If he is picked to be the permanent president of the concours organization, Chapin said that the challenge ahead is to see how the event can provide both a better experience to attendees and a way for sponsoring companies to more effectively reach out to the public.
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| Still wet from the rain, this black 1955 Imperial Limousine owned by Wayne Simonson of Michigan recalls a time when the Chrysler Corporation helped fill the American luxury niche. (Photo: Joe Cabadas, Canadian Auto Press) |
"What we really need to do is not just court the car companies for sponsorship from their foundation or public relations funds, but to make it more relevant to them," he said. "Maybe we can see how we can offer ride and drive opportunities to visitors."
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| George Foley of Troy, Mich., stands on the passenger side running board of his 1938 Buick Convertible Coupe Special 460 that was entered into the Meadow Brook Concours car show. (Photo: Joe Cabadas, Canadian Auto Press) |
The 2003 Meadow Brook Concours is being sponsored by both Ford and General Motors -- a break from the past where the Big Three usually traded off that honor from year to year. Another change from past concours was that neither GM nor Ford had any representatives on hand for the opening press conference. In past years, the event's sponsoring company sometimes unveiled a new product -- as GM did in 1999 with its 2000 Cadillac DeVille -- or had an executive on hand to answer questions.
Some of the cars and owners at the Meadow Brook Concours are:
- A 1938 Buick Convertible Coupe Special 460 owned by George Foley of Troy, Mich. Foley said that he bought the 130-some horsepower straight-eight powered Buick in the mid-1970s. "It was kind of in bad shape, but it was solid," he said. "It had a sick, sand looking exterior color and beige interior." So, he repainted it blue on the outside and added a Moroccan red leather interior.