Events

Concours d’Elegance of America at Meadow Brook

One of America’s pre-eminent classic car shows is set on the grounds of the legendary Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Think of it as the “Pebble Beach of the the Midwest.” Drive your collector car and enjoy special pricing and VIP parking— a show in itself. Whether your tastes run to pre-war American luxury sedans or post-war European roadsters, you’ll find something fabulous to look at here. More information at www.meadowbrookconcours.org.

We will mail tickets to your home address around July 15, so you don’t have to wait in line and can park your collector car in a premium location. If you are not going to be home you should let us know so we can hold your tickets at the hotel.

After the concours we’ll meet for dinner nearby at Loccino Italian Grill & Bar, 5600 Crooks Rd., Suite 106, Troy, MI. (optional—$25 dinner not included in package pricing)

Private Car Collections

Compliments of the Meadow Brook Board of Directors:

  • Richard Kughn (Livonia): A campus setting with 25 full classics plus a large number of top-end collector cars.
  • Ed Meuer (Northville): An eclectic collection of classics, 1950s-1960s cars and automobilia.
  • Ken Lingenfelter (Brighton): A mind-blowing collection including Bugatti Veyron, Rolls-Royce Phantom drophead, Ferraris, etc. $100 million plus!
  • Classic Auto Restoration: High-end restorer of Pebble Beach & Meadow Brook quality cars.
  • Suburban Collection (Troy): Retail dealership representing Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo, Bugatti, etc. A wine and cheese reception will be included.

Gilmore Car Museum

The Classic Car Club collection in Hickory Corners, Michigan, a country setting near Kalamazoo. Entry $8.00. More information at www.gilmorecarmuseum.org.

The Off Brothers Collection

Canceled since we won’t have enough time.

Motown Museum

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the early days of Motown at Berry Gordy’s “Hitsville USA”. The exhibits trace the roots of Motown’s remarkable story and chronicle its impact on 20th century popular culture and musical styles. More information at www.motownmuseum.com.

Auto Pioneers Cemetery Crawl

Ford, Hudson, Leland... Sound familiar? Visit the headstones and mausoleums connected to some of the best-known names in the auto industry (along with a few notable Motown artists), enjoy the scenery, and pick up a few bits of interesting trivia along the way. Limited to the first 120 paid respondents. On-your-own alternatives will be listed in our program brochure. We will try to have late registrants swap Wednesday’s and Friday’s daytime events to add more capacity.

Evening Reception: Dancing in the Street

Well, we technically won’t be “in the street”, but join us at the Hyatt Regency for hors d’oeuvres, Motown hits, and a cash bar, along with a fantastic view of the Metro Detroit area. Meet new friends and catch up with old acquaintances as we officially kick off the 2010 Grand Invitational.

Walter P. Chrysler Museum

Get up to speed with the house (and company) that Walter built, from the early days, through the Airflow, DeSoto, Imperial, and Charger, up to the present-day Hemis and Jeeps. More information at www.chryslerheritage.com.

General Motors Heritage Center

LCC Detroit offers a unique treat with a tour through the not-open-to-the-public warehouse that stores dozens of classic GM production and concept cars, along with exhibits showcasing the early days of GM manufacturing and the legendary Motorama. More information at www.gm.com/corporate/about/heritage/about.

Evening Dinner Cruise on a Luxury Yacht

Fine food, a moonlight cruise, and an open bar aboard the luxurious Ovation yacht—what better way to end a day spent with classic American hardware? Join us for a relaxing four-hour cruise past the Detroit skyline. Note that transportation will be provided from the Hyatt Regency, and the cruise will be limited to the first 300 registered and paid guests. In the event of overflow, alternative arrangements will be made for those guests. NOTE: As of July 12 the cruise is fully booked, and we have selected a very nice restaurant for guests who are not already confirmed for the cruise.

Dress code for the Ovation cruise: Summer Resort Casual. "Polo" style or button down shirts with a collar; "khaki" style or dress shorts or pants; boat or soft-soled shoes only. Please, no t-shirts, tank tops, jeans or jean shorts, athletic apparel or hard-soled shoes. Failure to adhere to dress code may result in being denied boarding of the yacht. You can help us with a fashion police check before people get on the bus!

We will be in international waters. No passport is required since we are not stopping in Canada. Any illegal substances discovered on board the vessel will be just cause for notifying the proper authorities and immediate termination of the chartered cruise with no refund.

Ford-A-Palooza

Whether you’re interested in seeing how America’s best-selling truck is built, exploring vintage transportation, or getting a look at life in early America, you’ve got your choice. You’ll be on your own to visit Ford’s Rouge Plant Tour, the Henry Ford Museum or Greenfield Village (optional—admission not included in package pricing). Or perhaps you’d prefer to just chill at the hotel or take in one of many other attractions in the area. Just be back in time to prep for the evening’s festivities.

The Rouge Plant Tour buses leave every 20 minutes. The tour has been running for several years and is unlikely to sell out for the whole day. But if you want to ensure that you can go you should buy tickets in advance. Just be aware that some Platinum registrants will be swapping Friday's daytime events with Wednesday's, based on the capacity limit for our Cemetery Crawl.

Model T Automotive Heritage Complex Tour and Dinner

Drive on over to the first building ever owned by the Ford Motor Company for a picnic dinner and tour of the plant, including the experimental room where the Model T was developed. This will also be an opportunity to show off your wheels! More information at www.tplex.org.

Car Show and Lunch

Time to polish up the chrome, buff up the whitewalls, and get yourself prettied up for the big event. There will be car wash equipment there, a box lunch, and plenty of time to check out the hardware.

Evening Banquet

Join us for cocktails and dinner — with guest speaker Jim Farley, Group Vice President, Global Marketing and Canada, Mexico and South America operations, Ford Motor Company — along with a silent auction and, of course, a few awards to hand out. You can submit questions for Jim Farley in advance to chairman@motown2010.com.

Not enough for you?

Check out our map of other area attractions and The Gut Busters Guide to local restaurants.