While auto shows haven’t been as common on the South Coast as they used to be, the Oct. 30-31 Concours d’Elegance at the Santa Barbara International Polo Fields will bring back what fans of such events long to see: classic cars.

At the heart of the events are the exhibitors. They are men and women who invest in classic cars, largely to show them off at shows such as the upcoming Concours.

“Mine is going to be shown at Paseo Nuevo on Oct. 7 as a preview,” said exhibitor Phil La Chapplle, who will bring a 1969 Hearst-Oldsmobile Special Edition Cutlass 442, which he restored. “Only 912 were ever made, and about 400 are left.”

La Chapplle also plans to show a 1960 Dodge Charger, which he also restored, about 3:30 p.m. at Paseo Nuevo and at the Concours. He runs a car restoration business in Ventura called Auto Classics and Muscle Cars.

Another Concours exhibitor is Santa Barbara businessman Thomas Long, who will exhibit his 1963 Shelby Cobra Sebring Team racing car, which he bought in 1968 as an investment.

“I took it out last week,” Long said. “It’s a bit much for me.”

Santa Barbara-based Stratus Media Group Inc. is still seeking exhibitors and sponsors for its Concours d’Elegance.

Although a concours was held in 2002 at the Sandpiper Golf Club, this is the first time since the early 1990s that an auto show of this magnitude has been staged on the South Coast. Long said he exhibited his Cobra at that show. Paul Feller, now head of Stratus Media Group, took over the show in 1981.

The Concours originally was a fundraiser for Crane Country Day School.

This year, a Mille Miglia auto race will be featured the day before the Concours, which will feature the design and engineering of Italian cars and nostalgia of American classics, muscle cars, hot rods and custom vehicles. On Oct. 30, Italian and American vintage cars will be featured, and other classics will be wheeled onto the grounds the next day.

The two-day Concours will feature car club corrals, motorcycles, live music and a cocktail party to benefit charity. The United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County and the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County also will benefit from the Concours and related events.

Stratus Media Group will host the Santa Barbara Vino D’ Elegance Wine Festival during Concours, which will showcase area wineries and food purveyors.

Other Concours events include children’s activities, commercial exhibitions and — because it’s during Halloween weekend — a masquerade gala.

Click here for tickets and more information.

— Noozhawk business writer Ray Estrada can be reached at restrada@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk or @NoozhawkNews.