Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

The best of Amelia Island's "What Were They Thinking" class

Gallery:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/what-...photo-5705898/

1974 Fascination


Looking like a prop from a bad sci-fi movie or a "cars of the future" illustration from a 1930s issue of Popular Mechanics, eccentric would-be auto tycoon Paul M. Lewis originally envisioned the car to be propeller-powered. Eventually, he abandoned the idea of a pedestrian Cuisinart and settled on this Renaut-powered creation. Five of these oddities were build in Sidney, Nebraska before Lewis' obviously saner board members ousted him and put an end to the madness. All five cars survive today in the hands of just two collectors.

1962 El Tiburon Roadster


Enzo Ferrari once said that "aerodynamics are for people who can't design engines." Had he seen the El Tiburon, he might have asserted that aerodynamics are for people who simply can't design anything. Known as "the Shark," it was the product of an obsessive-compulsive drive to produce as low a coefficient of drag as possible. Road & Track magazine recognized it as the slipperiest car extant in 1966. Little was heard of it after this.

1959 F.M.R. TG 500 Tigre


Based on a design by Messerschmitt, aircraft purveyor to the Third Reich, the Tigre was a bid to create a new category of micro muscle cars. Boasting a sizzling 24 horsepower, it could provide performance on par with a VW Beetle 1300 with a dead cylinder. One recently sold at an auction of microcars for over $300,000, making it perhaps the most expensive car ever on a price-per-pound basis.

1963 "Shorty" Mustang prototype


A pre-production prototype build for Ford to gauge the possibility of producing a smaller two-seater Mustang, it presaged the AMC AMX (a shortened AMC Javelin). And while the AMC actually looked pretty good from most angles, the shorty Mustang simply looked ridiculous – all overhang and no wheelbase. The designer actually "kidnapped" the car when he thought Ford was going to crush it and walled it up in a warehouse until he realized that his noble act actually constituted a crime.

1957 Spohn Convertible


The world is no stranger to homely cars from the Edsel to the Pontiac Aztek. However, these cars are rank amateurs in the aesthetically challenged field when compared to the 1957 Spohn Convertible. Less a car than simply a collection of unharmonious, styling clichés, it was said to have been custom-built by the West German coachbuilder Spohn to the Mad King Ludwig-esque desires of its first owner.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/12/t...hinking-class/

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

i was just on amelia island recently. great place!

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

I could probably google that, but where is Amelia Island?

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

FL just s. of GA border on east coast.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Gallery:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/ford-...photo-5701005/

Originally developed with the sole purpose of being a Ferrari rival to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Ford GT40 became a prominent racing machine in the 1960s in both Europe and the US. Not wanting to leave such an important car out of the fun, the 2013 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance also took time out from its other celebrations to recognize the 50-year anniversary of the GT40.

Over its short lifespan, the GT40 was offered in a handful of configurations, but the classic short-tailed (Mk I and Mk II) bodystyles were well represented... especially in Gulf livery. James Glickenhaus (of Ferrari P4/5 fame) had his bright yellow Mk IV in the field, and there were several others in this bodystyle, including one that has seen plenty of time on the track judging by its chipped-up nose.

As a fitting statement for the car's lengthy racing history, GT40 Chassis Number 1075 won this year's Concours de Sport award. This car took home the checkered flag at Le Mans in 1968 and 1969, and racked up a total of six wins in just 11 races.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/13/a...ing-ford-gt40/

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Muscle wins big at 2013 Amelia Island Concours as 1936 Duesenberg, 1968 Ford GT40 take top honors

The 18th-annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance took place this past weekend, and in one of the show's biggest years yet (bringing in more than 25,000 spectators and attracting more than 300 vehicles), two powerhouses ended up winning the judges' hearts. The top Concours d'Elegance award went to a 1936 Duesenberg SJN, while the Concours de Sport went to one of the celebrated marques, a 1968 Ford GT40.

Owned by Helen and Jack Nethercutt of Sylmar, CA, this flawless Duesy is described as "one of the most powerful open cars of the 1930s," and it displays design cues of the era like rolled fenders and a tapered rear end. The SJN's supercharged straight-eight allowed it to accelerate to 100 miles per hour in just 17 seconds – surely not a disappointing feat for its day.

On a much different level of performance and timelessness, this Gulf-livery GT40 from the Rocky Mountain Auto Collection is not outdone by the elegance of the big Duesenberg thanks to some well-documented racing history. This not only includes winning at LeMans in both 1968 and 1969 – Chassis No. 1075 also managed to win a total of six times in just 11 races.

In addition to these high-profile winners, the 2013 Amelia Island show also celebrated the 50-year anniversaries of the Lamborghini brand as well as sports cars like the Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray, Porsche 911 and, of course, the Ford GT40. Next year's show is already confirmed to celebrate Italian car builder Zagato, and we wouldn't be surprised to see a Ford Mustang class recognizing the car's 50th birthday.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/13/m...936-duesenber/

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Amelia Island 2013: Porsche 911 swarms the field marking 50 years of rear-engine goodness

Gallery:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/porsc...photo-5700843/

Perhaps one of the most iconic sports cars in the world, it was no surprise that the Porsche 911 showed up in numbers to the 2013 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. Although the original 911 launched 50 years ago, the original and current models are instantly recognizable as 911s, and since the 911 has a storied racing background, there were probably just as many racing versions of the coupe as there were street-legal versions.

As the show's 2013 honoree, one of the prime racing examples was a 1970 Porsche 911 S raced by Sam Posey. There were so many cars in attendance, we didn't know where to look, but a 1985 911 Speedster concept and a Porsche-owned, rally-ready 911 Type 953 were definitely among the more impressive standouts. As an added bonus, Jacksonville-based Brumos Porsche had many of its classic racecars on display including a beautiful 959.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/13/a...rking-50-year/

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Amelia Island 2013: Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray from concepts to split windows

Gallery:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/chevr...photo-5700924/

While this year marks 60 years of the Chevrolet Corvette, the 2013 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance focused on one of the coupe's most sought after models, the 1963 Sting Ray. General Motors design boss Ed Welburn was on hand to show off the all-new C7 Corvette, but even the hard-edged styling of the 2014 Stingray couldn't take away from the beautiful 1963 models sitting out on the field.

In addition to the original Sting Ray and the 1959 Sting Ray Concept, some of the other classic 'Vettes included "Big Tank" racecars, an interesting cutaway coupe, a right-hand-drive Z06 and the attention-grabbing 1963 Corvette Rondine by Pininfarina. Another impressive Corvette was the 1964 Corvette XP-819 rear-engine prototype. Owner Mike Yager had the car finished as a driving chassis for this year's show, but promises the car will be back to its original glory in time for next year's event.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/13/a...om-concepts-t/

I8ABMR

apparently designers were smoking that good stuff in the 60s and 70s . Some of those, although cool to look at, are just weird and not very functional

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

love that duesenberg... wow.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

That GT40 makes me hot lol

baddis es

iTrader: (3)

i'd gladly drive the 74 Fascination...that -ish is just too wicked!

cremaster

iTrader: (1)

love, love, love the sting rays!

Lexmex

Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo annually has a similar show, always love going to these events.

adamls2

I was there for the festival of speed, and the elgance this year as well. I was in there a day before when they were setting up, and watching all the gt40's drive by you on the lawn, and hearing the music it makes is such an honor!

I also met a lot of great people including Valentino Balboni, Wayne Carini, and other great car collectors as well! One of my favorite events of the year!!