The love between man and machine is being displayed by the owners of 975 American-made pre-1965 customs, hot rods, woodies, low-rider classic cars and motorcycles parked near the beach at Ventura this weekend.

The collection of machines is on display at the Ventura County Fairgrounds as part of the Primer Nationals, a two-day event that ends today at 3 p.m.

Along with the chrome — lots of chrome — and a rainbow of car colors, the event is a visual river of dark sunglasses, body art, bearded men sporting baseball caps, women dressed in decades-old fashions, an assortment of bandanas, young couples pushing strollers, shaved heads, and friendly faces.

On Saturday, the event was a magnet for families such as Kevin Perrault, his wife, Anjale, and the couple's 15-month-old son, Keaton.

"We just really appreciate the rockabilly lifestyle," said Anjale Perrault. "The whole thing that goes with it: the cars, the family lifestyle also the fashion, the tattoos, all that stuff."

The Perraults, of South Bay, showed off the family's 1964, red-interior Cadillac DeVille convertible at the event, which attracts fellow hot rod and custom culture aficionados.

Keaton, asleep in the back seat of the Cadillac, is following in his father's footsteps, said Anjale Perrault.

"Kevin built him a custom wagon that he pulls him around in. He modified a Radio Flyer," she said.

Others who attended, like Jim Gardner of Ventura, just like to stroll around to jump-start old memories.

"It reminds me when I was young and I took apart cars, things like that. Brings back my youth," said the 59-year-old Gardner.

Local car clubs, along with those from other cities, also are showing off their mechanical beauties.

Frank Favela, vice president of the Nite Life Car Club of Ventura, sat inside the trunk of his pride and joy, a 1953 Chevy. He bought it 15 years ago. Favela paid $6,500 for the car and since then has pumped about $20,000 into his wheels.

"It's a part of history that we are preserving," he said.

Nearby, Gary Stafford of Ventura talked about his prized possession, a 1956 Ariel motorcycle.

"They quit making them in 1959," he said. "It's got a unique sound. It is awesome. It sounds like a little cat."

Aside from the cars and motorcycles, there were 150 vendors, like 28-year-old model Riley Kern, who was hawking her cowgirl calendars on Saturday. A few yards away, Rob DiMauro was selling old gasoline pumps.

Kern, who wore a red tie-up shirt, cowboy hat, dark red lipstick and high-waisted shorts, was dressed to reflect the 1940s and '50s.

"It's a lot of fun," said Kern of Orange County. "Good food, good music. It's great."

DiMauro, of Fillmore, had 10 gasoline pumps for sale on display, some worth as much as $2,900.

"It is just the love of mechanical things and the automobile that got me into it," he said.

Event promoter John Parker said about 10,000 people have attended so far. Some traveled from Europe and Japan, he said, as well as Wisconsin, Florida, Arkansas, Canada and Mexico.

"This is a diverse group that comes here," Parker said, "including lots of young people that just inhale this thing on their Web sites."