For Porsche fanatics, it’s known simply as the LA Lit Meet. That serves to sum up the unbridled Porsche frenzy that hits the Los Angeles area next week.
The main event is the 31th annual Los Angeles Porsche and Vintage VW Literature, Toy and Memorabilia Show, which takes place March 1 at the Los Angeles Airport Hilton hotel. Hundreds of vendors spread a sweeping collection of primarily Porsche items – advertising and press materials, toys and models, books and technical literature, original factory documents, steering wheels and trim pieces, and a wide variety of collector’s items.
It’s massive and it attracts passionate Porsche people from around the world, so the social aspect becomes almost as engaging as the event itself. The emphasis is on early Porsche sports cars and competition models, and there’s quite a contingent questing for 356 and early 911 artifacts as well as racing posters and other pieces from the 1950s-’70s glory days of Porsche racing .
Admission is $10, but savvy shoppers pony up $30 for an early-bird ticket that gets you in the door and at the goodies just as the dealers are setting up. For more information, see www.lalitandtoyshow.com.
But that’s only part of the multi-day extravaganza. The experience includes a series of informal open houses at Porsche restoration shops stretching from San Diego to north of Los Angeles from Thursday through Saturday after the Lit Show, including such famed venues (to Porsche folk) as Wilhoit Auto Restorations, Sierra Madre Collection, AutoKennel, Callas Rennsport, Steve Hogue Enterprises, European Collectibles, Liberty Motorsports and Carparc USA.
Another major happening occurs Sunday with the All-Porsche Swap and Car Display presented by the 356 Club of Southern California. For adherents of the classic tubs, this is the main draw of the schedule.
Located at the Phoenix Club in Anaheim, the swap meet harkens to the days before the Internet when hobbyists and restorers trolled through acres of parts and pieces for just the right original bit. It also serves as a gathering place for the Porsche faithful to meet and greet.
There’s an 11,500-square-foot indoor area for swap tables as well as some two acres of adjacent swap-meet area. There also is a large soccer field to display cars for sale. All in all, a mad jumble of stuff that celebrates the booming interest in early Porsches.
For the run of Porsche-shop open houses and more information about the Sunday swap meet, see related events.
