Meadow Brook Concours This Weekend - Dont Miss It!

2007 Meadow Brook Winner Alpha

MEADOW BROOK CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE 2008
An August Tradition
By Steve Purdy
TheAutoChannel.com

Everyone knows where I’ll be on the first Sunday in August every year – hanging out on the 17th and 18th fairways of the Oakland University golf course. I’ll not be playing golf, as you may have surmised, rather I’ll be immersing myself in what is still considered the third most prestigious invitational classic and collector car show in the world, behind only the one still held in France and the famous Pebble Beach show. I’ve not missed a Meadow Brook show in over 20 years and have thousands of photos to prove it.

From 7AM to 7PM I’ll be photographing the finest automobiles ever made, learning from their owners and custodians the history and nuances behind each one. The day begins early as the sun slowly begins to flood “Sycamore Lane” (a double line of magnificent sycamore trees at the east end of the field) as the cars begin to stream onto the show field. I’m able to shot them with the dramatic stone mansion called Meadow Brook in the background before the crowds arrive and before too many of the nearly 250 cars fill the field.

Each year different featured classes define the show and make for a variety of fine automobiles. We seldom se the same cars a second time. Last year the featured European marque was Alfa Romeo and the weird-but-classic B.A.T cars were featured. In the parking area an Alfa club gathering brought a bevy of extra cars to enjoy. We’ll see this year the coming out of the newest B.A.T. called B.A.T. 11 from Italian design house Stile Bertone.

For 2008 a fresh collection of great cars is promised. Of course, like most shows this year, GM’s 100th year will be honored. Harley Earl’s immediate successor, Bill Mitchell, will be honored with a display of 10 of his seldom seen concept cars.

A collection of 16-cylinder cars will be displayed with hoods open for all those gear-heads out there. Eighteen significant Ferraris including two Formula One cars will thrill performance lovers. Ferrari, you will probably agree, represents sensory overload both in performance and beauty. Eight-liter Bentleys, cars of 1933 and motorcycles with sidecars will be featured as well.

I’m most looking forward to the promised display of “Best of Show” winners from Pebble Beach, Amelia Island, Greenwich and Hilton Head Concours. Wow! That’s going to be something to see. That will certainly represent the finest of the finest.

In addition to all those wonderful automobiles – muscle cars, brass era cars, classics, odd balls, sports cars, rare beauties – you’ll also find the worlds premier automotive fine artists in a large tent on the field. Noted automotive fine artist, Tom Hale, hosts a gathering of his colleagues every year representing a variety of media and approaches to the genre – painters, sculptors, wood workers, more than you might imagine.

The Concours opens to the public at 10AM, Sunday, August 3rd at the Meadow Brook mansion on the grounds of Oakland University in Rochester Hills, MI, about 20 miles north of Detroit along I-75. Tickets cost only $25 with kids under 12 free. Proceeds benefit the restoration and maintenance of the mansion.

See you there.