[SD Swede]

Thank you so much for your responses. That was a wealth of information, very useful insights. I have a return trip to Florence scheduled for September to check out the real estate options around that area. Have family/friends there so that's the initial target location.
Hopefully Oregon will be a little more classic car friendly than CA is, especially in the metropolitan areas where smog laws are ridiculous and insurance costs are unreasonable when compared to more rural spots even in the same state.
I'm optimistic about the outlook so far. It may not provide the "scene" like the one in So Cal...but then again, at this stage in my life, the point is really to get away from it all and enjoy!
Thanks again everyone