motown 2010: really big shew

Well, I seem to be blogging my midwestern trip in a somewhat non-linear fashion so I spologize if the sequence of events seems somewhat out of order. There's still one dispatch due from Detroit but today we are focusing on the Motown 2010 show sponsored by the Lambda Car Club, and one of two large gay and lesbian car shows annually.

The West Coast Meet is held annually in San Luis Obispo, CA, and is alternately hosted by the Freewheelers Car Club of San Francisco and the Great Autos of Yesteryear of Los Angeles. Their event is always large and well attended.

By contrast, the Lambda Car Club (primarily on the east coast and midwest but extending all the way to Phoenix) has an annual Grand Invitation hosted by a different member region each year. As I mentioned earlier, I attended Destination Detroit, the first show in the Motor City, in the summer of 1990. It was there my 1956 Desert Rose and White 1956 Imperial was named Best In Show, although in reality I think the award it received was really "Most Pink Car". Undeserved awards nonwithstanding, it was a great event and set a high standard for those shows to follow.

We returned to Detroit in 2000 for "D2K', an outstanding event in which we were exposed to significant Manufacturer sponsored event, including a Lincoln concept car under the porte cochere of our hotel and an unforgettable GM Cocktail Party full of legendary GM Motorama cars. Another one of the record books.

My excitement for Motown 2010 was twofold- first that the Detroit folks produce an excellent event full of Automobile History, and second that it marks the third Grand Invitational I have attended in Detroit- the car show twenty years in the making, as it were. Quite a few original attendees from 1990 and 2000 were in attendance, along with at least three of the show cars on the field.

In terms of sheer numbers, the event was huge- over 400 attendees displayed 230 cars on the show field, ranging from a 1916 Cole to a trio of 1991 Fleetwoods. The variety of the cars never fails to delight, and the only way to accurately portray the show is to link to the album. It's mind blowing. I apologize in advance that there are just shy of 400 photos, and my ongoing technical problem with flickr leaves me unable to tag the photos at this time.

Many thanks to our friends at the Lambda Car Club- Detroit Region for producing such an outstanding event. I hope you all enjoy the pictures.