2011 Mongulaire Concours in Walnut Creek

Spring is finally here.

After a very wet winter (so wet that California's three-year drought is officially over), the car show season has begun.  I just learned about this car show this morning.  I can't quite figure out this Mongulaire thing.  It appears to be a for-profit PR/marketing entity that puts together modest car shows around the Bay Area.  There were about a dozen new Maseratis, BMWs, and a Noble clad with a lot of aftermarket kits and garish advertising stickers.  I tend to think that the company is making money off of these sponsors.  Well, I skipped those cars and drooled over the following cars instead:

The cars were displayed on Locust in downtown Walnut Creek along three or four short blocks.  Whenever I go to events with such a layout, I always start on my left side and work my way clockwise.  I'm sure there is a DSM-IV mental disorder for my affliction.

I spent a lot of time hovering around this one-owner slate 912.  The owner picked it up at the factory.  You don't see many older cars with this color scheme.  The car is unrestored.  I just can't get over the color.

The Ferrari F40 has to be the highlight.  There were two Ford GTs on either side of it and they got zero attention.  The F40 owner was loving it.

The owner was kind enough to open the front and rear bonnets/boots.  This was a rare chance to see the heart of the beast.

I'm a sucker for manufacturers' stickers in engine compartments.

 This 300SL roadster is cleaner than clean.

 Is this what they used to call West Germany?

This E36 hatchback was slotted between two GTRs.  The photograph fails to capture how tiny the Beemer is compared to the Nissan.

That's right, this "330ti" has the S50 3.0 liter from the E36 M3.

 I ended the show with this shot of three front-engined Porsche convertibles-- two 944 S2s and a 968.

On the way home, I spotted this decked out LWB Toyota Land Cruiser.  It seems to be filled with an adventurous family from Massachusetts (?!).  See those beautiful rolling green hills?  In about six weeks, they're going to be yellower than that rig.