Thread: for all the oldschoolers

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Cruisin still goes on. My best memories are back in Panama City when every weekend, we'd meet up at a Chick Fil' A and everyone would bring their wheels and have a good time. Wives used to dress up like diner girls, a live band would play and the kids would have a great time winning in the raffle. Seems like now though, ricers are taking over and that cruising scene is getting smaller, but it's still there. Out here in Colo. Spngs., we have a car show at a grocery store every Sat. evening and man, it's still fun. Everyone crusies in, shares their stories, pop their hoods, cruise around and have a good time. The ricers are getting a lot worse now and have thankfully taken the cop attention off people who want have a good time. Besides, stop light racing in this town is like 300' runs, the ricers love it so let em' have it. Cruise on, it's not dead and ain't illeagal.

I still wish I had been born "Back in the day". Eh, what are you gonna do. However, my next ride should prove things interesting. Cutlass with a vinyl top, opera lights, The mags off my other Cutlass, other choice parts and a diesil. Diesels draw a crowd. Oh, and BTW, I already have good head studs on the way for my 350N, so the blown head gaskets are NOT gonna be a problem . This will be a great cruiser!

i need some parts for a 1971 buick sky lark gs can anyone help me out

the cruising seen in oklahoma city ok
is still huge but most ricers muscle sometimes
30s to 60s rods hardly ever except me and my friends

We have a cruise night once a month during the summer. They block off main drag & side streets for the cars. Around 600 show up.

Well, the SoCal scene in the early to late '60's was a lot like what Lucas depicted in AG. Van Nuys Blvd and Bob's Big Boy, Toluca Lake Bob's Big Boy, Hollywood Blvd, and to a lesser degree, Ventura Blvd in the Woodland Hills. All spots where we'd hang out at the burger stand, and cruise up and down the blvd just burnin' dead dinosaurs. Well, maybe a little "speed contest" promotion now and then!

A four year "interuption" involving khaki, camo, and combat took me away from the scene except for an occasional visit on leave. The cruising remainded until around 1969. After that it changed. Hollywood Blvd got overpopulated with "weirdos", and Van Nuys, along with the others, just didn't have the same allure.

What has come to pass in recent years is less of a cruise and more of a park in. And once it turns dark most folks seem to clear out. Back "in the day", we were just gettin' started when the sun went down. (rampaging geezertude??) I suppose that the street racin' thing got too far out of hand, and the irresponsible parking and blocking of local businesses led to the impossition of most of the anti-cruise ordinances of the '70's and '80's.

It was a neat slice of history in a nation bound to the automobile. A right of passage, a tribute to the emerging boomerness, a cultural "phenomenon" of an age gone bye. Whatever vain attempt to recreate it we attempt will only be a tribute, noble nonetheless, but still only stoking memories of a lighter time.

Originally posted by Bob Parmenter
Whatever vain attempt to recreate it we attempt will only be a tribute, noble nonetheless, but still only stoking memories of a lighter time.

You have quite the way with words, you know Bob?
That's OK, I guess I'd rather pay tribute to days gone by than sit around and not cruise at all!

Originally posted by Bob Parmenter
Well, the SoCal scene in the early to late '60's was a lot like what Lucas depicted in AG. Van Nuys Blvd and Bob's Big Boy, Toluca Lake Bob's Big Boy, Hollywood Blvd, and to a lesser degree, Ventura Blvd in the Woodland Hills. All spots where we'd hang out at the burger stand, and cruise up and down the blvd just burnin' dead dinosaurs. Well, maybe a little "speed contest" promotion now and then!

A four year "interuption" involving khaki, camo, and combat took me away from the scene except for an occasional visit on leave. The cruising remainded until around 1969. After that it changed. Hollywood Blvd got overpopulated with "weirdos", and Van Nuys, along with the others, just didn't have the same allure.

What has come to pass in recent years is less of a cruise and more of a park in. And once it turns dark most folks seem to clear out. Back "in the day", we were just gettin' started when the sun went down. (rampaging geezertude??) I suppose that the street racin' thing got too far out of hand, and the irresponsible parking and blocking of local businesses led to the impossition of most of the anti-cruise ordinances of the '70's and '80's.

It was a neat slice of history in a nation bound to the automobile. A right of passage, a tribute to the emerging boomerness, a cultural "phenomenon" of an age gone bye. Whatever vain attempt to recreate it we attempt will only be a tribute, noble nonetheless, but still only stoking memories of a lighter time.

maybe it is a tribute me and my buddy try to enjoy a 1950s type
lifestyle yes we do dress like greasers people look at us like we are crazy i cant help it that just the way i am nothing it quite like the smell of fresh pomade in the morning
makes me think of better times not the crazy times we live in now
i am 20 anc still cruise mostly teens do it but it something i like to do cruise on a summer saturday night setback look at some sweet rides in okc there is a decent amount of rockabilly type
people we try to keep the spirit of the late 50s early 60s alive

I could probably write a book about how it was. Here is a brief (GD lawyer talk) of the times of Bentwings:

I grew up (????) some in the 50,60,70 era. This was a time of car clubs, rods, muscle cars, customs, viet nam, college, trade school, and wondering what the world was comming to.
Car clubs were 20-30 guys with a small rented garage to work on cars and hang out. Have meetings, plan happenings, and just be around each other, no girls allowed. Our club was one of the more outspoken ones and did a lot of community service like helping stranded motorists. We often relived our adventures doing this. Today if you stop you get "get the h..l away, I'm calling the cops you f...diviate". Wonder why nobody stops to help with a flat anymore???
We had a wide range of rods from flathead 32 Ford coupe to 62 Corvette and other hot cars between. I gravitated to dragsters and Funny cars later) another story.
We did car shows and drag racing big time and won our share. None of us were wealthy..we made our own way, we all pitched in on what ever project or event we got into.
We played a lot of sports and competitions with other clubs, often traveling in a group (rod run) to the events. It was always fun playing hockey or broom ball with the cops. Cop cars lined up on one side ot the rink and rods on the other.
Football was tackle only and got really rough. I don't recall anyone getting seriouly hurt but there were plenty of bumps and bruises. I don't think any game be it football, baseball, hockey or broomball that turned in to a blow out. It was always fun and developed a lot of mutual respect. We even socialized after the games.
There were only the very first of the drive ins ..no Mac's or Sonics. Dairy Queen and A&W I think were the first Then Porkys. We did the cruising thing as traditionally depicted. Drive in movies lasted untill the 70's. They were ok but too d... many mosquitoes for love making
We all had our dress style. Slick hair to crew cuts. Cruising was time to get cleaned up.. We rarely went about in greasy stuff. Girls wouldn't get near us We even had a shower and bathroom in our garage! It's hard to imagine how we got cleaned up in this place. Other than the air powered plunger for the toilet I don't think the place ever got cleaned.
We had our wild parties. The local constable was paid off and we went about our thing. Nobody did drugs, getting really screwed up was not really acceptable. Sounds staight lace but somehow it seemed that our survival was based on being able stay out of harms way. I think there was a good deal of personal responsibility each of us had for ourselves and others. We felt there was some purpose for being around, we didn't know what it was but we believed in the future and it would appear there.
The age group of our club spanned a couple of 13-14 brothers to 30 heros. I think the influence of the older guys really helped keep us youger guys in line. They had already been in Korea, a couple were back from early VN and a couple college boys. So we had a great mix. There were a few hard core players (me) who just couldn't get enough speed shifting and always had to get the last lick in sports. I think the older guys helped by at least keeping us from hurting others and ourselves. We never had a crash in the club from racing or wild driving.
Sounds a bit boring I guess by todays standards. Remember you didn't get sued for walking across somebody's yard, If you backed into sombody's car you paid no question asked. Disputes got settled by discussion first then the fist, then a handshake. No parent sued because Jonny came home with a black eye . We didn't carry guns only tools to fix our cars.
We would help other club guys even if they were arch rivals maybe giving the age old sign as we parted just to remind each other of our social positions.
It is fun to relive the car thing but this was only a small part of growing up (???) in the 50-60. I doubt that any of us ever really grew up. When ever we run across each other now it is " remember the time we......" or " What are y'all driving now??". "Got a real job yet??"

Times are different today, values have changed, attitudes have changed, respect is gone.
I'm on my 3rd family now with 14 and 16 boys. 6 boys..2 in each of 3 generations. My dad didn't have a personal lawyer, first name basis with the county DA., didn't know all 4 junivile judges beyond the golf course, I didn't have to leave a full name, address, parents names and phone numbers every time I left the yard, I didn't have no contact orders, I didn't have curfew, daily drug tests, personal searches, room searches, periodic visits from Officer....... or Officer.... wondering if so and so has been around. "How are the boys doing???" " Nice to see you again Officer... thank you for your concern, would you like to have a practice run of our house by your drug dog?? ". "I used to train them you know, maybe I can help you. " (you may help me too without knowing)At this point my own attitude changes and I drift away from rods, so it is time to end. Sorry it is on a sour note. Part of today's world. Thankfully rods are still as timeless as they were back then and they are alive and well today.



bentwings

someday I'll get time to add some pic of my 41Willys

its good hearing from all you oldschoolers i will still continue
to do what i do to keep the spirit of the 50s and 60s alive