Bill Warner, founder of the Amelia Island Concours
About this episode
Bill Warner, founder of the Amelia Island Concours, joins Wayne Carini and Jay Ward at the Chattanooga Motor Fire Festival to discuss the evolution of car shows, the unique appeal of Amelia Island, and the challenges of event timing. Bill shares stories about his 1971 Ferrari Daytona, once owned by GM VP Chuck Jordan, highlighting the car's history and quirks. The conversation touches on the blend of racing heritage and elegance in classic cars, the significance of car naming conventions, and the nostalgia surrounding rare models like the Cadillac CTS-V wagon. The episode offers insider perspectives on car culture and event curation.
Live from the Chattanooga Motorcar festival, Wayne and Jay are joined by Bill Warner, living legend and founder of the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. They discuss the details of the festival, the growth of Chattanooga, Bill Warner's involvement in the Amelia Island Concours, and their thoughts on various car models including the Ferrari Daytona and Dino.
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Road and Track
"Road and Track came on and they were looking for someone to cover the races in the southeast."
Road and Track is a popular car magazine that talks about different cars and racing. People who like cars often read it to learn more.
Road and Track is a well-known automotive magazine that covers car reviews, motorsports, and automotive culture. It has a long history of influential automotive journalism.
race car theme
"Well, I think that's why the show was so, so successful and popular, is that you had that race car theme to it."
A race car theme means the show was mostly about cars that race or are built to go really fast on tracks.
A race car theme refers to focusing on cars that are designed or modified specifically for racing, emphasizing performance, speed, and motorsport heritage.
automobile racing
"You know, but it was basically put around and, and, and evolved around automobile racing, which was your world."
Car racing is when drivers compete to see who can drive the fastest on a track or course.
Automobile racing refers to competitive motorsport events where drivers race cars on tracks or closed circuits, testing speed, skill, and vehicle performance.
racing drivers
"That, and I made a point of getting famous drivers in like Richard Petty, Johnny Rutherford, John Sirtees, Dan Gurney, and the thing was anybody who came to America can meet those folks, shake their hands, get pictures made."
Racing drivers are people who drive cars very fast in races and sometimes become famous for it.
Racing drivers are professional or amateur drivers who compete in motorsport events, often becoming famous for their skill and achievements in various racing series.
Ferrari Daytona
"...you brought it. Um, they asked me to bring a 1971 Ferrari Daytona. Uh, this was an interesting car."
This Ferrari is a very special and rare car that looks like old racing cars but has new technology inside. It’s very fast and only a few people can own one.
The Ferrari Daytona SP3 is a limited-edition supercar that pays homage to Ferrari’s classic racing heritage, combining modern technology with retro styling. It is notable for its exclusivity and performance, making it a highlight in any automotive discussion.
Chevrolet Corvette
"...ss driving a Ferrari? You know, he should drive a Corvette and it was, it was kind of, uh, uh, a tough thing..."
The Corvette is a fast and stylish car made in America. People like it because it can go really fast but doesn't cost as much as some fancy European cars.
The Chevrolet Corvette is an iconic American sports car known for delivering high performance at a relatively affordable price. It is often compared to European sports cars like Ferrari, making it a popular topic when discussing value and driving experience.
General Motors
"from the GM archives and from his own, from when he had the car, but, you know, it's kind of funny. Designers, uh, for other manufacturers, particularly General Motors, they really liked Ferraris."
General Motors is a big American company that makes many types of cars and trucks, including brands like Chevrolet and Cadillac.
General Motors (GM) is a major American automotive manufacturer known for brands like Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC. GM has a long history of producing a wide range of vehicles from mass-market to luxury.
Ferrari Boxer
"He had a Daytona, he had a Boxer, Hank Hager, had a short wheelbase,"
The Ferrari Boxer is a special Ferrari car with a flat engine shape, made in the 1970s and 1980s. It was designed to be fast and balanced.
The Ferrari Boxer is a nickname for Ferrari models from the 1970s and early 1980s that featured a flat-12 engine, such as the 512 BB. These cars were notable for their mid-engine layout and distinctive engine design.
cannibal record
"the Kirk White Daytona was the one that Dan Gurney and Brock Yates set the cannibal record with. Coast to coast."
The cannibal record is a special speed record where drivers race from one side of the U.S. to the other as fast as possible. Dan Gurney and Brock Yates did this in a Ferrari Daytona.
The 'cannibal record' refers to a famous coast-to-coast speed record set across the United States. Dan Gurney and Brock Yates drove a Ferrari Daytona to set this record, demonstrating the car's endurance and speed over long distances.
Ferrari 365 GTB
"Well, it did, the press gave it the name Ferrari never called it until then. Right, it was just a 365 GTB. And Ferrari, I thought, was pretty cool at the time."
The Ferrari 365 GTB is a famous sports car made by Ferrari. People called it the 'Daytona' because of its racing success, but Ferrari just called it the 365 GTB.
The Ferrari 365 GTB is a classic grand touring car produced by Ferrari, known for its powerful V12 engine and iconic design. It was commonly referred to as the 'Daytona' by the press, although Ferrari never officially used that name.
model number
"And to an extent today, the model number told you what about the car? 365, 365, said, uh, cylinder, times 12, gave you the 4.4 liter displacement."
Ferrari uses numbers in their car names to tell you about the engine size and how many cylinders it has.
Ferrari's model numbers often encode technical details about the car, such as engine displacement and cylinder count. For example, '365' refers to the displacement per cylinder in cubic centimeters times the number of cylinders.
Berlinetta
"GT was grand touring, B was Berlinetta, hard top coupe, yeah."
Berlinetta means a sporty two-door car with a hard roof, made for driving fast and looking good.
Berlinetta is an Italian term used by Ferrari and other manufacturers to describe a sporty, two-door coupe with a fixed roof. It often indicates a performance-oriented version of a grand touring car.
grand touring
"GT was grand touring, B was Berlinetta, hard top coupe, yeah."
Grand touring means a car is made to drive fast and comfortably for a long time, like on a road trip.
Grand touring (GT) refers to cars designed for high-speed, long-distance driving with a combination of performance and comfort. GT cars typically have powerful engines and more luxurious interiors.
Ferrari 308
"even today, you know, 308 was a three liter eight cylinder,"
The Ferrari 308 is a famous sports car with a 3-liter engine, and its name tells you about the engine size.
The Ferrari 308 is a classic sports car from the late 1970s and 1980s, named for its 3.0 liter V8 engine, reflecting the traditional naming convention based on engine displacement.
engine displacement naming
"even today, you know, 308 was a three liter eight cylinder, 328, 3.2 liter. ... it was an S class, it was a 550, it was a 5.5 liter, but like you say, J, that all changed."
Some cars use numbers in their names to tell you how big the engine is, like 3.0 liters or 5.5 liters.
Engine displacement naming is the practice of using numbers in car model names to represent the engine's size in liters or cubic centimeters, such as '308' for a 3.0 liter V8.
Ferrari 328
"328, 3.2 liter."
The Ferrari 328 is a sports car with a 3.2-liter engine, and its name shows how big the engine is.
The Ferrari 328 is the successor to the 308, featuring a 3.2 liter V8 engine, continuing the tradition of naming cars based on engine displacement.
Mercedes-Benz E63
"Now why Mercedes in the last couple years you pull up behind a 6.3 and it's not really 6.3 anymore, it's a 4.0 twin turbo, and they're like, well, what do you want to get? E63, well, it's not really."
The Mercedes E63 is a fast version of a Mercedes car that used to have a big 6.3-liter engine but now has a smaller, more powerful turbo engine.
The Mercedes-Benz E63 is a high-performance variant of the E-Class sedan, traditionally featuring a 6.3 liter naturally aspirated V8, but recent models use a smaller 4.0 liter twin-turbocharged engine while retaining the '63' badge.
BMW E63
"Yeah, right, right, right. E63, well, it's not really. You know, that funny, wel..."
The BMW 6 Series is a nice and comfortable car that is also fun to drive. It looks good and has many features to make driving enjoyable.
The BMW 6 Series is a luxury grand tourer known for its blend of performance, comfort, and style. Different generations, like the E63, are often discussed for their driving dynamics and technological features.
numbers and letters naming convention
"And numbers, you know, for a while there, the manufacturers went down the road of numbers and letters, you know, Q45, S550."
Car makers often use numbers and letters in car names to tell you about the car's size or type, like Q45 or S550.
Many car manufacturers use a combination of numbers and letters to name their models, often indicating engine size, class, or features, such as the Infiniti Q45 or Mercedes S550.
Mercedes-Benz S550
"Well, the Mercedes had made sense, and it was an S class, it was a 550,"
The Mercedes S550 is a fancy car where the number 550 means it has a 5.5-liter engine.
The Mercedes-Benz S550 is a luxury sedan from the S-Class lineup, with the '550' traditionally indicating a 5.5 liter engine displacement.
Infiniti Q45
"...t down the road of numbers and letters, you know, Q45, S550. Well, the Mercedes had made sense,"
The Q45 is a fancy car made by Infiniti that was designed to be comfortable and powerful. It helped make Infiniti a well-known luxury car brand.
The Infiniti Q45 is a luxury sedan introduced in the late 1980s as Nissan’s flagship model, offering a blend of performance and comfort. It is notable for its role in establishing Infiniti as a serious competitor in the luxury market.
car model naming trends
"So then now I'm glad to see Cadillacs going back to names, the Lyric, the Celeste, and it's kind of interesting."
Car companies sometimes stop using numbers and letters and start giving their cars real names to make them easier to remember.
Car manufacturers sometimes change their naming strategies, moving from numbers and letters to actual names to create stronger brand identities, as seen with Cadillac's Lyric and Celeste.
Cadillac Lyric
"...'m glad to see Cadillacs going back to names, the Lyric, the Celeste, and it's kind of interesting."
The Lyriq is a new Cadillac car that runs only on electricity. It’s a big SUV that looks modern and uses the latest technology.
The Cadillac Lyriq is Cadillac’s first all-electric SUV, marking the brand’s shift towards electrification with modern design and advanced technology. It represents Cadillac’s future direction in luxury electric vehicles.
Cadillac Ctsv
"..., I've got one of the last cars that was numbers, CTSV. Yeah."
The CTS-V is a fancy Cadillac car that is also very fast and strong. It’s like a luxury car that can race with sportier cars.
The Cadillac CTS-V is a high-performance version of Cadillac’s CTS sedan, known for combining luxury with powerful V8 engines and sharp handling. It represents Cadillac’s effort to compete with European sports sedans and is appreciated by enthusiasts.
Ferrari 250 GT Lusso
"In the past, if you did a Lusso, if you did 275 GTB, you were talking, or variations of it, you'd be talking about production runs with 250 to 400 cars."
The Ferrari Lusso is an old Ferrari car made for comfortable long drives, and only a few were made, so it's special and rare.
The Ferrari Lusso (officially the 365 GT 2+2 Lusso) is a classic Ferrari grand tourer from the late 1960s, known for its luxurious design and limited production run of a few hundred units. It is considered a rare and desirable collector's car.
Ferrari 275 GTB
"...rari. In the past, if you did a Lusso, if you did 275 GTB, you were talking, or variations of it,"
This Ferrari is an old, very nice-looking car from the 1960s that was made to be both fast and comfortable for long drives. Many people love it because it looks great and is special.
The Ferrari 275 GTB is a classic grand tourer from the 1960s, celebrated for its beautiful design and strong V12 engine. It is highly prized by collectors and often referenced when discussing iconic Ferrari models.
Mercedes-Benz Mercedesbenz 300
"About the same in numbers they make made of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Goldwing. But you know, there's a lot of them out there,"
This Mercedes is an old, very fancy car from the 1950s that many people think is beautiful and special. It’s rare and worth a lot because not many were made.
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (W198) is a classic luxury sports car from the 1950s, famous for its elegant design and advanced engineering for its time. It is highly collectible and often discussed due to its historical significance and rarity.
Ferrari 308 GT4
"The last cheap Ferrari of that era was a through the GT4. The through the GT4s were the Bertone body cars."
The Ferrari 308 GT4 is a sports car made by Ferrari with a different style than usual. It was cheaper to buy but not as loved by fans.
The Ferrari 308 GT4 is a mid-engine sports car produced in the 1970s, notable for its Bertone-designed body which was a departure from Ferrari's usual Pininfarina styling. It was considered more affordable but less popular among enthusiasts.
Bertone body
"And the through the GT4s were the Bertone body cars. They weren't very loved for a long time."
Bertone is a company that designs how cars look. Some Ferraris were made with Bertone's style instead of the usual Ferrari style.
Bertone is an Italian design and coachbuilding company known for styling various cars, including some Ferraris. The 'Bertone body' refers to cars with bodywork designed by Bertone rather than Ferrari's usual designer, Pininfarina.
2 plus 2
"That car, which was essentially, they called it a 2 plus 2. It's like a 2 plus Hermae Village Chase."
A '2 plus 2' car has two seats in the front and two small seats in the back. The back seats are usually smaller and good for kids or short trips.
A '2 plus 2' car refers to a vehicle with two front seats and two smaller rear seats, offering limited rear passenger space. This layout balances sportiness with some practicality.
gated manual
"But the gated manual is kind of cool on those."
A gated manual is a type of stick shift where you can see the metal pattern that the gear stick moves through. It helps you know exactly which gear you're in and feels very mechanical.
A gated manual transmission features a visible metal gate plate that guides the gear lever into precise slots for each gear. It is often associated with classic Ferraris and is prized for its tactile and mechanical feel.
Ferrari 400
"But yeah, the other one is the 400. I talked to some of you, the 400 with an automatic ester, which is a reliable car. But those never, ever really, never really caught fire."
The Ferrari 400 is a big, comfortable car made by Ferrari that you could drive easily with an automatic transmission. It was designed more for long trips than racing.
The Ferrari 400 is a grand touring car produced by Ferrari from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s. It was notable for offering an automatic transmission option, which was unusual for Ferrari at the time, aiming to appeal to luxury GT buyers.
automatic transmission Ferraris
"Now, automatic transmission Ferraris, I don't know when the first one was. Well, probably the 400."
Most Ferraris have manual gearboxes, but some, like the 400, had automatic ones. This was unusual and not everyone liked it.
Ferraris traditionally came with manual transmissions, so models equipped with automatic transmissions were rare and sometimes controversial among enthusiasts. The Ferrari 400 was among the first to offer this option.
luxury touring car
"That's not a sports car. That's a touring car. Well, it's a luxury touring car."
A luxury touring car is a fancy, comfortable car made for long trips, not for racing or fast driving.
A luxury touring car is designed for comfortable long-distance driving with a focus on refinement and amenities rather than outright sports performance. The Ferrari Superfast is an example of such a car.
Shelby GT350
"...o French-Lake Indiana, I'm going to do a five-day GT350 tour with my friend, Bill Brine, and his Shelby."
Ford is a big car company from America that makes many different cars. One special car they make is the Shelby GT350, which is very fast and built for racing.
Ford is a major American automaker known for producing a wide range of vehicles, including performance models like the Shelby GT350. The GT350 is a high-performance variant of the Mustang, celebrated for its track capabilities and heritage.
Ford Mustang Shelby GT350
""Well, you tell Bill, when you go to that GT350 event that I want to be in on that next year. You know, that's high on my list for a car I'd like to have. But a 65 GT350 is such a visceral car. It's so cool. I've got one. I've got number 150.""
The 1965 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 is a special fast car made from the regular Mustang. It has a strong engine and is built to be very fun and exciting to drive, especially on race tracks.
The 1965 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 is a high-performance variant of the Mustang developed by Carroll Shelby. Known for its powerful V8 engine and track-focused design, it is a visceral and iconic muscle car from the 1960s.
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