November 2022

When I received a press release mentioning that the Lions Automobilia Foundation Museum was conducting the Spirit of Giving Cruise and Coat Drive on November 12, 2022, for “Lions Appreciation Day,” I not only knew I had to attend but also wanted to see the Lions Museum once again as I did when it opened three years ago. I got my start in drag racing photography at the iconic Lions Dragstrip, Irwindale Raceway, Orange County Raceway, Pomona and Ontario Motor Speedway shooting for Hot Rod, Popular Hot Rodding and Car Craft magazines back in the day and most importantly, I am a U.S. Army veteran so this tribute occasion was a must for me to attend.

Armistice Day, now called Veterans Day (President Eisenhower signed this in 1954), is observed on November 11 as a federal holiday in the U.S honoring military veterans of the US armed forces and marking the anniversary of the end of WWI. Interestingly, WWI ended with a ceasefire on the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month in 1918.

The Lions Automobilia Foundation Museum, founded by Rick Lorenzen, was built to honor car culture and it consists of an enormous collection of drag racing cars set against a 4,000 sq foot diorama of the starting line bridge from Lions with hand painted bleachers featuring images of spectators devouring the historic drag racing action.

Lorenzen himself is a veteran, having served in the Coast Guard, so this charitable venture was close to his heart in addition to honoring the fallen, helping families who lost vets in the line of duty. As Lana Chrisman, executive director at the Lions Automobilia Foundation and Museum states, “The drive will benefit the U.S. Vets Long Beach bringing together Southern California automotive enthusiasts and veterans during the holiday to collect warm coats for homeless veterans and those in need.”

Ms. Crisman recently was honored by SEMA as “Woman of the Year” through Businesswomen’s Network.

In addition to the recreated the Lions Drag Strip starting line, there is a Main Street Gallery highlighting Southern California car culture and motorsports history. In the Main Street gallery, classic cars are placed in front of an unbelievably authentic 1950s diner where you’re tempted to get on a stool and order a milkshake. An onsite restoration workshop keeps the classics in top shape and is a learning facility for young adults.

Lorenzen grew up near Lions Dragstrip and was always infatuated with modified Willys, so he bought a 1941 Coupe for $65 in 1960 and worked on it in his friend’s backyard. His passion for Willys has remained intact and through the years he amassed an impressive collection of about 50 Willys. Of course that first ’41 Coupe is at the forefront in the museum. Over 100 vintage muscle cars, hot rods and classics are beautifully staged next to neon signs and movie marques in diorama fashion. One of the pristine condition1966 Batmobiles, authenticated by Gorge Barris, sits in front of a skylight mural with the Bat-Signal in the sky indicating a way for the police in Gotham City to call on the caped crusader.     

The Price Automobilia Group is part of the Price Transfer Trucking warehouse that is a family business and is the main stay for the Museum Foundation, which is a nonprofit 5063c. It was exciting to return after the grand opening in 2019. The grand opening event included a panel discussion with rod legend Ed “isky” Iskenderian (now 101 years old), “TV Tommy” Ivo, Danny Thompson (Mickey Thompson’s son), Carl Olson, Larry Sutton and Steve Chrisman. Ivo’s words about his time at the drag strip stayed with me as I explored on this visit. He said he loved the track because, “I could drive my Model T to the track, run the day and drive it home.” Someone also once said, “Lions was Fantasy Island on Nitro.” The dragstrip operated between 1955-1972, and unfortunately closed due to neighbor complaints about the noise.

Attending this event, I met veteran George Morgan, who served in the U.S. Airforce (1960-1961). He was stationed at the Strategic Air Command working on B47s that were flying out to Cuba for security reasons. Morgan has a friend who works at the museum, so he and his wife decided to come for a visit and donate some coats. Morgan is a real “car geek” so much so that he uses “Nailhead V8” as his online handles. The museum will continue to accept coat donations during the upcoming months, as well as host a toy drive on December 10 (click here to learn more).

Even though the dragstrip had been gone for 50 years, thanks to the Lions Automobilia Foundation Museum, the track “remains in the hearts of all as the greatest drag strip of all time.”

During my recent trek to the “pick-and-pull” junkyard (which you can read about here), I came up with five picks for vehicles to highlight. I’m back again with a few more that caught my eye the same day. Presented in alphabetical order, here’s the lowdown.

2005 Chrysler Crossfire

This oddball two-seat, rear-wheel drive sports car comes from the Daimler-Chrysler partnership and shared most of its architecture with the first-generation Mercedes-Benz SLK. It came to market in 2004 and was offered as a coupe and a roadster through the end of production in 2008, selling a total of just over 76,000 units during that window of time. Base and limited models employed a 3.2-liter V6, while high-performance SRT-6 models were outfitted with a supercharged version of the same (the latter producing 330 horsepower). Power was sent rearward through either a Mercedes 5G-Tronic five-speed automatic or a six-speed Chrysler manual transmission. The Crossfire roadster I encountered was equipped with the six-speed manual.

1989 Dodge Caravan

The minivan that started it all! This multi-purpose hauler was marketed as both a cargo van and a passenger vehicle. It was produced across five generations beginning in 1984 by the Chrysler Corporation, assembled concurrently with the Plymouth Voyager and the Chrysler Town & Country on the same “S” platform. The first-generation Caravan borrowed some chassis elements from other vehicles on the Chrysler K platform. Powertrains were diverse and ranged from a 96-horsepower inline-four all the way to a 150-horsepower 3.3-liter V6 in the final model year for the first-generation in 1990. My minivan encounter was with a woodgrain-paneled 1989 Caravan with captain’s chairs for the first and second rows (upholstered in surprisingly nice red cloth).

1995 Ford Ranger & Mazda B2300

The Ranger compact pickup was introduced in the United States and Canada beginning with the 1983 model year. It was sold in succession through 2012, and along the way, it shared some platform elements with the Ford Bronco II and the Ford Explorer sport-utility vehicles. The Mazda B-Series was a rebadged variant of this truck, whose long-lived platform went through multiple facelifts before being phased out. I encountered both a Ranger and a B2300 during my visit, both in regular-cab, two-wheel drive configurations. The Ranger came back into production in 2019 after a multi-year hiatus, but the second-generation carries special nostalgia for me since a 1994 regular-cab XL-trim pickup was the vehicle that I learned to drive a stick-shift on in the late 1990s.

1991 Infiniti Q45

As the Japanese luxury race was just getting started, Honda launched Acura, Toyota started Lexus, and Nissan created Infiniti. The flagship full-sized Q45 sedan brought a V8, rear-wheel drive platform to the states with competitive specs and standard equipment. The first generation used a 278-horspower 4.5-liter mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Appointments were advanced for its time including Bose audio, memory seating, and automatic digital climate control, while some models came in “Touring” trim with special suspension updates like a multi-link front and rear, a stabilizer bar, a sway bar, and four-wheel steering. The Q45 that I encountered was finished in pearl white and was well-equipped, including controls for a compact disc changer in the center console.

1999 Lexus GS300

Another Japanese luxury contender during the 1990s was the Lexus GS. This executive car first launched in 1991 on the S140 platform and was powered by a 3.0-liter inline-six. A second-generation began in 1998 was dubbed a “high-performance sedan” when it first debuted at the Detroit Auto Show. Available engines included a straight-six or a 4.0-liter V8, the latter producing 300 horsepower and accelerating the sedan to 60 mph in just 5.7 seconds. So popular was this car that it was pronounced Motor Trend’s Import Car of the Year in 1998 and was named to Car and Driver’s Ten Best list for 1998 through 2000. The GS from my junkyard visit was a silver metallic 3.0-liter that had already been picked apart to a large degree but still had unmistakable body lines.

Bonus: Two Relics from the 1970s

While most vehicles in the junkyard I visited were from the 1980s through the early 2000s, I did come across a couple of standout older cars that deserve a minute in the spotlight:

1974 Cadillac Eldorado

This ragtop was ragged, but there was something incredibly neat about it. This 1974 came from the model’s ninth generation which launched in 1971 on the General Motors E-body platform. Its motor was a massive 500cid V8 that was paired with a three-speed automatic transmission.

1975 Plymouth Gran Fury

The full-size Gran Fury came in a number of designs including the two-door hardtop I spotted. It was a model continuation of the Plymouth Satellite and had V8 motors ranging in size from 360cid to 440cid, each mated to a TorqueFlite three-speed automatic transmission.

Do any of these cars evoke memories for you? Let us know in the comment section!

Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1970 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350.

This Shelby GT350 is finished in white complemented by blue accent striping. The exterior features Shelby badging, NACA-style hood intake vents, a chin spoiler, fog lamps, and rectangular exhaust outlets at the center of the rear bumper. It rides on a set of aluminum 15-inch wheels with polished lips and Cooper Cobra Radial G/T raised-white-letter tires.

“The cabin is upholstered with black vinyl high-back bucket seats with red accents, matched to the door panels, center console, dual-cockpit padded dash, and carpeting,” the listing states. “The cabin is trimmed in woodgrain veneer, and additional amenities include red floor mats, a push-button radio, a heater, a Shelby-branded wood-rimmed steering wheel, a clock, and a vinyl-lined trunk.”

Under the hood is a 351ci Windsor V8 engine that was last serviced in early 2021. The engine is paired with a console-shifted three-speed automatic transmission.

The sale includes a clear Washington title. The five-digit mechanical odometer reads just under 42K miles, although true mileage on the chassis is unknown.

This 1970 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350’s auction ends on Tuesday, November 29, 2022, at 12:20 p.m. (MST)

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery

For over four decades, the Supra has been heralded as a favorite sports car of many enthusiasts. The name itself was derived from a Latin phrase that means “above” or “beyond.”

The Pick of the Day is a low-mileage 1986 Toyota Supra listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Dublin, Georgia. (Click the link to view the listing)

This second-generation Supra underwent recent reconditioning both mechanically and cosmetically under the seller’s ownership. “Repainted in November 2021 along with refinishing black trim components,” the listing states. This car has a “P-Type” classification, for performance, while another Supra variant was produced as an “L-Type,” catering more to luxury. Adding to the curb appeal is a set of newly refinished 14-inch aluminum wheels on a set of BFGoodrich Radial T/A raised-white-letter tires.

The Supra name has been around since 1979 when it was first introduced as a sub-model of the liftback Celica. While some architecture of the traditional Celica was shared, the Supra version had longer front fenders and a distinct inline-six powertrain as opposed to the Celica’s inline-four.

This generation of Supra became known under the A60 chassis code and first debuted in mid-1981 as the Celica Supra model. Over the years that followed, the car saw some design and engineering updates such as added equipment and increases in power. For 1984, the front turn signals were changed to wraparound units, the taillights were changed, and paint schemes were modified.

Toyota’s original intent was to have 1985 be the final model year for this generation, but production nuances with available of the next-generation A70 model caused a shift in strategy and Toyota ended up continuing to sell 1986-branded Celica Supras for the first six months of that year. This car is one of those vehicles that were manufactured right at the end of the model lineup.

Power comes from a mechanically sorted 2.8-liter inline-six and is transferred rearward through a four-speed automatic transmission. “Work recently completed includes replacement of the valve cover gaskets, battery replacement, hood insulation pad, and struts,” the listing reads. The seller notes that the fuel door release doesn’t work and the defrost vents are cracked, but replacements are in hand.

With all the recent work being done to this car both inside and out, there’s nothing left to do but drive it and enjoy. The seller is asking $21,000 for this Supra, which comes with its original owner’s manual, two keys, and an awesome looking period-correct stereo with an equalizer.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.