We know there’s a good chance a lot of you didn’t read yesterday’s article, as there were no slammed cars and no stance to be found. Unfortunately for those of you who were disappointed, you’ll have to be patient with us; today’s article will be no different. Today, we’re sharing our take on the annual SoCal Vintage BMW show, which for you, means plenty of immaculate classic BMW content. Tired of BMWs yet? I would hope not.

5 years ago, John Barlow and his partner Jeff D’Avanzo teamed up to put on what has grown to become the largest independent vintage BMW show in the nation. SoCal Vintage BMW is now on its 4th year, and for 2011, more than 300 classic cars showed up, ranging from showroom perfect restorations to highly modified track monsters and even some rusty beaters.

John tells me the initial success behind the show is the mindset he and Jeff dove in with.

“We are really different in most ways, which works well, I do the arts, graphics and promotional stuff, he is the one that makes all the legal stuff, and the organization happen. His love is for touring cars, 100 point restorations, all stock, while I am all about modifications, custom builds, track time, and driving like a bat out of hell in the canyons. It all works.”

The boys welcome every classic BMW with open arms, and since the awards given away each year are “peoples’ choice,” the winners can often surprise. What do we love most about the show?

It’s rather simple. As we’ve been expressing for months and months, we want to see the kids of today gain an appreciation for the classics our parents grew up on. There’s more to the automotive scene than “swag”, your car crew, and seeming as “baller” as possible. In fact, that’s not what the car scene is about. If you want a dose of purebred automotive heritage, you should attend an event like this.

“The Q Tip guys and the Rat Rod guys are all friends, at least for the day,” says John. That defines it for us. Community and appreciation for something we all hold near and dear to us. Forget the stance and fitment game for a moment and take in what makes a truly great car. Every guy at SoCal Vintage BMW loves his BMW for the exact same reason as the guy parked next to him; he knows they don’t make ‘em like this anymore. Whatever your tastes may be in terms of car modifications, there’s just some things we all love. If you don’t, that might be 87 octane in your blood instead of 93.

Next time there’s a classic car show near you, give it a shot. Learn a bit about your roots, and I’m talking about more than just “tyte jdm hakosukas” and the like. Not all car companies put passion in to their cars today, but once upon a time, you might be surprised. Talk to the “old” guys at the show, they’re bound to teach you a thing or two. With a bit of luck, maybe you’ll see the light and start turning an eye to the classics that are slowly dying off. Let’s keep ‘em on the road.

We’ve made no attempt to hide the fact that here at StanceWorks, we are a diehard group of BMW fans. It can often be tough for us to deviate from German steel to provide our readers with content that is more appealing on a broad scope, but if you’ve been around long enough, you know that sometimes we fall back to our roots. Season after season, the S|W garage has gotten older and older, with an E10 parked in the shop and an E9 just outside… We’ve realized they just don’t make ‘em like they used to. Part of our mission here at StanceWorks is to embrace the classic car culture, and push the idea that new cars aren’t always better. When Ireland engineering called and invited us to check out their shop in Duarte, California, it was an opportunity to take a glimpse into BMW part heaven.

Ireland Engineering does one thing, and they do it well. They build BMW race parts. I don’t care what kind of car guy you are; chances are you see the appeal. Ireland, at its core, is one of the few places not only dedicated to keeping our favorite old BMWs on the road and running until the end of time, they are dedicated to making them faster. More than 40 years after these cars’ debut, Jeff Ireland spends day in and day out ensuring that they won’t be forgotten, left to rot away in the junk yard like so many other cars. He and his team see the heart behind them, just like we do.

The first thing we noticed when we walked in to Ireland’s shop was the copious amounts of BMW parts… from cylinder heads and spindles to camshafts and connecting rods; hundreds. It was as though we had found where BMWs go to die. Then again, this is also where BMWs are reborn a little bit faster.

Strewn throughout the shop were what I can only assume are customer jobs receiving the Ireland touch. Preservation and restoration of the classic BMW powerplants that today’s engines only wish they could be. The boys at IE would agree with us that there’s nothing like the scream of an old straight six, a sound only comparable to a monster that eats children and rocks for breakfast and howls like a banshee when the loud-pedal is mashed. It’s that sound cars dont can’t make anymore.

Further exploring the IE shop, we find the stuff they’re known best for. Race parts. Lots and lots of race parts. Every little goodie to make that old piece of metal do the tango through the back turns is found here. Aisles and aisles of boxes and drawers, filled to the brim with machined nicknacks and trinkets, much of which you only pray stuffs your stockings this Christmas; it is the bona fide BMW paradise. We’d be in serious trouble if we were let loose in the shop after hours. To reiterate, without guys like the ones at IE, enjoying these cars the way they were intended to be would have stopped long ago.

But there’s more to the shop than engines and parts: as we said before, they see that these little old BMWs have a heart in them, and they’re still willing to get their hands dirty to keep it beating. If I had a dollar for each of the “parts manufacturers” out there only around to gain a buck or two, I’d be a wealthy man. On the other hand, I only dream of the inability to count the number of shops out there who dont have dust on the tools in the machine shop.  The corner of Ireland was occupied by the production of camber plates while we were there. Just like your grumpy grandfather always said, there’s no substitute for “Made in America.”

At the end of our tour, we realized a few things, but the most important was this: We’re not alone in our desire to drive these old cars, to prevent them from being locked away in glass cases under bright white lights in climate controlled prison cells. These old machines were mean to be driven. It doesn’t matter whether your car is corner-weighted and track prepped, or slowly wearing away at the edges of your tire entirely for looks. If you’re driving these old cars, you’re doing everyone a favor. Someday, they’ll all be gone, there’s no question. But thanks to shops like Ireland Engineering, they’ll be driven, perhaps even driven hard, until their final drop of oil is spilled.

Their shop is only 45 minutes from here. I see us visiting quite often, and now I have the perfect excuse to purchase even more vintage BMWs.

While I’m there, I’ll have to talk Jeff into letting me run the Formula BMW up and down the street. (That’s a hint if you read this, Jeff.)

When we pulled up outside of CEC’s showroom in LA, we knew the evening was bound to be interesting when parked on the curb was a Mercedes SLR and an SLS behind it. The occasion? Recaro’s LA Auto Show party for the new Recaro Pro Racer Ultima 1.0.

As explained to us by Recaro, the seat revolutionizes safety.

“In 1996, the “Pro Racer” was the world’s first racing shell with side head protectors, which revolutionised safety in motor sport.. In the year 2002, Recaro racing seats were adapted in such a way as to allow the full use, with complete functionality, of the HANS (Head and Neck Support System) system, which provides additional protection for the neck vertebrae in the event of a crash. In 2010 Recaro presents the new racing seat Recaro Pro Racer Ultima. This seat offers the perfect solution to ambitious drivers, in compliance with the new FIA standard 8862-2009 (Advanced Racing Seat). Seats according the new FIA standard are compulsory in the WRC.”

CEC played host to the party which was attended by not only major names in the industry, but familiar faces such as Formula D drivers, and perhaps a Top Gear host. Throughout the showroom were several exotics to showcase Recaro’s latest offerings.

StanceWorks was invited to capture the life of the party, and as always, to shake a few hands throughout the evening to continue building relationships that allow us to do what we love. As equally impressive as the fleet Recaro had brought in was the CEC facility itself. With Claus’s 458 parked in the dead-center of the commotion, it made a great piece to conversate around.

As with all industry parties, it’s exciting to see what is in the pipeline for the major names we’ve grown up admiring. It’s a thrilling opportunity to be a part of the inner workings of the industry. As for what’s next, you’ll just have to wait and see.