What it’s like to judge the Misselwood classic car show in Beverly
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Just say no.
It’s an approach that’s served me well for years.
“Come on the radio.’’
“Help us judge the show.’’
“Be on our board.’’
“Run for (______).’’
No. No. And No.
It all goes back to a comment — “does not play well with others’’ — on a long-ago elementary school report card. That upset my parents, but it was just the description of a skinny, bespectacled, new-kid-in-town finding his way on the playground.
Sports solved that problem.
But as that kid grew up, he never learned to play well with others on most volunteer committees or anything political.
As Mrs. G notes, “All it takes is one blowhard or phony to peg your BS meter.’’ That’s true. Someone starts to drone on, and my eyes glaze over and my hearing (not that it’s all that acute anyway) shuts down.
So I just say no.
No local politics, no bickering board members, no radio shows.
It reinforced another credo, one I’ve always attributed to Abraham Lincoln: “Better to remain silent and thought a fool than to speak up and remove all doubt.’’
Finally, it was Wes Pettengill, organizer of Newburyport’s Cruisin’ the ’50s downtown car show (scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 18, this year, by the way), who got me to crack.
His pitch: “Just come on my radio show for a few minutes and give your impression of the quality of cars and what the show means to the town.’’
So I did, figuring that not all that many folks listen to Wes’ “Calling All Cars’’ show Monday nights (6-7 p.m.) on Newburyport’s WNBP (1450 AM, 106.1 FM).
Wrong. A lot of local car folks (and regular station listeners) follow the show.
Somehow Joe Sabella and Bob DeSantis exploited that chink in my armor by convincing me to join their judging staff this year at the Misselwood Concours d’ Elegance.
Expertise? See Honest Abe’s quote above.
But, as I told them, “I generally bring good weather to events and when we go on vacation.’’
“Sold,’’ was their response.
So I got to help judge last Sunday at the 7th annual Misselwood, held on the oceanfront lawns of the estate on the grounds of Endicott College in Beverly.
The judging staff also is tasked with making sure each of the show vehicles is parked in its pre-assigned space, then each judge is assigned to a team that evaluates two of the 14 classes.
Later, the judges later must make sure all award winners get lined up in the correct order to be introduced, something that’s complicated by having the cars parked randomly over six areas and have to funnel through an intersection leading to the awards podium.
It sounds simple, but unexpected breakdowns, large vehicles with wide turning radii, and AWOL owners can be the stuff of confusion.
BEST OF SHOW: This 1954 Cunningham C3, owned by James Taylor of Gloversville, N.Y., took home top honors at last Sunday’s Misselwood Concours d’Elegance.
In recent years, Misselwood and Greenwich, Conn., have been the only two true concours events in New England.
When Misselwood, which had the blessing of Endicott president Richard E. Wylie from Day 1, began, the startup was considered an ambitious-but-secondary event, dismissed by the country’s major concours elite as a “boutique event.’’
Since then, Endicott—and Misselwood—have boomed, though the show area maxes out at 118 cars and a dozen motorcycles.
Boutique in this case has come to mean things like exclusive, intimate, and owner/user-friendly.
As Wylie noted, “A successful concours must have a great venue and ours, while compact, is second to none.’’
The cars were superb as well. Determining class winners was difficult.
When in doubt, “pick the car you’d most like to take home,’’ advises DeSantis.
“Remember, just by being here, every car already is a winner.’’
So we did, but it wasn’t easy, even for veteran judges Phil Maria of Byfield and Farish Hemeon who took the rookie in tow for Class I (Brass & Nickel through 1925) and Class IX (Classic & Significant, 1955-1959).
Our choices were a 1922 Detroit Electric owned by Bill and Linda Lillie of Gales Ferry, Conn., and a 1958 DeSoto Adventurer convertible owned by Vernon Smith of Newfoundland but shown by Hopkinton restorers Tom White Sr. & Jr. of Whitehall Restorations in Hopkinton.
Best in Show went to a 1954 Cunningham C3 owned by James Taylor of Gloversville, N.Y. With Lincoln and Chrysler the event’s feature marques, a 1940 Lincoln Zephyr V-12 convertible owned by Larry Tribble of East Windsor, Conn., and 1928 Chrysler Model 72 Sports Roadster owned by Michael Kaleel of Hamilton won those special awards.
It’s not official, but DeSantis is leaning towards making “unrestored classics’’ the centerpiece for next year’s show. Good luck to the judges.
Etc.
It’s Day of Triumph at Larz Anderson Auto Museum from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. today. Also today, the South Shore Street Rodders have their 34th annual show at 470 Pine St. in Bridgewater from 8-3, and Raynham Dog Track is the host for Wheels for Warriors from 10-4, sponsored by Frito-Lay … Tuesday is the 9th annual Enigma Rod Shop benefit for the Fisher House of Boston. Festivities start at 2 p.m. at the shop, 13 Alexander Road, Billerica … Wednesday evening is the annual Showdown Cruise at Liberty Tree Mall, 4:30 p.m. to dusk … Next Saturday, the Bug Club has its Volks-Fair at the Herbert Candy Mansion on Rte. 20 in Shrewsbury from 9-2.
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