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Best Hits of the 80s & 90s: “Radwood 2” Car Show in Anaheim, California

Posted in California, Car Show, Legend, Road Trip on December 3, 2017 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 557,148

Trip Distance: 356 Miles

Let’s take a moment to appreciate my fashion sense in this photo from circa 1990. I’m pictured at left here with my two brothers. Rolled up jean shorts? Check.

Popped collars, fanny packs, and porn-staches greeted me upon arrival to “The Phoenix Club” yesterday morning just a few miles from Disneyland in Anaheim, California. It was almost as if I’d gotten stuck in a time warp and traveled back in history 20 years. When I saw this Delorean a few minutes later with license plate “BKNTYME,” my suspicions were confirmed.

Yesterday’s event was the most brilliantly-executed and exciting car show I have attended in years. It was something different, and something very “me.”

“Radwood” was a contrast to go from the white-collar LA Auto Show media days which I attended earlier this week, with its forever growing ego-contest and snooty “the coffee at our booth is better than yours” attitude, to a venue where cutoff jeans are appropriate, Bud Lights are readily available, and Simple Minds’ “Don’t You Forget About Me” is blasting on the loudspeaker. I loved every minute of it. I only wish I’d invested in a slap bracelet, Hypercolor T-shirt, or some stone washed jeans ahead of time so I could better dress the part. One smart attendee was even taking pictures with a disposable camera! You know, the kind that you “click,” then have to manually advance the film.

This event was born as a small show in 2016 in the Bay Area catering specifically to the era of vehicles produced from 1980 through 1999. Now in only its second year, the event shifted venues to a place with far more capacity and still sold out well in advance. Thanks in part to clever partnership with Jalopnik, Clarion, Japanese Nostalgic Car, Bring a Trailer, and many other sponsors, the word was spread far and wide.

Attendees traveled from all around the country to attend. One attendee – Peter Monshizadeh – drove all the way from Overland Park, Kansas, and entered three vehicles in the show: His Dodge pickup truck, which was towing a trailer with his Nissan 300ZX and a period correct motorcycle. That’s dedication.

And who could forget automotive journalist extraordinaire Jason Cammisa running around in booty shorts that would make Richard Simmons jealous. This was a sight to behold. Jason’s immaculate BMW E30 station wagon, among many other “feature cars” including my friend Chris Hoffman’s CRX, was on display in the main tent area near the stage. Jason ended up taking home an award – a 1985 Nintendo game cartridge glued to a plaque, of course – for his Bimmer, and it was well deserved. His enthusiasm added to the fun and atmosphere of the program.

I was in good company in the Honda/Acura family. My friend Rob Pia proudly showed his immaculate, 130,000-mile 1994 Legend sedan in glistening Cashmere Silver Metallic, and next to him my friend Chris Green parked his award-winning 1986 Honda Prelude with only 50,000 miles on the odometer.

I had the privilege of meeting a couple of ‘new’ Legend owners, too, and had some friends stop by who live in the area. Cars from all regions were accepted and recognized. Even the 1991 Pontiac Bonneville parked in our row with nearly an entire keyboard of buttons on its steering wheel attracted lots of attention. Another guy named Tyson who drives a beautiful black 1997 BMW M3 introduced himself and his car to me – complete with a period correct cassette tape sitting on the center console.

But how about this?

Perhaps one of my favorite vehicles was Ryan Glass’ 1992 Ford Explorer, which started life as a pretty ho-hum Eddie Bauer edition but has been extensively and painstakingly converted into a Jurassic Park movie icon. “Spared no expense,” were the words that came to mind as he described to me the custom wrap, brochures in the back seat, bumper and taillight protector guards, and even a pair of velociraptor-spotting goggles on the passenger seat.

As the day carried on, I reflected on how much I appreciated the laid-back and friendly vibe at Radwood. I hope the event continues its great momentum and carries on for years to come. I’m already starting to brainstorm ideas for next year’s trip, and it might have to be in the Vigor since I didn’t see one this year. Now if I could just get ahold of some Reebok Pump footwear. Below are some more pictures and a short video!

I knew the day started off right when I saw this pay phone outside my motel in Orange, California.

I put my custom wheelstand to use that my brother hand-built for me out of aluminum.

Roll-in shot, thanks to Chris in the 1986 Prelude.

Photo with Rob in ‘vintage’ motif.

Ran into my friend Grant with his beautiful Mercedes SL. Check that fanny pack, too.

One of two super clean generation 1 Legend coupes on display.

And another. Becki was awesome! How much Aqua Net did she need for her hair?

Visit from Penny.

Shooting the breeze with Jalopnik’s Andrew Collins.

A visit from Fred and checking out the Clarion Legend coupe.

The aforementioned 1991 Bonneville! With a “LeBra” on the front, of course.

Love me a big-body Benz 560 SEC.

Original owner 1990 Honda Civic 4-speed manual with over 300,000 original miles.

Just $6,635 MSRP for this thing. I think he got his money’s worth!

My friends Felix and Matt

Love the 1990s Mitsubishi Eclipses. What happened to Mitsubishi?

Good NSX representation, too.

Sweet CRX, but look what’s on the roof.

That’s right: Boombox and some cassettes!

Reconnecting with the man himself: Matt Farah and his now-969,000-mile 1996 Lexus LS400. I drove this car a couple of years ago and blogged about it. It’s on a quest to hit a million miles.

Oooh, love this old 5-series BMW.

2G Integras with a super clean 3G Prelude.

My friend Derek, repping a Mazda 929 sedan.

Late night drive home to Phoenix!

24 Comments »

2017 “AutoMobility” & Los Angeles International Auto Show

Posted in California, Car Show, Legend, Road Trip, Vehicle Reviews on December 1, 2017 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 556,770

Trip Distance: 379 Miles

Greetings! I’m jotting down a few words here from the Media Center at the Los Angeles Convention Center. LACC is now pretty familiar turf for me, as I’ve had the opportunity to attend a number of times. Here are write-ups from my prior LA Auto Show visits:

I had to miss 2016 due to work engagements, but I still made it to some of the social events. Redline Reviews‘ Editor-in-Chief Sofyan Bey was kind enough to extend an invitation to me so I could be a part of the festivities this year.

After two full days about about 10 miles walked between the South Hall and the West Hall to see all the latest and greatest, I can tell you there is a lot of change brewing in the automotive industry as a whole. Personal mobility is taking on a whole new dynamic, as technology speedily moves toward an increased focus on autonomy. As cars become faster, safer, and more efficient, similar strides are being made in self-driving technology. It’s no mystery, though, that I’m a driver. Is “automobility” something I should dread or embrace?

My trek to LA started on Tuesday afternoon from Phoenix in the Legend coupe. It’s a tried and true road warrior, and certainly a more comfortable cruiser than the 1992 Integra I drove to Utah last weekend for Thanksgiving. The closer I got to the epicenter of the 13-million-resident LA metro area, the more congested my beautiful open roads became. I was delayed about 35 minutes on I-10 nearing Riverside thanks to a combination of accident + commuter traffic. Gotta love it. In all, the 379-mile one-way trip took me close to 7 hours.

Wednesday was a jam-packed day of press conferences, kicking off with a BMW presentation around 8:30 and a stampede of journalists migrating from one booth to the next throughout the day. Some of the big news this year? Oh just a few highlights that stuck out to me: Lexus coming out with a 3-row RX SUV. BMW launching a convertible i8 and new M5. Mercedes has a new CLS. Mazda’s next-generation 6 sedan is out. Subaru has launched its biggest SUV yet, a 3-rower called the Ascent. Nissan’s “Kicks” replaces the Juke, and Hyundai has its own new cute-ute called the Kona.

600 horsepower, all-wheel-drive BMW? Hotness. Not to mention that color.

Jeep’s Wrangler comes back again looking about the same but with a completely new chassis and lots more tech. Kia debuts its new Sorento, Infiniti shows the QX50, and Lincoln ditches its alphanumeric naming conventions for traditional names like its new Nautilus (replacing the MKX). That’s a step in the right direction, don’t you all agree? It was a slow-ish show for Honda & Acura, with no formal press conferences but still plenty to look at inside the respective booths. I can’t begin to squeeze two full days of automotive news into a few paragraphs here, but check out Redline’s YouTube playlist on the auto show for a glimpse at some of the sights and sounds we enjoyed.

The vehicles on display at LAAS are only part of the appeal of the event. It attracts some of the world’s renowned auto journalists. Our team ended up seated in the Media Center right behind most of the Jalopnik staff, including Andrew Collins who I can thank for this awesome piece he put together about a year ago.

The after-hours activities this year were just as entertaining, with a Hyundai-sponsored party the first evening at Novo night club, and a social event in West Hollywood the following night at Doheny Room where I connected with a few fellow journalists. All too soon, it was time to again part ways with those colleagues. The Redline team flew out Friday morning and I made my way (90 minutes to drive 38 miles – thanks again, LA!) toward Anaheim for a car show to be held Saturday morning. More on that to come in a future post!

Acura booth with the redesigned 2018 RLX on display

Don’t mind if I do hang out here!

I admired some of Honda’s hardware while in the booth. These dozen or more awards are just from this year’s LA Auto Show alone! There are boxes and boxes of things like this sitting at the corporate office in Torrance.

Fellow car geeks Brian and Chris

Some of you may recognize this ‘other’ Brian – none other than the famous Brian Cooley from CNET.

Quick shot with the Redline team (Sofyan, Peace, Rob) and Honda’s Davis Adams.

Street parking the coupe in West Hollywood!

This might just be the best motel parking space I’ve ever had. Huge.

Bonus: A few pics from last weekend’s Thanksgiving trip to Utah

Brother’s redoing his living room and said I could park in it. Why not?

My nephew Locke

Cruising around some of my old stomping grounds

HUGE shout-out to blog reader Eric who had this custom embroidered Polo shirt made up for me, with the date of my 555 milestone from back in October! Thanks, Eric!

Over and out!

13 Comments »

Monterey, California: ARX-05 Racecar & 2018 Acura RLX Debuts at The Quail Motorsports Gathering

Posted in California, Car Show, RLX on August 20, 2017 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 554,418

Odometer (Sonata Rental): 12,000

“Car Week” in Monterey, California is kind of a big deal. A lot of automotive enthusiasts have heard of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Don’t you dare call it just a “car show,” because its organizers are that confident it’s much, much more than that. The event, which started in 1950, draws some 15,000 spectators annually who come to see some of the finest collector vehicles in the world. When you consider that ticket prices are $375 a pop, it comes out to a $5.6 million event. “Big smoke,” in the words of my grandpa. This ain’t your everyday cars & coffee. And it’s for a good cause, too. The proceeds from the event benefit United Way and other charitable organizations.

What many don’t know is that there are dozens of other automotive events in the Monterey Bay area of the Central California coastline the same week as Pebble. My friend Rob and I flew out to attend two very special activities. One of those was “The Quail” Motorsports Gathering, held at the Quail Lodge & Golf Club with its lush green lawns and clubhouse facilities. Acura is a major sponsor at The Quail and I first attended this event in 2016, wide-eyed and awestruck at the quality and class that it exudes.

Once again I was given the opportunity to attend The Quail, but this time with an added extra bonus. True to Acura’s “Precision Crafted Performance” slogan, the company has become increasingly active in racing and motorsports. On Thursday morning bright and early, my friend Rob and I flew from Phoenix to San Jose, then hit up the beach in Santa Cruz since we had a little bit of time to kill.

We checked into our ‘tiny house’ AirBNB rental in nearby Soquel up a scenic, windy canyon road. The house was far out of reach from any cell phone signal, which was actually kind of nice! After a wardrobe change, we made our way to the Carmel Valley Lodge in Carmel for an exclusive debut.

Announced in early July, in partnership with Penske, a new “Daytona Prototype International” (DPi) racecar will make its first race at the Rolex 24 in Daytona, Florida in January. Named the ARX-05, the racecar is powered by a 3.5 liter, twin-turbo V6 engine (fundamentally similar to that which powers other Acura models today). Acura pulled the sheets off the car to a group of enthusiasts (including me) on Thursday night.

In attendance were stakeholders from both Acura and Penske, as well as a few celebrities sprinkled in: While everyone else was in sport coats and neckties, Jay Leno came down the entryway stairs in his typical head-to-toe denim fashion. Comedian Adam Carolla, actor Jesse Metcalfe, and Motor Trend’s Johnny Lieberman were also making their rounds through the crowd. I enjoyed the chance to reconnect with friends who were there from the NSX Club of America and other Acura enthusiast communities. And the ARX-05? Absolutely stunning!

Acura’s head of PR, Matt Sloustcher, at right here in the blue.

On Friday, we made our way to The Quail. The 50-mile drive down Highway 1 from our tiny house in Soquel to Quail Lodge took us over two hours, thanks to traffic from Friday commuters + car show people like us. At least the instructions were clearly laid out: We needed to stash our Hyundai Sonata rental car in “sponsor city” car lot, check in for our credentials, and then ride a shuttle bus to the entrance.

We made it to the Acura booth just in the nick of time for the press conference at 11:20 a.m. First on the stage was Matt of Acura Public Relations, pictured above. Then Art St Cyr, President of Honda Performance Development, introduced the ARX-05 to the crowd and turned the time over to Roger Penske for a few closing remarks.

Rob, Ira, and I made the rounds to experience some of the cuisine and beverages at the 5 food pavilions. Each one was regionally themed (Beverly Hills, Carmel Valley, China, Italy, and France). My favorite was the fried rice at the China booth. We got ice cream for dessert at Infiniti’s display. There was no shortage of buffet-style dining at this event! That’s probably one of the reasons why each of the 3,000 tickets go for $600 a piece. Champagne and caviar? Right this way, please! Notice, too, the restrooms are called “water closets.”

There was a ride-and-drive station set up on the outskirts of the grounds where people would sign up in advance to drive the NSX and other Acura models. Acura’s RLX, debuting for the 2014 model year, was the successor to the RL, which was the successor to the Legend, so naturally it holds a special place in my heart. Sales success has not been great historically, but with some enhancements for the 2018 mid-cycle refresh, it might just gain some relevance in the marketplace. The RLX puts a total of 377 horses to the ground via all-wheel drive in the upgraded trim level. From a design perspective, it now more closely resembles its smaller TLX sibling. My favorite view is the rear.

In the evening, Rob and I met up with my friends Scott & Sandy for dining at a Mexican place in Carmel: A fun, walkable town along the coastline. Saturday’s flight back to Phoenix came around midday and I was delighted that our travels toward the San Jose airport took us through some very scenic and curvy backroads. Now, if only I’d had a car better than a Sonata rental to experience them in! Many thanks to Acura for the invitation to participate in this weekend’s activities! More photos and a short video follow.

Airport bound in the 1994 Vigor GS!

Beachfront view while we ate lunch at Picnic Basket in Santa Cruz

Headed up the canyon road to our place in Soquel

Kicking back!

Evening arrival at Carmel Valley Lodge

By this time we had met up with my Oregonian friend, Ira (at right)

Sharing some remarks on the newly-redesigned 2018 RLX

Friends from the NSX Club of America – with a great photo bomb by Acura President, Jon Ikeda

Chris, Ira, May, Tyson – NSXCA Members

Jhae Pfenning and Peter Cunningham – a couple heroes of mine!

And the one and only Jesse Metcalfe, as seen in Desperate Housewives

Rob and I looked like a couple of church missionaries in our dress attire and bland midsize sedan

The Quail entrance. That grass is real! Totally immaculate.

Having ice cream from Infiniti

One of the only Hondas I saw there: An S800 roadster

NSXCA group again

Come right on in!

More scenery

Dinner friends Scott & Sandy in Carmel

Saying goodbye to the tiny house in Soquel before flying back to Arizona

16 Comments »

Visit to the 2017 Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction

Posted in Arizona, Car Show on January 26, 2017 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 550,387

Odometer (ILX): 190,802

“You barely put a dent in that.”

That’s not a comment anyone wants to hear when they’re walking past an $800,000 supercar like music legend Steven Tyler’s Hennessey Venom, or a 1 of 1 Pontiac Kammback Trans Am, or a showroom fresh 47-year-old Chevy pickup with 400 original miles on it.

Fortunately, my friend Chris wasn’t talking about denting a car. He was talking about putting a dent in this gigantic footlong jalapeño & cheddar sausage I picked up from one of the vendors at Saturday’s 46th annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction.

You’ve never quite seen an automotive buffet like the one in Scottsdale, Arizona this past week. Over an 8-day period, some 1,700 collector cars found new homes in one of the best-known and widely-viewed auctions in the country. For anyone with a hankering for a slice or two of literature and automobilia, that’s on the menu too. Since 1989, Scottsdale’s venue for the Barrett-Jackson auction has been Westworld, not far from my home. My friend Chris flew in from Baltimore to see what all the sights, sounds, and tastes had to offer. We didn’t go home hungry.

Chris and I attended the auction on Saturday morning. Weather in the Phoenix area had finally broken from a 4-day stretch of rain – much to the relief, I’m sure, of the many people who had their prized, gleaming garage queens out in Westworld’s staging areas for display prior to being auctioned. The ILX got stashed several miles away in the offsite parking lot and we caught a shuttle bus to the epicenter of activity.

It was a star-studded afternoon: Justin Bieber (Ferrari 458), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Chevelle), and Burt Reynolds (Trans Am) each took the mic at different times during the day to hawk their rides. Chris and I made the rounds in both the interior and exterior staging areas. High-dollar “Salon” cars had premium parking in the enclosed areas nearest the auction block. Other cars – not quite as elite but still well out of my price range – resided in the external grounds shaded by tents.

There didn’t seem to be much rhyme nor reason as to how the parking was arranged. It wasn’t uncommon to see a Volkswagen Beetle parked next to a Hummer, parked next to a 1962 Chrysler. But that’s what kept it interesting. There was something for everyone. And new this year, there was a live video stream on B-J’s website so that the “auction action” could be viewed by car enthusiasts both near and far. In all, the week+ long festivities wrapped up with $102 million in sales, with the auction being attended by 320,000 people in person.

Now the automotive buffet got even more interesting. My friend Jonathan Klinger from Hagerty called and offered a couple of tickets to skybox #11 in the auction hall – an exclusive opportunity to rub shoulders with the cast & crew from Velocity TV channel. Not to mention, snacks and drinks were on the house, and the view from high above the show floor couldn’t have been better. I’ve now been spoiled with skybox access twice, since last year I attended in Acura’s skybox when the 2017 NSX VIN 001 was auctioned off for $1.2 million.

Barrett-Jackson truly was a feast for all the senses. Now if only I could have brought home some take-out. In the form of a shiny new toy, of course. Many thanks to the organizers of Barrett-Jackson for admitting me with a media credential this year!

Here’s a short video I captured of Bieber’s Ferrari on stage with a few of his comments at the end.

Bus ride from the “offsite purple lot” where we’d parked the ILX, several miles away.

Media creds!

This NSX used to be Berlina Black. It’s a custom build by Clarion car audio.

The “Salon” area, including Justin Bieber’s matte-blue-wrapped Ferrari in the foreground.

This 1958 Chevy Corvette was named “Eye Candy.”

30-year-old Buick GNX with only 1,524 miles on it.

I always think of Skittles candy when I see a color like this McLaren was wearing.

“Breathing New Life Into a Legend”

Loved this “barn find” Shelby Cobra GT 350. They didn’t even run it through the coin-op wash!

The “tri-five” (55, 56, 57) Chevy Bel Airs are always a hit.

I loved the design on the dashboard of this 1962 Chrysler Imperial.

Only 246 miles on this Pontiac! Talk about fresh.

Quick meet-up with RealTime racing legend Peter Cunningham.

This pair of 1970 Chevy pickups came from a barn in Alberta, Canada. Each one has fewer than 1,000 miles on it.

What’s not to love about a bright red 1990 Lotus Esprit?

Outside tent area with vendors and more cars

Sing it with me. “Apple bottom jeans….”

Custom car builder Dave Kindig in the background at the Velocity TV skybox.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. on stage talking about his Chevelle.

“Chasing Classic Cars” host Wayne Carini.

Thanks for coming along!

19 Comments »

Rock & Roll Marathon Weekend – Future Classics Car Show – & Special Visitors

Posted in Arizona, Car Show, Running on January 22, 2017 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 550,387

Odometer (ILX): 190,476

It’s been a full house at Hotel Hugie this week. I’ve had company cycling in and out for the past week or so and I’m happy to play host! Visiting from Palm Springs, California was my friend Scott who came to town on business AND to market his bright yellow 1977 Honda Civic which went up for sale at a collector car auction later in the week. It brought $14,000!

Last Sunday, I ran the 14th annual Rock & Roll Half-Marathon in Phoenix with my mother who had driven down from Utah. Race day weather couldn’t have been better: even though the forecast had called for a 30%+ chance of rain, things stayed dry and the overcast skies kept it from getting too warm. In the end, I somehow pulled off a 2 hour, 22 minute finish time with mom sneaking past the finish line at 1:58.

Darn it mom, I’ll beat you someday.

On Monday evening I attended the second-annual “Future Classics Car Show,” sponsored in part by ClassicCars.com, Hagerty, as well as other names in the collector car industry. It was open to all years, makes, and models, but I opted to take my 1994 Legend GS sedan since it hadn’t seen the light of day in a few weeks. The car didn’t exactly fit in — most vehicles in the show were more of a ‘tuner’ variety, with big wings, decals, and racing wheels. But I was happy to represent the all-stock Japanese luxo-sedan. Parked next to me was my friend Kyle in his 2005 Pontiac GTO, which incidentally ended up winning a trophy in its class. Congrats, Kyle!

On Wednesday, I made a trip to the Phoenix Sky Harbor airport to pick up my good friend Chris who’d just flown in 5 hours from Baltimore to spend a few days with me. Chris and I have been ‘car friends’ since the late 1990s when we were both dabbling in Honda Prelude circles. This week, he became the first of my friends who has driven all 6 of my cars. There you go Chris, the proof is in writing! You win the grand prize!

It was an action-packed few days complete with highs and lows. Mother Nature dished out lots of rain which put a damper on Chris’ travel plans, but it didn’t keep him from taking a trip to Sedona in the Legend sedan and hiking 7 miles in the mud to Devil’s Bridge. Getting there was an adventure in itself. He’d intended to take the NSX but only made it 15 miles north of town when the car left him stranded thanks to a faulty ignition switch. A $195 tow and $101 (parts & labor) repair later, the car was back on the road the next day thanks to Science of Speed in Chandler. First time that one has seen a tow truck in the five years I’ve owned it!

On Friday, I telecommuted and supervised Chris while he did some ILX maintenance for me, including replacement of rear brake pads, the engine air filter, and the serpentine belt.

I introduced him to my favorite Mexican place, “Lose Dos Molinos,” on Camelback Road later that evening to compensate him in part for his labor efforts. A couple of other special guests made their debut at my home including Mark McCourt and Jeff Koch from Hemmings, then Jonathan Klinger from Hagerty. Talk about friends in high places. I was honored to have such automotive elites checking out my home and garage. I thank them for helping keep the car collecting community alive.

Speaking of car collecting, you’ll soon read more about my trip to the 46th annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction which was our source of entertainment all day Saturday. Watch for an upcoming post on that.

Which brings us to the final chapter of Chris’ visit, in which we took a 250-ish mile round trip to Tucson & back in the Legend coupe to tour the Pima Air & Space Museum, a collection of hundreds of retired aircraft. My favorite was getting to see the Douglas VC-118A that served as Air Force One for Presidents Kennedy & Johnson during the early 1960s (pictured below). On the way back, I introduced Chris to In-N-Out Burger, a favorite fast food chain in this region. He said the shake wasn’t half bad.

That puts a wrap on what you’ve missed during the last couple of weeks. Now, make the most of the few minutes of the weekend that remain! I know I will! Until next time.

Interior of Scott’s 1977 Civic.

Some literature my friend Richard sent me. Love this old stuff!

Scott gave me a huge “A” for my garage. It used to adorn an auto show display booth.

Also had a visit from my friend Ryan and 3 of his 4 kiddos. The guest book is filling up nicely!

Not to mention this crowd of troublemakers I hosted for pasta dinner the night before the half-marathon.

Another shot from the Future Classics Car Show

Grabbing a bite with Sam and Kyle

Headed to pick up Chris from the airport and my friend Lance happened to be right behind me! He snapped this shot!

Chris’ arrival. He’s come out at least 3 times now from Baltimore to visit.

Shots Chris took with the Legend sedan on the Red Rock Scenic Byway in Sedona, Arizona.

Maintenance underway!

Mark from Hemmings gave me these awesome VHS promotional tapes from the 1990s! I can’t wait to put them to use!

This postcard was inside one of them. “The question isn’t whether to lease an Acura, but rather which Acura to lease. We understand what a difficult decision it is, and we recommend you seek professional help. From your professionally helpful Acura dealer.” Love that! I’ll take one of each!

Visit from Hagerty’s main man in Traverse City, Jonathan Klinger.

Hitting up a mecca for airplane geeks

The SR-71 Blackbird, this example from 1964, maxes out at over 2,100 miles per hour and flies at 85,000 feet. This is a serious aircraft.

Double-double, animal style! If you know what that is, you’ve been to In-N-Out Burger.

12 Comments »

2017 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Michigan

Posted in Car Show on January 11, 2017 by tysonhugie

Odometer (ILX): 190,267

Aloha from 35,000 feet. As I generate these thoughts, I’m midway through Delta’s 4-hour flight #2021 with service from Detroit to Phoenix, and luckily a sweet old woman swapped me into her window seat way back here in row 31 so I can at least enjoy the scenery a little.

The North American International Otto Show. Wait – Otto? Yes. Did you know that the Detroit Auto Show was originally named for Otto Shaw, a German Immigrant who opened Detroit’s first used car dealership on Woodward Avenue? The show was named the Detroit Auto Show until 1989 when it finally took on the “international” flavor when organizers decided it was only fair to recognize the fact that more than just the United States produced cars. This factoid comes from “autoblopnik” with tongue in cheek, but one fact holds true with definite certainty: This show is the country’s most extravagant display of automaker fanfare related to new model releases each year.

This year marked the 5^th anniversary of my first trip to the show, back in January 2012. At that time, I was attending the Media Days as a guest of Acura along with a group of a half-dozen or so automotive bloggers. The main event of interest for me was the unveil of two cars that year: The ILX Concept and the NSX Concept. Oddly enough it has taken Acura almost these entire last 5 years to fully bring the NSX to market (it sold between 60 and 70 units in December 2016) but the ILX is already in its 5^th model year and has had a light refresh as of two years ago. Heck, by the time the fully-redesigned second-gen ILX comes around (maybe for the 2018 model year?) I’ll probably have 200,000 miles on mine.

Redline Reviews, hopefully by now one of your favorite YouTube car review channel subscriptions, invited me to be part of the team. I worked with Editor-in-Chief Sofyan Bey, along with his support staff members Peace and Rob, who together produce some of the most thorough and timely video segments in the industry on automotive reviews, new vehicle reveals, and other industry news. We stayed at a ruggedly industrial repurposed bottling plant from the 1930s on Fort Street, just a mile away from Cobo Center which is the convention hall that becomes the epicenter of all NAIAS activity for the week.

On Monday, January 9^th, we staked out our spot in the Media Center by 6:30 a.m. (remember, that’s 4:30 in the morning for this Arizona guy!) and hit the show floor running by the time the first press conference, Chevy’s, kicked off at 7:30. In all, the day involved walking some 14,000 steps totaling out to over 8 miles. Each automaker’s booth more impressive than the last, many of which offering up food and beverages in attempt to woo the journalists. It worked for me. I’ve never met a finger food I didn’t like.

A productive day it was. In all, Sofyan and crew – myself included – captured footage for 10 videos. Noteworthy subject matter included the new Subaru WRX, Chevy Traverse, GMC Terrain, Honda Odyssey, Ford F-150, Kia Stinger, Lexus LS500, and Toyota Camry – all of which are either brand new or very substantially revised models for the 2018 model years and beyond.

The crazy thing is just how far the bar continues to be raised. Almost every press conference transcript includes the words “safer, stronger, more fuel efficient, faster.” Every year we seem to be creeping ever-closer to automotive perfection. Where a few years ago it was revolutionary for an automaker to have a 7 or 8 speed automatic transmission, some (Odyssey, F-150) are now getting 10 speeds.

Going by the wayside are large displacement V8 engines. Even the 2018 Lexus LS series (above), which debuted 28 years ago in 1989 as the company’s flagship sedan, for the first time will now only be offered with a twin-turbo V6 motor. That’s not to say it’s taking a step back in power, since the V6 still pushes out over 400 horsepower. And the “electrification” of the automobile industry expands with each year. Honda announced that half of its new models in the next 3 years will be “electrified” in some way. Gas pumps are inevitably being replaced by power plugs.

A full day of work by me and the rest of the Redline team was followed by an evening at the charming home of Motor Trend Editor, Frank Markus, and his husband Michael in the suburb of Royal Oak about 25 minutes north of downtown. I picked up a friend from the airport and we headed to the festivities. There, I was able to rub shoulders with the automotive elite like auto reviewer Jason Cammisa who hosts Motor Trend’s “Ignition” segment and garners tens of thousands of views, as well as Steve Siler and Brian Gurney, pictured above.

Detroit got its fair share of overnight snow on Monday – so much, in fact, that my rental Chevy Sonic LTZ was nearly stuck a few times while I navigated my way around town. I’m a noob when it comes to snow driving. I’ll remind you, it’s been 11 years since I moved to Phoenix. I made a few visits to local friends and made my way back to the McNamara terminal at Detroit’s international airport. And with that concluded an action-packed 48 hours in Motor City. It was worth every second, and every air-mile. Thanks for reading!

Here’s a 13-minute video of some ramblings Sofyan and I shared after the first day of the show.

Dollar rent-a-car gave me the choice of any compact in this lineup. I just picked the Sonic at the far end.

Press conference lineup for Monday morning, January 9th. Each automaker gets 25 minutes to wow and impress us.

Visiting my friend Waseem who just recently bought a place in Grosse Pointe, about 10 mi north of downtown.

Waseem’s 1990 Legend LS tucked away.

Dinner with other local friends Hass and his lovely wife.

This was an amazing fish taco from a place called Batch Brewery.

Our AirBNB accommodations in downtown Detroit.

The crowd goes wild over the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse.

Still one of my favorite designs ever: The Genesis G80 rear.

Nissan is bringing out a Rogue Sport model that looks pretty snazzy.

A run-in with none other than the famous “HondaPro” Jason Richmond, who has built a career out of being a Honda brand advocate. You go Jason!

Toyota’s new 2018 Camry is trying pretty hard to look sporty. This “XSE” version even includes quad exhaust tips.

Big in the news is Kia’s latest offering, the “Stinger” GT. Complete with Brembo brakes and the whole 9!

Sweet car in Motor Trend Editor Frank’s garage. 1985 Town & Country!

Snowy Tuesday morning in downtown Detroit. I got to use the ice scraper on my Sonic.

BONUS MATERIAL! My friend Scott is storing a 1977 Honda Civic CVCC in my garage for about a week until it gets auctioned off.

And my roommate James is testing a 2017 Honda Ridgeline this week. That means there are a lot of Hondas around this house right now!

Finally, my long-time friend Chris stopped by this evening to show me his latest ride: a 1999 Mitsubishi 3000GT SL 5-speed. It only has 97,000 miles on it. I’ve loved these cars since they first came out.

Those seats were in remarkable shape for being 18 years old. Congrats, Chris!

24 Comments »

Quick Trip to Los Angeles: Historic Honda Roots & Dinner in West Hollywood

Posted in California, Car Show, ILX, Integra, Maintenance, NSX, Road Trip on November 20, 2016 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 548,869

Odometer (ILX): 185,579

Trip Distance: 758 Miles

Would you believe that American Honda, the powerhouse that sold a record 1.5 million vehicles across the Honda and Acura brands in 2015, got its humble roots selling just motorcycles out of this small office space in Los Angeles? Some 57 years ago, here at 4077 W. Pico Boulevard, the company first took root in the United States, but it has forever since changed the landscape of the powersports and automotive industries.

Today, that same office space has changed hands probably more times than one could count, and is currently leased by an acupuncture & wellness facility. Sadly the condition has deteriorated substantially and the neighborhood isn’t all that great. I happened to be in the area yesterday morning so I stopped by for a pre-sunrise photo. The building is available for lease, and it would sure be a lot of fun to move in and create a museum or replica of the way things used to be. Dreams.

Looking westward down Pico Boulevard. The roads were surprisingly quiet at this hour.

Thanks to the lady selling tamales on the street next door for taking this quick shot of me.

Last Sunday, I met up with a few fellow second-generation Acura Integra drivers at a park in Tempe, Arizona for a little meet & greet. Now 26 years old, this bodystyle has aged pretty well and the few that survive are in the hands of enthusiasts like the handful of guys I met that day. It seems most people consider the Integra a blank canvas upon which to express his or her own sense of style, but I’ve decided to keep mine original to its 1992 factory configuration.

It’s always fun to meet with other car-nuts at events like these. Especially in cases, like this one, where the host brought out Dunkin Donuts to share with everyone. Thanks to German for that!

For years I’ve waited for the right opportunity to take a photo of my “Vig” at “The Vig.” The Vig is a restaurant on 16th Street in central Phoenix that has some of the best brunch in the valley.

The 1992 NSX has been under the knife for the past week or so, getting a completely refreshed Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) to rectify a warning light that’s been showing up for a long time. Braking performance under normal circumstances have been unaffected, but the ABS is deactivated when the light is on. This is a very common issue for the early NSX models like mine, and luckily Science of Speed offers an upgrade kit designed specifically for this application. It involves retrofitting the later model year (2002-05) NSX components.

I’m picking up the car the first part of this coming week. SOS did also recommend a few other maintenance items that will wait until my next major “90K” service coming up in 4 years. The timing belt and water pump were changed in January 2011 under the previous owner’s ownership, so they aren’t quite due yet. That was a $2,200 service at the time.

For having driven the NSX 26,000 miles in the 5 years I’ve had it, it’s actually been relatively inexpensive to own & maintain. GEICO did just raise my 6-month premium to $179 because the street address at which I now reside is higher risk. Interestingly enough, the NSX is still far cheaper to insure with full coverage than the 2013 ILX (which comes in at over $300) even though the NSX is certainly worth much more.

This weekend’s travels took me to California on Thursday afternoon. The Los Angeles Auto Show kicked off last week with Media Days being held on Wednesday and Thursday. Typically, I would have been there as a journalist with the Redline Reviews team to cover the event’s new car reveals, but my work time-off situation wouldn’t quite allow for it.

Still, I was determined to participate in the after-hours stuff so I set out in the afternoon for what should have been a six-hour drive to Hollywood for a dinner engagement with about 30 other people. Lucky for me, I also gained an hour due to time zones because that drive in reality ended up taking over 8 hours. Construction zones in multiple places on Interstate 10 and the expected LA rush-hour traffic made for slow going.

‘

My Garmin Nuvi GPS unit crept up its ‘delay’ timer the closer I got to my destination.

At least red is a pretty color!

I did finally make it to the venue at “Tortilla Republic,” though, and just 15 minutes before it started. Here, I’m pictured with Sofyan, Aaron, Rob, and Peace who are the backbone of the Redline media group. I’m hoping to partner with them in two months at the Detroit Auto Show if I can play my cards right with the time-off request. Cross your fingers!

Hollywood’s “Walk of Fame” is home to 2,500 stars like this in the ground. It was walking distance from my motel and I happened to snag a picture of one of the stars, Mariah Carey’s, while en route to breakfast on Friday morning.

Sunrise in downtown Los Angeles

I made one major pit stop on the way home, to see some friends in Palm Springs. Scott & Sandy are a couple who I’ve featured on the blog previously. Their ever-evolving automotive collection spans a wide variety of tastes, from their 1992 NSX to a 1980s Mercury Bobcat (rebadged Pinto), to their latest: a 1964 Mercury Park Lane which they just had brought over on a transport truck from Houston. It’s waiting for some brake work so we didn’t take it for a spin, but those guys sure have some great taste in cars!

I took a spin in their 41,000-mile (!) 1976 Cadillac Seville which rode like it was on a cloud.

Also checked out Scott’s latest toy: a 1991 Civic “RealTime 4WD” wagon that he’s going to restore.

Many thanks to Scott and Sandy once again for their hospitality.

Finally today – I’d like to make a quick introduction to my friend Melissa, who has launched her own blog. It’s called “Working from Home.” In today’s workplace, thanks to the advances in telecommuting, you can be in virtually any part of the world and still be connected to your day job. I’ve participated in conference calls from the road, logged into my email from airplanes and hotel rooms, and been on Skype meetings while in another state. It’s starting to matter less and less that you’re seated in desk 4S018 at Phoenix Plaza Corporate Office staring at 4 cubicle walls.

Case in point: I worked with Melissa on a daily basis for over 4 years, but I never met her. She was over 2,500 miles away at our Rhode Island office and I was based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Did the geographic distance make us any less productive as coworkers? I honestly don’t think so. And herein was born the opportunity for Melissa to create an outlet where she could share some of her learnings over the many months of working from home.

Be sure to check out the article “Are You On Mute?” under the “Real Work” section. It’s one of my faves.

Have a great Thanksgiving week!

18 Comments »

NSXPO 2016 in Orlando, Florida

Posted in Car Show, NSXPO on November 8, 2016 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend Sedan): 150,724

Odometer (Legend Coupe): 548,850

Odometer (ILX): 184,321

Today, I’m taking you to Florida. I sadly missed the opportunity to drive 2,140 miles each way from Phoenix to Orlando this past weekend, but it was for the best. With my new job giving me very limited paid time off, I had no choice but to catch a flight on American and fly the friendly skies to this year’s annual gathering of crazy Acura NSX enthusiasts. It was still very much worth it!

It’s hard to believe that the last NSXPO in Palm Springs is already a year behind us in the rearview mirror. The Orlando planning crew raised that ever-lofty bar even more so: This year’s event has introduced some of the biggest venues and the most organizationally “put together” agenda I’ve ever seen. On Thursday, a group of 200-someodd NSXs cruised together to the Kennedy Space Center for a special tour. And on Friday, that same group took to the world-renowned Sebring Racetrack for a performance driving event.

My Friday evening flight took about 4 hours, but seemed like 7, thanks to the time zones on my west-to-east travels. Longtime friend and fellow Legend lover Alan Jackson was kind enough to leave me a “rental” vehicle at the Orlando airport: the 1994 Acura Legend coupe in Milano Red that he’d purchased from my mother back in 2010. The odometer at crank of the key was just under 170,400 miles and it fired to life like new.

Fellow car-nut Brian who’s local to Orlando was kind enough to show me around that evening. While certainly not a “fun” destination like Disney World nearby, one very important Orlando place in recent news is the Pulse nightclub where dozens of people were killed in June. It happened to be literally around the corner from Brian’s home so I got a photo there while paying my respects.

One of the traditional NSXPO events is the “Concours d’Elegance,” which is basically a car show. The entire northeast section of the Springhill Suites hotel parking lot in Winter Garden was overtaken by NSXs when I arrived on Saturday morning. Right off the bat, I received a text message from my friend Jermaine from New Jersey. “When did you get here?” He’d seen me wandering around outside from an upper floor of the hotel. Jermaine is one of many former Legend owners who have taken their Acura ownership to the next level by getting involved in the NSX game. Check out his Rio Yellow 2000 NSX here:

There was a BBQ between 11:00 and 1:00 in the parking lot. I attended a panel discussion in one of the conference rooms and learned some very insightful information. Among the participants was Chris Willson, owner of Science of Speed, an NSX performance shop located in Chandler, Arizona. Chris and his team have taken the initiative to create the “Heritage Program” which focuses on sourcing or reproducing critical parts which have been discontinued. For example, the NSX “twin disc” clutch has been discontinued from American Honda so owners who are seeking to buy a “factory” replacement part are left having to seek other aftermarket alternatives.

Just a few miles up the road, the Orange County National Golf Club hosted our large group in a banquet room for a formal dinner and program that evening. Keynote speakers included Ted Klaus, Project Leader for the NSX, as well as seasoned race veteran Peter Cunningham who has recently taken a new role in leadership for the RealTime team, as well as others from Honda R&D. Peter will be at the helm for the 2017 season race campaign of the NSX “GT3” racecar. I happened to be seated at dinner across from a guy named John who’d just finished a 13,000-mile cross-country road trip in his own Berlina Black 1991 NSX. I was in good company!

Oooh, fancy awards. Everything about NSXPO was high class.

No trip to Florida would be complete without a stop at the state’s most exclusive and exciting theme park: “Legend Land.” Otherwise known as Alan Jackson’s house in Floral City, Legend Land has become a mecca of sorts for the Legend enthusiasts. Alan and his wife Nancy welcomed me to their beautiful estate where we enjoyed a lakeside lunch of Italian sausage and homemade potato salad.

I also got to witness firsthand the replacement of a left rear wheel speed sensor on a 1994 Legend coupe belonging to local enthusiast Thomas. My friend Alex took me back to the airport in his 6-speed BMW 5-series. It had quite the roar thanks to its V8 and custom exhaust system.

Though short, my visit to Orlando was definitely sweet and I was glad to reconnect with old friends as well as make a few new ones. Thanks for coming along for the adventure! Enjoy a few pics & a short video.

Hanging with my buddy Brian

Interesting ‘wizard’ gift shop on Irlo Bronson Road in Kissimmee, FL

Hey, that doesn’t look like an Acura ZDX to me! Nice try.

Few shots from the parking lot at the host hotel in Winter Garden

Love this “Monaco Blue” color. It’s rare!

My friend John Komar (right) and his brother both brought their NSXs out.

Brooklands Green: 1994-95-only color.

Check out this odometer!

Original engine. That was on this 1991 NSX:

I got a kick out of his comment on the judging form in response to “why he should win” the Best of Show.

Racing legend Peter Cunningham selling T-shirts

Imola Orange Pearl. Pictures don’t do this color justice! Notice, even the leather interior was orange!

Doing a drive through Walt Disney World

Tee time, anyone?

A few 2017 NSXs were on hand, including this Valencia Red beauty.

Poolside at the host hotel.

Orange County National Golf Club, cocktail reception.

Sunday morning drive to Floral City to return my rental car.

Arrival at Legend Land, pictured here with Alan and Alex.

Working on Thomas’ Legend coupe.

Quick shot with Abby (the pup), Nancy (Alan’s wife) and a gator statue.

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Wheeled Weekend: ALV 2016 Awards Program; “Neo Classics” Japanese Classic Car Show

Posted in California, Car Show, Integra on October 25, 2016 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Integra):

Trip Distance: 758 Miles

Let’s test-drive some new cars! Today’s update brings you a summary of my wild & crazy weekend o’ fun. The first half consisted of an automotive program local to the Phoenix area, and the second half involved me taking a crazy drive to California and back so that I could be there for fewer than 24 hours. Sounds like me, right?

For the last 5 years, I’ve volunteered to help with a Phoenix area “COTY” (Car of the Year) program that caters to folks who are athletic in nature. It strives to weed out and select the new vehicles each year that stand out as superior for those who demand more from their vehicles: Those who participate in outdoor sports, primarily. So it makes sense why GM entered its new Colorado pickup truck, and also why they chose to outfit it with all sort of accessories like an optional kayak rack in the bed.

This year’s “Active Lifestyle Vehicle of the Year” (ALV) program was based at the San Marcos resort in Chandler, Arizona. In all we had 28 new vehicles vying for awards in 8 categories. The two-day event was structured with a media/journalist day on Friday and then a consumer/athlete day on Saturday.

Prior year ALV event write-ups can be found here:

New this year was a destination drive to lunch in Fountain Hills, Arizona at the Eagle Mountain Golf Resort. In the afternoon, there were both on-road and off-road short drive routes made available for the 35 or so journalists who attended. The location, Butcher Jones Recreation Area, was perfect for both types of driving as it was adjacent to a nice, curvy two-lane paved road as well as some gnarly dirt backroads. I got a chance to try my hand at driving a new Toyota Tacoma TRD on some incredibly gnarly terrain using its “crawl control” feature. The Ram Rebel won first place in the extreme off-road category.

I also got my first chance behind the wheel of Acura’s second-generation NSX supercar, stickering at $197,000. The NSX was entered in the event as a special feature only, since clearly its abilities from a cargo-carrying and off-road perspective are limited. Acura’s Allie Coulter reserved a 40-mile drive for me in the car and I must say I fell in absolute love with it. While the driving experience differs dramatically from that of my 1992 NSX, that doesn’t make it “bad.” It’s just a 2017 approach to a 1990 formula, and that means the car is faster, safer, more technologically advanced, and…. missing a clutch pedal. I can honestly say that’s the only place I find fault with it.

How does the car behave, anyway? I punched it in Sport Mode getting onto the Beeline Highway southbound and it kicked me back into my seat. Zero-to-sixty only takes about 3 seconds in that car, so the G-forces are enough to plant you firmly in your nicely bucketed seat. The intoxicating part about driving the NSX is the growl of the motor behind the cabin. It emits such awesome sounds at any RPM. Visibility was better than I’d expected. And the car turned more heads on the 101 southbound freeway during rush hour than a supermodel.

On Saturday, there were test-drive opportunities made available to about 60 athletes who came to the San Marcos to evaluate vehicles and cast their votes. Other key winners were the Nissan Titan, Kia Cadenza, Kia Soul, Volkswagen Golf, Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Nissan Armada.

At the conclusion of the ALV awards ceremony, I grabbed the Integra and hit the highway to drive off into the sunset on Interstate 10. For the next 6 or so hours, I let the I GS-R’s 1.7-liter, VTEC engine sing to me at 4,500 RPM at 80 miles an hour. Traffic in Corona, California was jammed thanks to road construction, but I finally made it to my hotel in Torrance a little after 9:00 p.m.

This was only the second year of the “Neo Classics” 80’s & 90’s Japanese Classic Car Show (JCCS). It is hosted at Toyota’s headquarters. Last year, I attended with my Legend coupe. This year, I decided to showcase my ‘newest’ car, the Integra. I was in good company. Just moments after my arrival, a squad of “DA” bodystyle Integras like mine rolled in and I was able to park next to them and make a few new friends.

I also reconnected with a few old ones, including Jeff Koch from Hemmings, Ryu Asada who’s a designer at Mattel / Hot Wheels, and Ben Hsu from Japanese Nostalgic Car. The quality of both cars and of people is always exceptional at the JCCS event so that’s why I hope to keep attending year after year.

Thanks for coming along on my weekend adventures! The rest of my photos and a short video are below.

ALV kick-off dinner last Thursday night at “La Stalla” in Chandler, AZ (sponsored by Toyota)

Groups assembling to do the car drives & reviews

Acura’s 2017 MDX Advance

Sweet NSX photo captured by Mark Elias Media Services

Love the design of Kia’s new Cadenza

Davis Adams from Honda, along with a couple other event participants around the new Ridgeline

Nissan’s Titan showing some off-road prowess

Breakfast is served!

Midpoint / driver change for Friday’s media drive

The Ridgeline pickup bed doubles as an ice cooler!

Biggest downer about about Fiat 124 Spider which was entered: this automatic transmission.

With Shad (GM) and Darryll (VW)

Audi’s new Q7 was on-hand for evaluation.

Its most intriguing feature to me? Four-wheel steering. My 1991 Prelude had that! Here is comes as part of a $4,000+ option package.

With Will who drove up from Tucson to participate

Now, for some pics on the LA trip: Quick visit to Honda HQ in the Integra

Arriving at the show at the same time as my friend Chris in his immaculate second-generation Prelude.

Lineup of “DA” Integras. These guys were all California locals but very welcoming!

With Chris and his Prelude.

One of the Integras had Honda S2000 gauges!

Say what you want, but I loved this ultra base model 1985 Civic DX with only about 40,000 miles on it.

Aztec Green shining during a brief glimpse of sunlight (it was overcast most of the day).

I love seeing original ads & paperwork laid out like this on display.

Ultra clean Honda CRX. It’s tough to find one of these that hasn’t been heavily-modified!

Armando and his two Subaru SVXs.

Met a new friend named Brian who drives this immaculate Berlina Black 1991 NSX.

And Chris brought out his real Polaroid camera and took this shot (which he later scanned for me). It’s hard to believe just how far camera technology has come. But I love how vintage it looks!

28 Comments »

Quick Trip: “The Quail” Motorsports Gathering in Monterey, California

Posted in California, Car Show on August 21, 2016 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 544,256

Odometer (ILX): 180,000

Happy weekend! I spent a day rubbing shoulders with the automotive elite at an exclusive motorsports show called The Quail in Carmel, California on Friday. Some 3,000 entry tickets were pre-sold at $600 apiece. I was lucky to score one for free, thanks to prior involvement with the NSX Club of America and the fact that Acura is a major sponsor of the event. It was a feast for the eyes, ears, and tastebuds.

From the moment I showed my credential and was given a site map / lanyard, I turned my gaze to the entrance of the event. Immaculately manicured lawns were lined with brightly-colored supercars and exotics. Event workers dressed head to toe in white apparel flanked the entryway.

This was not just your everyday “car show” in a Home Depot parking lot with people plopped down on camp chairs and shooting the breeze. Instead, wait staff brought around wine, champagne, and caviar. There were 5 or 6 different tent pavilions with free regional-themed food and live music. And I don’t think any vehicle on display had a value of fewer than six figures. Many were seven.

I made the rounds as I worked my way toward the large Acura display and was greeted by a couple of colleagues who were already there: Chris Willson from Science of Speed, and May Lee, the VP of the NSX Club of America. On display was an elevated white platform with the Acura Precision Concept in the middle, with the NSX GT3 racecar on the left and a ‘street’ NSX at right. Around 11:00 a.m., seasoned racecar driver Dario Franchitti arrived for some interviews. I shook his hand and we talked a little. He’s no stranger to fast cars, having won 4 Indy races. He’s ordered a “Nouvelle Blue Pearl” 2017 NSX which will be delivered to him later this year.

Right down the street, the Bonhams collector car auction was taking place all day. My friends Scott and Sandy were selling their 1959 Mercury Park Lane – lot number 74 – and hoped for a good outcome. I caught a shuttle ride over there to meet up with them. The entire area was bustling with people, music, and activities – with auction bidding coming over the loudspeaker in a British accent. “Nine hundred fifty, do I have nine hundred fifty?” he’d ask. Seriously? $950,000 – people spend that kind of money on cars. The most expensive car sold this week in Monterey was a 1955 Jaguar D-Type that went for $19,800,000 at RM Sothebys Auction on Friday night. Pocket change.

The quick in-and-out Monterey trip capped off with a car event that differed greatly from The Quail. It was called Concours d’LeMons, and it was a tribute to “the oddball, the mundane, the truly awful of the automotive world.” Scott, Sandy, and I cruised in their Mini Cooper over to check out the festivities in Seaside on Saturday morning. The Concours is free and “you get what you pay for.” This tongue-in-cheek poke at the hoity toity Pebble Beach and Quail crowds seems little a little more my style. We saw an Amphicar, a couple of AMC Pacers, and of course a Yugo on the grounds. My friend Jason Cammisa from Motor Trend was on-hand as one of the judges.

And with that, I was dropped at the curb of the cute but functional 4-gate Monterey airport and shed my fleece sweater, knowing that in about 2 hours I’d be back in the desert’s inferno and dealing with nearly twice the temperature. Thanks for coming along for the adventure! And, many thanks to the folks at Acura for making it possible for me to attend. Here’s a very short video, along with some of the other photos I took.

Porsche-mania: Cars for sale at Bonhams.

Breakfast is served

Ultra rare BMW “Z1” with only 34 kilometers on it. This went for $90,000.

Ferrari something-or-other that’s worth more than any home I’ll ever own.

Love these lines.

Hey, finally a red car I can relate to. This 1991 NSX with 85,000 miles looks showroom fresh and belongs to Acura headquarters.

A few celebrity sightings, including this one with Acura’s Chuck Schifsky.

RealTime’s Peter Cunningham, whose collection I visited in Milwaukee last month.

Science of Speed’s Chris Willson

Acura PR’s Gary Robinson

A few folks from Hagerty Insurance, including Jonathan Klinger who inspired this blog 5 years ago.

Like the colors of Skittles candy.

With my buddy Donny from Cadillac, leeching off the free food at the Rolls Royce booth.

Feasts for the eyes, too.

Acura CEO Jon Ikeda – a friend of mine since his days with the Acura Design Studio.

Scott and Sandy’s 1959 Mercury with 40,000 original miles, which went for $40,000.

Scott and Sandy themselves. Thanks for the hospitality, guys!

As seen from the parking lot of the Concours d’LeMons. Hey, wait?

The original owner of this 1987 Chevy Cavalier was especially proud of it. And he’d driven it all the way from Michigan!

Before you go, check out the website of author Darius Nabors. He and his friend Trevor set out 59 weeks ago to visit all 59 national parks in 59 weeks. They’ve achieved their goal! I learned about Darius while thumbing through the American Airlines magazine on my flight from Phoenix to Monterey on Thursday night. Congratulations, Darius!

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