The week of the Pebble Beach Concours d’elegance in Monterey Ca. may just be the largest gathering of automotive junkies in the world.

Having just arrived home after a rather long, tiring, but, incredible week on the beautiful Monterey peninsula; I had to sit down and make an attempt at describing just how much happens there and how grand it really is. There is so much to write about, so many stories to tell, so many events taken part of and great people that I visited with- it is all such an incredible blur.

Where to start???? It all started last Tuesday with a quick drive to Indian Wells Ca. to have a look at a very nicely restored Jaguar XK120 and to pick up my traveling partner Paul Merrigan, who by-the-way, is the founder of the Desert Classic Concours d’elegance held March 1st. He and his lovely wife Holly invited me into their amazing home so we could get an early [sic] start on Wednesday. We drove up to Paso Robles and were invited to stay at the truly magnificent home of one of Paul and Holly’s friends. There is no adjective for this home; pictures do not tell the full story. Amazing- simply amazing! Thanks Mrs. “J”!!!

An early start on Thursday found us arriving at Laguna Seca Raceway for practice. The first year of the Monterey historic races yielded a field of just 60 cars. This weekend there were more than 400 participants!

A quick drive to Carmel to view the cars that had participated in the tour drive for the Concours; packed, Carmel was packed! I was also to meet up with Rhet and Chet Andrews who had acquired a car from me just a week earlier; they had a spare ticket for Quail Lodge! Rumor had it that Quail tickets were selling for as much as $2,000 a pair. Thanks guys!!!!!. Then a quick gathering at Mike Lynch’s house, a Ferrari 166 Barchetta in the garage-restoration in progress. Nice Folks; and our great friend Tony a2z was there as well. Thanks Mike! A quick clean up and we were off to the Pebble Beach Club having been invited to a Land Rover reception by a truly remarkable fellow; one Doug Lee. Doug is a talent scout and is the president of California models & Talent in Monterey Ca. He is a great deal of fun- most certainly too quick witted for me, but, most of you know me; it don’t take much

Friday morning came way too early, but, we had to get to Quail before the crowds would make it impossible to photograph the cars. So, up at 5:00 am and out the door by 5:30. Was it worth it? Oh god yes; some of the world’s greatest cars and in an ideal setting. Admission also covers everything that you may want, coffee, (good coffee) great food, wine, cocktails; you name it. Well worth the price! Perhaps the most amazing display at Quail were the 14 Gurney Eagles, yes, fourteen of them. Doug Magnon had brought four of them from his private collection. It was the first time in automotive history that this many Gurney Eagles were at one place and at one time. Then it got better- Dan Gurney showed up; holy smokes! And, our good friend Tony a2z was there as well. Tony won the 1969 F5000 championship driving a Gurney Eagle. The expression on Dan’s face was worth the price of admission alone. I think it was all he could do to contain his absolute joy in seeing his all his babies in one place and at one time. Cars that were driven by racers like; Bobby Unser, James Hunt, Denis Hulme, Jerry Grant, Vern Schuppan-oh my goodness!

There was more……After gorging ourselves on fantastic food, we left Quail and headed for the Concorso d’Italiano. I have to admit, we should have stayed put at the Lodge. The Concorso was-ok. The venue was held on an old air field and somehow the whole thing came off rather poorly….I am of the opinion that too many great cars and their owners attend the Concorso for them to have been treated to such a poor venue and apparently my opinion was shared by more than just a few. Back to the hotel and off again to the Gooding’s Auction pre-view and cocktail reception. It was time to eat, Doug suggested a restaurant in Carmel Valley called the Volcano Grill; eat there! It is owned and operated by Bill Lee (no relation) a terrific host and a fantastic restaurant.

Saturday morning came early, off to the “Retro” tent to look at old books, parts, posters…you know- all of the “stuff” that we should have kept. Can you imagine a 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL owner’s manual bringing $7,500.00? Another quick walk through what the Blackhawk Collection had to offer and it was in the car again and up the road to Laguna Seca for the day.

What needs to be said about the historics and Laguna Seca? The pictures included here will simply have to do; hope you like them. I took over 700 pictures this last week and I am still sifting through them. A very cool thing did happen at Seca however. Jesse Alexander was there. I told him that my den was full of his pictures - it is. He signed a book for me. Something that I will always treasure, after all, he is THE master when it comes to automotive photography; well-in my book he is!

By Saturday night I was kaput! I stayed in, had a nice leisurely dinner and went night-night. Paul went off to the Gooding Auction and came back with the news that a Bugatti type 57 had brought a record price of $7.3 million. What recession?????!!!!!

Ah, Sunday! Pebble Beachand the event of the week! Pebble is an absolute must do! Again, there really is no way to describe Pebble and hopefully pictures will do the talking for me here. I saw my friend Tommy Kendall, my next door neighbor, Rhet and Chet Andrews-again, Mark Payne who I had not seen in twenty years (and the best detailer on the planet I might add, Marks Clean Car Service 714-993-9293) and a host of great people that I had not seen in some time. Doug Lee had reserved a large table at the “Tap Room” in the Pebble Beach Lodge for Lunch and I was able to chat for a good long while with Patrick Phinny, yeah, the same guy who played for USC. Pat is a collector of some fantastic cars and also has a couple of terrific kids who will be house-hold names in the racing world soon. Remember, you heard it here first! “Best in show” went to an Alfa 8C touring, a fantastic car and well deserved win! What a day and it still wasn’t over. 

Sunday night and the Gooding Auction; this was it, one more event. Some unbelievable cars sold for huge money. Gooding sold $63 million worth of cars over the weekend and it appears  as though the “Best in show” Pebble Beach winner did have an influence on pricing as we watched a similar bodied, but less desirable, Alfa Romeo 6C bring well over $2 million. Holy S*&^! 

What a week.  If you are a car guy/gal….do Pebble, buy tickets now for next years Quail event. The entire Monterey week- a world class event in many, many ways.

Klaus Kindor

O.C.C.E.