p.m. on Wednesday to fix the issues.
I arrived at the Amelia Island Ritz Carlton at 2:30 p.m. and, with equipment at hand, got a ride to the Peters Point drop-off spot next to the Ritz.
Cooling system repaired but brakes locked up.
After getting to the car, Mark and I got right to work. It turns out that two of the heater hoses were broken, so we replaced both in 42 minutes, added coolant, and started the car. The system was fine—there were no leaks and the car ran as it should. We congratulated ourselves for a job well done . . . and then I slid into the Italia and put it in reverse to back off the ramp. The car had a hard time moving backwards, and the brake pedal felt really hard. Mark and I eventually got the Italia off the liftgate, but the brakes were locked up.
I sat in the Italia for a few minutes trying to figure out what to do next. It was not drivable, so we were never going to make it to the garage at the Ritz, let alone the show field on Sunday. Then I had the idea to call the only person I knew who might have a solution: The Amelia founder Bill Warner. He picked up on the first ring and asked what was going on.
I explained that the brakes on the Italia were locked up and asked if he had any ideas of where to go to get it sorted out as I could not fix it on the back of a truck. He said to call a guy named Al at Eight Flags Autosports in Fernandina Beach, just down the road. I called, but got their answering machine as it was after 5 p.m. I left a message explaining that Bill had said to call. About five minutes later, Al called me back and said that if I could get the car there by 8:15 a.m. the next day, they may be able to help. I thanked him and immediately scheduled a pickup in the morning with Hagerty’s roadside assistance service. The rest of the evening, throughout dinner and while talking with friends, I stressed out about whether or not we were going to be able to show the Italia.
8 Flags
The next day I met my tow driver on time, and we towed the car to Eight Flags. Al was there and said he would handle it. I took a taxi ride back to the hotel as I had an upcoming 11 a.m. lunch. During the entire meal, while talking to various VIPs in the classic car world, my head was spinning thinking about the car. What surprised me is that, during the lunch, I received my first phone call from Al giving me a status report on the work being done and then, at 3:45, I received the call I was hoping for: the Hudson was ready—the brakes worked as they should, and it was time for pickup.
I contacted Hagerty Roadside Assistance and, 45 minutes later, we were unloading the car and parking it at the Ritz.
The next day saw me working as the head judge at the Classic Motorsports Amelia Island Kickoff Show. We had a field of more than 150 cars with everything from muscle cars to BMWs, Porsches, and Ferraris. My amazing judging team did a terrific job in choosing the awards and, by shows end, the Best of Show award was won by a Ferrari 360 Spyder.
Some other standout cars were an amazing E30 M3, one of the best second-generation Fiat 124 Sport Coupes I have ever seen, and a stunning green Viper. That was in addition to the huge turnout of Morgan cars in attendance dating from the mid 1950s to the 2000s.
When we returned to the hotel, we learned that the day of the Concours had been moved ahead to Saturday due to a 90-percent chance of thundershowers on Sunday. This meant that the rest of the evening was spent with friends John Saccameno, Alan Galbraith, and me working to put the final cleaning touches on the Italia, knowing full well that we would have to again go over the car the following morning. That is the nature of concours events! We all turned in early, as being ready to drive on the field at 6 a.m. makes for an early morning followed by a long show day.
Saturday saw me up at 5:15 a.m. to set up for “Concours Day.” I was at the Italia at 5:45 where I found Alan already next to the car in the Ritz garage. He told me our friend Richard Lincoln had just left to line up with his Iso Rivolta, so we got in and headed to the drive in area where we found ourselves second in line behind our friend. We discovered that load-in was not going to happen for about 30 minutes, so we hung out talking with friends who were either in line to get on the field or there to watch the procession of cars.
At 6:30, we returned to the car and made the short trek to our space on the field in the American Limited Production Class. We were one of the first cars to be there and, after parking, started the final cleaning of the car. Alas, the one thing that I forgot to pack was a portable vacuum cleaner. Happily I found an entrant showing a Speed Yellow Porsche Carrera GT who had one to lend us.
Our friends stunning Porsche Carrera GT who loaned us the vacuum.
The first judges showed up at 8 a.m. to look at our car as a candidate for the Preservation Award. The judge from FIVA spent 20 minutes looking at the car and its documents, and went away impressed with its originality.
Our class judges were at our car by 9:15 so I showed them around, pointing out the originality and the documents that included the original bill of sale, as well as period photos of the car with its first owner.
The final judges, the Hagerty Youth Judging group, were the most fun. They were led by my friend Evan Zema. I took about 30 minutes showing them the Hudson, explaining the features, and answering the many questions they had. These kids were so thoughtful and enthusiastic and asked harder questions than the preservation and class judges. It was great fun to be able to show them the car.
The owner of the Italia Miles Prentice and my crew of John Sacramento, Joe Murphy, and Alan Galbraith
Then the waiting began. As usual, on Concours Day, I missed lunch, waiting to see if the Italia would take an award home. One p.m. came and went, then 2 and 3. At this point, the awards were already being given out and the cars were driving up to receive them, so I figured we were out of luck. Sometimes all the hard work in the world ends up finishing last. I asked my friends Alan, Joe, and John (all who helped with the car prep) to pick up our stuff and load it in the car as it appeared we were not going to win anything.
With judge Lowell Paddock, Chris Brewer, car owner Miles Prentice, tech helper John Saccameno, former owner of teh Italia Wayne caring, and friend Ralph Murano
As we were about halfway done, my friend and car collector Ralph Murano came by and suggested we should probably stop what we were doing as a new team of judges were handing out ribbons—including one for the Italia! We then were told to quickly get into our car as we needed to drive across the stage to obtain our award. We had yet to learn what the award was, but owner Miles Prentice hopped into the passenger seat and we took the drive through the show field to line up.
The Amelia – Automotive Concours Photography by Deremer Studios, LLC
The drive seemed to take forever, and proceeding through the crowd was seriously helped by the Hagerty staff and volunteers that guided us in.
The Amelia – Automotive Concours Photography by Deremer Studios, LLC
Finally we arrived at the stage where Leslie Kendall of the Petersen Automotive Museum gave us the Petersen award, and McKeel and Soon Hagerty (along with their daughter) congratulated us. The Petersen award is in a nutshell the award that goes out to a car that they wish they had in the Petersen collection—it is for a car that represents what the hobby stands for. Miles was thrilled and I could finally relax. Despite the many issues of the week, our car was a winner.
The Amelia – Automotive Concours Photography by Deremer Studios, LLCThe Amelia – Automotive Concours Photography by Deremer Studios, LLC
The two Best of Show awards went to a pair of very deserving cars: a 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B won Best of Show, Concours d’Elegance, and a 1967 Lotus 49 was honored as Best of Show, Concours de Sport.
Amelia Concours Automotive Photography by Deremer Studios, LLC
The Concours d’Elegance-winning 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B is Chassis No. 412028 and believed to be one of the prototypes built to compete in the 1938 Mille Miglia. When it was restored, it was found that the car was an original short chassis model, and the engine had different characteristics than that of the Sport 8C 2.9, including a larger, different exhaust system. The car was ordered new in 1938 by the famous Italian racing champion Giuseppe Farina. It is the only 8C 2900 bodied by Farina.
Amelia Concours Automotive Photography by Deremer Studios, LLC
The Concours de Sport-winning 1967 Lotus 49 Chassis No. 49/2 is the second Lotus 49 built. It was debuted by the legendary Jimmy Clark at Zandvoort in 1967. In addition to winning with Clark at Silverstone and Watkins Glen, it also was the winner of four Tasman races from 1967-68 while being driven in 1968 by Jackie Oliver and Jo Siffert. It was then raced by Mario Andretti in South Africa in 1969, and afterwards sold to Pete Lovely by Lotus’ Colin Chapman in 1969. Lovely then raced the car in multiple grand prixs from 1969-71. The car was restored by Classic Team Lotus in 2010.
The Amelia – Automotive Concours Photography by Deremer Studios, LLC
After the awards were finished, I drove the Hudson back to the truck load-in area and met my driver, Mark. I thanked him again for all the great help over the week, and even commemorated the weekend with a picture of the two of us holding the award, as he was part of us winning.
The takeaway for you, the reader, is that the next time you go to a concours event and see all the glitz and glamour, the amazing cars and people dressed in expensive clothes, remember that sometimes the lead-up to the show is anything but glamorous and involves a lot of hard work assisted by good people.
Studebaker’s history runs deep in the transportation industry. The company was first incorporated in 1868 as a coachbuilder for wagons and buggies. By the early 1900s, Studebaker began dabbling in motorized vehicles – some of which were electric, and some of which were gasoline-powered. Its operations eventually phased out in the 1960s after a series of mergers and an overall decline in vehicle sales volume. Nonetheless, Studebaker built a legacy, and one of the cars that put Studebaker on the map (at least during the company’s prosperous period) was a Champion in its own right.
“This is a California car and has only had two owners,” the listing begins. “No rust issues and a straight body. Nice chrome and paint, newer rubber.”
Finished in light green with a dark green roof, the body is chrome-laden in typical 1950s fashion. Exterior features include front bumper guards, vented front fenders, a driver side mirror, whitewall tires and chrome wheelcovers. The green theme makes its way to the dashboard and even the steering column. The seller says the upholstery is in “decent condition” but, from the photos, we think it looks solid for a 70-year-old car.
The Champion was produced in South Bend, Indiana, by Studebaker from 1939 through 1958. Units produced between 1953 through 1956 are referred to as fourth-generation Champions. Design language during that era (for the coupes, sedans and station wagons alike) conveyed what Studebaker called a “European look” since the body lines were unique compared to traditional domestics of the era. The two-door coupes from the era with B-pillars were called Starlights, while the pillarless hardtops were called Starliners. Today’s featured car is a Starlight.
Power originates with a flathead inline-six mated to a three-speed manual transmission. The listing says that the car “runs good for [its] age,” and recent mechanical work included a rebuild of the carburetor and replacement of the spark plugs. The odometer shows 51,344 miles, but we aren’t sure if the reading is accurate or if it has rolled over.
Either way, you will be hard-pressed to find a better opportunity for a 1950s Champion at the price point. “Way under what it’s worth, and far less than I have put into it,” the listing concludes.
