En Route To The LA Lit Show; But First, Cars and Coffee
I arrived in Los Angeles for the annual LA Lit & Toy Show (Lit) held at the LAX Hilton which attracts P-car collectors and enthusiasts from across the country for a long weekend of “shopping” and shop tours.
But first, cars and coffee. The morning began with a stop at the Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles (PEC LA) for their second cars and coffee gathering called the Morning Shift. Held at 8 am on the first Saturday of each month, the Morning Shift takes place in PEC LA’s parking lot, rain or shine, with complimentary coffee served in their showroom.
Luckily I was in town for Lit weekend so the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. But regardless if the Morning Shift was taking place or not, I usually visit PEC LA when I’m in town to view the cars showcased in their showroom and workshop. From my understanding, the showroom cars (about 10-12) are rotated almost weekly, so you never know what will be on display when visiting.
It was a wet and dreary morning with no sign of rain subsiding anytime soon and upon arriving at PEC LA, the parking lot was quiet. I was a little concerned people weren’t going to show up because of rain or perhaps they had gone to the Lit Show at 7 am for the Early Bird Shopper admission; then suddenly P-cars started rolling in and I broke out in a happy dance. True story.
I had a feeling I’d see modern Porsche’s and race cars inside PEC LA’s facility therefore, I waited in the rain and looked for air-cooled models before retreating to the building. Parked front and center and ready for an adventure was Auto Kennel’s well-traveled 911, named Tortuga. Further down, a pretty black 911 and Rasant Products red 911S caught my eye as well as an orange 914 with some serious patina. Speaking of orange, there was also some “fresh squeezed” GT3RS on the lot; now that’s a proper way to get your daily dose of Vitamin C. While admiring the cars, I came across a guy air-hugging a stunning blue Carrera RSR and I have the photo to prove it. Dude, I feel you; I want to hug them all.
Showroom Delights
After several minutes, I quickly jumped into the building to dry off and warm up with a cup of coffee. Upon entering the showroom, my gaze immediately turned to a yellow 1970 911T which lit up the space like a ray of sunshine. I read on PEC LA’s Instagram feed that the low-mileage car belongs to Jeff Zwart and still has it’s original paint and interior – a real gem. In the center was a fierce 911 GT3 Cup MR by Manthey-Racing. Although white isn’t usually my go-to color, I have to admit I drooled while walking around this beast; it’s sexy from every angle.
Located just behind the sexy beast was the Dempsey-Wright Motorsports 911 GT America in Brumos-Beautyrest Black livery. Every once in a while I looked around hoping to see Patrick Dempsey in the crowd but no McDreamy in sight. Sigh. As I circled “Black Beauty” I grabbed another cup of coffee before making my way to Lisa Taylor’s Flying L Racing Voodoo Blue GT2RS. I’m a sucker for blue and this paint to sample color is even better looking in person – truly enchanting. Then, behind the glass wall, I spied the class-winning 1993 Le Mans Larbre Competition 964 RSR. Bonus! I remember seeing the car last year at Luft 5 so it was a nice treat to see it again even if it was behind a glass wall.
Celebrities
Among the cars were also a couple of furry celebrities: Jeff Zwart’s Bernese Mountain Dog, Jezzebell, and her sidekick, Reagan, who was outfitted in a custom Porsche onesie by Terri Zwart. Oh, and Jeff Zwart and Rod Emory were on site too but the P-cars and dogs were definitely the star’s of the event.
About an hour after arriving, the crowd thinned out and it was time to grab the umbrella and head over to the LA Lit & Toy Show. If you plan on attending next year’s Lit weekend or happen to be in the Los Angeles area, be sure to stop by PEC LA for their monthly Morning Shift or just drop in to see what’s parked in the showroom and workshop. And if you have a little extra time, sign up for hot laps; it’s a good time guaranteed. Trust me!
Stay tuned for images from Lit and shop tours coming soon.
