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First it was Mustangs, now it's Porsches.

Steamboat Springs has been a popular place for car fanatics this summer.

The annual Mustang Roundup drew hundreds of gawkers to downtown Steamboat earlier this summer, and now a group of Porsche 356s are turning heads throughout the city.

The National 356 Porsche Club rolled in to town Thursday as part of its six-day, two-city tour that began last Tuesday in Snowmass. The Colorado chapter of the national club is hosting this year's Western holiday conference.

Approximately 170 Type 356 Porsches will be on display at the Routt County Courthouse from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today. Porsche Type 356 was the first production Porsche automobile, made from 1948 through 1965. The 356 is now a collector's car, with certain models selling for more than $150,000. Late 1950s models sold for nearly $4,000 new.

Porsche 356 owners already have competed in events such as the "fun-khana," in which owners drove blindfolded and were assisted by co-drivers in the passenger seats. Others competed in a "white glove" contest in which judges examined the interiors, exteriors, and engines of the club's best vehicles. The conference also includes hands-on technical sessions, which teach members how to perform minor mechanical adjustments, including steering wheel adjustment, detailing and preparatory work for car showings.

Members of the club participate in events, technical sessions and swap meets in Colorado and nationwide.

The Rocky Mountain 356 Porsche club began in 1986 with a handful of members and has now grown to more than 150 members.

When asked why the club chose Steamboat for its conference, Rocky Mountain Porsche 356 Club representative Sharon Asti-Caranci said, "We love it here. It seemed a perfect fit for our conference." Steamboat hosted a convention for the National 356 Porsche Club in 1991.