by Don Meluzio –
You probably read my son Derek Meluzio’s recent article about the Porsche and Ruf Automobiles at The Carlisle Import and Performance Nationals. I am going to cover the rest of the car Brands and there were many.
This Event is actually a National Meet for many of the Import Car Brands. I really enjoy the show because it covers the Brands that you typically don’t see at a Concours. It is a National Meet for Saab and Volvo. It also is a Regional for Fiat, Nissan, Opel, and Audi to name a few. They also have Kit cars and Dune Buggies!
I am a Car Guy and it doesn’t have to be a Ferrari or a Lamborghini to get me excited. I saw some cars that I hadn’t seen in quite a while, and they were exceptional examples. Take a look at this Volvo 144. It was in incredible shape and the cute little couple that owned it were just as great.
Volvo 144
Porsche wasn’t the only German Manufacturer represented, there were some really cool stock Opel GTs and one or two really cool heavily modified Opels. I actually owned an Opel GT back in the late 70s. It was a great car to drive and I thought great looking too.
Opel GT
Opel GT
Opel GT
Audi
There was a large contingent of British Cars. I loved this old MG.
MG
MG
Mini Cooper
John Cooper Works Mini
Triumphs
Triumph
They always have a great group of Dune Buggies, and these guys have a blast!
Dune Buggy
Dune Buggy
Dune Buggy
We always hang out with the Guys and Gals from the Fiat Club of Central Pa. They always have plenty of Sausages with Pasta and of course some great deserts and great friends. Five of the last six years we have shown Fiats so we have become good friends. These guys participate in some of the activities that take place at the Event, which include an Autocross, a Drifting competition, a Limbo competition, and there is a exhaust competition. Club President Brian Benson won the Limbo Competition with his Fiat X1/9 last year! We always have a great time and like I said there is so much to do each day.
Fiats
Fiat Abarth
That’s it for another year of Imports at Carlisle. Next weekend I get to do this all over again at Corvettes at Carlisle!
Let us know what you think in the Comments.
Don Meluzio has written several articles for My Car Quest over the years. He is an avid car lover and collector. He competed in the Porsche Racing Program from 1988 through 1992.
In 1989 he finished 15th in the Porsche Cup USA. In 1991 he finished 9th in the Porsche World Cup. A top 15 finish earned a trip to Stuttgart, where at the Porsche Cup Banquet Professor Porsche presented him with his cash award and a gift. During this time he had already acquired the Porsche 901 Prototype.
He is the president of the Iso & Bizzarrini Owner’s Club and lives in Pennsylvania USA.
The 1st time I met Don I was driving my Bizzarrini into the Philadelphia Auto show whare it had been invited.
Don had sprinted down the street to see what I think was his first real Bizzarrini other than only a picture.
After that Don proceeded with his special intensity and skill and purchased his white Bizzarrini and then one of the only 3 Bizzarrini spyders.
The blue one that I knew as the Turnley family car which was the only one I had seen on the lawn at Pebble Beach . The Turnleys had that car go to the Blackhawk collection. I tried to buy it after it left that collection but could not find it and was misinformed that it had gone back to Europe.
Since that time long ago I have seen Don’s cars at the best of the East Coast shows including Radnor Hunt and again at Pebble Beach. All expertly presented.
Don has done a lot for the collector intrest. Especially his exceptional search for the credibility of his very first Porsche 911 and the concours level presentation the Bizzarrini always deserved.
Thanks Don.
Thanks Ken. Yes, you were my motivation to find and buy a Bizzarrini! And your STORY, buying it when you got out of College, and owning it for all of those years was just too cool. Since New Hope Auto Show is cancelled, I won’t see you until next year. Take care , and thanks for your kind words. Don
The workmanship on the Opel GT (the one with yellow wheels) is among the best I’ve seen on a privately owned car (to distinguish between a car modified for a company for promotion) Too bad we can’t see those skills on a re-do of a more available car? If you find out who did the work please publish it. Thanks
Don:
I would like to get in touch with you about my Abarth 1000 gt I am restoring. I have provided my e-mail address to the moderator of this site. Would you mind contacting me by e-mail.
thanks
scott