Growing up in SoCal, I am very familiar with Van Nuys and I have read the tread about cruisin returning to Van Nuys ( I also read the magazine article). Now, I grew up in East Whittier and cruised Whittier BLVD. The majority of you will think of lowriders and East L.A. Well, here's the thing, cruising took place in East L.A. and East Whittier, which was where the hot rodders hung out. There used to be a Bob's Big Boy with car hop service. I was able to cruise both sections and have wonderful memories of those days. How many out there knew of Whittier BLVD and who remember cruising the BLVD. It would be nice to share your memories and let others know that Van Nuys wasn't the only place in town
im originally from whittier always heard about the good times... my dad and alot of family used to cruise there.
Somewhat related. Bought this Vegas early 90's and it's now on its way back home thanks to the HAMB classifieds...
I cruised Whittier Blvd while in collage in the '70s. I never considered the Bob's to be in East LA though. You had to go past the tracks towards Santa Fe Springs to find the low riders back then. Whittier was hot Fridays and Saturday nights while Van Nuys was big on Thursdays. Wednesdays you could roll all the way to Pasadena and hit Colorado Blvd. I always liked Whittier the best. You could cruise all night, find a girl and maybe go out to Newport Beach till dawn. It was really something.
Well that is a mistake people make about Whittier BLVD. Bobs Big Boy was in East Whittier. There were 2 sections of Whittier BLVD where the crusing took place. The Whittier City section and the East LA section. 2 complete different areas and style of cars. And when Whittier BLVD is mention, East LA comes mind and the other part has become forgotten.
The scene in Whittier was great back in the 70s before they closed it down. Memories of standing on the corner by Scotties drive in {its Norms now) on friday and sat nights
Mikyboy, do you remember Music + and the pool hall? It was real easy for me to check out the Blvd even when I wasn't old enought to drive since I lived off Mills and Lambert Rd. Wish I could go back in time.
I only got to cruz it a couple time in my brother's 56 Chevy. But I remember the great cars and time I had as teenager!
I remember the pool hall 'The Plush Cue' I think its still there although I have not been up there in a while. Music + yes. How about 'The Cookery' restaurant? The area has changed so much.
Heres a quick question, what was the name of the car lot that sold nothing but fast cars? I remember it was on the South side down near Beach Blvd? Use to cruise there with the Chapparral Car Club
I grew up in La Habra just east of Whittier and we used to cruise Bob's and Whirly's (before it closed down) back in the early 1960's. There were some seriously fast cars at Whirly's on the weekends.
Ralph Wilson Ford sold a bunch of Hi-Performance cars. I think it was the used car lot at the end of Beach Blvd. More towards Long Beach I think.
You're talking the city of whittier now, but whittier boulevard in east l.a. Was where it was at! Hollywood discount records, el chapparito stone's furniture store, eastside jewelers, the golden gate theater, and listening to the midniters..
My failing memory seems to recall it was "Stick City". Loved going down there... always cools rods and 'vettes (and even boats) in the showroom. They must have been kept busy cleaning the nose prints and drool off the showroom glass. Got married next door at "The Ritz" back in 1990.
was a real rainy night still quite a few cruizing.late 60's.a cop pulled me over in my 56 for license plate bulb out.1 of 2.I said I did'nt know and I'd get it fixed right then, nooooo,he had to see license,reg.,blah,blah,blah. he waited in the rain while I took my time finding my shit .he got soaked,was all pissed off wrote me a fix-it ticket. went to a gas station got a new bulb was on my way.Whitter blvd was fun
There was a Shell station on Whittier Blvd., I lived out in the valley...Canoga Park. It was 1967, I had a raised-up white '54 Ford Coupe, 336" Y in it. The Shell Answer Man was on scene at the Shell station, a young kid in a tube-axled '65 GTO pulled in...red and chrome. It glittered! He asked the Ans. Man if he could use it when they turned the cameras on...the Ans Man said, "Naaaw, it's too dirty!" The kid fired up the goat and lit the tires all the way up the street. We thought it was "groovy". LOL
Cool story Mike. Whittier Blvd was a real life "American Graffiti" and I've heard many stories about cruising Whittier in the 60s and I always wish I could have seen how it was then (I was born in 63 and we moved from La Mirada to Whittier in 68) but I did catch the 70s and the early 80s when the cruising stopped.
Born in 73, I caught the tail end of Whittier Blvd. cruising. I think it was around the 80's. I wasn't driving yet, but I remember dreaming when I would be, but knew it wouldn't happen, Whittier Blvd. was natoriously vatolishous at that time. However their were Cha Cha's at that time & they were HOT!!!
oh yeah, i totally forgot about stick city.. good memory guys! what was that, like whittier and beach blvds.?
I used to cruise both sides. My cousin had a low rider and I would go with him to ELA. I had a Vette and he cruised with me in Whittier. Great times for sure. Anybody remember going to the street races behind Nabisco or the L.A. Brotherhood races? Those where a blast.
i was born and raised in whittier...though i was a bit too young to know what the cruzing was all about.i was born in 85..but i remember my mom and uncle talking about how it was the thing to do on the weekends..they said if you got caught cruzing you could get a ticket..i still love whittier.
I remember when we first moved to Whittier, the building in front of the pool hall used to be a Pep Boys. I haven't heard anyone mention J&N Speed Shop on Whittier Blvd. I bought a few things for my Nomad from there.
there was two high perfomance car dealers, one on the so side of whittier west of beach,and on beach south of whittier on the east side of the street. both open parking lots. you could walk up and sometimes even sit in the cars as they wer'nt allways locked! i loved`crusing the east side of whittier blvd. and afterward, going to "mario's" taco's,open 24 hour's. it's sitll there, although moved a block east and built a big building for themself's. it was great when they were in that tiny little resturant. cop's shut it down in the late 80's.
You are thinking of 'Street Rods' they moved to that spot from further west, used to be on the corner of Ocean view and Whittier Bl
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