Imperial Display

[Henry Hopkins <hhrp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Tuesday, August 14th, was the day for the first Carmel-By-the-Sea 
Concours on the Avenue, a major event put on by Doug Freedman, a major 
event promoter.  Tuesday, of course, was early in the week of all the 
major events leading to the Pebble Beach Concours on Sunday, the 19th.  
We were fortunate to learn of this event and entered my 60 Imperial cvt, 
and our 60 Chrysler 300F hardtop.  The Imperial was placed in the 
American Luxury Class and the F in the Muscle Car Class.

Also in the class with my car was a 1957 Imperial Southampton 2 door 
hdtp owned by William M. O'Brien, and a 1959 IMperial Crown Convertible 
owned by William Madden of Asheville, North Carolina.  The restoration 
had just been completed, black with a tan interior.  Really an 
outstanding restoration and a real crowd favorite.  Timo Tinskanen was 
responsible for the resto. and he was there at the show.  So, THREE 
beautiful Imperials displayed at a really impressive show.  I was very 
proud to see Imperials getting the praise and the exposure they 
deserve.   A 53 Cad El dorado cvt,, a 55 Cad El dorado cvt, a 49 bright 
red Packard cvt, another beautifully restored car,  a black 47 Cadillac 
Sedanette(fastback) that was so fresh and original looking, and it was 
billed as being an original, unrestored car, and a 1959 Oldsmobile four 
door hdtop with 22,000 original miles and it is amazingly "as new". 

As it turned out, the 59 Imperial received first in class honors and my 
60 cvt received the third place awards.  Awards were large, medium, and 
small engraved circular trays from Tiffany's.  This is to inform not 
brag, though I was very, very happy to get an award at all competing 
with cars in that class.  My car is now a three year old restoration and 
it is no longer a trailer queen.  I drive it to shows now so there is 
wear here and there.  Second went to the 59 Olds which also received the 
Best Original trophy.

Later I was really bowled over when my car received one of the "major 
awards" and I got to drive up across the platform to receive the 
trophy.  Now, get this--the award was for "the automobile that best 
represents the era when American cars turned heads around the world" and 
named the Erik T. Bethel American Excellence Award.  I didn't meet nor 
do I know who Erik T. Bethel is but most likely a major sponsor of the 
event.

So, everyone, all of us as proud Imperial Owners, we own and drive cars 
that we know are "head turners", but it certainly is great news to have 
this recognized by judges at a major concours.  Aren't you proud?  I 
am,  certainly because my car was chosen for the award, but really 
moreso that our wonderful, eccentric, wildly beautiful, etc., etc cars 
are recognized and receiving well deserved praise for the great cars 
they are!!!!!

We plan to show cars there next year if get accepted.  Hope so.  The 
show is Tuesday, August 12th, 2008, in Carmel by the Sea, right in the 
middle of town on Ocean Avenue stretching about 6 blocks or so.  If 
you're around that part of  California around then, plan on seeing the 
show.  It covered cars form the 40s, 50s, 60s(American Family 
Favorites), American Sport--Corvette, British and European Family 
Favorites, British and European Luxury Class, British Sport, German 
Sport, Historic Race, Hot rod, Micro Car, and a few more, so definitely 
something for most everyone.  Also a class celebrating the 50th 
Anniversary of 1957 Cars which included a Mercury Colony Park wagon, and 
a Pontiac Chieftain  4 dr wagon(not a Safari)

Yes, I have rambled on and many of you gave up reading long ago., but I 
wanted to give a sense of what kind of special, grand show it was 
especially since Imperials were so prominently featured and recognized.

Henry Hopkins