28 replies to this topic

[kento11]

Manhattan about 15 years ago ??? Who is that gal and what is she doing in mid town???



maid in Manhattan

Edited by kento11, 02 March 2013 - 22:51.

[Emery0323]

Manhattan about 15 years ago ??? Who is that gal and what is she doing in mid town???

This photo was probably taken at one of the Louis Vuitton Councours displays at Rockefeller Center, circa 1999-2000 (?). That event was only held once or twice, IIRC.
The streets around Rockefeller Plaza were blocked off, and the cars were driven around the perimeter for display at one point during the event.

The one time I went (1999? 2000? can't remember), they had old racing cars on display, including Pete Lovely's Lotus 49 in GLTL colors, a collection of historic Trans-Am cars from the Historic Trans-Am group, a Gulf McLaren F1 GTR from the 1996 BPR series, etc. There was a 1950's front-engined F1 Ferrari the year I went, but I didn't see the car in your photo. Show cars and classic antiques were there as well. Stirling Moss was present, and they presented him with an award of some kind.

The idea was to make a Pebble Beach/ Amelia Island-style event in Rockefeller plaza. It was only held once or twice. Probably the end of the late 1990's stock market boom killed enthusiasm, I've not heard of it since. Once of the advantages of having it there in Manhattan is that you're close to a lot of moneyed people who work in Wall Street, finance, media, etc. who own major car collections.

[kento11]

Emory, you are absolutely correct. I have more pictures of mostly high end classic cars from this event. I probably attended the year you didn't

[2F-001]

Assuming that the car is the 246 Dino Tasman, I'm wondering if the driver might be Sally Mason-Styrron. I've seen their example (are there others in existence?) at places such as Prescott, but don't recall what either of the couple look like.

Edited by 2F-001, 03 March 2013 - 05:53.

[Tim Murray]

Definitely Sally's blonde locks.

[Emery0323]

Assuming that the car is the 246 Dino Tasman, I'm wondering if the driver might be Sally Mason-Styrron. I've seen their example (are there others in existence?) at places such as Prescott, but don't recall what either of the couple look like.

She's British, right? If they were persuading owners from Europe and the UK to ship their cars over, then that show drew from a wider pool of participants than I realized.
Maybe the Manhattan location helped, but the event did not have staying power.

After some internet searching, I now recall who the owner was of the 1950's Ferrari F1 car I saw the one time I was at that event: Anthony Wang, who lives in the NY area and has a well-known collection of rare Ferraris and other cars. I believe he drove the car past the reviewing stand himself, as did Pete Lovely in his Lotus 49.

Edited by Emery0323, 03 March 2013 - 08:01.

[David McKinney]

My own thought was Sally M-S, though I didn't think it likely she'd be in NYC

There was a Tasman Ferrari in residence in the US at the time, based in Connecticut and New York at various times

[Wirra]

Which one?

This one


or this one?

[Alan Cox]

There was a Tasman Ferrari in residence in the US at the time, based in Connecticut and New York at various times

That would be 0004 owned by Everett Singer in the mid '80s to mid '90s by Everett Singer, and now owned by Graham Edelman - I don't think that one has sported the under-nose splitter in recent times, though.

The Mason-Styrrons have been involved in various Louis Vuitton concours, so may have qualified to appear in New York

[opplock]

Sally Mason-Styrron owns the car driven by Derek Bell, chassis 0010 according to Vercoe (Historic Racing Cars of NZ). 0004 would have been the car used by Chris Amon in the 1968 Tasman Series and predated wings. The ex Amon, Lawrance car (0008 according to Vercoe) spent many years in Bardinon's collection and was eventually offered for sale in (so I was told) poor condition. I met Mrs M-S at Goodwood a couple of times and have two professional quality photos of the car taken there. I'm sure that it is the same car and that she is driving.

[scags]

It was Mason- Styrrons. I was there, for both years. They had an amazing collection of cars, displayed between the buildings of Radio City, and the sound of the cars driving to the prize giving, echoing off the buildings, was great. That was what the picture captured.

[hipperson]

The Mason-Styrrons chatting to the lately much maligned David Piper

Edited by hipperson, 03 March 2013 - 14:01.

[Bloggsworth]

More pics of she and the car here...

[kento11]

Here are a few more pictures from the Louis Vuitton show, which I believe was the first year.

[Emery0323]

There are surprisingly few references to this event that I can find on the web- Here's one from the NY Times, Sept. 1999:

http://www.nytimes.c...fast-crowd.html

Another from Sept. 1997 - Apparently it had a longer run than I recall:

http://business.high...77/vuitton-rock

Here's an announcement of an auction RM had at the Waldorf-Astoria in conjunction with the 2000 Rockefeller Concours event.
I was at this one, the Herbert von Karajan GT40 Mk III # 1105 was one of the cars listed, but I'm not sure it sold:

http://www.rmauction...ease.cfm?id=406

[raceannouncer2003]

The Mason-Styrrons chatting to the lately much maligned David Piper

I don't think that is David Piper.

Vince H.

[ChrisJson]

I don't think that is David Piper.

Vince H.

I think David is in the car.


Christer

[john aston]

Stunning car ..and a passing grumpy comment. There is an increasing tendency to display classic racers like this in front of adoring crowds of the glitterati- what I will call the Octane constituency. Classic racers are this year's accessory and you have got to wonder- how many of you lot have a clue what this is , and how many of you were watching cars like this in period ? Twas ever thus I'm sure but it still grates.And no I didn't see the Ferrari in period but I did read about it in Autosport!

[hipperson]

Dudley Mason-Styrron talking to David Piper who sits in his LM.

[Dipster]

Stunning car ..and a passing grumpy comment. There is an increasing tendency to display classic racers like this in front of adoring crowds of the glitterati- what I will call the Octane constituency. Classic racers are this year's accessory and you have got to wonder- how many of you lot have a clue what this is , and how many of you were watching cars like this in period ? Twas ever thus I'm sure but it still grates.And no I didn't see the Ferrari in period but I did read about it in Autosport!

I can understand your feelings. I did see these cars in the 60s. Indeed I saw too much of all sorts of racing when I should have been at school! My repeated absences eventually led to me being expelled.....

But I can also understand that somebody who did not have the good fortune to see these wonderful machines in period might have come across them later and become smitten.

I also admit to being envious (not actually jealous note) of those with adequate means to indulge themselves. But I am grateful that they can and do as it gives us a chance to see them in action again.

[arttidesco]

I am grateful that they can and do as it gives us a chance to see them in action again.

[opplock]

I did see the car in period and to an 11 year old who's only previous sight of a Ferrari had been the Scuderia Veloce 250 LM the 246 brought down under by Chris Amon in 68 was the most exotic thing I had ever seen. So much so that I stood less than 3 feet away for half an hour while the engine was warmed up on race day. Seeing two of them, complete with wings, the next year was even better.

Coincidentally I was asked at work this afternoon what had caused me to move from NZ to England (now 32 years ago). I opened this thread, showed him the first photo and said "that car". Having seen single seater Ferraris in anger I was determined one day to see an F1 Grand Prix. At that time my only knowledge of motor racing outside NZ was gained by reading second hand copies of Motorsport cover to cover until they fell apart. Times have changed. I haven't been to a GP since 1995 and my next visit to a circuit will be a SEMSEC meeting at Lydden Hill.

Thank you Mr Amon.

[Jack-the-Lad]

Which one?

This one


or this one?

Is that WarwickFarm, 1970?

[Wirra]

Warwick Farm, 7th-8th-9th February 1969.



Didn't complete the first lap in the race.

Edited by Wirra, 05 March 2013 - 11:26.

[Arjan de Roos]

Just found this:



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[Emery0323]

Just found this:



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

That helps confirm - As best I can gather, 2000 seems to be the last year it was held. There isn't very much documentation on the web.
That was the year of the RM Auction at the Waldorf tied in with the Concours.

[scags]

For free, you couldn't argue! I think the program, which I have , somewhere, and the drinks were the only expense.

[klemcoll]

The earlier posters are of course absolutely correct. The lady in the Tasman is of course Sally. I went to all those Rock Center concours as an exhibitor. They were organized by my old pal Murray Smith with help from Louis Vuitton, Rolex and Chrysler mostly. They were fantastic shows. Not only was the venue fabulous right in Rock Center, but the dinners were something else indeed. I well remember when Dudley and Sally brought the Tasman over, on the QE 2 I believe due to some promotion by Cunard, and stayed in our flat in New York. A great weekend, as they all were! I keep asking Murray to get them to do it again…

[Emery0323]

A great weekend, as they all were! I keep asking Murray to get them to do it again…

Interesting to know. Did he ever indicate why they stopped having it?

I would guess that the stock market bust and sluggish economy that started in 2000 might have something to do with it, but that event vanished without a trace.

Regarding the Chrysler involvement, I do remember that some of the well-known Chrysler show cars of the 1990's were on display. I think the Chronos was there, as was the 1999 concept-car Dodge Charger - Not the current, square-ish Charger based on the Chrysler 300, but the 1990's show car that actually looked like its predecessor from the late 1960's:
http://www.allpar.co...arger-1999.html

Edited by Emery0323, 17 March 2013 - 10:07.