History ANDY'S 3rd Annual PICNIC - July 1969 ... PICS!!!

I realize that a "Rod Run" or a "Street Rodding" event held in 1969 is arguably a bit off topic for a Traditional Hot Rod discussion forum ... but perhaps the H.A.M.B. "Trad Police" will cut me some slack ... especially considering there's quite a few similarities between the early years of the "ANDY'S PICNIC" and the TJJ "HOT ROD REVOLUTION" events.

Both events:

• were held in a dusty Northern California park
• had fewer than 200 cars in attendance
• served hot dogs and/or burgers ... and liquid refreshments
• had a band playing
• were "low key" (i.e., Tire Kickin' sessions, no judging, no trophies or awards, etc.)
• etc., etc.

But enough of the excuses & explanations ... the truth is that Roy "Andy" Brizio is an important part of our hobby's rich history ... and for many years, his annual "ANDY"S PICNIC" was the premiere outdoor Rodding event in Northern California.

I grew up in the Bay Area in the '60s & '70s ... in a family that pretty much lived & breathed Hot Rodding ... and the highlight of my summer was going to ANDY'S PICNIC in our Coupe.

The first picnic I remember attending was ANDY'S 3rd ANNUAL PICNIC ... held on July 27th 1969 ... at the "Turtle Rock Ranch" in Walnut Creek, CA.

Our "HEMI32" Coupe all cleaned up & ready to go to ANDY's PICNIC


The (worn & tarnished) dash plaque commemorating the day​

 

Here's some of the Kodachrome 35mm slides that my father shot at ANDY'S 3rd Annual PICNIC:

Steve Archer's Instant T Tub


Brizio VOLKSROD ... driven to the Picnic by Andy's wife Sue


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Bill Roach's '27 T Roadster


Rudy Perez' Turtledeck T with Dragmaster chassis


Tom Booth’s T bucket​

 

Two Knucklehead kids checking out a Nailhead:

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Later in the day, those same two boys (sans their plaid button-down collar shirts) were eye-balling a 327ci 'Vette motor:

Dennis DeBenedictis' orange '23 T​

I'm not quite sure what our fascination was with GM-powered T-Buckets?

 

Tony Martinez' dark blue '29 Roadster on Deuce rails ... featured Corvette IRS and rat motor​

From atop the hill, Dad caught three Rodders contemplating the 331ci HEMI in our Deuce Coupe:

"A Rose Between Two Thorns"

The "HEMI32" Coupe flanked by two Chevy-powered Roadsters:
Dino Ramacciotti's '32 with a 327ci SBC (R) and the Martinez' '29 with a BBC (L)​

NOTE: All three of these cars are still on the road today!

* Tony Martinez' Roadster looks much the same as it did in '69:

click thumbnail to enlarge​

* Dino (@fremont32) Ramacciotti's Roadster is still full-fendered ... but now sports a lower stance, different tire/wheel combo, red paint, chopped windshield, black top, etc.:

click thumbnails to enlarge​

 

Legendary photographer Andy Southard Jr. was also in attendance at ANDY'S 3rd ANNUAL PICNIC ... covering the event for ROD&Custom magazine.

Mr. Southard took lots of cool pics ... including this one:

original photo by Andy (@AndySS) Southard Jr.​

... and the resultant article appeared in the November 1969 issue of R&C:

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great year

 

Thats some real cool history.

 

Wow that was cool.

 

Cars were REEAAAL clean back then!!

Thanks fot he pictures!

HC.

 

Cool stuff Todd. Looks traditional to me!

 

Thanks for the trip back in time this is a great POST . The scary thing thing is I actually remember some of those cars.

 

These two "knuckleheads" are of the same vintage as my brother and I. I have pics somewhere of the two of us at the 1970 drags at Rockingham, eyeballin' the latest Jungle Jim flopper!

 

Thanks HEMI32 thats cool,being a Hot Rodder I was so excited when I was stationed in Northern California growing up I always read about Andy's pinic's an couldn't wait to go to one myself.Thanks for the history lesson.

 

Gee, all nice painted & upholstered Hot Rods. The way things used to be!

 

Very cool, and Turtle Rock is still there............

 

Cool pictures, thanks for posting.

 

This is a point in time where cars were built that are awesome to be able to buy today because a lot of these cars are super Hot Rods that in some eyes just take small changes like wheels and tires, steering wheels and little bolt on pieces to make them how one may like them as a bit early in style, hell some of them are actually old hot rods with the updated parts for that time just put on to them......kind of a transformation phase in hot rodding. Imagine a couple of those pictures and the cars had steel wheels and different air cleaners and you could put the photos back another 10-15 years. Thanks for the pics.

 

As traditional as it gets, these glimpses into our past and history are what draws me to the internet.
I have never met anyone who qualifies as the trad police, it is all relative.

Your Dad, and you in his footsteps, are keeping it all alive. Keep up the good work.
I enjoy your work all the more, now that I have met you in person at Pebble.

 

When, T buckets were more plentiful then '32's, how we have evolved. Love Andy's photo in B&W on the hill. Thanks for posting some cool shots.

CRUISER

 

Very nice pics! Very nice cars! So you were a privileged youngster?

Thanks for sharing!

 

Great history lesson. It is amazing how many rods from that era are still on the road today. Styles may have changed some, but hot rodders are still the best people. Thanks for sharing.

 

Takes me back to the time when Sunday shows were cars in a park - usually on grass, with a band, a BBQ food and door prizes - just pure camaraderie with like minded people and it was all about the cars and people. Thanks for posting Todd.

 

Damn I love the tires from that era. Cool pics. thanks!

 

Love all the Goodyear Blue Streaks and red line tires...Even a set of gold streaks in the pictures.

 

I have been looking for my pix of 72 or 73 at crow canyon.The photo you have of the top of 32 roadster( the red one) A friend of mine owns that car.Do you have any more photos of it?

 

This CANT be the late sixties??!! Wheres all the rat rods, wide whites, Radirs, and faux bolt-on 12-spokes?

REALLY good stuff. Nice to see REAL sixties stuff. Sure wish that you could still get real goodyear blue-streaks!

 

I went to one of Andy's Picnics sometime in the 70s when they were on Crow Canyon Rd. in Castro Valley. Then to the last one in Vallejo in the '90s.

I talked with Dennis a few weeks ago. He doesn't know what happened to his roadster after he sold it. Hot Rod ran a picture of his roadster in a recent issue. We grew up on the same street in Oakland in the '50s and went to the same High School although he is a few years older than me. I thought it funny he said if you "Map Quest" our old neighborHOOD a skull and crossbones comes on the screen.

Thanks for the memories.