La Jolla visit

autokunst

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I was fortunate enough to have to run out to La Jolla Wednesday and Thursday for a meeting. Frankly, a 2 and a half hour meeting was a pretty nice excuse to spend 36 hours in the area. Although most of the trip was travel, meeting prep and the meeting at hand, I did mange to soak in that big blue body of water you have over there for a while (a bit larger than the great lake over here). And I squeezed in a visit with none other than Carl Nelson at La Jolla Independent. WOW. The shop was nothing like I imagined, and the coolest, wildest place ever. A tight parcel of land simply littered with vintage "bmw" (cars, parts, musk). And the funny thing is that while I was standing there talking to Carl, the lowering springs I'd ordered were being delivered to my office back on the 3rd coast.

I've noticed this in the past, but more so this trip. You folks on the west coast have a special thing going on. What a car culture. The streets were almost "cluttered" with cool cars. Old cars, special cars, nice cars, tweaked cars - there were many flavors, but they all said that we care about these machines. Oh, and a heck of a lot of the "E" variety as well. My mind was a buzz with it all.

Back in the midwest today. It is zero out, but the wind chill was -15 this morning.
 

craterface

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I have also walked in to the shop while in town for work. I got a tour from his son (I think) and saw the CSL and a dusty 503 coupe (which I recall being as big as a 57 Chevy). The shop is so cool, all those lifts located outside. The land is probably worth 10 million dollars, so it won't stay a BMW shop forever, so we have to enjoy it while it lasts.
 

WALTER

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I had the good fortune to be stationed in San Diego a long time ago. Having Carl's shop close by was second only to the perfect weather!
 

autokunst

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I did not take many photos at the shop. I wasn't sure if that was PC or not (though I still snapped several anyway). My camera (phone) actually didn't capture several that I thought I took. But here are a few that made it to the memory card:

I assume this was a customer's car. Just gorgeous.
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In the "showroom". I was told these cars were part of someone's collection.
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Just a glance across the lot - lots of E30's - it made me miss mine a bit...
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Sorry for the crappy "through the windshiled" pic. I missed sunset, but still enjoyed the glow.
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And then the next morning, before heading to my meeting where I was presenting content to clients, I centered myself with the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks - moon in the sky is always a nice addition to the view, too.
20190123-La Jolla trip-08.jpg
 

Sooner

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I was also fortunate to visit on a business trip, well worth the time and Carl is great!
 

autokunst

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That’s my 69 2000 NeueKlasse getting some love from Carl. He leant me his 745i Turbo in exchange, I hope to get my NK back soon. Carl told my wife that when I die the NK is his!
Oh man, that's awesome!!! When I walked up, Carl was on the phone with someone from Australia talking about parts. I had to stand there for a good ten minutes or so, and I was just soaking in your car. Thanks for that. :D

Honestly, I had dreamed that I was going to have all sorts of extra time while there. I was going to try to get together with some forum folks for a beer, dinner, or whatever. But then I did the math on when my flight arrived, rental car pick-up, some time to prep for me meeting the next day - and the pipe dream evaporated before it ever took shape. Maybe next time.
 

Haseeb

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I did not take many photos at the shop. I wasn't sure if that was PC or not (though I still snapped several anyway). My camera (phone) actually didn't capture several that I thought I took. But here are a few that made it to the memory card:

I assume this was a customer's car. Just gorgeous.
View attachment 58734

In the "showroom". I was told these cars were part of someone's collection.
View attachment 58735 View attachment 58736 View attachment 58737

Just a glance across the lot - lots of E30's - it made me miss mine a bit...
View attachment 58738

Sorry for the crappy "through the windshiled" pic. I missed sunset, but still enjoyed the glow.
View attachment 58739

And then the next morning, before heading to my meeting where I was presenting content to clients, I centered myself with the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks - moon in the sky is always a nice addition to the view, too.
View attachment 58740
Hey you’re not half bad at photography man!
 

Rex Kapriellian

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I’m not sure what’s more impressive, the cars or the land that they sit on. He’s a busy man. I remember waiting 10 minutes to get a word in. It’s incredible the amount of phone calls he intercepts. He knows how to multi task.

I’m down for a group gathering in SoCal
 

Ohmess

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I too am jealous of the car culture in CA. And not just the cars you see all around you, but the support structure. BMW specialty shops and alternator repair shops and driveshaft repair guys and on and on. There are some car people in the DC area, but the support structure is pretty skinny.

The vast majority of the inhabitants of this place view their cars as washing machines.
 

autokunst

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Perhaps I should start a new thread about this, but I just scheduled my next meeting in the San Diego area and I am pinging anyone in that area to see if you'd like to meet. I will be flying in Wednesday, March 13, late morning. My plan is to run up to La Jolla Independent to take a look at something I've been talking with Carl about, then I essentially have the rest of the afternoon/evening to enjoy the trip. I'm not trying to orchestrate a "formal" event, but I'll have to eat dinner at some point (or tip a pint of beer???). If anyone is in that general area and is interested in an impromptu gathering, please let me know. I could also drive closer to an aggregate of folks if that makes more sense. @HB Chris , @Rex Kapriellian ???

@Bmachine Bo, If your car is still there I can snap some pics for you, too. :)
 

HB Chris

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Stephen, That’s a possibility. It’s 1 1/2 hours from HB to La Jolla. Lots of great breweries in Miramar area too, including distilled spirits.
 

autokunst

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Stephen, That’s a possibility. It’s 1 1/2 hours from HB to La Jolla. Lots of great breweries in Miramar area too, including distilled spirits.
You had me at distilled spirits. Mirimar seems very close to where I'll be, which is to say pretty far from HB. Any other thoughts farther up the coast? Oceanside/Carlsbad area? Do they have distilled spirits (and cheese) there? Or deep dish pizza - I am originally from Chicago. :D
 
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