Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance gears up for ’09
Michael Tillson III, Chairman of the Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance, is gearing up for the 13th installment of the vintage car show – something he’s been doing since the day after last year’s show in September.
On Sept. 13, all the work will pay off, as the perimeter of the grounds of Radnor Hunt, in Malvern, will be lined with 100 of the best vintage cars in the country. The featured cars this year will be involved in some way with Pennsylvania Motorsports, accounting for about a quarter of the cars. Tillson said some of the cars that made the cut have been driven by Pennsylvania race car drivers Mario Andretti, Mark Donahue, and Al Holbert. And staying with the Keystone State theme, some of the 25 cars feature bodies by coachwork companies Fleetwood and Derham.
“We try to get away from what other concours are doing,” Tillson said, of Westtown, said. “They sort of celebrate [manufacturers’] anniversaries, and you’re always in competition for the same cars, and people who go to the concours see the same cars over and over again.”
That doesn’t mean there won’t be any Bentleys or Morgans at the show, of which both marques are celebrating anniversaries.
Founded by former members of the Fairmount Park Philadelphia Vintage Grand Prix, the Radnor Hunt Concours started as a casual gathering. It garnered national notoriety and sponsorship after only ten years.
“I was on the board of the Fairmount Park Philadelphia Vintage Grand Prix,” Tillson said in a previous interview. “When that folded, I gathered the old board members together and we started this. It started as a social event—just 35 of my friends with nice cars and we’d sit on the patio and enjoy the view and enjoy the cars.”
The show is similar to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance – featuring pristine vintage cars from celebrated marques. In fact, Tillson said he just returned from the Aug. 16 Pebble Beach show, where he and his selection committee nabbed some of the same cars for the Radnor show. Last year, the show drew entrants from all over the country as well with its theme “The Art and Colour of General Motors,” giving a nod to GM’s then 100-year anniversary.
Peter Sanders, of McLean, Va., brought his 1930 Cadillac Series 452 V-16 Madame X Sedan –one of only 300 made. The only other one he knows about is in California, he said.
And, of course, the event featured car enthusiasts who live closer to the show. Paul Catinella, of Gwynedd, brought his 1955 Chevrolet Corvette – a harvest gold roadster with cascade green accents and a green top. He said it’s rare, and recently restored, adding that Radnor Hunt representatives saw his car at another show.
Tillson said he might even show his 1930 Packard, as the body was built by Derham Body Co. in Rosemont, Pa.
In addition to the 100 motor cars, the Radnor concours will feature vintage motorcycles, something the show has been doing for about 5 years, Tillson said. Featured this year will be vintage Harley-Davidsons.
And though the Pebble Beach show has the phrase, “Welcome to the World’s Concours d’Elegance” featured prominently on its Web site, Tillson said that the California show has curiously started showcasing motorcycles.
“We think we’ve started a trend here,” he said jokingly.
And at around midday, the Radnor show will feature the running of the hounds, something the California show probably doesn’t have yet.
The Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance will be held Sept. 13 starting at 10 a.m. at 826 Providence Road, Malvern. Tickets are $35 per person at the door, and $25 per person when purchased online before Sept. 1. This year’s beneficiary is United Cerebral Palsy. For more information on the show, visit www.radnorconcours.org.
On Sept. 13, all the work will pay off, as the perimeter of the grounds of Radnor Hunt, in Malvern, will be lined with 100 of the best vintage cars in the country. The featured cars this year will be involved in some way with Pennsylvania Motorsports, accounting for about a quarter of the cars. Tillson said some of the cars that made the cut have been driven by Pennsylvania race car drivers Mario Andretti, Mark Donahue, and Al Holbert. And staying with the Keystone State theme, some of the 25 cars feature bodies by coachwork companies Fleetwood and Derham.
“We try to get away from what other concours are doing,” Tillson said, of Westtown, said. “They sort of celebrate [manufacturers’] anniversaries, and you’re always in competition for the same cars, and people who go to the concours see the same cars over and over again.”
That doesn’t mean there won’t be any Bentleys or Morgans at the show, of which both marques are celebrating anniversaries.
Founded by former members of the Fairmount Park Philadelphia Vintage Grand Prix, the Radnor Hunt Concours started as a casual gathering. It garnered national notoriety and sponsorship after only ten years.
“I was on the board of the Fairmount Park Philadelphia Vintage Grand Prix,” Tillson said in a previous interview. “When that folded, I gathered the old board members together and we started this. It started as a social event—just 35 of my friends with nice cars and we’d sit on the patio and enjoy the view and enjoy the cars.”
The show is similar to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance – featuring pristine vintage cars from celebrated marques. In fact, Tillson said he just returned from the Aug. 16 Pebble Beach show, where he and his selection committee nabbed some of the same cars for the Radnor show. Last year, the show drew entrants from all over the country as well with its theme “The Art and Colour of General Motors,” giving a nod to GM’s then 100-year anniversary.
Peter Sanders, of McLean, Va., brought his 1930 Cadillac Series 452 V-16 Madame X Sedan –one of only 300 made. The only other one he knows about is in California, he said.
And, of course, the event featured car enthusiasts who live closer to the show. Paul Catinella, of Gwynedd, brought his 1955 Chevrolet Corvette – a harvest gold roadster with cascade green accents and a green top. He said it’s rare, and recently restored, adding that Radnor Hunt representatives saw his car at another show.
Tillson said he might even show his 1930 Packard, as the body was built by Derham Body Co. in Rosemont, Pa.
In addition to the 100 motor cars, the Radnor concours will feature vintage motorcycles, something the show has been doing for about 5 years, Tillson said. Featured this year will be vintage Harley-Davidsons.
And though the Pebble Beach show has the phrase, “Welcome to the World’s Concours d’Elegance” featured prominently on its Web site, Tillson said that the California show has curiously started showcasing motorcycles.
“We think we’ve started a trend here,” he said jokingly.
And at around midday, the Radnor show will feature the running of the hounds, something the California show probably doesn’t have yet.
The Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance will be held Sept. 13 starting at 10 a.m. at 826 Providence Road, Malvern. Tickets are $35 per person at the door, and $25 per person when purchased online before Sept. 1. This year’s beneficiary is United Cerebral Palsy. For more information on the show, visit www.radnorconcours.org.
