Psychedelic Rolls Royce reminds Sonoma, Marin counties what a long, strange trip it’s been

Among all the mementos that survived the Summer of Love, the vintage Rolls Royce car lovingly decorated by Donna Huggins of San Rafael may be one of the most unusual.

“My design was inspired by the musicians, the promoters, the photographers, the roadies and hopefuls who converged on San Francisco to make the world a better place,” Huggins wrote.

The car is covered with meticulously cut images, large posters and replicas of autographs she collected during the summer of 1967.

“This car celebrates the great poster artists … especially Wes Wilson, Stanley Mouse, Alton Kelley, Victor Moscoso, Rick Griffin and Bonnie MacLean. They truly made magic happen,” Huggins said.

Her parents encouraged Huggins and her brother Ed to experience the best of the San Francisco music scene, dropping them off at the Fillmore, the Avalon and other venues for concerts by Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, Big Brother and the Holding Company and many more.

“Whether I was clutching my autograph book or painting on the floor of the Fillmore, I remember it all as if it were yesterday,” Huggins concluded.

The Rolls Royce continues to be a big hit at regional car shows.