Hey Guy's, I know this is a little early, but just a heads up, the Prowlers Car Club in San Diego will be 70 years old in 2017, they are the oldest Hot Rod Club in the United States that has be conducting continuous business since 1947, and they have the minutes of each meeting with photos to confirm it. If you have Hard Core Hot Rod Blood in your veins, Check out their web site, there is so much Hot Rod History to absorb, you can see how it all started in black and white photos, showing early race cars and tracks of all kinds, early Hot Rod's as far back as the 30's to todays Hot Rods, early Hot Rod runs as well as members, funny, as your going through the pic's you can see that not only did the cars change, you can see how the people have changed, great history. From the way there talking, it should be a great Hot Rod Birthday Party, LOL, LOL
Went to high school with several of the Prowlers in the fifties. Surprising to see that they only have 16 out of a 30 member cap. For years, there was a waiting list to even be considered for membership.
Next year our car club ( Tri-City Rod & Custom) will celebrate 45 years of continuous business since 1972,ours is the oldest club in the state of South Carolina. We have one of the original founding members still participating and holding office as as VP. It's premature but congratulations to the San Diego based Prowlers Car Club,I hope the club makes it another 30 years. HRP
Well Denis4x4, now you have a good reason to make a trip out to sunny San Diego next year to see some of your old Hot Rod & High School buddy's and join the party. Looks like your still into Hot Rods from your avatar, you must have gone to Helix or Hoover high? Damn, HRP even 45 years is something to be really proud of, Ace (Jim) Carnaham was one of the early members, that is now 90 years old and still rocking, he still drives a very nice black 40 Ford Coupe and still is coming to the meetings, and Bob Smith has been in the club for 54 years and still coming to the meeting and driving his T Roadster as well as his 32 Highboy, you can see their pic's as you go through the Prowlers history web site, there shooting for a possible date of the next weekend following the LA Roadster swap meet, so you and your Southern boys now have a reason to make a trip out to SoCal next summer and make both great events. Hope to see you there.
ct1932 Ford, LOL, LOL, isn't it great to look back and laugh and remember all the fun we were having back in the day, LOL, looks like the 60's or early 70's. Great pic
Mark,I remember seeing another tri-city club back in the mid 1980's in Pigeon Forge,Tenn. at the Grand Run. HRP
Funny you say that! One of our members and an old friend of mine moved down to Knoxville a while back. In fact that picture I posted of our decal was taken at his house in Tenn. the last time I was there. It is on an A woody he built.
We did have fun! Here are some pictures I took when one of our members/friends car overheated on the way home from a show/swap meet and the only water was over a fence on the parkway and we had to break his balls!
"The upcoming 2017 San Diego Prowlers Picnic and Ol’ Timer’s Reunion will be our 70th and LAST. Please mark Sunday, June 25th on your calendar. Come and celebrate with us at Grape Day Park in at 321 North Broadway, Escondido, CA 92025. A donation of $20 at the gate is requested. No preregistration. Celebrate from 9 am until 3 pm. Both breakfast and lunch will be available and music will be provided by The Ideas ! Open to all Hot Rods, Customs, Trucks, special interest vehicles and Motorcycles. Event T-Shirts available in limited quantities. Visit the hot rod club that has been there the whole time since 1947. See the cars and hobby that shaped today’s automobile in the early laboratory of new ideas for power and styling. Also visit our history booth to see the pictures and memorabilia from post WWII to the present honoring the people and the cars of this era!"
Why is it the last? Lack of enough members to maintain the picnic? Will the club continue? I grew up in San Diego and always wanted to be a member but never could afford to build a car that would pass muster. Fast forward to a few years ago and retired, I inquired about associate membership because of living out of the area now. Was told that associate membership is only available to active members no longer in the area. Seems the LA Roadsters do okay with there associate program. Would hate to see the Prowler go the way of spats ND corded phones.
That's from their (The Prowlers) own website, Fuzzy. That's why it was in quotes ... don't shoot the messenger. Was the Roadster Club active throughout WWII? If not, the Prowlers could be accurate with that claim.
Yes, had to be an early Ford and it had to be pretty darned nice (as in finished), and if I remember correctly, you had to be voted in too ...
You are absolutely RIGHT ED. Fuzzy, the key word is "Continuous Business" the Roadster Club has been off and on for years, but not continuous. And Ed you are also right about the car's having to be voted on to get into the Club. There are 17 active members and two new cars/guys waiting to be voted on. There are numerous active members that have been in the Prowlers for over 45 years and still have the disease, LOL, LOL they kid about becoming Hot Rod Geezers. Just so there's no misunderstanding, The Prowlers are NOT disbanding, they just decided since everything seems like it's become so commercial, rather than have one bigger run each year, they would start doing more smaller driving GTG's with the club it's self and invited future prospects, just like the old day's. Some of the runs have become so large you don't get a real sit down chance to talk with some of the folks you would lint to. Guy's, if you want to see some real early Hot Rod Racing pic's and Hot Rod History, just Google Prowlers Hot Rod Club and check out some of the great old photos from the early day's. Any HAMB member or any Hot Rodder or Car Guy is invited to come and help celebrate the 70th Birthday Party on June 25. You guy's from out of state could spend two weeks in SoCal. Hit the LARS one week and the Prowlers celebration the next weekend. San Diego is a great Ed, I don't think we know each other but I have seen your Muntz in San Diego, I think it was at the OTHG camper land run. It would be great to see it again at the 70th.
BTW - Fuzzy, just as a point of education, the San Diego Roadster Club was a Racing Club not a Hot Rod Club. Since it's beginning in 47, the Prowlers have been a street driven Hot Rod Club that also raced.
Dean Lowe has recently moved down this way, and we've already made plans to cruise over to Grape Day Park and attend your picnic. He'll be in his '29 RPU and I'll be in my Jet. I know that he will certainly appreciate the nice set-up of your club's history that you guys always share (photos, jackets, etc.) with everyone.... good stuff.
The SDRC is a "premier racing club". The Prowlers are a "hot rod" club. The Prowlers longevity claim is based on continuity...we have meeting minutes continuous from 1948 through the Korean war when there were only 2 guys coming to meetings.
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