History 50 Years Ago; 1959 Car Club Murder

John,

Are you the guy I sold my Magoos plaque to? I met someone at a cruise at the old Smith's Market on Inglewood Ave and delivered it to his house near Beryl and Prospect. I think he had an old Chevy Pickup that he was going to put it on.

Not sure about the club starting in 1951. My memory is that it was started in 56 or 57 by Jim Rocha, who worked at the muffler shop on PCH at 3rd or 4th St. He drove a very cool and very new 56 Olds. I'll have to contact Louie Pena who was also a member that lived on Prospect in Hermosa to see what he remembers.

Bill Junge

 

I have these plaques on the Paramount page .....

Chancellors
Devonshires
Titans

I don't have any plaques from Hollydale and don't know where that is. There is, or was, a Hollyglen near Hawthorne. The only Night Hawk plaques I have are from El Monte and Winchester, VA.

Bill

 

Lol yes the great old days.When guys would bust out your teeth and you did not sue them for it. Great times . This happened more than you think there was a club in Orland park,IL. in 1958 called the widow makers yes a car club.They even took on motorcycle gangs. The police and the judge disbanned them there leader had a choice jail or the army.Not every one wore bowling shirts and sun glasses had a leapord skin dress girlfriend with a flower in her hair and drove a gasser on the street.Then went out looking to help people in need.

 

That's funny about the teeth. My Dad got sued in 1950 for me taking out a guys teeth. He gave me a hassle when I was delivering news papers.

 

I also was in Long Beach and the Artesia area in the mid 50's. I remember
the Renagades the most. I rode to high school in a friends chopped Merc back
then.

 

John,

I talked to Louie Pena yesterday. He lived on the NW corner of Prospect & 5th St. He confirmed that the club was started in 56 or 57 by Jim Rocha, Eddie Wilson and Leonard Morgan. Jim worked at the muffler shop on PCH at 4th St.

Not sure where you got the 1951 date but I'm sure that's wrong.

 

funny thing is I was just reading about the Cut Outs o few days ago. Nov 1958 Rod & Custom

 

Here a link to a pic of an old Magoos jacket

http://www.relicsandrods.com/OtherStuff/Jackets/Jacket-Magoos.jpg

 

That's the jacket that's hanging in my garage.

 

Hollydale wasn't a city, more of an area.....Between Paramount and Downey....I think around Paramount Blvd. and Gardendale.....I grew up in Compton...

 

Irish Mike Where abouts did grow up and what years? I also grew up in Compton.

 

We lived on Harris ave. north of Alondra. Harris is 4 blocks west of Atlantic. My dad moved there from Belmont Shore when he was a kid. He graduated from Compton High ('35) and Compton College('37). I was born in '57 and we moved in '75, basically were forced out if you know what I mean........ I found out Don (DRD57) lived a few houses away and Jim "Jake" Jacobs was fairly close also....

 

Bill,

Yes, bill that was me. I am glad to see on the web site. I am now building a 1947 Chevy Fleetline! I have the mechanic done and starting to get all the chrome together. I have to have the body and Interior done. I hear the name Lou Pena. Once a year I go to the reunion of the Coaster Car Club at the Elks. Kenny Detz, Ronnie Sorrato, David Martinez (Magoo's) and a number of the other guys. It was good to hear from you. Let me know when you are going to be in town again.

 

I talk with a guy name Roger who was in the club and he told me he was in the club in 1951. If Louie Pena said 1956 I have to agree with him. Roger was a Moose Club Member with me in Redondo Beach. I would like to meet Louie some time. I am sure we know some of the same people even thought I was in the club 10 years later. Thank again Bill. Again, we are having the Magoo's Car Club Dance in May at the Eagles Hall in Redondo on Catalina. I bet you remember that hall. Have great Christmas and a Happy New Year.

 

The Sultans have been in Long Beach/Bellflower area forever and still were holding their annual show the last I heard. Always great cars in that club!

 

I really like that Magoo's Jacket. I am going to show the club. I had a different jacket in the late 60's. We also had a club dress that we use to win first place dress at different dances we went to. I am going to try and find old pictures.

 

my grandfather had a similar story... he and another fellow started the kingsmen of compton car club in 1952... they hung out in long beach, paramount, and downey diners... harvey's, the clock, and the holly drive in. they had two rivals. the downey sinners.. and the clusters of paramount. in sept. of 1953, they rolled down to "the village" on garfield ave. to confront the clusters and "clean up the town... about 30 or so, in a caravan of cars, kingsmen and others from school, confronted the gang and shots were fired killing a 16 year old boy watching the fight from his porch. you can look up newspaper articles.... he has told me a number of fight stories... that area was no joke. usually it was mexican clubs vs. white clubs.... in this incident the clusters were mexican and the two clubs always had a beef.

 

it was the Holly drive - in

 

recognize this anyone?

 

There was a "chase" on the day of this shooting with car to car shot's fired, they came down Rosecrans to Downey ave and down to 2nd st, my folks owned the steelyard on Downey ave, we, along with my grandparents and two uncles lived in the 1st 3 houses from Downey ave down 2nd street. I remember my Pop's had to go to court to testify that he saw the car chase/shooting etc. Another one of my uncles was a member of "The Gent's" from Bellflower I think ? I've been trying to talk my cuzzin into giving up the Gent's plaque he still has from his Dad's old pontiac starfire, chopped & on the ground.

 

Cool stories.

 

Great old stories !!!

 

RRUSS, you ramble on all you want to. We like to hear anything the early rodders have to say. We already want our cars to look like the early days and the stories are part of the history. Nice post DIRK also.

 

I often get people submitting things after looking at the car club plaque photos on our club's website.

The poem below was sent to me and reminds me that some of the car clubs in the 50's were more like gangs.

50's Car Clubs
by Johnnie Woldridge

Bellflower High in '53,
when I started there was awesome to me!
Stories of " Toolers" from Artesia High
would scare us all, and that's no lie!



But Jokers and Humpers were the current threat!
These rival gangs fought to the death.
They dragged their plaques from their back bumpers.
Bitter rivals were those Jokers and Humpers!



Those purple jackets they always wore
proclaimed "We're Jokers and Humpers and we're at war!
Then, switchblades and gang wars seemed to fade out.
Penalties for violence were finally paid out.

The Jesters then came on the scene.
The dominant club, now things more serene.
My 9th and 10th, I knew them all.
And all the time I had a ball!



I love those early high school years,
and I faced up to those awesome fears.
When those ruling guys ran the high school show.
Their violent ways I did surely know.

But many were my closest friends
and when knowing starts, the fear then ends.
My sophomore year! The Rebels were born!
The skull and pistons then were worn.



My closest pals and I flew Rebels Plaques.
Our Car Club logos on our backs.
Aladdins then, our buddy club.
Rebels and Aladdins were now the hub.

Of high school fun, in ruling the Sun!
My '39 Ford seemed second to none!
Today's folks are politically correct.
Maybe that's why we can't connect?

 

Bullet Nose - The Toolers associated with that plaque are from the South LA/Gardena area not Artesia, circa '57-'59. There may have been a different Toolers in the Artesia/Bellflower area with a different plaque.

 

"The police department’s “car club coordinator” estimated there were 150 car clubs in Long Beach."

Maybe he said car club members but got misquoted.

 

Good read. My grandma told me that her first date with my grandpa was getting a coke at Hody's. His family had a dairy real close in that area, not sure if he was ever associated with a car club, Artesia area had alot of Dutch guys back then, but I never heard him mention he was part of that club.

 

I was one of the original five that formed the Outcasts of Long Beach. We all went to Wilson High. It was formed in 1955. I was our clubs rep to the ACCLB. Mickey Thompson was conducting the meetings at that time. We cruised the drive-ins and drag raced out on Bolsa Chica. I had a new '55 Chevy V8 with powerpack and three on the column. When it was three months old, I floated the valves, keeper came off, valve went thru piston, towed to Reath & Mallard Automotive. Upped the horsepower and watched the tach after that. My avatar shows the original Outcast plaque. Picture taken in 1955. Note original factory exhaust tips.

 

Exactly, no way 150 clubs. Car clubs in Long Beach at this time were more or less High School based- like Freeman1938 said if you went to Wilson High= Outcasts, Poly=Cavaliers, etc.. there were only a hand full of high schools

 

great read