By John Walcek

Originally published in the May-June 2024 Lincoln and Continental Comments magazine (Issue # 378)
(All photos courtesy of the author.)

ABOVE: A winning line-up at Lincoln and Lattes- a 1961 Continental, a trio of 1956 Premieres, a 1948 Continental Cabriolet, and a 1938 Model K.

Sometimes, during the dead of winter, life comes to a standstill. This February, the “atmospheric river” brought with it more rain than we have had in California in some time. There were lucky breaks. On Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, the Lincoln Design Center in Irvine held its second annual “Lincoln and Lattes” event, and I decided to go. The morning was gorgeous, with the sun shining and billowing white clouds. By 9 a.m., a cavalcade of some 300 collectible and classic cars had assembled in the parking lot. Free coffee and donuts really facilitated friendly socialization and the excitement of the time.

I drove my nice 1997 Lincoln Continental and was able to park in the aisle with other Lincolns, thanks to the efforts and involvement of LCOC Western Region president Jim Ayres and webmaster Elayne Bendell, who drove her beautiful saddle brown 1964 Lincoln Continental Convertible.

The Lincoln Model K, like this 1938 sedan, could go toe-to-toe with any of the other stars of the luxury field in the pre-war years.

One of three, this Continental Mark II Convertible by Derham was a sight to behold.

The timeless elegance of the first incarnation of the slab side Lincoln, seen here in a 1963 sporting some subtle modifications.

Unforgettable.  This 1960 Lincoln Continental Mark V was one of the most impressive machines plying America’s highways in the early 1960s.

Always a crowd pleaser, Aaron Leider’s 1948 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet made the trek from Palm Springs.

Western Region Director Jim Ayres’ 1988 Lincoln Mark VII is an impressive example of “what a luxury car should be.”

An early Lincoln Model L, sporting a 1926 California license plate, was among the earliest cars at Lincolns and Lattes.

There was a whole line of 1960s Lincolns from the “Ratties” and “Suicide Kings” car clubs. My favorites were a 1963 parade car and a rose-beige 1963 Lincoln Continental Sedan. Noteworthy aspects of these cars were the quality of their metalwork and paint jobs, as well as customized wheels and hubcaps.

Gregg Bunch brought his big 1938 Lincoln. Aaron Leider drove his 1948 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet from Palm Springs. Don Torrence brought his excellent 1970 Lincoln Continental Mark III. There were also three lovely pastel-colored Premieres.

The new Lincolns were in the special Salon parking area, with Lincoln people from the design center and the South Coast Plaza Lincoln showroom. Two noteworthy Lincolns from the 1920s were a 1927 Lincoln belonging to Duesenberg expert Randy Ema and a 1926 Lincoln with an interesting radiator ornament sculpture along with the temperature gauge, or motometer.

Then there were three Continental Mark IIs: one factory-commissioned convertible by Derham, ordered by William Clay Ford for his wife Martha, now in the Galpin Ford Collection; another nice darker blue Mark II previously owned by Elizabeth Taylor now belonging to Bob Rattinoff, and a beautiful silver one.

When things began to break up after 10:00 a.m., I spent the next hour talking to many interesting characters with their other cars. It was a great way to spend part of a Saturday during the winter.

John Walcek is the official LCOC photographer and lives in Placentia, California.