To me Super Shops was the "Auto Zone" of speed parts. A few of my buddies worked there and if I could get a deal on something I would buy there, but for the most part I tried to stay away. I always supported my locally owned speed shops.
Correction the one is Ramona was just a satellite shop for starters. They combined it all in El Cajon. It was good thought but the traffic was just a little slow. I Welcome them back. I worked pretty well with those guys in Jacksonville. If I didn't have it at my store I sent people over to them and vice verse. I also built several cars using parts bought from them. It was great to go down and get a part n your hand..then pay for it.
I used to go there as well. there tire prices where cheaper than discount tire,and it was worth the trip to flint. I bought my flowmasters there,cowl hoodscoop,and tci torque converter,all of which I still have today. the countermen where all right,when it came to big purchases,(Torque converter)I called tci to see which one I needed,then called them to see if they could get it for me.
I used them a lot back in the eighties. We had a Super Shops and about one mile away was the Local speedshop that did all the machine work and engine building. They actually helped each other. One shop sold the parts cheaper and the other would build it. They both are gone now. They had layaway, I was in there every week paying on my layaway haha
Now I'm thinking about the radio ads too ! When I moved downtown in the late eighties, the proximity to Super Shops camelback & central store was a big bonus ! The only hitch ? Loper's was closer ! Still remember leaving Super shops one sunday morning in the Plymouth slightly crossed up with the tires smoking down camelback- right in front of a cop eating his breakfast about four doors down ! Talked my way out of that one !!! It's going to take alot to get me to forsake Loper's, but maybe we'll see them in Phoenix again.
I worked for Super Shops in San Leandro,Ca in 1991.I hated that place!! -I live(d) around the block from the Fremont Store on Mowry Ave.
they alway pushed ERSON crap here that wa there brand. always hated them telling me what I needed insted of getting me what I wanted. Not the sharpest tools in the shed. Just all TOOLS the term dumbass alway came to mind when I heard the name Super Shop. Ask for a set of raceing seats they try to sell you a cam to go with them. I hope they don't come to Ga any time soon. just my .02
Not to defend all the counter guys, but the original crew was filled with talented car guys and over the years SS brought low prices to the masses, helped the whole performance industry IMO. Sure they whored out certain things, but if you needed a set of Hedman Hedders in the 1970s they could be bought for $39.95, a Holley 600 cfm 4-bbl with manual choke (R-1850) for $39.95, on and on. The lowest prices on BFG tires on the planet. Did they try to sell you "add ons" while you were there? YES I'd say over all SS did a lot to help grow and keep performance alive, but it all came to and end and nobody has ever clearly explained with detail what happened to cause its demise.
I actually have some fond memories of Super Shops, or as we referred to it in Santa Ana, CA...."Chupa Shops". I remember going to the one on 1st. and Tustin Ave. after getting paid every week from my first after-highschool-bullshit-job and spending the entire paycheck. Good memories even if a lot of the time I felt like as a 19 yr old punk ass I knew more than the clowns behind the counter. I remember one time I made a comment about being a little squirt going to OCIR with the old man and the dude had no idea what OCIR was. I think I told him it was a trade school or some shit. Overall though they did have good customer service and were really nice guys.
Just looked at some old reciepts. Super Shops here in Tucson 1976 Holley 600cfm $39.95 I see I replaced it in 1983 Holley 750 DP..$139 Torquer Manifold..$39.50
Oh this is awesome ! I lived and breathed this place . We had two in Riverside and i remember they had a distribution center in San Berdoo/Redlands that would have a blems sale every month. I can still remember the commercials ......"Black Jack, Hooker, Sig Erson,Holley,Mallory,BFG,Accel,Edelbrock"........
Do you remember the murders that took place at that store ? It was all over the 5 o'clock news back then.
Stupid shops in San Diego! 3 tries, 3 strikes. 1. Wheels for my 70 cuda. What, you don't have Ford/Mopar pattern? Order them and they are trashed. Second try to get a half decent pair for the front. 2. Go in and ask for a unilite dist. conversion for a 72 Pantera. Guy goes huh? I say a 72 Mustang Boss 351. Gets the part. Go to put it in (not fun), and it's a dual point and the kit won't work. Put the car back together and go to return it. I had never pulled the dist. before and didn't know, but the kid behind the counter didn't read the fine print and when I ask for a refund, he double checks and then tells me that I got the wrong part and there would be no refund. I got the refund, but it took some major aisle-clearing... 3. Got a tunnel ram intake for my small block Mopar. Go in and get the manager (past lessons kicking in here). Tell him what I've got, ask him what he suggests. He sells me those POS 500 cfm mechanical secondary junk with no sec. blocks or squirters. Says they work real well on tunnel rams. No, they don't. They ran good speed shops out, sold SBC stuff and junk like the dual point dist.s to guys with HEI. The tires were the money, as shown by the La Mesa store later on. Of course, by that time, the smog laws were killing the major sales. I didn't like them then and if the current model is to stock 10 SBC intakes, 2 SB Fords and the rest are order only, they can wither again... I cruised Food Basket at El Cajon Blvd. and 805, and Second St. in El Cajon, never Super Shops, although I did troll for victims a couple times up at La Mesa- just in and out......
Guess it was 1984..had to scan and add tons of contrast to see the date. Old guys..old eyes Looks like $119 for 600Holley, vac secondaries. May, 1984 The Super Shop store opened here in 1979..so I guess the hand written one is 1979.. Hardly can see it.. Old eyes I guess..
Damn, thanks for that! Well SS did bring low prices to the masses, yes some of the other shops went belly-up but them again none too many are even around anymore. SS started out as "San Bernardino Racing Equipment" and called their stores that (Riverside RE, San Diego RE, Garden Grove RE, etc.) then later all were known as SS. Any body enter to win the free cars?
Edited..the Don's Hot Rod Shop/Leo's Auto Parts..a different purchase Can't miss Leo's (now gone)..but Don's Hot Rod Shop is still very much alive... Don's is owned by Leo Toia's kid..
Damn!! I'd be willing to go back behind the counter for stupid wages just for the opportunity to be around all those hot rods!!
I used to go to the store in Fresno, ca. and drool all over the cool speed parts, just dreaming of the car I could build. I just love going into a store and being able to look at the stuff before I buy it! Are they looking for a franchisee in Florida?
Why is SUMSHIT and JUG'S around? Cause they never had to collect tax, giving them an enormus jump in the market and they are the DIRECT cause of why no one open's speed shops any more, GOT'CHAS SPEED AND CUSTOM, 1979-2000, Olympia, Wa. R.I.P.
It was better than SUMSHIT, JUGS or PAWZ anyday altho none of my parts came from there. Service Center in Sepulveda was the ticket, or SHELLY'S on Sepulveda, American Speed Shop @VN Blvd and Burbank and SPEEDMASTERS, VN, you know REAL speed shops. (Ya see for instance, a real speed shop offers different lines like not just Mallory which sucked after SS bought the co. And SIG ERSON cams kicked ass but not ERSON cams. WORD. But I would gladly welcome them back with open arms just to spank all the "racers" displaying mail order houses decals on their "Slow ass cars").
Next to the Roy Rogers Restaurant 2 doors south of Jack-in-the-box on Van Nuys blvd. Never shop at a place that's dumber than you! But I do miss them.
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