Best of France and Italy So Cal

[ishtvan47]

Is anyone going to this year's Best of France and Italy Car show in Woodley Park on Nov. 7th 9am to 4pm?

Here is the website: franceanditaly.com

I'm going with a friend and plan to park in the concourse. Last year there were a ton of fiats. Mark said it was the best turn out ever.

See you there!

[ventura ace]

Will see you there. What will you be driving, and who do I ask for if I am looking for you?

I'll have a red '70 124 spider.

Alvon

[So Cal Mark]

I'll have a vendor booth at the show with Specials on all of our products. Stop by and save some $

[Razooli]

I'll be there ... looking forward to meeting some of the folks in this forum in person!

[TommyClocks]

I'm planning to be there also, sure will be great to meet you all in person. My car is not "show quality" but I will be bringing it to Van Nuys along with my camera.

[jimincalif]

My Spider is allergic to this event. Last year it was down for a fuel tank refurb. This year it is down due to a busted differential. Not sure if I will be there or not.

[77Spider]

I'll be there! I spent a year getting my Miss Tony ready for the show....... My name is Jeff and I have a red 1977 Spider... C u all there...!

[rlux4]

(Some of you may be seeing this twice, but hey, why hog the fun?)

OK, we're home from the 2010 BFI, and it was a fantastic day! There are way too many pictures to put up here, but I've selected a few that will give you an idea of the event. First off, our very own Ventura Ace (Alvon) got the trophy for "Best Spider"

His 70 is one beautiful car. And especially nice is the fact that he just got it put back together!
Here's my 82 with the trailer full of the gear for the cookout at the show:

A 1950 Topolino "Woody". No vinyl woodgrain here:

I don't know the count, but there were cars literaly for as far as you could see: 3 rows of Fiats, at least three rows of Alfas, and beyond the range of the camera the exotics.

Three rows of Fiats (very nice Morretti that Merkel owns in front)

At least three rows of Alfas:

I can't recall at this moment the name of this little cutie:

A 1927 Lancia Airway:

A 1913 Fiat Speedcar (quite a history behind this one)

A progression of Fiat Oscas, nearest is a 64 1600, the middle red one is a 61 1500, and the blue one is (I think) a 60 1200

And a couple of Alfa Giulietas, a 65 Sprint Speciale, and a 61 SS:

We got lucky, it was forcast to rain, but it didn't and the weather was very pleasant, not too hot, not too cold. Maybe except for the wives, who didn't walk all over looking at cars!)
Ron

[SLOSpider]

The Blue one is and Auto Bianchina. I use to own one of those built on the Fiat 500 chassis. 2cylinder air cooled rear engine.

http://www.caranddriver.com/news/car/03 ... auto_shows

[mdrburchette]

Congratulations to Alvon! Looks like a great show. It would have been nice to have been there.

[baltobernie]

Congrats, Ace! I too would like to see this show someday. Did you guys do some drives leading up to the event, as was the custom?

[ventura ace]

Thanks for posting the pictures, Ron, and for organizing the food, and bringing all the cooking gear in your handy little trailer.

The trophy surprised me. There were many very nice cars there. Mine has probably never looked better for a show, and mainly due to Brian Paland helping me clean it up the night before, after we spent the previous 2 days driving about 500 miles through some amazing moutain roads with the FIat America Group that was down from the SF Bay area. Gary Poage topped it off by polishing up my trunk Fiat emblem with his special metal polish. Thanks for all the help guys.

After the show we drove another great tour of the Santa Monica Mountains on Mulholland drive, ending up on the bluffs in Malibu at sunset. Two of us ending up with strained right hand joints from all the tight turns and shifting! (maybe more of a sign of old age). It was a fantastic weekend.

Alvon

[So Cal Mark]

when did this become a judged show? All of the advertising says it is not a judged event

[spiderrey]

As I recall there has always been an award.

[ventura ace]

Judged show? It is and it isn't. Not a good answer, I know, but there is no formal judging, voting, etc. I believe each mark is free to do whatever they want to recognize their participants by whatever means. The Fiat group, as many years as I can remember, always gives out a few awards on a low key basis. No formal anouncement or recognition. The organizers make the rounds, and look at all the cars and leave a little trophy on the cars that they select. You probably aren't even aware of the awards unless you return to your car and find one sitting on your car. I'm not sure what the various awards are. Like I said, I was surprised when I went back to my car later in the day and saw it. I'd like to recognize that this particular award is for people like yourself, Gary, Ron, George, Rey, and many, many others that have helped me, advised me, and given me things to make the car what it is. Thanks for helping me out with the rear main seal earlier in the week!

Alvon