Another crazy trick that guys would do on the west side, is have a name painted on the rear quarter of their ride. It was done in Old English style lettering. I used to do lettering on the back rows at drive-ins to make a few bucks. You always liked it when they would want their chicks name on the side--guaranteed return customer. I remember a few of the names, Tijuana Beer Wagon, Patty's Wagon, Lead Sled, Charlie Brown, Big John, the Cherry----(startin' to get brain fog, do any of you ole cats remember any others)
Cool stories on here. I've heard alot of stories and tales about alot of the drive-ins mentioned above. But, if some of you guys want some stories from Culbertson, you'll have better luck stopping by his shop and hearing them from him first hand, rather than waiting for him to get on the HAMB.
The Blue Ribbon was another west side Drive-In, it was located on US 40 in a neighborhood that my buddy's that lived in that area called "Cucamonga-land" The Ribbon was a place the "traditional" guys would love--no high school boys, these cats were the real "greaser" deal. There was a Car Club that hung out there called the Nap-Town Knights. Their club plates were hung of the back of their continental kits on chains. When they pulled up the drive the plates would drag the pavement. That was the place I first saw a "who's got the lowest car" discussion settled by how many packs of ciggys you could get under the rocker panel. I remember one cat named Rosko that had a leather jacket with crossed pistons on the back, and he had the first set of HATE-LOVE knuckle tattoos that I had ever seen. Man as soon as I could afford a pair of Engineer Boots I got em'--(I was about 11 yrs old). The grade school principle would make us leave our "Rosko Boots" at the door of the school, because the full metal heal caps were destroying the floors in the halls---so it was never easy being cool
I am a graduate of Ben Davis, class of 68. We used to go to the dance at West Lake Swim club and after you hooked up with a girl, cruise to the Mug&Bun, Park Eat or the Speedway Frischs. If you with a bunch of guys, the the Pole was the place to be. The funniest thing I ever saw was a guy they called Deaf Dave was drunk, trying to use sign language and then he turned around and blew hash all over the pavement. Fat Jack saw that and got sick right next to him!
I had Fat Jack and Koon Dog both by the back of the belt one night they were taking turns pukin' on the road together.
The Bud Gates Chevy dealership was catty corner from the pole. This old Corvette used to set out side against a stone wall that was cut into a hillside. One rainy day the wall collasped and the old vette was buried, with the fin stickin' out of the rubble Maybe its still there--I better call the Discovery channel, this might be my chance. Next thing you know Paul Senior will be workin' for me.
Speedwagen, you're too late on the Bud Gates Corvette racer. http://registryofcorvetteracecars.com/ee/index.php/site/view_cars/130 Ol Blue
Here is a pic of the Knobby's drive-in. There were two of them on the east side of Indy. My friend Woody played in a rock and roll band in the 60's They Had a hearse for a band car--equipped with a coffin. They would bring Woody into Knobbys laying in the Box--sounds like a Porky's movie
Well there was a meeting of the minds at the HAMB meet & greet today at Bubbas shop. This was definitely the super bowl of west side B.S. I had a chance to compare tales with Tom Culbertson, and we both agreed that the Park-Eat was the easiest Drive-In in town to get a punch in the mouth. The cats on west Washington street were like territorial war lords. We had a good laugh over the Speedway Police, and the crazy traffic tickets that they used to hand out like E.T. slips. If you drove through Speedway in a Rod--it was money in the bank for the town fathers. I had a pair of AFB carbs on a ram intake that used to whistle like tea pots, and a Speedway cop made up a special infraction just for me!--LOUD INDUCTION As the tales began to spin, it was like riding a time machine. Good Times/Good Friends/Good Tales
Just in case you were ever at the pole, and saw windshield wiper working in dry weather, its because the winshield washer bottle had hooch in it and the hose went under the dash to make a secret dispencer
I have really enjoyed reading your post about 'old Indy' and would like to thank those that have contributed. Just in case anyone would be interested on June 13th, 2009 there will be a Westlake Beach Club Reunion and Car Show at the American Legion Post #64 here in Indy. You can read more about the evening at www.snlindy.com
Yo Stick Man, Thanks for the heads up on the Westlake and SNL info. It looks like you old Hoodlums are still gettin with it. I saw Craig Car's Mug shot on the site, so it has to be some crazy times. I spent my time at Westlake for sure. Here's a Westlake drive-in story I used to park my ride on the back row, and I had noticed a guy by himself that would park down on the end of the row. After it got dark and the windows got a little steamy, this guy would sneak out of his car and "window peak" the back windows of the cars.So one night I snuck around behind him and was hid out with a B.B. Rifle.--just as he was experinceing his own personal good time, I shot him in the butt I bet he thought he had fallin victum to a cosmic spanking. I stole a picture of Chets drive-in from your snl site I remember the high school clubs would meet at Chet's on Tue night and one of the girls clubs would have new members roller skate around Chets as an iniatiation (ah life in the fast lane). The girl hanging on the sign has the bobby sock saddle oxford setup that was standard issue for the day. The chicks from different schools would wear their socks differently--like gang colors. The G.W.H.S girls didn't pull them up tight, they wore them low and sloppy. I worked for Chet after he turned the place into a Chicken Joint---man that is another saga of stupid story's.
Hey Kats, Here is a link to another guys tale of West 16th street Indy cruzin. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/383206/my_drivein_cruising_summer_of_1965.html Part 1 http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/389661/my_drivein_cruising_summer_of_1966.html?cat=10 Part 2
Is the Mug N Bun the place where you can get gallon "milk jugs" of Root Beer ? That is a cool place, Yancey Johnson took me there a couple summers ago when I went to the Rumble. Damn, need to plan a road trip to Indy. Johnnie.
Hey Fivewindow Johnnie, next time your at the Mug and Bun, get some fried pickels and onion rings (might need a TUMS chaser)
I just now found this forum and this particular post. I was one of the 'terrors' of Indianapolis and Beech Grove in the '50s and early '60s,with almost nightly cruises to the Southern Circle, Tee Pee (south), Pole, Tee Pee (north), and Al Greenes. If you were into cars and frequented the Pole in '61, you may recall seeing the first XK-E Jag in Indianapolis in Jan., a red convertible with the top down, cruising around the Pole in the dead of winter. I was a kid selling cars at Imported Cars, Inc., on N. Meridian, and won the weekly sales contest, allowing me to take the sales manager's car for Saturday and Sunday. I was a 21 year old kid,driving a car worth much more than my house, around one of the drive-ins I'd been frequenting for years in much lessor, but still very nice cars. That was one of the high points of my young life, being looked upon with such envy by all the other kids at the drive-ins that night. Much older now, and have moved to the south, but am still seen cruising regularly in my 2011 Race Red Mustang 5.0 convertible. Never lost my love of cars, and still fondly recall those days when I was a member of the Skat Katz hot rod club in Beech Grove, loving the hell out of driving all those great old cars and motorcycles.
Mug and Bun, that is a family tradition! I feel like half of my family members have been mentioned. Does anybody remember Hank Sipe?
Hey you Indy guys, I have a list of "Car Clubs" in and around Naptown over the years. If I start listing them would you comment on who, when, and where they were? I'll start by listing some I know that are active now. time where name now Indy Cluster Busters now Indy Hi-Winders now Indy Road Rockets now Kokomo Road Kings now Kokomo Shifters now Shelbyville Shelby Shifters
As a kid, I remember going to a Tee Pee. My folk's family lived on the east side of town so it must have been a big deal to get there. Gary Not to hijack this thread, but as I recall roller rinks and bowling alley lounges were hot spots too.
The Indy Idlers, Modockers, and Roustabouts are three more Indy Clubs that cruised the Pole. There are a few Idlers here on the board, The Modockers have recently been revived. The Road Kings, and a few Hi-Winders on here. Don't know about the Shifters...
Small world thing---I was talking to one of the old gals at work,and we were talking about life in the Sixties,and she told me that she had worked as a car hop at the Pole when she was a teenager.She got a from kick telling me about a romeo customer who was being inappropriate..so she dumped a chocolate malt in his lap...cooled his motor down
speedmill , an old Ben Davis hoodlum sent me this pic of the Parkeat, out on west Washington Street. This was the Hang Out for Ben Davis kats.And you can bet Tom Colbertson is around somewhere. The first time I saw a car with a record player in it was at the Parkeat.It was my cousin Bill's. He had had a Olds 88 with royal lancer spinners,skirts...and a rockin 45 RPM record player under the dash...what a chick wagon.
Here is a gathering that takes place annually on the West Side where a lot of the characters who used to frequent the Drive Inn's on the west side of Indy show up to re-tell the stories. Funny how each year there cars were faster and there girl friends were prettier...Hot Rodders are welcome! young or old
it's a Small World Happening. Back behind the pole there is a Long's Bakery, and it is famous in Indy for it's DONUTS. A trip to the Pole was always a chance to nab some warm donuts fresh from the fryer That part of town was always good for a punch in the mouth, but now they just shoot you instead. But DONUT lovers still make the pilgrimage to get some of there bake goods. (the only bakery where you will ever see an armed guard stationed inside, and cash only transactions) So back to the "small world" part of the Story, I was talking to an attorney in a small town courthouse north of Indy. Somehow the conversation got redirected to a comment about west Indy. I mentioned that I grew up on that side of town, and he changed his demeanor, and went "west side" on me. Come to find out we both had hung out at the Pole, and had been addicted to pappy Long's Donuts. We had a good laugh about us both surviving the rough and tumble days on the West Side, but only go to Long's packin' these days. Are there any other Long's Donut Junkies out there. Usually Donut Junkies also snort Onion Rings from the Mug and Bun on 10th Street West Side!
This is what the Pole looks like today behind the Haughvillians' It's been a Van Sales lot for years. The Haughville community has staked out the turf at the corner of 16th and Lafayette Road. A corner that I wish could talk..because it's seen some serious Hot Roddin' and cruising.
The Jalopy Journal
