History SKIP'S Drive In...Chicago Hot Rod Hangout Remembered* Pics*

How times have changed.... No way that a/c unit would last the night these days!

(An Itasca kid, born in Elmhurst)
(I remember going to Skip's with some older guys and setting on the roof of their car... Watching...and soaking it all in...)
Jeff

 

The Rosemont Holiday Inn had a bar called At The Hop back in the '80s. They had a 35 mm slide projector showing slides of old scenes around the Chicago area continuously. One of those slides was a great shot of Skip's in its prime. I wish I knew who had those slides. We would go to Skip's in either my 383 Roadrunner or my buddy's 440 GTX to look at the cars and pick up girls. Climbing up on the roof of Polk Bros. was the best seat in the house for the races. We saw a rail blast down North Avenue one night then loaded back on the trailer and gone before the cops came. Unreal fun!

 

Went to Proviso East and spent allot of time at Skip's in the later 60's. You'd drive through the lot, and nod to someone parked that you wanted to race. Out of Skip's it was a right turn only, 3 lanes wide, 1st light was about a 1/4 mile away. Many hot rods, muscle cars from all over the area would drive in to show their rides. Great place, you'll never find one like this again.
If Skip's was to busy, you always went to the parking lot behind Polk Brothers for more activity.

 

I missed out by a few years! I lived close by! I remember they had a lifesize dancing balarina like the one in a jewelry box out near North Ave!

 

the guys growing up now, will never get to experience this. if you were into cars it was the place to hang.

 

Snowplow?
Does anyone remember a 1955 Chevrolet called "The Snowplow," around Chicago area?
It was a drag racer that showed up at Skip's Fiesta Drive-In several times. Immaculate Pearl white paint, one-piece fiberlass flip front end, long, bright-orange ladder-type traction bars attached to the frame at about the front of the doors. It stood up on large, drag racing tires with the front end raised to keep the car level - I think it had many victories at Illinois drag strips - I think it raced or held a track record at Oswego Drag Strip. It was always clean and beautiful. I lived in Wheaton and was at Skip's only a few times, but it was a magical experience. I remember being awe struck! Girls! Cars! My kind of food, a little bit of cool street racing! It was one of the first times I stayed out what was very late for me. Parents were not pleased!

lorenb

 

what happened to the pictures?

 

Another thread here got me thinking about Skips. I’m too young to have cruised there, but vividly remember it when I was young. I grew up just a mile down the road. Anyway
Anyway, while doing a Google search of Skips, it brought me right back to the H.A.M.B. ,and this thread, where I started.
Anyone that posted pics still around? If so repost those pics please!

 

I went to Duke’s Drive in a couple of times in the 80s. Bought a 70GTX from a guy up there. Hung out at Blue Top in Highland, Indiana a ton though! Never made it to Skips though.

 

These are pictures that were posted earlier (not by me) and are missing now. I just happened to save these.

 

A quick google serch turned up these pictures.

 

After high school graduation, in the early '60s, I wasn't big into cars yet, but I did go to Skip's with a classmate to partake of a cold fountain drink and hang out once or twice.
It wasn't 'til the late '60s that I had something fairly rapid and started taking names and spanking hard. But by that time I usually spent my weekends at the drag strips and didn't street race much.

 

What shots?????