On June 1 and 2, the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance marked its 24th anniversary. The annual celebration of automobiles and motorcycles is one of the premier concourse events in the country.
The two-day event kicked off Saturday with displays of American Cars and motorcycles.
Among those in attendance were Mia Doran and Lew Bednarczuk of Classic Motorcars out of Holliston, MA.
Mr. Bednarczuk had some good advice for those looking to purchase a collectible car.
“Anyone who thinks they can buy an old car, restore it and sell it at a profit should be very cautious,” he said. “It will generally cost 20-30% of the purchase price to get the car correct mechanically, which quickly eats away at potential profit.”
Bednarczuk said collector cars have doubled or tripled in value in the past couple of years.
“When there is doubt in the stock market, people come back to cars,” he said. “They feel a really high grade collectible car will not lose value. They see it as a more stable investment.”
On the other hand, Bednarczuk said, “For someone who wants their first old car, they should really focus on something they really love and not focus on profit and value down the road. They should just enjoy the car. These cars want to be driven!”
“You can’t drive your stocks or your artwork.” – Lew Bednarczuk of Classic Motorcars
Among the vendors at the Concours d’Elegance was a unique company called CarCapsule who specialize in indoor and outdoor storage of collectible cars and motorcycles.
The capsules are inflatable “bubbles” that keep motorcycles or vehicles dry by preventing condensation. The internal air changes 3 to 4 times an hour. This keeps the temperature inside consistent while eliminating any moisture from condensing on the vehicle. The idea is to help owners of collectible cars and motorcycles can protect their investment.
Another company, Epoxy20X, offers garage floors twenty times stronger than epoxy. The floors usually take just a day to install and are available in different patterns, colors and textures. The durable non-slip floors are easy-to-clean and won’t chip or peel, in addition to being weather, oil and road salt resistance.
More information on the results of the Bonhams auction and the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance are available online.
See also:
Mint Condition 1935 Cos Cob Fire Truck Will Have Place of Honor at Greenwich Concours d’Elegance
1949 Chrysler Town and Country. The year 1949 marked Chrysler’s 25th anniversary and the firm introduced its all-new post-war models in March of that year. Included was an equally new Town and Country model. Adorned with white ash and faux mahogany inserts, it was the only wood-bodied convertible available that year. Power came from a 135-horsepower, 323.5 cubic-inch “Spitfire” straight eight mated to a “Prestomatic” four-speed semi-automatic transmission. Photo: Leslie Yager
1911 Hupmobile 20 Roadster. The 1911 Hupmobile made records not long after it left the factory floor as it traversed 48,600 miles and 26 countries in 18 months, by far one of the longest journeys to date.The car was a standard open touring car without any special equipment. It managed to make the journey with very few breakdowns, the most serious being a broken rear axle shaft. June 1, 2019. Photo: Leslie Yager
1958 Chevrolet Impala. The Impala name was first used on a 1956 Motorama show car that bore Corvette-like design cures. The 1958 production Impala was introduced as top-of-the-line Bel Air hardtops and convertibles. From the windshield pillar rearward,the Impala differed structurally from the lower-priced Chevrolet models. Hardtops had a slightly shorter greenhouse and longer rear deck. A total of 55,989 Impala convertibles and 125,480 coupes were built, helping Chevrolet regain the number one production spot in this recession year. June 1, 2019 Photo: Leslie Yager
1958 Chevrolet Impala. June 1, 2019 Photo: Leslie Yager
Mia Doran with her dog Ginger, a Chihuahua rescue from Florida pose beside a 1950s Porsche Speedster at the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance in Roger Sherman Baldwin Park. June 1, 2019 Photo: Leslie Yager
The Greenwich Concours d’Elegance ran two days, June 1-2, 2019. On Saturday the show featured American cars. Photo: Leslie Yager
The Greenwich Concours d’Elegance ran two days, June 1-2, 2019. On Saturday the show featured American cars. Photo: Leslie Yager
The Greenwich Concours d’Elegance ran two days, June 1-2, 2019. On Saturday the show featured American cars. Photo: Leslie Yager
The Cos Cob Volunteer Fire Department brought a restored 1935 American LaFrance fire engine to the show. It was originally in service in Cos Cob from 1935 to 1963. June 2, 2019 Photo: Leslie Yager
The Cos Cob Volunteer Fire Department is excited to announce the return of a restored 1935 American LaFrance fire engine that was originally in service in Cos Cob from 1935 to 1963
1953 Cadillac Eldorado. The Greenwich Concours d’Elegance ran two days, June 1-2, 2019. On Saturday the show featured American cars. Photo: Leslie Yager
1953 Cadillac Eldorado. The Greenwich Concours d’Elegance ran two days, June 1-2, 2019. On Saturday the show featured American cars. Photo: Leslie Yager
The Greenwich Concours d’Elegance ran two days, June 1-2, 2019. On Saturday the show featured American cars. Photo: Leslie Yager
The Greenwich Concours d’Elegance ran two days, June 1-2, 2019. On Saturday the show featured American cars. Photo: Leslie Yager
1970 Dodge Challenger T/A. Detroit’s “Pony Car” wars reached their pinnacle in 1970, with extreme performance offerings from each manufacturer. Dodge’s portfolio included the Challenger T/A, a homologation model only available for the 1970 model year. Although the race cars ran a destroked version of the 340, street versions added a trio of two-barrel carburetors atop an aluminum intake manifold, creating the 340 Six Pack, rated at 290 horsepower. This example is one of the 107 “Plum Crazy” Challenger T/As known to exist.
1970 Dodge Dart Swinger. The 1967 redesign of the Dodge Dart erased the last traces of its original Virgil Exner styling. The new look proved extremely popular, surpassing compacts from Ford and GM. One of the major changes for 1967 was the ability to accommodate larger engines, perfectly timed for the horsepower races that were well underway by the end of the decade. This 1970 Dart Swinger is powered by a 275-horsepower, 434-cubic-inch V8, making it the top performance model in the Dart lineup that year. Photo: Leslie Yager
The Greenwich Concours d’Elegance ran two days, June 1-2, 2019. On Saturday the show featured American cars. Photo: Leslie Yager
1960 Plymouth Fury. Although Detroit’s Fifties infatuation with fins began to flag at the start of the Sixties, the 1960 Plymouth Fury tried to bridge both decades. Its still-prominent rear fins were the last vestige of ‘The Forward Look,’ while its unibody construction was a notable innovation. Photo: Leslie Yager
This 1960 Plymouth Fury includes an optional record player and a unique squared-off steering wheel for easier entry and egress. Photo: Leslie Yager
At Roger Sherman Baldwin Park, the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance ran two days, June 1-2, 2019. On Saturday the show featured American cars. Photo: Leslie Yager
At Roger Sherman Baldwin Park, the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance ran two days, June 1-2, 2019. On Saturday the show featured American cars. Photo: Leslie Yager
At Roger Sherman Baldwin Park, the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance ran two days, June 1-2, 2019. On Saturday the show featured American cars. Photo: Leslie Yager
At Roger Sherman Baldwin Park, the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance ran two days, June 1-2, 2019. On Saturday the show featured American cars. Photo: Leslie Yager
1964 Iso Rivolta. The idea of combining sophisticated Italian coachwork with powerful, robust and cheap American propulsion was certainly “in the air” in the early 1960s. In 1962, industrialist Renzo Rivolta, together with engineer Giotto Bizzarrini and coach builder Nuccio Bertone, introduced the Iso Rivolta IR 300 at the Torino Motor Show. It was an elegant four-seater coupe, with an appealing balance of technical sophistication and outstanding driving performance thanks to its small-block Chevrolet V8. Photo: Leslie Yager
A Porsche stored inside a Car Capsule. June 1, 2019 Photo: Leslie Yager
Vintage car inside a Car Capsule. June 1, 2019 Photo: Leslie Yager
A 1963 Land Rover Series IIA 109″ Station Wagon. June 1, 2019 Photo: Leslie Yager
1949 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe De Ville. June 1, 2019 Photo: Leslie Yager
1965 Austin A35 Van. June 1, 2019 Photo: Leslie Yager