Driven World October 2019 The Monterey Issue

FROM THE EDITOR B Y D U S T I N T R OYA N

Help. I don't really like asking for help. I hate it actually. I do ask for help here and there. Things like, "Can you give me a ride to pick up a car?," or "Can you help push a car?," or simple little things. But, asking for help, not my strong suit. I guess I can be very stubborn at times. I probably get that from both my parents and it is a trait that is also found with my wife and has been passed to my daughters. Stubborn like an oak tree.

I think it is easier for me to ask people for help when it is not about myself, but I still hate it. Case in point is the Motor4Toys Charitable Foundation (www.motor4toys.com). Over the years, we (Motor4Toys) have asked you to help the less fortunate by bringing toys for kids during the holiday season. And most of you have responded and helped. We have asked you to invite your friends, to do toy drives at your work to maximize the amount of toys being brought to the show and to invite your car club to join us. The response has always been incredible.

Collectively, what we have all accomplished during a couple months has really made a tremendous difference for children. It is something that I am so proud to be a part of as well as so grateful to all of you who have helped to make it happen.

It is important to give back and to also share the lesson or illustration of giving back to those around you. It could be that you are sharing the illustration with your own kids, your neighbors, anybody really. But, the by-product is that you have changed the world. The hope is that you do it simply to do it. For no other reason than altruism.

In a perfect world we would all realize that if we help someone, we are actually helping ourselves and that if we decide to do something, we do not need acknowledgement. The joy and the hope means more than anything else.

All this being said, this year for the 16th Annual Motor4Toys Charity Car Show and Toy Drive, I am going to ask for your help. I am going to see who can open doors, pull some strings, make some magic happen...and probably get absolutely nothing out of it other than knowing that some kids somewhere in California, who might not of otherwise been acknowledged or given any hope, well, you changed that.

It may sound silly, something as simple as a toy brings a child joy and hope. But it is something very much bigger than just a toy. If you read last months letter from the editor, you know that my father has not been doing well. My father, the greatest man I know and have ever met, well he grew up in an orphanage outside of Detroit. I suppose I have thought about his early years quite a bit, but I have no real concept of what his childhood was like. Nor could I probably ever imagine it. It was probably pretty awful. But, hey, he made it out and became one hell of a man.

My dad has been in a real bad way for a little while now. A bit of touch and go. A time to rally around the family and keep everybody tight and close. It got to the point where I called Brother John who runs Rancho San Antonio Boys Town, an orphanage in Chatsworth. It is operated by the same group of people that ran the orphanage that my father was in all those years ago. Brother John, who is in his eighties, knows of and had visited the orphanage my father was at. In any event, I called Brother John to ask him to say a prayer for my dad and for the family. He responded that if I liked, he would come out to visit my dad and say a prayer in person. Subconsciously, I was hoping he would, albeit a reality I was running from.

My father had come home from the hospital the day before Brother John came to see him. We met and drove together to my parent's house.

When we got there, my mom greeted us at the door and we went to my dad's room. Imagine waking up to see a priest standing before you, white collar and all. My poor dad...for a tough guy like him...waking up

to a priest, I could only hypothesize what was going through his mind.

My dad got up and we all chatted for a bit. Brother John said a lovely prayer. I started asking about the orphanage my dad grew up in. Brother John painted a picture of desperation. "There was no love, there was not enough food, it was bare bones." He carried on about how the kids were always cold and hungry and there were "no extras", it was basically survival. A cold, drab, place that was devoid of love (my interpretation of his description). I told him that my father said when he was ten years old he had to take care of the "unwanted" babies. Brother John responded that that was probably the first time he (my father) ever felt anything resembling the emotion of love and or a connection to another human being. He continued that he as amazed about the stories I told about my father's compassion towards others and how he always took care of people and coached kids year round. He said he was amazed because my father would have never had that experience or illustration.

My poor dad, a man who never complained, must have really gone through hell on a daily basis. Cold, hungry, lonely, afraid, angry. I could go on and on. And here is where you come in. If you think about that kid, all alone in the world, feeling totally unwanted. Totally forgotten.

Feeling utterly irrelevant, you can change that. You, yes you, reading this right now. I am asking for your help. I am asking you to dig deep. I am asking you to think about how you can help us raise the awareness about what Motor4Toys Charitable Foundation is and does. I am asking you to call everyone you know. That if you are in the media, if you are an influencer, if you have the ability to spread the word, to mobilize people, media coverage, I am asking you to do so for our 16th Annual Motor4Toys Toy Drive. I am asking to to give until it hurts. Give until you say to yourself, "I can't believe I am giving this much money, buying this many toys for kids. " I am asking you to put some work in , put some skin in the game and to make a difference. Not only could I use your help, Motor4Toys could use your help and most importantly the kids need your help. Give, give, give and then give a little more.

I don't know if this will resonate with you, I don't know if I have conveyed my message in a way that I might stir your soul to hopefully take the blinders off and realize that it is so important to give and to give generously. But, this is our world. Those kids might not be your kids or your problem. But, they are our kids and they are a blessing and they are the future. Somehow my father made it out. Somehow he beat the odds and became the best man that I know and the only reason he had the slimmest of chances is because people donated to keep those unwanted kids a little warm and a little fed. From the bottom of my heart I am asking you to do as much for this year's Motor4Toys Charity Toy Drive as you can. We need to all step up. Please make a difference.

For more info: www.motor4toys.com Dustin

drivenworld ISSUE 119 OCT 2019 EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Dustin Troyan ART DIRECTOR Staff COPY EDITOR Heather Troyan DESIGN Connected Media Group CONTRIBUTORS Dustin Troyan Mark Llewellyn Gwen Banta Tory Herald Greg Grudt Mike Grudt

ADVERTISING / MARKETING dustin@connectedmediagroup.com (818) 516-5053

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ON THE COVER: Monterey by Greg Grudt

Pebble Beach Concept Lawn 2019 Article by Mike Grudt and photos by Greg Grudt / @exoticcarfotos

One unique event held during Monterey Car Week was the Pebble Beach Concept Lawn. Located outside the Pebble Beach Lodge, the event was free to the public and included a very few select examples of one-off vehicles, concept cars and otherwise unique automobiles and even a motorcycle this year. The vehicles were loaded in starting on the Saturday night before Concours and then quickly covered up and roped off so the best time to view them was Sunday morning. The only problem with waiting until Sunday morning is that hundreds of other guests also wanted to view the vehicles. Our plan was to see what we could Saturday night, check the cars early Sunday on the way into Concours (most were still covered though) and then push through the crowds as we left Concours. It wasn’t as bad as it sounds and we were able to get some good photos and close up views of the cars (and motorcycle) we just needed to wait patiently.

The one car we really wanted to see and weren’t sure if it would even show up was the one-off $19 million Bugatti La Voiture Noir inspired by the classic Bugatti Type 57. It was there and we were thrilled. When I hear about these special 1 of 1 multi-million dollar masterpieces I always believe they will be hidden from the public in a private collection in a foreign country. I’m glad I was wrong and we got so see that beautiful vehicle.

A few others cars of note were the original Pagani Zonda C12 chassis #001 and a Pagani Hyuara BC Roadster, a Lamborghini SVJ Roadster 63 Limited Edition and a sleek bright red Karma SC1 Vision Concept. One of the most unique examples on the lawn was an over-the-top Lotus Evija concept that is supposedly close to limited production. The first ever British brand all electric hypercar has a target output of 2,000 horsepower making it the most powerful production hypercar ever built. I’m sure the 2,000 hp will put the car well ahead of the Tesla “Plaid Mode”. Maybe it will be referred to as “Colin Chapman Mode”, just a thought.

I saved one of the best vehicles on the lawn for last. This year was the first time a motorcycle was invited to the Concept Lawn. The Nostalgia by NMOTO is a modern interpretation of the original BMW R7 of which only one was built. It is constructed using a new BMW R9T chassis powered by a fuelinjected motor. I guess this is a motorcycle equivalent of a restomod car.

As we left the lawn I gave the cars one last glance and wondered which ones would actually see production and if not, which features would find their way into future vehicles. Well, off we went to Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca to finish off car week.

Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction Article by Mike Grudt and photos by Greg Grudt / @exoticcarfotos

Bonhams is the official auction of the Quail and is by far the oldest auction house in Monterey or anywhere, tracing its roots back to Europe in 1793. This was their 22nd appearance at Monterey Car Week and they finished in the top three for total sales during the car week auctions. Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction also saw a marked drop in sales this year as they offered a total of 220 lots and garnered total sales of $29.6 million with an average selling price of $184,050 per vehicle. Their top seller was the tenth highest priced vehicle sold that week, a 1951 Ferrari 340 America Berlinetta selling for $3.65 million.

This auction was set up differently than the others and was held away from the crowds. They were set up down the road from the Quail in a quiet rural section of Carmel. With the exception of a handful of vehicles inside their building, every automobile could be viewed from outside the short white picket fencing surrounding a large grassy field. There was a calmness we felt as we enjoyed the vehicles offered for sale. Many of the events held in and around Monterey during car week involve traffic, trying to locate a parking place and dealing with crowds of people. Bonhams was just the opposite with plenty of close up parking, no crowds, no traffic and it was just a nice relaxing event to attend.

The second top seller at Bonhams was a 1953 Fiat 8V Ghia Supersonic Coupe that sold for nearly $1.8 million and then an American beast, a 1965 Shelby Cobra 427 Roadster which sold for $1.38 million. One of my all-time favorite vehicles a 1955 Mercedes- Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe

sold for $1.35 million as the fourth top seller. Rounding out the top five was another American car and probably one of the first resales of the 2017 Ford GT Coupe which brought in a little over $1 million. The car was a beautiful matte black exterior with silver stripes and adorned with gumballs. Not a bad investment for a two year ownership. I wonder how soon other Ford GTs will come to market.

Bonhams had many unique offerings this year and one of my favorites was a 1938 Brough Superior SS100 motorcycle. This 1 of 34 examples sold for $330,000 and is known as “the Rolls Royce of Motorcycles” and a must-have addition for any high-end collector. Another favorite was a fully restored 1961 Renault 4CV Jolly with a large snail hood ornament that sold for $55,000. The car spent years on an estate in Hawaii and then was rented out for movie set use in Los Angeles until recently. One other vehicle that caught my eye was set up at the entrance to the event. It was a bright red 1965 Iso Grifo A3 COMPETIZIONE model which I believe was powered by a Chevy 327 ci with Four Twin Weber Carburetors. It didn’t sell, but was expected to bring $1 million - $1.3 Million if sold. Many of the vehicles for sale at auction have colorful histories and famous owners. I enjoy researching these vehicles to learn about some of the behind the scenes stories that aren’t well known.

This was another great effort by Bonhams and I’m sure they’ll bring many more unique offerings next year.

Bugatti 110th Anniversary 2019 Article and photos by Greg Grudt / @exoticcarfotos This year marked the 110th Anniversary for the Bugatti marque. What better way to celebrate the remarkable achievement than at Monterey Car Week. Earlier in the week (Friday to be exact), Bugatti unveiled the new $9M Centodieci at The Quail which was quite impressive. The Bugatti display at The Quail never fails to disappoint either. More on that to be discussed in The Quail article.

Right in the heart of the Pebble Beach Lodge complex, the Bugatti exhibit was quite elaborate and they spared no expense this year. Front and center on a rotating platform was the bright white recently unveiled Bugatti Centodieci. Inside the exclusive area, which is limited to owners and invited guests, was a gorgeous Bugatti Chiron Sport “110 Ans Bugatti” (1 of 20). There was also a matte black euro spec Chiron Sport in the back. There were drinks and light snacks for the guests and Bugatti engineers and designers were on hand to answer any questions. Large expensive scale models of the Chiron were placed around the venue for viewing as well.

The Bugatti tent really stood out from other manufacturers in that most of the cars on display were still accessible to the general public who wanted a rare glimpse. Outside the exclusive area, were five very special Bugatti’s on display. The Centodieci, The Bugatti Divo, an EB110 SS, a Veyron Super Sport and an old Bugatti Type 37c were all on display for the public to view.

It was nice to see the Divo again since making its world debut at The Quail last year.

Bugatti surprised us all and brought out the incredible La Vouture Noire which I never thought we would see in North America. This car wasn’t featured in the Bugatti tent, yet just a few hundred yards away on the Pebble

Beach Concept Lawn. Overall, if you are a fan of the Bugatti marque, it was a bad year to miss Monterey Car Week. I am looking forward to what Bugatti has in store for us next year.

A very special thanks to Bugatti for the access and congrats on your success this year!

Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance 2019 Article by Mike Grudt and Photos by Greg Grudt / @exoticcarfotos

The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance has set the standard for automotive events by continuously evolving for the past 69 years to become the world renowned event we enjoy today. There are many so-called Concours events held throughout the world and none can match the excellence of Pebble Beach. This single event has served as a pillar for the numerous Monterey Car Week events that have been added through the years.

This year was no exception as the weather was perfect, the 220 entries were magnificent examples of automotive history and everyone I spoke to was having a great time. My son Greg and I met two photojournalists from Germany, Philipp and Keno during car week two years ago.

They attended nearly every event we did and we also saw them numerous times last year in Monterey. This year as per usual we saw them at many events again. They speak English much better than I speak German and they also have a great time during car week trying to see and do as much as possible. We aren’t the only “crazy” car enthusiasts trying to attend every event during car week.

We always arrive early, not “dawn patrol” early, just a few hours before the large crowds arrive to get some good photos and clear views of the cars. On the fifth day of car week a couple of hours sleep helps us make it through the very long last day of our adventures. As we walked past the long row of cars perched on the edge of the fairway overlooking the ocean there was a lot of activity on the field. There were still a few cars being placed and the numerous judges were out and about doing their thing. I always enjoy when they start up some of the old rare vehicles since I have no idea what they’ll sound like. Many of the vehicles have the original tool kits and manuals and some of the owners choose to dress up in period correct attire to pull it all together. Concours is always an amazing place to car watch and “people” watch.

Concours d’Elegance celebrates different automobile milestones and anniversaries each year. For 2019 the big anniversaries were 100 year celebrations for Bentley and Zagato. Bugatti also celebrated their 110 year anniversary. The three storied marquees showed up in force with at least 55 Bentleys showing in six classes and a big number of classic Bugatti and Zagato designed vehicles competing in at least two classes each. It is difficult to imagine some of the entrants were nearly 100 years old and still running.

Fittingly the coveted Best of Show award (which is considered the holy grail in the car collecting world) was bestowed on a Bentley. The winner was a 1931 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sport Tourer model. I’m sure the 100 year milestone of the Bentley name may have played a part in the judge’s decision. It was an amazing vehicle and in perfect condition as would be expected of the top winner at the event. Regardless, the 8 Litre Bentley vehicle is considered by many to be the ultimate W.O. Bentley era automobile.

Some other automobiles of note were a 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante with the classic lines and 1 of only 15 surviving examples, all 4 original 1933 Bugatti Type 59 Grand Prix models and a classic 1963 Ferrari 250 GT SWB. I also enjoyed seeing the sleek 1967 Ferrari 412 P Coupe race car, a 1 of 1 1968 Lamborghini Miura SVR Coupe, a 1962 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato Coupe and a 1965 Lamborghini 3500 GTZ Zagato Coupe.

One of the new classes this year at Pebble Beach was for Historic Hot Rod Cover Cars. These were vehicles I could relate to, having seen pictures of them or similar models while growing up. One of my favorites was the bright blue 1922 Ford Norm Grobowski “Kookie Kar” with flames across the cowl and wide white wall tires that appeared on the cover of Hot Rod Magazine in 1955 and other publications. The car also appeared on a

few television shows. Another was the 1932 Ford Bob Morris Roadster owned by local collector Bruce Meyer. It is nicknamed the “Nickel Car” for the liberal use of nickelplated trim to match the wheels. The car appeared on the cover of Rod & Custom Magazine in 1993.

An o t h e r successful Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance came to a close and we look forward to their 70th Anniversary event next year. We left the show, but we still had to visit the Concept Lawn and head back over to the Rolex Monterey Historic Races to watch the afternoon races before our five hour drive home. I hope Phillip and Keno had a safe flight back to Germany, we’ll see you guys in Monterey next year.

Concorso Italiano 2019 Article by Mike Grudt and photos by Greg Grudt / @exoticcarfotos

For the past thirty-four years one of the mainstays of Monterey Car Week has been Concorso Italiano. Touted as the world’s largest luxury and exotic Italian Car Event, Concorso was attended by a record number of enthusiasts this year. For 2019, the event was moved to a different section of the sprawling Bayonet Black Horse Golf Course just north of Monterey on the former Fort Ord military complex. The slight relocation gave a completely different perspective of the event from previous years as the fairways seemed to have more hills and fewer wide flat sections to display over 800 vehicles and numerous vendor displays. Upon entering the venue from the highest point in the area we gazed across the sea of predominately red vehicles grouped by manufacturers and models and then we made our way down the small grass covered rolling hills of the fairways.

Each year Concorso celebrates a number of notable 50+ year Italian vehicle anniversaries.

This year they included the 50th Anniversary of the Ferrari Dino, 60th Anniversary of De Tomaso, 50th Anniversary of Iso Rivolta Lele and the 70th Anniversary of Abarth.

Examples of each of these vehicles in various colors and builds were on display to enjoy. This event always includes so many rare and unique Italian vehicles that just don’t appear at other events, and especially all at one venue.

I especially enjoyed viewing the huge turnout of one of my all time favorite vehicles, the DeTomaso Pantera. I have never seen so many Pantera’s in one place adorned in so many rare color combinations and different options.

In celebration of the 70 years of De Tomaso, the new prototype De Tomaso Automobili P72 was unveiled.

Actually it was first unveiled at the recent Goodwood event in England, so I believe this was the first United States public appearance. The beautiful vehicle pays homage to the DeTomaso P70 prototype of 1965 which was a collaboration between Alejandro de Tomaso and Carroll Shelby and designed by Peter Brock. Unfortunately that project didn’t work out. Supposedly there was a disagreement between the

two strong personalities of de Tomaso and Shelby which led the project to a screeching halt beyond the single prototype model built.

Peter Brock who is probably best known for his design work on the Shelby Daytona Coupe and Corvette Stingray was present at Concorso to sign posters and greet the attendees. I’ve meet Peter a few times at different events and he always seems so positive and upbeat with plenty of stories to tell. Another automotive legend present at Concorso was Jack (Cannonball) May who won the 1975 Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, better known as the “Cannonball Run”. Jack even brought his winning car, a white Ferrari Dino 246GTS that he drove from New York City to Los Angeles in 35 hours, 53 minutes and averaged 83 miles per hour.

A record he still holds to this day. Jack said he would have arrived sooner had he not spent more than an hour in jail for speeding in Ohio and then he got lost in Los Angeles due to poor directions near the finish line He is quite a character and has experienced some amazing adventures in his life.

Another automotive legend and a prerequisite for any legitimate Italian car show was the presence of Valentino Balboni. The former Lamborghini test driver and all around nice guy was available as usual to talk,

answer questions, take photo-ops and just immerse himself with the crowd.

Valentino always seems to be upbeat and positive every time I see him. He even presents the Valentino Balboni Trophy for the best Lamborghini each year at Concorso.

There were so many beautiful examples of old and new models from Ferrari, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo, De Tomaso, Maserati, Lancia, Fiat and many others and even a few Italian motorcycles to enjoy. One common feature of most of the vehicles at Concorso was being shod with Pirelli tires.

How can one own an Italian car and have it wear non-Italian rubber? Since Pirelli has been such a big part of Italian cars past and present the company played a major sponsorship role this year at the event. They presented a new award, the Pirelli “Perfect Fit” award. The award criteria is based on among other factors, having period correct tires. In addition to providing cutting edge tire innovations for current vehicles they have recently rolled out a line of Pirelli historic tires for the multitude of vintage car owners.

Concorso Italiano has been going strong for thirty-four years and they always seem to add something new to mix with no signs of slowing down. We look forward to attending next year’s event and hope to see you there. Ciao!

Gooding and Company Auction Article by Mike Grudt and Photos by Greg Grudt / @exoticcarfotos

Known as the “official auction house” of Pebble Beach, Gooding & Company has managed to uphold their top-tier status for 16 years from their prime location near the Concours d’Elegance. People come from around the globe to experience Monterey Car Week and the auctions are a big part of the week. There are auctions held around the world on a regular basis, but somehow the allure of Pebble Beach brings out the best and rarest offerings from the auction events.

Overall the auction sales for 2019 in Monterey were down 34% from the previous year with only $245.5 million in total sales. That was the lowest total since the dismal 2011 sales total of $197 million. Even though the sales were down, Gooding continued to offer some amazing vehicles. Their total sales were $73.2 million and they offered 139 lots for sale. The average selling price was nearly $700,000 per vehicle. Gooding holds the honor of having the second highest sale during car week and they sold four of the top ten vehicles on the peninsula that week.

The top five sales at Gooding were all Italian automobiles with a 1958 Ferrari 250 California LWB Spider that sold for $9.9 million leading the pack and then a 1958 Ferrari GT Cabriolet Series 1 selling for $6.8 million. My favorite car that sold at Gooding was the third highest lot, a 1975 Ferrari 312T Formula 1 Race Car driven by Niki Lauda which sold for $6 million. Another 1958 Ferrari came in at number four, a Ferrari 250 GT Tdf coupe selling for $5.1 million. Breaking the Ferrari stronghold in top sales was a 1939 Alfa Romeo Tipo 256 Coupe that sold for $2.75 million and was the fifth place sale at their auction.

Gooding is known to only offer select vehicles for sale at Pebble Beach and when they offer motorcycles they usually only have two or three bikes that are extremely rare or very unique. This year they had my favorite overall vehicle of the event, an unrestored 1936 Indian Chief once owned by Steve McQueen. The motorcycle had worn leather saddle bags, a few scratches and nicks and looked like it was just ridden and parked without detailing or cleaning. It looked pretty nice for an eighty-three year old motorcycle with a very colorful history. I’m not sure if it sold, but I’m sure I’ll never see it again.

Even though their sales were down this year, Gooding brought out some great examples of motoring history to enjoy. Hopefully the market will pick up next year and I know they will continue to be one of the top tier auction houses of Monterey Car Week.

McCall's Motorworks Revival 2019 Article by Mike Grudt and Photos by Greg Grudt / @exoticcarfotos

There are less than a handful of events that have been held continuously for over twenty-five years during Monterey Car Week.

McCall’s Motorworks Revival is one of those select few having just completed their twenty-eighth consecutive event on the peninsula at the Monterey Jet Center. McCall’s is considered by most to salute the “official” kick-off to Monterey Car Week. I’m sure the fortunate 3,000 attendees this year at the event would wholeheartedly agree with that statement as they enjoyed the festivities to start their car week activities.

The event has some unique features and is one of the few or possibly the only continuous event that blends vintage aircraft and automobiles with current executive jets and high end vehicles and a few motorcycles. It is also the only event I can remember that begins in day light and flows into the evening as

the sun drops and the spot lights and various colored lights change the look and feel of the event. If there are similar events out there I’m sure they took notes from Gordon McCall and his event due to the success he has achieved.

Last year at McCalls I toured a few executive aircraft on display and I especially enjoyed the $25 million Gulfstream G280. I thought that was just about the most amazing plane I had ever stepped inside.

Apparently that was just an “entrylevel” executive jet. This year I had the good fortune to view the ~$50 million Gulfstream G500. Wow! We waited for nearly fifteen minutes in a very short line to see inside the plane and we couldn’t figure out why the line wasn’t moving as one or two people would exit the plane every five minutes or so. Well, once inside our questions were answered.

That aircraft was just amazing. It was so over-the-top comfortable and

plush that people didn’t want to leave. I have never seen anything like it. There was even sufficient headroom walking down the center aisle so I didn’t need to crouch. As we exited the jet I glanced at the cockpit and saw an overload of colored display screens and it looked like a massive collection of video games all neatly tucked together. When you decide you need to purchase a new executive jet please take a look at this Gulfstream before you buy.

Back to reality, there were some World War II war birds including a B-25 Mitchell Bomber and a shiny P-51 Mustang displayed with some vintage Ford Mustangs.

One of the Fords even had a Ferrari engine. That was a first for me. There were other executive jets and some various examples of vintage and current aircraft. One unique plane I sat in was a Grand Caravan EX Amphibian. It was an amphibious aircraft that is very popular in Alaska, Canada, Florida and the northern United States. The landing gear is able to retract into the pontoons so the plane can land and take off on either land or water. It wasn’t easy to get into as I had to climb up a pontoon with some small steps and up a short ladder to get into the cockpit. Once inside it was like a monster truck view since I was so much higher up than inside a standard small plane. It was a very unique plane that would serve well in some very remote areas where flying a typical aircraft wouldn’t be feasible or possible.

All of the planes and a number of vehicles were outside on the tarmac. There was still a hanger full of cars and motorcycles to enjoy and a few high-end vendors of

luxury items to view or purchase. Inside the hanger there was a minimalist motorcycle with a birdcage frame, a McLaren F1 GTR Longtail race car and many other vehicles of different types and styles. In the middle of the hanger at the rear was an all new Ford GT MKII race car next to the new Ford Mustang GT500 under a huge American flag on the wall. It was pretty impressive.

When the sun set there was a predominately purple glow outside the hanger and the surrounding areas with the numerous spot lights set up. There was a small outside stage and two women played some amazing music with electric violins. I’ve never heard those instruments live and they had a very distinct sound. As I watched them I looked to my right and the sound mixer was doing his work with an iPad or tablet in front of the artists. I always enjoy new uses of technology; at least it was new for me.

Gordon McCall and his team put together another exclusive and unique event. I’m not sure what they have in store for next year, but I know it will somehow be better as it always is. See you there next year.

Well, car week has started and we have five days with very full schedules to fulfill. Please enjoy Greg’s photos and the other stories in this Annual Monterey Edition of Drivenworld.

Mecum Monterey Auction

Article by Mike Grudt and Photos by Greg Grudt @exoticcarfotos

Mecum holds the distinction once again of bringing out the largest auction during Monterey Car Week. They offered 589 lots which exceeded the total offerings of the three other top tier auctions combined. They rang up total sales of $28.4 million with an average selling price of slightly more than $100K per sale. Due to their huge nationwide presence and media coverage Mecum is probably the most well known auction to most people.

I always enjoy the random mix of vehicles Mecum displays inside their three large buildings and the sprawling grass covered area behind the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa. One of the buildings houses mostly supercars and very high-end vehicles, another has a few unique or rare vehicles and the main building which houses the auction floor has mostly race cars and a huge grouping of mostly vintage motorcycles. This year they displayed the much talked about Bullitt Mustang which was used in the filming of the classic movie. It will be offered at a Mecum event later this year. Some auctions display vehicles loosely by make and model or race cars and street cars. Not at Mecum. You’ll see a Mercedes-Benz Gullwing sitting next to a vintage Corvette ZR1 then a 1955 Chevy next to an old restored Ford pickup next to a vintage drag boat. It takes some time to walk past the numerous rows of vehicles because you never really know what you’ll see or may miss.

Mecum held up the standard set by the other top tier car week auction houses by exceeding $1 million for each of their top five sales.

The highest Mecum sale was for a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Coupe which went for $2.75 million following closely by another newer Ferrari, a 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari Coupe sold for $2.64 million. Coming in third was a 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder with the Weissach Package selling for $1.43 million and fourth was another Ferrari, a 1966 Ferrari 275 GTS Spider which went for $1.1 million. An American muscle car, a 1965 Shelby Cobra 289 rounded out the top five by selling for $1.045 million to break the million dollar threshold.

Even though auction sales were down overall in Monterey this year one bright spot, especially for Mecum, were some record sales garnered for vintage motorcycles. Mecum sold a 1936 Crocker Small Tank for $825,000 which was the highest price ever paid for a Crocker sold at auction and third most expensive motorcycle ever sold at auction. Mecum also sold another Crocker, a 1937 Crocker Small Tank for a record $715,000. Another record sale was for a 1912 Indian Twin Board Track Racer which sold for $253,000 and became the most expensive Indian motorcycle ever sold at auction.

Once again Mecum brought a huge variety of cars, trucks, motorcycles, a few boats and motor homes and other items for the attendees to enjoy and hopefully purchase. I look forward to seeing what they’ll offer next year.

RM Sotheby's Auction Monterey

Article by Mike Grudt and Photos by Greg Grudt @exoticcarfotos

Even though total auction sales were down during Monterey Car Week this year, RM once again came out on top with $104.3 million in total sales. They offered 184 lots and the average selling price was nearly $785,000. They also had the highest selling price and sold five of the top ten automobiles. They also broke the “Italian” car top sellers by having a British car as top dog with an Italian, German and even an American car in the top five sales. RM always creates a buzz by bringing out the rarest, most expensive and unique vehicles to sell during the Monterey auctions.

This year they once again lived up to their standard.

One of the most anticipated and hyped offerings at RM and throughout Monterey was Ferdinand Porsche’s 1939 Porsche Type 64 considered to be the first or oldest Porsche. During the auction there was some confusion during bidding and the car failed to meet the reserve. Fortunately RM had many amazing vehicles available and that didn’t really hamper their overall program.

Another highly anticipated vehicle offered by RM was the rare 1994 McLaren F1 “LM Spec” that had spent most of its life in New Zealand. The car was displayed prominently in the outer courtyard of the RM venue so passersby could enjoy the viewing without having to pay to see it. It was just an amazing car with a great color combo. The McLaren enjoyed the highest sale price during car week of $19.8 million and also the distinction of not being an Italian vehicle as top seller. Some people in the know felt the car should have sold for a higher price, but time will tell as these unique supercars continue to appreciate in value.

RM expanded their auction dates this year and they devoted an entire night to Aston Martin vehicles only with at least thirty fine examples offered. My favorite Aston Martin was the fourth overall in sale price for RM which was the 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Saloon “Bond Car” which sold for nearly $6.4 million. The car

was fully restored and I was told each of the movie props were in working condition. Of course it had the machine guns, but they didn’t fire and I’m not sure if the oil slick function actually worked. It looked great and is probably one of the most famous movie-cars in existence.

The second highest seller at RM was a 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Coupe that sold for $8.1 million and number three was an American car, a 1965 Ford GT Prototype brought in $7.65 million. It was great to see an American vehicle command top dollar to match the European offerings.

Rounding out the top five was a German vehicle, a 1960 Porsche 718 RS 60 Werks Race Car which sold for $5.1 million.

Sales may have been down this year, but to the casual observer and car enthusiast the diversity of unique vehicles available was well worth the visit. I know RM will come up with more special finds next year to work on maintaining their top position at Monterey for Car Week.

Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion 2019 Article by Mike Grudt and photos by Greg Grudt / @exoticcarfotos

One of the high points during Monterey Car Week is a trip or two to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca to enjoy the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. This year we made sure to schedule two trips to the track in between the numerous events spread out all over the Monterey Peninsula. Fortunately (at least for me) my son Greg spends hours working out the details of our annual Monterey Car Week exploits and he is probably working on our 2020 schedule now.

Some of the people I spoke with at the track stayed there the entire four days and never attended the other events of car week. To those fans being at the races was Monterey Car Week for them. Greg and I like to make an effort to attend the major events to get an overall feel of the Monterey Car Week experience. There were so many events and sights to enjoy during the week to please everybody.

Racers from around the world vie for a chance to compete in this renowned event. This year the Reunion received more than 1,000 applications and somehow managed to narrow the field to 550 racers competing in 14 groups for 2019. They celebrated the 50th anniversary of the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) as the featured marquee. IMSA racers from the past 50 years seemed to be everywhere at the track. There were also former and current drivers available and mechanics, engine builders and owners. An organization that has existed and thrived for 50 years needs to have a strong support system and IMSA is not slowing down anytime soon.

We always enjoy walking through the paddock to see the race cars close up and many are usually in pieces as they prepare for their next races. I enjoy looking at the engineering in the vintage racers to compare them to the vehicles of today. Many components appear similar with the exception of much more electronic gear on board. The owners are also happy to talk about their cars and the racing history they enjoyed. Some owners go to great lengths to set up their pits with period correct tools and other memorabilia. The Reunion even presents an award for the best pit display.

One thing I did notice was the pit bikes. I found out where all of the Honda Mini Trails and Trail 70s from the late 1960s and early 1970s disappeared to. They are all owned by racers attending The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. It seemed that they were present in a large percentage of the pits along with Honda Trail 90s and Yamaha 80s.

One high point of walking the paddock is being able to see some of the new performance oriented vehicles from major manufacturers. This year I was excited to view the new 2020 midengine Corvette. The car on display was an amazing Zeus Bronze Metallic with Natural colored interior. The car is such a major change for Corvette and looks like it should cost three or four times the MSRP of $60K. I looked very closely at the workmanship, the gaps in the body and doors and the interior stitching and leatherwork. I couldn’t spot any flaws and the car should easily go up against the major European supercars. Time will tell.

Back to the races, we watched the afternoon sessions on Saturday and Sunday. Those race groups included the cars we most wanted to watch on the track. We started off watching from the Andretti Hairpin and throughout the afternoon each day we walked around the Rainey Curve to the world famous Corkscrew. Most of the races ran for 20 minutes so it was difficult to watch the same race from all three vantage points. The last group that ran on Sunday ran a 40 minute race which gave us plenty of time to move around the track.

We watched two IMSA groups run on Saturday, Group 5A 1973-1981 cars and Group 7A IMSA Prototypes. In between we saw Group 6A 1963-1966 GT cars which featured some of my favorite racers including the 1966 Shelby GT350s, 1963 Split window and other early Corvettes, Shelby Cobra 289s and a very cool 1965 Sunbeam Tiger. The IMSA class racers were also fun to watch. I was amazed at the difference in speed between the classes.

The IMSA Prototypes were so fast they reminded me of watching slot cars zip around a track, especially as they negotiated the Corkscrew.

On Sunday, we enjoyed some of the other groups and the last two were especially exciting to watch. Group 6B 1981-1991 IMSA GTO-GTU which included a number of unique cars in addition to the numerous Mustangs and Camaros racing was one of the races. There was a Mercury Merkur, an Audi 200 and a couple of Mazda RX-7s and Nissan 240SXs. The last race of the weekend was Group 7B Masters Endurance Legends that ran for 40 minutes. Those racers sounded great and ran through the turns and flew down the straights much faster than the other classes that day. Some of my favorites were the Corvette C5R, BMW V12 LMR, a super loud 2002 Ferrari 550 GT1 and a 1999 Panoz LMP. It was a great way to complete the track program and a great finish for Monterey Car Week.

As the last racer took the checkered flag Greg and I made one final pass though the pits and then departed on our five hour journey home. His truck wasn’t the last vehicle in the parking lot as from previous years, but we definitely stayed until the end. Another Monterey Car Week came to a close. See you all next year!

Pebble Beach Tour d ' Elegance Article and Photos by Greg Grudt @exoticcarfotos

On Thursday, each year before the big Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance show on Sunday, a large percentage of the cars to be displayed participate in a tour around the Monterey peninsula.

The Tour d’ Elegance is a perfect opportunity for the general public (who might not have a ticket to the main event on Sunday) to catch a rare glimpse of these amazing show cars shifting gears through the Monterey Del Monte forest free of charge. Many of these cars are worth millions of dollars and usually sit in private collections and rarely get driven. It is an incredibly rare treat to be able to see these cars in action.

At 9:00am the approx.

175 cars departed Pebble Beach and began the one and one half hour

journey through the peninsula. At 11:30am the tour arrived at Carmelby-the-Sea and the cars were all displayed on Ocean Avenue for the general public to view. The participants ate a nice lunch and then headed back to Pebble Beach.

Around 2:00pm, Portola Road (the street where Gooding Auctions is located) becomes the finish line for the Tour d’ Elegance each year. I always like visiting the Gooding Auction preview prior to arrival of the tour so that once they arrive I can step outside and watch the cars return. Maximizing your time during Monterey Car Week is key!

Some of my favorite cars to roll through the finish line this year were a gold Ferrari 250 SWB

California Spyder, some gorgeous Lamborghini Miuras (including an SVR), a Ferrari 250 TDF, an Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato, a Lamborghini 3500GT Zagato and literally every model Bentley imaginable.

It is always a complete surprise as to what will be displayed each year.

Numerous cars traveled half way across the globe just to be displayed at Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance, many of which I have never seen and/or will never see again.

There is always something new and exciting to be seen. A car can only be shown once every ten years at the Concours d’ Elegance. There are of course exceptions to that rule. With that being said, most of the cars displayed are completely new to me, many of which I have only seen in

photographs. It is nice to know that we won’t see the same cars over and over again each year.

It is one thing getting to see all of these amazing cars on Sunday morning all lined up on the fairway, but hearing and smelling these amazing automobiles pulling into the finish line is a completely unique experience. It may sound funny but there are some incredibly odd smells that come from some of these vintage automobiles.

The Tour d’ Elegance is always a great way to start off the week and provides a quick look into what we should expect on Sunday morning. As always we are looking forward to all of the Monterey Car Week action next year in 2020. Stay tuned...

Home Sweet Home

Safe and effective home security is a fundamental component of every homeowner’s experience.

Below are some tips to help you think about your own home needs.

Install an alarm system: Whether wired or wireless, in today’s technically savvy market, there are a wide variety of options.

Place security signs and stickers in visible locations. Your homeowner’s insurance may offer you a discount for an approved alarm system.

Secure your doors and windows: Insure your door frames are strong with protected hinges. Install deadbolts and/or upgrade

to smart locks. Reinforce your sliding glass doors and windows with door sensors or glass break sensors. And, if your door has a mail slot, make sure an intruder isn’t able to reach through to unlock the door.

Plant prickly and thorny bushes and hedges: This is an especially good idea underneath first floor windows. Holly, flowering quince ( Japonica), Whitethorn (hawthorn), and thorny climbing roses/briars that can be trained to grow up walls and gates are all great ideas. Keep plants and trees close to the home trimmed so as to avoid places that could be used for “cover.”

Light everything up: Ample outdoor lighting is a great deterrent. Place motion detector lights, flood lights, lights on timers, solar powered lights or a combination of these near the garage, along pathways and/or any other exterior structures.

As Kathleen Norris, the poet an essayist, so elegantly wrote, “Peace, that was the other name for home.” We hope the above offers a few practical options to help honor this sentiment.

GWEN Banta (323) 252 1700

Tory Herald (310) 985 2719

Connecting the Worlds of Real Estate DRE# 01362887 & 01920423 Sotheby's International Realty

The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering Article by Mike Grudt and Photos by Greg Grudt @exoticcarfotos

Over the past 17 years The Quail A Motorsports Gathering has gradually expanded to accommodate 250 unique vehicles and

6,000 lottery winning guests into a larger portion of the venue. Held at the Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel, this exclusive event is most

likely on a number of “bucket lists� due to the quality of the vehicles displayed, the worldwide unveils of high-end vehicles, the gourmet

epicurean offerings and the limited availability of tickets.

This year The Quail celebrated 100 years of Bentley with

a huge turnout of classic Bentley automobiles. The green machines (I believe most or all of them were green) were out in force all lined up at one end of the event. Bentley also provided an unveil of their futuristic concept vehicle with the massive copper plated or colored wheels and some of the largest diameter Pirelli tires I’ve ever seen. They also brought out some new Bentley models for the guests to view.

Another tribute was for the 25th anniversary of the legendary McLaren FI which is considered by many to be the first supercar and possibly one of the best cars ever built. Four of the extremely rare models of the 106 units built were on display at Quail. They included a 1 of 6 (including the prototype) McLaren FI LM, McLaren FI with ‘LM spec’, McLaren FI GTR Longtail and a McLaren FI with HDK. As an added bonus the designer of the car, Gordon Murray was present to greet the guests. It was a very rare

treat to see the four various specs of this car and the man who designed them.

The Quail also honored 70 years of the Volkswagen Bus. There were so many variants of the iconic vehicle on display. We saw some of the standard builds with windows, some versions without windows, a fire engine model with a pump and hose from Germany, a catering truck version from Norway and everything in between. Many were fully restored, but some were left intact with a light cleaning and appeared to be still in use.

Pagani was out in force as usual and they brought out the original Pagani Zonda chassis no. 001 built in 1999 to celebrate their 20th Anniversary. They also displayed a 1 of 15 Pagani Zonda R, an ultra rare 1 of 5 Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster, a bare carbon Pagani Zonda F and another ultra rare model 1 of 3 Pagani Zonda HP Barchetta. The Quail was chosen to host the world

debut of the new Pagani Huayra BC Roadster. There were fewer vehicles at their display, but Pagani decided to focus on the rare Zonda models to commemorate their anniversary.

Not to be outdone, Koeniggsegg upped their game this year and brought out the new Koeniggsegg Jesko model and a new Koenigsegg Regera. They moved their display to the end of the venue this year and greatly increased the footprint by including many more vehicles on display. It may become a battle of the hypercar manufacturers.

If so we all win.

Speaking of hypercars, Bugatti is not one to sit on the sidelines. In recent years they have used Quail to showcase their latest offering to the world. This year as a few hundred anxious guests waited they unveiled the amazing $9 million Bugatti Centodieci which will be limited to ten total units worldwide.

The amazing vehicle has design cues to pay homage to the Bugatti EB110

from the early 1990’s. The bright white with black accents really stood out on the stage. I’m not sure if they are all spoken for, but I’m more than one will be purchased by a Quail guest. As an added bonus we enjoyed four Bugatti EB110 models on display.

There were so many great cars and motorcycles on display at Quail this year it would be difficult to pick the winner or winners. Well, they did and the Best of Show was awarded to a 1931 Stutz DV 32 Convertible Victoria with a body by Le Baron. The stately automobile is a perfect example of a classic touring car from that era.

The Quail continues to excite and provide unexpected examples of classic and unique cars and motorcycles. I’m sure next year they will exceed our expectations as they always do. Greg and I have two more days of car week and many more events to enjoy.