This is the tenth of the My Car Quest Archives Series – Concorso Italiano Revisited – 2014, a compilation of two previous postings designed to help us get through this time when events like Concorso Italiano and other Monterey Car Week events have been canceled for 2020.
It was a wonderful weekend in Monterey that August in 2014 when I drove the Bizzarrini up the coast north on Highway 1 to the Bayonet Black Horse Golf Course.
I remember it like it was just yesterday…close your eyes and imagine you are there.
Mike Gulett, Publisher
by Mike Gulett –
Originally posted on August 23, 2014
It seemed like everyone had a camera last week in Monterey County and they were all taking photos of the cool cars that were driving by, sitting on a golf course or participating in the historic races at Laguna Seca.
The photographers place themselves on strategically located corners and then wait for something worthy of a photo to drive by. I was surprised to see several people taking photos of my ’96 Porsche 911.
I was not surprised to see many people taking photos of the Bizzarrini GT 5300 as I drove to and from Concorso Italiano on Saturday. Usually I see these photos on someones Flickr album.
This year however, Cindy Meitle sent the three photos below taken by Anthony Carbone of Madwhips who said in an email to me “I was hanging out of the top of the Yellow Hertz rental Corvette!”
We were driving north on Highway 1 between Carmel and the Bayonet Black Horse Golf Course in Seaside where Concorso Italiano was held.
Sophisticated, fast and timeless.
These are the best photos I have of the Bizzarrini at speed from the outside. Thank you Anthony!
Concorso Italiano
I met Ben Brown, MD, from Sausalito, at Concorso Italiano and had a great time talking to him. A few days later he sent an email with photos (see the slide show below) and said,
I enjoyed meeting you at Concorso Italiano and photographing your gorgeous Bizzarrini, one of my all time favorite examples of stunning Italian coachwork. Attached are a few photos from Concorso including your Bizzarrini and my blue Mondial.
Check our our Biscotti and Cars website. The website includes Previews of upcoming Feature Cars, Event photos from Biscotti and Cars as well as Other Events (e.g. Pebble Beach, Allure of the Automobile at the Portland Art Museum etc.) There are also a few videos of car events like local Ferrari Owner’s Group drives.
Photos in the slide show below are by Ben Brown, MD.
Mike Clarke sent in the four photos below from Concorso Italiano.
The class winners together – Bruce Caron and I (in the Bizzarrini) are talking to the Lamborghini GT350 owner (in his car) who won Best in Show.
I am sitting between a De Tomaso Mangusta and the Lamborghini GT350
Giorgetto Giugiaro really knows how to design great cars.
I am chatting with Phil White who was first in the Maserati class with his special one-of-a-kind prototype which is parked right behind the Bizzarrini.
Alfa Romeo at Concorso Italiano
Here are more of my photos.
Originally posted on August 17, 2014
Maserati Ghibli
Early morning drive in – De Tomaso Panteras
Iso Grifo, Bizzarrini GT 5300 and Iso Rivolta GT
This Lamborghini GT350 Won Best in Show
I drove the Bizzarrini across the stage to receive the Iso & Bizzarrini Class Award and parked next to the other eight class winners while we waited for the head judges to select the Best in Show winner which turned out to be the beautiful Lamborghini GT350 parked next to me.
It was a great day with old friends, meeting new friends and, of course looking at some great cars.
The Bizzarrini’s Trophy
Thanks. Not many know how low this Bizzarrini is.
40 1/2 ” high. The one photo seems to show the roof below the belt of the fellow standing behind it and below the bottom of the side window of the car next to it. This thing is LOW.
Ken,
This photo shows the top right at my waist.
Great.
After a lifetime of special cars. Some mine but friends that pretty much covered everything else, the Bizzarrini stands out as truly exceptional.
Your photos of it being used are special. When it was purchased not only was it not on any exotic list, nobody knew what it was. But if a driver was far out in the open going fast and that Bizzarrini effortlessly slipped by with the top of the Bizzarrini barely as high as the the past drivers elbow it was a shock. This car was not shown when it was new. Even over many of the years it stayed in the same hands. Only if a frend requested its presence at some charity program was it any place except on the road often at night.
There was a time I was just pulling into the pits at a race and one of the drivers came up to the window and asked me what it was.
I got out and and offered him to check and he took off with it and the lovely stewardess that was still in it. He brought the car and stewardess right back with a thanks.
Shortly after he went out and won his race.
That was Paul Newman.
Neat car.