Gordon McCall's Motorworks Revival @ The Monterey Jet Center Now

By D. Brian Smith

Photography: Courtesy of Hagerty, an auto enthusiast brand

For 20 years Molly and Gordon McCall have graciously hosted the automotive enthusiast celebration that launched Monterey Car Week on that momentous Wednesday night in mid-August. This great automotive, airplane, jet, and superb Monterey Bay Area food and beverage-themed party is now called Motorlux and is hosted quite adroitly by Hagerty, an automotive enthusiast brand. Monterey Car Week (this dot net website, that is) has had the great good fortune to be one of the many lucky celebrants on several occasions. We've enjoyed visiting with car enthusiasts from disparate parts of the globe. We've feasted our eyes on biplanes from a bygone era as well as luxury private jets seemingly set in the near future, what with all the modern amenities and high tech conveniences found in their cockpits and stylish passenger compartments.

The main draw for this humble scribe has always been the vintage sports cars, the American pony and muscle cars, the scintillating bespoke coachwork cars of the 1920's and 30's, the super, and hyper cars that look like they could keep pace with those aforementioned luxury private jets lavishing in the Jet Center's hangar for all the party goers to admire and to perhaps daydream about one day owning and piloting.

Just seeing this wonderful food again has this scribe's stomach a growling.

And of course, as the saying goes, "A man's gotta eat!" Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Monterey Bay Area's culinary kingpins, there were over 30 deliciously concocted delightful dishes available for the 3,000 celebrants to decide upon. An open bar, with over 24 varieties of wines from Monterey's local vineyards, in addition to over 30 cocktail creations, H2O, Shirley Temples, and even energy drinks could be imbibed to slake the thirst of the many admirers of the glorious land and air transportation devices on display.

Who's that guy in the blue sport coat with his arms crossed? He's either contemplating what car he's going to check out next, what party goer he's going to speak to, or what jet he's going to visit, no doubt.

A 1932 Ford, a 1967 Shelby GT500 Mustang, a 1958 Corvette, a 1957 Thunderbird and a Mercedes-Benz 280 SL replete with removable hardtops in place to keep the Monterey Bay sun from being overbearing...that's a great lineup for any gearhead to appreciate and to groove over.

They dance better than I do. My brother says I look like I'm stomping grapes when I dance. Perhaps I missed my calling. I could have been a grape grower for creating grape juice like my hero Jack London (one of his many hobbies in addition to being a world famous author).

Is that a Porsche turbo flanking a P51 Mustang in the foreground? Perhaps...we're more acquainted with automobiles than airplanes at Monterey Car Week, as you might expect.

Motorlux continues the 20-year tradition of the Motorworks Revival at The Monterey Jet Center as being the "party with a purpose." Motorlux continues to support "The CHP 11-99 Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Since 1982, The 11-99 Foundation has provided over $42 million in assistance to California Highway Patrol families, including over $35 million in vocational and academic scholarships to children of CHP employees. When an officer is killed in the line of duty, the 11-99 Foundation steps in to provide immediate support to grieving spouses, as well as emergency assistance to families in times of hardship."

This is the party that kicks off Monterey Car Week, after all! As it always seems to do every year, the then Motorworks Revival at the Monterey Jet Center and now Motorlux revved up our anticipation of events to come by reveling with an amazing gathering of people, surrounded by some stunning air and land machinery, as we were fueled by the sights, sounds, and gustatory offerings that the mystical, magical Monterey Bay Area has at its doorstep every single day of the year.

If you happen to wish to enjoy Monterey Car Week in mid-August of 2023, be sure to start the week off right with Motorlux at the Monterey Jet Center. You're sure to be glad you did.