Ronnie's Morning Get Together

San Jose California has one of the most active car communities in the country.  Things really heat up in the Spring and Summer, but there is one event that happens all year long: Ronnie's Morning Get Together.  Every Second Saturday of the month, a couple of acres of parking lot around the Starbucks on Hillsdale Avenue in San Jose fills up with cool cars.

  Many of them are traditional hot rods and kustoms, but you will see everything from drag cars to vintage fire-engines at Ronnie's.  Ronnie himself is about as friendly a person you would ever want to meet, providing free coffee and donuts, along with a big smile and a warm greeting to all that attend.  His customized yellow 1956 Chevy sedan-delivery is the most well-known car in the South Bay.

  His frequent Facebook and Instagram  posts "because my car is in the photo" keep letting everyone know he loves his car, and people love Ronnie.  His car has been immortalized as a local icon by artists such as Sanjay Heera and John Cloud.  The Get Together is causal and easy going, just like it's Host, Ronnie.

Luxury Edition: Carmel after the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours

After a long, but fun day at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, dinner was in order. We parked the car near Ocean Ave, and walked around two blocks to reach the restaurant. The photos here are cars that people were driving to dinner. There were three new crazy colored Rolls-Royce convertibles in row, attracting a lot of attention, as well as an elegant early sixties Rolls convertible on the next block. Also spotted was an early post-war Alfa race car, and a 1963 Ferrari Lusso. The owner of the Ferrari explained to me that it ran well, and that although he lives in Hawaii, he keeps this car here in the South Bay to drive when he visits (see video of it parking here). Excellent choice. There seems to always be a Gremlin hiding somewhere, and this one was green, parked in a safe location around the corner. A new Fisker, a BMW Isseta, a vintage Mercedes van and several other interesting cars were occupying curb space that evening. Take a look at the photos and remember, this is just two blocks worth of car spotting on the way to dinner!

1959 Oldsmobile 88

The streets of San Francisco are home to many old cars, and are part of the city’s eclectic landscape. This nice original 1959 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 looks quite at home parked in Richmond District of the city where there is able room to park such a large automobile. It is still being used as daily transportation by its loving owner. The car is all original including the gracefully ageing paint and interior. The right side lower fender and rocker have met the curb a few times, but that just adds character. This car also wears the small “poverty caps”, commonly used on low-line sedans, and not often seen on a two door hardtop. Oldsmobile’s new for ’59 “Vista-Panoramic” windshield and “Holiday SceniCoupe” rear window affords a spectacular view of the city as you float by in your American dream machine….

1968 Firebird

This 1968 Firebird was parked in Safeway parking lot in Redwood Shores, CA, and appears to be a daily driver. It is a typically equipped car with a 350 engine with automatic transmission, bucket seats with floor shift and standard interior. The really rare feature of this car is the fact that it has hub caps and white walls. The last hundred or so 1967-1969 Firebirds I have seen all had aftermarket wheels or the ever popular and attractive Pontiac Rally II wheels. Although a common sight when these cars where new, white walls on a 1968 Firebird is a rare sight today. They give the car the pure, innocent look of a one owner, unmolested car. I can’t say if I purchased this car that I would not change the wheels and tires to redlines and rallys, but it is nice to see one of these cars as it would have looked on the street forty years ago.

Rolls Royce and Bentleys at the Lake Tahoe Boat Concours

A gathering of expensive vintage wooden boats brings the old money crowd out that owns them. Lake Tahoe has always been a playground for the rich, with the likes of George Whittell Jr and Bill Harrah owning estates and properties on the lake. Older Rolls Royce and Bentley automobiles were casually parked on the streets in and around the Carnelian Bay area near the Lake Tahoe Concours d’Elegance this year. Most were just in clean driver condition, being used as transportation. The only exception was a striking early fifties Bentley Continental, too nice to be a driver. An older Rolls or Bentley is the perfect car to drive to such a splendidly elegant event. Just like wooden boats, Rolls and Bentley cars are often retained by their original owners for many years.

Morris Minor

Berkeley California is known for is eclectic, diverse, and interesting population. This is also true for the unusual collection of older cars used for everyday transportation in Berkeley. This Morris Minor is a great example of a vintage car still used as a everyday car. It was captured on the street in its natural habitat, in traffic on Telegraph Ave. Morris Minors were built in England, and were produced between 1948 and 1971. This specimen is a Morris Minor 1000, introduced in 1956. The exact year of this car is unknown. But what is known, is that this car is always going happy in Berkeley, sharing the streets with many other old, small, European cars.

1975 Cadillac Eldorado

This beautiful 1975 Cadillac Eldorado frequents the Fourth Street Bowl Coffee Shop in San Jose, adding class and elegance to this eating establishments parking lot. Large, full-size portions are served at the coffee shop, making this car the perfect choice of transport after a heavy meal. This car is unusual not only for its exceptional condition, but for how it was equipped from the factory. It has the seldom seen sun roof option, but was ordered with out a vinyl top. Also unusual are the set of aftermarket wheels installed when the car was new. 1971-1978 Eldorados are rarely seen on the street anymore, making the spotting of this car a feast for the eyes.