Rolls-Royce tops Hop Brook Farm concours

| 12 Nov 2012

A 1926 Rolls-Royce Phantom I owned by James and Marion Caldwell won Pre-War Best in Show at the fourth annual Monmouth County Concours d’Elegance in New Jersey last month.

The show attracted more than 130 superb machines, including Dan Hertz Jnr’s MG TF 1500. He bought the car brand new for $1600 in 1955 and has racked up only 60,000 miles since. It scooped Post-War Best in Show.

Also on display were a huge six-window 1960 Cadillac hardtop sedan and a dainty 1959 Renault Dauphine Jose Santos.

Two of the most eye-catching vehicles were the Brunn-bodied Lincoln V12 Convertible Victoria, which snapped up the Rolling Sculpture Award, and the Bertone-bodied 1954 Arnolt Bristol Bolide. It saw off three split-screen Corvettes and a 1954 Kaiser Darrin (one of only 435) to be crowned Best Sports Car.

The extensive variety of vehicles covered everything from a steam-powered 1917 Stanley Model 728 Touring Car to a tiller-steered 1914 Detroit Electric Brougham, which had once belonged to President Eisenhower’s mother in law.

Other winners included a 1935 LaSalle 5019 (Grand Marshal’s Award) and a 1926 Duesenberg Model A (1948-earlier Preservation Award).

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Words and pictures: Gregg D. Merksamer