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2020 Chicago Auto Show Promotes New Cars

The 2020 Chicago Auto Show will not disappoint. If you haven’t been to McCormick Place in Chicago you won’t believe how big this new car show actually is. The two giant halls in McCormick Place allow for the biggest displays you will ever see at a new car dealer show here in the U.S. Yes, actually bigger than the L.A. Auto Show. So it was with some excitement that we entered McCormick Place this year for the 112th Annual Chicago Auto Show which will run February 7-18, 2020. 

Cars-On-Line.com covers the show every year because it is the largest display of new cars, debut cars and concept cars in the country. The Chicago Auto Show utilizes more than 1 million square feet in the North and South halls of McCormick Place. They say there are over 1,000 vehicles on display. 

We have heard that several new cars will make their debut here this week. We are especially interested in seeing the 2021 Jaguar F-Type, the updated 2020 Honda Civic Type R, and the 2020 Jeep Gladiator Mojave. Having already seen the 2020 Corvette and the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E at the Barrett-Jackson Auction earlier this year, we still want to see them again here in different colors. And, of course, we can’t get enough of the 2020 Ford GT rated at 660 hp. Here are the promo shots from the manufacturers as well as some shots from the show courtesy of Doug Bennett. 

  • 2020 Ford GT

Chicago Automobile Trade Association has put on the show every year since 1935.  

2020 Grand National Roadster Show at Pomona

71st Annual 2020 Grand National Roadster Show

When the 1932 Ford Muroc Roadster arrived at the 2020 Grand National Roadster Show its owner was in hopes that it could be chosen as America’s Most Beautiful Roadster. The award is one of the most coveted trophies in the custom car hobby. So when the presentation came this evening Monty Belsham of Houston, British Columbia, Canada was on pins and needles. That was the moment he will be remembering for a long time. His flamed Muroc Roadster will go down in history as one of America’s Most Beautiful Roadsters. 

The Muroc Roadster was one of the original Kugel Highboy roadsters built by Jerry Kugel. When Belsham bought the car some time back he took it to Squeeg’s Kustoms to put his personal touches on the car. Tonight it is among the most famous ’32 roadsters of all time. 

  • 1932 Ford Roadster

Monty Belsham’s 1932 Ford Roadster is called the ’32 Kugel Muroc No. 4. It was one of the original Highboys built by Jerry Kugel. But Monte wanted some updates, so he went to Squeeg’s Kustoms to make his dreams a reality. Metal fabrication was by Marcel’s Custom Metal. Gabe’s did the custom interior. (Vote for this roadster with your “Like” on our Facebook page.)

If you live on the West Coast, you grew up following the Grand National Roadster Show. To Californians it is the greatest car show in the country. The 71st annual, 2020 Grand National Roadster Show is being held at the Fairplex in Pomona, January 24-26, 2020. It is the longest running car show in America with deep roots in the American custom car hobby. Many say California hot rods lead the way in custom car technology. That’s why this show is so important every year. 

Cars-On-Line.com will be exploring the custom car displays in the seven auditoriums on the Pomona Fairplex grounds as we bring our readers up close and personal with the cars and the builders. Follow our Facebook posts all weekend to find our most recent updates. 

America’s Most Beautiful Roadster Trophy

Every year the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster award, one of the most important awards in the custom car hobby, is presented to the owner of the best roadster here at the Grand National Roadster Show. The AMBR trophy is equivalent to a West Coast version of the Ridler Award. It is one of the most coveted awards in the street rodding world. The best builders in the country are represented here, and to be shown at the GNRS can establish your name brand in the industry.

The contenders for the AMBR award were announced here on Friday morning. Here are the other top contenders for America’s Most Beautiful Roadster for 2020:

  • 2020 Grand National Roadster Show
    1915 Ford Roadster

When Danny Eichstedt had the idea of building a “Low Cut” radical 1915 Ford T-Roadster, the idea was too over the edge for some.  But Walter & Thenia  Sigsbey of Los Angeles believed. So they built this radically low custom T-Roadster they call “Leg Show T.” The interior (look at the custom steering wheel) and top were done by Ron Mangus. The Jag rear end was by Curt Hamilton. (Vote for this roadster with your “Like” on our Facebook page.)

  • 1932 Ford Pickup

Vying for the 2020 America’s Most Beautiful Roadster title at the 2020 Grand National Roadster Show this year is Gary & Deborah DeVine’s 1932 Ford Roadster Pickup called War Paint. It was built by Denny Lesky and his Indiana Hot Rod Shop and Dave Shuten from Galpin Speed Shop. The PPG Envirobased paint was by Hot Dog, and all the chrome was by Advanced Plating. (Vote for this roadster with your “Like” on our Facebook page.)

  • 1932 Ford Roadster

When the media preview got started this morning this 1932 Ford Roadster called “Lil Evil” was being evil. Mike Dwight of Gilroy, California, is the designer and builder. But today his team was working overtime to get the car ready for the show with some last minute adjustments. The sheet metal is flawless, done by Dominator Street Rods. Roy Brizio helped with the chassis. Upholstery was by Sid Chavers. (Vote for this roadster with your “Like” on our Facebook page.)

  • 1932 Ford Roadster called "The Brownstone Roadster"

The Brownstone Roadster was entered here at the Grand National Roadster Show to compete for the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster competition. There is no doubt that this is an elegant build. Owners Tom Firth & Jodi Lant from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, are hoping their entry will win the giant 9 1/2-foot trophy. It was built by Stokers Hot Rod Factory. (Vote for this roadster with your “Like” on our Facebook page.)

  • 1927 Ford Roadster

The altered track nosed Ford is a tribute to the early days of racing. This 1927 Ford Roadster they call “Ivy Reed” was built for owner John Ivy of Azusa, California. It was built by JMS Racing and Schraders Speed Shop. The track nose fabrication was by Luc Delay. Stitching was done by Rogellios Auto Upholstery. (Vote for this track nosed roadster with your “Like” on our Facebook page.)

  • 1932 Ford Roadster

This roadster began to come to life when Shun Kasai brought back a Deuce frame rail to Japan in 1989. Ken Katashio had the dream of building his own Deuce Roadster. He began to assemble the parts for his life long project. He acquired a Rod Bods body, Dearborn Deuce fenders, some Hallibrand parts, and more. But when Ken passed away in 2015, his friends decided to finish the car and show it as the Grand National Roadster Show in his honor. Here is Ken Katashio’s 1932 Ford Roadster. (Vote for Ken Katashio’s roadster with your “Like” on our Facebook page.)

  • 1934 Ford Roadster done as a Lincoln

The 1934 Ford Roadster owned by Brandi Laird of Bear, Delaware is an elegant resto rod with an interesting theme. They call it “Lady Laird Lincoln V-12” because of the incredible Flathead Lincoln V-12 which was prepared by H&H Flatheads. They are specialists in Flathead Ford engines, combining old time engines with modern day technology. The car was built at Adams Hot Rod Shop in Rydal, Georgia. They used an American Speed body, and Chad Adams was involved in the metal fabrication, bodywork, paint and interior. Just look at that engine compartment. (Vote for the Lady Laird Lincoln with your “Like” on our Facebook page.)

  • 1932 Ford Roadster
The 1932 Ford Roadster owned by Gary Mower from Big River, California was one of the more visually stunning contenders for this year’s America’s Most Beautiful Roadster award. Paint and fabrication were completed by Showtime Rod & Kustom. The interior was done by Ron Mangus. (Be sure to click to vote for the Mower ’32 Ford with your “Like” on our Facebook page.) 

  • 1927 Ford Roadster called "Twin Fan Special"
Of the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster contenders, this 1927 Ford Roadster is the most interesting. Owners Dustin & Dawn Smith were harking back to the old days of street rodding. With machine turned metal panels, this early hot rod look had the most character of any of the entries. The motor is a 226 ci 6 cylinder. They call the car the Twin Fan Special. It is built with a ’27 body sheel and a ’39 Ford transmission. The rear end is a Quick Change. (If you want to show your support for the ’27 Ford Roadster click “Like at the link on our Facebook page.)

The AMBR Award trophy itself stands nine-and-a-half feet tall and was designed to be the largest custom car show trophy you could win anywhere. And it will pay $12,500 to the winner. That makes it the second highest payout for any trophy award in the country. Only the Ultimate Best in Show Winner at Hot August Nights in Reno, Nevada pays more ($15,000.) 

On Friday, the contenders for the AMBR will have already been chosen and we’ll have all the photos for you right here on this page. So bookmark this blog to come back on Friday for the updates. Then get set to vote for your favorites on our Facebook page. Our blog will be updated in real time with video interviews and a gallery of the best cars we find at the show. 

Al Slonaker Award

The other big award this year was the Al Slonaker Award for the top (non-roadster) show car. It was just announced that the award went to the 1936 Willys Pickup owned by  Ron and Vicki Ernsberger of Napolean, Ohio. This is a class build done by Tin Man’s Garage out of Sycamore, Illinois. The award winning truck took home a check from ARP Automotive Products for $12,500. 

1936 Willys Pickup wins award at the 2020 Grand National Roadster Show

A big change for this year at the 2020 Grand National Roadster Show is the elevated status for the Al Slonaker Award. The award is to honor Al and Mary Slonaker, for founding the Grand National Roadster Show and making it one of the most important car shows in the country. While the AMBR trophy has always been the top trophy in the hobby, this year the Al Slonaker Award will have a new status. The aim of GNRS officials is to make the Slonaker Award on a similar status to the AMBR Award. The trophy is huge. And the payout to the winner is the same. The winner of the Al Slonaker Award will also recieve $12,500, just like the AMBR Award winner. 

Here are all the contenders for this year’s 2020 Al Slonaker Award:

  • 1968 Camaro Custom contends for the Al Slonaker Award

There is also a rules change for those who want to compete for the Slonaker Award this year. To qualify for the Slonaker Trophy, the custom car or truck must be a fresh build, never having been shown anywhere before. 

Over 500 custom show cars will be on display here in seven exhibition buildings at the Pomona Fairplex. The top cars in the country are here to compete for a place in their class. Entries from Japan, Sweden, New Zealand, Canada and Australia will be on display. In fact, one whole building here at the Pomona Fairplex will be packed with Woodies sponsored by the Southern California Woody Club. Many of these cars you may have seen at the Doheny Wood Show or Wavecrest Woodie Show.

Here is a slider we shot today during the 2020 Grand National Roadster Show. 

  • 2020 Grand National Roadster Show special cars
    Kookie (Ed Burns) Kar from 77 Sunset Strip TV Show

As a new display for 2020, a special themed building will house a “Drag Racing: Then and Now” exhibit, presented by Lucas Oil and sponsored by Cragar Wheels. It will showcase drag cars from the early days and up until today. Dragsters, Funny Cars, A/FX, Pro Stocks, Fuel Altereds, Pro-Mods, Super Gas, Wheel Standers and Jr Dragsters will be on display. Many famous drivers are promised to be in attendance. 

In addition, on Saturday and Sunday, a car show wil be held outside on the grounds with another 600 to 800 local cars on display for the 15th Annual Grand Daddy Drive-In Show.

 

 

 

 

2020 Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale

Prime Time Saturday at
the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Auction

Car collectors come to the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Auction to be amazed by the shiny metal cars and dazzled by the black-tie presentation. It is a Rolex world where car lovers can revel in a car culture fantasy. We come to be amazed, and the Barrett-Jackson never lets us down. 

When the first production 2020 Corvette Stingray came across the auction block the crowd was electric with excitement. GM CEO Mary Barra took the microphone and told us how excited she was to show off the new mid-engine Corvette for 2020. Then the Barrett-Jackson auctioneer proceeded to sell the No 001 VIN car to the highest bidder to raise money for the Detroit Children’s Fund. And the crowd shot to its feet as the bidding quickly passed the $2 million mark. Then the price of the first mid-engine Corvette was bid up to $3 million. Chevrolet dealer and NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick had the high bid. That money will go to a good cause, and the first retail production Vin #001 2020 C8 Corvette will now be in his collection. History was made here today at Westworld. 

Today’s auction docket was filled with the most exclusive and desirable automotive treasures on the planet. Click through this slider of top cars. (You may tap the photos to get prices and more background info on each car.)

  • First 2020 Corvette sells at the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Auction
    The first 2020 Corvette, VIN 001, was sold to raise money for the Detroit Children's Fund
 

Prime Time Sales Started Already on Friday

In the Friday session of the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Auction it almost looked like the buyers thought it was “Prime Time.” For many years they have called the Saturday session of the Barrett-Jackson Auction “Prime Time Saturday” because the way the auction is set up the top cars all run through the auction on Saturday. But the Friday sale last night had so many “over the top bids” that the auctioneers remarked, “People, its not Saturday yet.” 

The top sale was a 2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible which sold for $2 million. It was a charity sale to raise money for the Bob Woodruff Foundation to support veterans and their families. The sale also benefits the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Not only is this the first LC 500 convertible ever produced (has VIN number 100001), but it also is the first of 100 models to be produced for the limited edition Inspiration Series of LC 500s. Toyota says this one is unique and will be the only one with special features such as the Platinum Liquid color accents. 

Celebrity sightings and glimpses of rare collector cars are adding excitement to the laid back Valley of the Sun this week, as the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Auction is underway in Scottsdale, Arizona.  During Arizona Auction Week the Phoenix area becomes the epicenter of the collector car world. The top collector car auction companies are all here in the Phoenix area to benefit from the convocation of car collectors gathering for the Barrett-Jackson Auction which is the main event. Show me the money! Setting an electric atmosphere, some of the highest priced collector vehicles in the world will be sold here this week. 

The Cars-On-Line.com car show team is on hand to bring you all the action from the Barrett-Jackson Auction here in Scottsdale. (Check the Car Show Calendar online for all the events and times of all seven big auctions in the area this week.) Bookmark this page to see our live updates and previews. 

 Here is what happened on Friday. 

  • A 2021 Lexus LC500 Convertible brings $2 million for veterans and their families

Little Red Unveiled Here For the First Time

When we were told to expect a history making moment at the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Auction here today we had no clue. But at 9 AM, bright and early on Thursday morning, there was a history making event that could only happen here at the Barrett-Jackson. Craig Jackson, Chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson, unveiled a restoration he had been working on since 2018. As the cover came off, the media assembled at the Ford Performance display could not believe their eyes when they were told that the Candy Apple red Mustang Coupe before them was the legendary Little Red, a 1967 Shelby GT500 EXP prototype which was presumed to have been destroyed. It seems that Jackson and a team of Shelby experts had found Little Red somewhere in South Dakota and had restored the car to its original glory. For a full story on Little Red and the Green Hornet, a 1968 Shelby Mustang Coupe prototype, follow this link to the Barrett-Jackson press release. 

The actual Little Red, the 1967 Shelby GT500 EXP Coupe prototype, was revealed at the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Auction on Thursday.

Here is a look at some of the top cars sold on Thursday here at the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Auction. Click the photos to get prices and more background info on each car. 

  • One of the star cars for Thursday, a Chip Foose designed 1968 Pymouth GTX Custom

On Wednesday, the crowd erupted when a four-car sale with a Dukes of Hazzard theme stole the show. A replica of Cooter’s wrecker, a 1971 Chevy C-30 truck, a 1975 Dodge Coronet replica of Roscoe’s police cruiser, a recreation of Boss Hog’s 1975 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible and a 1969 Dodge Charger replica of the General Lee were offered all in one lot to the highest bidder. Actor Tom Wopat (Luke Duke) was on the stage for the sale. In one of the highest sales of the day these replicas sold for $60,000. Here are some of the memorable sales for Wednesday.

  • Dukes of Hazzard themed sale get the crowd excited

Every day the selection of top quality collector cars just gets better. Follow our 2020 Barrett-Jackson Auction coverage all week. You’ll see our posts on Facebook. Join the conversation and guess what each car will sell for when it crosses the Barrett-Jackson auction stage. This is gonna’ be fun. 

Choose the 2019 CAR of the YEAR!

Readers Poll for 2019 Car of the Year

The promotion and fanfare for our 2019 CAR of the YEAR poll was momentous. So it is time to announce which car our readers have chosen as Classic CAR of the YEAR for 2019. Drumroll CAR of the YEARplease … RK Motors Charlotte will be happy to know that our readers chose their 1964 Ford Thunderbolt as their favorite in this year’s readers poll. From a field of fourteen very rare and desirable classic cars, muscle cars, street rods and even a classic pickup truck, the 1964 Ford Thunderbolt (a real one mind you) got 18 percent of the vote to be named CAR of the YEAR on the internet for 2019.

The CAR of the YEAR poll saw the lead change several times over the last week. Going into the final week, the 1967 Dodge Hemi Coronet R/T Convertible from REV Muscle Cars was the top car in the voting. Then the 1969 Boss 429 Mustang took over the lead at mid-week. But just in the last few days the Thunderbolt came on strong in the voting to take first place.

As happens every December, the end-of-the-year reviews for 2019 are coming out. So we thought our readers might like to relive what happened here on Cars-On-Line.com during 2019. (Click here to read our 2019 Year-In-Review.) In connection with our year-end review, we invited our readers to pick the Car of the Year from among the featured cars in COL’s weekly newsletters.  

Here are the contenders for 2019 CAR of the YEAR! Click the “See it here” link next to each car for details and photos.  

Choose the 2019  CAR of the YEAR!

1970 Hemi Cuda Convt (See it here)

1957 Dodge Sweptside (See it here)

1967 Hemi Coronet R/T (See it here)

1963 Corvette Split Window (See it here)

1966 Golden Piranha (See it here)

1969 Hurst SC/Rambler (See it here)

1969 Boss 429 Mustang (See it here)

1966 Mercury GT Pace Car (See it here)

1965 Shelby 427 Cobra (See it here)

1970 AMC Rebel Machine (See it here)

1933 Chrysler Imperial (See it here)

1959 Oldsmobile 98 Convt (See it here)

1972 Hurst Indy Pace Car (See it here)

1964 Ford Thunderbolt (See it here)
 
 
 
 
 
 

Cars-On-Line.com lets its readers choose which car should be honored as our CAR of the YEAR. The cars in the poll were featured in our newsletter during 2019. 

Cars-On-Line.com is the most popular collector car website on the internet. Thousands of collectors read our newsletter every Friday. If you’d like to subscribe to the Cars-On-Line.com newsletter, click this link and sign up. It’s Free.

Raleigh Classic Auction 2019 Winter Edition

The Raleigh Classic Auction for 2019 was in Prime Time Saturday mode here at the Jim Graham Building at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, North Carolina. Many very desirable classic muscle cars, 1950’s classics, vintage collector cars and choice low miles collectibles were offered for sale here today. The excitement was palpable as many high quality cars crossed the auction block. 

This is a much revered sale with collectors from all over the Southeastern states congregated to buy collector vehicles. This auction is famous for some of the nicest low-mile collector cars available in the collector market today. And Cars-On-Line.com was on hand for all the auction action. 

Here is a look at some of the top sales recorded at the Raleigh Classic Auction winter edition. (You can click on each photo to get more vehicle info):

  • 1967 Corvette L71 427/435 Convertible becomes top sale of the day

For some years now, Mike Leith, a well known car dealer and car collector, has sponsored this unique classic car auction drawing some really nice low-mile collector cars. It is the one auction all the classic car dealers in the southeast feel that they can’t miss. If you can’t be there in person you can register now to bid online. All bidders will have access to the live feed so you can watch the sale on streaming video.

Here is a quick auction preview of the Raleigh Classic inventory from the Graham Building on Thursday. (Video by Bob Boberg of eClassicAutos.com)

 

On Friday, a  record crowd was in attendance for the opening day of the Raleigh Classic Auction here in Raleigh, North Carolina, December 6-7, 2019. On Saturday,  they announced that the Raleigh Classic had a 77 percent sell through rate for its opening day sale on Friday. 

Our first impression of the Raleigh Classic Auction 2019 inventory is that there are a lot of classic Corvettes for sale, many from an exclusive California collection. There are also a number of clean Cadillacs, BMWs and Mercedes, many with low miles and in great shape. Click the link to scan the auction inventory online.

Mike Leith’s network of car collectors will draw some really nice low-mile collector cars. It is the one auction all the classic car dealers in the southeast feel that they just can’t miss. 

Cars-On-Line photojournalist Bob Boberg of eClassicAutos.com was on hand on Friday and Saturday to capture the action through his camera lense. Be sure to bookmark this page to follow his photos and videos. We will update you on the auction action and selling prices all weekend. Follow our Twitter and Facebook pages to see the sales as they happen in real time. 

 

 

2019 Hilton Head Island Concours Features The Classics

Sunday’s Concours D’Elegance

Hilton Head Island, SC, Sunday, November 3, 2019 — A rare 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet appeared on the showfield at the 2019 Hilton Head Island Concours D’Elegance today. It won the hearts of the judges as it was picked as the Best of Show, a high honor for collectors of fine vintage motorcars. It is one of only three cars ever known to wear the rare Norrmalm coachwork. And it is the only Mercedes-Benz that Norrmalm ever did. 

The ultra-rare and desirable Mercedes 540K is owned by Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Jepson, Jr. of Savannah, Georgia. Earlier in the concours it was also awarded the Carolyn Vanagel Best Rolling Art award. 

2019 Hilton Head Island winner as Best of Show
The 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet chosen Best of Show at the 2019 Hilton Head Island Concours D’Elegance today

What a beautiful day for a car show. It was the final day of the 2019 Hilton Head Island Concours. Show goers swarmed the fairways near the clubhouse at the Port Royal Golf Club, a beautiful sight for people who really appreciate vintage metal. Cars-On-Line.com was on hand to capture the event in photos and videos for its readers. The pomp and circumstance surrounding the judging for the Concours D’Elegance was impressive. Over seventy judges were involved in determining the Best In Class awards. But only one car could be chosen the Best of Show. 

Tap the video window to review Sunday’s concours through the lens of our cameras. (Video by Bob Boberg of eClassicAutos.com)

Two other cars won top honors at this year’s concours. A 1958 Studebaker Golden Hawk owned by Mark James, won the Paul Doerring Best Production/Performance Award, and a 1953 Jaguar XK120SE owned by W. Ronald Gaertner, M.D., won the Best Road & Track car award. Here is a slide show of the top award winners.

  • Top three winners at the 2019 Hilton Head Island Concours D'Elegance

Although only a few cars could win the top awards, there were many here today that won awards in their class. This is one of the true historic events in the U.S. The vintage classic cars you see here you may never see anywhere else.  Here are some of the Best in Class winners on the showfield at Hilton Head Island. 

  • Special Fashion Award, Barry & Linda Paraizo with their 1931 Packard 833

Yesterday, the show grounds were full of historic automobiles as the 2019 Hilton Head Island Concours opened  at the Port Royal Golf Course on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. The Hilton Head Island Concours D’Elegance and Motoring Festival always draws some of the most unusual collector cars in the world. With Dennis Gage, of the TV show My Classic Car, as Master of Ceremonies, the Car Club Showcase was held here on Saturday. It was a judged event with Gage handing out trophies to the top cars. 

Here are some of the top cars we saw on Saturday. 

  • A 1936 Mercedes-Benz 500 K wins Best of Show at 2019 Hilton Head Island Car Club Showcase on Saturday

As the Car Club Showcase is a major attraction here for the Saturday show goers, we watched as some amazing collector cars crossed the podium to be awarded their prizes. Here is some video captured by Bob Boberg of eClassicAutos.com. 

Part of the history of this area around Savannah and Hilton Head Island, SC, has its roots in racing. During the weekend prior to the 2019 Hilton Head Island Concours activities were already underway in Savannah, Georgia. As a warm up for the Grand Concours next weekend, the Savannah Speed Classic brought collector race cars from all over the country to compete in SVRA Vintage Racing on The Grand Prize of America Road Course. As a preview of the big concours next weekend, Cars-On-Line’s car show team was on hand to cover the vintage racing here. Watch for photos and videos from the Hilton Head Island all week. 

Here is a video of some of the action we saw last weekend.

The Grand Prize of America Road Course is located at The Club at Savannah Harbor (a part of The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa.) Situated on Savannah’s Hutchinson Island, the venue overlooks the Savannah River and the city’s famed River Street in the historic district. 

Be sure to bookmark this page for more daily coverage of the Hilton Head Island Concours D’Elegance and a weeklong preview of the historic event. 

For information on the times and ticket prices for events here on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, follow this link to the Cars-On-Line.com Car Show Calendar of Events. 

40th Annual Wavecrest Woodie Show

The surf was the best its been in years here this morning along the Pacific coast in Southern California. This Sunday morning, September 22, 2019, many of the woodie wagons from the Wavecrest Woodie Show gathered for a ceremonial cruise up Historic Hwy 101, from Encinitas to the beach at Oceanside. Every year at 8 AM the cruise to Oceanside begins at the Encinitas City Hall. You have to witness this to get a feel for the excitement of seeing dozens of old wood-bodied cars cruising along Hwy 101. Locals wait for it all year. The cruise skirts Pacific beaches all along the way.  The 25-mile cruise is a great opportunity to see these cars in action.

Here is how it looked this morning on the 2019 Cruise To Oceanside: 

Be sure to bookmark this page where we will update you on all the action from the Wavecrest Woodie Show 2019. Or watch for our videos on Facebook and Twitter.

Saturday at the Wavecrest Woodie Show

As usual, the early morning overcast skies gave way as the sun shown brightly on the beautiful wood bodied classics on display here at the 2019 Wavecrest Woodie Show. More cars were arriving as we climbed the hill overlooking Moonlight Bay in Encinitas, California where a concourse of woodies was arrayed. First sight of that many woodies all in one place simply takes your breath away. The official record will show that there were 188 wood-bodied cars registered to display on Moonlight Beach this year. 

The annual Wavecrest Woodie Show is the world’s largest All-Woodie Party on the Beach. It is one really laid back event on Saturday, September 21, 2019, from 8 am to 5 pm. The event is sponsored by the San Diego Woodie Club, one of the largest all-woodie car clubs in the country. It is a sanctioned event of the National Woodie Club. 

Here is how it looked as the Woodies swarmed the beach for the Wavecrest Woodie Show on Moonlight Beach today. 

  • Wavecrest Woodie Show
    Woodies at Moonlight Beach for the Wavecrest Woodie Show 2019

After the woodies had filled in most of the open spots on the paved concourse area on Saturday morning, the San Diego Woodie Club honored our veterans with a Marine honor guard and flag ceremony. It was nicely done. Pride in America and pride in our heritage. They were all on our minds today. 

Here is how it looked here on Moonlight Beach in Encinitas this morning. 

It is just simply jaw dropping to see so many wood-bodied vehicles on display in one place. Woodie passenger wagons were produced from the 1910’s through the early 1950’s. They are a part of Califonia’s culture because they were the preferred transportation for surfers over the years. Not only were they relatively inexpensive to buy as used vehicles in the 1950’s and 1960’s, but they could easily carry a longboard on the roof. The San Diego Woodie Club observes the lifestyle and the woodie car culture every year at the Wavecrest Woodie Show. Meet and greet starts on Thursday and woodie owners will have events all day on Friday. Then on Saturday morning the main event is the big concourse at Moonlight Beach, historically one of the top surfing venues in California. 

Once again this year, Cars On Line.com is on hand to bring you photos and videos of the Wavecrest Woodie Show for 2019. Woodies will be here from all over the U.S. Make sure to bookmark this page to catch all the action all weekend.

 

Short History of the Woodie Wagon

“It’s An Oldie, But it’s a Woodie” read one of the bumper stickers here in Encinitas as the downtown is filling up with classic Woodie Wagons for the 40th Annual Wavecrest Woodie Show. It was an obvious reference to a Jan and Dean song called “Surf City.” To understand the impact that wood-bodied wagons had on the car culture, you first have to know what place they took in automotive history. 

As the 20th century rolled in, most every form of transportation was framed out of wood … boats, horse-drawn carriages and even planes. It didn’t seem unusual at all back then that wood might be used to frame out the rear of a multi-passenger motorized depot hack. And so the “station wagon” was born. “Hey, Joe, go down to the station and pick up our guests,” the hotel manager would say.

Somewhere along the way, wealthy rural land owners began to think it was trendy to own an out-dorsey looking wood bodied wagon as a utility vehicle around the estate. Ford came out with the first factory made wood-bodied transport around 1929. By the time Chevrolet joined in in 1939 these vehicles were alreay known as station wagons. These wood-bodied station wagons were never profitable for the auto manufacturers. They had to be hand assembled, and the wood was hard to maintain. Yet they stayed in the American rubric until the 1950’s.

It was simply a random happening that the wood-bodied wagons became a cultural icon during the 1960’s. Surfers in California, totally unbeknownst to themselves, brought the wood-bodied wagons back to life. They found that these old wood-bodied utility wagons were very cheap to buy, and they could carry a longboard on top rather easily. Perfect. Along came the Beach Boys, a California rock group that wrote songs about the surfing culture. At that point, the name “woodie” was coined to describe the wood-bodied wagons. Unintended as it were, they became “cool.” The surfers didn’t restore them though. They just tried to keep them running.

According to an article written by Charlie Crowell, the National Woodie Club was organized by Will O’Neil of Hawthorn, California in 1973. Already at that time, woodie owners were organizing to combine their knowledge to preserve these wood-bodied treasures. They could not have known what woodie wagons would mean to car collecting in the 21st Century. Today, fully restored wood-bodied cars, utility vehicles and wagons can command mind boggling prices. Here at the wavecrest woodie show we’ve seen a woodie Rolls-Royce, a wood-bodied Packard Boattail and dozens of woodie buses. Follow this link to read one of our past articles on rare Woodie’s at the Wavecrest Woodie Show. 

 

Fall Auburn Auction 2019 To Make History

History Made at Fall Auburn Auction 2019

Some historic cars were sold here at the Fall Auburn Auction 2019 as the tradition of celebrating automotive history continues on this Labor Day Weekend. Once again on Saturday, the top sale was a silver 2005 Ford GT  with a hammer price of $265,000. The previous day, on Friday, the same thing happened with a Mark IV red 2005 Ford GT selling for $275,000. But two of the most hotly contested bidding wars broke out when a 1933 Chrysler CL Dual-Windshield Phaeton sold at $175,000, and a 1923 Duesenberg sold at $170,000. It is all part of the big Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Festival here in Auburn, Indiana. It is Prime Time Saturday here at the Fall Auburn Auction, and the bidding action got hot and heavy here this afternoon at the RM Auction Park. 

The 1933 Chrysler CL Imperial Dual-Cowl Phaeton was impressive as it took the auction stage here in Auburn, during the 49th Annual Labor Day Weekend sale, August 29-September 1, 2019. It is one of fewer than twenty authentic survivors. It has a known history and is loaded with provenance. It is no wonder that the bidding was hotly contested. The bidding did not stop until this beautiful dual-windshield convertible was sold at $175,000. Here are photos from the Saturday sale.

  • Stars of the Saturday edition of the Fall Auburn Auction 2019

This year’s Fall Auburn Auction on Labor Day Weekend, is shaping up to be the one big national auction you just cannot afford to miss.  With hundreds of collector cars and automobilia items expected to cross the auction block for the giant sale, the auction at the Auburn Auction Park during the ACD Festival is a tradition that collectors dearly treasure. Cars-On-Line.com is on hand to bring you all the news and report on the top sales here in Auburn, Indiana this weekend. Find more of the top cars from the Fall Auburn Auction 2019 at the auction inventory page on Cars-On-Line.com. 

As we are on the ground here in Auburn, Indiana, our readers will be treated to the sites and sounds of the Fall Auburn Auction almost like they were here themselves. Here is a sample of what we saw on Prime Time Saturday at the Fall Auburn Auction 2019. (Click video window below.)

For more detail on what was offered each day this weekend, click here to read the RM Sotheby’s Fall Auburn Auction catalog of auction vehicles.

Don’t miss any of the action as your favorite collector cars cross the auction block. Then follow our Facebook page for commentary. Our Facebook friends can even join in on the discussion. 

The giant RM Auction Park grounds also includes a swap meet, car corral and dozens of displays to entertain the automotive enthusiast. 

The Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Festival is a Homecoming for all the vintage motorcars produced here at the Auburn plant as they find their way back home to Auburn, Indiana. The annual Labor Day Homecoming is such an amazing display of Americana that we count it as one of the major car shows to add to your bucket list. Follow our live coverage of the ACD Festival, including a Concours in the Park, Parade of Classics and even a tour of the ACD Museum at the site of the original headquarters and plant here in Auburn, Indiana. Click here to read our live coverage with hundreds of photos of beautiful vintage cars. 

 

Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Festival 2019

Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Festival Homecoming

The Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Festival is a Homecoming for all the vintage motorcars produced here at the Auburn plant as they find their way back home to Indiana. This year it will run from August 24 through August 31, 2019. The annual Labor Day Homecoming is such an amazing display of Americana that we count it as one of the major car shows to add to your bucket list. 

Early on Saturday morning, Eckhart Park in downtown Auburn was filled with American dream cars. This was the most impressive display of Duesenbergs ever seen in modern times.  Here are the Duesenbergs, 21 in all, in all their splendor.

  • Concours at the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Festival
    Concours in the Park at the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Festival

Every evening in downtown Auburn, the streets near the heart of the city are packed with classic cars from yesteryear.  One of the billboards on the way to Auburn says, “It’s not just a car … it’s a Time Machine.” This show is like stepping back into the 1930’s. You won’t believe how many Auburns, Cords and Duesenbergs have been preserved in running condition. It seems they all come out for this show, however. 

Cars On Line.com will be here all weekend to capture the event “live” for you in photos and video. We’ll be covering the Saturday morning Concours in Eckhart Park, and the Parade of Classics as hundreds of these Auburns, Cords and Duesenbergs take to the streets in an incredible parade through downtown Auburn. You’ll also want to follow our coverage of the big Fall Auburn Auction by RM Auctions in its 49th year. It will be held in the Auburn Auction Park. The Auction Park also holds a car corral and swap meet with other interesting displays on the enourmous park grounds. Bookmark this page as we capture all of the action in photos an videos all weekend. 

Parade of Classics

After the concours in Eckhart Park, all of the Auburns, Cords and Duesenberg line up for a spectacular Parade of Classics down Jackson Street and to the Courthouse. It is a beautiful display of rolling artwork.  

The Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Festival celebrates the annual homecoming of vintage motorcars and their return to their birthplace in Auburn, Indiana. Auburns, Cords and Duesenbergs will be on display this weekend as the whole city of Auburn welcomes collector car owners and their legendary motorcars.  Bookmark this page as it will be updated in real time all weekend. (Or you see our photos and videos on our Facebook and Twitter pages.)

RM’s Fall Auburn Auction 2019

Meanwhile, at the Auctions America Auction Park, the Auburn Fall Auction 2019 by RM Auctions will run August 29-September 1, 2019. Some of the finest classic motorcars will be on sale here to the highest bidder along with muscle cars, street rods and customs. 

2005 Ford GT becomes the top sale at the Fall Auturn Auction on Friday
2005 Ford GT becomes the top sale at the Fall Auturn Auction on Friday

Click here to see our Saturday auction preview the Fall Auburn Auction 2019 sale.

Hot August Nights 2019 Live Coverage

World’s Biggest Car Show

By Sunday, there were already over 10,000 collector cars and trucks in downtown Reno, Nevada for the final Hot August Nights 2019 cruise. The big parade down the strip in Reno drew lines of cars which were never ending. If you own a collector car, this is where you get your “fifteen minutes of fame.” The cars are the stars, and thousands of spectators were lined along the strip in downtown Reno to remember the car culture in America. 

Cars-On-Line.com is covering Hot August Nights 2019, August 6-12, 2019 here this weekend. Wow! It’s like we stepped back into the 1960’s all over again. We are here at the world’s biggest car show. Watch with us as the action unfolds through Cars-On-Line’s camera lens. 

In fact, this is more than a car show, it is a tribute to the car culture here in the U.S. People come from all over the world to see it. That’s because Hot August Nights 2019 has it all: nightly cruises, show and shines, a swap meet, collector cars for sale and drag racing in the desert. Recalling the days when cars were the culture here in the U.S., cruisin’ and cars were the way we celebrated summer. Not to mention, Reno is an adult playground where every major casino has a car show on its grounds each day during this event. They say there are over $108,000 in cash awards and trophies available at the Casino shows throughout the Reno and Sparks area this week. Show ‘n Shine in Reno can pay off. 

Here is what we saw this week in Reno and Sparks, Nevada as the 33rd Annual Hot August Nights car show invaded this desert town.  

  • Final day Parade at Hot August Nights 2019

 

Hot August Nights Cup Award

Saturday afternoon the awards committee announced the winner of this year’s Hot August Nights Cup Award was the 1965 Chevelle Custom built by Mike Goldman Customs in Meridian, Mississippi. Owner Sonny Freeman of Lafayette, Louisiana and his wife, Debbie, were on hand to accept the award. The Builders Award also went to Mike Goldman Customs, with Mike Goldman and his wife and son, Talbert on hand to accept the Builders Cup. Freeman said his Chevelle was built the way Chevrolet should have done it back in the day. He calls the car “Reflections.” 

A crowd of hundreds packed the square at 4th and Virginia streets in downtown Reno on Saturday for the awards ceremony. Here is what they saw. 

  • 1965 Chevelle Custom at Hot August Nights 2019
    1965 Chevelle Custom called Reflections wins Hot August Nights Cup award

Over $42,250 will be available in cash and prizes for the winners in this year’s Hot August Nights Cup. The Cup Award winner will received $15,000 in cash plus prizes; second place recieved $8,000; third place, $4,000, fourth place, $2,000; and fifth place, $1,000. 

The Hot August Nights Cup Award tophy is becoming one of the most coveted awards in the custom car hobby. In the last decade, the city of Reno has been able to get the sponsorship to give big cash awards for the top cars to show here. That has attracted some of the top custom cars in the country to this show. Two of the cars in this year’s Hot August Nights Cup Award competition were Great 8 Award winners at Detroit Autorama. 

Read our Facebook page and vote for your choice as “Best of Show” among the Top Five contenders. Simply “Like” your favorite and we will post the results on our Facebook page on Sunday. 

Cruisin’ at Hot August Nights 2019

Cars-On-Line.com is here recording photos and videos from Reno’s famous car show. You’ll see some of our posts here on this page, with updates in real time. Be sure to bookmark this page to enjoy Hot August Nights 2019 through our camera lens, just like you were here yourself. I’ll bet by the end of the weekend, you’ll have this show on your bucket list for next year.

Cruisin’ happens every night during the week-long show. Click the video window below to view Cruisin in Dowtown Reno along with a mix of fun in the desert sun. 

There’s nothing like cruising at Hot August Nights under the famous Reno arch as thousands of people crowd along the streets to get a look at all the cars.

Friday Night Drags in Sparks

Drag Races at Hot August Nights 2019

Remember Friday night drag races? Well, here in Sparks, Nevada they still remember the Friday night ritual. Nightly drag races are part of the show at Hot August Nights. Registered show participants can make passes at the track each night during the week-long car show. Here is what you’ve been missing:

 

Stay tuned to this page to see stories and photos from Hot August Nights. Or follow this link to the Hot August Nights website.

 

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