South Orange County Cars and Coffee, August 30, 2025
South Orange County Cars and Coffee, August 30, 2025
Hi Everybody, Happy Saturday! Actually, today it is Monday the first of September, and we are celebrating Labor Day, a day when we don't labor! The weather in San Clemente has been quite hot, so this morning we just took the dogs for a short little walk, then it is back in the house and the shade. And again, I'm indulging in my new YouTube Bossa Nova kick as I'm writing this post, and I must say that for background music on a nice sunny day like today, there is nothing better.
Nevertheless, being the crazy car nut that I am, on Saturday the 30th of August, I decided to go back to South Orange County Cars and Coffee, which is held every Saturday at the San Clemente Outlets, which is a cool little outdoor mall here in San Clemente. The event draws hundreds of cool cars and thousands of people, and it is a great way to start the weekend. Since I usually practice with our band Smack Dab on Saturday mornings, I don't go to Cars and Coffee as often as I used to, but since we had a gig on that Saturday, we decided to skip practice. So this was a great opportunity to revisit Cars and Coffee, especially since it is a holiday weekend, and as expected, the turnout was great. When I got to the event I made a decision to only focus on the cars that I like, and forget about the sea of new Porsches, BMWs and super cars, which usually take up a fair number of the parking spaces for the show. Even so, I ended up taking almost 200 pictures, which speaks to the great number of cool cars that were on display. So, let's take a little walkabout, and check out the show, and for the most part I'll let the pictures do the talking!
A really nice old Corvette, this one is probably late fifties.
Aston Martin, anybody? Shaken, not stirred I'm sure!
Another nice Corvette, probably mid 1960...
A restored and modified old Ford pickup truck. A lot of work went into that one!
Mustang Coupe, late 1960s?
About twenty or so Cadillac CTSs showed up; to my surprise the drivers were all young dudes, and apparently they have some sort of Cadillac CTS club, with some forty members. It is not unusual for car clubs to show up to Cars and Coffee, and show off their cars.
Cadillac CTS.
A lone Lamborghini; the super cars are usually parked on the other side of the show, but this one decided to hang out with it's more pedestrian cars. Nevertheless, the Lambo is a really, really nice car...
I must say that the new Toyota Supra is a really cool car...
Toyota Supra, complete with a righteous wing to hold it down.
Corvette, gotta love them!
An old VW hatchback flanked by its Porsche distant cousins. It seems like it wants to cosey up to its German kin!
Gotta love the old 1970s VW hatchback! Takes a lot of work to keep that one on the road!
Cars and Coffee is not complete unless there are at least a couple of Hellcats!
Love the Hellcat! What a crazy idea; 707 HP in a street-legal car!
Datsun 280Z. Not many left...
Oldsmobile 442. Nice!
An older Land Rover Defender, with its future owner staking his claim! I told his dad (the dude to the right) about the show "The Last Overland; Singapore to London" in which they took a 60-year old Land Rover from Singapore to London, and had a bunch of adventures along the way! Cool show if you love Land Rovers!
Dodge Ramcharger, Dodge's response to the Ford Bronco and Chevy Blazer.
Plymouth Belvedere, from the 1960s.
Plymouth Barracuda. Love the yellow!
Don't really know what this is, but it belongs to one of the old guys that show up every Saturday. They usually show up early, to reserve their spots under one of the shade trees. All their cars are immaculate!
The boys and their toys, like the beautiful Chevy Camaro.
A well preserved Chrysler Town and Country. Maybe the last one around...
The whole gang is out, enjoying the shade, and swapping car stories...
Not every car is pristine; this one apparently ran into somthing... If this would have been a car from 2025, I'm sure the whole front would have been destroyed!
Some cool Buick Convertible. Nice!
Corvettes from every year.
A nice Dodge Hemi, all set up for the drag strip.
A lovely Triumph Herald convertible. My buddy had one of these for a short while back in 1976(ish). 1200 CC engine, dual carbs. What a rocket!
MGB GT. My wife Kathy had one of these as her first car. Her dad told her to buy the Toyota, but Kathy had already fallen in love with the MG. So, pretty much all of my wife's spare change went into fixing the old MGB!
I think this is a Chevelle, but I may be wrong...
Nice late model Corvette, this may have been the last year with the front-mounted engine...
Convertibles and Hot Rods, what can be better!
Nice classic Hot Rod, I think this one has a blower...
64 Chevy Nova, expertly restored and modified. All it takes is time and money!
Probably the most customized Hot Rod in the show. Love that paint job!
What a nice pickup truck! The restoration must have been exhausting!
Chevy Nomad, 1950s.
Chevy Bel Air, late 1950s.
The Dukes of Hazzard Dodge Charger General Lee. According to Wikipedia, some 300 General Lees were used in the show, so this may actually be one from the show!
1970(ish) Chevrolet C10 pickup truck, nicely restored and sporting some cool wheels!
An old pickup truck with what appears to be a diesel engine conversion. Don't know why, but maybe they just happen to have an old diesel engine sitting around at the farm, so why not!
Ford Fairlane Skyliner with it's collapsible hardtop. This guy is usually at the show every Saturday.
A couple of Ford Mustangs, hanging out.
This one reminds me of my first car that I bought when I moved out to Southern California in 1981. Mine was a 1968 and more of a bile yellow-green, with a 283 V-8. I should have kept it...
Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, 1970(ish), sporting a GM Vortec MAX engine. This is what we call a Resto Mod...
General Motors 6.0L Vortec MAX engine.
Another Chevy Bel Air, as nice as they come.
Rambler American?
Some giant Led Sled Convertible, from the late 1950s I'm sure. Don't really know the make...
This one can be yours!
Another nice Corvette. At Cars and Coffee, there are usually some 20 to 40 Corvettes every Saturday.
1999 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, 30th Annivesary model.
1963 Studebaker Grand Turismo R2 Hawk. How do I know? I looked under the hood! Not too many Studebakers around anymore... I have no idea where you get parts for a Studebaker anymore...
Dodge Viper, the one and only... Gotta love that V-10!
Another Vette, I'm sure it is special! You too can have it!
Ford Mustang Cobra.
Another nice Mustang.
More Mustangs...
Cars and Coffee is not complete without a classic Rolls Royce! I'm thinking this is from the late 1970s, with the dual round headlights. They are usually available on Craigslist for somewhere between 15 and 30 thousand; too bad the cost of maintenance and repairs is astronomical!
Oldsmobile 442?
Cobra. Don't need to say anything more...
Camaro SS Convertible. Soooo nice, and soooo expensive!
A righteous Hot Rod T-bucket!
Some nicely restored 1940s car, but I'm guessing here...
Toyota Century, complete with a V-12 engine, and right-hand drive. By far rarest car at Cars and Coffee, August 30, 2025.
5.0 L V-12 Engine.
Toyota Century Golden Chicken wheel hub covers.
Some Chevy SS 350.
396 Turbo-Jet.
A VW bug, fixed up for the trail.
A heavily customized Woodie.
Chevy Nova, nicely restored.
A nice Street Rod.
A late 1960s Datsun 2000 Convertible.
I'm crazy 'bout a Mercury!
Ford Pinto, I think? Whatever it is, it seems like it has a giant V-8 under the hood!
Citroen DS, circa 1970. Front mid-engine, front-wheel drive with its crazy hydro-pneumatic suspension. French engineers at their finest (or worst...). Either you love 'em or hate 'em...
The Citroen DS unique roof-mounted turn signals... Only the French...
Just when you thought it couldn't get more French, right next to the Citroen DS was a Citroen 2CV, one of the most iconic French cars ever. Apparently the Citroen 2CV was produced between 1948 through 1990, and during its production the styling changed very little. If you love the Citroen 2CV, you'll love the TV show "Under the Vines" where the 2CV has a starring role!
After a bit of protest, the 2CV decided to start, and off they went!
Now this is more like it, a Shelby Mustang!
1995 Z28 Camaro, and it is for sale! Only 74 K on the odometer!
A well taken care of interior, no rips!
Another MGB GT... Cursed by Lucas... (If you don't get the reference, that's OK. The Lucas electrical system, used by MG is also referred to as "The Prince of Darkness, or "Loose Unsoldered Connectors And Splices"...)
1962 Ford Falcon RUSTMOD, heavily modified.
Ford 302 Engine.
Cool understated flame pinstriping.
Chevy El Camino, absolutely beautiful!
A really cool lime green 1960sVW Bug. I don't think that was part of the original paint colors, but this one really pops! Since a 1962 black VW Bug was my first car, I've always had a soft spot for the old VW Bugs...
Another late model Vette, in gorgeous lemon yellow! For some reason, I don't really care for the new mid-mounted engine models, I like the "old" front-mounted engine models better... Maybe some day...
Some heavily modified hot-rodded Woodie. Crazy looking!
33 Woody of some sort...
A Diamond-T Woody Wagon, apparently originally built in 1946.
Gotta watch out for termites! That's a lot of wood!
This is where the Woodies were hanging out, ready to take on the surf!
More Woodies!
A late 1940s GMC wagon, apparently this was the precursor to the Chevy Suburban. The owner of this car lives on my street in Marblehead...
A very nice convertible, I'm guessing early 1950s... Don't recognize the make...
GT something...
O
Original Patina; goes to show that as long as it unusual, it belongs at Cars and Coffee!
Old Ford Bronco, beloved by many!
Chevy Bel Air?
Ford Mustang Mach 1, 1970(ish).
A really nice Street Rod, just enough modifications... Well Done!
1964 Jaguar E Type with a 5.0 Liter V-8 from a Ford Thunderbird. It may be a little bit more reliable with the Ford mill...
5.0 Liter V-8 from a Ford Thunderbird.
Chevy El Camino SS... Is it a car or a pickup truck? Neither...
1999(ish) Ford F-150 SVT Lightning, with a 5.4 Liter Supercharged V-8, good for 360 HP. I don't think many were built...
Mid-1975 Jensen Healy, with its four-cylinder engine. Nevertheless, it supposedly topped out at almost 120 mph.
Jensen Healy.
A mid-1980s 3.8 SPI Turbo Buick Grand National, as rare as they come.
427 Cobra... Built for nothing but speed!
One of the nicest Dune Buggies I've seen! Such an iconic Southern California Beach Car!
Camaro or Firebird? Help me!
Mercury Comet, mid-1960s.
Another super nice Corvette. Gotta love 'em!
Ford Falcon, nicely restored. This guy usually brings his little dog; she sits in the back with all her toys, and she loves all the attention. She even has her own air conditioning unit! However, this Saturday she was up at Children's Hospital of Orange County, bringing joy to all the kids.
Gotta love the old Volvo PV544, probably late 1950s. I don't ever remember seeing a canary yellow one back in Sweden, but this one sure is nice! I think they were seriously underpowered with a 1.8 L four-banger under the hood...
Some cool old Mercury Woodie, looks like a four wheel drive. 1940s...
2001 Jaguar XK 8, looks like it is in really good shape. Too bad the 4.2 L V-8 had soooo many problems; Ford/Jaguar finally fixed them by 2002, so if you are interested, buy one that's younger than 2002...
My buddy John's 1990 Grand Wagoneer; this one is in really, really good original shape. If you are interested in my Grand Wagoneer adventure, you can check out my blog post!
Original Grand Wagoneer interior. That's what they should look like!
Not a lot of fading; seems like this Grand Wagoneer has spent most of its time in a garage!
Some crazy 1960s Cadillac. This must be the longest two-door car ever made!
Look at that thing! American steel at its most ostentatious!
A couple of restored VW Buses, perfect for the beach! Check out the air conditioning in the red one, just open up the whole windshield!
Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe.
2013 60th Anniversary Corvette.
1969 Corvette. If you got an extra $27,500 in your pocket, then you can have this one!
Just call 949-291-2477!
Another Mercury Comet?
The old boys and their old toys hanging out in the shade!
So this would probably be yet another Ford Mercury Comet...
Ford Ranchero!
Cobra Kit Car, nicely done. For $52,000 it can be yours!
Some more old boys hanging out in the shade, swapping car stories I'm sure!
Dodge Weapons Carrier, for sale! Very nicely restored!
Ford Thunderbird. Sorry about the thumb!
1967 VW Bug, this one will only set you back $13,000! I bet when the car was new back in 1967, it probably only cost $1,300!
Super nice Oldsmobile convertible; I'm guessing early 1950s...
Such a nice Street Rod! Maybe some day... But where am I gonna park all my cars?
Cadillac anybody? This one is perfect for nice and sunny So Cal!
Early 1950s MG, needs restoration... It is for sale, so maybe this can be your next project!
Early 1970s Chevy Camaro Convertible, with a 327 engine. The older Camaros have become very popular, and very expensive...
I know I use the word "nice" a lot, but this one deserves it as well. A great example of a Ford F150 Resto-Mod, with its modern engine.
Look how nice that is; it almost look like that's the way it came from the factory! NOT!
A Jeep TJ Sahara for sale, with only 22,000 miles on the odometer. The Jeep TJs were produced from 1997 through 2006, so I guess this one could be from any of those years. Mint for sure!
Clean, Clean, Clean...
Looks like this Utah registered vehicle never saw the light of day, just the inside of a garage!
De Tomaso Pantera, Elvis Presley's favorite car... Story goes that Elvis shot his De Tomaso, after it wouldn't start... That car is now at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles...
The mid-mounted Ford Engine...
How can you not love that car!!!!!
A couple of really nice Cobras... Kit car or not, these are the quintessential Southern California cars, wide open with no tops!
Love that burgundy color!
1963 Porsche 356B Super 90 Coupe, completely restored.
For $100,000, I hope it comes with the driving gloves!
Another cool Porsche, in a cool mint green.
Two INEOS Grenadiers were featured, all set up for your very own Overland adventure. The Grenadier was designed to be a replacement for the original Land Rover Defender, and I think they have done a really good job. You should get a nice vehicle for $85,000 plus.
Looks just like the old Land Rover Defender!
All ready to go!
The INEOS Grenadier Quartermaster truck, with a starting price of $90,000... Personally, I would probably pick the Jeep Gladiator for half the price, but that's just me...
No question, this is a nice four-by-four...
Speaking of the Jeep Gladiator, here is a heavily modified Gladiator, painted in Rhino Bedliner spray-on protective coating. Indestructible!
A nice old VW bus with a pop-up camper top. Great for going to the beach with a couple of surf boards inside!
An Error 404 themed car... Since I'm not that into super cars, I don't really know what this is, but the paint? / wrap? caught my eye. It does pop! The black truck in the background belongs to the entrepreneur Simon Wehr, who is the founder of Bracketeer car fire extinguisher brackets, and he is also the founder of the South Orange County Cars and Coffee. He can be reached at www.thebracketeer.com.
I do have a thing for Aston Martins, even though I would probably never by a British car... But this one is beautiful!
Another view of the wonderful Aston Martin... Shaken, not stirred for sure!
Another cool paint? / wrap? on a super car, complete with a bunch of carbon fiber. To each their own!
And my little walkabout at Cars and Coffee is drawing to a close; here is the merchandise for the show, cool tee shirts, sweat shirts, hats and decals. A really well-run show, and the pride of all of us who live in San Clemente and love cars!
If you want some merch, you can contact www.southoccarsandcoffee.com. No, I don't get a percentage, I'm just a great fan of the show! What a great way to start the weekend!
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