While Hilton Head is known best for its white sandy beaches and, what seems like, its infinite number of golf courses, it is something else that will take center stage on the tranquil barrier island this Halloween weekend: world-class automobiles.
Playing host to some of the country’s finest collector automobiles, Hilton Head sets a beautiful backdrop with its majestic live oaks and draping Spanish moss. With everything from jaw-dropping classics to two-wheeled machines to wooden boats to amazing beach mobiles, the island brings out the car lover in all of us.
One of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing automotive and motorsports enthusiast event weeks – which actually starts one weekend earlier in Savannah, Ga. – the Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance is one of very few national automotive gatherings to combine racing and collecting with enthusiast and lifestyle activities in a single, action-packed week. This year, the festival will celebrate 100 years of BMW, 75 years of Continental, 60 years of Ford Thunderbird and 50 years of Shelby Cobra – and on Sunday, Nov. 1, the Concours d’Elegance will feature special classes on the Port Royal Golf Course to honor these four significant milestones.
The inaugural Flights & Fancy Aeroport Gala, to be held at the Hilton Head Island Airport, will feature an exclusive VIP cocktail hangar party on Friday evening, Oct. 30, and the Aero Expo on Saturday, Oct. 31. Both events will showcase a unique collection of vintage and historical aircraft alongside the newest airplanes from sponsors such as Cirrus, BMW and Volvo. Aircraft as well as vehicles will be on display both Friday evening and Saturday during event hours. Aircraft to be showcased include:
- 1928 Ford Motor Company Tri-Motor 5-AT-B, first flown on Dec. 1, 1928 and used for Grand Canyon tours from February to December of 1937.
- 1936 Waco YKS-6, one of only 65 made of this particular model.
- 1938 Lockheed 12 A Electra, one of only 125 built as Lockheed stopped production to build aircraft for World War II.
- 1943 Boeing PT-13D, primarily used as a trainer for World War II Air Corps and Navy pilots.
- 1946 Globe Swift GC-1B, perhaps one of the most modified production aircraft and often described as “snowflakes,” as no two are alike.
Among the cars to be showcased are:
- 1926 Lincoln L Type 130 Boat-Tail Speedster from Robert S. Jepson, Jr. (Savannah, Georgia) originally owned by Henry Harper, founder & president of the National Lincoln Club.
- 1933 Chrysler Custom Imperial Phaeton from Joseph and Margie Cassini, III (West Orange, New Jersey), personal car of renowned automotive designer Ralph Roberts, equipped to his order as a gift to his wife.
- Selection of aviation-inspired vehicles from the Lane Motor Museum (Nashville, Tennessee), including a 1920 Peugeot Propeller Bicycle, a 1930 L’Éclair and a 1932 Helicron.
In addition, a series of exhibits – known as the Motoring Midway – will be on display on Saturday and Sunday. The exhibits include:
- Life in the Suburbs — A display of vehicles that could be found in most suburban neighborhoods of the 1950s and 1960s. From milk trucks to station wagons to bicycles and motorbikes/scooters, this exhibit will highlight the significance of the suburbs to American history.
- On the Water – An exhibit of the boating lifestyle featuring some of the finest antique watercraft from throughout the United States.
- Life on Two Wheels – Special to the 2015 Festival, this exhibit will feature motorcycles that have competed in The Cannonball, a cross-country race that puts antique motorcycles to the ultimate test.
So if you’d like to motor your way to Hilton Head for the festival, or hit the highway toward any of our other 40+ fantastic destinations, send an email to [email protected].