Pebble Beach Day Two: Blackhawk Exposition

It was a busy day running around the Monterey Peninsula. After watching some great cars get offloaded from trailers and into the holding lots for the Russo and Steele and RM Auctions, we headed off to Pebble Beach for the Blackhawk Exposition.

The Blackhawk Exposition is a free event (assuming you pay to get through the 17-Mile Drive gates, or be the proud owners a media pass). The reason it is free is simple–it is essentially the world’s finest used car lot. All these amazing blue-chip collector vehicles sitting on the lawn are for sale.

Blackhawk has something for everyone–at least everyone with at least six-figures to spend. I’m greeted by a rare 1954 HRG Twin Cam Sports Racer–one of three built. Unlike earlier cycle-fender HRGs, this one was built with a cool aerodynamic body and four-wheel disc brakes to compete in Le Mans. It was the second to last HRG ever made. Blackhawk’s asking price is $450,000.

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Even rarer is one of my personal dream cars–a 1957 Continental MKII convertible. If the coupe is pretty, then the convertible is a shot of supermodel with a Christie Brinkley circa 1982 chaser. Only two examples were commissioned as prototypes before Ford decided that there was not enough demand for such a car. When new, the $10,000-plus MKII Continentals were the most expensive production cars offered in America in ’57. Now a pristine one can easily cost $100,000 (and a rough one will need even more in restoration costs). At $300,000, the MKII Continental convertible seems a relative bargain.

For those interested in technically significant vehicles, $285K is the asking price for the 1938 Peugeot 402 Eclipse. This car features a retractable hardtop, a trait usually credited as a first for the 1958 Ford Skyliner. Definitely not the prettiest car, it is a great buy for the rugged individualist.

Any fan of modern Mercedes Benz AMG cars will find the 1914 Mercedes Tourer a kick in the pants.  This thing is huge–like two S550 sedans stacked on each-other. At 50 horsepower, in its day it was a road rocket. Owning this piece of early German brass takes just $490,000.

Easily the most obscure vehicles were two 1949 Veritas sports racers. Built in the former Auto Union race factory, Veritas used BMW parts under custom-designed bodies. Just a handful of cars were completed. Each raced extensively internationally, which means that either car will be welcomed with open arms at any vintage racing event. All it takes to own some of BMW-parts bin history is $1 million for the roadster and $2 million for the coupe.

But if obscurity isn’t your flavor, Blackhawk has a gaggle of to-die-for Ferraris (such as two four-cam 275s–one in GTB and another in race-spec GTC forms).  Maybe you’d like a Bentley or three?  How about two Porsche 911 RSs? I’m looking in my wallet, but unfortunately I’m a little short for any of these!