The 10th annual Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance outside Owen Sound, Ontario – taking place on Sunday, September 15 this year – displayed some of the world’s most important and historic cars against the backdrop of the Georgian Bay shoreline. Voted Best of Show by an assembly of experienced judges brought in from across Canada and the U.S. was a swoopy 1947 Bentley Mk VI coupe with body by renowned coachbuilders Figoni and Falaschi.
The French-bodied British luxury coupe is owned John Shalhoub of St. Louis, Missouri, and was originally ordered by a wealthy European for travel between his homes in Paris and Monaco, so it had to be comfortable, fast, and have plenty of luggage space.
The Bentley was also voted Best in Class for European Full Classics; and received the Rolling Sculpture Award from the National Association of Automobile Clubs of Canada (NAACC).
The Most Outstanding Pre-War award went to Brent Merrill of Gallery 260 in Toronto for his 1932 Marmon 16-cylinder convertible coupe, one of only 500 made. The speedy open car with a 200-horsepower aluminum-block V16 engine was originally purchased by a doctor in Rocky River, Ohio. The body by LeBaron is constructed from aluminum, over wood.
The Most Outstanding Post-War award went to a 1957 Ferrari 250GT owned by Fred Fischer of Wildwood, Missouri. Its racing history includes participation in the 1957 Tour de France. This car was also a class winner in the concours.
The coveted People’s Choice Award went to Vernon Smith of Swift Current, Newfoundland, who trailered his 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible to the event. The car also won the Glamour Cars of the Space Age: 1960-1970s award. The high-finned black beauty is only one of 46 equipped with every option available that year, including bucket seats and air conditioning.
Only 100 owners are invited to show their historic vehicles at this concours, which takes place on the 18th fairway of the Cobble Beach golf course. They are judged in 18 classes, and competition is tough, as these vehicles are among the best of the best. Entries came from 12 U.S. states and nine Canadian provinces.
Concours chairman Rob McLeese leads a team of 100 volunteers and Cobble Beach Resort staff members to put on a first-class event which attracts hundreds of spectators. Over 10 years, the event has raised more the $1 million for the Sunnybrook Hospital Foundation and the local Brightshores Health System.
The Margaret Dunning Spirit of Driving award went to 29-year-old Seamus Hnat for driving his 1914 Ford Model T Touring from the Detroit area, a trip that took six hours. He is part of group of under 40 enthusiasts who tour in automobiles built before 1925. Meanwhile, Doug Keith was voted hobbyist of the year by the NAACC. He brought his 1928 Ford Model A pickup truck to the concours from Saskatchewan.
A 1903 Ford received the Horseless Carriage class award. Owned by Dennis Huron of Port Perry, Ontario, it has been in the same family since becoming the first car registered in Whitby, Ontario. The car wears its original leather license plate: Ontario 145.
Other class winners include a 1957 Ferrari GTC for the Most Outstanding Sports Car Award. It is owned by Bob Little of Windsor, Ontario. Tony Burgess of Toronto received the most elegant post-war car award for his 2007 Weismann GT-MF4 coupe. The most elegant pre-war automobile chosen by the judges was a freshly restored 1929 Lincoln dual-cowl phaeton with body by Locke, owned by Bill and Rita Wybenga of Picton, Ontario.
The best post-1980 European production was a 1969 GTB; and a 1951 Jaguar XK120 originally sold in Ireland was the best pre-1980 European sports car.
For classic Corvettes from 1963 through 1967, a 1965 Corvette owned by Peter Braam of Sheddon, Ontario took top honours. The car was delivered new to Gorrie’s Chevrolet in Toronto. The American Post-war Performance award went to a 1970 Plymouth AAR ‘Cuda presented by Sandro Brocca of King City, Ontario.
The award for the Iconic Japanese Sports Cars pre-1980 class went to a yellow 1970 Datsun 240Z owned by Laverne Burkhart of Kitchener, Ontario. The Iconic Japanese Sports Cars 1981 – 2000 trophy went to a 1985 Toyota Celica Supra owned by Dan Griffiths of London, Ontario.
For Custom Restomods, the top award went to David Jolly of Norval, Ontario for his radically customized 1938 Lincoln convertible. The Modern Supercars award, meanwhile, went to a 2019 Aston Martin DB11 Signature Halo Edition owned by Joe Maira of Clarence Centre, New York.
The Post-War Preservation award went to Natasha DeMelis for her all-original 1967 Ford Mustang GT, nicknamed “Raven,” powered by a 390-cubic-inch engine running through a four-speed transmission. Top honours for station wagons went to Steve Plunkett of London, Ontario for his 1958 Buick Century Cabellero. The Classic Ford Mustang award went to a 1967 Shelby GT500 owned by Andrew Schuller from Granton, Ontario. Voted top motorcycle was a 1969 Honda CB750 owned by John DeMaria from Bethany, Ontario.
The Bruce Grey Simcoe Award went to Fred Pierce for the 1962 Amphicar his father-in-law purchased new in Thunder Bay for his water-access-only cottage in Dryden, Ontario. The amphibious car sank twice—once when a an inebriated police officer who was on-board on the lake opened the passenger door to relieve himself.
The Concours Debut Award went to Tony Polito’s 1958 Continental convertible, originally purchased by Hollywood actress Mamie Van Doren. The Judges Award went to a documented barn-find 1970 Mustang Boss 302 owned by Chase Van Dyne of Holland, Michigan. And the Chief Judge award was given to Norm Moffat of Huntsville, Ontario for the 1955 Allard J2 sports car his father purchased new.
The Tom Thomson Gallery Timeless Design Award went to a 1923 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Pall Mall Tourer brought from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan by Roger Melton. The Hagerty Youth Judges Award was given to the GM Firebird III concept car of the 1950s, featuring turbine power and nine fins.
The Ingenuity Award was given to a 1959 Corvette with 900 horsepower, owned by Viv Agresti of Holland Landing, Ontario. The Spirit of the Hobby Award went to a red 1968 Shelby GT500KR owned by Peter Wojtowicz of Bargesville, Indiana. The Chairman’s Award was presented to 92-year-old Al Webster from Gormley, Ontario for his 1937 Cord Sportsman convertible. And the Fashion Award went to Geri Swafford of South Lyon, Michigan for her red outfit, which matched her May-1964-build 1965 Ford Mustang convertible with a four-speed transmission, a car she waited 50 years to buy.
Alyn Edwards is a classic-car enthusiast and partner in a Vancouver-based public relations company.
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