Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival

Cathy Roush
Volume 47 Issue 24
Nov 27, 2022
Cathy Roush goes to Hilton Head Island Concours and sees more than just Ferraris. This island event is more than cars, it is the people that make the event.
I probably sound like a broken record, but if you want to see Ferraris at the Hilton Head Concours, you better show up on Saturday.
Hilton Head is one of my favorite places. Not just because I like people from Ohio (IYKYK) but it has so much to offer vacationers in addition to being on the Atlantic coast. They boast 64 miles of public pathways and nature trails for the enjoyment of pedestrians and cyclists. The Island is home to more than 23 championship courses, both public and private, and while I don’t play golf – except maybe putt putt, and there are a handful of those – I do like to watch it on tv.
The folks who organize the event on Hilton Head work very hard to put together an interesting experience. This includes a Life on the Water exhibit for boaters; a Best of Life exhibit, featuring cars first owned by famous people (for example, 360 Spider S/N 131871 sold new to Derek Jeter); and an Aero Expo, just a short shuttle ride from the concours field and featuring vintage and new aircraft.
This year’s Pinnacle Collector honored Anne Brockinton Lee. Ms. Lee was born and raised just up the road in Charleston; it must have felt like coming home. Five cars are here from a remarkable collection: a 1937 Horch 853 Voll & Ruhrbeck Sport Cabriolet (which won Pebble Beach Best of Show in 2009); a 1931 Daimler Double Six 50 Corsica Drophead Coupe (which won Pebble Beach Best of Show in 2006); a 1953 Lancia Aurelia PF200 C Spider Prototype; and last but not least, two Ferraris: the 166 Barchetta Prototipo S/N 0002 M and a 250 GT Boano Cabriolet S/N 0461 GT. The Boano is the first Ferrari purchased by Ms. Lee’s late husband, Robert M. Lee.
The scenic Port Royal Golf Club has been the site for the show since 2013. In 2016 Hurricane Matthew took a swipe at this lovely island and yet in just a few weeks the crew was able to clear enough debris from the course to host the annual event.
Saturday sees the Car Club Showcase, ranging from Corvettes of Hilton Head to The Classic Car and Truck Club of Beaufort, Palmetto Drivers Syndicate to the Lowcountry Oyster & Motorcar Driving Society. Try saying that three times fast.
I greet the folks from Foreign Cars Italia; I know several of the judges, members of other driving clubs, and even the Grand Marshall, Wayne Carini. I walk the entire field and read the names (while I’m enjoying the other marques) in case there is someone I associate with ‘Ferrari’ who happens to be showing a different make. There’s always a couple.
As luck would have it, in the class Friends of the Showcase, I spot another Ferrari! Paul Skilowitz has driven his F355 Spider from Florida. This car has been at Cavallino, Celebration and FCA Annual Meets, but it’s his first time at Hilton Head. There’s the 550 Maranello S/N 114332 with the Elliot Remington detailing studio.
Finally, I encounter the folks representing the Southeast Region of the Ferrari Club of America. The first car is a yellow 308 GT4, S/N 8206. I’ve never seen this car before and I later learn it has spent time in The Netherlands. Hmmm. Very interesting. Not the oldest car present; that goes to a 330 GT 2+2 Series II, S/N 8705 – gorgeous in black with red interior.
There are two 458 Spiders; two F12berlinettas; a California, a Portofino and even the newest Portofino M. Then the 488 Pista and a 488 Spider.
A little further down, a 246 GTS, chairs and flares! S/N 06442 once spent time in the esteemed Petersen Museum.
I take a break and post a couple of pictures on Facebook: the yellow 308 GT4 and the 246 GTS. One of my friends asked, “which one are you driving home?” My reply – trick answer, the Dino. You had to see that one coming, dear reader.
All in all, on Saturday I got serial numbers from a Portofino with Foreign Cars Italia; the two Ferraris in the Pinnacle Collector’s collection; Derek Jeter’s 360 Spider; the Skilowitz 355 Spider sandwiched between a 1952 MG TD and a 1953 Packard Caribbean (rather odd placement, IMHO); the 550 Maranello; and twelve near the SE Region FCA flag. Not bad for a day’s work.
Other photos from the Hilton Head Island Concours