OpenRoad Magazine – Spring 2024 / Volume 21 / Issue 1

OPENROAD OPENROAD

Presenting Sponsor

INSTITUTIONS:

5 BEHIND THE WHEEL

The Importance of America’s Car Museum and America’s Automotive Trust.

16 CONCOURS CONFIDENTIAL

The Event Organizer, The Chief Judge, The Exhibitor, The Restorer and The Rookie Judge all share their stories of the inner world of the concours d’elegance.

44 RPM FOUNDATION

RPM’s Design Without Limits Program: Igniting Creativity Among Future Transportation Designers.

8 THE RITES OF SPRING

For Peter Egan, spring means a traditional routine of necessary chores out in the garage.

36

AAT BOARD BIO

Michael Holmes takes a turn behind the wheel of My First Car.

46 FUEL FOR THE FUTURE

Timeless: A Jaguar’s Tale.

COVER: Dennis and Susan Garrity in their 1963 Apollo GT 3500 Spyder prototype on the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance. Mr. Garrity lends his voice to Concours Confidential which begins on page 12. Photo copyright Kimball Studios/ used courtesy of Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

THIS PAGE: A Subaru 360 at the new Shinka exhibit at ACM. Photo by 1000WordsEvents.

11

ACM PRESENTS: SHINKA

America’s Car Museum undertakes its largest exhibit to date: Shinka – An Immersive Japanese Automobile Exhibit.

38 THE MATHEMATICS OF STYLE: FABRIZIO GIUGIARO’S APPROACH TO CAR DESIGN

OpenRoad’s exclusive interview with the scion of the legendary Italian industrial design house GFG Style.

48 MILESTONES

Acknowledging those that make the mission of America's Automotive Trust possible.

By David Madeira, AAT CEO

The Importance of America’s Car Museum and America’s Automotive Trust

Iwas saddened recently to learn of the closure of the Mullin Automotive Museum in California. Created by Peter Mullin who collected the finest automobiles as art, it closed after ten short years and Peter’s recent death. The Mullin had resided in the facility where the Otis Chandler Museum closed in 2006, after his passing. These are the latest examples of auto museums to close upon the passing of the founder. They are a strong reminder why we created America’s Car Museum and The Trust as national organizations committed to preserving America’s automotive heritage.

Every auto museum in this country struggles for support unless massively endowed. A recent article on the Detroit Institute of Art indicated the issues museums face as they deal with finance. The only public museums that will thrive will be those seen as having a larger purpose than exhibiting a wealthy founder’s collection, or more than a regional impact upon car culture. By drawing an international audience, those with a larger purpose can create support from beyond their own community.

This reminded me that when I interviewed to build LeMay – America’s Car Museum in 2002, I was asked if I would do a feasibility study. I said to the Board, “With respect, save your money and don’t hire anyone to do a study. If you want to build a world-class museum around any wealthy person’s collection, you cannot do it or sustain it. Why should any individual, foundation or corporation support a rich collector’s dream if the family won’t?”

It was with this understanding that we launched the drive for a national car museum in 2004, renaming the Harold E. LeMay Museum as the LeMay – America’s Car Museum. Honoring Harold and Nancy, we created a museum that endeavors to tell not just their story, but the story of America’s “love affair with the automobile,” which preserves its heritage, and which enables visitors to find reminders of their own stories and love of the car. America’s Car Museum celebrates the finest collector cars but also the important cars, trucks, and motorcycles intrinsic to everyday American life. Therein lies its power, and its ability to draw support from individuals and corporations from around the country.

It’s one thing to create a museum and another to sustain it, as the many closures remind us. To sustain America’s Car Museum, we made it part of a larger purpose than that of a traditional car museum seen as regional and simply about the past. We created America’s Automotive Trust bringing together the America’s Car Museum, Club Auto, Concours Club and The Restoration, Preservation and Mentorship (RPM) Foundation to ensure that while we honor the past, we also celebrate car culture today, and drive its future through national educational efforts. Our strong, national Boards and partnerships with like-minded organizations fuel our ability to succeed, and in 2024 we see enthusiasm growing for our efforts more than ever before.

The future is not certain. Yet we know that the model for the traditional automotive museum will fail. A national entity, America’s Automotive Trust, with broader purpose and national impact is our best hope to ensure a vibrant future for LeMay – America’s Car Museum. Please join us in the effort.

CHAIRMAN: Michael D. Towers, Partner, Ambassador Wines of Washington – Seattle, WA

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN: B. Corry McFarland, Emeritus, Cedar Management Company – Fife, WA

VICE CHAIR: Gary Gartner, NB Center for American Automotive Heritage –Briarcliff Manor, NY

VICE CHAIR: David L. Madeira, Emeritus, America’s Automotive Trust –Tacoma, WA

VICE CHAIR: William T. Weyerhaeuser, Emeritus Director/Chairman – Tacoma, WA

SECRETARY: Sam E. Baker, Jr., Oles Morrison Rinker & Baker, LLP – Seattle, WA

TREASURER: Trevor Cobb, Founder & CEO, Avantia, A Multi-Family Office –Seattle, WA

BOARD MEMBERS

Rod Alberts, North American International Auto Show – Detroit, MI

John D. Barline, Emeritus, Harlowe & Falk LLP – Tacoma, WA

Dale Bloomquist, DDS, MS – Seattle, WA

Stephen Boone, Emeritus/Retired, Ford and Harley-Davidson Dealer – Olympia, WA

Edward Brooks, Sunset Pacific General Contractors – Lakewood, WA

Nicola Bulgari, Emeritus, BVLGARI S.p.A – New York, NY

Sandra Button, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance – Carmel, CA

Frank Chang, Flying Fish Partners –Seattle, WA

Doug Clark, Hagerty – Traverse City, MI

Keith Flickinger, The NB Center for American Automotive Heritage –Allentown, PA

Alan Granberg, Auto Enthusiast –Lakewood, WA

Dr. Gerald Greenfield, Retired Dentist –Lake Tapps, WA

McKeel Hagerty, Hagerty – Traverse City, MI

Tom Hedges, Emeritus, Co-Owner, Hedges Family Estate – Benton City, WA

Michael Holmes, Holmes Electric –Kent, WA

George Ingle, The Ingle Company –Spanaway, WA

Doug LeMay, Emeritus, LeMay Investments, LLC. – Tacoma, WA

Nancy LeMay, Emeritus – LeMay Investments, LLC. – Tacoma, WA

James Gary May, Hopewell Land Partners – Windemere, FL

T.G. Mittler, Auto Enthusiast –Santa Fe, NM

Michael J. Phillips, Emeritus – Altaira Wealth Management – Clyde Hill, WA

Patrick Riley, BDO – Seattle, WA

Al Ruozzi, RB Car Collection –Allentown, PA

Paul Sabatini, Lincoln of Troy – Troy, MI

Steve Saleen, Saleen Automotive –Corona, CA

Continued on page 7

BOOK SHELF

Longtime friend of America’s Automotive Trust, automotive journalist and director of the Automotive Heritage Foundation, Steve Purdy, is out with a new book entitled “Mascots in Motion: Images and Stories of Automotive Aesthetics which takes a deep dive on the subject of hood ornaments. Steve contends that mascots and hood ornaments are an important sub-genre of automotive art and design, and with this book he introduces the reader to the world of these sculptures as photographed “in the wild” at concours events, special shows, junkyards, back yards, salvage yards, anywhere, and always in natural light. The photographs are beautifully presented by the art-book specialists at M.J. Jacobs, and annotated with their stories researched by the author/ photographer who then puts it all into context with other complimentary images. Advance orders can be secured at www.shunpikerproductions.com

OPENROAD PUBLICATION CREDITS

Managing Editor & Head Writer William Hall

William “Kid” Hall is an automotive journalist based in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, whose work has appeared in Hemmings Motor News, Classic Car Journal, RM Shift and Prancing Horse magazines, among others. His personal collection of cars skews classic Italian, with a few ‘70s era Muscle Cars and a growing collection of vintage motorcycles for good measure.

Contributors: Special thanks to legendary pinstriper and airbrush artist George Sedlak, creator of Evel Knievel’s iconic helmet and motorcycle graphics, for the original “CARtoons”-style illustration on page 8. George has donated the original, autographed and framed drawing to AAT’s Wheels and Heels charity auction in September. Thank you to 1000WordsEvents for the Shinka photos, and Rock Jenkins for editorial assistance.

ADMINISTRATION

AAT CEO: David L. Madeira, America’s Automotive Trust

ACM Excecutive Director and VP of Finance: Gary Yamamoto, LeMay-America’s Car Museum

RPM Executive Director: Nick Ellis

AAT Director of Institutional Advancement: Gabriel Mosse

Art Direction & Graphic Design

Jennifer Weitzman, jamgd: jamgd a design firm located in Madison, WI — having a long history working with the RPM Foundation — they now bring their talents to this publication. jamgd.com

americasautomotivetrust.org

PLEASE NOTE: Not all of the automobiles depicted in OpenRoad are on display or part of the ACM Collection. Some of the photographs were chosen in order to illustrate or enliven a featured story while others were selected purely for their artistic merit.

Subscription to OpenRoad magazine is a benefit of friends and supporters of America's Automotive Trust. America’s Automotive Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. A portion of your gift towards membership and sponsorship are tax deductible.

ALONG FOR THE RIDE

By William Hall Managing Editor

Nothing breaks the drudgery of winter better than the spring concours calendar. These open-air car celebrations kick off the year, reuniting friends and providing the punch of enthusiasm that carries us through the motoring season. Some concours events are so large as to have become ecosystems unto their own, taking over cities and providing huge economic impact and lifeblood for those in the business of collector car restoring, repairing, transporting, appraising, insuring, auctioning, detailing and accessorizing.

To learn more about this world, we asked a few key players on the scene to lend their voices in our feature Concours Confidential, where we hear candidly from The Chief Judge, The Restorer, The Exhibitor, The Event Organizer, and The Rookie Judge on their different perspectives and experiences in the world of concours events.

I first met our Rookie Judge,16-year-old Alex Dart, when we were paired to judge at Miami’s Motorcar Cavalcade in early February. Many of his impressions were similar to my own, and we had a lot of consensus in our judging choices. Alex’s fresh takes made the day that much more interesting, just as I hope you’ll find them.

Another young perspective comes to us from Italy by the pen of 23-year-old journalist Giovanni Guidi, who secured an exclusive interview for OpenRoad with the scion of one of Italy’s most prestigious and storied design houses, Fabrizio Giugiaro of GFG Style. Giovanni reports that the OpenRoad editorial assignment was critical to GFG granting the interview, opening intimidating doors for this promising young automotive journalist.

In keeping with one of the missions of America’s Automotive Trust, OpenRoad exists as another tool to interest, engage and advance young car enthusiasts, giving them a platform to share their views of the collector car world. If you’re invested in that world, or perhaps one of the industry professionals who depend on its lifeblood, you might be interested to know firsthand where it’s beginning to flow.

For example: I’m a big fan of the designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. Of the dozens of his influential cars I covet – the Alfa Romeo GTV, Maserati Bora, Maserati Ghibli, DeTomaso Mangusta, Lotus Esprit – the examples of his genius that I might cite wouldn’t have included (as Giovanni writes) the Fiat Panda, Volkswagen Rabbit, or DMC DeLorean. But then again, I’m no longer a 20-year-old budding car enthusiast. Which is why we need to elevate these young voices and listen to what they are saying, because they’re different from the voices in our heads.

Turns out that’s the second time in as many months I’ve run into an outsized reverence for the DeLorean from the younger generation, undoubtedly fueled by its Back to the Future movie appearances. Last month, I gave a graphic artist discretion to select an image of a “rare” (as in coveted) automobile for a production, and he chose a DeLorean. Hardly rare next to a Duesenberg or an Auburn Speedster, but his opinion and perception were valid and noted. As Star Trek’s Mr. Spock might intone while observing an alien species, “Fascinating.”

So while we enjoy spring and the beginning of car and concours season in a micro-sense, we must always be aware of a bigger bloom taking hold, with a larger promise of spring in the collector car world for the next generation. OpenRoad is here to help plant and water the seeds.

ROADSIDEASSISTANCE

Jake Welk, Marketing Manager

Brian Corey, Digital & Social Media Coordinator

Noah Down, Corporate & Foundation Relations Officer

Najai Smith, Signature Events Coordinator

Kathy King, Membership & Database Coordinator

Amy Walsh, Collection Coordinator

Rob Reed, Facilities Manager

Justin Collins, Guest Services Manager

Kelsey Cross, Education Manager

Bianca Reynaga, Volunteer Coordinator

America’s

Continued from page 6

Manfred Scharmach, BMW Northwest, Northwest Mini, Seattle Mini, Northwest Pre-Owned Center – Fife, WA

Jonathan Shaw, Hemmings –Bennington, VT

Bruce Wanta, Spectrum Controls –Bellevue, WA

Edward Welburn, Emeritus, Sunset Pacific General Contractors –Bethlehem, PA

Jason Wenig, The Creative Workshop – Dania Beach, FL

Drew Weyerhaeuser, Auto Enthusiast – Tacoma, WA

James M. Will, Emeritus, Titus-Will Enterprises, Inc. – Tacoma, WA

STEERING COMMITTEE

Christopher Brewer, Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance – Hilton Head Island, SC

Jiyan K. Cadiz, Detroit Concours d'Elegance – Detroit, MI

Gill Campbell, Aero Marketing Group – Monterey, CA

John Carlson, National Association of Automobile Clubs of Canada Corporation – Belcarra, British Colombia, Canada

Dominic Dobson, Auto Enthusiast –Seattle, WA

Rick Dore, Rick Dore Kustoms –Carlsbad, CA

Nicolle Girard, Hagerty – Traverse City, MI

Alan Grant, LARGE Architecture –Los Angeles, CA

Peter Hageman, Suite 200 Automobile Collection – Kirkland, WA

William Hall, Auto Journalist –Elkhart Lake, WI

Suzanne Hight, Z Special Events –Mercer Island, WA

Andrew Hogan, Auto Enthusiast –Gig Harbor, WA

Paul Ianuario, Retired Curator of the BMW Zentrum – Duncan, SC

Rock Jenkins, State Farm, Retired –Gilbert, AZ

Leslie Mattson, National Corvette Museum – Mercer Island, WA

Al McEwan, Suite 200 Automobile Collection – Redmond, WA

Glenn Mounger, Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance – Bainbridge Island, WA

Josie Rimmer, DirtFish –Snoqualmie, WA

Pamela Chavez Rosen, External Advisor, Shell Oil Company –Houston, TX

Ken D. Ross, Auto Enthusiast –Detroit, MI

Blake Siebe, Northwest Auto Salon –Right Away Tire – Lynwood, WA

William Smallwood III, American Mutual Insurance Services, Inc. –Monroe, WA

Jeff Stumb, The Great Race –Chattanooga, TN

Kristen Wells, Avants – Tacoma, WA

Gina Zinn, State Farm – Tacoma, WA

Contact AAT Administrative Office at 253.779.8490 or info@americasautomotivetrust.org

The Rites of Spring

By Peter Egan

If you’ve always lived in Southern California, the Frank Sinatra song “It Was a Very Good Year” might cause some confusion. In the last verse, he claims that his life is now “in the autumn of the year.”

“What?” you ask. “He’s picking artichokes in Castroville? Waxing his surfboard for the third time? What is he trying to say here?”

My wife Barbara and I lived in California for ten years in the ‘80s before moving back to Wisconsin, and the four seasons there are simply not as distinct and symbolic as they are in the Midwest. When someone in Wisconsin says, “I’m in the winter of my life,” the meaning is chillingly clear. Old age has arrived, the days grow ever shorter and the cost of arthritis medication keeps rising. The future looks purgatorial, at best.

This seasonal contrast is even more striking, of course, if you race cars and motorcycles – or collect and restore them – as some of us are wont to do.

On the West Coast, the racing season ends in late autumn and resumes shortly after the holidays. You put your car away for the “winter” just in time to shop for Christmas and then begin racing again right after you sober up from the New Year’s Eve party. In California, there is simply no rest. For better or worse, the climate there allows you to do almost anything at any moment, all year long.

Wisconsin, on the other hand, gives you the opportunity for at least six months of furlough and gradually decreasing indolence. You can lay down your wrenches and relax until the new year and then slowly kick into gear and begin rebuilding engines, ordering parts, sanding bodywork, shopping for tires, etc. No need to do anything immediately. Spring is a long way off.

Sometimes, however, that prolonged period of rest and procrastination is followed by panic. You look at the calendar and realize you’ve been shuffling around the house with your pipe and slippers and reading all eight volumes of The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire for about one month too long. You should have stopped at Volume IV and gone out to the workshop.

This sudden sense of alarm hit me just yesterday.

Seems we’re having a freakishly warm week of weather here, right at the beginning of March. I walked outside yesterday and it was 67 degrees! I realized that we were not doomed to eternal winter and that spring would come again, just as it did last year. Time to get busy.

I walked down to my workshop and unlocked the door. Six tiny green Battery Tender lights glowed like alligator eyes in the silent darkness. I turned on the overhead lights to reveal two British Racing Green sports cars, two motorcycles and two ebikes, all resting quietly and in need of some level of attention.

For the first time in many years, there was no mind-numbing, fully disassembled project car or motorcycle staring back at me--though I am possibly on the cusp of buying a 1995 Ducati 900SS that’s been in storage for 20 years and Needs Everything. Maybe I’ll come to my senses, for once. Could happen. But everything else in the shop required some form of minor maintenance.

Time to get out the traditional springtime checklist, an unwritten regimen that almost always includes the following items:

1. Check mousetraps for dead mice and freshness of cheese.

If the traps are sprung but there are no dead mice and the cheese is gone, it means a large family of rodents is now living in the air cleaner of the Miata or snacking on the wiring loom of the Jaguar. Check for damage, and hang on to your checkbook if the wiring harness is well-chewed.

2. Check oil levels and recommended oil-change intervals.

I traditionally change motor oil in vehicles before putting them away for the winter, but this year I got caught out by a sudden snowstorm during our unusually warm autumn. There wasn’t much snow, but it was just enough for our county maintenance crew to salt the roads. And I never—but never—drive an even remotely collectable car or motorcycle on salt. So the Jaguar and Miata both needed to be driven and warmed up for a spring oil change. I’m waiting for a heavy rain that washes away the last trace of salt.

3. Look at tire condition.

The two sportscars both got new tires last year, but my Triumph Bonneville needs a new set. It’s a modern T-120 version with tubeless tires, and I’ve learned never to attempt to lever them off the rims by hand. Too much work, and the required level of cursing can get you excommunicated from any religion that’s worth a damn. So I always take them in to a shop with a modern tire machine and wheel balancer. Same with car tires.

TSA regulations now stipulate that airline passengers 75 and older don’t have to take their shoes off to pass through security, and I believe there are similar age exemptions for tire changing. If you are 76, as I am, leave the floor jack in the corner and just take your car or bike to a real tire shop.

4. Get out the tire pressure gauge.

Rubber tires are like fine oaken casks of Modenese balsamic vinegar; they slowly lose volume until only the fine essence of air from years gone by remains. All my tires seem to lose about 7 psi during the winter, regardless of brand or size. It goes without saying that every valve stem (especially on motorcycles) will be impossible to reach until you roll the vehicle back and forth several times and shuffle around on your knees. More cursing required.

5. Consult maintenance schedule for valve adjustment interval.

Neither of my cars needs its valves adjusted, but both the Triumph and Royal Enfield are slightly overdue, so I’ll have to do that soon. There are no printed shop manuals now, so the only option is to go online and review the details, which I always dread. It’s that or watch an amateur instructional video made by some hapless home mechanic who knows even less than you do.

I miss real shop manuals with oily thumb-prints on the critical pages, so I generally put this job off as long as possible. Mid-summer is a good time to eventually think about adjusting your valves sometime or other, if it’s raining all week.

6. Inspect battery condition and connections.

All batteries in my cars, bikes and e-bikes are relatively new, except for the 2016 Triumph, which is still running on its original battery. Eight years old, and taking twice as long to charge as the other three. Probably time for a preemptive trip to the Batteries Plus store. The Jaguar battery, only three years old, also runs down quickly when I take it off the charger. The electric clock – and possibly some other power-sapping device in the unimaginably complex electrical system – may be draining it. Or maybe the mice have been at work.

I like to think that the car simply wants to be out on the road as often as possible, and when ignored it begins to mope. As do all vehicles. And their owners as well.

The opening of the workshop doors on the first truly warm spring day should probably be accompanied by some sort of triumphal music. A chorus by Handel or Verdi perhaps, rather than a reflective

進化 Shinka /ˈʃɪŋkə/

Noun, Suru verb, Intransitive verb 1. evolution, Biology

Noun, Suru verb, Intransitive verb 2. evolution; becoming more advanced; progress; development; improvement Noun

3. A rotating, immersive exhibition of Japanese cars and JDM car culture taking place at LeMay – America’s Car Museum from March 2024 to March 2025.

literally translated from French as “competition of elegance” – is a fun day out strolling amongst some of the world’s finest automotive art. For others, it’s a high fashion, high pressure event with big stakes, where a trophy win can add upwards of $1million to a car’s value. It’s an arena with its own language, protocols and players, and OpenRoad set out to hear from them in their own words…

The Event Organizer

Alan Galbraith is the soaking-wet founder and “Head Gasket” for the Concours d’Lemons, the tongue-in-cheek touring car show that features the odd and misunderstood orphans of the car world. He previously worked in the live music and entertainment industry and ran the hot-rod show Billetproof.

At this point, it might as well be over. It’s just 24 scant hours until the start of the next Concours d’Lemons. The hard work is mostly done. Forces that I set into motion long ago are building to a crescendo of laughter and silly string that I couldn’t stop if I wanted to. If I didn’t show up, the event would still happen – and if I’ve done it right, no one would know the difference. But it wasn’t always this way.

My yesterdays were manic. When I started putting on automotive events, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. Late night panicked phone calls and a fitful sleep of waking every hour to check the hotel clock radio was the best I could hope for the night before a show. This wasn’t because I lacked organizational skills. A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I worked in the entertainment business, specifically in live music, film and television production. What those hazy days taught me (other than “get paid before the gig”) was that pre-production is essential. When the lights go on and the curtain goes up, it’s show time, not “work out the details time.” So when I started putting on car shows, I was further along the learning curve than most, but I still had a steep hill to climb.

Some of the steps up that hill came as I put on the Billetproof Hot Rod and Custom shows for over a decade. Founded by Jay Ward (Pixar) and Kirk Jones (Goodguys), this series of traditional hot rod shows leaned heavily on a handcrafted aesthetic. Every bit of ephemera was handmade and anti-corporate. Totally punk rock, or in this case, rockabilly. When it came to entrant goodie bags, no stack of sponsor giveaways would do. No, these had to be unique pieces of art made just for the show. My lonely night before an event would be spent assembling them – all 1,200 of them. Each bag got a poster, patch and sticker. Work I had done weeks prior all came together on the desk of a budget-friendly hotel with just hours until show time. Some 4,800 individual pieces passed through my hands in the 24 hours to go before the first car rolled through the gates.

For the Concours d’Lemons, the show’s trophies were assembled from parts purchased just hours before the event. I joked to the crowd at the awards ceremony that all of the trophies were made from stuff I found at thrift stores the night before. The crowds would roar in laughter. It’s been said that the greatest art is crafted from pain, and that the truest things are often the funniest.

Some of the biggest steps in the learning curve are crafted by forces over which you have no control. Like when you call the band you booked months earlier to remind them of the gig tomorrow, and the reply is, “…oh wowwww man, that was THIS weekend? Our drummer is getting married tomorrow.” <Sigh> Musicians.

Nowadays, thanks to playlists on portable devices, losing your band is no longer cause for real panic. However, finding out the porta potties won’t be showing up just hours before 5,000 spectators arrive will cause enough panic to really, really need a porta potty. This was the case one sunny morning as I stared out over a show field curiously bereft of those magical blue plastic huts. I was sure I’d ordered them. I called the sanitation rental company months earlier, gave them my credit card and then wrote the order number on my checklist, thinking it was all sewn up. But the day before the show, panic started to well up as I hurriedly called the customer service line. I was told that the rep had gotten my credit card number wrong and failed to call back for a correction. My potties were headed to the large wedding celebration for the drummer of a very popular local band. <Sigh> Musicians!

Frantic calls to any provider that would answer late on a Friday evening ensued. Fortunately, one company asking an exorbitant “rush fee” said they could take the gig. But due to the late hour, and facing overtime for the delivery driver, they could only drop them at the venue gate, leaving me to place them myself. I sourced a lawn tractor from the grounds crew, fashioned a harness from some ratchet straps, and delicately towed the potties into place, all the while reflecting on the “glamorous life of a car show promoter.” I told myself it was part of the fun of putting on a show, and I even believed it for a while. That is until my climb up the learning curve led me up a hill so steep no lawn tractor could conquer, and at the top sat a swami who imparted a lesson that I use to this day.

My literal climb led me up Mason Street in San Francisco to the top of Nob Hill and The Fairmont Hotel, and the swami was none other than Martin Swig at the start of his California Mille road rally. After attending a few of my Billetproof shows, Martin and I’d become friends. So when Martin invited me to “see how a fancy-schmancy car event was put on,” I cleared my calendar. Having attended the Pebble Beach Concours for decades, I was no stranger to the fancier side of the car world, but I didn’t want to pass up a chance to visit with Martin, so off to the Fairmont I went.

At the crest of the hill I witnessed quite a production. Mason Street was draped in red carpet. What little asphalt that showed was covered in classic cars and throngs of people. Seated calmly on the steps of the Fairmont, overlooking it all, was Martin. He didn’t even appear tired. I guessed, correctly, that he hadn’t spent a majority of the last 24 hours before his event stuffing goodie bags. He had time and energy to chat with me, while receiving kudos from attendees and spectators alike. He wasn’t producing an event, but rather holding court in a throne room of his own making, and didn’t mention a single thing to me about how he put the event together, scheduling, planning, ephemera production or sponsor relations. He didn’t have to. The lesson was writ large on the red carpet on Mason Street. Martin wasn’t fretting over where the porta potties were placed. That time was long past, and had been delegated off to someone else. With just a couple of hours left until his event started, he was calm, cool and doing what Martin did best: being the figurehead of the event. And that made a difference.

I left Nob Hill vowing to channel my inner Martin Swig in the scant 24 hours before my next event. Normally I was the one fretting porta potties, but I took Martin’s lesson to heart, backing up my pre-production schedule by flying in a day earlier to give myself more time to get everything in place. I changed the type of ephemera I produce for the show, and have it all finished further in advance. I reached deep into my moth-ridden pocketbook and came up with the funds to hire folks to take care of the details, freeing me up to do what I do best – being the host of the party.

I can now focus on the “show” part of the car show business. Freeing up the 24 hours before the start of a Concours d’Lemons has made the entire production better. I arrive at the show more relaxed; ready to tell terrible jokes to an overly appreciative crowd. I’ve been able to fine tune the public perception that no one is really scrambling that hard at the event, when in fact the opposite is true. More work goes into making it look like no one is working; like it is an organic happening.

All of this leaves the day before the show to relax and look for the rainbow before me. What a difference a day makes.

“...the day before the show, panic started to well up as I hurriedly called the customer service line.”

Photos by Joshua Sweeney-Shoot For Details and Alan Galbraith

The Chief Judge

John Carlson has served as a chief class judge at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance for over 30 years, as well as a permanent chief judge at the Hilton Head Concours, Arizona Concours, Cobble Beach Concours, Crescent Beach Concours, Vintage Car Club of Canada and the NAACC. He serves on the Steering Committee of America's Automotive Trust.

My experience with judging started when I was restoring my first car back in the early 1970s. My goal was to restore the vehicle to 100% factory original condition, and compete with it in international competition. Everyone I spoke with had a different idea as to what parts and finish were correct. I thought that if I became a judge, I could hopefully learn what was correct for the vehicle, and be able to get up close to some great cars. My intention was to learn as much as I could about correctness and authenticity, and to meet some of the most knowledgeable people in the hobby.

After I marque judged with the Model-A Ford Club of America for a couple of years, I quickly realized that there was far more to learn than I’d anticipated. Using the judging guides provided by the organization was only part of the process. There was another new world of concours judging that not only took correctness into account, but also elegance or presence, historical significance and provenance. These components, coupled with authenticity and correctness, were the key to the winner’s circle.

I applied to judge at several concours and was accepted based on my previous judging experience. I quickly realized that many concours, back in the day, were not judged on a level playing field.

In the meantime, I’d completed the restoration of a 1929 Model-A Ford. Every part was correct, including every nut and bolt. Because of my attention to detail and what I’d learned by judging, the car went on to become an (ISCA) International Show Car Association National Champion, competing for three consecutive years. It was shown from California to Washington in 60 shows, winning its class in every show.

My previous experience as a judge allowed me to anticipate what the judges would be looking for as an exhibitor. It also made me understand that keeping my mouth shut and only offering the appropriate amount of information was very important. Often, a very accomplished judge will simply ask an owner to tell them about their vehicle’s color scheme, or ask them about some component as the judge would like to know if it is correct. Most owners are very honest, and are proud that the color of the car was derived from their wife’s favorite lipstick color, or that they thought a particular component enhanced the look of the car, when in fact these were incorrect for the car. When a very seasoned judge is agreeing or even providing a compliment, they’re perhaps making a deduction mentally so it can be added to their score sheet after the conversation is over. Hence, knowing what or what not to say is very important.

In my quest for knowledge and having reached the pinnacle of Model-A Ford judging, I reached out in the very early 1980s and started to research “Full Classic” cars accepted by the Classic Car Club of America. I also wanted to play with race cars, and started research for something that was both highly competitive and could be raced in a fun class, based on some of my previous judging experience and what I truly liked. My choice in the classic car world was a 1939 Packard V12 Victoria convertible, and the racecar was a 1950 Cadillac-powered J2 Allard. By 1981 I owned the Allard, and by 1985 I owned the Packard.

As I showed the Packard in many concours, I quickly realized that often the ownership of the vehicle was often considered as important as the vehicle itself. That bothered me more than I can put into words. Who owns a car should have no bearing on how the vehicle places in judging on the show field. I quickly realized that to make this very unfair part of the judging hobby disappear, it had to come from within the management approach to judging. That was only possible from the top down, hence the position of chief judge came into play.

Due to my involvement with CCCA Caravans in the 1980s, I met Lorin Tryon, the co-chairman of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Lorin and his wife Dolores became good friends. We spoke about the quality of elegance and judging philosophy often, and the preparation necessary to compete at the Pebble Beach level. Eventually, Lorin asked me if I would like to judge at the Pebble Beach Concours. His premise was that the car must speak for itself, and that personalities have no influence on the winner’s outcome. For me, that was welcome news.

Lorin knew that I was unwavering in my quest for fair play coupled with correctness. The rest is history regarding my involvement at Pebble Beach. I have been judging there for over 30 years. My wife Koko and I and our two young sons displayed our 1939 Packard Vicotria at Pebble in 1989. It had just turned 50 years old. I’d learned long before as a judge that having fun and competing for trophies was an oxymoron, so I entered the car for exhibition only. We drove the car through the entrance gates at early dawn, with the boys aged 4 and 8 and their three young cousins standing in the top-down convertible backseat waving to the crowd. For me, it was a glorious statement seldom seen at Pebble. Lorin Tryon knew I would do this, and called the car up on the presentation stage anyway, ostensibly to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of the car.

I attended a number of other competitions and witnessed many injustices, and that gave me the incentive to become a chief judge, where I could control how winning placements were determined. By selecting highly qualified judges who also had a strict code of ethics, I could create the narrative. Following the lead of Pebble Beach Chief Judge Ed Gilbertson – with his permission – I choose to use his 100-point judging system that also included three extra points that could be awarded at the judges discretion. These extra points were based on Elegance/ Presence, Authenticity or Provenance. For me, this was the fairest and most accurate way to conduct concours judging. The vehicle had to be correct and at the same time it had to be elegant or have a sufficient presence. The current ownership of the vehicle, money or perceived value was taken out of the equation. Today, this type of judging is referred to as ICJAG judging. The International Chief

Judge Advisory Group is responsible for this judging approach, of which I am proud to say that I am one of the founding members. Ed Gilbertson, the past chief judge at Pebble Beach, proposed the idea of forming ICJAG to a small group of four seasoned judges, Bob Devlin, Nigel Mathews, Richard Carlson and myself in 2015, and the rest is history.

A chief judge has many responsibilities. For most concours in North America they choose the judging format, select the judges, arrange the judging meetings and examine every car in every class to insure the correct cars are in the class. They correspond with each judging team to provide leadership, and they are the sounding board for participants once the show is over. In my opinion, the chief judge is the voice of the judges when dealing with the show administration. They set the guidelines and interact with the presentation schedule of the show. They are responsible for the tabulation of final scores and getting the awards presentation winners to the master of ceremonies on time. The judging and its organization has a huge influence on the timeline of the concours. Some concours chose to have separate committees to do all of this work. If the concours is extremely well-versed in judging protocol, this works. However, if they do not have a full and complete understanding, this approach leads to many breakdowns in communication and long, drawn-out awards presentations.

Over the years, I would hope that my efforts as a chief judge have made a difference. I’d hope that I have gained the reputation of being fair and placing the participant first. I've also developed a very loyal group of well over 100 judges from across North America and Europe who join me each year at major concours such as the Cobble Beach Concours in Ontario, Canada, and the Hilton Hiton Head Concours in South Carolina, to provide a fair judging approach to a glorious hobby.

My advice to anyone restoring a vehicle today is to join a marque club that specializes in what they are restoring. Hearsay, rumor and unsubstantiated suggestions are the kiss-of-death for what is actually correct and authentic on any restoration. The use of judging guidelines provided by marque clubs is partly the answer to achieving success on the showfield. Preparation is the second part of the equation. In my opinion, having a vehicle judged in a marque setting and becoming a judge for that marque organization – as I did – gives you a huge advantage in achieving success.

By becoming a judge, I was able to truly appreciate the authenticity and correctness of a vehicle and was given the opportunity to meet like-minded enthusiasts. Many lifetime friendships have been formed by getting involved with judging. In summary, remember that the only person who cares if you win a trophy is you, and the only person who will remember that you won a trophy is you. If you really need a trophy, go buy one and put anything you want on it, and save yourself many tens of thousands of dollars. The real prize for any concours is being on the showfield and having lots of fun.

“I quickly realized that to make this very unfair part of the judging hobby disappear, it had to come from within the management approach to judging.”

The Exhibitor

Dennis Garrity is an attorney and owner of Event USA in Northeastern Wisconsin. In addition, he's a passionate collector of European motorcars who has shown cars at the most prestigious concours events around the world. His photos and writing have appeared in many magazines and books, and he is also an IAC/PFA Ferrari judge for the Cavallino Classic in the USA and Italy, and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

As a young lad growing up in northeastern Wisconsin, the idea of someday owning rare vintage cars that would be presented at the top concours events around the world was very far from my mind, indeed. I had a passion for sports cars, but gravitated more towards European versions rather than my young friends who were enamored with Mustangs, Camaros and American muscle. Rather, I dreamed of such cars as Lamborghini, Maserati and the ultimate…Ferrari.

Being married at a young age with a child while attending college and working full-time on the side left little time for car guy stuff. But I managed to acquire, repair, enjoy and sell such machines as Triumph Spitfires and GT6s, MG Midgets and MGBs, Fiat X1/9s, Porsche 914s and even a Jaguar E-Type before going off to graduate school and getting my JD in Law.

After advancing a career and building a business, I rekindled my love of European sports cars. A modest goal was someday to just get into a major show in the USA. What an honor it would be to get invited to an event like the Meadowbrook, Amelia, Cavallino or – the ultimate – Pebble Beach.

Flash forward 20 years, and I’ve somehow managed to participate in virtually every top concours around the world, winning multiple awards. Among the long list: Amelia, Cavallino, Pebble Beach, The Quail, Greenbrier, Greenwich, and European events such as Villa d’Este (only 50 cars accepted), the Suisse Concours, Chantilly, Salon Prive and Hampton Court. Along the way, I’ve acquired some great friends among the finest automotive authorities around the world. To transport, present and operate your precious and flawless vintage motor cars in such places as Switzerland, Italy, France and England, grants one the opportunity of melding with the magnificence and culture of those wondrous parts of the globe.

Many ask what it feels like to show a rare automobile at these elite events. Candidly speaking, when I first began that process, it was daunting. Visualize this: you are a relatively obscure, not particularly well-financed person from Wisconsin, going against multi-millionaire or even billionaire collectors of the finest automobiles from all corners of the world. Side-by-side, you have managed to be on the same field with them and you are wondering what the heck you are doing there.

My first attempts at showing my cars were naive, but you learn step-by-step, and you gain confidence, harvesting experience along the way. Disappointments give way to resolve. Like the Phoenix, you rise from the ashes, and ultimately obtain some measure of success and satisfaction.

OPENROAD 27

Photos by Kimball Studios/ Pebble Beach Concours

Acquiring, restoring and presenting rare vehicles is a very intense pastime. Showing at top events requires extreme preparation, knowledge of your vehicle, and the ability to convey its virtues to judges who are among the most preeminent automotive authorities on earth.

You never get over the anxiety of having distinguished judges crawling all over your car at a place like Pebble Beach or Cavallino Classic, scrutinizing for the slightest imperfection.

Time with the judges “on the grass“ varies from event to event. At many, each car is allotted only about 20 minutes. Visualize yourself going to graduate school for a high-level degree, whether in medicine or law or astrophysics. You’ve put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into working toward that goal and it all comes down to 20 minutes with three people who are going to evaluate what you’ve done, compare you to your contemporaries, and decide whether you pass the muster or not. That is palpable stress.

The nine most prestigious car shows in the world are part of a group known as the “Best of the Best“: The Quail, Amelia, Cavallino Classic and Pebble Beach, plus these in Europe: Hampton Court, Salon Prive, Chantilly, Goodwood and Villa d’Este. An early goal I set was to be accepted and recognized at each of these preeminent events. Having made eight, now I am gratefully on the cusp of doing so.

My personal approach is to delve into each of the rare automobiles that I have acquired and learn every facet of them. Research, research and research some more to learn everything there is and to be in a position to prove that everything I’ve done has rendered the car as completely authentic as humanly possible. Document everything for your “war book.”

A recent project of mine involved acquiring and restoring a completely unique 1952 Ferrari 212 Inter Coupe Speciale bodied by Carrozzeria Ghia. Ferrari proudly unveiled the car on its stand at the Paris Motor Salon in October 1952. The vehicle was specifically designed and created for that very occasion. It was the first and only Ferrari ever created of that style. A pristine and singular rolling work of art. One particularly enthralled attendee was none other than President Juan Domingo Peron of Argentina, who had just recently lost his beloved wife to cancer. She was the ubiquitous and charismatic Eva Peron (aka “Evita”), whose life later became the subject of the award-winning Broadway musical of that name.

Peron was immediately smitten with the car and struck a deal with Enzo Ferrari to acquire it. It became his pride and joy and a large part of his image in Argentina. However, after he was ousted from power and fled the country, the car fell into disrepair. It ultimately was rescued in the late 1980’s and brought to Germany, where an aggressive attempt was made to restore it to originality. That valiant effort, which drove its then owner into bankruptcy at the expense, did not completely hit the mark.

Upon acquiring the vehicle five years ago, I embarked on a 4 1/2-year journey of comprehensive restoration, including research covering three continents. I was fortunate to work with the finest Ferrari restorer in the world, David Carte in Virginia. We worked in tandem, fired by a communal passion to bring that car back

to precisely as presented in its virginal appearance in Paris in 1952. We wanted to make sure we accurately captured the essence of a vehicle that so captivated one of the most famous political leaders of his time, Juan Peron. Our efforts were unveiled at the Cavallino Classic in Palm Beach, Florida in January 2024. The vehicle received significant acclaim and ultimately was chosen the Best of Show Granturismo from a field of 150 Ferraris. It was also awarded the Finest GT trophy the next day at the all-marquee Cavallino companion, The Concours at Mar-a-Lago.

In the last few decades, I have been involved in virtually every facet of the vintage motorcar hobby, from research to restoration, from writing and photographing, and in judging. However, the greatest satisfaction of all has been searching out unique, fascinating, historic and rare European motorcars, and making sure that they are impeccably presented and documented on the lawns of the quintessential events throughout the United States and Europe.

There is no profit in this pursuit. You do it for the fun and the challenge. At the car events that I compete in, I am a veritable minnow swimming in a sea of sharks. You derive satisfaction just being in that arena, and hopefully receive peer recognition for your efforts.

Most everyone has their goals in life on varying levels. Some climb Mount Everest, some buy sailboats and traverse the globe, some win the tournament at their local golf club. My own passion has focused on acquiring rare and sublimely elegant historic motorcars, and displaying those side-by-side with others of the greatest vehicles in the world, among colleagues who I have grown to admire, who have become treasured friends. I will forge ahead until my twilight years. No sitting around in a rocker on the porch. You must pursue your zest for conquest, adventure, accomplishment. That is the way it should be until the very end.

“Like the Phoenix, you rise from the ashes, and ultimately obtain some measure of success and satisfaction”.

Photos by Peter Singhof

The Restorer

Jason Wenig is the owner of The Creative Workshop, a Pebble Beach-award winning restoration shop in Dania Beach, Florida, and an AAT Master Craftsman Emeritus. In 2022 he co-founded Miami’s Motorcar Cavalcade Concours d’Elegance to bring a celebrity-packed celebration of automobiles and car culture to southern Florida each February.

Iguess I’m an adrenalin junkie, whether I realize it or not. I hunt for things that most people run away from. For years, when I was done finishing a project, and we unveiled it at an event like an Amelia Island or a Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, my wife knew to keep away from me for a week or so because without the intensity of finishing the car on a deadline and getting it on that field, I became grouchy. Listless. Without that singular purpose and direction, suddenly you come back to long-term thinking and planning, with nothing that really needs to get done that minute, and that lack of urgency creates depression.

I don’t suffer from that as much anymore, because part of it was just youthful exuberance when I was just starting out. The pressure of never missing a deadline, of making sure the car is perfect, of winning that award. Not on behalf of the customer, but on behalf of us. We have been building the finest cars on the planet for 20 years. Now, with plenty of those under my belt and a lot more control of my environment, I am better at managing my influx of adrenaline at those moments. But just when I got control of it from a car-building perspective, I jumped into the world of concours administration, and it was all reintroduced to me, all fresh again! It’s a dog-chasing-its-tail scenario for me.

There are friends of my wife who came to the concours, and they look at it and say ‘Jason, what a wonderful event. We had a great time.’ But what they’ll never understand is what a Pebble Beach concours-level, top forensic restoration is. It’s akin to being an art historian. They think I’m tuning Mustangs, so they have no idea. But what they don’t get – and I don’t try to explain to them – is the politics and the pressure of what’s going on. Your entire name, your entire reputation is at stake. Twenty-plus years of building this restoration shop could be destroyed in a month.

Just to get invited to Pebble is the first award. To win a class award, it shows who you are. But it takes an entire career to attract or cultivate a customer who brings you a car that can win you Best in Show. And I don’t care to do that. I’d rather build cars with people I love than pursue that rather futile award. If it comes, it comes, but I’m not fighting for that.

There are different types of car owners. Some have no desire or experience with car shows, while others are what we call “trophy hounds.” Their sole purpose is to acquire cars and restore them for events. There are owners who will hunt for cars specifically to get them into those events, with some of the more dramatic examples like the London-to-Brighton Run (for pre-1905 cars only) or the Mille Miglia (1950’s Italian road race re-creation) that need a very specific kind of car

to get you an invitation. Without it, you aren’t getting in. But with something like Pebble or other events, all of them have personalities. Pebble is certainly the Grand Classic with the rarest of the rare, whereas Amelia Island has always had more of a sportscar and racing type of focus and a bit more free-wheeled, especially during the Bill Warner era. You can figure out the personality of the event, and depending on whether the owner knows if they want to show the car or not, you can then as a restorer direct them. If they want to show the car, you now know what you’re doing and you have a deadline in place. If they don’t yet know, it might never come up until the car is nearly done.

Now, when that car is done, I have to understand the personality of the owner. Is he intense, is he more detail-oriented, is he fun-loving? Is he more of a family person and does he want to share the car with his family? Is this the car he met his wife in, that he raised his kids in? Well, I’m going to find an event for him – without even bringing it up – that is very friendly to that sort of ownership experience.

Maybe it’s got a great rally, or maybe it’s a multi-day event, or maybe it’s in a great part of the country. Even if the owner doesn’t like shows or awards, they should go because it’s a wonderful way to share your car and your story, and a way for your family to come together at a venue instead of trying to get them all to sit down to dinner. All these possibilities come into play when I understand the car, the owner, and the personality of both.

Now, you don’t just have a car and go to Pebble Beach. It has to be worthy of going to Pebble Beach. That creates a much more complicated equation, because over the last 10-15 years with the proliferation of concours and car show events everywhere, standards by which cars are accepted to concours shows has dropped significantly, with only Pebble Beach and a scant few others keeping the bar at the highest level. Meaning, a true concours event – as opposed to a car show, or a Friday night Drive-In gathering, or even a Cars and Coffee which basically welcomes any car that shows up – where the concours show field is curated with a selection committee, theoretically should always be rare, exotic, rarely-seen cars with great provenance or story. If you submitted a Jaguar E-Type to a concours in the old days you would never get in, because as beautiful as it is, it’s still a production car. Nowadays, with so many events and so many organizers hunting for volume and trying to get cars and people in, concours car events have really become car shows. As long as they are beautifully prepared cars they are allowed, and the breadth with which people can show cars has increased significantly. That also allows us as restorers, for better or worse, to have more of our client’s cars potentially go to concours because they might very well get accepted.

Clients sometimes come to us and have always wanted to go to an event, but they may not have a car that can get invited. In which case I might tap into someone who is a car hunter, or find a car myself for this particular collector to give him a better chance to get in. But in many instances, the organizers of events, the Chief Judge or the Executive Director, contact me and ask if anyone from my stable of clients has anything they’d like to bring. And I will ask, ‘What are you looking for? What is your featured marque this year, and where are there gaps in your field?’ Because if you tell me what you need, I can narrow that hunt down for you. The community, from all angles, discusses these cars in various formats to create the funnel – from the broad

opening to the drip that comes out the bottom spigot – to what ultimately ends up on the show field.

Certainly, there are clients who have years of experience in the concours world and are savvy and self-sufficient, but may still want us to handle things for them. Like “Grandparent Rules;” we take care of all the “stress” and they just enjoy the event. But this again depends on the event and the client. The most dramatic example on one side would be Pebble Beach. The conversation starts from the day we submit the car to the Pebble Beach committee, and it starts by me telling the owner, ‘There is no chance you’re getting in, so don’t even worry about it.’ Unless the car is truly that significant, that’s a different case, but if it’s anything on the borderline, you have to start with an education. You have to understand how many people submit and how rare and exotic every car is that’s going to end up on that field. Your car is a wonderful car and they know who we are and the quality that we build, but there will be a lot of cars competing for that slot, so start by understanding that you probably won’t get in.

And if you do get in, you just won your first major victory. You should be extraordinarily proud and excited to even have your car accepted. And then it goes from there, providing you get the car on the show field, which of course we do. Do not expect to win an award. You are here, enjoy every single minute. Be present. Be in the moment. Understand you are on the biggest field you can possibly be on, like being a film producer at the Oscars. Just revel in it. But if you go into this thinking you are going to win an award, and if you don’t it’s going to ruin your day, then don’t do it.

I tell this to every single client, no matter how significant their car is, because I want them to enjoy the day. There is also a psychological trick here, because if there’s no way you’re going to win, what if you do win something? How wonderful, how magical a moment that really is! And I want people crying on that field. I want them to truly appreciate the joy that car can bring to you. It’s not politics, its not money, its not ego. It’s purely the joy of the automobile.

“What they don’t get – and I don’t try to explain to them – is the politics and the pressure of what’s going on.”

The Rookie Judge

Alex Dart is a sixteen-year-old from Florida who judged his first concours at the Motorcar Cavalcade in Miami this past February.

The sun was casting a warm glow over the array of Porsches lined up for judgment, and I found myself in a world where passion for these magnificent cars was put on display. As a junior judge with limited experience in the world of Porsches, I embarked on a unique journey of discovery with my fellow judges at the Motorcar Cavalcade Concours d’Elegance in Miami. We deviated from the conventional approach to judging cars and looked more into the stories behind each car and the love poured into each vehicle.

Our task seemed straightforward: judge and rank seven extraordinary Porsches, each with its own tale and distinctive features. Among them, a 964 Turbo S Leichtbau, an 80’s 911 Targa, a newer Speedster, a 911 GT3, a 2024 GT4 Cabriolet, a Carrera GT, and a 928 4S. Unlike most judges who might emphasize technical specifications or performance, my judging partner and I sought to unravel the stories behind these machines. We engaged with the owners, delving into each car’s history and unique attributes. Conversations became a window into the owner’s passion; a crucial element we believed should weigh heavily in our decision.

First an explanation: The Motorcar Cavalcade is a unique event that attempts to combine both modern and vintage collector vehicles in the same classes. It accomplishes this by constructing classes named for abstract design elements or qualities – Lights, Mirrors, Sound, Aero, Doors – all in an attempt to deescalate the tension of traditional concours judging and move away from technical perfection and towards perceived emotion.

The 964 Turbo S Leichtbau had a history that stretched from Japan to Italy, where it was acquired by its current owner, who passionately and meticulously preserved its condition with the utmost care. The 928 carried not only the weight of its sleek design but also the memories of countless family drives –racking up over 150,000 miles – a testament to the owner's enduring love affair with the road. Then there was the 911 GT3, a symbol of performance, but we couldn't ignore the fact that passion often lurks in the details. The 2024 GT4 Cabriolet, a newcomer, exuded a freshness that hinted at a promising future, but we couldn't overlook the rich history and stewardship woven into the fabric of the other contenders. The Carrera GT, a crowd favorite and an embodiment of Porsche's engineering prowess, almost claimed the top spot in the eyes of many. However, our unconventional approach led us to a different conclusion. We felt compelled to recognize not just the performance pedigree but the individuality and passionate ownership that set a car apart from an essentially new vehicle.

Our decision placed the aluminum-bodied 964 Turbo S Leichtbau at the pinnacle as it represented to us the highest point of development for the classic air-cooled 911.

Second was the impeccably-kept, green-metallic 911 Targa, a car that rode the ups and downs of fashion through its lifespan. Lastly, and perhaps most surprisingly, we chose the 928 S4 for third place. The owner's commitment was evident in the high miles clocked, a testament not only to the car's endurance but also to the symbiotic relationship between man and machine. Adorned with a Martini livery, it stood out not just as a car but as a canvas painted with the owner's passion.

In our journey through Porsches that day, I learned that judging goes beyond the glossy exteriors and powerful engines. It's about the connection forged between an enthusiast and their machine, the stories etched into every curve, and the miles that speak of adventures lived.

In the world of Porsches, where precision meets passion, our judging experience became a celebration of individuality, a testament to the fact that each car, like its owner, has a story worth telling. We might not have delved into technical intricacies, but we embraced a philosophy that placed passion on a pedestal. The result was a ranking that celebrated the unique stories of each Porsche, proving that sometimes the road less traveled leads to the most rewarding destinations.

MICHAEL HOLMES

Holmes Electric, Kent, WA

My First Car

My first “car” was a Hugger Orange 1969 Chevrolet Camaro toy promo model. My grandfather on my mother’s side was a Chevrolet dealer in Renton, Washington. As coveted as those models have now become, they were toys for tots back then. I wish I still had that car. I was one of four cousins, so it was likely destroyed by one of us.

My grandfather liked cars, but it was more of a business for him. My dad and I loved cars, and because of the dealership my mother briefly had something with a dealer plate on it every few months until the business was sold in 1972. I remember lots of stories about big-block convertibles. I wish Grandpa could have loved one just enough to set it aside for his grandson!

On my father’s side, grandpa Holmes started an electrical business with the Richards family in 1945. Dad followed in his footsteps, and I soon ended up being inspired to join them. I started sweeping the floors and washing vans on the weekends at 14. The trucks needed to be moved around the yard to be washed. It gave me and some of my school buddies the chance to drive them. We all dreamed of one day getting those vehicles out of the yard to experience the open road.

I asked Dad to help me buy a 1970 ½ Camaro. He told me when I earned the money, I could have one. I had the money a year later, but he would not let me have “a car that could kill me.” That lit a fire for Camaros that has never been extinguished.

At 16, my dad brought home a retired but not completely tired 1964 Chevrolet Carryall for Christmas. It was at that moment my restoration career was born. The first stop was Shucks Auto Supply for a box of sandpaper and a gallon of Bondo. The garage floor was covered in blue dust for months until she was ready to visit Miracle Auto Paint for a new coat of blue. My buddy’s mother was a seamstress and was willing to reupholster the late model van seats we found with three bolts of blue crushed velvet fabric. The couch in the back came from a Boeing surplus outlet. Wood paneling, sunroof, portholes, shag carpet, loud stereo in an overhead console and some new white six-lug wheels finished off our new party wagon. There is not room here to tell you all the adventures we had in that Carryall.

Next up were many Corvette and Camaro restorations, street rods, restomods, race cars and then exotics. The community of craftspeople, parts suppliers and fellow hobbyists have made the journey worth every busted knuckle. I cannot be more grateful for the help I received and the talent I’ve been blessed to witness.

My favorite car? That’s easy. A 1969 RS Z-28 Camaro originally sold from my grandfather’s dealership. I found it in tough shape, but I brought it back to life. Not Hugger Orange like the little model I played with as a kid. More like me today I guess… silver with a couple of racing stripes.

The Mathematics of Style: Fabrizio Giugiaro's Approach to Car Design

by Giovanni William Guidi

In the bedroom suburbs of Italy’s automotive manufacturing capital, Turin, lays the small town of Moncalieri and the automotive design center of GFG Style. Founded by legendary car stylist Giorgetto Giugiaro – one of the maestros of the automotive form – the company is now headed by his son Fabrizio, who carries on the firm’s tradition of cutting-edge industrial design. With almost 300 production models and more than 200 research prototypes under their belt, the Giugiaro family is a powerhouse in automotive design. OpenRoad had exclusive access to peer inside their doors and interview the scion of this Italian design house that's shaped automotive history.

Fabrizio Giugiaro is a prominent figure among automotive designers. His father, Giorgetto, revolutionized the industry with legendary cars such as the Maserati Ghibli, the DMC DeLorean and the Lotus Esprit, but also more proletariat vehicles such as the Fiat Panda and the Volkswagen Golf. Fabrizio, who graduated in architecture at the Polytechnic University of Turin in the 1980s, worked with his father during his free time before officially joining his company Italdesign in 1996. Together they’ve penned countless prototypes, and have since branched off into architecture, interior design, and the railway industry with two more companies, Giugiaro Design and Giugiaro Architettura. In 2015, Italdesign gave way to GFG Style as a pure car-design center.

Umberto Giorio is the head of communications and business for both GFG Style and Giugiaro Architettura. He met me at their main hall, which serves as an encyclopedia of 60 years of automotive history. Just beyond the entrance sat a 1965 Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint and a 1992 BMW Nazca C2 placed in welcoming fashion. These are Giorgetto and Fabrizio’s first-ever produced cars, respectively. All around them stood rows of Giugiaro-designed Alfa Romeos, Maseratis, Fiats, Fords, Bizzarrinis, Corvettes – the breathtaking legacy of this father and son team.

The Nazca C2’s uniqueness is apparent from the get-go. Designed as a followup to his father’s 1991 BMW Nazca M12, it was the first of three proposals drawn by Fabrizio representing a collaboration between BMW and Italdesign. Its carbon fiber body stands 43.5 inches tall and weighs barely 2,300lbs. Tested in BMW’s wind tunnel, this slick model has a drag coefficient of Cd=0.26, an astounding feat. “Now it’s almost conventional, everybody wants carbon fiber,” Umberto said while opening the driver’s door (the window lifts separately!) to display the interior, “but in 1992 it was pretty uncommon. Go figure. Did you see the V12?” he said, pointing to the glass engine cover in the rear. The powerful motor was created involving BMW-tuner Alpina in the project, who enhanced the horsepower from 295 to around 350. The Nazca C2 is a testament to the design philosophy Fabrizio would illuminate throughout our conversation.

The Art of Substance

Fabrizio comes from a long line of artists, beginning with his great-grandfather. When asked, “What’s the connection with art and design in your family?” he chuckled amicably, acknowledging his famous father’s influence.

“It was my dad who wanted me to get into art first. That’s why I attended an artistic high school, and only after I joined the school of architecture in Turin. I wanted to get into cars right from the start. While for my dad the process of calling in automotive design was a little more incidental, I found myself drawing cars in between my art projects. He’d see them, and always tell me, ‘Don’t do that, draw faces, draw bodies. Drawing cars is easy,’ his reasoning being that if I studied the fundamentals first, then I could design anything I wanted later in life. Turns out he was right, since now we have also branched off into other fields.

“There’s no denying that you definitely need an education and creativity to design cars, but let me tell you, the actual process of designing cars is far from artistic. My dad’s method, as a young designer at Fiat in his early days, was drawing a concept on a sheet of paper, then adding another sheet, drawing over it, then another, then another. He always said that there’s no genius in it, but rather an analysis of what he had already done. It’s mathematics.

“What I learned from working with him ever since I was 15 is that you can’t spend days on a single drawing. Even your roughest sketch is already on paper, grounded in reality; it’s already mathematical. What’s artistic about that? You need to finish it, see if the concept works. Do the windows lower? Are the wheels where they’re supposed to be? Our style center, which doesn’t rely on having a huge number of designers at any given time, works just like that. We skip the art and get to the object right away.”

A bubble-bursting statement that begged for more information. While the conversation shifted to the practice of building prototypes, Fabrizio added a few pieces to the puzzle.

“We never had the idea of making any object for the specific purpose of suiting market research, unlike you’d see in other places. In this aspect I feel we swim against the current. Our problem today is rooted in the marketing approach. Marketing gives you answers about the present. I’m baffled when I see certain cars that come out today, because they’re already old in my eyes. That’s why our real skill comes from being involved in the future; in cars that we make a reality today, but that will come out in three years. Back in my father’s day, engineers were the real problem since he had to work hard to fit their specifications. Nowadays, the marketing approach is the designer’s nightmare. I see cars that come from a marketing approach all the time unfortunately, but the flip side is that I can also spot right away those who have gone against the marketing ethos.”

Italian Style, American Muscle

One prominent feature of GFG Style’s design work is the ability to seamlessly combine future with past, new with old, original with tried-and-true. For instance, their 2006 Mustang design came with both mirrors and rearview cameras. The side profile was elegant, with the rear side-windows modeled with a louvered effect. The squared-off dual exhausts and full glass roof might have looked futuristic on their own accord, yet the model oozed Mustang from every side, while being unmistakably Giugiaro. In Fabrizio’s words:

“For the Mustang, it came down to J Mays, VP of Design at Ford at the time, who I was friends with. Around 20 years ago I told him I wanted to try my hand at designing a Mustang, and he gladly gave me the opportunity to do so. We wanted to show that even we Italians could make a proper Mustang. The end result felt 100% American, from the 1964 Mustang-inspired taillights climbing over the rear into the bodywork, the grille full of Mustang logos and the leather interior. Albeit, during a day in Las Vegas we rode it around a track, and I looked at it from the side and suddenly realized it was half a meter too short! Regardless, driving it around the States, I never once got asked where the design came from.”

Fabrizio and his father also worked with Chevrolet for another unique Giugiaro take on a classic design, the 2003 Italdesign Moray Corvette. Designed to celebrate Corvette’s 50th anniversary, it never left the conceptual stage. The Moray first

Mustang

peared at the Geneva Motor Show in 2003, with a unique look that still felt Corvette through-and-through. With over 400 horsepower from its Chevrolet V8 engine and a reptilian feel to its curves, the Moray dared quite a bit with the addition of clear crystal semi-dome doors that swung open like bird wings, but with vertical fender slats that were an open acknowledgement of the Stingray. At the back, rear glass treatment is reminiscent of the 1963 split-window, and the rounded taillights are nothing less than proprietary Corvette.

“About the Corvette, up until then, traditionally their cars did not have any exposed headlights. Their eyes were shut, so to speak. What we ended up doing instead was using that same space to give it a shape that to me, still to this day, is the Corvette shape. Still no conventional headlights because they fit so seamlessly into the body. The same went for the side and the rear, wto me they are unmistakably Corvette, the curves are there, the rounded rear lights. The only sort of critique we heard was the Y-shaped glass door wings, which I designed like that because I wanted to reference that older convertibles, open on the side. Those same wings gave it a unique shape which we later realized resembled a moray eel. I’ve always had a lot of fun with trying to make something new in projects that involve established and recognizable brands.”

But Fabrizio believes aesthetics are not all there is. Functionality is a great part of what makes their designs important, and it is often the most challenging part.

“My father always says that the Fiat Panda was his best work, not the Maserati or what have you. Of course your eyes are pleased to see a Bugatti or a BMW, but as a designer, the Fiat Panda is way more stimulating. When it’s a one-off like the Corvette Moray, you can find stylistic solutions that don’t consider the production process, and you have virtually limitless possibilities. This is especially true for our youngest team members in the style center, who in the beginning of their careers are really good at coming up with interesting ideas, but when we work on a production car design, good ideas are not enough. With a car that is to be massproduced, you don’t have that same creative freedom. But I suppose that’s why it’s more fun. And then you blow-off steam by designing a Bugatti.”

Fabrizio confirms his love for functional cars when talking about some of his more daring models, like the 2013 Italdesign Parcour. Commemorating Italdesign’s 45th anniversary, the car was a brave attempt at crossing a sports coupé with an SUV. Originally conceived for Lamborghini utilizing their 5.2-liter V10 engine, the concept car was then shopped to Audi and ultimately presented at the 2013 Geneva International Motor Show with Giugiaro badging. Again, Fabrizio faults niche marketing mentality for the Parcour’s poor reception. He speaks of the car with fond-

Corvette

ness, and it’s obvious he had a lot of fun designing it; he still believes the crossover concept is viable if not a bit ahead of its time. An example of this is one of their latest designs, the even-more impressive 2019 GFG Style Kangaroo, a fully-electric, hyper-SUV that looks every bit a sports car, but can crack 150mph on any terrain.

Fabrizio was candid in his thoughts towards electrified cars: “Owners of electric cars don't buy electric more than once. I've owned three Teslas because I have a certain car-centric lifestyle and I can afford it, but to me electric cars started off on the wrong foot. For us creatives, it has been an occasion to do more fun stuff – a lot more – with fewer problems. Concerning the rest of the world, it's a political game, nothing else. There's no substance in wanting to make every car electric. It’s true that the difficulties we've encountered come from the fact that petrol cars have a 120-year-old history, while electric cars have a 10-year track record. But in the coming years, everything will be getting smaller, lighter. Electric cars have a problem in their charging, but performance-wise and for driving enjoyment, they have no rivals. With the Tesla, no car can beat me at a traffic light. If you want that sort of performance you’d have to spend at least a million dollars, if not four, on a Bugatti.

“It's paradoxical because nobody really uses all that performance, and yet electric engines are responsive in a way that combustion engines aren't. And then there's the fact that you can always recapture some of the energy back with an electric engine, while you disperse all of it with a combustion one. But it's obvious that it's a forced solution to the pollution problem. If you look at the number of ships that are sailing right now, none of them are Euro 6 [Editor’s note: Euro 6 is current standard for car emissions in Europe.] and so you can't possibly think that cars are the sole reason why we have problems like these. I find electric cars to be a great opportunity; if you want to design a car that does 0-60mph in 1.5 seconds, you don't build it with a combustion engine. But, then of course you must charge it right after. The Tesla is a good car if you look for performance, and it's a great city car, but it doesn’t give you the same freedom that a combustion engine would. You can't argue with that.

Back, to the Future!

“Today we only have one combustion-engined car in the works: the Bizzarrini. In that sense, the Bizzarrini will be a revolution in that sector. Their idea is to make a new engine entirely from scratch, something that I didn't even think could happen anymore. I think that it'll shine over its competitors. A clean, 12-cylinder without any gimmicks, but it's the only project I have that's pure combustion, so to speak. We're having talks about hybrids, but the majority of commissions we have is electric.”

The Bizzarrini marks the revival of a legendary car company from the era of the elder Giugiaro. “It's a pure, high-level supercar, a two-seater with surprising er-

Parcour

Kangaroo

gonomics. Our challenge was that yes, the car has to be extreme, but anybody should be able to get in and out and drive it. I feel like we're specialists in this. In fact, even our consultants at Bizzarrini were surprised that we managed to give it a ‘how do I even get into this thing?’ look. We're completely taking care of it, as if we were their in-house stylist. You open its door and you can almost enter while standing up. It'll be a revolution in the sector. If people are willing to take a good look at it, beyond its strong shape, it's a modern Bizzarrini, an object that will make people talk about it because of its surprises. It's quite unexpected.

“Two years to see it on the road. It'll be out maybe next year, but we'll see. There's a lot of official pictures of it, but they don't give a clear vision as opposed to having the car in front of you. They're going to push the US market a lot. They also pushed the 2022 Bizzarrini 5300 GT Corsa Revival, and there's quite a few in the US now. Even for that car we did tons of sketches. A number of them came close to the final design, and so we immediately attempted to make something that wasn't completely unexpected, but that the true Bizzarrini connoisseur would’ve been able to recognize. The new one is going to be a beautiful car regardless. Those who know their history will say, ‘Man, it's really a Bizzarrini!’ Even if they were at a standstill for 60 years, the Bizzarrini brand never fully disappeared. These brands, they never really do, if they truly said something of note in the industry.”

Full circle again; what’s old is again new. Evolution, and revolution. The son becomes the father. The subtleties of the GFG Style design philosophies were becoming clear.

“Every job has such a specific layout that you can’t ‘recycle’ anything, and you don’t want to. We creatives don’t like doing it, it’s a matter of principle. Even with commissions from brands that aren’t so strong in the market, you can’t rehash something you’ve previously done. We always start from scratch, because once you finish a model, there’s a certain harmony to it, that if you were to change the slightest thing, it would be disrupted. Even with the Parcour, when that idea passed to Audi –despite it being the same prototype – we started back from square one. You can’t recycle designs, and you don’t want to.

“You will always find a corner or two that you have already seen in other models. There are, and there will always be, beautiful and original cars nonetheless. The true effort comes from figuring out what you want to do.”

Bizzarrini

RPM FOUNDATION

By Nick Ellis RPM Foundation Executive Director

Legendary GM designer Wayne Kady (left) and Ford’s Mustang Launch Leader Martin Mosakowski judged RPM student designs at the Motorcar Cavalcade in Miami.

RPM Foundation's Design Without Limits Program:

Igniting Creativity Among Future Transportation Designers

In the spirit of great industrial designers such as Harley Earl, Raymond Loewy, and Malcolm Sayer, the RPM Design Without Limits Competition posed this challenge to the next generation of conceptual innovators: imagine an internal combustion engine car crafted exclusively for the purpose of the driving experience, focusing on styling and performance, with no restrictions on fuel efficiency or aerodynamics.

The RPM Foundation joined forces with the Design and Architecture Senior High School (DASH) in Miami, one of the few secondary schools that offer an Industrial Design program to students. Instructor Maria Castillo worked with the students to guide them through the competition requirements, resulting in 13 student submissions.

Four standout designs emerged as finalists, earning the opportunity to showcase their vision at the 2024 Motorcar Cavalcade in Miami this past February. These budding designers presented their works to a panel of industry expert judges for evaluation, with Motorcar Cavalcade attendees also casting their votes for the People's Choice Award.

Among the talented finalists, the judges chose Federica Atabaki as our Grand Prize Winner, securing a $1,500 scholarship for her exceptional design. Lucia Adrianzen captured the hearts of attendees and clinched the People's Choice Award, earning a $1,000 scholarship for her innovative concept.

Additionally, Ekaterina Li and Lucas Pozzobon were recognized as runners-up, each receiving $250 scholarships for their contributions to the competition.

“The Design Without Limits program is just one of the ways the RPM Foundation works to engage the next generation in car culture,” said Nick Ellis, RPM’s executive director. “The competition not only celebrates creativity and ingenuity but also empowers aspiring designers to herald back to a time when cars were designed to be expressive and audacious. We want to do our part to ensure that the joy of driving, and the importance of car culture, is resonating with the designers of tomorrow.”

The RPM Foundation (with “RPM” being short for “Restoration, Preservation, and Mentorship”) is dedicated to ensuring that the critical skills necessary to preserve and restore collector automobiles, motorcycles, and boats are not lost. RPM provides internships, apprenticeships, and scholarships to students and organizations committed to advancing hands-on training in the automotive restoration and preservation industry. www.rpm.foundation

FUEL FOR THE FUTURE

By Gabriel Mosse, MLA, Director of Institutional Advancement AAT

Timeless: A Jaguar’s Tale

This is not your everyday Jaguar. Built in August of 1968, this elegant XJ Saloon is certified to be the first left-hand drive model purchased through regular sale. Featured in the Jaguar Journal and photographed numerous times, this car represents a historic craftsmanship we rarely find in today’s daily drivers. As with most vintage cars though, what makes it truly special is the story behind the car. Keeping any vehicle on the road for 50 years is impressive enough, but keeping it in the same family is truly remarkable. Passed down from father to son, and from the son to the LeMay – America’s Car Museum, this is the story of one the newest additions to the Museum collection generously donated by John and Mary Campbell.

In March of 1973, Capt. R.R. Campbell, USN, purchased this stately beauty in Woburn, Massachusetts. For nearly three decades – including a move to San Diego – the Campbell’s drove the Jag, watching the odometer click over 100,000 miles and loving the ride along the way. At 90,000 miles, the engine was completely rebuilt, one of many commitments the family made over the years to keep this driver’s car on the road. A registered civil engineer with a gift for electronics, Capt. Campbell kept the car well maintained over the years, and thoroughly documented his work. Even after being T-boned in 1983, the car was quickly repaired and back on the road in short order, having safely protected its driver.

In 2007, John Campbell inherited the XJ from his father, bringing it to Washington state where it now resides. Despite decades of skillful care, the years had taken their toll, and the car was completely overhauled on arrival, returning to factory-original condition. An automotive anglophile, John caught the Britcar-bug at age 13 while helping his father restore a 1959 hardtop MGA. His wife Mary carries the same passion, maintaining her father’s 1930 Rolls Royce PII Continental. Together, they’ve kept a garage of Austin Healeys and Jaguars while their modern cars live outside. Though to hear John describe it, there’s hardly a need

DONOR PROFILE: JOHN AND MARY CAMPBELL

VEHICLE: 1968 JAGUAR XJ SALOON

for those modern cars at all when you own an XJ like this. With it’s remarkable suspension, power steering, and power brakes, John describes the Jag as “cushy soft” whilst also being so easy to handle that “…you could drive it with your pinky if you wanted.” And drive it he did, turning heads along the way, as John fondly remembers the time someone merged across multiple lanes on the highway to ask, “What kind of car is that?!”

What this car is, is a testament to the impact an automobile can have on those around it – in this case, inspiring a half-century of family bonds and memories. When John and Mary began downsizing their collection, they sought a new home for this special car, and we are honored that they chose us.

If you or someone you know is seeking a new home for their collector car, consider donating it in support of our automotive heritage,

and helping to preserve these stories for the future. If it’s added to the collection at LeMay – America’s Car Museum, you’ll be eligible for an income tax deduction equal to the fair-market value of the vehicle. Even if the vehicle isn’t added to the collection, the proceeds from its sale would help to fund educational programming and exhibitions.

This is the core mission of America’s Automotive Trust: to preserve our automotive heritage, and celebrate the cars, drivers and stories that make up our car culture. On behalf of all of us at AAT, we thank you John and Mary for donating this car, and for letting us play a role in the next chapter of its story.

To learn more about the process for gifting a vehicle to us, contact Gabriel Mosse, AAT’s Director of Institutional Advancement, at 253.779.8490.

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NW Alfa Romeo Club 1

NW Ford Dealers Advertising Association 3

Omdurman LLC dba Avantia Wealth 3

Pacific Portfolio Consulting LLC 6

Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance 12

Pentera 1

Pierce County 1

P.J. Hummel & Company, Inc. 1

Plycar 4

PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. 3

Polaris Industries Inc. 1

Popskull, Inc. 3

Porsche Bellevue 1

Porsche Club of America, Pacific Northwest Region 9

Port of Tacoma 1

Prairie Foundation 2

Precision Motor Cars, Inc. 2

Prometheus Fuels 2

Puget Sound BMW Dealers 2

Rainier Pacific Foundation 3

RM Auctions Sotheby's 4

Rodda Paint Company 9

Ron & Marjorie Danz Charitable Trust 1

RPM Foundation 4

Saleen Automotive 3

Selden's Home Furnishings 5

Showcase Media 3

Simpson Investment Company 5

Sportscar Vintage Racing Association SVRA 3

Tacoma Industrial Properties 1

Tacoma Public Utilities 1

The Creative Workshop 3

The Gottfried & Mary Fuchs Foundation 9

The NB Center for American Automotive Heritage 2

The Norcliffe Foundation 1

The Richard H. Driehaus Charitable Lead Trust 2

The Russell Family Foundation 1

The Sound Factory 4

The W.J. Barney Foundation Inc. 4

Titus-Will Chevrolet/Cadillac/ Hyundai 14

Tom Douglas Restaurants 3

Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc. 1

TriArc Electric Supply, LTD 8

TubeArt Signs and Sports 1

Twenty-Seven Foundation 5

Uptown Gig Harbor 8

Valet Parking Systems 3

Washington State Auto Dealers Association 8

Weyerhaeuser Company 2

William Ewing Foundation 6

Woodward Canyon Winery 9

Worldwide Group 4

CLUB AUTO ANNUAL GIVING

Individuals

$1,200 – $9,999

David Barrett 12

Brian Baum 1

Kevin Beech 3

Dominick Celia 2

William R. Diefenbach 3

Mark Drangsholt 1

Peter Egan 1

Marvin Emerson 1

Heather Goebel 1

Lincoln Granberg 1

Bryan Jennings 1

Kenny Heng 7

Brandon & Jodi Kelly 1

Randy Kerdoon 2

Mark Lawson 1

Leslie & Ed Mattson 1

Davis Mock 5

Dante' Morelli 2

Gabriel Mosse 1

James Nafziger 5

Brad Phillips 1

Bruce & Shirley Quaintance 10

Bobby Rahal 4

Mindy Shaw 6

Ashley Shoemaker 6

Lucas Springstead 1

Jordan Uzzo 1

Nathan G. Wambold 2

Justin Wilson 1

Richard Wortley 3

Gina D. Zinn 3

Organizations

$1,200 – $9,999

Ault Electric Services LLC 1

Brass Key Custom Homes 1

Christian Bros Automotive Foundation 1

Genesco Sports Enterprises IncGSE 1

Greg D and Melanie S McFarland Foundation 6

Jonz Catering 1

Lisa Marie Couture 1

PURE Insurance 1

Sew Generously Bespoke 1

Summit Racing Equipment 3

Tacoma Rainiers 3

The Larson Automotive Group 2

INDIVIDUAL ANNUAL GIVING

Gold Level

$600 – $1,200

Donald Brink 10

Ken & Deb Hallis 9

James R. Hoerling 9

Donn & Debbie Irwin 13

Christopher Kang 7

Brian Nash 6

Tom Stow 11

Silver Level

$300 – $599

Joe Adler 1

Scott H. Anderson 7

Tinya Anderson 1

Rob & Amber Axtman 6

William H. Baarsma 11

Ed L. Barr 12

Marion & Mary Ann Bartholomew 21

George Batho 1

Steven Brown 18

Zigmond Burzycki 6

James Colwell 12

Dave Combs 8

Dennis Dochnahl 14

Bill Eldridge 13

Robert Erb 1

Peter & Jerry Ford 8

Edward C. Freutel 9

David & Angela Goldsmith 3

Ghada Hafez & Walid Hussein 7

Guy & Tammy Hall 5

William G. Hall 6

David Hawthorne 12

Bill Heather 4

James Hoerling 9

Dayton Hughes 4

Duncan Johnson 20

Jim & Cathy Kakuska 3

Kevin & Jennifer Kelley 4

Jeff Kerney 11

John & Meredith Kincl 11

Stanley Krohn 10

Roger Lewis 10

Bryan Liming 4

Terry Lockhart 15

Bart Lovely 14

John Maloney 6

Archie Matthew 10

Mark Metzger 7

Charles & Angeline Mitchel 3

Glenn Mitsui 1

David Munoz &

Winn Archam-beau-Munoz 9

Donald Nuner 5

Nancy & Tad Papineau 12

Ellen Parks 1

John Patterson 5

Michael Peck 13

Charles Pierce 9

Michael Portmann 22

Fred Rea 14

James & Joan Reece 16

Steven & Leslie Robinson 15

Brian G. Rohrback 16

Al Ruozzi 1

D'Arcy Salzmann 4

Adam Schechter 1

John & Rose Scheidt 21

Elliott Schunk 1

Merrill & Carol Severson 22

James Shepherd 20

Michael Stafford 3

Leon E. Titus 1

John & Patsy Treece 15

Reid & Sue Trummel 8

Fred Wagner 14

Nick & Andrea Weder 3

Lisette Welk 2

Matthew Winningham 6

Frank Zangar 17

Together, We Drive Forward.

America’s Automotive Trust was founded in 2016 with the vision of bringing together like-minded organizations through collaboration and shared resources to perpetuate car culture. Today, we are proud to work with LeMay – America’s Car Museum, RPM Foundation, Club Auto and our affiliate institutions of The NB Center for American Automotive Heritage and the Gilmore Car Museum to foster a strong community where all enthusiasts can thrive – from the classroom, to careers, to the open road – and to secure our automotive heritage.

AFFILIATE INSTITUTIONS: SUPPORT OF:

Providers

7 Seas Brewing

Adam's DJ Service

Alaska Airlines, Inc.

Avantia

BMW Northwest, Inc./Northwest MINI

Columbia Bank

El Gaucho

FogRose Atelier

Group 2 Automotive

Heritage Bank

Heritage Distillery

JAM GD

Karl Noakes Photography

Kodansha USA

Mitsui Creative

Nurge Media

Pacific Portfolio Consulting LLC

Porsche Bellingham

Porsche Tacoma

Prometheus Fuels

Summit Racing Equipment

TSL Automotive Specialists

TriArc Electric Supply, LTD

Visual Options

Thank you to all our current sponsors!