ST. JOSEPH, Mich. — The 12th annual Lake Bluff Concours d’Elegance of Southwest Michigan drew 2,500 visitors to Lake Bluff Park in downtown St. Joseph, Michigan on Saturday, Aug. 13. The invitation-only event included 100 Concours-quality and special interest vehicles.

The honored marque for 2016 was Nash: A Centennial Celebration – A selection of Nash automobiles commemorating the 1916 founding of the Nash Motor Company.

Featured classes for the event were:

• Art Deco Airflow – Chrysler and DeSoto Airflow automobiles from 1934 to 1937

• Concours Five-0 On Patrol — a selection of squad cars showing the marriage of automotive power and law enforcement.

• Jeep: Now 75 – Jeeps, old and new, will document the evolution of this military-turned-civilian vehicle

Lake Bluff Concours Chair Anne Odden, and Entrant Liaison, Founder, and Chairman Emeritus Dar Davis presented 14 trophies and four ribbons at this year’s event. 2016 trophy winners are:

• Best of Show — 1910 Stoddard Dayton K owned by Don & Joan Lyons, Dowagiac

• Chairman’s Choice – 1960 Vespa 400 Microcar owned by Rob & Patty Gerring, Elkhart, Indiana

• Founder’s Choice — 1924 Nash 690 Touring owned by Doug & Jennifer Williams, Prudenville, Michigan

• People’s Choice – 1910 Stoddard Dayton K owned by Don & Joan Lyons, Dowagiac, Michigan

• Honored Marque — 1932 Nash 1083 Convertible Sedan owned by Geoffrey Lentz, Trafford, Pennsylvania

• Best Sports Car — 1952 Nash-Healey Roadster owned by Allan & Jacqueline Ruckey, Waterford, Michigan

• Most Unusual — 1937 Hupmobile Custom Series Coupe owned by Greg Drufke, La Porte, Indiana

• Best Import — 1959 Fiat 500 “Jolly” Convertible Microcar owned by Randy & Rochelle Forester, Birmingham, Michigan

• Most Impressive Survivor – 1925 Buick Master Six Touring, George Mazurek, Muskegon, Michigan

• Engineering Excellence — 1969 Oldsmobile Hurst Olds 2-Door Hardtop owned by Joseph & Cheri Sroka, Dearborn Heights, Michigan

• Most Elegant — 1956 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible owned by Ken & Rosie Karrer, Austin, Texas

• Outstanding Open Car — 1960 Dodge Phoenix Convertible, Randy Guyer, Minnetonka, Minnesota

• Best Period Fashion Attire — 1931 Ford Model A Ice Cream Truck owned by Joseph Hornacek, Rochester Hills, Michigan

• Best Truck/Commercial Vehicle – 1947 Dodge Power Wagon Pick-up Truck owned by Birney & Allen Vanderboegh, St. Joseph, Michigan

 

2016 ribbon recipients are:

• Best Jeep — 1952 Jeep Military Police owned by Ken Schiffer, Bridgman, Michigan

• Best Airflow — 1936 DeSoto Airflow S-2 Coupe owned by Red McFadden, South Haven, Michigan

• Best Police Car — 1968 Plymouth Fury I Original Michigan State Police Car owned by Robert Wills, Battle Creek, Michigan

• Hagerty Youth Judging Winner — 1931 Buick Model 54 Roadster owned by Ray Donley, Midland, Michigan

All vehicles in the show participated in a “pass-in-review” with introduction and narration by famous classic and collector car expert, and voice of many of the most prestigious Concours events in the county including Amelia Island, Ed Lucas. Lucas has been with this show since its inception in 2005 and offers a rich and colorful commentary on each car.

The featured Lake Bluff Concours guest was James T. W. Wheary, the great-grandson of Charles W. Nash. Wheary, who is an automotive historian and lecturer, presented “Charles W. Nash, The Greatest Rags to Riches Story in American History” during a pre-show event the night before, and added commentary during the three Pass in Review sessions.

The 13th Annual Lake Bluff Concours d’Elegance of Southwest Michigan is planned for Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Owners with unmodified production vehicles in very good condition built before 1982 wishing to submit an application for next year’s event should email their contact information to Larry Prange, Entrant Liaison at Concours.lake.bluff@gmail.com before Dec. 31, 2016. Invitation and application information will be sent in mid-January 2017.