Motor Car Classic cruises coast, lands in La Jolla Cove for Sunday show

Vintage vehicles were spotted on Saturday, cruisng from Balboa Park’s San Diego Automotive Museum and to the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club.

It was all part of the La Jolla Motor Car Classic that includes Sunday’s public show featuring about 130 vehicles, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at La Jolla Cove. This year, it celebrates the automobiles of Carroll Shelby including one of the greatest sports cars and fastest road cars ever constructed — the Shelby Cobra. The Shelby corral will feature only originals, replicas and clones of any Shelby cars.

“We’re trying to expand it into at least a full weekend,” said tour chairman Bob Meigs, of Solana Beach, of the tour’s purpose, noting it was felt something more needed to be done for exhibitors who go to great lengths to attend. “We wanted to have some things for them to do beyond just the day of the show,” he said.

Another highlight of the show will be the Munro Special #36 Streamliner Indian Motorcycle.

In addition, spectators will get closeup looks at makes and models of many more of the world’s most sought-after vehicles — British, Italian and German marques, along with magnificently maintained horseless carriages.

Tickets admit spectators to the fenced-in area where owners and exhibitors will answer questions about their vehicles, although it’s also possible to see the cars along the perimeter from outside.

The road tour promoting Sunday’s event “should be very scenic with some interesting stops along the way,” assured Meigs.

Tour “rest stops” after the Automotive Museum included Evans’ Garage, a family-owned museum housing classic automobiles, furniture and period pieces.

After leaving Evans’ they cruised north, entering La Jolla from Bird Rock, traveling along Prospect and past the La Jolla Historical Society’s Wisteria Cottage.

Festivities for the weekend-long, high-profile Motor Car Classic drawing thousands of car aficionados from across Southern California to La Jolla Cove, started Friday with a complimentary pre-event reception for participants at Wisteria Cottage hosted by La Jolla Historical Society.

The reception showcased the Society’s latest exhibit, “All Roads Lead to La Jolla,” a history of the automobile in the Jewel.

Immediately following the reception, car collecting authority and bestselling author Colin Comer and Shelby engineer Phil Remington spoke and autographed “The Complete Book of Shelby Automobiles: Cobras, Mustangs, and Super Snakes.”

The La Jolla Motor Car Classic, presented by the La Jolla Historical Society, is a juried show where participants compete for coveted awards and trophies in ten specialty-car classes.

Event tickets are $25 the day of the show. Children 13 and under are free.

Visit www.lajollamotorcarclassic.com or call (619) 233-5008.

• Pre ’70 GT-350s and GT 500s
• 289 and 427 Cobras
• Cobras
• Late model Shelby Mustangs
• Series I and II
• Tiger
• Viper
• Ford GT
• Mustang “R” models
• COX and AC MK-IV