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Pacific Northwest Concours d’Elegance Words and Pictures: Wiley Norwich his year’s Pacific Northwest TConcours d’Elegance (previously known as the Kirkland Concours) was held on the lawn at America’s Car Museum on a sunny Sunday, Septem- ber 7. That was the same weekend as our region’s Cannon Beach drive, so many of our members were absent. But for those who couldn’t leave town for Cannon Beach the PNW Concours served as a good way to pass a pleasant afternoon surrounded by fine automo- biles. Last year’s event included a separate Ferrari class along with significant Prancing Horses from John Good- man’s collection (October 2013 Amici di Maranello), but that was not in the cards this year. This year, the Italian blood line of Maranello was seriously anemic. The emphasis was classic automobiles, American muscle cars and tail fins, and BMW. However, Bruce Wanta, center, without hat, explains the finer points of his prized Maserati that’s not a bad thing, as we all need a Bora. The Bora was at the top of his first collection car list. little variety in our lives, and the field went on, life pushed dreams aside, but four years ago. It was a local car. I was full of beautiful car candy with not out of the picture. “I didn’t start love the iconic design of the 512TR.” proud owners vying for recognition at collecting until just a few years back, In addition to the looks, the weight this prestigious collector showcase. It’s about six years ago. Then I got serious distribution and handling suits him just that, at first glance, there wasn’t about it. In my mind, I was always a just fine too. “It made an easy choice much to get a Tifosi’s pulse racing. But collector, but there was no time. So I to go with the 512.” While examining thanks to local collector Bruce Wanta, realized it was never going to get any Bruce’s Testarossa, I mentioned the a little Italian flavor was thrown in the easier. (There are) about 25 cars in high cost of maintenance and the dif- mix, and I had the pleasure of spend- my collection now.” Dream realized, ficulty finding replacement parts, such ing a few minutes with him at the his growing collection now includes as the unobtanium front light lenses Concours. muscle cars, street rods, and sports featured in a recent Prancing Horse cars. magazine article by Will Diefenbach. Bruce has an eclectic mix of cars that, With a knowing smile, his comment like most car collections, reflects his The sports cars Bruce entered in the was, “Don’t tell me what it costs. I own personality and automotive tastes. Concours included his first Ferrari, don’t want to know.” I got the impres- Early on, he was bitten by the car bug a 1992 512TR, a 1974 Maserati Bora, sion that Bruce was already aware of and dreamed of collecting as a teen. 1973 De Tomaso Pantera, and a unique the high cost of Ferrari ownership. It was a time when so many young 1967 Ghia 450SS with Chrysler run- Hopefully, that won’t deter him from boys of the Boomer generation first ning gear and a body by Carrozzeria adding more Maranello machines to picked up a copy of Road and Track Ghia. his stable. or Car and Driver. “Probably when I was 13 or 14 I started reading the Right now, Bruce only has one Fer- Moving on to Bruce’s Maserati Bora, magazines. When I was 15 years old I rari in his collection, the Rosso Corsa I asked, Why the Bora? His eyes lit made my first list of cars - a dozen cars 512TR that was on the field at the up as he explained, “The Bora has that I would want to collect.” As time Concours. “I bought the car about held my interest ever since I was a kid. 18 Amici di Maranello Above - Lost in a sea of muscle cars and hot rods. The lone Ferrari at the Pa- cific Northwest Concours was Bruce Wanta’s 1992 512TR. Top Right: They just don’t make ‘em like they used to. A Cadillac land yacht from the past transports a couple of tons of America’s natural resources onto the show field. Bottom Right - BMW was a featured mark at the 2014 PNW Concours, and judges obviously thought very highly this immaculate 1959 507 Roadster took second in class. of the car as Bruce drove the 450SS When I made my first list of cars that How is the Bora behind the wheel? home with the top award in the Euro- I would want to collect, the Bora was “It’s a great car to drive. It’s a grand pean Body/American Power Class. number one on the list. There was an touring car that was meant to just issue of Road and Track that had one cruise down the highway. It’s a Even though the Italian contingent at on the cover, it would have been in the smooth running car. It’s got these the 2014 Pacific Northwest Concour seventies. I just loved the look of the hydraulic brakes that are a little un- d’Elegance was sparse this year, an car, the Giugiaro styling, the fabulous usual, but you get used to them.” The impressive entry of world class col- design. And this one, a friend of mine, Bora sports a stainless steel roof, some lector cars drew a good crowd of auto Frank Mandarano, found for me. interesting wheel covers, and a car- enthusiasts. The expansive lawn in the Frank being a big Maserati enthusiast, peted engine cover. “That’s the style shadow of America’s Car Museum is he knew I was looking for a Bora, so they all came with. And the stain- an excellent venue for this prestigious he started making some calls. He got less steel roof. That was the look of Concours and looks grand when it’s me in touch with a guy on the East the car. The interior is original (but) covered with world class collector cars, coast who had this car. The car is fun pretty much everybody has had to re- and a happy crowd. It doesn’t hurt and unique. There are a lot of Boras place the carpet on the engine cover.” that admission to America’s Car Mu- in the U.S., I think there were 512 Bruce’s brilliant blue Bora, fresh from seum is included with your Concours made, and about half were Euro spec the Concorso Italiano, scored a third ticket. and half were American spec, with the in the Collector Class at the Pacific ugly bumpers on the front for crash Northwest Concours. As our gloomy fall and winter looms, a tests. This is a true Euro Bora; there’s day in the September sun surrounded only a handful of them in the U.S. A Another interesting car in Bruce’s by fine automobiles feels good. And lot of guys have taken the bumpers off collection, with Italian heritage, is the thanks, Bruce Wanta, for bringing of their American spec cars and put Ghia 450SS. It might be said that this some Italian flair to counter balance Euro bumpers on (but not this one). classy looking convertible combined the Teutonic engineering excellence This is an actual European car. It was the best of two worlds with an elegant of BMW, the home grown styling shipped to Israel when it was new, then Italian body designed by Giorgetto of American hotrods, tail fins, and made its way into Canada, and eventu- Giugiaro covering reliable and robust muscle cars, and the Classics. ally into the U.S.” Chrysler mechanicals. The Concours 20 Amici di Maranello.

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