Fun Stuff

Import Auto Salon. Saturday and Sunday. Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona.

The second annual salon is a speed and customizing equipment show for modern hot rodders whose preferred wheels are four- and six-cylinder compact coupes and sedans and mini-pickups (mainly Japanese makes but including vehicles such as the Mercury Cougar and Dodge Neon). It started as a trade-only event for members of the sponsoring Specialty Equipment Market Assn., but has been opened to the public because of huge demand.

Public hours: Saturday, noon to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Admission: $10.

Information: SEMA, (909) 396-0289.

Trailer Rally. Wednesday to April 4. Black Star RV Ranch, Orange County.

Black Star RV Ranch, in the hills above Irvine, is the site next week of the Southern California Spring Rally of vintage travel-trailer enthusiasts and their trailers. The event, sponsored by the Vintage Vacations club, is open to owners of travel trailers, caravans and motor homes built before 1960.

Cost: participation fee, $20; camping, $22 a day.

The site also will be open to the public April 3 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a vintage trailer show and swap meet. Admission: $5.

Information, registration and directions: Craig Dorsey, (714) 288-9233.

San Diego International Auto Show. Wednesday to April 6; call for hours. San Diego Convention Center, 111 W. Harbor Drive (at 5th Avenue).

A last chance for Southern Californians to see all the 1999 models in one place. Also: a display of electric vehicles, vintage cars and the world premiere of Mercury’s 2000 model Sable sedan.

Admission: adults, $8; children 7-12, $4; senior citizens 62 and older, $5; active members of the military (with ID), $6.

Information: (619) 525-5000.

Moose Anderson Days. April 17-18. Jawbone Canyon, 20 miles north of Mojave on Highway 14.

The first day is spent cleaning up the desert around Jawbone. The second offers 4x4 drives, a motorcycle ride, off-roading displays and games and fun for the family. Participants who don’t have off-road vehicles can take the Sunday tours as passengers in Bureau of Land Management vehicles.

Participants get a sack lunch and a T-shirt from Friends of Jawbone as thanks for their work. A barbecue dinner Saturday night costs $7 a person. There is no charge for Sunday’s events for those who worked on the Saturday cleanup. The fee is $10 for others.

Information: (760) 373-1146; e-mail: [email protected].

Motor Trend Thunder Historic Road Races. June 11-13. Gates open at 6:30 a.m.; racing begins at 8 a.m. Marine Corps Air Station, Tustin.

This extravaganza for fans of vintage-car road racing, formerly known as Days of Thunder, features a dozen races a day and a field of more than 500 race cars--Ferraris, Lolas, formula Fords, Super Vees, Jaguars and everything in between. Proceeds will benefit several Marine Corps charities.

Admission: one day, $20; two days, $35; three days, $45.

Children under 12 and active members of the military are admitted free.

Information: (323) 782-2850.

Pomona Grand Prix. July 3-4. Gates open 7:30 a.m.; racing starts at 10 a.m. Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona.

The historic road course plays host to races sponsored by the Vintage Automobile Racing Assn.

Admission: adults, $10; children under 12, free.

Information: (800) 280-8272; on the Web, https://www.vararacing.com.

Stars and Cars Gala. June 17, 6:30 p.m. Petersen Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles.

The museum’s annual fund-raiser begins with a champagne reception and silent auction and ends with a live auction of cars from various collections. In between, guests can wander the museum. The featured exhibition, “Surf’s Up: the Great American Woody,” is a show of wood-bodied cars and station wagons.

Admission: The price hasn’t been fixed yet but should be at or near last year’s $150 a person, museum officials say.

Information: (323) 964-6355.

Route 66 Rendezvous. Sept. 16-19, noon to 10 p.m. Downtown San Bernardino.

It’s the 10th anniversary of this cruisin’ festival dedicated to the memory of the Mother Road--the largely disappeared Route 66 that connected Chicago and Los Angeles. Events are open to all pre-1972 American-made cars and to Corvettes, Prowlers and Vipers of any year. Offerings spread over 30 downtown blocks include a car show and cruising events.

Cost: $35 to register a vehicle until May 31; $45 from June 1 to Aug. 31; $50 on site if slots are available. Walk-in spectators are admitted free. Only eligible registered cars can enter the downtown area.

Information and registration: (909) 889-3980; on the Web, https://www.route-66.org.

California International Auto Show. Oct. 20-24. Anaheim Convention Center, 800 W. Katella Ave.

Southern California’s first new-car show for model year 2000 is sponsored by the Orange County and Long Beach-area new-car dealer associations. All the 2000 models will be there, as well as an exhibit devoted to design and technology for the coming millennium.

Admission: adults, $8; children 7-12, $5.

Information: (714) 999-8950 or (714) 424-6090.

Palm Springs Grand Prix. Nov. 27-29. Downtown Palm Springs.

Another road race for classic machines courtesy of the Vintage Automobile Racing Assn.

Information: (800) 280-8272; or https://www.vararacing.com.

Greater Los Angeles Auto Show. Jan. 8-16. Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St.

The premier California new-car show unwraps all the year 2000 models as well as a growing number of important concept and future cars. More than 1,000 vehicles will be on display, among them electrics and alternative-fuel cars and trucks.

Admission: adults, $7; children under 12, free.

Information: (213) 741-1151.