The stage was set for some scintillating sports car viewing. We'd received word several days previous from one of KIT CAR's crack advertising sales gurus, Brenda Frias, that a gathering of Ford GTs and GT40s, along with other enthusiast autos, both real and replica, would be descending upon the Ford-Premier Automotive Group-Mazda Campus in Irvine, California. From 7 to 9 a.m. every Saturday, Ford and Mazda host a free car show called Cars & Coffee. This particular Saturday, August 4, 2007, would be a special one indeed. The Ford GT National Rally II would be stopping by for coffee and a bit of showing-off before proceeding to El Toro Marine Base for a Saleen School of Speed autocross later in the day.
Cars & Coffee used to be located on Pacific Coast Highway in the Crystal Cove shopping area between Corona Del Mar and Laguna Beach. You couldn't ask for a more idyllic setting to exhibit exotic sports cars, Detroit muscle, high-end and homebuilt replicas, hot rods, and vintage coachbuilt cars from the '20s and '30s. Crystal Cove even has a Starbucks that did beaucoup business every Saturday morning. The trouble was, the 300-plus autos and their owners made too much of a ruckus in the early morning weekend hours for the multi-million dollar condo dwellers whose houses line the bluffs above the Crystal Cove shopping and dining area.
If you're a heterosexual male...
If you're a heterosexual male who owns an orange Superformance GT40 Mk II, then you're sure to be noticed by everyone, including those who may have ignored you in the past.
Given how scenic this stretch of Pacific Coast Highway is, it's a shame we never made it to that venue for some enthusiast automobile appreciating. The new setting is a business park and not as viable for taking photos in terms of lighting. But being in an industrial park on a Saturday morning in southern Irvine, there's far less traffic congestion than there is on Pacific Coast Highway at the beach. Plus, the cars are spread out across three parking lots. They're in their natural environment, so to speak. Some of them came off the drawing boards within the very buildings surrounding them. Credit Ford Western Regional Manager of Public Affairs John Clinard and Ford Advanced Designer Freeman Thomas for rescuing Cars & Coffee and donating their personal time every Saturday morning to organize and host this awesome event.
Approximately 90 Ford GTs exhibited, and 20 GT40s were displayed. Most of the GT40s were continuation Mk I and Mk II cars from Superformance. Several Mk III Cobra roadsters and a Daytona Coupe rounded out the field of Superformance finery on hand. Many other marques, most old and some new, and a smattering of other manufacturers' replicas made Cars & Coffee a welcome treat for all the gearheads participating and in spectator mode.
Check out some of the vehicles we felt stood out the most on this historic weekend. If you live in Southern California or are visiting, why not grab some coffee and take a gander at some gorgeous cars one early Saturday morning? For more information, visit the Cars & Coffee Web site at www.carsandcoffee.info/main.html.
The British-born owner of...
The British-born owner of this '53 Jaguar XK120 with the high-performance C-Type cylinder head-equipped engine explained he has a slight cam cover oil leak that needs periodic inspection.
Speaking of Le Mans, Lance...
Speaking of Le Mans, Lance Stander, Superformance's CEO and owner, has a new personal GT40 Mk I. Painted in the familiar orange and blue of the Gulf Racing Team that won in '68 and '69 at Le Mans with the same GT40 Mk I, it was a show favorite.
You can do your own deciphering...
You can do your own deciphering of this vanity plate. We wonder how this Ford GT owner was able to get this particular personal plate from the DMV.
Since the Superformance U.S....
Since the Superformance U.S. headquarters is minutes away in Irvine, CA, many Superformance owners drive their cars each Saturday to Cars & Coffee. We admired this titanium Mk III roadster.
The secret to going to Cars...
The secret to going to Cars & Coffee is to get there early, because the cars start leaving at 8:30 a.m. You'll notice we were there in time to see the Superformance crew setting up the GT40 display.
We never grow weary of seeing...
We never grow weary of seeing a Superformance Daytona Coupe.
By 8:30 a.m., the crowd began...
By 8:30 a.m., the crowd began to dissipate. Here, the driver of a heritage-hued Saleen Mustang waited for his friends piloting something more exotic, while a heritage-hued Ford GT exited the parking lot.
With its raked-back windscreen,...
With its raked-back windscreen, this '55 Austin Healey 100-4 BN2 is configured as a 100M Le Mans car. If it's the real thing, approximately 1,100 came from the factory with the Le Mans kit: 100 or 110 hp, bigger carburetors, stouter distributor, and stiffer front sway bar.