Photos of the Week- Hideaway Caprice and Margaret and Packard

Another busy week to recap on the Palm Springs Automobilist Facebook Page. Counts keep going up and new followers from all over the globe- can anyone translate Japanese for me? It's actually been two weeks since we recapped photos, so I'm showing the top image from each week.

This week's top image is "Hideaway Caprice" and it's a factory photo of a 1968 Caprice coupe with optional hideaway headlamps and rally wheels. All in all it makes for a very elegant yet sporty car and it's easy to see why you all liked it so much.

Last week's top photo is very special- 102 year old Margaret Dunning and her 82 year old Packard 840 Roadster. She wasn't the original owner, she's only owned it since 1949, but it the short sixty three years they've been together, she's gotten to know it fairly well.

I actually knew Margaret from the Michigan Region CCCA back in the 70s and 80s, where she taught me how to unstick the shift rods on our 1941 Packard 180 Formal Sedan. She's always been a gracious and helpful lady,

Her big news this year was being invited to Pebble Beach with the roadster, where she took it on the driving tour and got invited up to the reviewing stand for a short interview which I've posted below. Motor on, Margaret and Packard.


Be sure and stop by the Palm Springs Automobilist Facebook Page for daily images and fun!

Fun at Concours D'Lemons

As much as I love Pebble Beach weekend, I'm the first to admit that it's so far over the top that it's halfway down the other side. There's just too much fabulousness. Oh, look, another hundred point one-off Duesenberg, Yawn. A prototype Ferrari? Meh. What color? It does present the very real danger of one becoming so blase that they are in danger of banging their pipe on the fender of some random Rolls-Royce.

But thankfully there is some much needed comic relief in the form of the Concours D'Lemons, the celebration of the regrettable and unloved automobile. It's a place where Pacers and Gremlins play, where Vegas and Renaults line up proudly and where Deloreans reach their doors for the sky. Glorified Golf Cars pose next to dubious racing cars. Judges take bribes openly and even Cadillac Cimarrons win awards.

This is the event's third year. Rather than ruining it with too much description, I invite you to feast your eyes on the cars. Dark glasses may be helpful. Enjoy:


































And for the real masochists out there, check out many more pictures here.

And did you guess that I really dig the Chartreuse Gremlin?

Best Duesenberg

This weekend, the entire automotive world is descending on Pebble Beach for the Concours. It is a wonderful show that I have enjoyed many times, but there is one particular year I will never forget.

It was August of 2006. My dear and longtime friend had John passed away unexpectedly five weeks before the event. One of his favorite cars, a Duesenberg Model J Convertible Sedan (J-225 on 2245 Long), was already entered in the show for exhibition. His surviving partner Ken made the decision to go ahead and show the car. Longtime friends Tami and Steve came for emotional support. I knew how to drive the car. Michael the actor/ model/ dancer/ chauffeur brought his uniform. The team was assembled.

When I arrived on Friday, Ken was already in town. He asked if we could go to the Lodge for a drink because he didn't want to go back for the first time without John on show day. We checked in with the show organizers who asked if we wanted to move the car into the judged class, owing to one car having dropped out.

We talked about this over a Martini. There were three Martini stems at our table overlooking what was becoming the show field. One was for our absent friend John.

Moving the car to judging competition ...at Pebble Beach... with less than 48 hours notice...? "Why not" was my reply- what do we have to lose?

The car had been shipped up to Monterey by our good friend David Gooding and was stored in the Gooding Auction tent. David knew of an excellent detailer named Darryl. A quick conversation explaining our circumstance and he and his crew leaped into action. His crew spent two solid days polishing every tiny surface of the big Duesenberg. The undercarriage, the engine bay, it all shone superbly. We made a friend for life that day. We put the convertible top down, snapped the boot into place, and raised the rear seat windshield. The car looked superbly sporty. We were ready. "How do we look?" Ken asked. "Like a Million Dollars", I blurted out. He looked crestfallen- "That bad?", he replied. We both laughed. It was the first time I had seen him laugh all weekend. Note to self: A Million Dollars is NOT what it once was.

Sunday morning was crisp and perfectly clear. We maneuvered the Duesy into place and polished off the morning dew. By late morning, the judging team had arrived. They all knew the story and I asked their forgiveness as I honestly didn't know every control on the dash. They were beyond kind to the point of being truly gentlemanly. The car behaved flawlessly. The sun shone brightly, and it just felt right to have the car on the lawn. We had placed John's picture in a frame leaning against the left rear wheel. This was done so we would not have to tell the story a thousand times. We knew we didn't have it in us at this point. Tami wore a big yellow hat so I could spot her easily. She and Steve took Ken to look at cars.

About 1 PM, a gentleman in a blue blazer approached and asked if I was with the Duesenberg. I said I was ,and he asked if I would like to follow him. I said I would like that. I called Ken on his cell and told him to get his skinny ass back to the car. We started J-225 and I pulled her into line a line of stunning classic cars, between two other Duesenbergs in our class.

I wish that every gearhead could have the opportunity to show a car at Pebble Beach at least once. It's such an utterly genteel and magnificent experience that it simply must be experienced.
One thing that need be said is that the Pebble Beach Concours Committee understand the concept of anticipation. The fact that we were in line meant that we had won an award, we just didn't know which award. When our class neared the reviewing stand, the big Duesenbergs were pulled alongside each other bumper to bumper. We were side by side with two lovely cars, a sexy black Speedster and a pale green Convertible Coupe. We were the only convertible sedan in our class.

I looked over at Ken in the passenger seat. He was shaking like a leaf. I told him that considering where we had been five weeks prior, that any outcome was a victory. He agreed, and then the judges gave the nod to the green convertible for third place. I tried to catch the Marshall's eye, but he wouldn't look at me. Just then he gave the nod to the black speedster, and walked up to our car to shake Ken's hand.

We had won best Duesenberg at Pebble Beach.

As soon as we got parked, friends came running. Tami and Steve brought bottles of Champagne for a toast. The tears were not only of happiness. It was a very good day, the first good day in five weeks. But it was very emotional. Looking back, I guess Michael picked up the hooker in the thigh high boots to amuse us. He is so very thoughtful.


J-225 on Chassis 2245, Long