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CARS AND COFFEE

Roger Rohrdanz October 19, 2022 All Feature Vehicles

Everyone Takes a Break From Their Commuter Vehicles

Cars and Coffee (Irvine) is a very successful weekly car enthusiast gathering that features cars you won’t see the other six days of the week.

It all started eight years ago when a group of car lovers moved from the Crystal Cove Promenade to Ford Motor Co.’s Irvine office parking lot, and began hostin Cars and Coffee.  The event takes place every Saturday and is sponsored by Ford with Mazda and Taco Bell volunteering their parking facilities for a total capacity of 900 display cars. Official event hours are 7-9 a.m., which showcases the beautiful West Coast sunrise. Cars start arriving when it’s still pretty dark, around 5:30 a.m., to get a good spot. They’re directed into the event by the all-volunteer staff. The unofficial organizer is retired Ford public relations executive John Clinart. According to John, the show “has simply grown too big to manage anymore and will cease for an indefinite period.” The last gathering was on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2014. Given the popularity of the event, we wouldn’t be surprised to see it revived soon.

Saturday morning, by about 6:30, participants where being directed to the 600-car overflow lot. An estimated 4,000 spectators filled the space between cars. Some of the classic and luxury brands on hand were: Sunbeam Tigers, Honda NSXs, Cobras, Mopars, VWs, hot rods, BMWs, Alpha Romeos, Aston Martin DB9s, Lotus, Mustangs, Jaguars, Porsches, Spyders, Ferraris, Lamborghini, Maserati, Corvettes, Nissan GT-Rs, a Bugatti, Healys, Morgans, Triumphs, Camaros and more. As the cars began to leave, spectators lined the street to watch them head home for the last time. By 9:00 this area of Irvine was quiet and peaceful until the workweek began on Monday morning, when the commuter cars would dominate the roads and parking lots. Our thanks to John for the show, and kudos for making this happen for so many years!

At 6:15 a little before sunrise.
An early Bugatti with mechanical brakes.
The unofficial organizer John Clinart said, (Cars and Coffee, Irvine) “has simply grown too big to manage anymore and will cease for an indefinite period.”
Sunrise—they got there early!
A rare French ’53 Ford Comete with Ford V8-60 power.
A 1952 Alfa (possibly a Superleggera).
Scenes of the primary parking lot.
Scenes of the primary parking lot.
It’s about 8:00 am and already it’s time to head home.
At 6:15 a little before sunrise and already a huge crowd.
At 6:15 a little before sunrise and already a huge crowd.
At 6:15 a little before sunrise and already a huge crowd.
The Car Guy, Barry Meguiar.
This ’32 Ford roadster came from the Santa Monica area.
It’s about 8:00 a.m.—time to call it a day.
It’s about 8:00 a.m.—time to call it a day.
A row of Bugs and Beetles.
A VW Wagon has its X-mas lights on.
The Bugatti takes its leave.
A nice, new Corvette Stingray convertible.
There were several rows of Nissan GT-R’s.
When they polished this motorhome they didn’t stop at the license plate.
A couple of Ferraris in the primary parking lot.
At about 8:30 am and the, 600 car capacity, secondary lot was beginning to clear out.
A new Camaro with a story board.
Ford horses line up.
A row of Honda NSXs.
As evidenced by the pink boxes, the coffee and doughnuts line was busy all morning.
The 600-car-capacity secondary lot begins to clear of exotics.
The 600-car-capacity secondary lot begins to clear of exotics.
The 600-car-capacity secondary lot begins to clear of exotics.
The 600-car-capacity secondary lot begins to clear of exotics.
Muscle cars and more ­­­before sunrise.
VWs wait in the dark.
The primary parking lot was bustling.

 

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