Monterey Weekend, or simply "The Weekend" to all classic car
fanatics, will be held this year on August 15, 16, and 17, 2003 in the Monterey Bay,
California area. The Weekend is full of classic car shows, sports & muscle car
auctions and automotive events.
First off the Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance celebrates its 53rd
Anniversary this year and will showcase the magnificent vehicles of Ettore Bugatti and
celebrate the 100th year anniversary of the Ford Motor Company. Pebble Beach is a Classic
in itself and if you love old cars you should go and see it firsthand.
The Concours will be held on Sunday, August 17 at The Lodge at
Pebble Beach. Admission is $100 per person, with children under 12 admitted free of
charge. Each ticket includes an event program plus free parking and a shuttle ride to the
show field. To order tickets call the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance ticket line
toll free at 877-693-0009 or visit their web site at www.pebblebeachconcours.net
If you're an Italian car aficionado then you must attend the
Concorso Italiano held this year at the Black Horse Golf Course at Monterey Bay in Seaside
on Friday, August 15. They are honoring Lamborghini’s 40th Anniversary and are
presenting the USA debut of the new Lamborghini Gallardo. Plus just about every
Lamborghini model ever made is usually on display too.
Throw in an extra 800 or so Red Ferraris & Italian cars, an
opera, and some really gorgeous women in a Leather Fashion show, and the day is perfectly
rounded out. Tickets are $60.00 per person at the door and include parking and an event
program. Call 206-232-0365 for ticket and event information or visit them on the web at www.concorso.com
Straddling the entire weekend are classic, sports and muscle car
auctions. This is the best time and place to buy a collector car and join this elite group
of car lovers who migrate to Monterey Bay every year. And the cars - you name it - from
Alfa Romeo & Bugatti, and Cobras & Cords, to Duesenberg & Delahaye, plus
hundreds more. This is where they all come to see, buy and sell the best Collector Cars in
the World.
If you want to walk the parking lots and just look around and enjoy
the sights and sounds of all the cars, that’s fine. But if you want to buy a
collector car you should register to bid and attend one of the auctions.
There are four car events to choose from this year and each one
sells to a different clientele. But whatever you do, go to at least one sale this weekend
and enjoy the excitement up close and personal. You never know, you might even be bidding
with noted car collectors Jay Leno or Nicolas Cage!
The Blackhawk Collection Exposition of Classic Cars will again be
displayed at the Peter Hay Golf Course across from the Pebble Beach Lodge. Car Collectors
Don & Rob Williams will offer for sale some of the finest Classic Cars available over
the Monterey Weekend from Wednesday August 13 thru Sunday August 17. Admission to the
Exposition is free and the cars are always fantastic. Call 925-736-3444 for catalogs and
information or visit them at www.blackhawkcollection.com
Returning again this year, celebrating their 3rd
anniversary at The Monterey Weekend, are Drew & Josephine Alcazar of Russo and Steele.
They are hosting a very special European Sports & American Muscle Cars, Customs and
Hot Rods "NO RESERVE" car auction at the Marriott Hotel in Downtown Monterey on
Saturday, August 16.
Think Cuda, Mustang & Camaro, then add Big Blocks, Six Packs and
4-Speeds. These are the American Muscle Cars, Customs & Hot Rods that Detroit built to
go fast and sound great! The auction starts at 5 PM Saturday with a full hour of a new
Memorabilia auction to warm up the crowd, plus you can see all the cars at the preview
party all day long on Friday and Saturday before the car auction begins at 6 PM sharp on
Saturday evening.
A continued feature again this year is the Instant Insurance Program
provided at no additional cost by Grundy Worldwide Insurance with any R&S Auction
purchase. This is a Russo and Steele Excusive Offer and can provide a buyer with that
little extra piece of mind after the sale is made. Ask Drew for the details at
480-517-4005 or visit them at www.russoandsteele.com
Next up the RM Auction Company holds the Monterey Sports Car Auction
at the DoubleTree Hotel at Fisherman’s Wharf on Friday night, August 15 &
Saturday night August 16. This is the original and oldest Sports Car auction for the
Monterey Weekend. Started by Rick Cole in the mid 1980’s this auction is the leader
in offering the best of the breed in sports cars. This is "The World’s Greatest
Sports Car Auction", period.
From Corvettes to Jaguars and Ferrari’s to Porsches, RM
Auctions always has the most vehicles for sale this weekend. All of the cars are on
display in the DoubleTree Hotel courtyard for preview on both days. All it takes is a
generous line of credit and that dream car can be yours in a heartbeat. Bidder
Registration is a $125 per person and you can reach them toll free at 800-211-4371 or on
the web at www.rmauctions.com
Still have some money left? Unbelievable, but then by all means
attend Christie's International Motor Cars auction on Sunday August 17. This is
Christie’s 14th annual auction of Exceptional Motor Cars in Monterey.
Held after the Pebble Beach Concours, at the The Pebble Beach
Equestrian Center at 6 PM Sunday, it is the most prestigious of all the Classic Car
Auctions this weekend. Expect the very best Rolls Royce, Ferrari, Maserati and Alfa Romeo
have to offer plus several Vintage Indy Race Cars. Over 75 rare and important motorcars
will be available for auction this year.
Christie’s is the cream of the crop when it comes to offering
the Worlds Best Motor Cars for sale, and this event will again break several world record
prices for automobiles. Admission is by catalogue and can be purchased for $50 at the
door. For more information call them at 800-395-6300 and you can view these special
motorcars at www.christies.com
OK, now your broke, the weekends over, and you still want to look at
more Classic Cars? Well if you have at least some gas money left, then drive up to the
Blackhawk Museum in Danville, California for their 15th Annual Post Pebble Beach Open
House on Monday, August 18th from 10 AM to 5 PM. They will be offering live music, snacks
and beverages, docent-led museum tours and an opportunity to gradually re-enter the
"real world" following all the fabulous automotive events in Monterey Bay.
Admission is free during the Museum’s Open House and there is
plenty of parking for cars, trucks and trailers. Two automotive galleries display more
than 100 historically significant and artistically inspired automobiles, mostly
one-of-a-kind custom coach built cars dating from 1884 through 1971. The Blackhawk Museum
is now in association with the Smithsonian Institution and is the final "must
see" car show for the "Weekend". Call 925-736-2280 for directions or visit
the Museum’s website at www.blackhawkmuseum.org
.
Since all of the car auctions start in the early evening, that
leaves you all day, every day, to view and check out the cars that will be up for sale
that night. Some of these events are by invitation only, but you can usually still buy a
catalogue and a ticket at the door. But please keep your arms and hands firmly at your
sides, as these prices are not for the faint of heart.
Expect to see many cars going for well into the millions of dollars,
and the really expensive cars roll out at around 8 PM, right after the high rollers have
had plenty of Hors d’oeuvres and a few drinks to loosen up their wallets.
And if you are planning to go to Monterey for the entire weekend do
not expect to find a hotel room easily. Most hotels were booked up at least six months in
advance and the rates are still kind of steep. But call around as basic rooms and bargain
prices can still be found if you take the time to search by phone or on the web.
Also expect some continuous bumper-to-bumper traffic. But in that
traffic will probably be some of the most interesting cars you've ever seen in your life.
Plus the movie stars, the rich and famous, and the movers and shakers of the automotive
world will all be there to see and be seen.
So take a break and drive on down to Monterey Bay, even for the day,
and enjoy the cars, the people and the sunshine, because it’s going to be another
fabulous "Monterey Weekend".
