Coronado was an especially enchanted isle on Sunday, April 25, 2021 when many village streets were gussied up with classic cars for MotorCars on MainStreet. This year’s modified version showcased 22 stops, with more than 50 cars proudly displayed as the stars of the show. There were also caravans of other classic gems that got in the action cruising the island.
Meet a few of these diverse car enthusiasts
Always interested in cars, Jeff Tyler found his classic 1915 Model T Roadster half restored 14 years ago and spent about six months completing the restoration. He learned how to drive it and has been a staple in the Fourth of July parade ever since. Watch for him around town when he drives it to pick up a needed item at the hardware store. Tyler is an active community member and realtor who rebuilt the engine and maintains the original 1923 Hotel del Coronado laundry truck, which belongs to the Coronado Historical Association.
Sandy and Tim Shortt are car buffs who loves to restore cars, with 400 and counting. Tim has even written two books about his car restoration journey. He was born in Coronado and is co-chair with Joe Aldos of Motorcars on MainStreet. Sandy reports that they have had their 1949 Woody for 25 years and plan to take it on a 2,000 mile classic car tour in Northern California this summer. They currently have their 1971 Volkswagen Bus for sale. When asked if she drives any of the classic cars, she quickly answered “I grew up driving classic cars, but now prefer to drive my fuel efficient Prius.”
With a dozen classic cars in his collection that he drives on a rotating basis, Russ McKee is currently a Jaguar aficionado with a 1958 Jaguar XK150 and 1966 Jaguar XKE. “A 1964 Comet Cyclone was the first car I fell in love with,” he comments, but notes that throughout his life he has gone through different car phases, including collecting muscle cars and then British and Italian gems. He has a 1961 Alpha Romeo Giulietta in honor of his one-year old granddaughter Julia. He hopes to give it to her for her high school graduation. “I love when my cars make people smile,” he comments.
Twenty five years ago Tim McBratney bought his 1962 Rambler in rough shape from someone on the Naval base. He spent about 10 years restoring it to pristine condition. “I have fond memories of my daughter helping me turn wrenches during the car’s restoration, and it will eventually go to her,” he says.
Die hard Corvette lovers, Rod and Linda Weissenberger have served as judges at past MotorCars on MainStreet. Their 1962 split window Corvette is rare, with this model only produced for one year. They have restored multiple Corvettes through the years and currently have a new model, their sixth Corvette, on order.
Retired Naval Commanders Jo-Ellen Greene and her husband Michael used their 1991 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce as a daily driver when they were stationed in Germany. They also love their distinctive 1960 AMC Metropolitan which draws attention whenever they drive it.
With a love of Woody’s, Dan Biggins did much of the restoration on his stunning 1947 Woody that he has owned for 30 years. He can often be seen driving this stylish beauty around town.
Bill and Martha Gise are well known car enthusiasts. Martha proudly showed off her 1997 Toyota GRAV, not a classic but definitely a looker. When the car needed a paint job, she suggested that they wrap it like the giraffes she fell in love with on a trip to Africa. This unique car is popular around town and people have suggested adding ears and a tail to complete the look. Bill spent 30 years as the Fleet Supervisor for the City of Coronado, as well as owning a foreign car shop and working for an international car parts company. With a fully outfitted automotive shop in his garage, Bill has restored numerous cars and is almost finished with his latest project, a 1927 custom Track T Ford Roadster, for which he has been collecting pieces and hand-building parts for 15 years. His crown jewel is a 1964 Shelby Cobra that he bought from George Bartell, who created art for Carroll Shelby. “I was in the right place at the right time,” he comments. He and the car were featured in the December 2019 issue of Hot Rod Magazine.
Classic cars evoke memories of good times gone by, and their owners are a special group with a devotion to their vehicles and stories to tell. Although fewer cars were part of this year’s MotorCars on MainStreet event, where cars are usually parked together near Star Park Circle, Coronado MainStreet did an outstanding job pivoting to host this event to accommodate health concerns during the pandemic. Many local businesses got involved by offering discounts throughout the day. With the wealth of outstanding classic cars in Coronado, we are all looking forward to seeing all our favorites and even more cars next year.
