HomeNews and Events‘Marques of Extinction’ highlight at EyesOn Design show

‘Marques of Extinction’ highlight at EyesOn Design show

Our weekly roundup of car show and motorsports news and notes

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There are all sorts of car shows and concours held across the country and around the world, but one is different for at least two (or three) reasons. It’s the EysOn Design show, which is held at the former home of Edsel and Eleanor Ford on the shorts of Lake St. Clair in suburban Detroit.

But what really separates this show are the facts that it is staged by auto company designers, and by the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology, and among the awards are those given by visually impaired persons make their decisions after going over the cars with white cloth gloves. 

The theme for the show, which is scheduled for September September 17 (a driving tour), September 19 (the 33rd EyesOn car show), and September 21, (a new EyesOn event at the Motor Bella new car show in Pontiac, Michigan) is “Marques of Extinction: Significant Designs of Bygone Brands.”

“The goal for EyesOn Design 2021 is to pay homage to the brands, both American and foreign, that are no longer in production, highlighting their significant influence and unique contributions to automobile design,” chief judge Glen Durmisevich writes in an event news release. 

“Although they have either gone out of business due to technical obsolescence, were driven to bankruptcy during the Great Depression, merged with a competitor to survive or were redundant models in a shrinking marketplace, these defunct automobile brands all had a significant impact on automobile design over the years.

“To date, more than 1,000 automobile manufacturers in the United States have gone defunct. In the early 1900s, the automobile began taking its own shape, moving beyond its horseless carriage roots. Many new start-up endeavors, of which almost none survive, were hoping to take advantage of the growing market for this exciting new means of transportation. Many of them introduced vehicles that contributed significantly to the early evolution of automobile design. Early electric powered cars and steam driven cars would fade away, losing out to gasoline powered cars.

“By 1908 there were about 250 viable automobile manufacturers here in the US; By 1929 that number had dropped to 44. It would continue to rise and fall through the decades. Today there are 14 global corporations that control over 60 major automobile brands around the world. We proudly pay tribute to the last design influence of many of these bygone brands.”

1962 Studebaker Lark
The 1962 Studebaker Lark is owned by Sandra Studebaker, an 8th-generation descendant of the founding family. Now in her 80s, Studebaker, has bicycled across the country (LA to Boston), run marathons (race walking a half-marathon on her 70th birthday), earned several college degrees, and worked as a hospital librarian. Her son, Curtis Cryderman, restored the Lark, but died at the age of 41. In a tribute to her late son, Sandra Studebaker continues to display the “Lady Lark” at Detroit area shows.

Among the vehicles to be featured this year are the 1961 Dual Ghia L6.4 prototype, the 1963 Kaiser Dragon, a 1957 Studebaker Dream Roadster that was shown on the 2019 Hot Wheels Legends Tour, and a 1962 Studebaker Lark owned by Sandra Studebaker, an eight-generation descendant of the company’s founding family and restored by her late son, Curtis Cryderman.

Motor Bella to be new kind of auto show

Motor Bella

Soon after EyesOn, Detroit’s new-style new-car show, Motor Bella, is scheduled for September 23-26 the M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan.

Motor Bella plans to provide a tour “through the ever-evolving world of mobility” where you can try an electric car, ride a utility vehicle up rocky terrain, or experience a sports car accelerating from 0-to-60 in 3 seconds as you “pick out your next new ride.”

The show also will feature AutoMobili-D, a showcase of next-generation automotive technology and startups. 

Motor Bella also will be the location for the EyesOn show awards ceremony.

Ferraris featured at Chattanooga

The Chattanooga Motorcar Festival has announced a special display of 14 Ferraris for its event October 15-17. The Ferrari grouping is being offered as preview of the Italian sports car producer’s 75th anniversary in 2022.

Among the Ferraris to be showcased are a 1948 166 Spider Corsa, a 1954 250 Monza, 1967 275 GTB/4S NART Spider and a 1985 288 GTO.

Cadillac to be showcased in Las Vegas

Cadillac will be the featured marque at the Las Vegas Concours d’Elegance, scheduled for October 21-24, with the concours taking place in a “Field of Dreams” setting at the Las Vegas Ball Park, a Triple-A baseball facility in Summerlin.

Among other judged classes are American post-war oddities through 1974, Supercars 1971-1990, and Race Cars. Display classes include Japanese Cars 1946-1990, Ferraris for the Road 2011-Present, Very Limited Production/Concept/One-Off, and one called Vegas Strong restro-mods.

McNab featured collector at Hilton Head

Bob McNab will be the featured collector at the 2021 Hilton Head Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival November 5-7 in South Carolina, the event announced. 

“Bob and Mitzi have been faithful exhibitors over several years,” concours chair Merry Merry Harlacher is quoted. “Their ongoing participation has helped make this event what it is – a display of incredible vehicles overlaid with our signature Southern hospitality.  Bob’s shown a memorable collection of American Performance cars and motorcycles, performance car enthusiasts are anxious to see what they are bringing each year.”

Among the McNab collection vehicles to be displayed are a 1953 Chevrolet Townsman station wagon, a 1965 Allstate Cheyenne moped, a 1969 Ford Torino 428 Cobra Jet and a 1986 Dale Earnhardt Wrangler NASCAR Chevrolet Aero Coupe.

Gurney Eagles to star at Road America

Gurney Eagles will fly again at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin | Road America photo

Road America has announced that the featured marque at its WeatherTech International Challenge with Brian Redman vintage racing weekend July 14-17, 2022, will be the AAR Eagle, with a special reunion planned for the cars produced by Dan Gurney’s shop.

“Having the AAR Eagle serve as the featured mark for 2022 is a fitting tribute for the event as Eagles have raced at the fabled four-mile 14-turn circuit since the ‘60s,” the Wisconsin track said in its announcement. “Since its inception, Dan Gurney’s All-American Racers established itself as one of America’s most successful race car constructors, amassing wins in series as diverse as sports car, Formula 1, and Indycar. 

“Between 1965 and 2012, the company produced 106 Indy Eagles, and by 1973, just eight years after the first Eagle flew at Indy, nearly 60-percent of Indy 500 teams ran the Eagle chassis.”

Dutch gearing up for Dakar

07/09/2021 – Dakar Tour Netherlands
The Dutch contingent for Dakar

With more than 200 people from the Netherlands entered into the 2022 Dakar Rally, and many of them in the Dakar Classic category for vehicles from the 1980s and ‘90s, event organizers recently staged a special “pre-scrutineering” program on their home turf. More than 20 vehicles were examined by rally officials and event details were shared in preparation for the competition scheduled for January in Saudi Arabia.

The Dutch competitors were the first to be informed that on-site scrutineering will be held on the Red Sea coast before the competitive event launches from Ha’il.

The Dutch Team De Rooy has a long history with the rally, though Gerard de Rooy said he has yet to decide if he’ll drive a new and advanced truck or if he’ll opt instead for the double-cab DAF his father drove in the rally in 1984.

“I climbed inside a few days ago and brought my 6-year-old son with me,” de Rooy told rally officials. “He’s the same age I was when I saw it for the first time. This truck is part of my life because the Dakar is part of my life.”

Custom motorcycles at Carlisle

Larry Collette’s 1951 Harley-Davidson FL won People’s Choice honors | Progressive IMS Outdoors photo

Usually, vehicle shows at the Carlisle Fairgrounds in Pennsylvania are managed by Carlisle Events, but the facility recently hosted the third round of the Progressive IMS Outdoors J&P cycles Ultimate Builder custom bike show series, where the People’s Choice award was voted to a 1951 Harley-Davidson FL done in 1970s chopper style by Larry Colette.

Other winners were Jack Deagazio’s 1964 Harley-Davidson Chopper (Freestyle), and a pair of Tom Keefer’s customs, a gold-leaf painted 2001 Harley-Davidson (Custom Street) and a Harley-Davidson FL created using a 1944 Harley Knucklehead (Custom Classic)

2021 car show and concours calendar

The following are dates currently set (but subject to change) for a variety of concours d’elegance, car shows and driving tours scheduled during 2021:

September

1-30 – Cars at the Capital, Washington, D.C.; 12-17 – Revival AAA Glidden Tour, Saratoga Springs, New York; 17-19, Goodwood Revival, UK; Oregon Festival of Cars, Bend; Vail Automotive Classic, Colorado; 18 – Ford Model A Day, Hickory Corners, Michigan; Hot Wheels Legends Tour, Houston; 18-19 – The Bridge, Long Island, New York; Taste of Motorsports, Sonoma, California; 19 – EyesOn Design, Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan; Dayton Concours, Ohio;  RADwood, Seattle; Simply BMW, Beaulieu, UK; 21-26, Motor Bella, Pontiac, Michigan; 24-25 – Cadillac-LaSalle Fall Festival, Hickory Corners, Michigan; 24-26 – Detroit 4Fest, Mt. Holly, Michigan; Goodguys Lone Star Nationals, Fort Worth; 25 — Autumn in the Mountains, Mills River, North Carolina; 26 – Catskill Conquest Rally, Saratoga, New York; Camaros at the Corners, Hickory Corners, Michigan;  Simply British Classics, Beaulieu, UK; 29-October 3 – Fall Carlisle, Pennsylvania; 30-October 3, American Speed Festival, Pontiac, Michigan; Audrain Newport Concours & Motorweek, Rhode Island

October 

1-2 – Euro Fest, Ridgeland, Mississippi; La Jolla Motor Car Classic, California; 1-3 – Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, Italy; Goodguys Del Mar Nationals, California; 6-9 — AACA Eastern Fall Nationals & Flea Market, Hershey, Pennsylvania; 6-10 – Zoute concours, Belgium; 8-9 – Z Nationals, Road Atlanta; 9 – RADwood, Austin, Texas; DesutscheMarques Oktoberfest, Hickory Corners, Michigan; 13-14 – Goodguys Get-Together, Pleasanton, California; 16 – Gilmore Fall Color Tour, Hickory Corners, Michigan; 17 — Packard Proving Grounds fall open house, Michigan; 19-21 – Goodguys Southwest Nationals, Scottsdale; 21-24 – Las Vegas Concours d’Elegance, Nevada; Auto e Moto d’Epoca, Padua, Italy; 22-25 – Greenwich Concours d’Elegance, Connecticut; 23 – RADwood, Greenwich, Connecticut; 29 – Fort Lauderdale Concours, Florida

November 

2-5 – SEMA Show, Las Vegas; 7 – Exotics on Las Olas, Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Simply Smart, Beaulieu, UK; 11-15, AACA Southeastern Fall Tour, North Carolina; 11-13 – AACA Special Western Nationals, Phoenix; 12-13 — Carlisle Events at Lakeland, Florida; 14-17 – AACA Western Divisional Tour, Arizona; 15-17,  Chattanooga Motorcar Festival, Chattanooga, Tennessee; RADwood, Los Angeles; 28 – VW Santa Run, Beaulieu, UK

Have an event to add? Email details to journal@classiccars.com.

Larry Edsall
Larry Edsall
A former daily newspaper sports editor, Larry Edsall spent a dozen years as an editor at AutoWeek magazine before making the transition to writing for the web and becoming the author of more than 15 automotive books. In addition to being founding editor at ClassicCars.com, Larry has written for The New York Times and The Detroit News and was an adjunct honors professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.

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