The Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance

[hls30.com]

Inside the hotel, the Autograph Nazzis were out in force, doing all in their power to limit the single item to be autographed to only the $20 wanker generic poster that the hotel was selling. Me being me, and not simply rolling over and taking things that are "dictated" to me, I stood in line-did not buy the afore mentioned poster, and asked both Peter Brock and John Morton to sign my ZCCA commerative poster-which they graciously did-Mr. Morton actually knew a good bit about the poster, and its origins-absolutely a Z fan. Both were happy to sign near Mr. Ks autograph!

I had hoped to get several other things that I had ordered from BRE2 and from Trackside Photo signed, but chose neither to press my luck with the patrolling Nazzis, nor to press into the few quiet moments these two gentlemen had later over the busy and imposing weekend.

My best friend-not a car guy by any stretch of the imagination-had actually taken the initiative to be first in line to buy a poster, and to have it signed for me-I got the best signatures of the day on it-I had my ZCCA poster signed after around 35 people.

I was very fortunate to get to spent some time with Mr. and Mrs Brock, and they are wonderful down to earth people. I had been impressed at the personal notes Mrs. Brock put on the receipts from my BRE2 purchase and correspondence, and now I know it was absolutely genuine-What terrific people!

Those of you who missed the show have the opportunity to plan now for next year.

With the formal invitation for Carls' car to participate in next years Concours, I believe his will be the first 240Z to be included in this level of show-I have been to eight of the thirteen shows, and there was not a Z in the bunch! We should make a consorted effort to back support his efforts by getting a big old bunch of Zs parked in a row on the Amelia Island Parkway as it leads to the entrance to the Ritz Carleton. It is a huge deal to have a Z included in the show. Maybe we could make the show the culmination of a Z get together for that weekend.

I took almost 700 photographs, around 500 of the other cars and around 200 of the 510 and Carls car. I also shot almost 90 minutes of video of the photo shoot. As per the request of Mr. Brock, and Carl Beck, the images will be withheld until after the magazine comes out-but they will be worth the wait!

Don't let Carl's "old age" talk fool you, he can shout "Factory" with the best of them(ask Carl Jr.), and though I won't give away any other details of the shoot, I have video of the new age dancing he was doing around his car!

I am in my 40s, and I didn't trailer a car in heavy storms from Clearwater to down on the Hugeunot beach, detail it in a 40mph sand blaster, and then pack it up and head home-Hell I was tired just watching him-but he was sure beaming through all of the exhaustion!

Congratulations Carl!

Will

[Carl Beck]

Hi Will:

Thanks, I feel better all ready! I have to admit that it was a trying but very rewarding trip. I want to tell everyone here, that the entire process was made far easier, indeed possible by the help from some very supportive Z Car friends. Will in particular - scouted out locations for the photo shoot, made arrangements with the Park Personnel, and alleviated the concerns of Mr. and Mrs Brock related to State Permits etc... Nothing could have been done about the weather, but Will pretty much took care of everything else. Oh by the way, he also picked the Brock's up at the Hotel, brought them to the site and then took them back!!

Dr. Bill Coffey and Dr. Rich Lewis (two Z Car Original Owners) showed up in Rich's 4WD Yukon.. which we used to pull the car/trailer through the sand dunes and resulting high speed wind driven sand drifts.. and out onto the beach!! 280ZMaster (John) filled in taxi duty, taking people to from the the parking lot / photo shoot; after they had their cars stuck in the sand and were not able to get to the beach... it was indeed a group effort... and I greatly appreciated the support.

Will is right of course - Getting the BRE BAJA Z back together with Mr. Brock was a real thrill for me, and Mr. Brock could not have been any more generous in his support during the restoration process, nor in his review of the finished (will almost finished) result.

I've been a huge BRE fan since the beginning and indeed a follower of Peter Brock since he pinned the first drawings of the mid-year Corvettes at GM. My appreciation for his capability in the field of Design, grew when I first saw the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe.... Of all the forms of competition he was involved in, competing at the Baja was the event he most enjoyed and most wanted to win. He felt that the BAJA represented the greatest challenge possible to any racing shop.

Of course not too many of the Sports Car magazines carried much news about BRE's BAJA efforts with Datsun... so not many people today are at all aware of BRE's 510's, Datsun Trucks, and the Z Car they fielded between 69 and 73 at the BAJA. However the BRE cars and trucks, as well as Mr. Brock himself, are very well known by the Off-Road Racers.

The BRE BAJA Z was really an attempt by Mr. Brock to bring the Off-Road Racing enthusiasts closer together with the World Rally Championship events, by fielding a very noticeable DATSUN 240-Z at the BAJA. The colors and graphic design of the BRE Z's and 510's were as important to the promotion of the DATSUN Brand, as the competition efforts of the BRE Teams.

While the BRE Baja Z was as fast on the dirt trail sections of the race as Parnelli Jone's famous "Big Oly" Bronco .... the Z was simply not as competitive on Baja's boulder strewn, rock crawling sections... Being there with a very noticeable Datsun 240-Z was the main goal however, and that goal was meet.

Indeed many years later, Mexico has a WRC event - that runs many of the roads (dirt trails?) used for the Baja 1000 over the years.

My main goal in restoring the BRE BAJA Z was to bring this important piece of DATSUN/BRE History to the forefront again. It is really a shame that NISSAN dropped support of the Factory Backed efforts for competition in the US in 1973 ....With farther Factory financial support, off road and rally competition development, and above all Promotion - we might have seen the WRC cars running at the BAJA 1000 - in their own class, on routes suitable to them decades sooner.

I was very happy to see the BRE2.net web site brought on-line, as it contains a lot of information about the BRE's efforts at the Baja, also not commonly seen in our Sports Car Magazines...

Pictures below:

The BRE Baja Z in 73 and a couple of WRC cars in the 2008 Rally Mexico

FWIW,

Carl B.

[george71z]

All, thanks for sharing the photos and narratives of the weekend. Sounded like a really great time. It's nice to see our marque being represented at such a prestigious venue.

[280~Master]

Next year the family will be at the show to see Carl's car become the first Z car ever in the event. Hopefully we can fill the parking lanes with Z cars to show there is still a great following for these cars.

[geezer]

I am a retroactive fan, having overlooked most BRE racing venues during my youth. I guess you can fast become a BRE fan no matter how old you are. I have you guys to thank for that. It must have been a most memorable weekend. I can't imagine the feelings Carl experienced after all his hard work, reuniting the BRE BAJA Z with Peter Brock. Thanks for sharing what pics you can. We are all looking forward to the magazine articles and photos. I have never met you Carl, but with pride, praise and respect it will be an honor for all of us seeing your car prominantly dislayed in the 2009 Amelia Island Concours Event. Congratulations!

[hls30.com]

Ron (and the rest of you),

You have just over a year to plan your trip!

We know exactly where Carl and his car will be the weekend of March 13-15, 2009!

I can "gayrontee" other Z nutZ will be there too-here is your opportunity to drop down to the South for a spell, visit some Z friends, see some great carZ, and if you're brave enough, sample a plate full of grits!

Will

[full house]

well it be open next year! I still need to plan for it!

[geezer]

Ron (and the rest of you),

You have just over a year to plan your trip!

We know exactly where Carl and his car will be the weekend of March 13-15, 2009!

I can "gayrontee" other Z nutZ will be there too-here is your opportunity to drop down to the South for a spell, visit some Z friends, see some great carZ, and if you're brave enough, sample a plate full of grits!

Will

We are working the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance into next years schedule. We are already slated to be in Fort Meyers prior to the event and can make the trek across State and then after the event, fly out of Jacksonville. Sounds like fun and I look forward to meeting some of you fellow Z enthusiasts. I will also be in Cleveland the end of Sept. Doubtful the Z will be ready to make the trip, but it's a nice drive or just a boat ride across the lake from here.

[hls30.com]

This is a reminder to get out your calendars and plan to come to hte Amelia Island Concourse de Elegance the weekend of March 13-15, 2009.

Carl Beck was invited to show his beautiful Rally Car in the show, and as it will be the first Z in a show of this caliber(many owners who displayed in this years Concourse and Pebble Beach commented that they were much more impressed with the Amelia Island Concourse, and were very Vocal about it!). Having both a beautifully restored and historic Z, and such a Knowledgeable owner as the Z ambassador in the show is a huge boon to the Z hobby! It would be too cool to line the island parkway with some beautiful S30s ti show off our cars and support Carl! The show is on Sunday, and to park on the causeway we will have to be in place at 0-dark-thirty that morning!

I am hoping many of you will plan to come, and we can set up a "Meet and greet" close by(Jacksonville, Fernandina, St. Marys, St. Simmons/Brunswick...) I know where we can drive our cars on the beach legally!

Let me know if you can work in a visit, and I will see what I can organize to do!

Will

[280~Master]

Count me in on this one again Will. I will be there to see this great show again. Here is a reminder of the great fun we had.

[26th-Z]

Sounds good, Will. That's the weekend before the Sebring 12-hour. You'll be down in my neck of the woods, Ron.

[BRE-240Z]

I intend to be at the show next year. Hope to see some of you guys there.