Pacific Palisades - A Raging Success

The Palisades Ferrari Show, on the streets of Pacific Palisades April 21 was a major success. From the different perspectives of everyone involved, it was clear this first-time event will be number one of a great annual series. At least annual.

A Palisades intersection the it should always look -- filled with a 275 GTB, a 365 GTC/4, a 456 GT, and an F355 Sypder.

More than 100 cars showed up for the Ferrari-only show, including several from dealers and restorers who brought from one to nine each, and individual owners, both FCA and FOC members, as well as non-members. (Not bad, considering initial planning estimates were between 30 and 40!). The weather at the beautiful beach-area village was perfect, and almost all the cars were in place by the start time of 10:00 am. The few stragglers had no trouble getting positioned and people began to swarm in early.

Just a few of the many fine older Ferraris at the first Annual Pacifica Palisades Concours and Street Festival.

LAPD estimated 6500 spectators at the peak, which translates to 12 to 15 thousand over the 6-hour period of the show! Between the spectacular sheet metal to look at, music and all kinds of entertainment for kids and adults alike, food booths, shops and restaurants specially opened for the occasion, and a generally festive Sunday-in-the-sun atmosphere, everyone had a good time. Police security was happy because no one got hurt, no cars damaged, there was no trouble and there were smiling faces everywhere.

More old Ferraris.

The Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce was also delighted with the turnout and the whole event. Drumming up local business, recognition, and providing entertainment for the community is their purpose, and they accomplished those goals with a Ferrari flare. Reportedly, the event was a break-even, with income from booths, sponsors and individual car sponsorships covering all costs. This, too, made the Chamber happy; they don?t expect to make money, but they don?t want events to cost their members, either. Pacific Palisades is the kind of place where local resident Billy Crystal patiently sat in Mort?s Deli, treating his family to Sunday breakfast, while registration activities went on around him at the next table. Mort?s was event headquarters. And the owner, Mort Farberow , was a key driving force in the Chamber in making the day successful. A rumor circulated that Billy Crystal?s wife later spotted a green 456 that she fancied at one of the dealer exhibits, and he bought it. If true, it made the day for at least one dealer.

Speaking of dealers, special thanks are due to Ogner Motor Cars of Woodland Hills, who brought a 512M, among others; to Ferrari of Beverly Hills, with another 512M and a 275GTB, and more; to Symbolic Motors of La Jolla, with a spread of nine cars, including two Daytonas, one Comp and one prototype, a 750 Monza, a replica P4, a 288GTO and a 250MM VignaleSpyder; to Shin Takei and Modena Motors of L.A., with an ex-VonTrips 1960 250 GT Cabriolet, and a BB 512 Boxer; to GT Motors of Glendale, also with nine, including a ?61 250 GTE; and to Steve Tillack, who drove up in his ?51 Export coupe.

It was noted by many that this was the first time in memory that all these companies have participated together in one event. They did it as a team, and they have the organizers great big thanks for their efforts in making the event such a success.

There were lots of special cars among the 107 on hand, including:

Paul Forbes ---------1959 250 PF coupe
Fred Peter

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