Vintage shots from days gone by!

San Pedro Cactus harvesting plates and Buds for the next batch of "Pedro Cactus Wine"

 

LaGrande, OR

 

then
now
Hello,

That photo of Highway 1 that runs through Del Mar, CA down to the beach and goes up the hill toward Torrey Pines is one heck of a drive. We have been on that highway many times in the 40 Ford Sedan Delivery. La Jolla, Windansea, Torrey Pines, and all points south usually had great waves. It was a long trip from Long Beach, but the rewards were well worth it. The “then” photo must have been taken on a holiday with the tons of cars as far as the eye can see. (or possibly an accident)

The usual traffic is on the right, so, there must have been an accident somewhere in Del Mar to hold up the long line of cars on this stretch of road. The photo is around 1960. The sad thing is, at this point in the road, there is no turn off or alternate highway. If a car is stuck in this line, that is it, until the top of the hill on the Del Mar side (closest side of the photo) of the lagoon.

Today, sometimes during the rush hour traffic of the “Encinitas slow down” (through this area just inland on the I-5 freeway,) it is better to go down this Highway 1 along the coast than the I-5.

Jnaki
Here is a post on another thread about the same spot:

Hey Denis,
101 at Torrey Pines? My reliable, stock, Flathead motor in the 40 Ford Sedan Delivery in 1961 was a little under powered with two 45 lb surfboards stuck out of the rear window, sleeping bags, cooler, clothes, two to three guys and stuff in the back. It got us to the Torrey Pines grade from Long Beach, but had to be in 2nd gear to get up that long hill drive to the top.

If we stopped at the bottom to check out the surf, the start up that grade never got out of 2nd. If we got a high speed run in 3rd gear from Del Mar down the other side of Penasquitos Lagoon, we might have gotten 1/2 way up the hill grade before 2nd had to be engaged.

Junji
Even today, the Torrey Pines Grade is a long grade almost equal to the Conejo Grade on the 405 coming from Santa Barbara into LA. That steep Conejo Grade kept this Flathead 40 Ford Sedan Delivery on the flat Coast Highway 1 running along the coast every time.

Fun times, for sure...

 

FC-170's are among the most interesting Jeeps, 9 foot bed, 226 Kaiser 6, Cab-Over cab with almost vertical steering, make for a different trip through the woods. Never saw one with this camper rig. Most FC's in ETEX, are the deadly handling FC-150's, Top heavy, SWB make for a different ride.

 

Maserati 64 w/ 289 Ford power, pix from 1965. Driver Hamilton Vose, who did 180 at Daytona in it. Destroyed at Road America

 

MAGGIE: We pass through Liberal a couple times of the year on our way to the Oregon Garden. I have always
been curious about the large yellow house (just out of view on the right side of the pic), slowly being restored.
Do you know the history of the building? Was it a hotel, originally, or a large farm family home?
Thanks again for all your great Oregon photos!

 

Looks like some kind of two man car spec racing. I don't think I've ever seen a photo quite like this.
Thanks, Rootie!

 

@36 ROKIT
I had my chrome plating done in Molino many years ago.
BTW, my wife has been hinting at going to the Oregon Garden in Silverton for some sort of holiday shindig they are having.

 

Used to make that run from Inglewood, Ca. to amphib. base in Coronado, making the old ferry boat & onto base by 6am in 3 hours flat! in 1951, NO FREEWAYS back then!. Torrey Pines used to have a third lane for passing on the steep grade, lots of head ons & fatalities. At top of the grade there used to be giant eucalyptus tree's in center, separating the lanes of traffic, I remember seeing damaged bark from cars running into them----Tree's always won!!!

 

Other than the shot was taken at the Milwaukee Mile I didn't have any info on it and was curious myself. Did some googling and came up with this.