Concours d'Lemons Ruins Yet Another Fine Pebble Beach Car Weekend

It's back, like termites. The Concours d'Lemons returned to ruin an otherwise fine Monterey Car Week, plastering the lawn in front of the Seaside, California, city hall with wheeled detritus that should have been hauled away instead of celebrated. Oh well.

CHECK OUT THE WINNER OF THE PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS

No less a star than Wayne Carini drove this 1977 911 onto the Concours grounds. It was pouring smoke, and not fake smoke. It was a dangerous POS. It was co-sponsored by local used car lot Dodi Auto Sales. Dodi's daughters circulated among the crowd offering cookies to anyone who wanted them. I ate a few.

SoCal car collector Steve Mandell always brings something interesting to Lemons. This year it was a fine 1955 New Map Solito.

Dan Wilson's Subaru 360 is the same color as the Cheetos he was handing out for free.

Famed car writer Jason Torchinsky and two colleagues drove up from Los Angeles and slept in this fine Pontiac Aztek, complete with tent.

This guy set up his own exclusive hospitality suite. So Exclusive that No One was allowed in.

And yet, interlopers interloped.

Erik Lunn's 1988 Porsche 928 was done up in some kind of Safari theme. It won an award. Or maybe an awkward.

The owner dubber this 1974 Fiat 124 Sedan "Superleggera," or Light Weight. It's lightweight because rust has eaten away half the sheet metal! A bungee cord hooked into a rust hole keeps the rear deck lid in place.

Lemons County Corrections officers remove a miscreant, no doubt someone who didn't get the joke. Note the quality police work by the officer at the front of the van, apparently unaware of the arrest going on four feet from him. Quality police work!

Here they are waiting for the next law-abiding citizen. The van is a 1990 Dodge Maxivan that owner Jeff Niles of nearby Salinas didn't even know was a prison van. There are covers for the door handles inside to keep prisoners from opening the doors, for instance.

This sign was on the van's windshield.

When asked, Robert Peterson had no reason for why he piled this sculpture on the roof of his 1998 Geo Metro.

Andreas Wietzke, all the way from Frankfurt, Germany, brought this 1957 Lincoln convertible and named it Premiere Barbie.

Fred Hayes 1960 VW bus was just the front end and part of a roof, then Fred made it into this.

This former 1971 Lincoln Continental Town Coupe is named Buttercup.

Jason Niemi's 1985 Grumman Olson Kubvan was originally built as a prototype delivery vehicle for the U.S. Postal Service. Fewer than 500 of them were ever made, making it a collectible!

The girl is dressed as a lemon!

John Ficarra's 1979 Porsche 928 is for sale, in Le Mans racing livery, too.

Here there be pirates!

Roxanne and Wild Bill's 1966 VW Short Bus was set up for BBQ. Bill himself manned the propane torch and toasted hot dogs for humself and anyone who wanted one.

Mike Rhea's 1967 DAF Bestel Wagon came all the way from Tahoe City. It was in too good a shape for Lemons. It looked perfect.

The owner didn't even know what this is. The fender script says, Fiorine Canta. Looks vaguely Fiatish.

Buttercup's moment of glory! As it is declared Worst of Show, kids who have been given Silly String attack it from all angles. Much better than Pebble. Neigh!