January Concours Corner January 2014

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Happy New Years all! We hope you all had a great start to your New Year, are staying warm and keeping true to your resolutions. Of course you could also be like us and out on the slopes braving the cold. One of our resolutions we are keeping was to get in as much skiing as possible. This is one of the activities we look forward to in the winter when the automotive season has little to offer. With the coming of the New Year comes a major change in the leadership of the Concours program as the dynamic duo of Craig Ploetner and Hank Menkes depart after three years of jointly running the program during which we have witnessed unprecedented growth in participation of our workshops and concours events. Under their leadership the NNJR Concours program has truly become one of the most dynamic and respected in PCA. The proof of that shows at every regional, zone and national event as NNJR members consistently place in the top of their class wherever they show. Thanks guys for a great job! We hope both of you will remain active in the coming years.

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What is an NNJR Concours d’ Elegance

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What is an NNJR Concours d’Elegance A concours is a judged event where cars are prepared to “as delivered” condition. Points are deducted from a maximum possible value based on condition and cleanliness. Various concours rules are used depending on the level of competition. In simple terms, a Concours is a car show. The idea […]

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Implements of Mass Beautification

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Now that the holiday season is past and Porsche enthusiast’s thoughts are turning to warm weather activities, it is time to once again consider the proper way to care for and clean your prized vehicle. At past concours workshops Craig and I, as well as our guest presenters, talked much about preferred products and the proper methods of application. The best products and intentions, however, can go awry without the proper tools to apply and remove those products. This article will highlight some of those critical and labor-saving tools used in each step of general cleaning or prepping for a concours event.

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ID Signs 2012 Wrap Up

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As another amazing NNJR Concours season comes to a close, we had the pleasure of hosting our final workshop at ID Signs in South Hackensack, NJ. Jose DeLaCruz, the owner of ID Signs, put together a fantastic buffet for the crowd. This amazing epicurean delight was more fitting of a wedding than a Concours workshop. Jose is the consummate host and has one of the best facilities to run an indoor event. The topic du jour was winter storage and car care. This was the second year for the event which continues to draw one of the most inquisitive and involved crowds of our workshop season. With over 50 Porsche enthusiasts on hand we began our event. Hank and I divided the day into two sections, drivers and sleepers. I took the driver portion of the event with Hank taking the sleepers. As you might imagine the driver portion focused on the necessary steps involved in taking care of your car if you plan on driving it through the winter.

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Robb Francis Sports Cars – Concours on the Green

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The scene was set for one of the most picturesque concours events NNJR has ever hosted. Our stunning venue was the beautiful estate of Robb Francis in Bernardsville NJ. The five acres of manicured lawns accented by a serene pond provided a back drop that most concours organizers could only dream about. As the sound of big band jazz music filled the air from the speakers around the resort like pool, the stage was set for another NNJR block buster.

The key to any great concours event is the weather. This was the one element not in our favor. The forecast was for apocalyptic thunder and hail storms to blanket the area at any given time. Both Hank and I were getting phone calls from concours participants voicing their concerns about the dismal forecast. Nevertheless, by 8:30am the crowd started to file in. Almost everyone who pulled up had a tale of sour weather to tell. But upon arrival at our tranquil estate for the day, all concerns were quickly alleviated.

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Concours 2012 – NNJR 55th Celebration Wrap Up

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It is hard to believe; 75 Porsches on display, perfect weather, and over 550 NNJR members in one location. Sounds like a recreation of a German car equivalent of Woodstock, but in reality it was one epic celebration of NNJR’s 55th year in existence.

As the 8:00am hour rolled around, I pulled up to Harbor Hills Day Camp in Mendham to be greeted by Warren Gisser and Hank Menkes ready to get the event started. The weather could have not been more perfect. As we set up the display field, we optimistically prepared for a showing of 60 Porsches ranging in age from 1951 all the way to present day.

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The DIY Workshop

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Summer has fully arrived and for concours enthusiasts, that means that our annual “Do It Yourself Concours Workshop” was again part of our concours agenda. Ray Catena Porsche generously agreed to host this event at their outstanding service facility in Edison, NJ on June 3rd. 

Despite erroneous reports on the local radio station that Route 1 was closed in both directions at the Route 287 exit as a result of an overturned tanker truck, over forty members showed up for this workshop ready and eager to learn the tips, techniques and secrets of proper Porsche car care from our celebrated team of concours experts. With our club’s emphasis on recruiting new members, it was encouraging to see a number of new faces interested in proper Porsche care.

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The DIY Workshop

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Summer has fully arrived and for concours enthusiasts, that means that our annual “Do It Yourself Concours Workshop” was again part of our concours agenda. Ray Catena Porsche generously agreed to host this event at their outstanding service facility in Edison, NJ on June 3rd. 

Despite erroneous reports on the local radio station that Route 1 was closed in both directions at the Route 287 exit as a result of an overturned tanker truck, over forty members showed up for this workshop ready and eager to learn the tips, techniques and secrets of proper Porsche car care from our celebrated team of concours experts. With our club’s emphasis on recruiting new members, it was encouraging to see a number of new faces interested in proper Porsche care.

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Concours 2012: Welcome to the Club and Zone 1 Wrap Up

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Our first judged event of the season was held on May 5 at the Somerset Hills Learning Institute in Bedminster, New Jersey. SHLI was by far the best venue we ever had for an early season event. The facility was beautiful and possessed all the necessary attributes to create a blockbuster Concours event.

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Three for Three Plus One (You Should Have Been There)

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May 19 and 20 was the weekend of the 33rd annual PCA Zone 1 Concours and Rally. The format was reversed this year with the Concours on Saturday morning and the Rally on Sunday morning. This meant that you did not have to hurry back from the Rally and prepare your car for Sunday morning judging. It was not a big deal this year because the weather gods provided a weekend of spectacular weather. The base of the event was the Framingham, MA Sheraton right at exit 12 off the Mass Pike. We were hosted by the Northeast Region with Steve Ross as the event Chairman.

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