Category Archives: Keels and Wheels

190 SL, 911T, Austin Healey, Din0 246 GTS, Ferrari, Jaguar, Keels and Wheels, Lamborghini, Mazda, Mercedes Benz, Miata, Porsche, Shows and Auctions, Sprite, TR4A, Trimuph, XKE

2016 Trip to Keels and Wheels 21st Annual Concours d’Elegance

Where: Lakewood Yacht Club, Seabrook, TX
What: Keels and Wheels 21st Annual Concours d’Elegance
When: April 23 and 24, 2016
URL: http://www.keels-wheels.com/

We took the Miata for a drive to Seabrook, TX for the 21st annual Keels and Wheels Concours d’Elegance yesterday. It was a nice day for a drive and the trip was long, but good. Someone in a Lambo stopped and was having their Wendy’s lunch with us, so I snapped a couple of pictures.

Lambo at Wendy's for lunch
Lambo at Wendy’s for lunch

The show’s mix was their typical boats, brass cars, muscle cars, and of course what I went for, sports cars. I didn’t make it to the show in 2015, but there wasn’t an auction this year like there was in 2014.

I did chat to Dr. Juan Jose Olivero of Houston, TX about his 1966 Triumph TR4A IRS. The TR4A is still an affordable classic that Juan was able to purchase in its current restored condition. Juan had driven it in from Houston and was able to comfortably keep it at 70 miles per hours. Like many of us, the good doctor is limited by time, space, and money to have all the cars he wants. Juan’s son, Juan Jr., is not only a doctor of Nephrology like his dad, he is also a car collector; it seems to run in most families.

The TR4A was manufactured by Triumph between 1965 and 1967 with the major differences between it and its predecessor, the TR4, being the replacement of the straight axle with Independent Rear Suspension (IRS) and the frame that Triumph modified to accommodate the suspension change. There were other badge, grille, and cosmetic changes as well; overall, a much better car.

Triumph TR4A
4-cylinder, in line,  cast iron block and cylinder head, 2138CC
2 each 175 CD Stromberg Carburetors
4 speed transmission with optional overdrive
Rear suspension:  coil springs w/semi trailing arms and lever arm shocks 
0-30 in 2.9 seconds, 0-60 in 9.8 seconds with a top speed of 104mph

 

1966 Triumph TR4A owned by Dr. Juan Jose Olivero of Houston
1966 Triumph TR4A owned by Dr. Juan Jose Olivero of Houston, TX

 

I hope you enjoy the rest of the pictures as much as I did taking them.

1962 Jaguar XLE Roadster Series 1 owned by Peter Harth of Houston, TX
1962 Jaguar XLE Roadster Series 1 owned by Peter Harth of Houston, TX
1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS Convertible owned by Shawn Speer of Tomball, TX
1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS Convertible owned by Shawn Speer of Tomball, TX
1964 Austin Healey Sprite MKII owned by Leonard Boyd of Kemah, TX
1964 Austin Healey Sprite MKII owned by Leonard Boyd of Kemah, TX
1973 Porsche 911T Coupe owned by Glenn Edgecomb of Houston, TX
1973 Porsche 911T Coupe owned by Glenn Edgecomb of Houston, TX
1957 Mercedes Benz 190SL owned by Wogbe Ofori of Houston, TX
1957 Mercedes Benz 190SL owned by Wogbe Ofori of Houston, TX

Check out many more pics on Facebook and Instagram 🙂

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Alfa Romeo, Keels and Wheels, Montreal, Shows and Auctions

1971 Alfa Romeo Montreal

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What: 1971 Alfa Romeo Montreal Coupe
Who: Val Herrera
From: Double Oak, TX
Where: Seabrook, TX, Lakewood Yacht Club
When:  May 3, 2014

My eyes were drawn to the Alfa Romeo Montreal Coupe I saw sitting up on the hill overlooking the docks at the Keels and Wheels Concours d’Elegance.   Throughout the day I had stopped by a couple of times hoping to meet the owner and get a few words with him or her.  On my last pass by I was listening to a gentleman that I later learned to be the owner, Val Herrera, talking to others interested lookers about his car.  He was telling them about it’s history and what work he had done since owing it.  The car’s front end has four headlamps partly covered by grilles that retract when the lights are switched on, but Val was able to show us how they worked manually.

1971 Alfa Romeo Montreal
Interior of Val Herrera’s 1971 Alfa Romeo Montreal Coupe
1971 Alfa Romeo Montreal
1971 Alfa Romeo Montreal

Val is a retired Texas Instruments engineer with a collection of 10 different Alfa Romeos.  Val bought his first car, an Alfa Veloce Spider,  in Hollywood, CA almost at the corner of Hollywood and Vine in 1965.  Val found this particular Alfa Montreal in the Alfa Owner’s magazine in the cars for sale section and it was first come first serve; so Val headed to Phoenix, AZ back in 2002 and has not regretted that trip yet.

Val Herrera's 1971 Alfa Romeo Montreal Coupe
Val Herrera’s 1971 Alfa Romeo Montreal Coupe

Val’s Montreal has 42,000 original miles on it and other than replacing the timing chain the engine has not been opened.  Val has installed both new paint and a new interior on his car.  That was good enough to enter it in Concours Italiano in Monterey, CA.  A recent record setting sale at Gooding and Company Scottsdale set the bar at $176,000 for a 1971 Alfa Romeo Montreal Coupe.

1971 Alfa Romeo Montreal Coupe
1971 Alfa Romeo Montreal Coupe at Keels and Wheels 2014
1971 Alfa Romeo Montreal Coupe
Val Herrera’s 1971 Alfa Romeo Montreal Coupe, rear view

 Val also owns one of only 35 copies of the Alfa GT6 Callaway.

Val took home the Silver award for misc. Italian cars; Congratulations!!  I hope you enjoy the pictures of Val’s beautiful car!

The Alfa Romeo Montreal Coupe:
Years Produced: 1970-1977
Production: Total number built was 3917
Driveline: longitudinal engine at front with rear wheel drive
Engine:2593cc (80×64.5mm) DOHC V8 with 200bhp @ 6,500rpm with mechanical fuel injection, and dry-sump
Suspension front: Double wishbone, telescopic dampers, coil springs and anti-roll bar, rear: live axle, coil springs and dampers
Wheelbase: 92.5 inches
Front Brakes: discs, ventilated
Rear Breaks: discs, ventilated
Gearbox: 5 speed manual, ZF limited-slip differential
Kerb Weights: 2493 lbs.

Comments from around the web:

“It made 200hp out of just 2.6 liters, a very respectable specific output for a naturally aspirated car. Its high redline and small displacement made it one of the most lively powerhouses of its day.” Concept Carz,  http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z14231/Alfa-Romeo-Montreal.aspx

“the soul of a concept car and the V-8 heart of a race car” Hemming’s Motor News, http://www.hemmings.com/hsx/stories/2012/11/01/hmn_feature1.html

“Very few road cars can claim an engine with antecedents in both long-distance sports car racing and Formula 1 but the Alfa Romeo Montreal is one of them. ”  Bonhams, http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20099/lot/233/

Keels and Wheels, Shows and Auctions

Keels and Wheels, May 2014

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What: Keels and Wheels
Where: Seabrook, TX, Lakewood Yacht Club
When:  May 3, 2014
Link: http://www.keels-wheels.com/

Outside the entrance to the 2014 Keels and Wheels
Outside the entrance to the 2014 Keels and Wheels

It was my first time to visit Keels and Wheels.  I’ve been to many car auctions and many car shows, but this is the first boat and car show combined; it was fantastic.  Even if you are not a boater, you can appreciate the work and care put into these beautiful floating machines.  Most of them were wooden Chris Crafts from decades and centuries gone by.

I was only able to make it to Seabrook for Saturday Concours d’Elegance and did not attend the auction or awards, so I’ll need to catch up on those after the fact.  There was a great collection of automobiles from the early 1900’s through today.  From the entry gate around the first corner they are mostly American brass cars, beautifully restored, many for much more than their value.  I started out talking to Don Sable who had almost 5 years into the restoration of his 1911 Ford Model T Torpedo Roadster.  The picture below is my wife sitting in his car.

1911 Ford Model T Torpedo Roadster
My wife sitting in Don Sable’s 1911 Ford Model T Torpedo Roadster

Although these were all great cars and restored to levels better than when they came from the factories, I thought I was going to be disappointed.  I came to see sports cars since they are my passion.  As we wondered down the road we came across a gaggle of Corvettes;

1955 Corvette
Carolyn Sikes’ 1955 Corvette

they were magnificently restored and then a lineup of Ferrari’s down by the docks.  There were some beautiful 430’s, one Dino that was a little rough on the outside, but presentable.

Though I had many favorites for the day, the one that I spent the most time with was a blue 1959 Maserati 3500 GT.   The owner wasn’t around, so I didn’t get any background on the car’s history.

1959 Maserati 3500 GT
1959 Maserati 3500 GT

Enjoy the pictures from the show and I’ll post some specifics about a few talks with some owners I had in a day or so.

The full list of the 2014 awards can be found here: http://www.keels-wheels.com/Assets/2014%20car%20awards%20script%20indiv.pdf