The California Auto Museum (formerly the Towe Auto Museum) couldn't have chosen a better time to unveil their Carved Elegance: Woodies, Wheels, and Waves auto exhibit.

With summer well underway, it's the perfect time to check out the exhibit which features a collection of wooden automobiles, also called "Woodies," reminiscent of California summer days spent surfing and lounging on the beach.

Today Woodies are prized pieces in car collections and are famous for the exquisite craftsmanship on the wooden panels of the cars. The cars were the ideal mode of transportation for surfers who could tow their boards on top of the them.

The surf culture-themed exhibit opens Thursday, July 2 and the museum has an entire celebration planned surrounding the unveiling of the Woodies. Different variations of the wooden cars from the 1930s to the 1960s will fill the museum's special exhibit.

To complement the retro-surf theme, vintage surfboards and classic arts will be put up for the duration of the showing. The museum will also be playing popular surf movies like Endless Summer and Big Wednesday.

In addition to the cars, surf rock band The Retronauts will be performing at 6 p.m., and the Model P Popcorn Wagon will be serving freshly popped kernels. Woody's Bar and Grill will be providing food samples, and ice cream will also be available at the museum's ice cream parlor, Vic's, a 1950s-style shop.

Thursday's reception will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Regular hours from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. will continue throughout the rest of the exhibit which will be on display until September 19.

Entrance into the exhibit is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and $4 for students with an ID. Children under five are free. The auto museum boasts 72,000 square feet of automobiles throughout the decade and those who attend the exhibit can visit the museum's other displays also.

The California Auto Museum is located at 2200 Front St.

For more information about the reception and background on the history of Woodies, visit calautomuseum.org.

Image from beachcalifornia.com