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Elegant 1931 Cadillac 452A Named Best of Show at the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance

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#automotive #sportscar #fastcar #luxurycar
Published
06/08/2024 by

A 1931 Cadillac 452A was chosen as this year's Best of Show at the 28th annual Greenwich Concours d'Elegance and the Barris-Built 1957 Chevrolet 210 'El Capitola' was chosen as Best of Show at Saturday's Concours de Sport. This year's event further established the weekend's focus on celebrating car culture and honoring concours tradition while providing new experiences and opportunities for enthusiasts and community members.

"Every year, the Tri-State area reaffirms its passion and dedication for celebrating automotive history at the Greenwich Concours," said McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty. "The custom, Barris-designed 1957 Chevrolet 210 and elegant 1931 Cadillac 452A celebrate not only the quality of cars in the region, but the diversity of cars as well. We are tremendously grateful for the support of our partners, sponsors, volunteers, judges and attendees who made this year's event a success."

1931 Cadillac 452A All-Weather Phaeton – 2024 Best of Show – Concours d'Elegance

The Best of Show Concours d'Elegance was awarded to the 1931 Cadillac 452A owned by Leigh Brent. This car was formerly part of the renowned Charles Gillet Collection and is among the final cars built by Fleetwood in Pennsylvania. It is 1-of-4 All-Weather Phaetons known to survive. Designers dubbed this an all-weather phaeton as it featured roll-up side glass in lieu of the side curtains found in a standard four-door example. It is equipped with rear division enabling it to be chauffeur-driven.

1957 Chevrolet 210 'El Capitola' – 2024 Best of Show – Concours de Sport

The Best of Show Concours de Sport was awarded to the 1957 Chevrolet 210 owned by Tim McMann. El Capitola was commissioned by Don Fletcher in 1957 with design and execution by Sam Barris in 1957-58 and the interior, paint and glass by Barris Kustom City in 1958. The body was chopped three inches in front; 5 inches in the rear; the door posts removed, the side glass butt-fitted, the body nosed, decked and shaved, and the front fenders were reshaped and peaked. A plethora of parts were used from Studebaker, Chevrolet, Lincoln, DeSoto, Pontiac, and Oldsmobile models. Even Cessna aircraft struts were used on the tops of the rear fenders! In total, 630 pounds of lead were added to style the car. The interior installed by Eddie Martinez in 1958 remains original and includes four swiveling bucket seats and a free-standing television. It is powered by the original, though extensively chromed, 265cid V-8 with three-speed column shift.

Saturday's Concours de Sport and Sunday's Concours d'Elegance each featured over 120 cars in 18 judged classes. Notable classes for this year's concours d'Elegance included Pre- and Post-War Rolls-Royce, Muscle/Performance Cars, Supercars, Road Racing Motorcycles, Cars of the 1964 Dealerships, Porsche Carrera, and Lamborghini.

Esteemed Contemporary Architect Steven Harris served in the honorary role of Grand Marshal while a slate of expert judges, including a group of 24 youth judges, focused on design, style and elegance while selecting this year's winners.

2024 Greenwich Concours by the numbers:

  • $15,000 pledged to local nonprofits
  • Over 12,000 weekend attendees
  • Hundreds of young enthusiasts engaged
  • 935 Mobil 1 Hagerty Ride & Drive experiences and new model BMW and Lucid test drives
  • Over 150 vehicles at Saturday's Concours de Sport
  • Over 150 vehicles at Sunday's Concours d'Elegance
  • 120 local volunteers
  • 50 judges presenting 129 awards
  • 6.3 UV index

Upcoming moments presented by Hagerty Events include:

  • RADwood NorCal – July 20, 2024
  • Motorlux – August 14, 2023
  • RADwood Detroit - September 14, 2024
  • The Amelia – March 6 - 9, 2025

The next Concours event on the calendar is The Amelia with its 30th annual event in 2025. Held since 1996 at the The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, it's known as the "Racers Concours" to many and celebrates the cars and drivers who inspire.

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