AUBURN Speedsters.com

2014 Amelia Island
Concours d'Elegance

March 2014

Amelia Island, Florida

Chrysler Styling Cars were a marriage of American Design and Engineering with Italian Coachwork. Chryslers design leader, Virgil Exner is credited with the the Chrysler Concept Cars from the 50's. Under his leadership Chrysler Concept Cars took on a look of Elegance while the cars coming from General Motor's Harley Earl and Ford's design teams concentrated on Aircraft styling, Rockets and the Jet Age. Chrysler displayed 9 of their past Styling cars along with a mix of their 2014 regular production cars, including the returning Viper Coupe

What started as one mans passion for Packards and a desire to expand his collection of Post-War Packard built cars has resulted in a Collection of some of Packards most significant Styling Cars. Ralph Marano Sr. of West Field, New Jersey is searching for and trying to acquire, every known Packard Show Car. He currently owns 58 Packards. Ralph displayed 10 of his Custom Packards at this years Show. Gorgeous Cars, Thanks Ralph!

Those beautiful Motor City Concept Cars that we use to refer to as "Dream Cars" were the inspirations for the Finned and Chrome laden production cars from Detroit that were all the rage in the 1950's. Unfortunately for most of us they are still "Dream Cars" due to their Soaring Prices

The 1955 Cadillac Elegante is not a Factory Built Custom or Concept Car from General Motors. This Special One-Off Car resulted from the desire of two men, commercial artist Harry Birdsall and contractor Joe Masscari's desire to build their own version of a Cadillac Dream Car. This 2 seat Roadster started with a Cadillac frame. The chassis and drawings were shipped to Turin, Italy where a Custom Aluminum body was created by Craftsman Rocco Motto. The project took 30 month's to complete. Much of the trim was plated in 24-karat Gold. The Gold Plated trim pieces were cast Brass. The other trim pieces, including the hubcaps were Gold Anodized Aluminum. The paint is an iridescent Mother of Pearl, quite unusual at that time. It was completed at a cost of $30,000 (that's in 1955 money... Wow!).  It arrived back in the states in time to be displayed at the 1955 International Auto show in Yonkers, New York. Birdsall and Masscari had hoped to build and sell 10 copies of their Elegante. Although very popular at the show no orders were placed. Harry Birdsall owned the car until his death in 1960 at which time it was sold. The Elegante disappeared for 37 years until Harry's son, Dick, ran across it stored under a carport in Coconut Grove, Florida. Dick, his brother Bob and grandson Bobby spent the next 16 years bringing this One of a Kind Cadillac back to it's original condition