Concours d’LeMons Monterey 2019: Celebrating the Best Automotive Mediocrity

For decades Monterey Car Week has celebrated the absolute cream of the automotive crop: nearly priceless Ferraris, historically-significant race cars and celebrated designers. And then there’s the Concours d’Lemons, the Saturday morning celebration of the odd, the mundane and the just plain weird. It’s the place to see perfect examples of Detroit-built wagons, strange homemade creations and post-apocalyptic art cars.

This year’s Concours d’Lemons, held August 17 on the grounds of Seaside City Hall in Seaside, California, celebrated two marques rarely associated with the glitz and glamour of Monterey: AMC—here well-represented with Gremlins, an Eagle and a Pacer—and Edsel, of which there were three.

The coveted Worst in Show award went to Mike Garrett's '03 FIERRI ENSO. It looked about as good as you'd expect, and we were all amazed to hear that, after sitting in a field for 10 years, Mike started a Kickstarter in order to finish the car. So it was a group effort by some folks with odd aspirations. 

Other standout attractions on the field included the absolute rustiest Karmann Ghia ever seen—parts were falling off of it as the show progressed—a dirt-encrusted Toyota Corona, a lifted Desoto, and the weirdest Packard this side of Warren, Ohio. We even had a '67 Bristol double-decker bus straight from England. 

Such fine displays of automotive perfection demanded the week’s best judges. Walking the grounds, clipboard in hand, were such honorees as the legendary Peter Brock, Wayne Carini and classic car tire magnate Corky Coker. 

The Concours d'Lemons was absolutely packed this year, with close to 7000-8000 people taking in the sights. It truly is a show for everyone, including Pebble Beach car owners, automotive celebrities and even a international TV crews. 

Thanks to the generosity of Classic Motorsports and Hagerty, both participants and spectators got to enjoy the show free of charge.

Here's your complete list of winners: 

Worst of Show - Mike Garrett's 2003 FIERRI ENSO (1986 Pontiac Fiero)

Rust Belt American Junk - Ford - 1961 Mercury Comet driven by Steve Moulton 

Rust Belt American Junk - GM - 1927 Chevy 1 Ton Truck driven by Dean Meltz 

Rust Belt American Junk - Other - 1949 Studebaker driven by Steve Hedke 

Rust Belt American Junk - Mopar - 1955 Desoto driven by Jen Steele 

Soul Sucking Japanese Appliance - 1988 Toyota Landcruiser driven by Ben Ellsworth

Der-SelfSatisfiedKrautenWagen - 1973 Electric VW Thing driven by Sean Potter 

Swedish Meatballs - 1979 Volvo 244 driven by Tony Bird

 

Unmitigated Gaul - 1961 Panhard PL17 driven by Ken Nelson 

Rueful Britannia - 1970 Triumph GT6 driven by Miles Cambell 

Kommunist Kars - 2016 Xiashudi driven by Steve Mandel 

Needlessly Complex Italian - 1958 Lancia Flaminia driven by Chuck Forward 

Best Back Seat - 1988 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser Wagon driven by Ross Harris

Slightly Better Than a Go Kart/Most Dangerous - 1959 Onan Cycle Car driven by Bill Hill 

Chronic Dick Teague Syndrome - 1974 Gremlin driven by John Johnston

Dedication to the Cause - 1949 Packard driven by Jim Callahan

Major Award - 1926 Bentley driven by Frank & Leah Gabrielli

Sight for Sour Eyes - 1960 Edsel Wagon driven by Mike Williams 

Deep Water Horizon Memorial Environmental Disaster Award - 1955 Desoto driven by Jen Steele 

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