Report and photos by Martin Swig
The Art Center Car Classic was held October 23, 2011 at the Pasadena Art Center College of Design.
Each year, Art Center has a very special car show on their hillside campus overlooking Pasadena. The focus is on significant design, with special emphasis in 2011 on designs originating in Southern California.
Several car manufacturer Southern California design studios brought prototype designs. Peter Brock was honored, and an impressive group of his creations were in attendance. Bruce Meyer brought his Doane-Spencer 1932 Ford. Bruce Meyers brought a Meyers’ Manx dune buggy. Richard Mattei brought his 1942 Alfa Romeo 6c 2500 Touring and Tim Walker countered with his 6c 2500 Villa d’Este also by Touring.
The Petersen Museum brought a pristine 1951 Plymouth Suburban. It was placed near an MC-TC. Larry Crane brought a new Bentley Continental. Steward Reed, Art Center’s head of transportation design, invited an original fastback early-‘50s Continental to park alongside to give context.
There is a place for any significant design, so they welcomed my Giugiaro-design 1992 Subaru SVX. Driving the 800-mile round trip between my Sausalito home and Pasadena reminded me how great a car that AWD 3.3 flat-six was, as I cruised down Highway 5 at 3,100 RPM – about 93 mph – protected by my Valentine One.
The range of car design represented by this show make it a “don’t miss.”
Art Center Car Classic 2011 – Photo Gallery (click image for larger picture)
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[Source: Martin Swig]
Martin: I know you like Ferraris, however, when you have time take a look at the U-tube video on the September 2011 SPA Francorchamps GT 40 six hour race and the Master Gentlemans race. How can the Griffiths of Jon Shipman and Sean and Michael McInerney beat the Cobras, and be right up with the fastest Ford GT 40s? These Griffith 400s are 1963 cars with unequaled wishbone suspensions all aroung, below the ground center of gravity, and four shock absorbers in the rear. How can they beat the Shelby Cobras in qualifying, beat the Cobras on that super fast tract, and be right up there with the GT 40’s?
Then, to top it all, the Ford GT 40’s were made right up to 2006, and I think 2007, with all of Fords resources. areodynamic facilities, and I think Holman and Moody assistance. Yet, these tiny Griffith sportscars with few resources can compete with these high powered cars?
Let us know. For it has been a humbling experience for the Cobra enthusiast in California, the US, and Europe.
My best,
Charles