The most glamorous free car show on the planet

Exotics flood into Clint Eastwood’s back yard

Few locations for a classic car show can match central Carmel-by-the-Sea.

This Californian playground of the rich and famous plays host each year to the Concours on the Avenue, with priceless classics filling the closed streets of the famous Pacific-fronted resort where Clint Eastwood was once mayor.

The latest edition took place yesterday (13 August), and it was as dazzlingly brilliant as ever.

Open to all marques from 1940-’73, and Porsche and Ferrari models up to 1989, it featured a fascinating blend of road and competition classics (including a Datsun Fairlady racer, above). Scroll or click on for our highlights.

A pack of Porsche racers

The early signs are that Porsches are likely to be a theme of this year’s Monterey Car Week, with the distinctive thrum of air-cooled flat-sixes to be heard from Seaside to Pacific Grove.

And Carmel was no exception, with the highlight being this impressive set of 911 racers.

Holdens flung far from home

Upstaging much more exotic competition machinery was Aussie Paul Freestone’s pair of Holden racers.

Shipped over from Melbourne, Victoria, the duo comprised a 1951 28-215 ‘Humpy Holden’ FX – found under a gumtree and bought for just AUS$1 before being restored – and this fabulous 1953 FJ Coupe Utility.

Citroën couture for its centenary

It wasn’t all about track times, of course, and Dennis Duesing’s beautiful Citroën ID21 Wagon semi-auto with optional six-dial Jaeger dash and Dior luggage on the roof provided a wonderful contrast to the competition machines.

Tiddler from the East

This tiny Mazda R360 Coupé was the Japanese firm’s first passenger car and is a rare sight anywhere, let alone in the USA – where it would fit in the boot of most homegrown classics of the era.

Swiss supercoupé steals our hearts

Another car brought over from Australia for California’s celebration of all things automotive, Queenslanders Mark and Michelle Jansen’s 1971 Monteverdi 375L – a super-rare right-hooker – was a favourite among members of the C&SC team.

Continental style… on another continent

The ‘Continental, European and Foreign Sport’ class line-up was as wide-ranging as its name suggests, encompassing everything from this superb Matra M530 to an Autobianchi Bianchina Trasformobile.

Heart of Glas

Texan Jose Romero’s 1968 BMW 1600GT is fresh from a full ‘rotisserie’ restoration and looked superb in the California sunshine.

It’s one of just 13 examples in the USA of this pretty coupé, which evolved from the Glas 1300GT after BMW purchased the tiny Dingolfing-based manufacturer.

Toyota’s tiny sports car

Another jewel-like Japanese offering, and once again from the collection of Mike and Barbara Malamut, was this superb two-tone example of Toyota’s first sports car, the S800.

Rare bowtie takes a bow

As you might expect, the Concours on the Avenue also featured an impressive selection of muscle cars, none more exciting than Walter Schmidt’s rare Yenko Super Camaro.

The 1969 car features a 427cu in L27 V8 fettled by Don Yenko’s famed Pennsylvania dealership.

Big cat with more roar

Another fascinating and rare piece of ’60s American muscle, Randy Smalley’s 1968 Mercury Cougar XR-7 GT-E features the infrequently specified 427cu in V8 with four-barrel carburetor, pushing out a mighty 390bhp.

America’s answer to a Morris Traveller?

There were a number of ‘woodie’ wagons on show in Carmel, but none caught the eye quite like local resident Jon Hagstrom’s spectacular 1948 Packard Eight Station Sedan.

The conversion into an estate was carried out by the Briggs Manufacturing Co, using ash and maple panelwork.

A local legend

The Chevrolet Bel Air has become an American icon, and none more so than the fabulous ’55 model. This two-door convertible version is finished in gorgeous Salmon and Shadow Gray, and was among the first cars to feature the new ‘smallblock’ Chevy V8.

Badge-engineered Packard

Hugh Franks’ Studebaker-based 1958 Packard 58L-J8 is one of the last built before the model went out of production, and was bought by Franks’ father from his eighth-grade English teacher!

A Cord by another name

If this resto-mod Graham Paige Hollywood looks familiar, that’s because its body was recycled from the earlier Cord Beverly saloon.

In the Graham, the supercharged power went to the rear wheels rather than the fronts as per the Cord, and this discreetly modified example looked deliciously understated in the hot-rod class.

Mini’s transatlantic adventure

Even Carmel was getting in on the anniversary celebrations for the Mini, with a small selection of the BMC babies headed by an intriguing 1970 MkII Cooper ‘S’ built specially for Kjell Qvale, founder of the firm’s North American operation.

The Californian Job

Minis were on show once again as part of a special celebration to mark the anniversary of classic heist caper The Italian Job – along with a Miura for them to chase over the ramp, of course.

Rare Alfa heads from coast to coast

Florida resident Leo Schligiel crossed the USA to show his 1949 Alfa Romeo 6C-2500 Cabriolet with handsome Pinin Farina lines.

’Vettes in practice

An American car show just wouldn’t feel complete without a Corvette, and of course Carmel featured some of the most desirable versions of all – including the gorgeous Stingray ‘split-window’ coupe. Here, a line of fastbacks is headed by a fuel-injected version.

Rare rent-a-racer

A Ford Mustang GT350H is rare indeed, but Jason Fisher’s example of the Hertz rental Shelby Mustang is extra special: it’s one of only around 50 that was originally finished in attractive Sapphire Blue rather than the more usual black.

Osca’s answer to the Disco Volante

Phil White’s 1952 Osca MT4 Berlinetta Vignale must have been among the most distinctive cars on show along Ocean Avenue.

Its radical front wings are designed to aid engine and brake cooling – enough to help this car to a class win at Le Mans in 1953.

Concept car brought to life

Many enthusiasts would dearly love to own design legend Harley Earl’s Buick Y-Job – often regarded as the first true ‘concept car’ – but there is no way GM will be parted from it.

Raymond Melioli decided that was no barrier, and built this remarkably convincing tribute car with LS1 V8 power and Corvette running gear on a 1941 Cadillac chassis. It even had us fooled at first…