As I drive home, I’m on the expressway, cruising at speed. My eye catches a single leaf that is attracted to my car like it’s stuck in a vacuum. Somehow, the leaf wraps its desiccated body around the windshield wiper arm. I can smell its dry, brittle scent. The smell of autumn. I suddenly had a thought.
“Was that the last auto event for the season?”
Rewind back 7 hours. Let’s go back to the beginning. The event in mention is the annual 28 Liberty car show, hosted by Carpark in the financial district of Manhattan. Like many other Carpark events, organizers Rob Blackman, Jeffrey Einhorn, and Liz Gilchrist create a show that is as much a celebration of the cars as it is a gathering of people. In Jeff’s own words, ‘a three-dimensional event’. With food, wine, cars, and even a marching brass band, there aren’t many events that have the same milieu.
The annual 28 Liberty Car Show
At the helm of my ‘83 Porsche 911, built at Potzinger Rewerks, I zip down Broadway and nearly miss my turn, as I see one of the volunteers directing me to turn left onto Cedar. I’ve never been to a 28 Liberty event, so I have no idea where I’m meant to go. Luckily the ground crew knows better than I do.
The wait is understandably long as Jeff needs to direct some 85 cars, a mix of vintage and exotic, up a fabricated metal ramp. Jason Berkely of Fosun (the holding company for 28 Liberty), and his team, are given credit for the crafting of the ramp. It’s gone from a somewhat exposed, somewhat nerve-racking fabrication to a solid platform. Some adjustments need to be made, specifically when the drivers are a little too excited to get up the ramp.
In my holding pattern, I start to notice the sun creeping through the buildings. The morning was brisk, but it was going to turn out to be a beautiful day. I pull up to the ramp, and 10,000 people stare at my car, waiting for it to stall. The bullets are sweating and I creep up. Jeff stops to have a conversation with someone. I’m cool. Clutch partially engaged, halfway up the ramp. All good, time to continue. I make it to the top, I’m a pro.
Swap pleasantries with Jeff as he thanks me for the Bridge article. He then directs me to Greg Strassberg who is in charge of parking and organizing the cars, along with Frank Ditta, Andrew Greenwald, as well as a host of other volunteers. Greg is on point, telling me what angle to park and then readjusting as he measures the space with a few swift steps. The whole time his pup is with him, trying to keep up with its lil legs. The stress of entry is over and now it’s time to grab the camera and shoot some cars. As my buddy, Steve K always says, “We gotta get the cars moving”
So, I ran back to the entrance to watch Jeff masterfully orchestrate each car up the ramp. The owners putting all their trust in him. The shutter blasts away and the hours melt into the backdrop of these gorgeous vehicles on a sunny Saturday morning in October. The day becomes a blur. I sample some beer from Kosovo and catch up with my old buddy Geo, who I met in College in Australia. One of the best parts of these events is seeing car friends, like Khalil Cora, Alex Beras, Davin Dong, and Mark Skinner from Zurich Classic Motors, as well as meeting new car friends.
As we chat, the Shag Horns breeze past me. They’re the marching brass band that plays multiple times during the day. I decide to draft them to get up to speed. This helps me circle around and take in all the cars. The centerpoint of the show is a void deck water feature that’s encircled with Porsches. 24 Stuttgartian vehicles in total, with everything from Lake Underwoods 356 to later water-cooled monsters. Down the steps are a Lada, a Defender, and a G-Wagon. It’s hard to think of a better threesome for the steps. Lady Grace also has her Huracán Sterrato parked as if it’s gonna follow the G-Wagon down.
On the further end is probably the most stunning display at the show. A Fiat Abarth 750 Zagato parked under Jean Dubuffet’s sculpture entitled “Group of Four Trees.” The playful curves of the Italian coach-built Fiat counter the stark, almost hand-drawn look of Dubuffets trees. The two make sense together but I’m not entirely sure why. Maybe Dubuffet had a chance to glimpse a 750 in the early 60s when he was experimenting with music and sound. In my mind, I imagine him taking inspiration from the vroom of the lil engine, as it whips past him on the streets of Paris.
There is still a treasure trove of vehicles I’ve yet to engage with, so I move on. The light is hitting a Maserati as it parks partially under the building’s overhang. I can see the nose of the 246 GTS Dino and Ferrari 512M sticking out. Wrapped around the building are more makes and marques. A section of BMWs from E30s and E46 M3s to Clown Shoes. A straight six E-type Jag. Mark’s Saab 99 Turbo. A lone VW Golf GTI and Dodge Viper RT10. A pair of Skylines and an E46 M3 wagon peeking out. I can go on with the naming of the cars but the images attached to this article will do a better job than my ramblings.
Unfortunately, the day does have to come to an end and the notification is made for everyone to start lining up for the departure from 28 Liberty. The wait is long so I idle and watch as each car is directed back down the ramp. I find myself back on the road, staring at the wilted leaf that’s hanging onto my windshield wiper blade for dear life. I wonder if this inanimate object will find a way to follow me back home when a gust of wind takes it in the other direction. Freeing it from the clutches of the windshield and up and over the car. At that moment I realize that this is the last big event of the year but I’m ok with that. It was a brilliant conclusion to the 2023-24 season and I look forward to next year.
