By Crystal Chatham Housman
The spirit of classic Americana was alive and gleaming in the sun July 4 as the Silver Fox Classic Car Club presented its 10th Annual July Fourth Classic Car Show at Leisure World, Seal Beach. Against the backdrop of waving flags, live music, and community celebration, more than 170 vehicles spanning more than a century of automotive history were displayed before a crowd of over 2,000 attendees.
From a 1915 Ford Model T Touring to the sleek 2026 Tesla Model Y Juniper edition fully electric car, the show was a journey through time, with every era of motoring represented. Hosted in the heart of Leisure World, Seal Beach’s vibrant 55+ active adult community, the event served as a cornerstone of Independence Day festivities.
Organized by the Silver Fox Classic Car Club, along with Leisure World’s Golden Rain Foundation (GRF) recreation staff with support from the members of Leisure World’s Community Emergency Response Team, this year’s event drew the show’s largest number of vehicles, drawing in residents and classic car lovers from across Southern California.
“We go out to a lot of car shows in the Southland, so they’re getting flyers that we’ve been passing out since March,” said car club president Ted Green, who has been drumming up interest in the show for months by talking with owners of cars on display at other shows in Southern California. “If they decide to come all the way back out here, that’s great.”
Visitors strolled through rows of polished chrome and vintage upholstery, chatting with car owners, taking photos, and casting their votes for Resident’s Choice and People’s Choice awards. Each vehicle on display was unique, lovingly restored or preserved, with a story to tell.
Car club judges handed out 25 trophies in various categories, including multiple Judge’s Choice honors, two crowd-voted awards, and the coveted Best in Show.
This year’s Best in Show went to Tony Christina of Lakewood for his eye-catching teal and white 1964 Volkswagen Double Cab pickup truck – a vehicle that stood out not only for its color scheme and immaculate restoration but also for its rarity.
“It’s a half bus, half pickup truck,” said Green. “That was unusual.”
He said judges were impressed with the vehicle’s overall aesthetic.
“The paint was impeccable. It was just really eye-catching,” Green said.
Lakewood resident Tony Christina, visibly excited after the trophy presentation, said the restoration was a true labor of love.
Christina purchased the truck in 1992 from a Huntington Beach resident who used it to source parts while restoring a pair of similar vehicles.
“It was drivable, but not safe and drivable,” Christina said. “I had to do brakes and steering and just about everything.”
Once the truck was roadworthy, Christina, a middle school English teacher in South Gate, drove it to work every day – weather permitting – for 24 years. Now retired, he still drives the truck four times a week and has fond family memories of taking the truck to run errands or get treats for his three children when they were growing up.
The win marked Christina’s second Best in Show award and the first at a show this size.
“This is a huge show,” Christina said. “This is exceptional, so I’m very, very happy.”
While the cars were a visible centerpiece, the car show was part of a broader Independence Day celebration that brought joy and entertainment to all ages. Throughout the day, the community enjoyed live music, dancing, a holiday golf cart parade, and a craft fair featuring resident artisans. This year’s event moved to a larger venue space near Leisure World’s north gate and enabled the car show to grow. The move created the opportunity for more events to happen simultaneously inside nearby clubhouses while dovetailing as a single Independence Day community celebration.
“Every venue was absolutely full,” Green said. “I got a lot of feedback about people just loving the new location.”
This year marked a decade of classic car showcases at Leisure World, and the Silver Fox Classic Car Club continues to grow the show in both numbers and impact. Founded by a small group of automobile aficionados, club members who meet monthly to share stories, take field trips, and plan the annual car show.
“This was a really big win for the car club and for the GRF recreation folks,” Green said.