'13 Motorsport Re-Union, aka Monterey Car Week

[John Z Goriup]

"Ahhh, I love the smell of vintage car racing in the morning............it smells of -- fog !"

At least it does if you're at Laguna Seca. It's that time of the year and The Historics are upon us once again. Drove to Carmel on Friday to be able to be start taking pictures as early as possible Saturday AM ( actually around 7:00 AM ) when Laguna Seca throws open it's gates, only to be greeted by a slight drizzle, low visibility, a penetrating breeze that chilled to the bone and a lamentable absence of vendors ready to serve great, steaming cups of flavorful and strong cappuccino. No problem, because as always, around 10 AM the sun started winning its eternal, daily battle with the morning fog and things finally got started.

Looking back I get the impression that last year my coverage of Re-union week was positively received and therefore propose to treat this year's Re-Union coverage pretty much in the identical manner, except for few minor changes: had to drive home yesterday evening to look after some personal business today and tomorrow morning before driving back to Carmel Monday afternoon, after spending all day Saturday at the track and taking in the Pre-Historics, ( called the Pre-Reunion these days ), and am posting some of yesterday's photos today, purely as a first course to a much more complete feast of coverage starting on Tuesday, August 20, '13 of the following events:

Tuesday, 8-13-'13 - Cars-0n-the-Avenue, the wonderful free Concours on Ocean Avenue in Carmel.

Thursday, 8-15-'13 - Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance

Friday, 8-16-'13 - AM: Legends of the Autobahn PM: Laguna Seca - track shots

Saturday 8-17'-13 - Laguna Seca, the BIG day for all classes

Sunday, 8-18-'13 - Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

Until then, some purely random shots from the first day of the long week of some of the best vintage racing anywhere, to hopefully whet your appetite for the rest of the coverage after its all done next Sunday afternoon. The other change is that I shall try my damnedest to refrain from my usual windy, superfluous and customarily highly subjective commentary and just concentrate on posting the best pictures I am capable of taking, of the best cars, accompanied only by factual data from conversations with owners ........ when & where available.

Enjoy, and we'll talk again week after next.

JZG

Captions:

Photo 1 - the first shot of the weekend around 7:15 AM - not a lot going on.
Photo 2 - by mid-day things got a lot brighter & cheerier
Photo 3 - I know I said no subjective commentary.........but Geez, is this cheesy, formal, black draped entry portal for cars to the track really the message SCRAMP ( Sports Car Racing Association Monterey Peninsula - the organizing body and track owners) and the title sponsor want to telegraph to the world
Photo 4 - detail of the almost totally original 911 Ser.# 18, the first 911 ever to win a competitive motorsports event.
Photo 5 - details, pre-war Alfa-Romeo

[John Z Goriup]

.........and another set of 5

Photo 1 - a very clean and well restored 356 Roadster
Photo 2 - the nose of a Scarab sports racer
Photo 3 - It's going to be tough to completely refrain from editorializing, especially when confronted by such a perfect demonstration of a principle I feel strongly about. Have you ever seen a neater pit area........a place for everything and everything in its place. All the essentials, nothing superfluous, no chaotic, ostentatious display of mega-dollars and a cast of dozens, just one man and his son having fun.
Photo 4 - The 962-engined 911 Speedster seen in past Canepa C & C posts.......still for sale.
Photo 5 - a flat-head V-8 Ford-engined hot-rod from '52, pre-dating the entire Series of Max Balchowski's "Ol' Yaller" cars

[John Z Goriup]

............and the third and last set of 5

Photo 1 - front-end detail of 911 Ser.# 33, the ex-Edgar Barth dealer demo car, which is now a dedicated race car in the Cal/Nev area.
Photo 2 - details of some stiffening and strengthening work performed under the trunk lid of an early 911
Photo 3 - an ex-Derek & Justin Bell driven 962 with all the important bits exposed
Photo 4 - Ex-Nuvolari pre-war Alfa Grand Prix car ( Bonham's Auction )
Photo 5 - So far the only shot I have posted for no other reason than I think the heat patina on the headers on the Gurney-Weslake V-12 in the ex-Dan Gurney driven Eagle F1 car would completely defy any attempts at describing it verbally. How else but with a specific image could you illustrate the subtlety of the discoloration and the ferocity of the gas-stream seeking to escape the confinement of the combustion chambers..........from an era when Grand Prix racing was a sport worth watching & getting involved in.

Thanks for looking,

JZG

[ibmiked]

Awesome shots John, looking forward to being there myself late next week. The silver Roadster was recently sold by Canepa and has complete SWB 911 underpinnings and engine. A major accomplishment considering a torsion tube needed to be modified and installed to get the rear suspension to fit and work.

[1970rsr]

Great pics John. I am flying in tomorrow morning from Atlanta. Can't wait for some time at Laguna Seca. Will some of the Early S crowd be gathering anywhere?
Thanks, Tate

[Curt Hammill]

I am planning to visit the Tuesday on the avenue with my Audi Sport and then Saturday and Sunday I will have my 911 at the Porsche Coralle at turn 5. Looking foreword to an outstanding car week.