Simpson's Nursery Collection
Written by Keith Fudge

Recently, we had the chance to visit one of the coolest places we have ever seen, Simpson's Nursery! Located near San Diego in Jamul , California , Simpson's has some of the most beautiful greenery available for anyone's yard or garden. However, it also has much more. We met with Lee Smith, the owner of Simpson's, who might be described as “a certified gardening car nut!”

After a walk through the nursery, Lee took us to the barn, where he joked that they would see some T and A. Nope, it's not what you're thinking! We mean Model T and Model A! From wreckers to speedsters, Lee and his wife have assembled an exquisite collection of cars and Americana in this building. This includes a 1931 Model A Huckster pickup (complete with a calliope in the back) and “The Spirit of Jamul,” a sleek and stunning Model A Speedster! Next, it was a like a Muscle Beach party without the beach as Lee took us to a room of legendary American muscle cars and other classics. First we passed by a 1948 Dodge convertible (one of only 3,300 produced). Then there was a 1946 Dodge pickup that had graced the cover of a Hemming's calendar. Next we spied a matching pair of Metropolitans and a sweet 1952 Ford pickup that had been updated with a 302 V-8. Wow, was that an AMC Pacer back there?!

Soon the real muscle came along in the form of a custom 1949 Ford with custom paint. Next, it was a trip through the 1960s and 70s, starting with a red 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback that Lee said was his wife's car. By the way, Lee said that his wife was in love with red cars, and that she claimed most of the red ones here as her own! Speaking of Mustangs, next we saw a 1973 Mach 1. Powered by a 351C and C-6 automatic transmission, these ponies made folks in the 70s take notice! After looking closely at the Mustang, it was a trip down Mopar Lane as Lee showed us a groovy 1970 Duster, a sweet 1970 Cuda complete with a 340 Six-Pack, a cool 1971 Challenger R/T with a 383 Magnum, a 4-speed tranny, and finally, a 1970 Road Runner equipped with a 440, 4-speed! There was also an incredible 23 T-bucket (that belonged to Lee's son), a 1955 Chevy Panel Wagon equipped with dual carbs and a flame paint job, a 1954 Chevy Sedan Delivery powered by a 350 Chevy and outfitted with wide whitewall tires, and the classic hot rod: a 1944 Chevy Deluxe complete with flames. It was literally overwhelming to see so many great cars in one place. Surrounded by all these beauties, there was still one more classic car to see.

Lee told us that he and his family had recently restored a 1953 Buick Super Estate Woody Wagon. As Lee walked toward the car, Dennis told him that this wagon was much like the first car he could remember that his father had owned. Lee responded that he had been trying to purchase the car for some time, and finally the owner approached him and said he was ready to sell. Lee added that before he bought it, the entire family agreed to take on the project. They did all the knuckle-busting work that was required to get the car ready to finish. At that point, Lee showed us some “before and after” photos and said that in some ways the car was in really good shape from the beginning. For instance, he noted that it was originally a California car, so rust wasn't a problem. The car still had all the original wood, so it was just a matter of refinishing it. Concerning a bit more of the history surrounding the car, Lee said that 1953 was the last year of the woody, and it was also the first year of the V-8. As they walked about the car, painted appropriately enough in the original Terrace Green, Lee pointed out that the car was equipped with power steering and a 2-Speed Dynaflo transmission. Lee then popped the hood to reveal the 322 cubic-inch “Nail Head” V-8 that was rated at 165 horsepower from the factory. Soon the magic moment came when Dennis pointed out, “it is a great day for a drive.” With that, Lee even let Dennis climb behind the wheel as they took off toward some of the beautiful backroads in the area.

As they traveled, Lee told Dennis a bit more about his business. He added that the nursery was the way the family made a living, but they also created a venue for “car guys” to enjoy within the business. Lee said they schedule events such as shows and picnics for car clubs and organizations on the weekends. Last year they had 40 events on the grounds of the nursery! As the cruise came to a close, we could tell this was one of the most enjoyable trips that Dennis and the crew had been on for a while. The splendid combination of natural surroundings and some of the greatest auto engineering ever produced was absolutely a hit with us, and we bet that you would agree. If you would like more information on Simpson's Nursery, just give a look on the web at www.simpsonsnursery.com . That's it from Jamul , California . So until our next visit, remember to “Honor the timeless classics. Happy Motoring!”