[s-cars] VLAC: Coffee & Cars

[Mark J. Besso]

There's not too many things I voluntarily get up at 5:30 AM on a Saturday 
for, but "Coffee & Cars" at F40  (Continental Autobody) is certainly one 
that's worth it.

It's not usually a car show bonanza like this past weekend's event, but 
having Jim there filming for the Discovery Channel -and some damn nice 
weather- meant all the cool stuff showed up.  The event was also sponsored 
by Premier Financial who are specialists in leasing/financing the more 
exotic vehicles for those that aren't sure they really want to own them. 
 Their representative, Beth Ann, has a great attitude and was a lot of fun 
to chat with.

Many representatives of the local collector car community were on hand as 
well.  One gentleman was loading his pristine 1963 Triumph TR4 onto a 
transporter for the trip to Scottsdale, AZ for a no-reserve auction.  The 
diversity of vehicles that were driven to the event was impressive.  A short 
list to ammend the one Paul already mentioned includes: 1936 Auburn 852, 
1956 Lincoln MkII, 19?? Ferrari 360 GTB, 19?? Ferrari F355 F1, 2003 Corvette 
"50th Anniversary Edition" convertible, 1983 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight 
Regency, 197? Porsche 911SC Targa, and a dozen other vehicles I didn't take 
the time to put to memory. (FWIW, that Olds 98 was actually sold to a 
customer and was in showroom condition)

The cars that F40 had on display included: 1954 Buick Skylark convertible, 
1969 Ford BOSS 302 Mustang, 1906 Panhard-Levassor open tourer, 1972 Ferrari 
Daytona factory-converted to Spyder, 1949 Muntz Jet radically customized in 
the early '50s, 1954 Volkswagen Type 1.  Also a host of cars being worked on 
in various states of assembly: 1961 Ferrari TR61, (2) 19?? Ferrari 330GTSs, 
196? Ferrari GTO, 196? Ferrari 275GTB 4-cam, (2) 195? Morgan roadsters, 197? 
Lamborghini Muira, 196? MGB roadster, 196? Austin Healey 100/4, 196? Austin 
Healey 3000, 196? Alfa Romeo GTV.  There were actuially (3) Ferrari 250 GTL 
Lussos on hand, but one was so far stripped for restoration that it was 
barely recognizable.  Only a few months ago it was actually center-stage at 
the Ferrari Concorso at the state capitol building!?!

I wish we'd all gotten more notice that this particular Coffee & Cars was 
going to be on Discovery.  It was a great time and a virtual overload for 
vintage car aficionados.  If you're local to the Portland, CT area you 
should consider coming to the next Coffee & Cars gathering.  They happen on 
the 1st Saturday of every month at F40.  Wayne loves the company and there's 
always cool cars to check out.

Cheers,
Mark



On Tue, 8 Jan 2008 10:28:42 -0500
  <pkrasusky at ups.com> wrote:
  
  Taking a break from the ohso more impotant posts...
  
  So Markymark Besso here invited me last week to join him Sat. for the
  monthly Coffee & Cars gathering held here @ F40 Motorsports.  Sorry
to
  those localyocals I'd normally *insist* join me for such shenanigans
but
  I hadn't known if I were really going or not until late Fri. night.
  
  It was a clear 40 degree morning so I was able to fire up the 930 for
  the sunrise whirl down there.  Paulland to Rocky hill in oops 14
  minutes, I met Brian off 91S in the GT3RS and we bombed the rest of
the
  way down fighterplane style - muwahahahahaha just ohsofun / JNR.  I
  could stay behind that orange wonder _FOREVER_ and just bask in the
  views and soundtrack, I didn't even bother for the pass, nope.
  
  We got there to join Mark in his 90cq (MAC) and Bob D'Amato in the
  Cosworth Escort.  An F355 Spider F1 and an F550M would soon arrive.
  We
  kicked around F40's bays full of a 275GTB, a pair of 250GT Lusso's, a
  pair of Morgan's, an XJ140 racer, oh and I got to stand IN the engine
  bay of a Miura being resto'd with me shins against the headers - I'd
not
  yet seen one in person and now this?  Neat.
  
  Time came for the main attraction...  The Discovery Channel was there
to
  film "Chasing Classic Cars", and the debut of a very special Ferrari.
  One of TWO 1964 Ferrari 365P Mono Pisto's, this one a rebodied former
  (crashed) racer featured at the 1964 Paris Auto Show.  It sits
McLaren
F1 style, center with 2 outboard positions.  GNARLY!  It was the
  predecessor to the eventual 206 Dino.
  
  We got up close and personal, and, being the
have-kneepads-will-travel
  HOOR that I am, when time came to push her out of the bay (to make
room
  for the red / tan 365 Daytona Spider) guess who LEAPED forward for a
  hand on the rear bumper???  Herniated lumbar disc and all - as
captured
  in one of themthar shots donning the Irish sweater.
  
  Wow.  What an experience.  I'd guess the thing for $12mm, my gut.
  Wow.
  
  Here's the shots hosted on my buddy's wife's Kodak account, excuse
his
  son's gratuitous parting shot heh heh (and his distinct photographic
  ineptitude, I'd of course forgotten me camera). Enjoy:
  
  http://olympus.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=zqdb8wt.7ocwmu9d&Uy=-5m
  8x42&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&mode=fromshare&c
  onn_speed=1
  
  And now back to your irregular unscheduled deprogramming...
  
  -Paul hoor in the footsteps of Mark K.
  
  
  
  ps.  further notching me F-car bedpost whynot, I WOT'd a black / tan
'89
  328GTS Quattrovalve the Wed. prior...  I *really* did NOT want to
like
  that car but ohhhhhhhhhh what a silkysmooth velveteen linear
powerband
  beckoning to 7800 ohhhhhhhh what a sound ohhhhhhhhhsoeasy to (and
did)
  throttlesteer opposite lock...  tho, the 6 degree night also showed
it's
  ohhhhhhhhhhhhh chassis flex / creak heh heh.   ANYwho...