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2010 Louisville Concours d’Elegance

Over the years, the Louisville Concours d’Elegance has established itself as one of the most prestigious classic car events in the Southeast. This 3-day event will begin on the 2nd of October, 2010, and it will be held at the famous Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky.

Hundreds of rare and highly-prized automobiles will be participating in this concours d’elegance, and these vehicles will be competing in 15 different classes, ranging from Brass Era antique cars to contemporary super cars. All participants will be vying for the Best in Show crystal trophy as well as class trophies, and they will be assessed by some of the finest concours judges in the world. The winner of the Best in Show award will be photographed in the famous Winner’s Circle of Churchill Downs, the hallowed spot where legendary horses such as the Secretariat, Barbaro, and War Admiral were crowned Sport of Kings champions. Before the concours d’elegance take place on the final day, attendees can view fine thoroughbreds at the Dawn at the Downs and the Pre-Show Gala and Dinner.

Tickets for the Louisville Concours d’Elegance are priced at $15.00 when purchased in advance and $20.00 on the day of the show. Children who are below the age of 12 will be admitted free of charge. Proceeds from the event will be donated to the Brooklawn Child and Family Services.

Most Wanted Classic Cars: Chevrolet Corvair (Part 2)

The Chevrolet Corvair was dramatically redesigned in the year 1965, and it featured a coke-bottle styling that would set the trend for many GM automobiles in the next decade. However, the new Corvair did not get a performance upgrade as it was fitted with the same base and optional engines from the previous year. The station, pickup, and panel van styles were no longer available by 1965, and all the closed models became true hardtops.

The 1966 Corvair was very much similar to the 1965 model, but it received a new 4-speed synchromesh transmission that could withstand more stress. Sales of the car began to decline this year as pony and muscle cars, such as the Ford Mustang and the upcoming Chevrolet Camaro, started to gain favor among car buyers. Despite active marketing by Chevrolet, the Corvair failed to regain the popularity that it enjoyed the early 1960s. In 1967, only 27,253 units were produced.

All 4-door hardtop Corvairs were dropped in the year 1968. Only three models were available this year, and they included the 500, Monza Convertible, and Monza Hardtop Coupe. By this time, Chevrolet had stopped all advertisements for the Corvair, and sales plummeted to 15,400 units. Production of the Chevrolet Corvair came to an end in 1969, and the 6,000th car that came off the assembly line was offered as a collector car.

Most Wanted Classic Cars: Chevrolet Corvair (Part 1)

In the late 1950s, small and fuel-efficient imported automobiles, such as the Volkswagen Beetle and Renault Dauphine, were becoming very popular among car buyers in the United States. In response to this, American car manufacturers began to produce their own versions of such cars. General Motors introduced a compact car called the Chevrolet Corvair in 1960 to compete with the European cars, and this car proved to be a considerable success. Today, it is one of the more desirable Chevrolets among classic car collectors.

The Chevrolet Corvair is the first automobile with a rear-mounted engine that was mass-produced in the United States. The rear engine design gave the car a lower silhouette, a flat floor in the passenger compartment, and better ride quality, braking balance, and traction. It also reduced the need for air-conditioning, since heat from the engine would not be blown into the passenger compartment. The 1960 Corvair was fitted with an air-cooled 140 cid flat-6 engine, which was rated at only 80 hp, and it featured 3-speed manual or 2-speed automatic transmission. It came with few amenities, so that it could be sold at a competitive price.

In 1961, the engine size of the Chevrolet Corvair was increased to 145 cid, but the base engine continued to produce only 80 hp. It was not until 1964 that significant improvements were made to the engine. In this year, engine displacement was increased to 164 cid, and this raised the power of the base engine to 95 hp. For the high performance engine, output increased from 95 hp to 100 hp.

Riverside International Automotive Museum

The Riverside International Automotive Museum offers motorsports fans a wonderful opportunity to discover California’s great auto racing history. The museum was established in the year 2006 by father and son auto racing enthusiasts Ray and Doug Magnon, and it is situated on Marlborough Avenue in Riverside, California. This 20,000-square-foot facility showcases an impressive collection of automobiles and items that are related to auto racing in California.

The collection of the museum is divided into five different categories, namely, Riverside International Raceway, Ontario Motor Speedway, Dan Gurney, Archives, and Restoration Projects. These exhibits are made up of displays of legendary race cars, classic cars, and contemporary cars, as well as artifacts, documents, photographs, mementos, magazines, brochures, posters, and others. The museum has the largest Maserati road car collection in the United States, which includes every model that has been offered in the country since 1951. Notable Maseratis include a 1972 Quattroporte II that originally belonged to King Juan Carlos of Spain and a 1982 Quattroporte III that was once owned by David Carradine. There are also a number of Ferraris, Jaguars, Porsches, and custom race cars in the museum.

The Riverside International Automotive Museum is open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from Monday to Saturday. It does not charge an admission fee, but it encourages visitors to give a donation of $5.00 per person.

The 2010 Santa Fe Concorso

The Santa Fe Concorso is regarded as one of the most prestigious exotic and rare car shows in the Southwest, and it will continue to delight auto enthusiasts this year with an impressive line-up of fabulous automobiles. This concours d’elegance will be held on the 26th of September, 2010 at the historic La Mesita, a splendid 140-acre equestrian property that is situated on the famous Santa Fe Trail.

The Santa Fe Concorso will feature 50 highly-prized automobiles, ranging from vintage cars to exotic cars. Those who are attending the concorso can expect to see rare vehicles such as Sig Haugdahl’s Wisconsin Special, a 1960 Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage, and others. Participating cars will be judged by nationally-known automobile experts, such as legendary race car drivers Sir Stirling Moss and Al Unser, as well as the First Lady of auto racing Denise McCluggage.

Besides the concours d’elegance, other events will also be conducted to provide additional entertainment for visitors. A wonderful reception will be held on the 24th of September to welcome all participants, judges, sponsors, and VIPs, and a road tour to the Valles Caldera National Preserve will be conducted the following day. On the day of the concorso, there will also be a silent auction offering a wide variety of items.

General admission fee for the Santa Fe Concorso is $45.00. Proceeds from the concorso will go to the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Fe.