Judge, Jury and Editor

David Lillywhite joins the blazer brigade at Amelia Island

A CASUAL CHAT with Bill Warner, founder of the Amelia Island Concours, months ago, after a long day for both of us (especially Bill, who’d just flown in to London from Florida). ‘Hey, you should judge at Amelia!’ A smile and a nod from me – of course I’d love to, but I didn’t expect anything to come of it.

A few days later, an email arrives from one of Bill’s concours team, inviting me to judge, and offering accommodation and a place at the Saturday night gala dinner. Wow, the legendary hospitality of Bill Warner strikes again.

I have to miss the first judges’ meeting, on Friday evening before the concours, because I’m still on my way from Orlando airport – but the event has been pulled forward from the Sunday to the Saturday at late notice, so the first time I meet my fellow judges is early Saturday morning, just before we head out onto the field.

There are 119 of us! I’m with fellow Brit Andrew Bagley, co-organiser of Salon Privé, and experienced head judge Ford Heacock. We’re judging the Bentley class – ‘You must know all about them, being Brits’, opines Ford.

Chief judge David Schultz reminds us of the importance of judging the cars on elegance as much, or more than, on condition, and rams the point home that we must have our results in by 10.30am, before sending us on our way at 8am.

We’ve been eased in gently, with the Bentleys. There are just five of them, and one – an ex-Jayne Mansfield Continental Convertible – is marked up as DNJ (do not judge). So that leaves a 1949 Continental Shooting Brake, two S1 Park Ward Continental Coupés (1957 and ’58) and a 1953 Drophead Victoria.

We chat to the owners of all the cars before judging begins, letting them know the process. W hat great people! Then to the Shooting Brake, a wonderful vehicle that’s used by owner Andrew Benenson for family picnics. The first owner’s fishing rods are still clipped into the boot. The condition is good, not exceptional, but we love its story and rarity.

Next, the gold S1. It’s a beauty: so elegant, so sumptuous inside. Again, it’s used by the owner, and it’s hard to fault except for a handful of really minor points, like a piece of trim that isn’t quite as shiny as the rest.

But it’s not quite as striking as the neighbouring S1, which has been restored by Vantage Motorworks in stunning Alpine Grey over Black Garnet. Owner Don Turner points out the extra map pockets on the rears of the seats and the zipped map compartment in the headlining, specified from new by the first owner. ‘He must have really liked maps,’ says Don. And it is perfect in every detail.

Last but absolutely not least, the Drophead. Elegant, imposing, restored down to every detail, including the original crystal decanters and glasses in each door compartment.

This is a tough choice. We have to mark all four in order because if a car is awarded a corporate (sponsored) award then it can’t also win a class award, so the next best gets the trophy. It’s a system that ensures that more owners go home with a prize.

We confer. It’s so tight between the two-tone S1 and the Drophead. We walk round again, confer again. The Drophead has it! The twotone S1 is second, the gold S1 third, the Shooting Brake a very worthy fourth.

In fact, the two-tone S1 gets a special Amelia Island prize anyway, which makes us feel much better; but first we line up in the arena for the judges’ introduction, in which Bill Warner walks round with a microphone, introducing every judge off the top of his head. I have Luigi Chinetti to my left, Derek Bell to my right. Not bad… Further along the line is Norman Dewis, now 96 years old, who receives a huge cheer.

After the introductions, we head off to place the award ribbons on the two cars in our class. It’s been a great experience – and is yet another insight into one of our favourite car shows in the world.