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Motion Pictures Vintage L.A. Car Club Footage

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Ryan, Jun 18, 2009.

  1. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,632

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

  2. ironandsteele
    Joined: Apr 25, 2006
    Posts: 5,918

    ironandsteele
    Member

    strange.
    fun to watch though.
     
  3. Mazooma1
    Joined: Jun 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,598

    Mazooma1
    Member

    That music is kind of creepy, weird, but it fits the film just right, for some reason. The Cajon Pass part is the old part of Route 66, still there is you know where to find it.
    That diesel truck sure reminds me of "Duel" with Dennis Weaver.
    The car lettered with the City of Maywood (Roth) and all the nearby cities such as Bell, Bellflower, Compton. etc., etc. is a reminder of what was such a hot-bed of speed shops, Bell Auto, many car clubs, top painters, custom shops, ....that whole area off of what is now the Long Beach Freeway from South Gate all the way to Long Beach was just thriving all through the 50's and 60's, it really was a hub of all things "cars" related.
    I swear, I going to put an album together of all those spots...
    1960:
    [​IMG]
    2 weeks ago
    [​IMG]
    1958, Roths business card, with Kelly and Baron [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
    two weeks ago...
    [​IMG]

    cool video...the more I hear that music the better it fits the film...good one!!!! Thanks
     
  4. Terry O
    Joined: Oct 12, 2004
    Posts: 1,060

    Terry O
    Member

    Looks like it's about friends doing things with their cars in a much more peaceful time. An economy run? when gas was 32 cents?....probably had nothing to do with price but everything to do with competition.
    I think that's the same cop that flagged me over in Barstow.

    Terry
     

  5. Chris Casny
    Joined: Mar 13, 2006
    Posts: 4,874

    Chris Casny
    Member

    Safety and Economy run from LA to Barstow.
     
  6. KJSR
    Joined: Mar 7, 2008
    Posts: 2,494

    KJSR
    Member
    from Utah
    1. Utah HAMBers

    Barstow sure looked alot better back then:eek:
     
  7. Rolleiflex
    Joined: Oct 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,243

    Rolleiflex
    Member

  8. JeffreyJames
    Joined: Jun 13, 2007
    Posts: 16,628

    JeffreyJames
    Member
    from SUGAR CITY

    I can always appreciate a little Chet Baker in the morning.
     
  9. HomemadeHardtop57
    Joined: Nov 15, 2007
    Posts: 4,328

    HomemadeHardtop57
    Member

  10. flyin-t
    Joined: Dec 29, 2004
    Posts: 1,421

    flyin-t
    Member

    My dad was in the 'Igniters' out of Bell, Ca and he was also in the 'T Timers'. I still have both of his plaques and was hoping to see anything on one of the dealer donated cars, or maybe a jacket of a club member from the Igniters, but there was nothing. The T Timers looked to be represented though.

    I'm pretty sure the cars were not owned by the club members but rather donated by the different dealers in the area for this "youth Reliability and Economy" run, like it said on the side of one of the cars. My dad had a '41 chevy convert and his buddy had a '40 Ford coupe and while not magazine quality cars, they were a far cry better than a 4 door stocker which I doubt you could be in either club with.

    There looked to be a car from almost each maker of the day, even a Nash. Maybe clubs would get a car and compete against the other clubs. Like an early 'keep kids from racing on the street event' put on by the local chamber of commence.

    My dads gone and by the time this little film was shot in '53, he was already a Marine. He didn't turn 16 until '52.
     
  11. Okay now let's digitally enhance the video and see what the numbers were for all of the different makes/models and which ones didn't overheat goin' over the cajon pass
     
  12. 31fordV860
    Joined: Jan 22, 2007
    Posts: 864

    31fordV860
    Member

    True ..Many of the local So Cal Car Dealers sponsored this and other economy runs throughout so cal in the fifties..anybody have any idea what ford mecury dealership that is in the movie?
     
  13. flamingokid
    Joined: Jan 5, 2005
    Posts: 2,200

    flamingokid
    Member

    I watched that video 4 times in a row.Man,it just makes you want to go back in time.
     
  14. Chris Casny
    Joined: Mar 13, 2006
    Posts: 4,874

    Chris Casny
    Member

    It's in Barstow
     
  15. No Bob ?? Every service station had a guy named Bob !! All I saw was a Dick. Still pretty cool as I like any old car footage >>>>.
     
  16. From what I understand, this was an offshoot of the Mobil Economy Run that the gas brand promoted from 1936 (except during World War II) to 1968. It was designed to provide real fuel mileage numbers during a coast to coast test on real roads and with regular traffic and weather conditions. Mobil Oil Corporation sponsored it and the United States Auto Club (USAC) sanctioned and operated the run. Manufacturers then used the results to promote their cars.
    The Youth Reliability and Economy Run was a way to help promote safe driving for teenagers and promote local dealerships. This was a promo film for that event.
     
  17. Yep, it's a mileage competition... or "Youth Safety Economy Run"... it says so right on the doors of the cars.

    Sam
     
  18. IGOR
    Joined: Jun 27, 2002
    Posts: 645

    IGOR
    Member

    Those guys really kept the local Sign Painter busy. Cool piece of film but I was ready to fall asleep after that. Wayyyyyy toooooo relaxxxxed nowwwwwww.
     
  19. Old6rodder
    Joined: Jun 20, 2006
    Posts: 2,546

    Old6rodder
    Member
    from SoCal
    1. HA/GR owners group

    Yep, club members were issued new or recent cars for the gig and drove'em over a prescribed course trying to get the best mileage they could. Combo "paint a nice face on rodders" & "possible ad gimmick" venue. Didn't make it to the ads all that much and of course some members sneered at doing it. Nor did the cops buy it, they still eyeballed us hard. :D
     
  20. hotrd32
    Joined: May 16, 2007
    Posts: 3,560

    hotrd32
    Member
    from WA

    It's even better with the sound OFF!.............
     
  21. Herdez
    Joined: Feb 21, 2007
    Posts: 357

    Herdez
    Member

    Mobil Economy Run -it looks like it.


    I like this one from the economy trail runs of 57.

    1957 Pure Oil Economy Trials winner. Fuel Injected '57 got well over 20 mpg and won first place.

    [​IMG]
     
  22. Hey Hot Rod, F.Y.I. chet baker was one cool Kat. Ask any hipster or beatnik. :p:cool: Died a terrible death.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chet_Baker

    Try slipping some of his tunes on the old jukebox, next time you are trying to get your groove on with the ladies.

    Very cool footage, thanks for sharing, Ryan. My song choice might have been rhoute 66 theme from Nelson Riddle Orchestra. Guess I'm not the only one whom wishes I had a time machine.
    JT
     
  23. I remember the Mobilgas Economy runs. This would be a great idea now, get some real people, driving real cars off dealers lots, driving a real route, to get real numbers.
    this was a popular deal back in the day, along with the one I think it was Chrysler did where High School auto shop kids would compete to diagnose and repair new cars that the company had "broken"
    Only problem now is they would make it a reality show and f*** it all up.
     
  24. Tom davison
    Joined: Mar 15, 2008
    Posts: 6,042

    Tom davison
    Member
    from Phoenix AZ

     
  25. You got it. Just read the script. ;)

    Pete
     
  26. Crazydaddyo
    Joined: Apr 6, 2008
    Posts: 3,343

    Crazydaddyo
    Member

    This is footage of the youth economy run that ran from Pasadena to Las Vegas.

    My dad and uncle were both in the Drag Wagons, one of the participating car clubs. Roth was also a member. My uncle won it one year in a Chrysler Imperial and my dad was in the top 10 a few years later

    L.A. area car dealers would sponsor the car and it was up to the club to tune and drive the cars.

    Here are some news clippings of the event from the Drag Wagon photo album.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  27. Mazooma1
    Joined: Jun 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,598

    Mazooma1
    Member

    WOW! How cool is that stuff? Man, thanks for sharing, CrazyDaddy-O
     
  28. Paul2748
    Joined: Jan 8, 2003
    Posts: 2,381

    Paul2748
    Member

    C'om Ryan - you should know this. The Flying Red Horse was a logo of Socony-Mobile (now just Mobil) back in the day. The horse was displayed at all S/M gas stations. Used to work at one in my teens (a long time ago).

    They sponsored economy/reliability runs all over the country. This particular picture was in in CA and probably co-sponsored by local dealers.

    Hotrodden was right on with his reply. And I agree about the music - the right music for the period.
     
    Last edited: Jun 18, 2009
  29. Mazooma1
    Joined: Jun 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,598

    Mazooma1
    Member

    Our local dealerships would participate in these runs...

    [​IMG]
    these were photos my Dad took

    [​IMG]
     
  30. Cut55
    Joined: Dec 1, 2007
    Posts: 1,979

    Cut55
    Member
    from WA

    In Ganahl's Roth book there are photos of the artwork (that still exists) that Roth and others painted and drew on the inside walls of this building back in the day. One photo shows the date Walt Disney died in 1966 and Roth painted "Walt Disney Died Today."
     

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