What It Was Like Attending LA’s ‘Mini Pebble Beach’: The San Marino Motor Classic

As much as I love Pebble Beach, it’s far away and it’s expensive — it’s a commitment, and hardly a family affair; finding hotels is a nightmare. The good news is that there’s a miniature version of it called the San Marino Motor Classic, held just east of LA in the Pasadena neighborhood of San Marino. I attended this show this past weekend; here’s what it was like.

First, I attended the Symphony of Cars Gala with my cofounder Beau. Basically, this was a dinner next to a big ramp/stage upon which a bunch of beautiful cars drove, shooting unburnt fuel from their exhaust pipes, through the air, and into our open mouths about to intake a swig of mocktail or bite of salmon.

Did I probably lose a few months of life expectancy from the exhaust of an old Packard V12? Yes; but it was worth it. Here’s a look at that Gala:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by The Autopian (@theautopian)

And if you’re not an Instagrammer, here are some stills:

Here’s my wife (I still cannot believe I have an actual wife; it’s freakin’ awesome) and me; she’s having a great time, as you can see:

[Editor’s Note: She’s clearly having a great time. One look into those big yellow eyes and huge grin will tell you that! – JT]

My arrival to that Gala didn’t go smoothly, as I took my wife in the CrossCabriolet with the top down. The valet required the top to be up, lest someone on the street try messing with the car. I knew it’d be a risk putting the top up given these tops’ reputation, but I went for it, and it failed spectacularly:

I eventually bailed on getting the top up, and though I was able to shove the lid down a bit farther than the image above, it didn’t shut evenly. I just told the valet not to worry about it. “Your windows won’t go up either,” the driver told me. “I don’t care; just park it. It’s fine!”

They kindly parked it front and center, where they could keep an eye on it.

Anyway, let’s get to the “Mini Pebble Beach” — the actual San Marino Motor Classic, which took place the following morning, Sunday:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by The Autopian (@theautopian)

The show takes place in Lacey Park, in the nice Pasadena neighborhood of San Marino, former home of General George S. Patton Jr. There’s a big loop that goes around the park, and on either side of the path are cars, organized into classes:

Check out the police class next to the VWs:

There were, of course, many Porsches (this is California after all, where the “car community” starter-pack comes with an old 911):

Here you can see a judge asking an owner to fire up their Porsche’s engine:

In the very back were a few Ferraris:

There was this ridiculously beautiful Ferrari Daytona SP3, which costs many millions of dollars (one sold at Pebble Beach for $26 Million!)

There was even that Chrysler Special we saw at Pebble Beach on the lawn!:

Look familiar?

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by The Autopian (@theautopian)

And there was a D-Type Jag, which I was told was actually real and not a replica:

There were all sorts of great American and Japanese and British cars; here, let me just show you:

Plus, the show wasn’t so elitist so as to leave out one of the most iconic brands in auto history:

One thing I’d have liked to see more of were less polished cars. Yes, there was technically a small “preservation class” (see below) but there are so many amazing cars out there that are drivers — ones with patina and scars. Those are becoming more popular in the car scene; it’s time to make sure they have a bigger place at car shows, because they are no less historically significant. Flashy, shiny, mint-condition cars that nobody can afford are, to some people, less appealing than rough-around-the-edges cars that one could actually buy oneself.

$45 entry is a bit much for a cheap bastard like me, but kids 12 and under are free, so there’s that. Otherwise, the San Marino Motor Classic is great. I’m going again next year, as step 1 in a 146-step plan I’ve put together to brainwash my infant child into becoming a car enthusiast.