– Premier San Diego Car Show highlighting Mopar® vehicles of all kinds
– Proceeds of the event benefit local military charities, Fleet Week San Diego and Wounded Warrior Homes
– Provides massive club exposure with free admission to the public
Once a year, the active Mopar Club of San Diego puts on a spectacular car show located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean (San Diego Embarcadero Marina Park), always a well-attended event. The latest gathering took place on Saturday, August 3rd, and ran from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and everywhere you looked there was plenty of Pentastar excitement to see and experience!
With a steady flow of spectators all day at the show, this event is high-profile in terms of large numbers of the general public being able to view all the various display cars, giving the Mopar Club members a lot of opportunities to show the spectators the particulars on their vehicles. Because of the cool and breezy location, and with the Coronado Island bridge in the distance, there’s always a special atmosphere and it made for a wonderful and relaxing day to soak up the California sunshine.
The show itself has Mopars and Mopars and Mopars, of course, and also other makes and models are fully welcomed to participate. This photo selection is based on showing the various A-body, B-body, C-body and E-body cars that were there, and along with the various other Pentastar machines that joined in the fun, it made for a full day of Mopar Heaven!
BIG THANKS TO ALL SUPPORTERS
In order to put on an annual car show of this magnitude, it takes a great deal of sponsors and donors! The Mopar Club of San Diego has a big following of local businesses and individuals that are there each year to make the event happen.
A VERY SPECIAL 340 DART CONVERTIBLE!
Special salutes go to the Mopar Club of San Diego Club, especially this year for their goodwill in helping the family of the late John DePauw finish up the restoration of the family 340 ’68 Dart convertible! John was a man who was a serious and long-time Mopar lover who was in the final stages of doing his long-term resto, when suddenly he was struck down with pulmonary fibrosis, and his memorial wish was to make sure, somehow, the car would get completed and stay in the family. And John’s family is forever grateful for their kindness. And the debut of the finished (and running!) beautiful Dart droptop took place on the day of this show. A huge amount of work involved from club members (expertly performed!), all with this happy ending in the way of being driven to the car show. Memorial wish accomplished!
JBA JOINS IN THE FUN
San Diego’s JBA Speed Shop has been a long-time supporter and sponsor of the club, and have participated in numerous events with support and displays. J. Bittle and crew were on hand to answer questions and “car talk” throughout the show. Always a fun group, this bunch! www.jbaspeedshop.com
A stunning 1969 Road Runner Coupe was incorporated into the JBA display area this year, done up with a 440-6BBL engine and 4-speed, complete with Hurst Pistol Grip shifter, Redline rubber and classic 5-spoke American Racing wheels. Retro!
STUNNING E-BODIES
Amongst the numerous E-body cars that attended, these three caught our camera lens: ’70 383 Magnum R/T Challenger convertible, ’70 440 Magnum R/T Challenger (both in FC7 Plum Crazy paint) and the Shaker-equipped ’70 440 ’Cuda, in FJ5 Lime light Green.
PACIFIC OCEAN BACKDROP
With San Diego being a city known for its warm climate, beaches and parks, it was no surprise that there would be Southern California beach goers in attendance to enjoy the muscle car scenery at the show. Here’s college student Kouri’Ahna looking them over; which one is her favorite? It’s a tough choice: HEMI® ’70 Dodge Challenger R/T and a ’69 Plymouth Road Runner with 440+6 wedge … decisions decisions!
MODERN ERA MOPAR MUSCLE
The club members are a mix of early cars and late-model, and as one walked the area, there were numerous examples of SRT® Challengers and Chargers. The red SRT Hellcat Challenger shown in the lead image has the distinction of traveling the famous Route 66 road, all of the 2,400 miles, plus return to San Diego. Actually, it was returned to the town of Ramona, a local ranch community in San Diego County. The “Ramona” decal on the windshield caught the attention of these visiting girls from Mexico City, as they knew about the famous 19th century novel Ramona and were curious about the town!
VINTAGE PLYMOUTH C-BODY EXAMPLES
The C-body line of full-size Mopar cars came in 1965, and included the top-of-the-line “VIP” model (mild custom light blue) and Sport Fury (white) versions, they featured a 119-inch wheelbase. Not often seen!
A-BODY PLYMOUTHS ADDS TO THE VARIETY OF DISPLAY CARS
A selection of early Barracudas and a “street racer” Duster are pictured, the 1964 Barracuda has stayed in the family since purchased new at the Chrysler/Plymouth dealership in Van Nuys, CA, and today is outfitted with modernized running gear, a true survivor Mopar!
DODGE AND PLYMOUTH B-BODY CARS GALORE
Without question, the largest variety of vintage Mopar vehicles that attended this show were from the B-body segment: Cornets, Satellites, Chargers, Road Runners, and a rare 440-cid “GTX Road Runner” from the 1974 model year, a 1-of-386 car.
BROAD SELECTION OF “OTHER” MOPAR VEHICLES
Truly something for every Mopar taste! The wide variety of vintage Chrysler Corporation vehicles included a super-detailed ’68 Dodge Powerwagon stepside, a short wheelbase rig that is powered by the ultra-reliable Slant Six powerplant. From the ’50s was a 1958 DeSoto Fireflite 2-door Hardtop Sportsman, plus a traditional hotrod sporting a 6-71 supercharged 354 Chrysler Gen I HEMI engine!
The Mopar Club of San Diego is currently 120 members strong and has a wide range of vehicles in the membership. The Chrysler product enthusiasts that make up the group have decades of Mopar vehicle ownership and expertise, plus “new comers” that have joined in the scene. This annual event has become a San Diego area favorite for car show participants and spectators alike. With their annual All American Car Show event having the gorgeous Embarcadero Marine Park as the scenic location, it’s a fantastic opportunity to absorb the California sunshine, Pacific Ocean, grassy park and the colorful assortment of muscle cars and classics!
For info on the 2025 running of this event, check out their website!
Author: James Maxwell
0 Comments