This years Monterey week started for me on Tuesday at the Classic Motorsports welcome party in Pacific Grove. I thought I was going to be visiting with a couple of magazine readers but found a street lined up through block after block with anything from the latest in sports cars to some old timers from the twenties.

One crazy thing happened as a couple stood looking at my car so I asked them if they knew anything about Lancia. When they answered I could hear they had a strong accent that I recognized as Swedish so the conversation continued in that language . During the conversation I was asked if this possibly used to be Håkan Lidebjers car!! He had wondered what happened to the car as it was no longer at the garage where it was stored with some of the other rally cars. It is a very small world. I later met them again at Concorso on Saturday.
Wednesday Started with the Concorso sponsored Breakfast meeting at Black Horse Golf Course and after that the Lunch Drive that lined up a variety of both new and classic sports cars. The event turned out to be great and ended at the Pessagno Winery for a tasty lunch.
Back at the hotel Steve Peterson met up and the evening was spent at the Voboril Party. This year the celebration was for a racing career that was coming to its last race and the beginning for the next generation that is taking over. As previous years this is a great event and quite a few Lancia Club members were there to celebrate. The food and wine was excellent and the music fit the location to a tee. On behalf of the ALC members, thank you Jan and Meredith for inviting us!!

Thursday was the yearly “Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance” with the lunch stop on Ocean Ave. We went to Carmel Valley and got a first glance of the cars coming down to the main road and then we went down south of Carmel to see them coming by before heading to Ocean Ave. and see the cars up close.

1932 Lancia DiLambda Viatti Torpedo and Steve Peterson educating a admirer.

Temporary check by the mechanic during the drive.
We met quite a few ALC members between the cars and when we ended the car ogling, we stopped for lunch in a Swiss restaurant before heading to a couple of auctions to preview some interesting cars.

The nose emblem was discussed but as none of us knew enough about it, we just have to have someone pitch in with an answer if this is what it should look like.
Friday was Track-day! We went early to get a chance to see the Prewar cars with Jan and Michelle testing the cars and track. The sound of some of these cars are fabulous and one that caught my ears and eyes was the 1916 Sturdevant Romano Special! The open valves and straight exhaust headers are looking great.

This car is being shown at the Ironstone Concours d’Elegance September 22.
Jan Voboril was driving his 1935 2000 cc Alta Grand Prix car and Michelle drove the 1928 Fiat 520 Torpedo. Talking to Michelle she thought that with the speed of the Fiat she could take a couple of passengers in the back seat and look as if she was on a picnic drive. However, this was her first race at the Monterey Historic so we are looking forward to the next event and hope she is able to get in a couple of faster laps.
This was the last race for Jan after competing since 1976. The photo boards were showing some great moments during his career.


After the races we took Steves Lambda to the Concorso for early placement and some food and wine hosted by Heacock Insurance. Friday placement make Saturday morning a bit easier when all the rest of the field of cars arrive and start competing for space. During the placement evening we found out that we were expecting 15 Lancia cars in the event with age ranging from Steve’s 1924 Lambda to a 1993 Integrale Evo2


The car that received most attention was the 1939 Aprilia displayed by the San Diego Automotive Museum. A great looking car with an interesting history.

The winners of the Lancia concours at the event were:
Third: Steve Peterson with his 1924 Lancia Lambda

shared Second: Bryan Wright with his 1968 Lancia Flavia 1.8 Iniezione and Todd Radke with his 1973 Fulvia 1.3s


Winner: Zachary Shulman with the 1960 Flaminia GT Touring

As a wrap-up of the week – it was more events than before and you really have to pick what interest you, I could have done more things but as a whole I am glad I did the events we did and look forward to next event.