What was the Speed Shop that said it all for you?

No question for me it was the oldest and still going Speed Shop - Blair's In Pasadena. And still is the #1 speed shop in So Cal. And I still go there.
Closely behind that had to be Bell Auto Parts.
When I moved to Orange County in 1971, I then frequented Jew & Screw Speed in Westminster (Oops I mean J&S) and Santa Ana Speed (which is also still there)
As for Stupid Shops (I mean Super Shops) I never considered them a "Speed Shop", more of a department store of accessories with counter people that didn't know what they were talking about and the main emphasis on selling BF Goodrich Radial T/A's anyway. (They were Michelin/Goodrich's biggest customer and stuck them from Millions when Harry went bankrupt). I only went there when I was in a jam, and always dreaded it.

My .02 about the SS's:

San Bernardino Racing on Baseline before it became the Super Shops was my choice since was close to home but for the real go fast stuff for my 289 Falcon 2 dr wagon it was J&M in Riverside - no comparison.

 

Service Center,The Super Shops in Pheonix and Wilky's Performance in Masa Az. .I think Wilky's is still there.

 

Gratiot speed shop, my grandparents lived a few blocks away, my bro and I used to walk and look
in the windows when we would visit on sundays.

 

J&F Speed Equipment, Route 46, Saddle Brook, N.J. Joe Biss was (and still is) a great guy. Treated everyone fairly,and equally. If you were bucks up or bucks down, you still got the same great service. Shop is long gone, and is still missed! Bob Lintner

 

Here's a link to a thread I started about working at Gratiot.

GRATIOT AUTO SUPPLY, The worlds largest hot rod shop !

 

Does anyone remember Dons Speed Shop in Sumter SC?
I used to hang out there when off duty when I was stationed at the Air Force Base in Sumter. I tried to buy all of his left over 427 Ford stuff when he raced and changed stuff out. It was small but I wanted to open a speed shop like his when I got out of service but never did. Good times..

 

Radke's speed shop , Portland Oregon

 

the chevy shop chicago ill

 

south coast rides rosenberg,texas deucemanab

 

Kelly's Speed Shop in Terre Haute, IN. Bill Austin and Nick Agresta were great guys to hang out with.

 

There were many before my time but the ones that stick out are the Service Center where they had used parts on consignment, Ed Smith's where I bought a Hurst reverse lock out I wish I still had and of course Loper's, with it's lot full of various black company vehicles lettered with the old man's name on the doors in gold leaf. They usually had, and sometimes still do, stock most anything needed and can match anybody's prices. Couldn't imagine what it would be like if they weren't around, even though it isn't as grand as it used to be.

 

this one.

 

the KING SPEED SHOP chicago illinois was the place backin the day!

 

Sonny Mallory... "The Round man with the Square Deal"

 

Sonny Mallory of Mallory's Speed Shop in Richmond, Va.was a huge man - thus the sales catch phrase Round Man with the Square Deal. It wasn't unusual to run into Sonny after a race with duct tape across the seat of his pants where he'd had a blowout!

 

This says it all for me ...

 

J&N in Whittier,CA.
Went to the Super Shops a few times but it was a Mickey Mouse speed shop.

 

graham withers speed shop cheltenham point napean high way reconditioned by paint can (top loaders)

 

Super Shops, Inc.

Worked for 5 years in the Ohio and Denver Colorado areas for them!

Also, Not a Speed Shop, but my first hot rod shop experience was Kenny's Rod and Kustom out of Newton Falls, Oh. Cool guys up there (Brian, Kenny, and the gang!)

 

As a kid I use ride bicycle up to S&K speed in West Babylon back then Jack Merkle was doing his engines there,in 71 I went to work for KooKs Headers/Racemaster Speed Equipment with my father, in 72 he and his partner bought the Racemaster Speed part, about 15 years later I took over as my father went into manufacturing street rod parts.

 

Eddie's Speed Shop Fresno when it was across from the stadium about 59-64?.Spent some money there and only made $1.00 an hour.

 

Frank Butlers Speed Shop Pensacola Fl. ,

 

Bought alot of parts from Blair's in Pasadena. Steve Bovan taught me alot and was a friend. I was also a fixture at Grant piston & Ring Service. in Alhambra, Ca. Fred, Gretch, and Willie were my pals.

 

Yep Super Shops! I worked at one for a while, and that tire smell will stay with me forever!!

 

Fastlane in Omaha....and then Supershops came here and Fastlane went outta business.
Then Supershops left town. We've had a string of speed shops over the years but with Speedway only being 50 miles away, they stay open for a year or 2 and fold up.
But I gotta agree with Fuzzy Knight,,,Radke's in Portland, Or. is my favorite. When I was in high school, we'd save our bucks for a road trip "over the mountain" from Bend/Redmond to Portland to check out Radke's .

 

Blair's in Pasadena, CA and Newhouse in Montebello, CA

 

Although I was mostly into customs & Harleys as a young teen, I guess you could add me to the list for Blair's, I would tag along with my older brother and his friends. Then it was Loper's after I moved to Phoenix in the late 60's.

 

Vic Hubbard Speed & marine, Meek ave.Hayward calif. Sun Auto,Newark calif.

 

Hey I remember that place

 

I have been by there a few times . can never catch it open