Oil In The Engines And On The Canvas At Laguna Classic Cars

By Mariam Jehangir

Laguna Beach may be well-known for its art culture, but we also have a thriving community of car buffs here. A new business, Laguna Classic Cars and Automotive Art, which opened its doors in early May, is bringing these two realms together.

The business buys, sells, trades and consigns European and American luxury and sports performance automobiles, as well as related art and memorabilia.

Andy Coyle, a car enthusiast, auto racer and former recreational vehicle dealer conceived of this idea with his wife, Beth, after the RV industry went down with the housing market.

Long-time residents of Laguna Beach, the Coyles knew that the city would be an ideal spot to open up such a business.

“I always wanted to do this [here] because Laguna’s got tons of car people," Coyle says. "I’ve always been a car guy, and when I would go to other cities and see similar businesses, I wanted to do something like that. But I wanted to have a smaller, more intimate, more hometown-connected dealership that would fit in with Laguna, which is what I’ve tried to do with the art here.”

The paintings, which include original pieces, are done primarily by well-known artists Steven Cobern and Cydette Knoop, who is married to '80s NASCAR racer Rick Knoop.

Cydette Knoop’s collection, titled "Legendary Race Tracks," depicts famous race courses from around the world. Cobern’s work is focused on well-known race cars, and his pieces have signatures of famous former race drivers such as Don "the Snake" Prudhomme. The paintings range from $700 up to $6,000.

There is also memorabilia, such as antique racecar toy models from the 1940s, and automotive signs.

As for the actual cars, Coyle describes them as “interesting, mostly late-period cars with a little personality, like the 1962 Chevrolet 409," or the 1966 Mustang convertible GT that just came in recently.

As for how the business is doing so far, Coyle says that it has been steadily building. Some customers come in with a specific car in mind, while others stop in to see what they have.

“We started with only 2 cars, and now we have around 18," says Coyle. "It’s been well-received; I can’t tell you how many people have come in and said they really like what they see and they really hope for success. It’s been gratifying to hear that."

He also shared a story of a couple from out of town who were visiting and happened to spot the shop. They stopped in and left with a ‘74 Volkswagen convertible, a relatively inexpensive car the lady always wanted, and since it was her birthday, “Boom! It was done!” Coyle recalls.

"That’s the other side of the business. It's great meeting fun people like that.”

The only side of business that hasn’t done as well as Coyle had hoped is the art.

“We’re still fairly new, so I haven’t had time to really push that, but the original concept was to become a crossroads on the automotive and art communities of Laguna, so I want to stay focused on that mission and pump up the art part too,” Coyle says.

He hopes that as time goes on, the art pieces—which can be admired by all, not just car people—will gain buyers, too.

In addition, Coyle envisions further growth, with more cars, regular maintenance services, and car restorations in the future.

Laguna Classic Cars & Automotive Art, 2171 Laguna Canyon Rd., 949-715-4555. Click here for the Laguna Classic Cars and Automotive Art website.