Later Full Classics at the Cincinnati Concours

 

The Classic Car Club of America has been honoring what they consider to be full classic automobiles since 1951. The look at cars built between 1915 and 1948 and have chosen those they feel are, essentially, the best of the best. The Cincinnati Concours d'Elegance always has classes for these cars and, in fact, breaks them into early and late classics. The Late Classic class are cars from 1936 through 1948, and this year included a 1938 Packard Darrin convertible Victoria. This Darrin coach body was only put on 120 Packard frames. This car was built for Hollywood actress Sally Rand. It has a 320 cubic inch inline eight-cylinder engine that puts out 120 horsepower.

This is a 1931 Stutz DV32 MA convertible coupe. It hasn't been driven on the road since 1938 and the current owner purchased it out of storage in 2024, giving it a full restoration. The engine is a 322 cubic inch, dual overhead cam, inline eight-cylinder power plant that generates 165 horsepower. The car was guaranteed to go 100 miles per hour.

There are several fairly unique features to this 1937 Cord 812 SC Phaeton. The Cord was one of the first front wheel drive automobiles. It was also one of the first to adapt hydraulics and to have flip up headlights. The car has a 289 cubic inch V 8 engine that generates 175 horsepower.

Dubbed the "Standard in the World" for luxury, this 1947 Cadillac Series 62 Club coupe had an original price tag of $2500. It sports its original engine, a 325 cubic inch V 8 engine that creates 150 horsepower.

There were only 50 1937 Cadillac V-16 Imperial convertible sedans with bodywork by Fleetwood ever built and this is one that survived. Its 154-inch wheelbase was the longest of any American car at the time. It is powered by a 452 cubic inch V 16-cylinder engine that puts out 185 horsepower. It's original price of $8150 was twice that of the average home at the time.

It's rare for a car to be heralded by a museum but the 1940 Lincoln Zephyr Continental cabriolet was so honored by none other than the Museum of Modern Art. The prototype for this car was Edsel Ford's personal vehicle. This is one of 350 ever built and one of only 30 still known to exist. It runs on a 292 cubic inch V 12 that churns out 120 horsepower. 

This 1936 Auburn 852 Phaeton marked the final year of production for the Auburn Automobile Company. What is so interesting about this model is that the grandfather of the current owner was instrumental in the car's design. It has a 280 cubic inch inline eight-cylinder engine that generates 150 horsepower. 

Early Full Classics at the Cincinnati Concours

The Classic Car Club of America was founded in 1951 with the idea of honoring certain pre-war automobiles the club deemed as significant. These cars they have come to call Full Classics. The cars can be from the USA or from foreign countries but must be manufactured between 1915 and 1948. There are exceptions for pre-1915 cars but nothing beyond the cut off year. The Cincinnati Concours d'Elegance holds two classes for CCCA recognized autos with the earliest being cars from 1915 through 1935. This class included a 1932 Packard 902 Deluxe 8 dual cowl phaeton. There were 955 of these cars built but only 50 sported this body style. It is powered by a 385 cubic inch inline eight-cylinder engine which generates 135 horsepower. The average car in 1932 cost $650 but this model sold for $4000.

Manufactured in the United States, this 1929 Rolls Royce Springfield Phaeton has a 7.7 liter inline six-cylinder engine that puts out 108 horsepower. It was made specifically for the North American market and has an all-aluminum body.

Only 30 of these 1932 Chrysler CL6 Roadsters were ever built and fewer than 12 are known to still exist. With a 146-inch wheelbase, this car was bodied by LaBaron. It sports a 223 cubic inch inline six-cylinder engine that puts out 82 horsepower. It has a vacuum controlled clutch.

Housed at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum in Auburn, IN, this 1932 Duesenberg J. Murphy Boattail Speedster was once owned by J. Paul Getty. It originally cost $15,000. It is powered by a 420 cubic inch inline eight-cylinder engine and puts out 265 horsepower which allows a top speed of 119 miles per hour.

This is a 1930 Cadillac 452 V-16 roadster. The V-16 signifies that it has 16 cylinders in its 452 cubic inch engine. That engine generates 175 horsepower and also 320 foot pounds of low-end torque. It needs that power since it weighs over 5000 pounds. This car originally cost $6000.

 

Foreign Collector Cars at the Cincinnati Concours

 

While no automobile is entirely made in one country anymore, there was a time when they were. Following World War II, foreign countries, mostly in Europe, began selling their cars in the United States. Some found them exotic or even more practical to own than an American counterpart. The number of foreign based cars has increased over the years. To recognize this, the Cincinnati Concours d'Elegance has, for years, run a class for Foreign Collector cars. This year saw a 1953 Rolls Royce Silver Dawn Saloon. Only 760 of these cars were made and this one has been in the same family since 1968. 

Back in 1956, this BMW 502 was the fastest production passenger sedan in all of Germany. The car has a 2580 cc V 8 engine that puts out 100 horsepower. This particular car raced and rallied across Europe and won the Frankfort Gordon Bennett Race in 1959.

This 1998 Bentley Continental T RSE is one of only 14 that were commissioned for the United States. To signify its rarity, it cost a staggering $370,000 when new. It has a 6.75-liter V 8 engine that churns out 420 horsepower, allowing it to go from zero to 60 in 5.6 seconds.

This is a completely original and unrestored 1987 BMW 635 CSI. Running on a 3.5-liter inline six-cylinder engine, the car generates 215 horsepower. It's little wonder that BMW have won numerous races throughout Europe.

This 1994 Ferrari 456 GT is a rather unique model for the Italian firm. Not only is it a return to the front engine placement, in this case a 5.5-liter V 12 punching out 442 horsepower, but it is also an actual 2+2 with a rear seat that can actually accommodate adults. This car was assembled by Pininfarina. 

This Volvo 1800S belongs to a rather impressive family. The 1800 first rose to fame as the car driven by Simon Templar, played by Roger Moore, on the TV show The Saint. More recently, an 1800S model holds the Guinness world record of traveling 3.2 million miles. These cars have a 1.8-liter inline four-cylinder engine that puts out 108 horsepower.

Asian Collector Cars at the Cincinnati Concourse

 

Today, cars made in Asia, particularly Japan and Korea, make up a very large portion of the automobiles bought in the United States. The people behind the Cincinnati Concours d'Elegance felt that was significant enough to become one of the first such events to hold a regular class in Asian Collector cars. For this year's 48th annual event, that class included a 1994 Toyota Crown Wagon. The Crown is the company's flagship model, and this wagon is one of only 10 believed to be in the USA. The car runs on a 2.4 liter inline four-cylinder diesel engine.

This 1979 Datsun 280ZX coupe has only ever had one owner. The car has just 34,000 miles. When it was introduced Motor Trend named it the "1979 Car of the Year." The car has a 2.8 liter inline six-cylinder engine that produces 135 horsepower.

Japan didn't venture into the "supercar" market until Acua introduced the NSX. This 1997 NSX-T sports a 3.0-liter V 6 engine that pours out horsepower. There were many firsts introduced with this automobile including the first VTEC system and direct ignition.

This 1993 Mitsubishi 3000 GT VR4 sports a great deal of advanced technology for the time. Its 3.0-liter twin turbo V 6 engine sent power to all four wheels with 45 percent going to the front and 55 percent going to the rear. It has four-wheel steering and electronic suspension control.

The MR2 was Toyota's foray into the small sports car market, and this 2001 Spyder is a prime example of the quality of those cars. Powered by a 1.4 liter inline four-cylinder engine generating 138 horsepower, this was plenty of get up and go for a car weighing just 2195 pounds.

American Collector Cars at the Cincinnati Concours

 

American cars made following World War II have long been some of the most collectable vehicles. For the Cincinnati Concours d'Elegance the Collector American class is usually one of, if not the, largest class at the show and the 48th annual edition was no different. A 1955 Dodge Royal Lancer convertible, the model that introduced Virgil Exner's impressive "Forward Look" styling, was one of this year's entrants. This car sports a 270 cubic inch Hemi "Super Red Ram" V8 engine that can reportedly hit a top speed of 101 miles per hour.

This 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible was one of 14,268 manufactured that year. This Best of Class winner at the 2025 Hilton Head Concours d'Elegance is powered by a 265 cubic inch V 8 that turns out 205 horsepower.

A direct rival to the Chevy is this 1956 Ford Sunliner. This model introduced a number of safety features which Ford dubbed the "Lifeguard Design." It has a 312 cubic inch V 8 engine that creates 225 horsepower. 

Here is a 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk coupe which reflects the company's "Jet Age" design aesthetic. This car won the Antique Automobile Club of America Senior Grand National award in 2018. It features a 352 cubic inch V 8 engine that generates 275 horsepower.

This 1965 Buick Wildcat Deluxe convertible is one of only 17 of this model made that year. This was also the last year a four-speed manual transmission was available in the Wildcat. It is driven by a 401 cubic inch V 8 engine that churns out 325 horsepower.

The top trim package for Pontiac in 1956 was this Star Chief convertible. With a 316.6 cubic inch V 8 engine that creates 277 horsepower, this car has the "Strato Flight" Hydramatic transmission. There were 13,510 manufactured that year.

The first American front wheel drive car since 1937 was this 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado. Motor Trend named it the "1966 Car of the Year." With a 425 cubic inch V 8 engine that powers out 385 horsepower, the Toronado had a rare feature for General Motors cars in the 1960s, pop up headlights.

1953 was the last year that Buick made a real wood bodied wagon and this Woodie Estate Wagon wears that trademark well. Only 670 were ever built. The "woodie" has a 322 cubic inch V 8 engine that puts out 130 horsepower.

This Firelite Sportsman Coupe was the top-of-the-line car for DeSoto in 1956. This car was part of Virgil Exner's "Forward Look" styling and featured a push button transmission which marked the first year that Chrysler had this feature. It is powered by a 330 cubic inch Hemi V 8 motor that generates 225 horsepower.

In 1959 Cadillac unveiled the tallest tailfins in their history as is evident by this Series 62 convertible. Riding on a massive 130-inch wheelbase, the car is powered by a 390 cubic inch V 8 engine that puts out 325 horsepower. Elvis Presley is famed for owning and driving one of these cars.

The Bronco was the first SUV model manufactured by Ford. This is a 1973 example and sports twin fuel tanks. It runs off of a 302 cubic inch V 8 engine that generates 140 horsepower.

48th Annual Cincinnati Concours d'Elegance

 

As seems to have become the norm, the 48th Cincinnati Concours d'Elegance saw rain in the morning and the threat of storms moving in hovered over the rest of the show. For much of the event, though, the weather held under cloudy skies. The Cincinnati Concours d'Elegance is the fourth oldest in the United States and the oldest that is not on the West coast. Raising money for the Arthritis Foundation in its fight to battle juvenile arthritis, the concours is held on the grass at beautiful Alt Park. For the next three weeks plus I will be posting the beautiful machines that were all on display for the concours, starting with the Antiques class. This class features cars made through 1924. Starting off is a 1922 Packard Single Six Touring. This car is something of a star having appeared in the HBO series "Boardwalk Empire." It has a 268 cubic inch inline six engine that generates 54 horsepower.

This 1911 Stoddard Dayton is the last of its kind that is mostly original known to exist. A 1911 Stoddard was the very first pace car at the Indianapolis 500. It sports a 426 cubic inch inline four-cylinder engine that puts out 50 horsepower. With its hemispherical combustion chambers it could be considered a very early "hemi."

The Overland Automobile Company made cars from 1903 to 1926 in both Indianapolis, IN and Toledo, OH. This 1916 Model 86 sports a 224 cubic inch inline four engine that puts out 45 horsepower. When new it cost $1145 which is about $45,000 today.

Between 1916 and 1926, Detroit, MI based Liberty Motor Car Company turned out 9924 automobiles. This 1920 10 C five passenger touring car is one of only 10 known to have survived. With a 230 cubic inch inline six engine, this car generates 55 horsepower. This, it seemed, was perfect for the current owner's grandparents to drive it on their honeymoon. 

Wrapping Up the Shrine Car Show

 

Today is the last post from the annual Syrian Shrine car show. As always, please feel free to let me know what you thought of this event by either leaving a comment (no ads, please, they just get deleted) or by dropping me an email at turnerbudds@yahoo.com. For today's post we have a 1953 Buick Roadmaster, a Studebaker Commander, a 1950 Chevy 210, a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air station wagon, and Chevy Corvette, and a Ford Fairlane.