History The dark side of hot rodding?

Have to confess, I did carry my switchblade every day at hi school in Inglewood, Ca. 1946-1950.

 

This may not be what the OP was asking for but the first thing I thought of was the saga of early funny car driver Steve Bovan, he made some bad decisions in life, and started running with a dangerous crowd leading to his murder.

https://www.motortrend.com/news/the-life-and-tragic-death-of-racer-steve-bovan/

 

I just read some of the posts on racing off duty cops, interesting for sure. I never street raced a cop, but have been chased by some.

 

That's a heck of a story. Very much like what I had in mind.

 

Take a look at Whittington Brothers racing. That might give you a little more insight.

 

You haven't read this.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/rodding-gang-wars.111819/

 

This is how I remember street racing(Pa 50’s)…. In the 50s back in the woods, wherever we located good blacktop straight. You drove what you brot ! Most cars were loud stockers with different engines. It was great fun !! Never saw weapons nor fights. Guys were too busy trying to tune or repair getting ready for their next race. Very few serious racers with newer factory cars showed. When they participated that was the evenings entertainment as all gathered to bet on and watch to see who was taking home the $. Maybe midnight when we’d break up.

 

We are the street racers from 50 or 60 years ago.

 

I just read it...I almost fell out of my chair reading the responses to the OP.
TOO FUNNY!

 

Hello,

We grew up in the Westside of Long Beach. The area has always had a bad connotation associated with the location. But, hot rodding and drag racing was centered around Lion’s Dragstrip, a few miles away since 1955. It was a draw that hardly anyone could not resist. The people we had for friends all had similar tastes and needless to say, Levis and t-shirts were the order of the day. But, not as portrayed in the Hollywood movies of the time period. There was life before the A.G. movies and that for us was real life.

The comment about the Pharaohs is not what you or anyone would make in our Westside of Long Beach location. We all knew the reputation of the car club called the Pharaohs from Wilmington, just a few miles to the west on PCH. They had a reputation that goes back many years and our area knew about the reach of the Pharaohs and its members. This was at least 30 years before the A.G. movies that most people think happened at that time. 1973 was a whole new ball game and history was not written from that movie.

For us, there was no dark side of hot rodding. At least not to the point of what is portrayed in those crappy movies. People from other places look at California as an area of lowlifes, greasers and bad hot rod types. Throw in some bad elements like motorcycle riders, surfers and wayward folks and the circle comes all around to blaming So Cal for the bad elements of our society.

Sure, there were a few elements, but were listed with the majority of ordinary folks having the time of their lives. Those so called portrayals in the movies and the real life “bikers” were known by various authors and news writers of the time as “one percenters.”

Jnaki

We were not in the “one percenters” as per labels from that time era. The movies portrayed the scenes as true life, but that is Hollywood. Anything for a quick buck or two. What happens is that people from all over think their view of So Cal is what they see on TV or in the movies. There are still some elements that are shown in the recent news broadcasts, but again, think of the previously mentioned, “one percenters.” YRMV

We grew up as nice young kids with involvement in hot rods and drag racing that led into the world of surfing, sports, photography, and racing motorcycles. That is how we saw and participated in the lifestyle of So Cal. The kids we knew in school were normal kids while growing up and seeing them in high school was like it was yesterday.

Here is an example of a disagreement and misplaced thoughts between racers. It was not the best moment or showcasing hot rod guys or drag racers from all over the USA gathering at the Riverside Raceway in 1959. The peaceful pit area was not a location or reason for the fight or disagreement. Just a couple of “hot heads without a clue.”
1959 disagreement at the drags

Besides, they blocked the one of the main refreshment stand areas. We could not get our hot dogs and Cokes for lunch until later! Ha!

 

Gee, you mean like Hollister California in 1947?…….

 

Interesting question and answers Trevor. I really don't like it when people use words I have to look up as I spent most of my time in school reading Rod and Custom and Hot Rod magazines I have to do that all to often.

a·poc·ry·phal
/əˈpäkrəfəl/

Learn to pronounce

adjective
adjective: apocryphal

1. (of a story or statement) of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true.
   h
   Similar:
   fictitious

made-up
untrue
fabricated
false
spurious
imaginary
mythical
legendary
dubious
doubtful
debatable
questionable
unverified
unauthenticated
unsubstantiated
unsupported
h
Opposite:
authentic
true

• of or belonging to the Apocrypha.
  "the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas"

 

"Don't f*@k with the Wongs!!" (The Wanderers 1979)
Sadly the guys you are posing this question to are somewhere between 80 and 95 (based on being 16 ish in 1950) and probably not on the "interwebs" let alone concerning themselves with stuff they did 60-70 years ago
I read all those books, magazines and watched all those movies/TV shows growing up and I think like all tall tales there is probably some grains of truth in there but life and people don't change that much so I'll go out on a limb and assume that the tough guys/hoodlums were not hot rodders themselves but may have emulated some of their ways...like maybe bought a used hot rod and thrashed on it or put black paint and flames on their beaters...just like in our time
rolling up your pant legs came from ww2 navy guys, then quickly became necessary when at the salt flats, a few years later everyone is doing it with out even knowing why....

 

You mean the bikers?

 

Wasn't even close to being around back then (but thoroughly wish I was). Still sensationalized but here's some good reading.....Life Magazine 1949

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-hot-rod-problem-life-magazine-nov-7-1949.1025789/

 

Exactly!

 

Hello,

As we suspected, we were normal teenagers out to have a bunch of fun, the drags, the beach, the mountains and lakes. Throw in water skiing and cruising topped our activities with what limited budget most of us had. So, as nice as my friends and school mates were, we never experienced any stuff from other people that we met. Until, a couple of older guys driving around in a modified sports car, one Spring Break or as it was called then, Easter Vacation.

When we had our bantering sessions as usual in those Bixby Knolls drive-in parking lots weekly, it was all in good fun. Bragging rights, dating, athletic abilities were all fair game in those late night sessions. If a drag race or two was happening, the results were just something we all chuckled and had a good time going down that long, empty highway between those cemeteries. Back at the parking lots, it continued with the back slapping going on and more chuckles. Those were our friendly teenage days and nights.

The one example of the dark side of hot rodding are those that think they have everything and money talks. To us teenagers back then, we scraped for enough money to buy one last order of gravy and French fries at our local Grissinger’s Drive In at the Bixby Knolls cruising grounds. Gas was cheap, but still necessary for our whole So Cal cruising area from San Diego to Santa Barbara.

The experience at the South Orange County drive-in was an eye opener. We never met people who were actually denigrating others for what they drove and meant it. Just because they had a spiffy foreign sports car with added SBC power. When other hot rod teenagers could not take the awful bantering, bordering on calling everyone “chicken ----” It was not a nice scene. So, they raced and came back with money won and now a worse attitude toward all of us.

It got to a point of wanting to get out of our hot rod and go over to bash them in the face. But, our friends just said it was not worth it and remained in our cars. Besides, it was Easter Vacation and no idiots were going to ruin a nice evening watching hot rods, car loads of girls and some great food for the growing teenage appetites.

Our local drive-in did not have those types of pushy idiots and we could not decide if it was a different county or place that caused it. Back home, we all knew each other and if someone new came into the parking lot, we welcomed them. Of course, we scrutinized their hot rods to no end to decide of one of us could win the soon to be, local drag race.

Jnaki

As we were sitting in my friend’s newly finished Henry J hot rod, it took a lot of courage to just smile and wave to those idiots who challenged everyone, as they thought they had money to back them up. Our money was spent on food and gas.

But, we could only take several rounds of loud voices coming from that modified sporty car. It did sound nice, so there was the thought, for a moment that they could have a fast car. That did not last long as we knew our build was plenty fast. A 409 in a lightweight Henry J was fast. We knew it, although it had never been to Lion’s Dragstrip.

Finally, instead of stepping outside of the Henry J and pounding those idiots to the ground, we said ok to a drag race. Those braggarts were talking $100 each, winner take all. That was laughable, as we only had about 25 dollars between 4 teenagers, for later food and gas to get home.

We could not figure out why those older guys were so vicious. They were physically small and not intimidating, but their attitude was not our thing. So, we knew all it would take would be a big fist in the face to shut them up. But, we were athletes and did not want to be suspended for the season. So, cooler heads on our side took over.

We had rules and location on our side. It had to be at the Westminster Blvd. roadway near Seal Beach and since I had the most experience in racing, I was going to drive my friend’s 409 Henry J. The owner had only made a few power runs down Cherry Avenue drag location back in Bixby Knolls. So, it was agreed on our side. But, those idiots in the Jaguar XKE with the dual quad SBC motor said no, owners only.

As far as money, we had to shut them up by winning. So, our $25 dollars did the trick. I would be the starter and it would be two out of three. The first race, the Henry j missed a shift in his first encounter and came in a close second. The owner said it still had power to come, if he could not miss a shift.

The next race was a run away for the Henry J. No questions asked and now the Jag/SBC owner had some doubt at the final outcome. The last race was pure textbook Henry J power through the 4 gears and a near perfect arm drop start. Several of our guys stood next to the other guy from the Jag team. He had the money and was not going to get away.

The loudmouth idiot was mad and forked over $25 dollars. A confrontation was about to happen, but our size was intimidating enough for those idiots to get in their car and scram. What did we do with the meager winnings?

We stopped at Grissinger’s Drive-In in Bixby Knolls with a ravishing hunger and a fabulous story to tell all in the parking lot. Yes… teenager escapades with the best results! Being “nice” wins over being idiots with no backbone. Cooler heads prevail and all of that aura…
Bixby Knolls 409 Henry J
This Henry J drawing and story, keeps reminding me of those great, teenage times in that small powerful street cruiser/racer. Thanks for those great memories...

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/friday-art-show-1-31-20.1182495/#post-13429599

 

Hope I don't get booted for this but there's more of a dark element to today's bullshit than what I ever knew or thought in my heydays. Now it seems we have neighborhood rats taking their modern supercars and hurting folks with their wannabe drift and donut shit. Back in our day we shunned the criminal element. Were we "hoods" because we raced? Probably so, but we did our best to not endanger anyone. My dad hot rodded and street raced. He wasn't a criminal and none of his pals were either. I wasn't, and none of my pals were either. The criminal element from the inner city began to infiltrate. 1 guy beat one of em for $500. Instead of paying they shot him, robbed him, and took his car. It was pretty much all over by then and most of us went legit slower street cars with no racing or just went to the track and never looked back. The TV shows are insured and sanctioned events jockin off of how it used to be. No prep has spawned from actual street racing and gave a much needed shot in the ass to the sport. Can't believe the power they make either, unreal, amazing. But back on topic, I was raised in it, did it, never criminals or gangs. Were there? Maybe, but not in Motown in my past til the end. Our "gang" was a club called Michigan Street Unlimited. We did charity shows and events and raced our asses off in the meantime, street and track. We also had the 1st ever actual burnout contest in Wyandotte, MI in 1990. Does any of that answer the question?

 

Remembered 'Detroit' in '72. Cruising Woodward Ave. ☕ Till all hours. George Fitzios crossed over from Windsor, Ont.
Dairy Mechanic.
427" side oiler, in an open wheeled roadster. The custom tunnel ram, sat 2-fours, 'side-by-each' up in front, blocking your view!

 

Did that car have a plaque on the dash that said, "If this doesn't scare you you're already dead" ? I know it was also a tag line from a movie trailer but I forget which one.

 

Believe, in that George did have it!
Man, what a ride that was...