124 & 850 Spider 50 Year Celebration 8/2016

[rocketmonkey101]

850 Spider and 124 Spider 50th Anniversary celebration by Concorso Italiano in Monterey CA - AUG 2016
http://concorso.com/fiat-850-and-124-sp ... -50-years/

[aevansgatech]

This year's Fiat Freakout will also be a celebration of all things 124, 500, and Fiat! Make sure to keep July 27-31, 2016 in Detroit, MI on your radar

[baltobernie]

Have any of you attended or exhibited at previous Concorso's? I've wanted to combine my favorite car with my favorite roads for years.

[bradartigue]

Monterey sounds like the one to go to - they won't (hopefully) let the new cars clutter up the view. No salespeople... just a bunch of the old beautiful cars sounds like heaven.

[baltobernie]

There will most certainly be a couple of MX124 Spiders on display, although I bet I'll see a DCFiats member or two with one before August. We've not had any difficulty integrating the new 500 into our group; they're much faster cars, but we generally have self-seeding Fast and Medium groups on our rides. We get all models within each pace.

As far as logistics go, I think Chris Obert would let me ship my car to/from Santa Cruz. I'd really like to hear from anyone who's attended a recent Concorso.

[bradartigue]

There will most certainly be a couple of MX124 Spiders on display, although I bet I'll see a DCFiats member or two with one before August. We've not had any difficulty integrating the new 500 into our group; they're much faster cars, but we generally have self-seeding Fast and Medium groups on our rides. We get all models within each pace.

As far as logistics go, I think Chris Obert would let me ship my car to/from Santa Cruz. I'd really like to hear from anyone who's attended a recent Concorso.

It would be disappointing to see a car made after 1985 at such an event, but I guess it is inevitable.

[baltobernie]

... but I guess it is inevitable.

I'm afraid so. Even vintage rally-type events allow "modern classics" to participate these days. I sometimes have a hard time grasping the fact that there are gearheads who just don't like working on their cars. Others that don't have the mechanical ability ... or the tools ... or the time ... or the money to hire it out. The MX5 and others is their only option.

[azruss]

Seriously considering entering this event. I will be retired by then and have the time. I would love to hear from anyone who lives in the Monterey Bay area and can talk to me details of the area. weather at the golf course, safe areas to stay and park, etc.

[SanJoseSteve]

If you plan to go, you'd better find a place to stay sooner rather than later. The Monterey peninsula books solid that week. Traffic is really congested that weekend too. I usually come from the opposite side of the Bay near Santa Cruz as I have a free place to stay. The drive back an forth can easily take >50 minutes. If you can get a room at one of the larger hotels near the warf in Monterey, you will be at Ground Zero. Last year my wife and I hung out at the Mecum Auction from 7-10pm one night. Weather allowed for a "top down" drive back to Santa Cruz afterwards though I wished I could have simply walked to a bar for some music and a cocktail before retiring to a hotel room!

-San Jose Steve

[binster16]

Concorso Italiano is fantastico! Should be on every car guy's bucket list.

I haven't been since I moved to east coast 9 years ago. But I went 4 times when living in So Cal.
You will need to work hard, very hard, to find a place to stay.

My first time, I was told there was an Italian car show same week in August as Pebble Beach Concours and the historic races. So, a few weeks before I decided to go. Cheap motor in was $200/night. Regardless...well worth it. The whole Monterey peninsula is overtaken by classic and exotic cars. Parallel parked on streets are 50's classics, Ferrari's, you name it.

Concorso Italiano - ~1,000 Italian classics on golf course (was then.) Cars, food, fashion show...all in Italian fun. I got my car in line early...parked once in. Then went back to watch and hear all the cars arrive.

Go, enjoy. Hell, I may go again...

[baltobernie]

Seriously considering entering this event...

I'll be there, Russ.

[baltobernie]

Debbie & I had a great time at the Concorso and along the Central Coast. The show can be a bit overwhelming, as there are so many great cars to see and admire.



A nice selection of earlier and later Spiders, marred only by a crew of Goth girls hawking the Fiata. My car was the nicest Spider on the field for about twenty minutes, until the California cars starting showing up!



Tom Tjaarda got in a few words amid TV host Keith Martin's ramblings. Most of you have heard Tom's musings on the original design, but it was a memorable moment for me to meet him in person and thank him for his effort.





Attention to detail is simply amazing!



All manner of motorized Italians; motorcycles, cars and trucks.



Lots of modern cars, too ...



... including some rarely seen in public.



The next day, we were off along PCH to some of my favorite places. The atmospheric effects of the wildfires were the only negatives of our trip. Thanks again to Chris Obert and Mark Allison for receiving and shipping our car. Chris even washed it in preparation for the show

[AriK]

Great photos! Thanks for posting!