Amelia Island Concours is the latest event to announce it will ‘honour’ the Porsche 911 in 2013, on the model’s 50th birthday.
The 2013 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, scheduled for March 9-10 in Amelia Island, Florida will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 911. These announcements always smack of “let’s haul in the Porsche dollars” but I guess there’s some sense in it, and for sure the show has its fans.
Amelia was at the centre of heavy Porsche action earlier this year with the Drendel Collection sale, and Florida is home to some hardcore Porsche enthusiasts, so there’s a strong local market. I live tweeted the Drendel sale on my Classic Porsche Blog if you don’t know what happened there.
“The profile of Porsche’s 911 is instantly recognizable,” said Bill Warner, Chairman of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. “The 911’s shape has remained fresh, contemporary and essentially unchanged since the day the first 911 was built a half century ago. That must be the best and purist (sic) definition of a truly great design.”
The Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Foundation has donated nearly $1.8 million to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida, Inc. and other charities on Florida’s First Coast since its inception in 1996. Concours/show & shines are really not my thing, but kudos for the charity work. As a small percentage of takings, it shows just what these big events can earn over time.
About the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance
The Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance is held each year during the second weekend in March in Amelia Island, Florida. A New York Times article about celebrity car ownership listed the event alongside America’s other top concours d’elegance: Pebble Beach in California, Meadow Brook in Michigan and the Louis Vuitton Classic in Manhattan.
In a Concours d’Elegance (competition of elegance) each entry is rated for authenticity, function, history, style and quality of restoration by a team of judges including specialists for each car type. A perfect score is 100, but any imperfection requires a fractional point deduction. Classes are arranged by type, marque, coachbuilder, country of origin, or time period. Judges select prizewinners for each class, and also award “Best of Show” to one car from the group of first-place winners.
Had an email from my buddy Magnus Walker in LA last night, inviting me to the premiere of his Urban Outlaw Porsche film on September 28th. Assuming it was in California, I was forced to decline, but Magnus clipped me ’round the ear and told me it was London, as part of the Raindance Film Festival. Needless to say, I’m in!
Raindance is Europe’s leading independent film festival. An unmissable celebration of filmmaking, Raindance nurtures, supports and promotes independent films and filmmakers from the UK and around the world.
Ex-pat Magnus is thrilled to be showing his first short feature at Raindance in London, where his love for Porsche began. “Porsche began for me at the 1977 Motor Show: one look at the 930 and I was hooked. As a boy, I had the Turbo poster on my bedroom wall in Sheffield, but moving to LA was where it really started cooking. It really is the land of opportunity, especially the early 911 kind.”
California allows Porsche immersion like nowhere else on earth. No way could a UK-based Magnus have built a collection like the one he’s amassed over twenty five years in LA. In one sense, this premiere brings a virtual collection back to the UK, to be savoured with British 911 fans before heading off to the wider world. Walker agrees.
“A chance encounter with Canadian film director, Tamir Moscovici, earlier this year was the start of what was to become our Urban Outlaw short documentary film. Tamir’s movie vividly captures the soul of my Porsche passion/obsession & drive to succeed. Thirty-five years after that fateful London Motor Show, we bring our own motor show back to the capita: I hope we’ll get some Porsche fans there to enjoy it with us!”
You’ve seen the movie trailer previously on Ferdinand Magazine and the Classic Porsche blog, but it’s here again to remind you. UK hot rod Porschers and anyone else who wants to fly in are more than welcome to join us at the Apollo Piccadilly Circus on the night of Friday September 28th. Should be a great evening’s entertainment!
Fabulous top Magnus pic by our friend Maurice at Dutchman Photos, from his Total911 feature on the wild man.
Tuthill Porsche scored its tightest-ever victory this weekend, when Belgian Historic Rally Championship leader, Glenn Janssens, beat his closest rival by just two-tenths of a second in the Flanders Rally.
Based around the town of Roeselare in northern Belgium, the Flanders Historic Rally calls for a blend of torquey engines, high speed stability and driver concentration. Rally drivers race across ‘Flemish Tarmac’, so-called because of dirt dragged back onto the course by crews who survive an excursion through one of the many treacherous ditches.
Flanders is also a round of the British Historic Rally championship. This piled pressure on Team Tuthill, with a strong contingent of UK Porsche racers crossing the Channel to compete. Team boss Richard Tuthill was acutely aware of the stakes.
“As part of both British and Belgian historic rally championships, Flanders is a crucial event for our team: drivers and technicians alike. Everyone rose to the challenge and responded with peak performance. It was a real A-game weekend.
“Tuthill Porsche can supply the best cars possible, but it’s up to the drivers to make these Porsches work. After a minor off early in the rally, Glenn Janssens erased all distractions and focused on Saturday’s twelve fast stages, to take a class win and second overall. Beating his closest title rival by just two tenths of a second is testimony to Glenn’s terrific talent and hunger for the number one!
“Dessie Nutt has won here before, but each event is different. The car, the crowds, the weather and the roads change every year, so repeating past wins is never a given. Victory in Category One shows Dessie’s focus as season end approaches. That brilliant yellow Porsche is the perfect platform to show his spark is strong as ever.
“A well-earned class win for Peter Lythell in his 3.0-litre Tuthill Porsche could be seen as three times lucky for Tuthill in Belgium, but you make your own luck. Quick, reliable Porsches and fast, smooth drivers are difficult combinations to beat. Here’s to rounding off the year with a few more wins and adding to our trophy cabinet!”
Our Porsche racing friends at EB Motorsport had a great weekend at the Nürburgring Oldtimer GP, comfortably winning their class and retaining the lead in World Sportscar Masters, but not everyone enjoyed the event as much.
The owner of a 1956 Porsche 356 woke to find his car had been stolen from the Hotel Hohe Acht. I’m told that two other 356s were also stolen at the track on the same night. German Police have so far come up empty-handed but that is hardly a surprise: this was carried out by professionals and there will be a plan in place to get these things out of the area as soon as possible.
This particular car is a peach. The owner bought the car in 1970 and, working as a 356 spare parts manufacturer in Denmark, it has been with him for 40 years of a life in Porsche. A €15,000 reward is offered for any information leading to the safe return.
This is not the first 356 theft we’ve seen this year. Certainly classic Porsches are getting ever-easier to steal: a quick colour change and a few bits swapped (including chassis number) and no one would be any the wiser on what it once was. If you’re not using security on your classic, then fix that quickly.
I use a high-end steering lock and good alarm on mine – plus one other unnamed measure – which would slow any potential thieves down a bit. The agreed valuation for insurance purposes is also up to date! I do agreed insurance valuations for UK classic Porsche people if you need any help there: total peace of mind and not much added to the premium.
More info on this car: black Porsche 356A with Speedster seats and a Sebring exhaust. Steels are very distinctive as is the ‘Les Lestuns’ steering wheel. but all these bits bolt off. Just be suspicious of any spotless 356s in black seen around the place.
Thorkil Simonsen owns the car. If you like the sound of that reward then call him at +45 40721284 or email simonsen-356@c.dk. Would be great to get this back.
I need this in my life. It’s a Porsche 917 Laser kit car, currently for sale on Los Angeles Craigslist.
Not sure I agree about ownership, but it is an intriguing piece of Porsche-derived kitsch. This one looks pretty straight, with the right wheels, apparently good fit and finish and an engine that’s clearly had some money spent. Plus that silver metalflake. The owner says:
The body is all original and free of cracks or damage,original paint. Interior has new carpet, newly upholstered seats and new racing harness. Italian suede quick release steering wheel. It has a custom tubular subframe that makes the car very solid.
Besides the fiberglass shell everything is new. New suspension with KYB shocks, bigger torsion bars, new bushings, new axles and control arms.
The engine is a 2 liter turbocharged VW flat 4 producing close to 300hp. Garrett turbo charger. It has 2 dual barrel weber carbs, new fuel pump, starter, alternator. Engine has 60 miles on it, everything is new, from mahle pistons to heads and empi valve covers. Custom headers, new oil cooler with electrical fan etc.
The transmission is a brand new 4 speed heavy duty unit with a new stage 3 hydraulic clutch and lightened flywheel. New brakes, new rotors, brakemaster cylinder. Wheels professionally powder coated flat black, brand new Mickey Thompson high performance tires.
This car was built to perform. Well over 20k was spent to create the car. Fully street legal with all the lights and horn working properly. Car runs and drives perfect its a blast to drive. Asking 16500$ for this truly unique car.
If you wanted to have a bit of fun, this could be the thing. Just as traffic light folks start pointing jolly fingers, you drop the clutch and obliterate them. Only downside for some people might be getting out of it in public. It’s not entirely Cult of Porsche – a beach buggy version would definitely be – but what a perfect car for a Friday blog.
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