While at the Barrington concours in Barrington, Ill., last weekend, I encountered several examples of a feature that drives me absolutely nuts: club award badges drilled into the firewalls and cowls of vehicles.

The cars being drilled into aren’t just daily drivers – they’re pristine show cars that have been judged among their peers as top-flight examples of their kind. Often times, they are also very valuable cars, in both the historic and financial sense. For the quality of their restorations, cars and their owners have been rewarded with a tiny badge, which is great. But permanently affixing them to the body of a car is not the way to preserve that car for history.

I’m not going to mention the specific club badges I have seen through the years affixed in this manner, because many well-respected clubs are “guilty” of producing these badges.
In earning these badges, the club is rewarding the owner for bringing the car back to its original configuration. All of the wires must be of the correct type, the interior fabrics must be of the original style and the appearance must be as it was in the period the car was built. But adding one of these badges, which were not created in the time period the car was built, is adding a non-original feature. So, by judging a car as being so correct, isn’t it hypocritical to add an item that detracts from the car’s correctness? If it were a non-club badge permanently drilled into the car or even bolted on, wouldn’t the car be docked points for this feature?

I’m not fortunate enough to own a high-point car, but even I have an issue with drilling parts into my daily car or even modifying its appearance or mechanical function in even a temporary way. When I see it on a Classic car or other high-point car, it blows my mind.
Am I overreacting? I don’t think so. What do you think?

A reader asked that, because 1958 Cadillac Eldorado production numbers are lower than those for 1957 Eldo models, are 1958s worth more than 1957 Eldorados? Here's what I think:

For a long time, 1958 Cadillacs were the “black sheep” of 1950s Cadillacs, because many people found them to be very heavy-looking in a time when cars were getting lighter and more airy. Tack on the extra chrome and other trim of 1958 Cadillacs (mainly Series 60 and 62 models), and 1958 Cadillacs looked as heavy as the Queen Mary herself when parked next to more lithe Chrysler and Ford products from the same year. As a result of this prevailing negative attitude towards 1958s, those fans of 1958 Cadillacs formed their own chapter to the Cadillac LaSalle Club many years ago.
 
Today, of course, 1958s have become cherished collectibles for their part in the excess that was GM styling in the late 1950s. As far as comparing the 1958s to 1957s, it’s a close call, but the 1957s still seem to have the edge for their slightly cleaner styling. Either way, Eldo convertibles seem to be back on their way up the price ladder and both are equally appreciated.

What do you think?

While in Monterey, Calif., for Pebble Beach, I saw a TV commercial for a special-edition Mustang Shelby GT California Special. According to the ad, only 200 were built exclusively for the northern California market.

The car pictured was black with silver stripes. Carroll Shelby was mentioned, but I am not sure to what extent he was involved with the creation of these cars. The cars have 319 horsepower and a unique gauge cluster.

This was the first I heard of these cars. Does anyone else know more?
Here’s the site mentioned on the ad for more info: www.YourCaliforniaFord.com.

At Pebble Beach, home of the world’s most elite car show (and, apparently, an expensive round of 18 holes), Aston Martin debuted its latest hole in one. There, the company presented its new super car, the DBS, which will replace the Vanquish that ended production in July. Vanquish sales totaled 2,600 super cars.

With an expected sale price in the $268,000 range, according to a company spokesman, the new DBS’ debut on some of the world’s most valuable real estate was wholly appropriate.

Production of the DBS will begin in November and will be the first Aston Martin to make extensive use of lightweight carbon fiber. Apparently concerned with weight, Aston Martin designers even battled the pounds down to the DBS’ lightweight cabin carpet, thereby maximizing the car’s performance abilities.

Ironically, the car will feature a new electronic starting device made of glass touted as “heavy,” a reaction to customer complaints that the supercar used a traditional key, evidently a faux pas in the world of super-expensive, super-stylish automobiles.

That key will turn over a 6.0L, 500-hp V-12 backed by a six-speed transmission. Halting duties are provided by quadruple carbon-ceramic brakes.

All of these attributes are enough to hook the new DBS in supercar territory, but in the world of thick wallets and matching egos, a car has to have beauty on the outside, too. And this isn’t a player that wears plaid to the course.

“We deliver with our engines what our bodies promise,” said the spokesman.
It’s a weighty promise. Fortunately, the design of the DBS closely resembles its popular Vanquish predecessor. The traditional Aston Martin grille remains up front and the tail lamps aren’t too different in shape from the Vanquish. Between are voluptuous curves, also very similar to those of the Vanquish.

“This is a beautiful car. If you don’t see it, you don’t deserve it,” the company rep said. But even if you do deserve it, you’d better have a Master’s Cup win in your past.