We spent the day at the 10th Annual Lake Mirror Classic Auto Festival held on the streets and around beautiful Mirror Lake in Lakeland. We spotted this film crew for Dennis Gage, star of SPEED Channel's poplar weekly program and Gage's blog, My Classic Car. The car that's getting his attention is a gorgeous 1959 Chrysler Imperial Crown Southhampton Coupe, a featured vehicle in the festival's salute to the Golden Anniversary of cars built in that year. It was a pure delight to see its luxurious design-excesses ( by the brilliant automotive designer Virgil Exner, the man behind Chrysler's "Forward Look" styling) such as the 1950s era fins, chrome, stainless steel and massive grill. The careful and meticulous restoration would lead you to believe this car had just left the factory. The entire festival was filmed for a 30-minute episode devoted entirely to this year's event.
The car to the top left is a huge departure from America's car-craze and love affair in the 1950s with swooping bodies, slabs of chrome and aircraft-size fins; a 1931 Chevrolet Beach Racer.
The car on the bottom left is a 1958 BMW Isetta 300 Deluxe in two-tone and pulling its own tiny speedboat on a trailer. It was the ideal combination for its prestige location up near the lakefront. The car is seriously cute and was a real showstopper and was voted Best of Show by Mrs. Tampa DP. (Click HERE to see my show post and more cars at Tampa Daily Photo.)
What a great day. Thaanks for sharing the pictures!
ReplyDeleteGreat old cars. When I was an officer cadet in the RAF my friend had one of those Isetta's, we used to go out to see girls at the local teachers training college in that. That was before thr drink & drive laws, so you can imagine what hairy rides they were!
ReplyDelete@ John - These cars were so small and getting in and out via the front must have been hilarious...especially after a few pints at the pub. The scene must have looked like the clowns and circus had come to town.
ReplyDeleteThe cost to fill it with petrol must have been very low. Run forever on a tank?
Terrific and fun post, Frank. Love those old car shows, probably because those were the cars I grew up with. My first car was a 1937 Chevy!
ReplyDeleteThe Isetta - my mother won one of those in a contest! Got her name and photo in the papers. I wanted so badly for her to keep it, but she sold it!
Great fun!
@ Jacob - Your mom REALLY won an Isetta? Really. That has got to be a fascinating story. Come on, more details Jacob. When? Where? How?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed your day Frank. I've never seen a car like that tiny Isetta with a boat. Wonderful
ReplyDeleteThat almost looks like my folks' Crysler Imperial. The little car is funny.
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