The Hornets CC hosted the Panoramic “38” run on April 13. It wasn’t a Concours D’ Elegance; it was a loping, snarling saunter through the scenic parts of the city—a petrol-burning patina parade of guys who don’t mind a little scratch if that’s what it takes to get it out of the garage and onto the streets.
There was a time when having an old car around to work on was an essential working-class time killer. As restored classics began to increase in value and the parts became more scarce, the value of the iconic California cruiser increased to the point where owning a vintage vehicle became something associated with the wealthy. We could watch museum-quality cars on television auctions sell for the price of a home, and the regular guy started to see entry into the hobby as a price too steep to pay.
Riversider “Hudson” Joe Buffardi never got the memo. He’s not old enough to have been around for the early days, but he’s doing Yeoman’s work to keep the spirit of a working man’s vintage car culture alive. Joe says, “We love our city! We want to keep this city a hotrod city just like it was in the Riverside Raceway days! We also want to show the out-of-towners how beautiful it really is.”
The turn signal still works (Finn Comer).
The Panoramic “38” is the first of many events the Hornets plan to host in Riverside. Stay tuned here and check our calendar for what’s to come.
