Customs What's Your Odd Rod for the Beach?

Mine .

 

Delivery Photo from the 80's. at Ocean City Md. My wife, and I would camp at the beach. In either in our home made camper, or we would just sleep in the back of our 34 delivery. We both were a little smaller back then. lol We still take the delivery to the beach. But now we stay at a motel.

 

Giddy-up and go

Ben

 

Hello,

We were right in the middle of our surf journeys all up and down the coast and especially, down into Baja California. The locations on the Baja coasts were close by, but yet limited as the hassle of coming to a foreign county and leaving, had its own problems for teenagers. Arriving during the early morning 2-4 am time period usually had the border check points free and clear.

But, as we all went down there sight unknown, we did run into some inclement weather for a day or two, causing the vans to get stuck in small dirt ruts and slippery roads. Two wheel drive was good, but not so good.

Then my brother decided that a 4x4 was the answer to “all things getting stuck.” The 4x4 would have the ability to not worry about small streams crossing a dirt path to the ocean, getting stuck in high tide flat parking spots near the surf, and finally, being able to pull itself out of any rut or drainage channel by the side of the road. So, he bought a funky Jeep FC pickup truck with a homemade aluminum shell on the back.


The Jeep FC was unique to say the least. No one had one, as other 4x4 vehicles were definitely more popular.

So, for the next several months we trudged along with the hopes for inclement weather to try out the cool 4x4 drive train. Speed was not in the cards for this under powered 4x4 truck.

It wasn’t the construction of the Jeep FC, as it was built like a brick. But, it was the noise, the slow power on the grades and just an overall “not so fast” attitude during the flat land highway road trips. There was a time when we could have walked faster than driving this 4x4 Jeep. It was not the most enjoyable drives that we had taken, ever. Plus, it was the turtle speeds, we experienced, that drove us a little batty. At least, when going by a surf spot, we could actually see the whole beach at the speed we were going.
Https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/vintage-shots-from-days-gone-by.428585/page-4907#post-12314515


https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/vintage-surf-transportation.326942/page-5#post-12160582

Jnaki

But, in order to make it seem like it can go faster, we talked about painting some fast-looking scallops on the sides. At least it would look fast, despite the lack or real power or speed. We all laughed at the idea. We even got kicked off of the 101 Freeway Conejo Pass climb before it got too steep. With 4 people and 4 longboards, the overall weight was just not enough to make it up the steep grade in any gear. When we got stopped, it was in 1st gear, on the 101 Freeway!

The local CHP gave us a warning that there is a minimum speed as well as a maximum speed. Minimum being not causing traffic to back up in the slow lane. Well, it was 10-15 mph at the least steep grade and in first gear. So, the flat, coastal highway was our only means of travel.

Flames come from all different kinds of sources… some even starting from scallops...

With everything my brother put on the Jeep, it was the worst handling/driving, Jeep for us. One small bump and the steering shimmied like no other. (We had to stop to make it not shake. even on the neighborhood streets.)

When we sold the Long Beach house 1998, the pristine, green Jeep FC tailgate was still in the rafters of the big garage. Along with the chromed, scavenger pipes in the Rumpus Room/backyard garage rafters, there were two prized possessions left for the new owners.

 

Cut the top off a '39 Plymouth with hack saws

 

My 34 Sedan Delivery

 

Hello,

Well, I was off by 5 years, but at least this El Camino and others of the same lineage, had advantages and disadvantages every year. The longboards were still ruling kings/queens of the surf world. Everyone rode one as they were the only design being sold at the local surf shops on the West Coast. For that matter, anywhere, even the East Coast.


Those longboards just needed somewhere to put them while going to the beach. The quick insert and removal made the El Camino, the perfect choice for a lot of people. Sure the pickup trucks of the same era had the open bed for the same action, but it was not a car comfort, drivability and size access that the El Camino served to everyone.

The open bed had advantages if anyone was just going to and from the surf spots. If any stops were planned or just happen to fill the road trips, the security of those long boards was in doubt when out of sight, being inside of a restaurant, store or shop. There were straps to encircle the front and rear fin areas, making it almost impossible to steal. But, it was not fool proof.

Even those bed circular rings helped secure the exposed long boards, but again, it was not the most secure of places for anything in the back bed areas. Camping equipment, suitcases, coolers, etc, were all exposed to the elements and people walking by the El Camino.

Jnaki

In the 1966-68 era, the new, latest shorter boards made it easier to put the surfboard flat on the empty El Camino bed surface while applying any sort of board locks. But, still the exposure of the boards was always in the back of everyone’s minds. It was just something that happened and one had to live with it or not leave it “out of sight” for any period of time.

For us, the red 1965 El Camino was our answer for an all around good car for just about any chore. We put the said surfboards in the back, suitcases when traveling and of course, furniture for our tiny apartment. When it was time, not only did it hold two Greeves Desert Racing Motorcycles, but, our Harley Sportster fit nicely in the back when it needed some factory service and repairs.

Overall, the 1965 version had it in style over the earlier models. But the later versions with options of the 396 and 4 speeds extras that could now be ordered with the El Camino came into play. Our 327 lasted 125k miles with little to no service or repairs other than new tires. Even the air shocks did not blow out with overloading, due to the addition of a custom air gauge behind the seats in the package tray. YRMV