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The Schenley Park Auto Show was held on Saturday, July 16, the day prior to the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. Throughout the day, the noise from the cars racing around the Schenley Park course could be heard as they completed practice or qualifying laps in preparation for the race the following day. The show complimented the PVGP by representing the beautiful classic automobiles that have shaped the automotive and racing industry while improving the technological and styling advancements that we enjoy today.

The show was free to the spectators, and was open to all special-interest vehicles. As part of the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix's fund-raising mission, dollars were generated through generous sponsorship plus cruiser donations and sales of PVGP merchandise.

A little bit, in some cases a lot, of everything was at this event. There were thousands of vehicles all grouped according to manufacturer and then further divided based on car club or model. The rolling hills of Schenley Park provided an excellent back-drop and allowed easy-viewing of the vehicles because of the staggering of the rows, almost like the stadium seating at a movie theater. Foreign and domestics were present in strong force, numbering over 50 manufacturers. Austin Healey, MG, Triumph, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Jaguar and Porsche were some of the larger groups that made up the import group. Since Mustang was the Marque for the event, there were hundreds of Mustangs strategically placed near the top of the hill. Pontiac GTO, Chevrolet Corvette, and Pontiac Fiero were just a few of the domestic car clubs in attendance.

It was nice to see Citroen, Rover, Ginetta, Lancia, Kaiser, Bertone, Morgan, Sunbeam, and Noble vehicles present (Once again, only to name a few of the rare makes or models present). Though they may not be rare in areas of the world, their numbers are few in the North-Eastern part of the United States.

As is the case with typical Pittsburgh weather, it was a sunny, hot day plagued with thunderstorms and rain. People kept sprinting to put plastic protection over their vehicles, roll up the windows, and/or retract the convertible tops. After the rain, they were back to polishing their cars and wiping away the rain drops.

When Schenley Park is not acting as a parking lot, it is a beautiful 18-hole golf course. From the top of the hill, the buildings and landscapes of the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University can be seen. Pitt's Cathedral of Learning is the most dominant structure. Its large and gothic design is impressive and breathtaking. The other areas of the park are mostly visited by joggers, bikers, and walkers. At the bottom of the hill is Phipps Conservatory which is one of the nicest conservatories in the nation.

The time and effort put into this event by all the volunteers, organizers, and participants is greatly appreciated and is truly amazing.
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