Couple to display four cars, receive new honor at Hilton Head concours

The 2012 Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d'Elegance will include major international names in automotive collecting and racing when the event returns for its 11th-annual celebration Oct. 26-Nov. 4.

Among those names are Frank and Milli Ricciardelli of Monmouth Beach, N.J., who will be given the first-ever Honored Collector title. This designation reflects the appreciation for the loyalty the Ricciardellis have had to the Hilton Head Island Concours, the consistently high quality of automobiles that they have presented, including their 1933 Rolls-Royce Coupe that took home the Best in Show honor at the 2009 event, and their overall support of the car-collector hobby.

To celebrate this title, the Ricciardellis have chosen four automobiles that represent their collection and passion. These will be on display at the Motoring Festival Nov. 3-4.

The four cars include:

1926 Hispano Suiza Cabriolet H6B

Bodied in 1931 by Henri Chapron for the 1932 Paris auto show, although not documented, it is rumored that it was originally owned by the king of Tunisia. Brought into the United States in the 1950s by Alec Ulmann, the car was later sold to Joe Weider who used it extensively for 30 to 40 years. After having a complete body-off restoration, it debuted at Pebble Beach in 2004, where it was chosen Best in Class out of seven Hispanos.

1930 Cadillac V16 Convertible

One of 105 built, this Cadillac originally sold for $5,350. Initially purchased by a Virginia dentist from a New York City dealership, the car underwent a complete body-off restoration in 2001, bringing it to a 100-point automobile, shortly after the Ricciardellis took ownership. In addition to numerous awards including a National Award from AACA in 2002 and three separate awards at the 2011 Amelia Island Concours (Best in Class, Most Elegant Cadillac and the Barry Meguiar Award for Best Finish on an Automobile), the Cadillac was the poster car for the Burn Foundation in 2006.

1935 Duesenberg J-Dual Cowl Phaeton

Designed in-house by Buehrig, this Duesenberg is the only one of 19 short-body chassis originally fitted with a La Grande dual-cowl Phaeton body with the distinctive and striking attributes of 17-inch wheels, skirted fenders and a low-profile convertible top. This car was built on Feb. 28, 1934, and used for a while as a demonstration vehicle. It was delivered to Hugh Bancroft Jr. of Boston on Feb. 28, 1936. Shortly thereafter, it was purchased by the owner of the New York Times for $20,000 as a birthday present for his son's 20th birthday. The Ricciardellis took ownership of the car in 2001 and began a complete body-off restoration. Completed in time for the August 2003 concours d'elegance at Pebble Beach, it captured first place in its class. Just a few of the other awards the car has received include Best in Class and the People's Choice award at the 2004 Hilton Head Island Concours, the Auburn Cord Duesenberg national award at the annual AACA meeting in Philadelphia in 2004 and first place at the AACA Meet in Hershey, Pa., in 2003.

1938 Jaguar SS Coupe

A special-bodied, one-off coupe by Swiss coachbuilder Hermann Graber, this Jaguar was formally part of the noted collection of Jerry and Kathy Nell. The vehicle had a body-off restoration in the 1990s. After being purchased by Frank Ricciardelli in 2011, it was freshened up by RM Auto Restoration and made its East Coast debut in 2012 at the Amelia Island Concours, where it received Most Elegant Jaguar Award. It will compete in the 2012 Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance.

“We couldn't be more elated to have Frank and Milli accept this inaugural honor,” said Paul Doerring, chairman emeritus and one of the founders of the Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d'Elegance. “Their support, passion and contributions to the automobile-collector hobby is what makes this event, and many others, what they are. We are excited about the vehicles they have selected to showcase at this year's event and think the crowds will be blown away.”

www.hhiconcours.com

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