Week 96: El Cajon Car Show

Week 96: October 27th-November 2nd, 2024

Disclaimer: this was actually last week on October 21, but I completely forgot until I went back through my photos, so I’m using it this week as my SNEW. Don’t worry, I did try a new burger at Cheesecake Factory this week so I guess that would count… it just wouldn’t be as interesting.

I’ve always loved cars, especially classic cars, and somehow I found a boyfriend that likes them even more than I do. We saw a poster from the Corvette Owners Club of San Diego that advertised a car show at the El Cajon Elks Lodge.

There were a ton of cars, ranging in brand and age. It was mainly a Corvette show, but there were a handful of other brands to Ooh and Aah at. There were some super old (1914!) cars as well as shiny, new, 2024 ones, and all were meticulously maintained. There was probably millions and millions of dollars in that parking lot in the form of modifications, new paint jobs, and fancy rims.

My boyfriend and I definitely stood out, since most of the people participating in the show were old, white guys, and most of the people attending the show were also old, white guys. Unsurprising, as it was in a very suburban area of El Cajon, but just in case, we steered clear of some more conservative looking groups and kept to ourselves.

There were probably forty or fifty cars total on the lot, and the less car-inclined plus-ones were kept occupied with some local vendors that set up tents. Over the loudspeaker, someone announced there would be lunch served in the courtyard of Elks Lodge if anyone wanted. They were playing old country music as we walked around gawking at the cars.

A purple Dodge caught my eye because of a a sticker in the window. It read “No Airbags. We die like real men,” which I thought was an interesting way to look at automobile safety. I stood there reading the specs of the Dodge for a while, but I don’t know what most of that stuff meant. It sounded fancy and expensive, but I think they definitely could’ve included some airbags.

When I looked up from the poster, my boyfriend was a couple cars away, chatting with a very friendly older guy about his 2007 Corvette. They talked for a while and it was fun to see how excited and nerdy they got sharing car stories. The guy even let him sit in the front seat. At least this guy was nice, so some of the old white guys weren’t so bad.

Some of the cars had Halloween decorations, like a skeleton in the driver’s seat, and some had funny additions like a Wile E. Coyote and ACME TNT on the front grill. Most of the cars had their hoods popped so people who understood what they were looking at could see the inner workings of the engine and the modifications. I just kept noticing the crazy difference in cleanliness and style between each car. It was fascinating. It was a new way to look at accessorizing and customizing cars that I hadn’t thought of before.

We didn’t stay too long, since the asphalt made it really hot in the parking lot and we were getting hungry. I also worried that if we stayed long enough, my boyfriend would end up making a purchase he might regret. A lot of the cars were for sale.

One day, maybe I’ll get more into car mechanics and understanding engines, but for now, as long as my car works and is maintained, the inside of the hood is none of my business. I’m proud to say I know how to change a tire and how to check my oil, and I’m confident that I won’t get swindled into unnecessary add-ons when I go to get my car serviced, but I definitely have a long way to go before I become a real car girl.

See you next week.