The Coachman Show 1955-1957

[RW1941]

I am 67 yrs old, this brought tears to my ole eyes. Thank you, thank you.

[Chili Phil]

This thread needs to be brought up and viewed often. Keeps the memory sharply focused on how it really was.

[seb fontana]

In part 1 I think I saw Annette Funicello walking towards the camera just after the 57' Ranchero at about 7/8ths in, heart be still!!!!..Neat to see the cars too...

[Kripfink]

Originally Posted by Chili Phil

This thread needs to be brought up and viewed often. Keeps the memory sharply focused on how it really was.

Amen to that brother Phil, I watch those clips at least a couple of times a week whenever I get the blues. Better times that I missed out on.
Paul

[oldcoachman]

Originally Posted by silverthefox

The kid in the coachmen jacket is Johnny Beddow and he is alive and kicking saw him at the 50 year reunion of the class of 1955 Excelsior High School in Norwalk, CA.
The other kid in video three at the mike standing with the girl is the president of the Coachmen Keith Christensen who graduated in my class in 1955 and was in the band with me for four years. He played the trombone no less. We ran around together in grammar school inseperable you might say.
I saw myself in the second video on the grass watching the awards being handed out had on dark glasses. The car I remember the most from the show was the red mercury which was a radical custom for that day and won a lot of awards!

Hey, Silverfox. You are right. Johnny Beddow is still alive an kicking because he is me. I saw your post several months ago searching google for a car show in Norwalk. I just now got registered so I can post. I know Don Price is still around. I probably know you too. I still play with cars.

[Groovybaby6]

Does anyone know who shot the original 8mm film? I used the same footage when I produced the Barris Kustoms of the 50's DVD and It was only on vhs when I dug it out of the boxes of tapes in George's shop.

[oldcoachman]

I think it was Keith or Tinker Cristenson. Keith was the 1st club president. Tinker was his younger brother. If I recall correctly, the air shots were from a plane owned by one of the Norwalk Junior Chamber members. I could be wrong. That was a long time ago.

[bushwacker 57]

To the top.

[Mooseman]

All kinds of awesome right there, funny how things that were once the norm are now considered amasing now, being a 23 year old I think its cool to look at these old videos. Awesome how most of the cars drove in and drove out. Love the make shift ramps to get back on the road.

[Kischell Offy]

These 3 part videos ( Coachman Car show)where taken at Excelsior ( Union ) High School on Alondra Bl. & Pioneer Bl., Norwalk, CA. The track for the 1/4 midgets was called Action City Track.... The Kopper Kart car my father Don Kischell owned at one point. Eddie Haddad raced the car too. My brother Steve Kischell drove on this track back in the 1950's. I liked watching the videos brought back alot of memories for me...Thank you

[mustang6147]

Reading these posts, I chuckled... we have a Coachman club here in Kent ohio from way back. We have a Norwalk city, and a Norwalk dragstrip LoL.... Many of the original Coachman from this area head west to CA, for the show. They are great guys from an earlier time. They are still very active, and put on grt shows....

They where featured in the HOTROD publication a few years back, I picked it up at Lobecks. Pics of them then, and now.... really cool.