This year’s Concours was just as incredible as last with an even larger showing of Japanese cars. Thanks to David Swig there was an 11-car lineup in the Japanese Car Exhibit. The display included an R34 Skyline GT-R, Datsun 510, Datsun 610, three Datsun 240z cars, Datsun roadster, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Celica, Toyota Corona, and a Honda S600 roadster!
The weather was perfect for walking on that famous Stanford lawn with cars from different eras and marques everywhere. The highlight of the Japanese Car Exhibit for me had to be the Datsun 610, Toyota Corona and the Honda S600. I have not seen a clean 610 in person and this one looked just right lowered over Watanabe wheels and running a front spolier. We wonder what it had under the hood. I really liked the pillar-less door/window and the rear tail lights:
David Swig showed his 26k original mile Toyota Corona Coupe. This car was a totally un-molested gem with plenty of character. From the hidden fuel filler to the pillar-less windows and detailed hubcaps it was treat to see:
The Honda S600 roadster sported a dual chain-drive system unlike the later S800 with its live axle. The high-revving motor has a near 10,ooorpm redline, in 1965! The owner said driving it was exhilarating to drive since the powerband starts where most car redline 🙂
The Japanese Car Exhibit was staged… at the main entrance right across from the Sunbeam Tiger display. I have not seen this many Tigers in one place, there were about 30+ cars both stock and wildly modified
Other highlights included a tribute to the Ford Flathead engine with stock to blown motors in hot rods, dragsters and delivery vehicles:
Speaking of motors, the Bay Area Scale Model Engine builders had an amazing display of scale engines that actually function! I have never seen one of these in action and I took this video of a supercharged setup running, it is nuts!!!
BMW was well represented with a display of the M5 lineage from E28 to E60 chassis cars. This 3.0 CS was dazzling with red interior:
We also enjoyed the American cars with their acres of clean sheetmetal, tail fins and chrome grills. In true Concours form, those judges in their peculiar outfits were doing their job scrutinizing owners hard work :
The Concours is fun because I always see cars that I never knew existed or were still on the road like this tiny Fiat Abarth 750 Zagato. We were given the pleasure of hearing the owner’s restoration for the Fiat and others like an Oldsmobile Toronado.
It was a great day and the Japanese cars were well received by show goers. ZCarGarage provided the Datsun representation with customer cars and ee are working with coordinators for having a larger display for next year! Don’t forget to check pictures in the gallery!
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