Where in the World is Otis?

[Otis]

I travel frequently on business. Many places. And I often take pictures. Everything from beach volleyball to, well ... beach volleyball.

But every now and then I run across some cool car-related stuff. So I thought I'd start a thread - posting up cool pictures of the car-related (or specifically, BMW-related) stuff that I run across. I also thought I'd run a little contest - like that NBC thing, "Where in the World is Matt Lauer." Actually, I wanted to call this thread, "WTF is Otis?" But "Where in the World ..." is a bit more socially agreeable.

So without further ado, here's your first picture, and thus the first contest: Guess, Where is this? Guess the location, win valuable prizes.

PS - Although I'll try to keep the pictures BMW-related, I can't guarantee that I'll adhere to that rule. So, I'm posting this in the OT section. After all, one never knows when one runs across a great beach volleyball game.

[jerry]

my guess is either silicon valley or LA somewhere.

i see smoggy horizon, palm trees, hills in the distance and an american car

[Harv]

I was going to say the same thing!

John

[2761377]

laguna beach- PCH and Thalia, i think

[Otis]

laguna beach- PCH

Winner, winner, chicken dinner! The big "W" fingers from Jesse, to you, 2761377!

It's the new service place in Laguna Beach - they were still putting the finishing touches on the place as I snapped the photo.

I travel again next week - watch for another posting.

[InkaSteve]

Great thread, keep it up. Extra points for orange.

[Otis]

Great thread, keep it up. Extra points for orange.

Okay, just got back from another trip, so it's time again to play.

You guys rolled through the first contest like Sherman through Atlanta. So, let's make it a bit more challenging this time. Name this place - and to win, you have to be exact.

If no one gets it right away, I'll post more pictures until someone nails it. The photo quality is deliberately hazy, since too much clarity and detail would give it away. The first photo gets the "points for orange," the second photo is what you see when you first walk through the door, after paying your $8.95 admission. The place a well-known tourist attraction. If you've been to this city and you're a car nut, you've been here.

PS - After someone nails the place of this photo, I'll post Part Deux, the Otis Bonus Round, with BMW content, thus keeping with the spirit of the thread. Since posting that particular BMW-content picture now would be a dead giveaway, I'll wait until someone nails this photo, first.

PPS - Mike Pugh just emailed me offline and NAILED IT. Anyone else want to give it a shot, before we go to Round 2?

Damn, you guys are good.

[Otis]

Okay, technically there is one "winner," but he won't post up his answer. So I'll violate the cardinal rule of threading and respond to my own post:

The pictures are from the Imperial Palace Hotel on the Las Vegas strip. The cars are in the parking garage, and most of them are for sale. No BMWs, but a large collection of Ferraris, Porsches, vintage racers, and (my favorite) the Delahayes (lots of them).

So, on to the Bonus Round. This one has BMW content. The question is: In the picture below, name the exact casino in which this car sits (it has been there for a few years). It's in the middle of a group of penny slots - you can win the car, if you believe that you have any shot at winning with tight-set roller slots.

Sorry again for responding to my own post. But the winner won't post his answer.

[Bill_Riblett]

Wierd. The red Dual Ghia (surely there is only one red one) in your second picture was in the Blackhawk museum in California last August when I was there.

[Otis]

Bill, if I understand correctly, the collection constantly rotates as cars are bought, sold, or submitted for display-only purposes. It may be that the same car that you saw simply rotated into the display in Vegas. Indeed, the link below contains an internal link to the Blackhawk Museum.

I was going to post more pictures of the cars, but I'll take the lazy man approach and simply post the link. Click on "Cars on Display" and "Cars for Sale." The photography is much better than my cell-phone camera.

http://autocollections.com/index.cfm?tab=main&action=main

What struck me the most? The asking prices for the vintage racers. I guess there is estate-value hope yet for Team Otis Racing. Also, check out the "History of Cars We've Sold" link. There among the Bentleys and Ferraris is a humble 325e with "19,000 original miles." It looks to be in pristine q-tip condition.

http://autocollections.com/index.cfm?id=3714&action=details&tab=sold