Back to the Days of Summer at ToyotaFest 2019
Summer may be gone but we still think fondly of all that JDM magic that went down back on one June day.
The gang is all here
TORC or the Toyota Owners and Restorer's Club first organized to meet over 20 years ago with just a small group of folks who appreciated the vehicles coming from Japan. Now, in 2019 there many generations of models to walk amongst and countless parishioners at the church of Toyota gathered together on Long Beach's scenic Shoreline Drive.
Photo courtesy of BangShift
Fun in numbers
Over 500 registered vehicles showed up including, coupes, pickups, sedans, and SUVS with some being domestically sold and others imported from Japan. Toyota, Lexus, and Scion were all present with this being a giant family reunion for the brand welcoming all who rolled off a Toyota production line. Some were bone stock, while others were slightly modded and a few vehicles being only remotely familiar to what they originally appeared to be.
Photo courtesy of BangShift
>>Join the conversation about the 24th annual TORC right here in Club Lexus.
A blast from the past
To set the scene of the day there were dark clouds with Toyota using the TORC meeting as a coming-out party for the new BMW/Toyota Supra. As a show of goodwill and a nod to the past they also brought along the Hakone 86 that they stationed in the parking lot. New cars with old souls or at least that is what they are meant to be. Also in the parking lot were food trucks and various vendors as an area to feed to attendees and provide a decent means to dispose of a bit of fun disposable income.
Photo courtesy of BangShift
>>Join the conversation about the 24th annual TORC right here in Club Lexus.
The more things change...
TORC was organized brilliantly with models grouped together in such a fluid manner it made you wonder if everyone showed up at the same time before being sorted to their allocated areas. MR2s, Supras of various MKs and then a fun bit of hodgepodge with vehicles that were fun oddities during Toyota's production life. The patch of space that garnered the most attention was that of the Bosozuku cars that were stationed at the furthest corner of the meet.
Photo courtesy of BangShift
>>Join the conversation about the 24th annual TORC right here in Club Lexus.
Befitting a dignitary
On hand was a beautiful example of the ultra-luxury Century sedan that is only sold in Japan to VIP clients and government officials. TORC is an organization that is dedicated to the preservation of restoration of pre-1985 Toyotas but many attendees brought out tons of newer GT 86/FR-S and MKIV Supras.
Photo courtesy of BangShift
>>Join the conversation about the 24th annual TORC right here in Club Lexus.
The more they stay the same
So, a few years ago TORC transformed and went from a meet that centered on the past to a show that celebrated all the years: ToyotaFest. When the meet/show grew large enough it made a move to a location that was not only big enough but very fitting for some of the cars that rolled up to the get-together, the home stretch of the Long Beach Grand Prix.
Photo courtesy of BangShift
>>Join the conversation about the 24th annual TORC right here in Club Lexus.
Quite the day
Toyota made use of a space that spanned the Formula Freift main course of the track was a ride-and-drive activity where folks could take the 2019 Corolla for a spin. The car hadn't hit dealerships yet and so this was a nice little bit of fun with the choice of either an automatic or 6-speed transmission for a couple of spirited laps. On hand were instructors would provide aid to those who undertook the activation for tips on driving lines and proper course attack.
If you are in the area next year in the summer we deeply implore you to check out ToyotaFest for quite the day of fun and history.
Photo courtesy of BangShift
>>Join the conversation about the 24th annual TORC right here in Club Lexus.
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