It's amazing how many station wagons were being used back then. And so few pick up trucks. Side rock panel stainless SAM.
I don't know about L.A. but in the 1950's here in the South most family's only had one car if they had a car at all. The wagons and sedans were family cars. HRP
Same in central Illinois and most of the midwest from what I remember. Families had two parents, one car, wagon, or truck, and maybe a one car garage. That's why the handyman wagon like mine were popular. It was the work truck thru the week, the family hauler on weekends.
SoCal was the same HRP ... my dad would buy a used wore out AD truck from his construction company so he didnt have to beat up the family car ... we were the oddity.
The location might be South Redondo Beach with Pacific Coast Highway in the distance and the hills of Palos Verdes just starting to rise.
Best part of the picture is the variety of cars and their looks, many different looking vehicles, nowadays a picture of a car lot looks like a field of all the same "cloned" cars except for color, can't tell the different makes anymore from just looking at.. back in the days each brand had their own looks!
Here is a great thread of Los Angeles. Get ready to be consumed http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=446547&highlight=the+history+of+los
That,s what i allways try to find in those old pic's. So what's that funny looking car just under the Los Angeles Times billboard ??????? It has a long hood and short roof but still looks to be a sedan. Could it be a Henry-J, ???
People definitely didn't drive trucks as a daily vehicle unless they actually used them in their job back then.