Kent Island, MD
A rare 1906 Locomobile Vanderbilt Cup race car is heading to the waterfront Kent Island Yacht Club on Sunday, September 29 as part of the 17th annual St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance on Chesapeake Bay, along with several other notable automobiles, including a 1931 Cadillac 370A V12 Roadster once owned by the actress Jean Harlow as a gift from Howard Hughes.
This 1931 Cadillac 370A V12 Roadster was once owned by actress Jean Harlow as a gift from Howard Hughes and will be on display on as part of the St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance on Chesapeake Bay at the waterfront Kent Island Yacht Club. Contributed Photo
“This Locomobile may be the most historically significant race car entry we have ever had,” says St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance Chair Luke L. Phipps. “It’s a fantastic car with an outstanding history.”
Phipps says the Locomobile Vanderbilt Cup race car is one of two purposely built by Locomobile for their race program at $20,000 each in 1906. The automobile ran at the 1906 and 1908 Vanderbilt Cup races, driven by Jim Florida and placing third in 1908. Its sister car, “Old 16” was driven by George Robertson and placed first in 1908, becoming the first American car ever to win an international competition.
Old 16 is now on permanent display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. Both cars have a 1,000 cubic inch F-Head 4-cylinder engine with a 7-1/4 inch bore and 6-inch stroke putting out 120 Horsepower. This car, along with Old 16, was purchased from the Peter Helck estate 30 years ago, with restoration finally completed last year.
This year’s Concours also features a 1931 Cadillac 370A V12 Roadster once owned by actress Jean Harlow as a gift from Howard Hughes. With Fleetwood coachwork and Pilot Ray options, this automobile is one of 91 built and one of only 10 known in existence today.
After Harlow, the next owner was a coal baron from Kentucky named Claude Canada, the world’s purportedly richest man at the time. It was then acquired by famed Texas real estate tycoon Jerry Moore, followed by Daniel Schmitt and Co. The automobile was museum-preserved for 40 years throughout these ownerships. Two other owners followed.
The Concours event features the debut of a special class of pre-1975 Porsche automobiles and the return of last year’s world-famous Le Mans and Sebring-winning Corvettes. The Grand Marque of the show is in celebration of Chrysler’s 100th anniversary, with a spotlight on Chesapeake Bay yachting. Additionally, three Pebble Beach award-winning pre-war motorcars will be competing in a single class at this year’s show.
Proceeds from this year’s St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance support the Queen Anne’s County Mental Health Committee, a non-profit organization established to support community members in need of assistance coping with mental illness. The group was founded in 1986 by Lynette Nielson, who realized that local mental health programs needed access to additional funds to serve the needs of their patients.
Tickets for the event will be available to purchase at the event. Attendees are encouraged to arrive by boat, with dockage available at the Kent Island Yacht Club and Hyatt Place Marina. Limited slips are available, and advanced reservations can be made through www.docwa.com.
The event is presented by Bentley Motors and sponsored by Porsche Annapolis, with Porsche Annapolis also serving as the exclusive sponsor of this year’s motoring tour and welcome reception. More is at www.smcde.org.
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