I remember lusting over deuce roadster, vicky, sedans, '40 coupes, mild '50 customs and T-buckets. Most of the cars were their on consignment; I think the owners name was Rabbit? I would stop by about once a month, it was like going to a car show. I would hang on the chain fence and dream of someday owning a car like these. Great memories!!
No pics -- But Norm (Rabbit) Samuels is still around and sellin Hot Rods in Brea California. Spent some time with him last year @ the L.A. Roadster show
Man I remember that place. My dad would always stop there jus to check it out and see what they had. Brought back alot of memories
Heres a shot of our 65 Cyclone... My old man sold a '67 396/375 4 spd. Chevelle to Stick City around '70. The top end was so loud and screwed up from racing that he and a buddy lined the inside of the valve covers with carpet to quiet it up. It worked and Stick City bought the car
Johnny's went from being a Speed Shop to a VW mainly place in the mid 70's. I used to manage the Auto Haus store just up the street and they were our main competition. Hughie (the owner) was a tough competitor! Saw Rabbit Sunday at John Force's show.
True, the stuff was crap... but at the time its all I could afford...bought some half way decent nerf bars there once...but the mil thickness on the "plated" crap was horrible..
Stick City sponsored a series of cars, a couple of funnies too. The Pisano Bros Camaro and Corvair being of them. Mr. T was another hi-perf used car dealership. They too sponsored a few cars, one belonging to Steve Bovan, the other Vic Morse
Hey that was a fun shop and I used to hang on the fence too as a kid and dream. There was a different shop that sold hot rods on Beach Blvd. Across from the Mark C. Bloom store but I forget what it was called. Oh and I worked at the Johnny's Speed & Chrome warehouse, it was awesome. A lot of cool cars came there to pick up parts so we always checked them out. The drag racing was done on Friday and Sunday nights on Phoebe Street in the industrial park area just down the road. I remember guys lined up on Friday night trying to get a tune at Johnny's before going out.
Hey Guys, from a November 2016 post on used hot rods... Jnaki Hello, There was a late 60's-70's lot that was similar in La Habra (So Cal) called, Stick City. It had similar cars that were not priced out of this world back then. But, today, there are shops and dealers that sell "vintage" cars and they seemed to be priced so high that most customers just go in for a car show. Maybe a lower price for those nice "vintage" cars would increase sales and keep the flame burning for some. Just my $.04 worth... Jnaki Here is part of a post from Dec 2016... Jnaki Norm "Rabbit" Samuels The owner back in those days was a guy that ran one of the only true hot rod, used car lots in So Cal. True American Mags, highly sought after, today… and that rear ¾ low shot makes it look like the sedan is ready for the starting line at the drags. But, it was usually going to and from all of those car shows, club picnics and hot rod events in So Cal. Miles and miles of fun, fun, fun…until “Daddy put the T-Bird away”…on the lot of course.
I lived in Whittier my entire life until I got divorced at age 45 and moved to Pasadena. I would go to Stick City constantly just to look. I was a kid and couldnt afford anything but i wanted nearly every thing there!
In the early 70s I went up to Stick City from Hunt Bch all the time to drool over the cars with $5 down marked on the windshields. It was part of my growing up. I wanted the white '57 Bel-Air with a hot 327/4-speed. Stick City wanted $1200. You can't even get a wasted shell for that now. No, I didn't get the '57. When you make $1.35/hour in an Arco station, you do a lot of dreaming. Does anyone remember the Johnny's Speed and Chrome under the pitside stands at OCIR? You could go in and buy used speed parts that were still warm. What a great life that was. Now I have to drive all the way to Bakersfield or Fontana just to run my car, and "collectors" have massive private collections ten times bigger than Stick City ever was. A Chevelle needs to be hunting for Six-Packs and Cobra Jets on Friday nights, not sitting in a warehouse full of dozens of other unused memorials. My GTO had a rotisserie frame-off, and is back in action with 700 HP looking for the few remaining cars which have owners with enough guts to drive and use them like we always did. I'm not a caretaker- I'm an owner. There's a big difference. I want my America back. Doc17
Absolutely remember Johnnie's Speed and Chrome. Corner of Beach Blvd and Manchester. Used to be a Rexall drug Store. Down the street was Fantasy Muffler and Varian's Stereo.
Fantasy Muffler was forced out of there facility by the City. They are still in Buena Park in a garage at the NE Corner of Auto Center Drive (was Manchester) and beach Blvd. This is the only place that I have ever had exhaust system work done on my cars. Varian's Car Stereo closed many years ago. Starlite Burgers was also on that corner and they too were forced out by the city.
Man, you guys must be a bunch of old farts! Yes, I remember all those places too. Those are great memories. I'm still in the area, not so many car shops around any more. Maybe Super Shops was the last of the era?
Dan at Fantasy retired and the son took over, Dan not only did mufflers but he also lowered cars by heating the springs with a torch. Harry Varian moved back to Hawaii, Brownies body shop and towing just went away. Harley Fullerton was on Beach just north of Orangethorpe. I used to watch the hoodlums from the window at St Pius when I went there. There was also a steeple chase hill climb at what is now Beach and Rosecrans right by the Bull Pen bar...
in 1973 I bought a rough 56 Corvette project car from Stick city on Whittier Boulevard. $200 with a pink slip and he towed it to my house in Placentia. (I should have kept it.)
Used to drive by it in the late 60's early 70's a few times a week I remember all the newer muscle cars were out front, Boss 429's, big block camaros, Hemi cars, but parked in the rear were the old ex-racecars, Willys, Anglia's, early gassers.
I've delt with Rabbit for many years at Highline Motorsports in Brea. I had a T bucket for sale on his lot at Stick City.
don't forget Cruisin' Whittier Blvd, and Bob' Big Boy - bought one of the first sets of Cragar SS wheels from Johnny's for a '63 Riviera - friend, who worked at a car wash, bought a '62 Ford 390/3 spd from Stick City