One of the early show season’s best Southern California events is the annual Temecula Rod Run. This show attracts thousands of automotive enthusiasts and spectators year in and year out. The 2017 event kicked off with the March 3 Friday Night Cruise along Old Town Front
Street. Then on Saturday, pre-registered owners parked their vehicles in designated spaces for spectators to view up close. The public events were all free of charge, but car owners paid a registration fee. Music and entertainment were everywhere, as well as great food, community
vendors and the Old Town’s Old West vibe.
Temecula (“place in the sun”) started out as a Luiseno Indian village. Later, it was home to large beef cattle ranches. More recently, its location, close to Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego made it a mecca for tourists. Now the nearby Rainbow Gap through the hills southwest of the city allows coastal fog to overflow into the valley creating a comfortable microclimate that supports a growing wine industry on the city’s eastern edge.
Originally, the Rod Run was a loose gathering of businesses catering to the Orange County Chapter of the Over the Hill Gang car club. The club members cruised to Temecula often and caught the attention of local merchants who enjoyed the car buffs and established an annual
enthusiast event. Now, more than 25 years later, the Rod Run has become a March staple attracting over 600 hot rods, custom vehicles and 1975 and earlier collector cars from around the
region and nation.
This year, in a kind of East-Meets-West joint venture, LCOC teamed up with Alex Melendrez and the Suicide Kings who reserved a large parking lot in Old Town for their 1961 to 1969 slab side Lincolns. More than 31 Suicide Kings and their vehicles made it to Temecula, some from as far away as Moorpark, California, and even Texas! Whether stock or customized, love of these complicated and difficult vehicles unites members of the owner groups in a special bond
to keep them on the road.
LCOC Western Region Director Jim Ayres’ beautiful Regal Turquoise convertible won an award for Best Personal Luxury Car, 1900-1975. Jim said judges gave him extra kudos for actually having fluid in his window washer bag.
Joel Carpenter showed his 1969 Lehmann-Peterson limo, below, complete with diplomatic flags, siren and flashers. He has kept it stock and is now the newest joint member of the Suicide Kings, and the LCOC gives thanks to Ayres for his recruiting efforts.
Mario Hernandez, owner of Lincoln Boys, brought his lovely recently restored 1962 copper colored convertible with a custom honey beige interior. His wife Patricia and family were also on hand with her Lincoln sedan. The LCOC board members visited Hernandez’s wrecking yard in Yucca Valley last summer and purchased a number of hard-to-find treasures. Now he says there are more than 80 cars at the yard.
Jesse Perez did a thriving business selling custom hats and polo shirts out of the back of his 1965 Lincoln Continental convertible, drawing a happy crowd for most of Saturday.
Among the Suicide Kings, there is no shortage of customized vehicles. The only limit to the mods is the owners’ imaginations. Who knew these 50-year-old cars could look like this? For example, Ali Seraj’s 1965 convertible not only boasts oversize wheels, and purple metallic paint, but also special neon ringed headlamps.
Robert Telfer’s custom 1962 Continental has a special Suicide Kings’ identifier and blackened grille, as well as self-fabricated metal interior door panels, dashboard and other trim, wide white wall tires, and a unique Telfer-designed and built hood ornament.
Some owners, such as Bobby Hall, overcame mechanical issues and still coaxed their beauties to and from the Rod Run, proving that good times and Lincoln love indeed conquer all.
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