Every year, the Boca Raton Resort and Club plays host to the Boca Raton Concours d'Elegance. This exclusive event highlights and displays an incredible array of antique automobiles and motorcycles, many of which can usually only be found in small private collections or tucked away in garages for safekeeping.
Some models—such as the 1965 Chevrolet Corvette on display by owner Carlo Leonardo of Boca Raton—have been discovered under tarps and other forgotten locations. Leonardo’s Corvette lay hidden for 30 years before making an appearance. Others have been in the family since the day they were first purchased.
While we wouldn't have turned down a ride in any of these rare and beautiful vehicles, these were hands-down our favorites.
Winner of Essence of Design, Rolling Sculpture, and Timeless Elegance
1938 Talbot T23 TearDrop Coupe: Owned by Paul Bloch of Miami Beach, FL
Image via Flickr by German Medeot
The T23 is considered by automotive experts to be the ultimate demonstration of French automotive design during the 1930s. Designed by Figoni et Falaschi, only five of these incredibly beautiful and aerodynamic automobiles were ever built. Each is powered by a 4.0-liter (3,996 ccs) 115 brake horsepower six-cylinder engine that features twin carburetors and hemispherical combustion chambers. One of these cars sold at auction for Sotheby's in 2012 for over $2.6 million.
Winner of Foreign Sports Open Through 1959 Excellence in Class
1958 Porsche Speedster: Owned by Thomas Zarella of Gloucester, MA Image via Flickr by Griot's Garage
The Porsche 356 was the first production automobile built by this legendary German automaker, and it was produced from 1948 to 1965. The Speedster version was introduced late in 1954 and was a more minimalist, lower-cost version of the 356 that sported a lower windshield and racing-style bucket seats. Produced until 1958, these formerly "entry-level" 356s have since become the darling of 356 enthusiasts who prize the car for its sleeker look and racing-oriented personality.
American Classic Open 1925-1934 Excellence in Class
1930 Duesenberg Model J: Owned by Stephen Plaster of Lebanon, MO
Image via Flickr by Ryan and Amy
This design was the first to roll off the production lines at Duesenberg after the company was purchased out of bankruptcy court. Errett Loban Cord, the buyer of the company, set out to save the brand and restore it to its former glory. To purchase one of these cars meant spending at least $8,500 for the chassis alone (over $90,000 in today’s money), and then thousands more for the body and interior, which were installed by a third party.
The Model J featured a straight-eight engine with twin cams and four valves per cylinder. This engine produced an amazing 265 horsepower, an ouput unheard of for any car in its time.
Winner of American Muscle Open 1960-1975 Best in Class
1969 Dodge Coronet R/T Convertible: Owned by Scott Garber of Weston, FL
Image via Flickr by Greg Gjerdigen
The 1969 Dodge Coronet R/T was a mid-size powerhouse made between 1967 and 1970. While the less-expensive Super Bee version came with a 383 c.i. V8 under the hood, the R/T model came standard with a massive 440 c.i. Magnum V8 engine. The 440 Magnum was rated at an impressive 375 hp and came attached to a three-speed TorqueFlite automatic or a four-speed manual gearbox. Even more power was available via the 440 "Six Pack" (featured triple two-barrel carburetion) and 426 Hemi engine options, which made 390- and 425-horsepower, respectively.
Winner of American Muscle Closed 1960-1975 Best in Class
A pair of very rare Corvettes: a yellow 1969 ZL1 and a white 1967 L88. The L88 is owned by Dr. Richard Workman of Windermere, FL Image via Flickr by mashleymorgan
The 1967 L88 Corvette is one of the most desirable Corvettes ever made, as only 20 of these track-ready cars were ever manufactured. The concept behind the L88 was to produce a car that could provide unrivaled performance on the racetrack. The L88 came with a 427 c.i. V8 engine that GM intentionally under rated at 430 hp; dyno testing actually showed them to be capable of producing 560 hp with the stock 4-barrel 850 cfm carburetor. From the factory, the L88 came with 12.5:1 compression and a hi-lift camshaft, along with aluminum heads and a Muncie M22 "rock crusher" manual gearbox.
The 1967 L88 Corvette is one of the most desirable Corvettes ever made.
The Legacy Continues
The Concours d’Elegance consistently receives hundreds of qualified entries from across the nation, year after year. All event proceeds are donated to the Boys and Girls Club of America, and are used to help children living in Broward County. According to event organizers, this event was able to raise more than $8.5 million for this cause in the first nine years.
Interested in attending next year’s event? The 2017 Concours d’Elegance will take place over February 10-12. Check here for the save the date and here for the automobile entry criteria.
ED NOTE: For those of you who can't get enough of collector and antique cars, check out the Barrett Jackson auction.
