Glorious Sunshine Bathes Lincolns, Cadillacs and their Owners at San Diego Automotive Museum

LCOC Western Region members gathered May 22 for their first sponsored event of the 2021 season, a joint venture with the San Diego Cadillac and LaSalle Club, held at the San Diego Automotive Museum in beautiful Balboa Park.

While our kickoff activity was delayed for months by Covid-19 restrictions earlier in the year, thanks to some hard work by our event planners and the museum staff, Lincoln and Cadillac owners across the Southland were able to crank up their beauties and enjoy a social outing and the updated museum’s delights and refurbished plaza. Stunning new art deco-style mosaic scenes now grace the museum’s front entrance and added greatly to its classic elegance. Our collector cars fit right in with the beautiful architecture.

LCOC members Jim Ayres and Tony Mondini, who is also a docent at the museum, were able to pull the event together in conjunction with Frankie Patino of the museum. Thanks to Jack Brackx and Mark McHose our friends from the Cadillac Club were able to join in the fun.

While everything did not go exactly as planned, San Diego’s patented sunshine and perfect temperatures were the ideal backdrop for old friends renewing acquaintances, catching up on news and making new friends along the way. In all, about 40 members of the two clubs, friends and family were there.

Some like Tom Wright and his greyhound Tulip and the Dale Derstines simply decided Saturday morning that this event was too good to miss.

We were also pleased to welcome new members Rua and Lindy Petty with their 2021 Lincoln Aviator into LCOC and John Ellison, who rejoined LCOC and the Western Region.

Just getting out and enjoying the fresh air and Balboa Park might have been enough, but seeing the museum and its displays were icing on the cake. In addition, a video company and local TV channel KUSI captured many of the collector cars on tape. When the productions are complete we’ll provide links to them.

Thanks also to Western Region board members Halsey Posadas and Arv Larson and wife Nicole for helping to host and Terry Cottrell, Jim Ayres and Nathan Koski for their photos.

Inside the museum there was something for everyone. Steve McQueen’s Mustang from the famous chase scene in the movie Bullitt was among the displays.

A San Diego superstar for more than 100 years Balboa Park and its Prado restaurant were big attractions for some. Not all cars in the park were classics. Check out the unique vehicle below.