Vintage Car Show at the Faneuil Hall

Does your local market host vintage car shows? Mine neither. Even if there were car shows here, the weather in the UAE is so hostile that I wouldn’t have bothered going anyway.

The historic Quincy Market in Boston, however, is the sort of place I wouldn’t mind visiting every week. Along with Faneuil Hall, North Market and South Market, Quincy Market is set around a cobblestone promenade where jugglers and musicians entertain the passers-by. The unique array of shops, restaurants and outdoor entertainment have made it a favorite destination for both locals and tourists alike.

In 1742 Peter Faneuil, Boston’s wealthiest merchant, built Faneuil Hall as a gift to the city. To better accommodate the merchants and shoppers, Faneuil Hall was then expanded in 1826 to include Quincy Market, which was designed in the then-popular Greek Revival style.

The Faneuil Hall was home to merchants, fishermen, and meat and produce sellers. It is where colonists first protested the Sugar Act in 1764.

Today, the first floor is still used as a lively marketplace and the second floor is a meeting hall where many Boston City debates are held. The fourth floor is maintained by the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company.

On July 4, the Declaration of Independence is read from the balcony of Faneuil Hall to commemorate its first reading on July 18, 1776 (typically at 10 AM).

Before I share pictures of the vintage cars, I wanted to show you this live statue, which I found quite entertaining:

Notice the water bottle? Yes, that’s for when this fellow gets thirsty. I’m not quite sure who he is supposed to be. Paul Revere, perhaps?

It’s a tough job.

The Vintage Car Show

Located at the West End Promenade at Faneuil Hall Marketplace and Quincy Market, cars were on display just steps from the best shops and restaurants in Boston’s Marketplace. It was really fun to be able to see them up-close, talk to the owners, and touch the vintage cars. Owners were happy to discuss the histories of their vehicles.

1960s Ford Galaxie Wagon

1977 Lotus Esprit S1

That look on the boy’s face is priceless.

The Lotus Esprit was unveiled at the Turin motor show in November 1972. Designer Giorgetto Giugiaro had wanted to call the car Kiwi, but Lotus management was intent on a name beginning with the letter E, as is Lotus tradition.

Interesting Fact: The Lotus Esprit was made famous in the 1977 James Bond film ‘the Spy Who Loved Me’. Roger Moore drove the Esprit in to the sea, where it then turned into a submarine.

1971 MGB GT

Manufactured and marketed by the British Motor Corporation (and later British Leyland), the MGB is a two-door sports car as a four-cylinder, soft-top roadster from 1962 until 1980.

The MGB GT was not only a good looking car of its time, but it offered saloon car comfort levels with a sports cars performance.

1964 MG MGB

This MG Model B was produced from September 1962 until July 1980 at the Abingdon Works when the last MG B rolled off the production line.  The Plant was closed by Margaret Thatcher as part of the British Government’s Privatization Plan.  The “B” was the successor to the MG A, and because of the popularity of the car became synonymous with the definition of sports car.

Nels Anderson’s 1963 Land Rover Series IIA 109 Station Wagon

Mr. Anderson is the director and webmaster for the Boston Area MG Club. The Green Bean, as it is also known, is the type of classic Land Rover that features strongly in the general public’s perception of the Land Rover, from its many appearances in popular films and television documentaries set in Africa throughout the 1960s, such as Born Free.

There were several other cars as well, but instead of taking pictures I took a short video:

I love how these vintage cars are so well maintained. For those interested in knowing when and where the Boston Area MG Club members are going to host their next gathering, you may check their website for updates.