Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post: Cruising Los Angeles in 1961... Continue reading the Original Blog Post
I think it's interesting to see the variety of makes like the BMW Isetta 600 and the Morris Minor wagon. I'm with you on the '61 Pontiac wagon, that'd probably be the one I'd want.
Did you notice how closely the cars were parked to each other? There must have been a lot of deft parallel parkers with big biceps, that all I can say....& a lot of dented bumpers.
In 61, after spending a couple of months in Oregon with a great Aunt and Uncle, I spent three weeks in LA with a cousin. I was a fresh 16 and wide eyed. After 16 years in Okie land LA was a big change. Even though traffic looks thin in the video I remember my cousins family, when deciding to go somewhere, talking of driving time and not distances like was done in OK. Traffic determined more than distance. I also got to see Barris shop, Hot Rod magazine office, drags at Pamona, and a new 61 Corvette setting on the street on blocks with wheels/tires gone. This was in downtown LA across from the apartment building my cousin inhabited. I also saw my very first, not in a mag, 32 roadster. Full fendered in primer cruising down the street sounding mean. I was already hooked on hot rods and man did that excite me.
You got that right. My mother (all 5ft of her) could parallel park her 4sp Mercury Marauder in a space most people couldn't get their midsize SUVs in now days. I can remember when your drivers test required you to do it in the 'real world'. Usually someplace downtown with people around too. Touch a bumper and the tester would shake his head and reach for the 'fail' stamp.
I'll take the Dodge single screw tractor, thank you. Let me know when it's ready for delivery !! Love those old street movies.
Thanks!...great video!! ......I’d take any of the cars except that bug-eyed thing about 40 seconds in. Hell, I’d take one of the busses and make a motorhome...... Mark
Neat video....I found it oddly relaxing. Must have triggered old memories of riding in my parents '64 Chevy wagon..looking around while playing in the back cargo area...was probably about 5 years old at the time.
I had a similar experience by finding some 8mm color movies courtesy of "Steady Eddie" Gray, a jalopy driver at Western Speedway in Gardena California. Eddie filmed everything about 1960, and one day filmed his arrival at the race track. He was driving down Western Avenue at 139th Street, and turning into the track. We could see all the buildings in Gardena, and everything outside of the track. It was a priceless capture of a moment in time. It was 3 1/2 minutes of incredible history of Southern California, and all it showed was buildings and cars. All I could say when I first saw the 8mm film was "WOW, wow, wow!"
@ 4:19, I'd take either of the 59 Olds hardtops, especially the Neopolitan tri-tone one in the parking lot.
I'd like the Big Healy (?) seen on the right at 0:17 secs. For those curious, the original movies can be found here: https://archive.org/details/ia35000001001 https://archive.org/details/ia35000001002
Hello, It is nice that someone has taken on the task to preserve these old films of those days gone by in our area. The roads are still there, but over time the surrounding area buildings have changed. The busy separate districts along the streets now have specific names, the jewelry district, the clothing district, etc. Most of it takes place on Hill Street in downtown Los Angeles. It is in the business district of the area and a short distance from the famed City Hall. The look of the 60 frames per second and being remastered are nice, as they are very clear. But, the color is a little washed out or changed from the original. Is there an original film so we could see the differences? If this film was taken professionally, it was obvious that is was not an 8mm film. It is too clear and wide. But, the original color would have been nice if the process of 60 fps and digitizing the film stayed the same as during the shoot. It is relatively shake free, so the camera was probably mounted somehow. In looking back at the buildings, the old Bullock’s building, the funky theater marquees were pretty reminiscent of those days. My dad used to go to that Bullock’s Store to buy stuff for my mom. But, when he realized he could drive a short distance away to the premier Bullock’s Wilshire Store, that is where my mom liked to shop. The old Hill St. Bullock’s store building is now a St. Vincent Jewelry Center. Jnaki When we were little, our mom used to take us for a walk and go shopping in downtown Los Angeles. We would ride the Pacific Electric car/train compartment from downtown Long Beach to the transportation center in L.A. not far from Hill Street and the Broadway area. My brother and I saw tall buildings in downtown Long Beach, but compared to downtown Los Angeles, it was pretty daunting trying to look up at the peak of some of those tall buildings. It was like walking down a canyon of buildings. Many years later, my wife and I liked cruising around in downtown LA just because in OC at the time, there were no tall buildings and dense population wandering around the downtown area. The traffic back then was not bad at all for a day’s outing or just passing through. Most major streets go West to East and allow someone to start in Santa Monica beaches and end up in the freeway in East Los Angeles.
I guess I'm not the only one to notice the Isetta as well. Old footage like this is fantastic, love identifying make, model, and year of as many vehicles as I can. Really like the GM "fishbowl" busses too, my dream is to build a Kustom RV out of one someday.
1961, I was 13 and had been bit by the bug for a few years by then. I grew up a few miles east of L.A., takes me back to a better place in time. Thanks...