KRASL CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE SATURDAY

Beautiful Cars on the Bluff
By Steve Purdy
TheAutoChannel.com
Detroit Bureau

Last week we spent a long day at the Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance, one of the most prestigious classic and collector car shows in the country. A week from Sunday the Pebble Beach show in California, universally acknowledged as the premier show in the country will draw magnificent cars from all over the world. This Saturday the Krasl Concours on the Bluff in St. Joseph, Michigan will populate a grassy hill with a dramatic view of the east shore of southern Lake Michigan.

While the Krasl Concours has room for only about 80 cars the show’s director, Dar Davis, is always able to recruit exceptional, often rare, cars. With the help of a small committee, including Ed Lucas the voice of Meadow Brook and dozens of other premier events, the Krasl show has earned a reputation as a show not to be missed.

The 2009 event, Saturday, August 8th, will feature Hudson automobiles (this is the company’s 100th anniversary), cars with alternative power systems and the cars that appeared on the most recent series of postage stamps.

Special cars featured this year include such a rare 1897 Leon Bollee Tandem Tricar, built in Paris and one of the first gasoline powered cars ever sold to the public. Other feared vehicles include a 1910 Stanley Steamer, a 1911 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost convertible, a 1914 Peugeot Phaeton, a 1928 Diana Cabriolet coupe, a 1935 Morgan Super Trike and a 1937 Hudson 74 Convertible.

The weekend activities start with a reception at the Krasl Art Center on Friday, Aug. 7 costing $40. Call 269-983-0271 to register with credit card or stop by the Krasl Art Center.

At 5:50 a talk by featured designer, Wayne Kady, chief designer for Cadillac for many years will be presented, open to KAC members and car owners only. At 6:30 on Friday a reception open to the public will cost $40 and allow folks to rub shoulders with Wayne Kady and pass in review narrator, F. Edward Lucus II. The reception will feature substantial hors d'oeuvres prepared by Timothy's Restaurant and Tabor Hill Wines.

Contact Concours Director Dar Davis (or call 269-983-0742) for more information.