Central Valley Classic Cars

The exclamation point is due to the fact that this was my first time at the very prestigious event, and I was honored to get to attend.

‘Get to’ can be accomplished by anyone though, so long as they’re willing to pay $150. And for all the hoopla, I was surprised at how small the show actually was. Only 150 cars (so a dollar per car) were invited.

That’s right, invited. This means there aren’t any run of the mill 79 Firebirds taking up lots (though if someone has taken the effort to keep a 79 Firebird in a giant tupperware container since the day it rolled off the factory floor you might see one there, one day). Its rare and valuble metal (or wood or fiberglass or carbon-fiber as the case may be) as far as the eye can see.

The car list then is very prestigious, but more than that, these were cars that the average person (including myself) will probably never see anywhere else. I was privileged to see one of the oldest remaining examples of a car (a 3 wheeled german thing), as well as Jay Leno’s Tank engined hot-rod and of course the usual smattering of Rolls Royces and Ferraris.

What struck me most about the cars though was, surprisingly, how I could relate to them. I’ve never owned a Duesenberg or an Aston Martin and lets face it, never will. But I could see that despite their names, prestige, and obviously large monetary value, the cars were, well, old cars. The paint around the edges of sheet-metal wasn’t perfect. Different parts didn’t always line up exactly. Little quirks in both the original craftsmanship and those picked up in the near century that has passed in their lifetimes, revealed to me that the owners of these cars and I have had similar experiences in restoration, repair, and up keep.

Don’t get me wrong; nothing I’ve ever worked on has been worth the price of the paint job these cars must have had. But no matter how exotic a car seems, its still a car.

I wasn’t expecting that.

Nor was I expecting the even bigger display of purchasable cool metal on the way into the Concours. From current concept cars to old British racers; these cars were for sale. Not that that matters as their prices, for the most part, require more money then I will ever make in my life. But it still made for a great display. Check out the photos attached.

And if anybody is shopping for me for Christmas, I could use a topless Bugatti Veyron.