Who are these people and why are they wandering around in the rain when they could be inside enjoying a coffee and a croissant? Spectators at the 2009 Steamworks Concours d'Elegance in Vancouver, BC, that's who. Weatherwise it was a dreary weekend but our Nigel Matthews was on hand as a judge and also found time to take photos for your enjoyment, some of which are seen here, with more in the days to come. Nigel reported that "despite the poor weather this year's Concours, held in the historic Gastown district, was the most successful in the event's seven year history. We had a record number of cars and spectators, many of whom traveled there via the Sky Train. The cruise ship passengers that stumbled across this free show thought they'd died and gone to heaven."




The rain obviously didn't deter the car owners, who brought out some rare and fascinating beauties. This 1958 Borgward Isabella coupe, for example. Nigel: "The first Borgward appeared in 1952, a German marque founded by Carl Borgward. Over a ten year period (1952-62) the company produced an innovative and unusual range of cars, all having a sporting/luxury image. Most famous are the Isabella models which included saloon, coupe and cabriolet versions. This is the only one known to exist in western Canada." I recall an Ontario automobile journalist competing in hillclimbs with a Borgward, racing in the same class as yours truly with my modified VW. I won every time out, making him so angry that he contrived to write nasty (and unfounded) words about us when reporting the event for Road & Track. Nice car, though.




Anyone who watched motor racing in the late 1950s and 1960s will remember Mexico's Pedro Rodriguez, one of the greatest sports car endurance drivers who ever lived. He won the Daytona 24-hours three times, once in Ferrari 250 GTO and twice in a Porsche 917, and it was said that he mastered that ferocious beast better than anyone. Pedro also drove Grand Prixs in Ferraris, BMWs, and Coopers. But we all have to start somewhere and for Pedro it was this Rytune Formula Junior, his first race car in Mexico. Nigel reports that "Rodriguez always carried a bottle of Tabasco with him on his foreign trips. A smaller sized bottle of Tabasco is carried in the Formula Junior as a tribute to Pedro who, interestingly, won the British and Canadian GPs in his prime years." Incidentally, I announced that Canadian GP those many years ago for CBC radio and had the pleasure of interviewing the affable young Mexican.

[All photos: Nigel Matthews]