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172 Rob Fisher of the Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

172 Rob Fisher of the Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

Bring a Trailer Podcast Jun 11, 2026 61 min
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About this episode

Rob Fisher of the Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance joins Bring a Trailer Podcast to walk through a 70th-anniversary celebration built around judging, community, and logistics. The hosts lay out the weekend’s rhythm—June 28, plus a June 26 kickoff and Saturday’s Tour d’Elegance with 80–100 cars. They preview featured themes like Mercedes-Benz’s 100th anniversary and a 1939 540K with royal provenance, while also discussing how concours culture has evolved, including volunteer judging and the Phoenix Award.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Car

250 GTO

"I mean, we've had everything from SP2 Ferrari to 250 GTO to last year, we had the Wiener Mobile."

The 250 GTO is a legendary old Ferrari. It’s famous with collectors and shows up at top-tier car events because it’s rare and historically important.

Car

Ferrari SP2

"I mean, we've had everything from SP2 Ferrari to 250 GTO to last year, we had the Wiener Mobile."

Ferrari SP2 is a rare, special Ferrari supercar. It’s the kind of car you’d expect to see at a fancy car show because it’s limited and hard to find.

Car

Wiener Mobile

"we had the Wiener Mobile. And by the way, it was amazing because it took me over 10 years. It's a little unknown secret. You have to apply online and there are five Wiener mobiles all over the country. ...when I got that email telling me that the Wiener Mobile was going to be coming, I absolutely flipped out."

The Wiener Mobile is the big hot-dog truck from Oscar Mayer. It’s a fun, recognizable novelty vehicle that people get excited to see at car events.

Term

Children's Choice Award

"No. And the Wiener Mobile won the Children's Choice Award, as you would expect."

A Children’s Choice Award is a prize where kids pick their favorite car. It’s basically the kids’ version of a “best car” award at the show.

Term

special roaster

"And so we're getting this beautiful 1939 540K special roaster that has unbelievable provenance history, royal history."

A roadster is an open-top car, usually without a hard roof. The host is describing a special version of the 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K with that kind of open-body style.

Term

provenance history

"And so we're getting this beautiful 1939 540K special roaster that has unbelievable provenance history, royal history."

Provenance history means the car’s “paper trail”—who owned it and what its background is. For collectors and car shows, that history helps prove the car’s story is real and important.

Concept

resto mods

"you see a lot of those types of shows are still very popular these days. You know, tuner shows, low rider, modified hot rod, you know, resto mods. The good guys are still going"

A restomod is an older car that’s been fixed up, but also upgraded with modern parts. It keeps the classic style, but tries to make it drive and feel better than the original.

Topic

Concord

"But traditional Concord, which the core of that is unmodified, you know, original, that's getting harder and to get people that have their cars like that. And when you start talking about the really older cars, the pre-war cars..."

In this conversation, “Concord” refers to car-show events where people bring cars to be displayed and judged. The host is saying it’s getting harder for certain owners and cars to participate.

Term

pre-war cars

"And when you start talking about the really older cars, the pre-war cars, a lot of the folks that owned those no longer own them have passed away. You can't work on them, can't get parts."

“Pre-war cars” refers to automobiles built before World War II. They’re often harder to maintain today because many parts are scarce, and fewer specialists and owners remain who have the knowledge and access to original components.

Concept

marquee cars

"And then when you talk about some of these, you know, these marquee cars, what really is interesting is some of those have become so valuable that it's too expensive to take them out, you know, because of the insurance."

“Marquee cars” are the big-name cars—usually the most famous or valuable ones at a show. When they’re extremely expensive, owners may avoid taking them out because it costs more and carries more risk.

Term

insurance

"what really is interesting is some of those have become so valuable that it's too expensive to take them out, you know, because of the insurance. And before it used to be, yeah, we'll just put it on a trailer"

Here, “insurance” is the coverage cost for expensive cars. If a car is worth a lot, moving it to events can raise the risk and the insurance cost, so owners may keep them at home.

Term

trailer

"And before it used to be, yeah, we'll just put it on a trailer and we'll take it. But because of, again, like values and insurance and risk and all that kind"

A trailer is how you haul a car instead of driving it. For expensive classic cars, owners often trailer them to shows, but now the cost and risk can be higher.

Concept

special rider

"Now, very few take their cars out anymore, unless they get a special rider. And frankly, they a lot of times elast the Concord itself to pay for that."

A “special rider” is extra insurance coverage added to a policy for a specific situation. In this case, it likely means coverage for taking a valuable car to an event.

Car

Mercury Villager

"...Standard and Chronicle, Hillsborough Boutique and Villager, you know, it was quite popular, you know, and th..."

The Mercury Villager is a minivan, meaning it’s a family-focused vehicle built to carry people and cargo comfortably. It was made for everyday driving rather than sports performance. People might mention it because it’s a distinctive model from the minivan era.

Car

Mazda Rx7

"Yeah, with Kruco. And it's funny, [2123.0s] I bought a Putnam Mazda, I bought an RX7 from that. Is that right?"

The Mazda RX-7 is a sports car from Mazda that’s famous for a unique engine design. Instead of a normal piston engine, it uses a rotary engine, and people often love it for driving feel and mod potential.

Brand

Porsche Burlingame

"Neutralize it now. It's just [2158.7s] Porsche Burlingame. Yeah, that's right."

Porsche Burlingame is a Porsche dealership. The host is mentioning it to explain how local car dealers support the event.

Brand

Lambo

"And they had a phenomenal like [2183.3s] Lambo on the field. And the guy walked up and was like, [2186.8s] I want it."

“Lambo” is a casual nickname for Lamborghini, a brand that makes expensive supercars. The speaker is saying someone saw a Lamborghini on the show field and wanted it.

Brand

Royal Automobile Club

"I actually joined the Royal Automobile Club. Oh, is that right? Wow, cool."

The RAC is a long-established UK organization for car enthusiasts and motorists. The host brought it up as a way he got involved in car culture while living in London.

Brand

Goodwood Road Racing Club

"I joined Goodwood Road Racing Club and just immersed myself in it and really became in love with both British cars and Italian cars."

This is a UK car club tied to the Goodwood area. People join to connect with track events and the historic racing scene.

Car

Renault Spot Spider

"and try to look for different cars. You talked to different people and I was looking for either a 1956, 1957 Alpha Spider, which is really kind of my sweet spot, Spider Veloce, right? So I was looking at all kinds of different spots and my buddy said, you know, you ought to check"

The Renault Sport Spider is a small open-top sports car, meaning you can drive with the top down. It’s made to feel sporty and fun on the road. People bring it up when they’re talking about roadsters they want to own or compare.

Term

Spider Veloce

"I was looking for either a 1956, 1957 Alpha Spider, which is really kind of my sweet spot, Spider Veloce, right?"

“Veloce” is Italian for “fast.” When people say “Spider Veloce,” they mean a sportier, more performance-oriented version of that Alfa Romeo Spider.

Car

1957 AC Aseca Racecar

"And one day, somebody put in a link that you guys publish to an eBay ad for 1957 AC Aseca Racecar. I had no idea what the hell AC Aseca was."

This is a 1957 AC Ace-based car that was turned into a race car. The important part is that it wasn’t just a normal classic—it was modified and used for racing.

Term

Bristol motor

"Well, the original car, so it had a Bristol motor. So the AC Aseca Bristol."

“Bristol motor” just means the car used an engine made by Bristol. In this case, it’s the reason the car is called an “AC Ace Bristol.”

Car

AC Cobra

"But the AC Ace is the car that the AC Cobra was that became. Carol Shelby got the chassis from AC and turned those into the Cobra."

The AC Cobra is the famous AC-based sports car that Carroll Shelby helped turn into a V8-powered legend. The host is connecting the Cobra’s look and chassis roots back to the AC Ace.

Car

Shelby Cobra

"...tol engine. But the AC Ace is the car that the AC Cobra was that became. Carol Shelby got the chassis fro..."

The Shelby Cobra is a classic sports car known for being fast and exciting. It’s associated with Carroll Shelby and is built with a focus on road-racing performance. People talk about it because it has an iconic design and a strong racing history.

Term

Coupe Cobra

"Well, picture a Coupe Cobra. Because you look at it from the front, it looks just like a Cobra. But it's a Coupe, two door Coupe."

A “Coupe Cobra” is a Cobra-style car with a closed two-door body. It’s basically about the body shape—more like a coupe than an open-top roadster.

Term

four speed with an overdrive

"It had a at a four speed with an overdrive in it."

This means the car has a manual gearbox with four gears, and the top gear is designed to let the engine spin slower at speed. That can make the car easier to drive without revving as high.

Term

straight six

"Locked a Norma build overdrive had a straight six Bristol engine, which is the motor that came out of the early BMWs."

A “straight six” is an engine with six cylinders in a single row. The host is saying this car used that kind of engine.

Term

La Carrera

"because he wanted to run in the La Carrera, Pan Americana. And it ran in the La Carrera."

“La Carrera” is the name of a racing event. The host is mentioning it to explain why the car was modified for competition.

Term

Pan Americana

"because he wanted to run in the La Carrera, Pan Americana. And it ran in the La Carrera."

“Pan Americana” is part of the racing-event name the host mentions. It’s included to show what kind of competition the car was built for.

Term

road rally car

"And he actually, I believe either the Colorado Grand or the Copper State, one or the other in it. Because it was a great road rally car. Event car, yeah."

A road rally car is a car prepared for rally events where you drive a route on roads, often with navigation. The goal is usually to finish the event reliably and consistently, not just to go as fast as possible.

Term

Fulva

"Perfect. I mean, it previously had a Fulva in it, you know, the whole old school mileage thing."

“Fulva” sounds like a specific engine or performance setup that was installed in the car before. It’s the kind of detail enthusiasts mention because it affects how the car makes power and how it’s raced.

Term

HMSA

"So, after buying it, yeah, I raced it in HMSA and CSRG, Hunan and Sears and Thunder Hill."

HMSA is a racing series/club the speaker raced with. It’s the kind of group that organizes races for older cars so they can compete in the same events.

Term

CSRG

"So, after buying it, yeah, I raced it in HMSA and CSRG, Hunan and Sears and Thunder Hill."

CSRG is another racing group/series the speaker raced in. These acronyms usually stand for organizations that put on races for specific classes of cars.

Term

middle of the pack

"And what am I going to get? You know, it's a hundred and 2000 and thirty horsepower car. We're always going to be in the middle of the pack."

“Middle of the pack” is a racing placement description meaning the car is competitive enough to finish regularly but not consistently challenging for the top positions. In motorsport terms, it often reflects a balance of power, setup, and driver pace relative to the field.

Car

Chevrolet Corvette

"...ou know, and the problem is within that, that has Corvettes and there's Ferraris in there too. You get your d..."

The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car made by Chevrolet. It’s designed to be fast and fun to drive, and it has been around for many years. People talk about it a lot because there are many different versions that collectors look for.

Car

2007 Audi RS4

"I sold my 1960 Austin Haley BT-7. [2872.7s] There you go. [2873.4s] I sold my 2007 Audi RS4. [2879.2s] Nice."

This is a performance Audi RS4 from 2007. It’s the kind of car enthusiasts buy for a more exciting driving feel than a normal A4.

Term

RS4 Avant

"So, well, when I was living in London, I got turned into the RS4 and the RS4 Avant. [2895.6s] They had stuff we didn't have. [2896.8s] The wagon. The wagon is the ultimate grocery getter."

“Avant” is Audi’s word for a wagon. So “RS4 Avant” means the fast RS4, but in a body style that can carry more stuff than a sedan.

Term

BAT

"But you sold it on BAT. Yeah, I had it delivered to my friend before I even moved back from London. ... I wish you would say you're buying all these on BAT."

BAT is short for Bring a Trailer, a website where people buy and sell cars through online auctions. It’s popular with car enthusiasts because the listings tend to be interesting cars, not just basic transportation.

Term

Ultimate sleeper car

"So drove that, my daily driver. Great, great. Ultimate sleeper car. Yes."

A “sleeper” is a car that doesn’t look like a big deal, but it’s secretly very quick. “Ultimate sleeper” means it’s the best example of that idea.

Car

Audi R8

"So I sold that and I got a 2009 R8. Oh, wow. Yeah, Rugello Blue with Silver Blades."

The Audi R8 is a supercar made by Audi. In 2009, it was the first-generation R8, and it’s known for being a real mid-engine sports car that still feels usable day to day.

Car

Audi Q3

"That Audi Q3 replaced it. But now I've got my Jag F-Type."

The Audi Q3 is a smaller Audi SUV/crossover. He’s saying he switched to it after the R8 situation didn’t work out.

Car

Jag F-Type

"That Audi Q3 replaced it. But now I've got my Jag F-Type."

The Jaguar F-Type is a sporty Jaguar car. He’s saying this is what he’s driving now.

Car

275 GTB

"Yeah, I brought a 275 GTB. That was sweet. Red and tan."

The Ferrari 275 GTB is a famous old Ferrari. It’s known for its smooth V12 engine and classic design, and it’s the kind of car car people get excited about seeing in person.

Car

Ford Mustang

"...body had pulled in a Porsche 9146 and then an old Mustang. And then we had a couple Alpha GTBs here we talk..."

The Ford Mustang is a sports car from Ford that’s known for its powerful engines and classic styling. It’s been made for a long time, so there are many different versions. People often mention it because it’s easy to recognize and has a big enthusiast following.

Car

Porsche 9146

"...like buy sandwiches. And somebody had pulled in a Porsche 9146 and then an old Mustang. And then we had a couple..."

The Porsche 914 is a sports car made by Porsche with the engine placed in the middle of the car. That layout helps it handle more like a true sports car. It’s talked about because it’s a recognizable Porsche model with a dedicated fan base.

Car

1970 Mini Cooper S

"Before I was working there, I had this awesome 1970 Mini Cooper S. That was Robin's Egg Blue, White Top, Australian."

This is a 1970 Mini Cooper S, a small classic British car that’s famous for being fun and agile. The speaker’s specific one is an Australian version with right-hand drive, so some parts and exterior details are different from other countries’ Minis.

Term

right-hand drive

"So really rare Australian right-hand drive. Super great cars."

Right-hand drive just means the steering wheel is on the right side of the car. It’s common in countries that drive on the left, and it can also change some parts and layout details versus left-hand-drive cars.

Term

rain gutters

"Yeah, had the rain gutters. Yeah, yeah."

Rain gutters are the little channels along the roof that catch water and route it away from the car. Different versions of the same model can have slightly different gutter shapes.

Term

window handles

"The window handles and the door handles were different. That's right."

Window handles are the knobs or levers you use to move the car’s windows. The speaker is saying the Australian version used different handle parts than other versions.

Term

door handles

"The window handles and the door handles were different. That's right."

Door handles are the outside parts you grab to open the doors. The speaker is pointing out that the Australian version had different door-handle hardware than other Minis.

Term

exterior latch

"The exterior latch. That's right."

The exterior latch is the part that the outside door handle works to lock or unlock the door. The speaker is saying the Australian car used different latch hardware.

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