Cars & Coffee, Still Trying to Find a Home

March 24, 2015
Story By
Albert Roxas

Three months into 2015 and the original Southern California Cars & Coffee still doesn't have a home. From what I've been told, talks have stalled for the Great Park plan and it's time for the founders get some well deserved rest. But that hasn't stopped enthusiasts from spawning local meets all over the southland. Recently I had the chance to check out an informal Cars & Coffee gathering in Palos Verdes, which is a bit out of the way unless you're in South Bay, and for once I got to see what it's like to get up early for a Saturday morning meet (I live only a few minutes away from the original Irvine Cars & Coffee location). The Palos Verdes meet was well worth the drive; it's a great community with nice enthusiasts and beautiful cars. While I'm a little hesitant to leak the 411 on where and when these meets go down, it's really not that hard to find if you do a little research. Yes, I'm selfish, but this is really one of the best events I've been to in a long time.

Pacific Porsche brought out a few nice models from their lineup.

Particularly this amazing Mexico Blue 918 Spyder with the Weissach package. Adding the Weissach package is like eating ultra healthy. It takes the 918 and lightens it by adding titanium bolts, magnesium wheels, a different brake setup, ceramic wheel bearings and awesome carbon fiber aero.

FUEL appropriately labeled, otherwise you might get mixed up with the "E-POWER" side.

Ultra lightweight fixed seats with matching Mexico Blue Stitching.

Next to the 918 was its older brother, the much more analog and raw Carrera GT (batteries not included).

Pacific also brought out some mainline Porsche models, albeit still on the high end, such as a gorgeous Agate Grey Boxster GTS.

A new 991 GT3 in Racing Yellow there. I owned a Speed Yellow 996 C2 back in the day; it's a tough color to live with - especially if you don't want attention - but the 991 GT3 pulls it off marvelously.

You like race cars, right? Plenty of them here, as exemplified by this very straightforward answer by this custom license plate. This is a 40th Anniversary Edition 2003 Lamborghini Murcielago in Jade Green, 16 of 50 in case you missed it.

Here's a flashback to the '90s, a couple of Vectors propped wide open.

Casually parked was a BMW that I didn't recognize, and I'm sure most wouldn't either.

From what I researched and was told later, this is a '50s-era BMW 507, built to compete with the likes of Triumphs and MGs of its time. It didn't come cheap, either, coming in with a price tag of roughly $11K.

If you could've bought one at its original asking price, you'd be making out like a bandit today; the last 507 sold for $2.4M, roughly the equivalent of a McLaren P1 and a 918 Spyder. No big deal.

While most people were fawning over the 918 and CGT, the 507 went largely unnoticed (for the most part). And here's one for the Jeopardy files: Elvis owned a 507.

Around the way, we ran into this cherry (pun intended) Mercedes 300 SL Gull Wing, such a timeless design.

One hell of a steering wheel design but it works for that period. I also love the old school detailing of this interior.

Continuing with the old school rides, check out this mint Lamborghini 350 GT Superleggera.

I've seen it at several SoCal concourse events and it stops me in my tracks every time.

Flash forward to the new era Lamborghini LP 670-2 SuperVeloce, a future classic in its own right.

For you movie buffs, does anyone remember "Driving Miss Daisy"? Here's the very '48 Lincoln that Morgan Freeman used to drive Miss Daisy around with.

With such a wonderful mixture of old and new, the Palos Verdes Cars & Coffee meet offers enthusiasts the best of all worlds, much like its Irvine predecessor. But don't let this secret out of the bag just yet; let me enjoy it a little while longer before it blows up!

Cars & Coffee, Still Trying to Find a Home

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