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Photography by Alex Sobran
Returning to your car at the end of a show to find that somebody’s kindly flung a handful of cards for their fledgling detailing business through your window is annoying, but worse yet is seeing a note on the seat informing you all future events have been canceled. We’ve brought back coverage of our favorite Sunday morning gathering at Trancas Country Market in Malibu, CA, for a while now, but today is likely to be the last time, seeing as the local community finally told everyone they’d like it to stop. With the snake of parallel-parked cars creeping steadily deeper into residential areas over the last few months, it seems we’ve reached the point of too much.
This happens all the time with events following the Cars & Coffee format, and they’re canceled for any number of reasons. Though it can be fun watching people hip-check highway dividers with their V6 Mustangs from the distance of YouTube, it’s not so fun to think about anyone getting hurt because some moron who ripped off his mufflers in the garage last night wants to do a burnout. That’s one of the quicker methods for ending the party. Whatever it is though, it never seems to come from the people who are having the most fun, does it? Instead it’s the dude with the leased entry-level supercar cold-starting it and sending the revs to the fuel cut because he wants to feel “what Enzo intended.” It’s not one specific group of brand loyalists or whatnot that does this of course: it’s just people with either too much ego, not enough respect, and probably both. But then again, sometimes it’s simply too many people in one place and that’s that.
I think I’m patient when it comes to waiting for a photo, so this gallery doesn’t do justice to the density out of frame. Representing the show’s growth was the fact that I arrived earlier than ever and had to walk further than ever to and from my eventual parking spot. I wouldn’t be surprised if a few toes were run over in the course of the morning. It’s sad to know it’s over, but we’re still spoiled for choice in Southern California so we can’t whine too much, and after all it really was outgrowing the location, however great it was—besides the static show at Trancas, it was an excuse to take a drive into the canyon roads nearby to accelerate the maintenance schedule on one’s car.
It is with typical bittersweetness then that all of us at Petrolicious look back on the good times had here, and even if you’ve never been to Trancas nor seen a previous article on the shows, we’d like to share just one more little gallery. As always, the group that assembled on Sunday was full of choice vintage cars. Here’s to the places we’ll meet them in the future.
This is absolutely crazy. I live in Malibu and love this show. Its very much about community and family. So great to see dads and their kids walking the show and sharing history and knowledge with their families. How can a hand full of people wreck it for so many others. This also gives the local shops at Trancas a revenue boost once a month with the extra customers. (i was told 11% on the first Sunday of every month) Bottom line is that the City of Malibu doesn’t support businesses and caters to the whims of the elite whiners. How the City Counsel allowed this to shut down is a shame and a scam. Apparently a fellow by the name of Hans Laetz is the owner of Malibu Radio station and we were all disturbing his beauty sleep once a month. I wish Petrolicious and everyone else would call them out on it.
Soon I’ll be headed to SoCal for the first time. I have high hopes for the car scene there but seeing a gem like this go away breaks my heart. Just seeing one of the beauties photographed here in the flesh would make the trip for me. Who knows? Maybe I’ll discover something along the lines of Trancas on my inevitable canyon cruise!
The city of Malibu has actually sponsored a C&C on the second and fourth Sundays at the Malibu Bluffs across from Pepperdine University for a number of years, but these have never drawn the higher end participants that Trancas did. There’s also a smaller event Wheels and Waves at the Malibu Country Mart on the third Sunday. Both are safely away from residential areas.
I think you are missing the point a bit. It was a show but it was also a chance to hear the history of the owners cars and meet people. It is fun to drive your cars but also fun to have a destination. Many of these cars cannot be left in a car park so it was a safe environment and a way to share with everyone. Yes it is great to see a Gullwing pass you on PCH but isn’t it better to see one up close, meet the owner and hear it start up and drive a
way? Best of both worlds IMO
Really a shame as this event was the best for the first couple of years before the word got out and you had to be there by 6:00 AM to get a spot. Where else could you see an Alfa 8C 2900 and a Ferrari TDF (thanks Ray!) in a market parking lot, or the second production Cobra (thanks to Bruce Meyer yesterday). The street parking did start to encroach a bit into the nearby neighborhood, but a bigger problem might have been the knuckleheads compelled to gun down PCH with the beach side residences bordering the highway. Oh well, fun while it lasted!
I grew up in LA in the 60’s driving sports cars and motorcycles on all the great roads like Angeles Crest, Bouquet Canyon, the deepest reaches of the the Malibu Hills and beyond into Ventura County.
Most enthusiasts i knew then were pretty close mouthed about their favorite roads. Nowadays search YouTube for Stunt Road and up come links to scads of go-fast guys with their Go Pro videos. Although I’ve not lived in California for a long while the broadcasting of all the great roads locations feels awful somehow.
Too bad about Trancas but I guess it’s inevitable when too many crash the party eh?