Yesterday, June 3, 2018 was the occasion of the 31st Annual British Cars By The Sea Show at Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford, CT. This is always a great show at a great seaside venue, and this year was no exception. It was a beautiful, brilliant sunny day, with a steady breeze off of Long Island Sound, and a great turnout of this year's featured Marque: the Jaguar 120, 140 and 150! Not to mention a couple of hundred other British cars, motorcycles.... and even a BSA bicycle!
And YES, although this was an ALL-British event, we even have some Baur content: my friend, Afonso Conceicao, who owns the only other E21 Baur in Connecticut, joined me at the show. Years ago, Afonso used to race Mini Coopers at Lime Rock Raceway Park in NW Connecticut ---the original British versions, of course! During the course of his career at Lime Rock, btw, Afonso had occasion to meet Paul Newman, the actor and race car aficionado!
The show was also an occasion to take car of a little business: I have been selling off some BMW parts from my former cars, and I arranged to meet Joffrey Roa at the show to make the exchange! Joffrey and his wife Valerie drove all the way from New Hampshire to combine business and pleasure: pick up the BMW part and attend one of the great local car shows at the shore! Nice work! And it was nice to meet you both, Joffrey and Valerie!
Another highlight of the day was lunch at the food trucks, featuring my friend Big Belly Kelly's BBQ! All around a fun day!
Here are some examples of the Featured Marque on display: Jaguar 120, 140 and 150! I love these cars, although my preference is definitely for the early models: the 120 and the 140. What gorgeous cars, and what genius design by Sir William Lyons!
These were not the only Jaguars on the field, of course.
Two-tone Mark II!
Rolls Royce was also represented!
MG sedan!
I was a little late getting photos of the Mini section, and several had already left before I could photograph them, including a great little panel delivery model in bright yellow!
The Daimler Dart, with the Daimler hemi V8 engine!
I love the vintage MGs!
And this was my Favorite of the Day: 1933 MG from New Hampshire, presented by a lovely older couple with whom I was able to chat. They trailered the car down from New Hampshire, for safety and security reasons, but they drove it here to the venue! What a great original example of a classic automobile!
Check out the throttle control levers, and that tiny gas pedal!
Jensen Interceptor
Marcos. ??? :)
Triumph 250
Always fun to see these three-wheeled Morgans: it is registered as a motorcycle by the way!
A Lotus Europa that moves under its own power! ;)
Another Lotus Europa that runs and drives! ;)
TVR.
It is not all automobiles at this show: the owner of this trike drew a lot of attention when he drove it around the show field!
Yes, that is a BSA bicycle! All British 'vehicles' are welcome! ;)
Unfortunately, there was no 1952 Vincent Black Lightning this year, but some nice examples of British motorcycles nonetheless!
And we finally get to a little Baur content, folks! ;)
The show sponsors set a aside a little parking area reserved for non-British Specialty Vehicles every year. My Baur was the only vehicle parked there for most of the morning, but then I was joined by two examples of American Iron from the 1950s: a black Cadillac and the two-tone blue Buick. That is Afonso in the red hat next to my Baur!
The Caddy is for sale!
Afonso and the Baurspotting Baur! ;) It was great to see you, Afonso! Thanks for making the trip down! See you again soon!
N.B. The photos above are just a small sampling of the vehicles that appeared at the show. There were tons more than I can show here, including MGs and Triumphs of all varieties, Austin-Healeys, Land Rovers, Range Rovers and even a Rover; the new Mini Coopers, more Lotuses, etc. I have included my personal favorites, for the most part. :)
