Private Tour of General William Lyon Collection

Last month General William Lyon opened up his home for a private collection tour for a fundraising campaign benefiting Congressman John Campbell. I have never seen so many absolutely amazing vehicles under one roof! See the picture slide show below of The General's one of a kind collection.

OC Icon William Lyon Opens Air Museum

Lyon Air Museum, next to John Wayne Airport, features aircraft and automobiles from the 1930s and 1940s.



Major General William Lyon never fails to enter an event in grand style. At the Grand Opening on Thursdady, December 10th, he may have made the biggest entrance of his long — and celebrated — life.

The former head of the Air Force Reserve, 85 year old man who's met six presidents, built 100,000 homes and once cracked the Forbes 400 list of richest Americans, and one of the magnates of Orange County development, Lyon chose to arrive at the grand opening ceremony of his new Lyon Air Museum in the cockpit of a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress “Fuddy Duddy.”

The museum sits adjacent to John Wayne Airport and features 1930s and 1940s aircraft and automobiles, and is docented by military veterans, including many who served during World War II.

The shiny chrome and yellow Fuddy Duddy pulled up to an open hangar door directly in front of a blue ribbon, which Lyon cut with his wife, Willa Dean Lyon, after exiting the aircraft. Lyon was suited in his vintage uniform, as did many guests in attendance at the 30,000-square-foot facility.

Local news anchor Ed Arnold emceed the event, which also featured an honor guard from the Los Angeles Air Force Base.

“This is a really special day for myself, and of course my family,” Lyon said. “This is kind of the fulfillment of a dream that I had a long time ago.”

He said he was proud that the museum will offer its services to local school districts, to give children a first-hand view of the most important event of the 20th century.

It was a humbling feeling to actually get to meet the brave men who battle Pearl Harbor attack. One of its docents, 89-year-old Jack Hammett of Costa Mesa, was in Pearl Harbor on the day it was bombed; he also took part in D-Day and served in North America.

The Lyon Air Museum broke ground in 2007, after the retired Air Force general realized a way to fulfill his dual passions for aviation history and for educating today’s youth about the “Greatest Generation of Aviation.” (The museum also makes for a handy place to stash his significant collection of aircraft and vehicles.)

Lyon served in Europe, the Pacific and North Africa during World War II; he went on to fly combat missions in Korea before becoming Chief of the Air Force Reserve from 1975 to 1979.

Highlights at the new museum include an authentic Helms Bakery truck, which used to make the rounds throughout the Southland in the 1940s, and a 1939 Mercedes-Benz Model G4 Offener Touring Wagon that was personally used by Adolph Hitler during World War II, until it was seized by the French army.

Bedecking the walls alongside an on-site movie theater are two large-scale maps of the European and Pacific Theaters of Operations.

If you are ever in the area, I would recommend stopping in for a tour. The docent's are cute older men with a wealth of knowledge that will have you at "ears" for hours. For more information on the Lyon Air Museum, call (714) 210-4585 or visit lyonairmuseum.org.

6th Annual Gerhard Schnuerer Toys for Tots Drive

From Gerhard Schnuerer Toy Drive

This past Sunday I attended the Toys for Tot drive held by Gerhard in Huntington Beach. The event was highlighted by the surprise appearance of the 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. Even parked amidst two classic gullwing SLS and beside a new SL65 Black Series, the neo-gullwing drew the lion's share of the attention from the crowd. The car sounded fantastic and we had to admit we'd be hard pressed to choose between it, the Black Series, the nearby CLK DTM cabrio, the SLR or SLR Roadster as our favorite modern Mercedes.

Gerhard and Rosemarie Schnuerer once again hosted this annual toy drive and car show co-sponsored by Mercedes-Benz USA. The food served to all attendees was off the chain... yummy homemade Bratwurst, Sauerkraut, and Goulash. The Schnuerer collection of classic and new Mercedes, sidecar motorcycles and WWII military craft was quite spectacular. The couple regularly participates in local Concours events and they've won more than a few trophies with these rides. All of their vehicles are restored and in good running order. Some say the Mercedes Classic Center was built in Irvine so they would be close to Gerhard, their best customer.

As cool as the Schnuerer collection is to see in person, our favorite part of this event is the fact that they fire up several of the vehicles and take people for rides in them. I got to take a ride in the 1886 Benz Patent Motor-Wagen. It's a terrific event with about 550 guests enjoying holiday cheer along with some great German food served up WWII-Style in a Gulaschkanone Military Field Kitchen. This year's event also featured live music, silent and live auctions and a series of raffles.

The live auction was emceed by TV automotive reporter, Dave Kunz, to raise money for Toys for Tots among other charities. Several prizes were auctioned ranging from pedal cars to a weekend rental of an AMG Mercedes-Benz SL63. Le Mans winner Justin Bell was even on hand to donate a special experience at the Jay Leno Show, where he serves as driving coach to the stars in the Green Car Challenge. Several thousand dollars were raised and approximately 1500 toys collected this year, easily surpassing last year's total. While we're glad there will be hundreds more kids getting gifts this year, we got ours just by being there.

click here to see more photos : JoyToMyWorld

Manfred Fitzgerald - Lamborghini - The importance of brand, brand diversification - MeettheBoss

Manfred Fitzgerald - Lamborghini - The importance of brand, brand diversification - MeettheBoss

2009 Formula DRIFT Champion Crowned

Formula DRIFT 2009 Champion Crowned

Ryan Tuerck takes the event victory and Chris Forsberg wins the championship title

Long Beach, Calif. – October 17, 2009 – Formula DRIFT entered the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale for the final event of the season.

The sold out crowd was not disappointed as the drivers provided non-stop action throughout the event weekend. The event also provided plenty of additional entertainment for the fans including the Jtuned Auto Gallery, Famous Stars and Straps stunt bike demo, and a performance by the “Far East Movement.”

The final event of the season lived up to all the high expectations with the drivers putting it all on the line to win the coveted championship. 2-time Formula DRIFT champion Tanner Foust met rookie and privateer Matt Powers with his Nissan 240 in the consolation round for third place. Foust outmatched the rookie and secured his third place finish. The finals came down to and Ryan Tuerck in the Gardella Racing / Mobil 1Pontiac Solstice and Tyler McQuarrie in the Falken Tire Nissan 350Z. McQuarrie tapped the wall and spun on the 2nd run giving Tuerck the victory and 2nd place overall in the final championship standings. McQuarrie finished the season overall in 3rd place for the highest finish of his career.

Top Ten Formula DRIFT Professional Championship 2009 Point Standings
1. Forsberg, Chris	NOS Energy Drink / Maxxis Nissan 350Z	527 Points
2. Tuerck, Ryan	Gardella Racing / Mobil 1 Pontiac Solstice	521 Points
3. McQuarrie, Tyler	Falken Nissan 350Z	485 Points
4. Hubinette, Samuel	NuFormz Dodge Viper	462.25 Points
5. Gittin, Vaughn	Falken Tire Ford Racing Mustang GT	451.50 Points
6. Foust, Tanner	Rockstar / Hankook Scion Racing tC	447.50 Points
7. McNamara, Darren	Falken / Sears Auto Center Saturn Sky	426.50 Points
8. Nishida, Robbie	Hankook Tires / Dynamic Autosports Nissan 350Z	425.25 Points
9. Pawlak, Justin	Bergenholtz Racing / Nitto Mazda RX-8	416 Points
10. Gushi, Ken	RS*R Scion Racing TC	388.50 Points

Orange County Auto Show Packs Excitement and Entertainment

Randi O'Mara and Joy Loo previewing the Exotics, Concept Cars, Alternative Fuel Vehicles, Ride & Drives, Miss Hawaiian Tropic Model Search and More

.

Randi O'Mari and I hit the OC Auto Show for preview media day. There were hundreds of new cars, trucks, sport/utility vehicles and crossovers that will pack the Anaheim Convention Center Thursday, October 15 through Sunday, October 18, for the 2010-Model OC Auto Show. This exciting event is more than an auto show and will offer ultra high-end exotics, concept cars, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Miss Hawaiian Tropic^® Model Search and more. There is something for everyone at the OC Auto Show!



We peeked the new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray concept car, recently featured in the movie Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The Stingray combines styling cues from current Corvettes, the 1959. Stingray racecar and the 1963 Stingray split-window coupe. We also saw a collection of dazzling exotic vehicles from Ferrari and Maserati of Newport Beach. Vehicles including the Maserati Quattroporte, GranTurismo and GranTurismo S, and the Ferrari California, F430, 599 GTB Fiorano and 612 Scaglietti.

Further down the isle, we ran into the black/gray $1.2 million Bugatti Veyron presented by The RPM Lounge^™. The RPM Lounge features a red carpet, RPM Lounge promo girls, The Millionaires Lounge, live Web feed, live radio station feed and even a chance to win an invitation to an exclusive event at the legendary Playboy Mansion.

And you can't miss the huge DUB^® Magazine Celebrity Car display. This is where attendees can check out the customized cars owned by music and sports celebrities.

October is Think Pink Month!!!!

October is breast cancer awareness month. So feel your boobies women... and all you fathers, brothers, husbands, boyfriends, etc. get your loved ones to get their boobies checked (or give them a hand, tell 'em you're glad to help).

I didn't get a chance to do the 40 mile breast cancer walk this year but some of my friends did it for the 2nd, 3rd, and even 4th year in a row. It was one of the most rewarding things I've ever accomplished... 40 miles within two days gives you whole lot of time to think about what it important... family, friends, and enjoying life...


I dedicate my walk to my friend Sandy Chang survived by her mother, father, and sister.

Rare, Exotic ’Super Cars’ Headline Concours d’Elegance

October 4th, 2009, 4:56 pm · written by Matt Degen

Millions of dollars’ worth of world-class cars sat in an equally breathtaking setting today during the annual Concours d’Elegance at the St. Regis Resort in Dana Point.

The car show, now in its 27th year and second at the Monarch Beach location, drew an estimated 330 cars and 3,000 attendees, said Bruce Junor, president of the volunteer-run event.

“It’s just fabulous,” he said while overlooking a sea of pristine metal that in turn overlooked the Pacific. “The turnout is more than we expected.”

The nonprofit show benefited the Assessment and Treatment Services Center and the Mary and Dick Allen Diabetes Center at Hoag Hospital.

Among the highlights of the event were a 1907 Panhard & Levassor towncar, a 1915 Ford Model T Depot Hack and an ultra-rare 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt.

In addition to the vintage vehicles, dozens of exotic “super cars” also joined this year’s event, including two Bugatti Veyrons and a Lamborghini Reventon, one of only 20 made. The Concours also saw two Southern California debuts that attracted crowds throughout the day: 2010 versions of the four-door Porsche Panamera and the $455,000 Maybach 57 Zeppelin, which sat aside a pristine 1932 model.

See the pictures I took below... enjoy and see you all next year at the Concours d'Elegance St. Regis

5th Annual Japanese Classic Car Show

The 5th Japanese Classic Car Show was held on Saturday, October 3, 2009. This wasn't really an event I would normally attend but "HagertyLaura" was attending and had extra tickets for me... It was local so I ventured to the Hidden Valley Park in Irvine (by the Verizon Theater) where all rare Japanese classic vehicles were displayed - on a large, green, beautiful park.

The exhibit was open to all Japanese brand manufactured pre-1985 Toyota, Datsun/Nissan, Mazda, Honda, Mitsubishi and etc. The show started at 9AM and ended at 3PM.

I would say that they had about 400 cars and dozens of different vendors and special displays. I got there around noon just in time for lunch I thought... wrong! They food vendor ran out of food and were only serving baked potatoes and popcorn. Yuck! For more photos of the event, please visit http://joyloo.blogspot.com

***VIDEO*** OC Lamborghini Cruise & Chat

Video from Streetfire.net


OC+Lamborghini+Cruise+%26+Chat

by Matt Degen - full story

Lamborghini owners from around the country descended on Orange County this weekend for a ride and Q&A session with executives of the Italian super-car company. Event was hosted by Tom Nault and Joy Loo, SnapBuzz Media.

Owners came from as far as Chicago — many of them trailering their cars vs. driving them. Rapper Sir-Mix-a-Lot was among the attendees, and Lamborghini showed off some exceptional vehicles, including a bright yellow, 2010 Murcielago LP 670-4 SV, which packs V12 engine that makes 670 horsepower.

Another company car that got just as much attention was a Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo racer.

Most owners brought new models — primarily Murcs and Gallardos — but there was at least one Countach in the crowd, along with a Ferrari and an Aston Martin.

The half-day event began for several dozen Lamborghini owners with a drive from Crystal Cove Promenade, up through Silverado Canyon and finishing at the Fairmont Hotel in Newport Beach, where the Q&A session took place. The drive was led by professional drifter and Newport Coast resident Samuel Hubinette.

Tom Nault said he first thought up the event while visiting Lamborghini’s headquarters in Italy.

“I thought it’d be neat, and that it would be cool if this discussion could happen,” said Nault, who lives in Seattle but bought his bright-green Murc at Lamborghini OC.

One of the biggest questions on the minds of owners and enthusiasts was, “When will Orange County get another Lamborghini dealership?”(Lamborghini OC closed abruptly last year and its owner, Vik Keuylian pleaded guilty to a wire-fraud scheme.

Supercars Make Their Debut at the Concours d'Elegance St. Regis

Dana Point, Calif – October 1, 2009 – The Concours d’ Elegance at the St. Regis Monarch Beach in Dana Point
(www.NBConcours.com) will feature a Supercar class this year to attract spectators who wanted to see the cars that they had dreamed of owning when they were kids – and adults. Some of the the display’s highlights are an a 1990 Ferrari F40, a 1995 Ferrari F50, a 2003 Enzo Ferrari, a Lamborghini Reventón, a Bugatti Veyron, a 1980 BMW M1, a 1984 Lamborghini Diablo SE30, a 2008 Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR Roadster Saks Fifth Avenue Edition, and a 1965 Shelby Cobra.

Tony Salerno, who organized the Supercar display, explained “While most enthusiasts appreciate the heritage, pedigree and sheer beauty of the pre-1948 cars, the Concours d’Elegance directors wanted to also make a place for ultra-high-end exotics of the 1970’s through current day, which appeal to a slightly different demographic than the other classes.” The 27th Annual Concours d' Elegance will take place the weekend of October 3 - 4, at the prestigious St. Regis Monarch Beach in Dana Point, California. The Concours is operated as a Classic Car Club of America (CCCA) Concours, primarily showcasing automobiles produced prior to 1948, with additional sports car, and elegant touring, classes to 1975.

The Concours is a volunteer run, not-for-profit organization, with all excess proceeds supporting Assessment & Treatment Services Center (ATSC) and the Mary and Dick Allen Diabetes Center at Hoag Hospital. Southern California is the automotive culture capital of the world with a deep history in design, customization and motorsports. The Concours organizing committee aspires to create a premier celebration of the automobile event that showcases this rich heritage.

Event Schedule:

Saturday, October 3rd: 8am - Private Collection Tour
Saturday, October 3rd: Evening - Exhibitor Reception
Sunday, October 4th: 10am - 4pm - Concours at St. Regis Monarch Beach, Dana Point

Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 the day of the event. Children 12 and under have free
admission. For a complete list of all exhibitor classes, event entry forms, and ticket information please visit www.NBConcours.com.

Sentencing delayed for O.C. Lamborghini dealer

September 28th, 2009, 1:54 pm · posted by Matt Degen

A sentencing for former Lamborghini dealer Vik Keuylian that was scheduled for today has been postponed until March, according to a U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesman and Keuylian’s defense attorney.

Keuylian, who owned Lamborghini dealerships in Santa Ana and Calabasas, pleaded guilty in May to a wire-fraud scheme in which he bilked $12 million from Volkswagen Credit Inc., the finance company that fronted him the money to sell the cars.

(See full press release from March detailing the case.)

“There was a stipulation filed between us and the defense filed back in July,” said Thom Mrozek, public affairs officer with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “It just got delayed, and that’s a pretty common occurrence.”

Keuylian’s new sentencing date is March 29, 2010. He faces up to 30 years in prison, plus a $1 million fine.

Keuylian, left, of Laguna Hills, is currently free on bail. His attorney, Craig Wilke, declined to comment on what his client is currently doing, the reason for the delay, or what is happening to the defunct Lamborghini dealerships.

At an Orange County gathering of Lamborghini enthusiasts two weeks ago, Pietro Frigerio, Chief Operating Officer of Automobili Lamborghini America LLC, said the company is “doing everything possible to bring (an O.C. Lamborghini dealership) back,” but cited “interesting and challenging legal proceedings” regarding Keuylian’s case.

Also see:

• Lamborghini dealer pleads guilty to fraud

• Lamborghini dealership returning to O.C.?
• Lamborghini dealer to plead guilty to fraud

From 11-99 Run

My sweet ride on Sunday for the 11-99 run!!! Click above to see more photos.

Video during the OC Lamborghini Run

Video during the OC Lamborghini Run

Lamborghini Traffic Jam at The Fairmont - After Run

OC Bull Run

From OC Lambo Run

Success!!! Worked hard to make this event happen! Look forward to more runs to come...

Lamborghini owners from around the country descended on Orange County this weekend for a ride and Q&A session with executives of the Italian super-car company.

Owners came from as far as Chicago---> click here to read more
Lamborghini returning to OC?? ----> click here to read more

Concours d'Elegance at the St. Regis

Letter to our Concours Supporters

Several of our supporters have expressed concerns about the future of the Concours at the St Regis Resort, our site for the October 4^th 2009 Concours d’Elegance. The Concours volunteer team felt it important to remove any confusion and clarify the program for the 2009 event. As reported in the press, the mortgage holder Citicorp has repossessed the property. However, the property continues to be managed by Starwood, the entity that the Concours has always worked with. Since the only feasible use for the property is a luxury hotel, we do not foresee any threat to the long-term viability of our event.

Since this time in 2008, the Concours has been working with the City of Dana Point and Starwood to create a truly world-class event. That work has continued during the most recent confusing times. In fact, the City has granted us access to Sea Terrace Park, which is immediately adjacent to the golf course. This 20-acre addition has enabled the expansion in the focus of the event to include great cars from 1950’s through to the present.

The Concours has been expanded to include added cars for the judged classes. In addition, the program will include a display of approximately 30 “Super” cars, displayed in Sea Terrace Park. We have also invited local car clubs to join us in separate corrals where cars will compete for awards conducted by peer judging.

The 2009 event on October 4, promises to be an event with wider interest, more and varied displays, with the traditional, grand classic cars, some of the new, very exciting and marvelous cars of automobile engineering and arts, and a chance for club members to bring their very best cars to show to their friends and enthusiasts.

Finally in order to encourage attendance we have created a VIP ticket ($150 in advance-$175 at the gate), which includes access to the Committee Tent and brunch in the St. Regis. General admission is $30 in advance-$35 at the gate. Full information is available at nbconcours.com.

We look forward to seeing you on October 4, 2009 between 10am-4pm

Bruce Junor, President

Dick Waitneigh, Chairman

Joy Loo play'n with Mike Harrah's Toys

Stopped by Robert Escalantes' Packard shop this pasy Monday and who was there?? None other than Mike Harrah himself getting ready for Pebble Beach at Monterey. He rolled up on this crazy chopper bike and said "Hey Joy, wanna ride?"

He came to watch his '29 Packard Towncar get loaded onto the truck. The '29 Towncar was a definite beauty sure to take first in it's class.





Didn't have time but I got a rain check to take a spin with Mike in his "Beast" of a car! Chrome/Stainless steel car with a Packard PT boat engine. Open, 2-seater, fire breathing race car, powered by a 12 cylinder Packard, and sits at a whopping 31 feet.

Beautiful Sunday in OC - Enderle Center Million Dollar Car Show

Laura Jacobsen & Joy Loo

do you think this person is patriotic?

NO Cars and Coffee - 7-25-09

Is this the way it's going to be from now on?? Please say no... Where are all the cool cars hiding on early Saturday morning. It used to be that all the rare, luxury, and exotics showed up at the Irvine Ford Motor Company. Well, the last times I've been there it's been looking pretty bleak...

Do you think he drives this often??

















I think someone needs to add this to his collection.... hehhehe...

Nick Alexander's Woodie Collection

Saturday, July 18th, HagertyLaura and I had the distinct pleasure of seeing for the last time Nick Alexander's Woodie collection in one place. Nick is a well known automobile dealer in LA. Also known for his Woodie restoration business and of course a major Woodie collector. Now that he's achieved his classic car goals, Nick wants to share his collection with other enthusiasts that will cherish his Woodies as he has, which is why he is putting them up for the RM Auction at Monterey this year.

The collection was housed in a huge warehouse tucked away in the industrial part of Hungtington Park. A bit out of the way from OC, but cars guys seem to sniff stuff like this out... they came from all over the place... saw so many familiar faces which was nice. One of the guys I bumped into was none other than Pieter Dwinger, head judge at the Concours d'Elegance at the St. Regis and committee member. I spent quite a bit of time with Pieter soaking up his knowledge like a sponge. He was a wealth of knowledge and knew so much about each and every car. He pointed out all the little details that he would look for when judging such beauties.


Seems like I run into Dave Lindsay Mr. "SoCalCarCulture.com" every where... he tries to keep a low profile at events but seems to get pulled into different conversations. I know because I get talking to him for hours and he doesn't get to do what he came to do... which is take pictures. Thanks Dave! We love what you do for the car enthusiasts!

For more pictures view: My Picture Photo Album

Updated Project List

Updated "current projects"... come check out the new things I'm working on... www.joyloo.me

Interesting Statistics on Social Media Marketing

Author and WebProNews Blog Partner Michael Stelzner, has put together an interesting report based on a survey of 900 marketers. The report looks at the state of social media marketing. Interesting stats from the report include:

- 88% indicated they were employing social media for marketing purposes

- 72% have only been using social media marketing for a few months

- 64% of marketers are using social media for 5 hours or more each week

- 39% are using it for 10 hours a week

- 81% say the number-one benefit is generating exposure, followed by increasing traffic and building new business relationships

- Over half saw a rise in search engine rankings

Marketers and business owners still have a lot of questions about social media marketing. The report looks at the top ten questions they have:

1. What are the best tactics to use?

2. How do I measure the effectiveness of social media?

3. Where do I start?

4. How do I manage the social balance?

5. What are the best sites and tools out there?

6. How do I make the most of my available time?

7. How do I find and focus my efforts on my target audience?

8. How do I convert my social media marketing efforts into tangible results?

9. How do I cohesively tie different social media efforts together?

10. Does social media marketing work, and if so, how effective is it?

The medium is still in its youth, yet continues to evolve rapidly. Some questions don't have any concrete answers, and are perhaps best answered by the marketers/business owners themselves. Not every business is going to find success through social media marketing in the same manner. That's one of the greatest appeals of the medium though. There are so many possibilities.

You can see Stelzner's full report as well as a video narrated by Stelzner himself here.

Love At First Sight....

1967 Shelby GT500 Re-Creation

Only has 1,100 miles, Roush 427 IR crate engine (generating 552 horsepower and 535 lb.-ft. torque), pepper gray interior/exterior color, sport seats, power windows, and is only $135k... I'll add this to my Christmas list... I promise to be a good little girl!!!











Not for the faint of hearts.... An Original 1967 Shelby GT500
A Whopping $450K