Three Shows Offer Elegance From Rodeo Drive to the Coast

There are hundreds of car shows around Southern California during the course of a year, and for buffs they are all worth a look. Here are three of the biggest and best: shows that celebrate the motor vehicle as a forum for artistic expression.

Concours on Rodeo. June 20, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rodeo Drive between Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards, Beverly Hills.

More than 80 classic vehicles, from Duesenbergs and Delahayes to Ferraris, custom hot rods and classic woodies. DaimlerChrysler is the sponsor, so there also will be a show of Chrysler’s famed stable of concept cars, as well as a display of cars owned by entertainers and famous auto designers.

Admission to the concours is free.

Information: (310) 360-7800.

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Newport Beach Concours d’Elegance. Oct. 3, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pelican Hill Golf Club, Newport Beach.

The featured marque this year is the Packard, and there will be a special show of custom hot rods. The crowds are smaller and the pace more leisurely than at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, but the cars are still gorgeous. There is a rally and tour of private auto collections the day before the show. Proceeds go to the Assessment and Treatment Services Center of Central Orange County.

Cost: $20 for adults, $15 for children and senior citizens. Call for entry information and fees for the rally and tour.

Information and tickets: (949) 225-4105, Ext. 12.

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Torrey Pines Concours d’Elegance. Oct. 17, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course, La Jolla.

Bigger than Newport but smaller than Pebble, Torrey gets better each year. The featured marques for 1999 are Bentley and Rolls Royce. There’s a road rally Oct. 15, and a hill climb for vintage cars and a classic-car auction by Christie’s on the 16th. All of the events benefit the Institute for Childhood and Neglected Diseases at the Scripps Institute.

Cost: $20. Call for entry fees for the rally and hill climb.

Information and tickets: (619) 642-7469. E-mail: torreypines1@fda.net.

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John O’Dell can be reached via e-mail at john.odell@latimes.com.