Audrain Auto Museum Cars and Coffee

David: Because I accidentally missed the last Cars and Coffee show put on by the Audrain Auto Museum, I decided it was appropriate to attend the next show. It was a beautiful morning for a show. I had never been to one of these events, so I was completely unsure of what to expect. The turnout was impressive, as an estimated 300 or so cars must've been in attendance at the show's peak. The diversity of cars was truly impressive though, as  I believe there was truly a car for everyone at the show. In addition to the typical Corvettes and Camaros, there were plenty of British roadsters, quirky European sports cars, and JDM mini trucks. 

Above: 1988 BMW 325iS (E30)

A perfect example of an '80s BMW E30... the ultimate driving machine. This classic Bimmer also had 269k on the clock and counting!

Above: 1966 Chevy Impala SS 427 

There's nothing like a "drop top" '66 Impala, and I know Sam would say the same. I instantly thought of Sam when I saw this car. Although not a '65 in Mist Blue, it sure is close!

Above: 1979 Chevy C-10 Cheyenne Big 10

I can't lie, this Chevy Truck looked beautiful parked on the water with the Newport bridge in background. The way the truck was positioned almost reminded me of an advertisement from the 1970s. I can totally see this photo being used as a mock advertisement for a classic Chevy truck. 

Above: 1993 Saab 900 S Convertible 

If I had the money and space, I would've bought it in a heartbeat. 

Above: 1965 Austin Healey 3000 Mk. III

I don't know if I've ever seen one of these in person before, but it was really cool to see an old Austin Healey make an appearance. British sports cars made up a lot of the population, and a good chunk were MGBs. We've seen plenty of MGBS before on ONEC, but I don't think we've documented an Austin Healey yet. I have absolutely nothing against MGBs, as I'd love to have one someday, but an Austin Healey is a car not as common as its other British sports car counter parts.

Above: 1972 Jaguar E-Type V12 Mk. III

You can't argue that the E-Type is one of the most beautiful cars of all time. This one, while not the Mk. I most people think of, is no exception. I've only seen a few E-Types in my life time, and I enjoy seeing them every time I do. This E-Type also has a 5.3L V12, which was unique to the Mk. III, and one of its most distinguishing features. 

Above: 1970 Buick GS Survivor

This Buick wasn't the cleanest car at the show, but what set it apart from the rest was the fact that it was a survivor. Complete with a rot hole in the rear quarter panel and Pittsburg Steelers inspired seat covers, this old Buick has been around the block once or twice. 

Above: 1967 Ford Galaxie 500 XL Convertible

The Galaxie 500 XL is essentially Ford's take on the Impala SS. A handsomely styled full size car equipped with a big block V8, in this case a 351 CI, and some sporty options, you now have yourself a gentleman's muscle car. This was a beautiful car, and although I know Sam is partial to the Impala, I'd say this looked just as nice. 

Above: 1976 International Harvester Scout II

This would probably be my father's pick for the show. He loves these old Scout IIs. While a fairly modified vehicle, I really enjoyed how this looked. Scouts aren't as common to see as a typical Jeep CJ or Ford Bronco from the same era, so seeing one was super cool. I also found the low and high transfer case shifter to be a noteworthy feature.

Above: 1987 Jeep Grand Wagoneer 4x4

This was an essentially perfect Jeep Wagoneer. I can't really say much more than that. What makes this one noteworthy is that it was the last year the Wagoneer was produced under AMC, before Chrysler acquired the brand that year, making this a pretty historical Jeep. I believe this was the only Jeep product in attendance as well. 

Above: 1958 Volvo PV-444

Aside from my 240, this was the only other vintage Volvo at the show. There were some modern Volvos, such as a V70, which you can see in the background of the side photo, an XC70, and a V60. Volvo PV-Series cars aren't common in general, especially a PV-444. These were produced from 1944 to 1958, and were Volvo's first modern car. This would be the second of these cars I've seen, and this one is by far, the best looking example. 

Above: 1965 Plymouth Barracuda

This was a pretty original '65 Barracuda that had some sketchy DIY repairs, such as a wooden leaf spring, which you can see right behind the rear wheel. I guess if you're on a budget, you gotta do what you gotta do. Hopefully the terrible roads around Newport don't ruin this car's suspension!

Above: 1964 VW Type 1 Kombi 

There's nothing quite like seeing an old VW Type 1 bus, and dare I say this is quite an old VW bus! This bus had a lot of character, from the patinaed fern green paint, to the "Kombi" license plate, to the hilarious "Slow Moving Vehicle " bumper sticker with German text below it. I really enjoyed seeing this, and I don't often get to see classic Type 1 busses, so this was one of my personal highlights from Cars and Coffee. 

Above: 1972 Triumph TR-6

Here's another fairly uncommon British sports car, the Triumph TR-6. The TR-6 offers a more refined design from its MG and Austin Healey contemporaries, with hard edges and flat front and rear fascias. While this may set it apart from the other two sports cars, there's no doubt it's a British sports car, with the Union Jack flag embracing the "TR-6" badge. 

Above: 1987 Ferrari Mondial 3.2

The last time time I saw a  Ferrari was the summer of my freshman year of college, and I hadn't seen one since then. This Ferrari Mondial made up for that lost time. I love '80s Ferraris, which is probably my guilty pleasure when it comes to cars. It's weird because I really dislike modern Ferraris. I don't think they have much to offer looks wise compared to their twentieth century ancestors. Granted, I feel that way about most cars, but I feel that 1980s was Ferrari's climax in car design. 

Above: 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS w/ Switzerland Graphics

This was a pretty unique 911. I didn't meet the owner, so I couldn't ask if the Swiss flag graphics were part of a special package, or a tribute to a race car. Nonetheless, the stunning appearance of the bright red paint with white stripes certainly caught my attention, making this another memorable car from the show. 

Above: Mazda Bongo Wagon Turbo WAUX Edition

I love these JDM mini trucks, especially this one. This Mazda Bongo Wagon might be the raddest one I've seen to date. Those '90s graphics, Bosch rally lights, and Japanese license plate make for one sweet ride. I love it!

Above: 1966 Chevy Nova II Wagon

Another car I thought Sam would enjoy. While not an Impala, it is a GM product finished in Mist Blue Metallic, just like his '65. Also like the '65 Impala, this has the 283 small block engine!

Above: Citroën SM: European Spec

Sometimes a car will become set in stone as a legend. The Citroën SM is one of those cars. The SM, along with the DS, are such influential and historical cars, they deserve their own page for their impact and legacy on car design and engineering alone. If you want to talk about cars ahead of their time that pushed boundaries like no other brand, look no further than Citroën during the Twentieth Century. Someday, we'll find one of these and give a history of these ground breaking automobiles.

Above: 1976 Mercedes Benz 220D (W123)

Of course, Mercedes Benz was properly represented by a W123 car. While there were R107 sports cars, this early model 220 Diesel is a bit more of a unicorn to see. 

Above: 1977 Datsun 280Z 5-Speed

These old Z-Cars are always a treat to see, especially a clean, well maintained car like this one. I absolutely love the bronze paint and the chrome spoked rims.

Above: 1963 Chevy Corvette Stingray "Split Window" w/ Fuel Injection

What a rare find. This '63 Split Window is truly all original numbers matching Corvette... ok cool we've seen that before. BUT WAIT, there's more. This is a car equipped with fuel injection, and a rare Monaco Blue and tan interior combination. 

Chevy used the fuel injection on a select number of cars, as it was an option for high performance spec vehicles. It was most commonly seen on Corvettes and other early '60s GM muscle cars, but once the engine displacement race began in the late '60s, factory fuel injected GM vehicles were a thing of the past, as Chevy began favoring their big block engines for their high performance vehicles. 1965 would be the final year for the option, but it would return almost 20 years later in 1982. 

Above: Lancia Flavia Mk. I Cabriolet

I don't believe I've ever photographed a Lancia before, but I'm pleased to have photographed such an uncommon vehicle. What makes this car more intriguing is the fact that its an import! Although it may look a LHD US vehicle, Lancia vehicles were sold officially in the US from 1975 until 1982. The Flavia Mk. I was produced from 1961 to 1971, meaning it would've never been officially imported by Lancia. We're definitely glad to have it over here!