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Art & Inspiration The Summit Inn on Route 66 destroyed by fire

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Cyclone Kevin, Aug 17, 2016.

  1. Cyclone Kevin
    Joined: Apr 15, 2002
    Posts: 4,226

    Cyclone Kevin
    Alliance Vendor

    Wow, these wildfires are swift and are sure to take out icons of our past Hot Rodding history.
    image.png
    This is how it used to be and below is what it is now. image.png
    So many Hot Rodders stopped off there on they're way to the lakes, there's shots of it in books by Don Montgomery and John Eng-Adriene Biondo.

    This was always a landmark for me, Oak Hills is at the top of the Cajon Pass, it meant that I was up the grade. On the opposite side it meant that I'm going to hit the downhill....

    To me personally, it was/is Americana. Perhaps we can help in its rebuilding by giving what we can from cool garage art, station signs to just anything. It needs to be brought back. Still a landmark to me.
     
  2. This is what the Summit Inn looked like in 1928. HRP

    [​IMG]
     

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  3. Billybobdad
    Joined: Mar 12, 2008
    Posts: 960

    Billybobdad
    Member

    Got my son a ostrich burger there one time....not bad!
     
    kiwijeff likes this.

  4. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,189

    manyolcars

    What state is that in?
     
  5. It's in southern California, near San Bernardino on the Cajon pass. It's on what was Route 66. Such a sad loss. I sure hope they rebuild.
     
  6. Weedburner 40
    Joined: Jan 26, 2006
    Posts: 954

    Weedburner 40
    Member

    Just heard about the fire yesterday. I remember the Summit Inn from when I lived in SoCal and would head up to El Mirage. Wild fires are fast and deadly! There are something like 80000 + people evacuated from that area. Please keep them in your prayers.
     
  7. Billybobdad
    Joined: Mar 12, 2008
    Posts: 960

    Billybobdad
    Member

    The burn area is on my daily route to work. Pretty shocking to see businesses and homes you saw that morning burning on the evening news reports. The sad reality of this is that most of these fires are deliberately set!
     
  8. Roger O'Dell
    Joined: Jan 21, 2008
    Posts: 1,150

    Roger O'Dell
    Member

    I have a friend Dave Ellis that lives close by I think he is there everyday. Guess I better call him
     
  9. 29AVEE8
    Joined: Jun 28, 2008
    Posts: 1,384

    29AVEE8
    Member

    Had many a breakfast there on the way to El Mirage, with my Dad when I was younger then with my Son. No more.
     
  10. exterminator
    Joined: Apr 21, 2006
    Posts: 1,695

    exterminator
    Member

    Not to far from me.I use to service that place years ago.Would not eat there but still will miss driving by it.
     
  11. Cyclone Kevin
    Joined: Apr 15, 2002
    Posts: 4,226

    Cyclone Kevin
    Alliance Vendor

    Yup, not much left, this is it with Hot Rods in front in their way to the lakes. image.png
    Bobby Green just did an interview on KPCC with Joh Rabe a couple of hours ago, it was very informative. The Show is called off ramp.
    Bobby said that the sign is pretty much all that is left. Hmmmm, I seem to remember a similar scenario on Jan 7, 2007. That sign was about the same size. Here's the info on the interveiw:
    image.png
    Perhaps another Rally is needed to Rebuild SUMMIT INN.????? Are you guys up for another build? This one though is a whole lot farther than Downey for me.....;).
     
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2016
  12. Hotrodmyk
    Joined: Jan 7, 2011
    Posts: 2,307

    Hotrodmyk
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    1. Northwest HAMBers

    Sad sad situation.
     
  13. Flathead Dave
    Joined: Mar 21, 2014
    Posts: 3,967

    Flathead Dave
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from So. Cal.

    They just now said that they will rebuild. I hope it's soon. I'm in there often.

    Sent from my SM-G930T using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  14. Cyclone Kevin
    Joined: Apr 15, 2002
    Posts: 4,226

    Cyclone Kevin
    Alliance Vendor

    Where'd ya hear/see that?,
    It may be time for HAMBers to take up a collection of cool "garage art" So we can assist in their rebirth. ;).
     
  15. Flathead Dave
    Joined: Mar 21, 2014
    Posts: 3,967

    Flathead Dave
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from So. Cal.

    OL 55 and Cyclone Kevin like this.
  16. Cyclone Kevin
    Joined: Apr 15, 2002
    Posts: 4,226

    Cyclone Kevin
    Alliance Vendor

    This is really great to see, Man, I feel for these people as they only took possession of the business on July 1st according to that papers headlines.

    Let's do what we can to help them get back on their feet, perhaps we can make that a Hot Rod Destination again.
     
  17. waldo53
    Joined: Jan 26, 2010
    Posts: 863

    waldo53
    Member
    from ID

    This is really sad - I hope they can rebuild it. It was a Rt. 66 landmark for me since I was a kid, travelling between Barstow and L.A. to visit relatives back in the 40's and early 50's.

    In 1957 I was attending school in L.A., and had a car load of kids heading home for Christmas vacation, pushing (showing off, really) my '49 Chevy up Cajon Pass, proving to myself and my passengers that this hot little 216 could go up in high gear and never drop below 55 mph - which it did - until #5 rod let go. Oh, the shame..........we limped it up to the Summit Inn, I bought 2 quarts of the cheapest oil they had and dumped them in, then mostly coasted it down to the Chevy dealer in Victorville where I had to call my dad to come and get us. The guys in Victorville were able to grind the crank down, and pour a new babbit and I had the car back in time to take the same kids back to L.A. when school started again. The mechanic said that all that oil in there, and going very slow, probably saved the crank - thank you Summit Inn!!
     
    504640 likes this.
  18. 34toddster
    Joined: Mar 28, 2006
    Posts: 1,482

    34toddster
    Member
    from Missouri

    Boy I feel for those people in that area, I think I'd build my place from steel and mortar if I lived in those fire prone areas.
    Hope they get rebuilt quickly, in a Traditional way of course.
     
  19. ken bogren
    Joined: Jul 6, 2010
    Posts: 1,056

    ken bogren
    Member

    The Summit Inn was a real landmark on Route 66. We ate there last year on our way to LA. Great food, cool people.
     
  20. Lil32
    Joined: Apr 4, 2012
    Posts: 2,598

    Lil32
    Member

    Sad news, I was in Calif,in june for LA Roadster Show and saw first hand the fires in the
    San Gabriel Mountains, how lucky some of those people were. Outside temp.reading in car
    showed 131F as we drove along Hwy 210.I guess U live in bush U have to be prepared
    for loss of property.
     
  21. jchav62
    Joined: Jan 30, 2007
    Posts: 1,932

    jchav62
    Member

  22. Ate there many, many times back in the 60's. Sad to see this!
     
  23. I've have some great memories attached to that place. Bums me out that it was lost.
     

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