http://www.oldcarsweekly.com September05, 2019 ❘ 27
er Michael Rich.
The jet-age LeSabre, arguably the
most important car in GM history (along
with the Buick Y-Job), was actually used
as Earl’s daily driver for two years once
it completed the auto show circuit. It
included such novel features as a rear
transaxle, on-board jacking system and
rain-sensing interior that automatically
raised the top at the hint of any fall-
ing precipitation. The Corvette SR-2,
GM’s ¿ rst purpose-built and factory-
sponsored Corvette race car, was built
for Earl’s son Jerome in response to
the displeasure of GM’s top brass that
the younger Earl was racing a Ferrari.
And, the futuristic Cyclone was one of
Earl’s ¿ nal designs for the company.
It pioneered a radar-operated collision
avoidance system which was contained
in the twin nose cones on the front of
the car. The GM Heritage Collection
showed both the Cyclone and LeSabre,
which not surprisingly, took home Peo-
ple’s Choice honors. The SR-2, owned
by Irwin Kroiz, received The Elegance
of Competition Award.
Ten cars (as nominated by the judg-
es) competed for the Governor’s Cup
Best of Show, which was presented to
Stephen and Amy Plaster’s 1933 Isot-
ta-Fraschini Tipo 8A Sports Tourer by
Castagna. One of 200, this car was fea-
tured at the 27th Salon de l’Automobile
Paris in October 1933. It was then put
on display at I-F’s Manhattan show-
room until it was sold to radio personal-
ity Joe Penner. While in the possession
of George Schweiger, the car appeared
in numerous movies including “Giant,”
in which it was driven throughout Texas
by James Dean.
The Founder’s Award went to Harry
Yeaggy’s 1934 Packard Twelve 1108
Sport Phaeton by LeBaron. Four are
known to exist, and this example had
not been shown publicly in 25 years.
The design was akin to Packard Chief
Designer Ed Macauley’s own custom
speedster of 1932-’33, which shared
Alexis de Sakhnoffsky’s patented hood
and cowl design. When new, the car was
priced at a staggering $7,065.
Completing the trio of top awards
was Ken Smith’s 1936 Delahaye 135
competition roadster, which took home
the Hotel Hershey Award. Smith’s car,
Chassis No. 46864, is ¿ tted with a beau-
tiful ostrich interior and wears coach-
work by Figoni et Falaschi, including
a patented disappearing top and fold-
ing windshield which were pioneered
on this particular car. It was originally
built for a wealthy Parisian and personal
friend of Joseph Figoni.
Two Tuckers were displayed, includ-
ing Howard and Rosiland Kroplick’s
1948 Tucker #44, which took home
Most Unique Post-War Design honors
and the Swigart Museum’s 1947 “Tin
Goose” Prototype, which received the
“Best American Post-War” honors. John
McAlpin’s 1917 Locomobile 48 Spor-
tif Victoria by Farnham-Nelson was
presented with The Elegance Heritage
Award. The car is believed to have been
built for the Leggett Family (of Rexall
Drug fame) and is painted in the compa-
ny’s colors of orange and blue-grey. The
1962 Ferrari 250GT California Spyder,
Pininfarina, owned by Oscar Davis, was
the winner of “Best European Post-War
Car.”
The Society of Automotive Histo-
rians also debuted awards for the ¿ rst
time at a major concours. The 1911 E-M-F Model 30 Racer owned by Dale
Critz, Jr., received SAH’s inaugural
Spirit Award-History Merits Recogni-
tion memorializing the late Beverly
Rae Kimes. Critz’s E-M-F is the lone
surviving example of three cars sent
from the factory to race for the Tideman
Trophy (preliminary to the Vanderbilt
Cup) in Savannah, Ga., in 1911. The
E-M-Fs placed 1-2-3, this being the
third-place car which averaged 58 mph
over 170 miles. Steven Heald’s 1903
Cadillac rear-entrance tonneau received
both the Motoring Pioneers Award for
the Best Early/Brass Car and SAH’s
Spirit Award-Earliest Car on the Show-
¿ eld, given in honor of the late Henry
Austin Clark, Jr.
Sonny and Joan Abagnale’s À am-
boyant 1948 Cadillac Series 62 cabrio-
let by “Saoutchik” was recipient of the
Chocolate Town Award. Built for New
York furrier Louis Ritter, the black-and-
purple car retains little of its visible Ca-
dillac heritage other than the dash and
sombrero wheel covers. The Best of
Britain Award was presented to John
and Linda Spillman’s 1952 Daimler
DB-18 Drophead Coupe by Hooper, one
of six produced and the only one in the
United States. Most Elegant European
Closed Pre-War honors went to Alan
Rosenblum’s 1936 Bugatti Type 57 Ata-
lante Coupe by Gangloff, and Andrew
and Tonya Heller’s 1921 Kissel 6-45
Speedster was recipient of the American
Spirit Award for the Best American Car
1920-1931. A total of 41 cars received
named awards.For more details, photos and a com-
plete list of winners, go to http://www.the
eleganceathershey.com.IrwinKroiz’s 1956 ChevroletCorvetteSR-2Roadsterwas
winner of the Elegance of Competition Award.
WinnerofthePeople’sChoiceAward,fromtheGMHeritage
Collection, the 1951 LeSabre concept.