In the world of automotive lovers, many assume that you have to have deep pockets and own a multi million-dollar car to have an entry into the community. But the culture has changed tremendously over time. Teens without a large budget to work with have learned how to resourcefully upgrade their own less expensive cars, turning common Honda Civics into roaring machines on the road. Those and many other assortments of different vehicles can be seen at car shows.
On the first Saturday in January, assorted supercars met in the Peninsula High School parking lot and there were tons of enthusiasts of all ages. As someone who has traveled as far as San Clemente for their Cars and Coffee, it was exciting to see a show that’s held locally. For January, Peninsula Cars n Coffee hosted with the theme Shelby vs. Corvette to celebrate the birthday of one of the most well-known automotive designers in history, Caroll Shelby. Shelby is best known for helping to build the Ford gt40 and has since created his own independent brand.
Entering the parking lot, I parked at a distance to make sure my car wasn’t considered to be part of the show. I walked towards the crowd that had gathered in the middle, and I was greeted with a cup of coffee and conversation with those who had shown up early. Within the first 30 minutes, there was a turnout of all kinds of cars and people. The theme of Shelby and Corvette didn’t discourage members of the BMW, Mclaren and Ferrari etc. communities from showing as well.
Among all the vehicles that were being shown, I was most captivated by the crowd who brought their creatively modified Nissans, Toyotas, and Hondas. The number of younger kids that showed serves as a true testament to the shift in culture from a time when they would have had to beg their parents to take the nice car to show off. Nowadays they can show off something of their own creation with all the design and performance modifications that make each car unique.
As the event wrapped up, it was pleasantly evident that the essence of car enthusiasm transcends the restrictions of age and budget. The value of a build is in the eye of the beholder, and you should always keep an open mind to other people’s creativity. The Peninsula Cars n Coffee car show meets the first Saturday of the month from 7:30 to 9:30am at the PV Peninsula High School North Parking Lot follow them on Instagram @pvconcours.
