Hilton Head Island Concours de Elegance 2014

Hilton Head Island Concours de Elegance

Hilton Head Island Concours de Elegance, Savannah Speed Classic, Cars and Cigars, Racers on the River, Cars & Cocktails'

Starts: 10/24/2014

Ends: 2014-11-02

Port Royal Golf Club

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

USA

Images© and story© provided by Geoff Wheatley Contact Photographer For Information on Photos of this Event

Hilton Head Island Concours de Elegance, October 24th through to November 2nd 2014.

Although the centerpiece of this event is the Sunday display each year the range of activates extend. This year the event covered a total of six days that included...Racing at Savanna now known as the Savannah Speed Classic that attracted over six thousand spectators, the following day was the Racers on the River event. Carolina Cigars presented its annual evening of Cars and Cigars where a collection of Classic cars were on display. Food was provided and reservations were required. Two Driving Tours were featured that is always a favorite with visitors and if you were still feeling active that evening you could attend "Cars & Cocktails" at a private collection located on the island. Various other special events took place during the week of the Concours but of course the most impressive and attractive has to be the final Sunday when 186 truly beautiful cars were on display at Port Royal Golf Club.. HHI.

The feature car this year was the Jaguar and a total of 47 cars were on display starting with the Pre War models, the SS 90 and the SS 100. There was also an interesting exhibit of an early Austin Seven with a Jaguar identity one of the ten such cars produced when the Swallow Sidecar Company decided to produce a motor car in the early 1930's. The name Jaguar was not featured until the SS 90 was produced in the mid 1930's. The name was chosen to depict speed and grace and suggested by the owner's daughter while visiting a local zoo. There is always an attractive selection of British Sports Cars on display at this event. One that certainly caught my eye was a MG Ticford of 1936 vintage that was Best in Class for that group. Nice example of Brass Cars graced the field including a 1910 Oakland and a 1914 Brougham. (These cars always attract an admiring crowd including this scribe.)

Also featured each year is a classic boat display that seems to grown each year. The prewar classics share the field with such delights and the early post war wooden delights such as Crisis Craft, Delmore etc. This year there were also three European examples again gleaming in the sunlight with their mahogany hulls and decks. Because of my background I am always interested in any British Classic especially if they are true examples. A 1936 MG N Type race car sitting next to the same year MG PB certainly set the tone for the display. Now add a 1950 Nash Healey Serial one, next to a 1969 TVR Vixen S2. Within these groups you can usually find a 007 Aston Martin and this year was no exception. Many years ago I had an Alfa Romeo boat tail that I wish I had today but the need to eat forced us to part. The 1959 Spider parked next to a 1954 Maserati with a 1963 Maserati 3500 GT in the next spot certainly brought back memories of my Alfa. Just to finish off the Italian group there were three examples from the Ferrari stable.

If you like Motor Cycles you would not be disappointed with the range on display. A 1915 Triumph with wicker sidecar, a 1928 BMW R62 , a 1948 Indian Chief that certainly drew attraction. In the center of this display was a 1942 NSU Kettenkrad. I had never seen such a vehicle that was built for the German forces to use. It would hold perhaps two people with caterpillar tracks etc. I guess no one quite knew what group to place this vehicle so when in doubt go for the Motor Bike owners as they seldom complain!! For the first time in the history of the event pickup Trucks were included. A 1921 Ford Model T certainly stood out from the collection also a 1930 Ford, a 1947 Crosley and various others. In the Micro cars selection a 1959 Vespa next to a 1959 Autobianchi (You are not alone.. I have never seen or heard of this car). The usual BMW Isetta both three and four wheel versions were featured and the desirable Goggomobil TS 400 was also on display...

Each year I wonder at the range of Rolls Royce models from the early 1920's through to the modern post war examples. However such examples of "Grand Marques" such as a 1936 Auburn or a 1934 Pierce Arrow and the 1938 Bugatti gave the Rollers a run for their money. 2014 also celebrated fifty years of the Ford Mustang illustrated by ten truly classic examples of the breed. Before I close I should say a few words about the race cars featured at the Savannah Race Track earlier in the week. A 1948 Kurtis-Kraft Midget showed its paces while a 1953 Allard Palm Beach turned a few heads as it flew past. Obviously Jaguars had to be represented and were.

If you like classic cars and a week of motoring events the HHI Motoring Festival should be on your 2015 calendar. As a special bonus all parking for the display events is free and pickup coaches take you to where ever!
Geoff Wheatley
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Best of Show: 1938 Bugatti Type 57 Coupe, one of only 17 Type 57 coupes made from 1936-1940.

People's Choice 1929 Chrysler Model 75 Dual Cowl Phaeton, one of only 227 built.

Best of Palmetto Award 1953 Allard Palm Beach

More than 500 automobiles were in attendance at this Hilton Head Island, this weekend to participate in the 13th Annual Festival.

Assembled along with the great selection of cars were an extraordinary selection automotive greats including; Edsel B. Ford II, the great-grandson of Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company,: Ian Callum, Director of Design for Jaguar; J Mays, Retired Chief Designer for Ford; former Indianapolis 500 Champion, Bobby Rahal, Hurley Haywood, Brian Redman and Davy Jones, Joseph and Margie Cassini of West Orange, New Jersey, and William and Christine Snyder of Hudson, Ohio,