Hoopties of every description rolled onto the harbor-side lawn of Roger Sherman Baldwin Park in Greenwich CT for the 2022 Greenwich Concours d’Lemons. The tongue in cheek concours celebrating the oddball, mundane and truly awful of the automotive world is part of Hagerty’s reimagined Greenwich Concours. The two-day event consisted of a full classic concours on Sunday and Hagerty’s lighter hearted Cars and Community event on Saturday with Concours d’Lemons and RadWood. The later celebrating ‘80s and ‘90s cars, music and fashion.
“Even awful cars can be fun to own, drive and share,” stated the self-titled Lemons “Head Gasket”, Alan Galbraith. “and that is what Lemons is really all about. Spreading some smiles while making fun of yourself and your rust bucket.” The participating cars came in all shapes and sizes and states of repair. 6’ 7” tall Jack Meader drove his tiny 1992 Honda Today kei car from of Agawam, MA to the show. “Big guy, little car, always funny!” quipped Jack and he folded himself into the car to the crowd’s delight. A group of 15 high school students needed a vehicle with more room, so they bought a school bus and were working on at the show to make it a road trip vehicle as their summer senior project. “Nothing good will come of this and will probably keep a few of us from graduating, but it will be fun!” stated group spokesman Jack LeFeve.
Judging such an assemblage of vehicles is no small task and picking winners in categories such as “Best Back Seat” and “Needlessly Complex Italian” are complicated by participants who are encouraged to bribe the capricious judges in hopes of taking home dollar store soured trophies. Ed Welburn, former General Motors Vice President of Global Design when tasked with judging the “Rust Belt American Junk – GM” class stated. “All of the design sins of GM are coming back to haunt me.” There was a unanimous winner though, Bill Doyle spend three years on a no expense spared but and bolt restoration of his 1977 Ford Pinto Squire Wagon making it one of the finest Pinto’s on the planet. “The most common question I get is, ‘Why?’, I did it just because I love to car and want to share it with people.” They judges all agreed and conferred the ”Worst of Show” trophy to Bill to the delight of the large crowd of spectators.
Greenwich Concours d’Lemons “Winners”
Worst of Show – Bill Doyle 1977 Ford Pinto Squire Wagon
Rust Belt American Junk Other – Edwin Owen, David Geisinger, Amie Caldwell 1982 HM Freeway
Rust Belt American Junk Mopar – Jacob Herman 2000 Dodge Van Conversion
Rust Belt American Junk Ford – Nathaniel Tabora 2011 Ford Crown Vic NYC Taxi
Rust Belt American Junk GM – James Brodowski 1999 Saturn SW2 and SC2
Unmitigated Gaul – Steve Radovanovich 1985 Renault Encore
Kommunist Kar – Luke Vancraeynest 1981 Trabant 601
Needlessly Complex Italian – Angela Randazzo 1987 Fiat X 1/9
DerSelfSatisfiedKrautenWagen – KC Masterson 1966 Split window bus
Soul Sucking Japanese Appliance – Jack Meader 1992 Honda Today
Best Back Seat – Jack LaFeve 2002 GM School Bus
Sight for Sour Eyes – Michael Meichsner 1969 Rat Rod Bug
Participation Award – Max Dymerski 1999 Saturn 5 rocket Car
Slightly Better than a Go Kart – Chris Martin 2000 Geo Metro
Driving on a Prayer- Erik Hunter 1988 Elegant Motors Lamborghini Replica
