Sometimes the word concours means a contest to determine which car is the most original, so it doesn’t quite fit this show. This event is more of a competition among customizers — some as famous as Chip Foose, others not famous at all but highly skilled. One minute you’re looking at a Mercedes 540K, and the next you’re staring at a chopped and channeled ’50 Ford.
We really have to get out front with our admiration for the ’50 Ford shown here. True, it lost its Ford‑ish interior, but the great thing is that whoever customized it seemed to draw inspiration from British postwar sports cars. It struck us as what a Ford low‑rider custom might look like if it had been built by Rolls‑Royce.
I overheard the owner saying over one million dollars has been spent on this car — and I believe it.
Photo by Wallace Wyss
Mind‑blowing now (and even more so if you imagine it in the ’50s) is the Manta Ray, built by Dean Jeffries, who not only created customs but also movie‑prop cars — and even drove them in some films. The Manta Ray might shock European car fans: it’s actually a 1940s Maserati race car rebodied by Jeffries to his own design. The bubble top was space‑age in its time. The Cobra‑ized engine was provided by Shelby, who traded it for a race‑equipped Cobra V8 with Webers.
- Photo by Wallace Wyss
Also interesting was a new electric sports car brought by two inventors who previously worked for Tesla and Rivian — so they know their electrics. Pete Brock consulted on the car. Gary Wales, California’s biggest fan of Britain, brought one of his many fire trucks. His cars — particularly Bentleys — have won awards at Pebble Beach, but he prefers customs.
Now, being a longtime classic‑car buff — Wallace here — it’s hard to explain the lure of an early‑’70s Impala convertible. But that’s because, back in their original days as stock cars, I never saw them lowered and fitted with really deep‑dish, very tall wheels. They bring out and complement the shape of the car, and they make you wonder whether the design might have stayed in production longer if it had originally been styled around wheels like that more than half a century ago.
The show occupies at least two acres of hilly terrain, so it’s an up‑and‑down trek to see it all, but we were in shape to tackle it. It’s one of the lowest‑cost concours spectator fees in California — around $20 — and all for charity. The castle is used to help young people whose lives have been imperiled by alcohol and drugs.
This show is famous for having personalities you’ve heard of. Chip Foose — whose shop does full customs — was there, and it’s amazing to think he left the auto industry to go out on his own. Then there was Pete Brock, now well into his 80s, who designed the Cobra Daytona Coupe in ’64 for Shelby. His booth was right across from an Orange County firm selling replica Cobras — even Daytona Coupes.
There were tours of the castle, but we didn’t avail ourselves — too busy looking at cars. Overall, I’d say the Benedict Castle Concours appeals more to hot‑rodders and customizers, but there are enough original cars to please both groups.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Wallace Wyss welcomes news of galleries who would consider consigning Ferrari art. He can be reached at photojournalistpro2@gmail.com
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