Who cruised Van Nuys Bl in the 70's?

One night, I met a guy with a '67-'68 Mustang running a big block on Van Nuys. I had my '65 Chevelle with a big block. He wanted 3 cars because I had 4:88 gears. We went to Vanowen by the airport to run. I spot the Mustang 3 cars and we're off. First gear, my car starts missing at 5K so I shift to second. I haven't made up any cars on the Mustang. I wind out second but it missing at 5K. Suddenly I remember, I set the redline at 5K to fool anyone that looks at the tach (DUH!). I switch the tach to "kaboom" and shift to third. I wind out third and go flying past the Mustang. When we meet up, he doesn't want to pay because he thinks I have nitrous. I pop the hood and explained what happened. Guess he felt real bad after that.............

 

Was a dumb shit kid from MS in the mid Seventies and spent parts of summers in L.A. Van Nuys was like a big fantasyland. My brother had a Vette shop on Lankershim and one summer I cruised the Super Chevy Project '69 L88 yellow roadster-more horseower and torque than my '67 Fairlane straight six back home for sure and I surely didn't know how to drive the damn thing.

Another summer ('74, I think) some friends from Boise came down for the LA Roadster Show and wanted to cruise. We had a '70 roadster that we had put on the then new front and rear "bumpers" in glass. Looked really good, but was kinda hard to explain to half the LAPD surrounding us why this "new" Vette was running '70 plates. Gave the Idaho guy (and the MS guy) something to remember.

Sorry, no pics.

 

Just remember a blond chick in a Chevelle with the side stripes that said "Heavy Chevy" having that on her car...Never had a car with enough HP to even think about seeing if she would.

 

Urban legend...in other words...BULLSHIT. Same thing about the $100 bill on the open glove box door. If you can reach it while I accelerate (in times of 14 second cars, and $1.35 minimum wage), you can have it

 

I remember seeing the car, never raced her. My brother had a 69 Roadrunner, he raced & beat her but she took off so he said.

 

Did it in 71'-72' not on a regular basis though... I lived in central ca. but my cousin lived in Ontario, so we would cruise down for the weekend and hit Van Nuys on Fri. Sat. nites lot's of good memories. Another good memory was before we left Ontario we would go to the "Grinder" and get a submarine sandwich which would feed two hungry teens no problem

 

who ever got to meet the lady bug car club ?

 

btt

 

Who remembers crusin' Valley Blvd in the S.G.V. back in the late 50's/early 60's,or racing on Rivergrade Rd.??? [some guys brought cars on trailers!!!!]

 

btt

 

I think the Hamb is so fast now we warped back to a couple of years ago, This thread is on the top of my posts list now. All later posts are gone! Oh well!

 

BTTT....
Looking for info on cruising Van Nuys as it is today. Yes, I searched (and searched some more) Seems nothing recent is posted? Both Groucho and vncruiser have been banned??
I will be in the area in June. I just want to get a sense of what the scene is like? Is it even still going on?

 

Last time I went a lil over a year ago, I remember a bunch of easter egg colored cars with Lambo doors, "L.A." paraphenelia bumping hip hop and other kind of crap parked directly in the center of the Blvd... The cops didn't like that too much... Haven't been there since.

 

That's what I was afraid of.
I'm all for freedom of expresion. it's a public road. Cruise in what you have. But I have no desire to be part of what your descibing punkassgearhead88.
Thanks for the input.
Anybody else? Anybody been recently?

 

bttt

 

I started cruising Van Nuys in '66 when my brother got back from the Army and bought a metallic blue 57 Chevy 210 sedan. Ended up with a 57 Corvette dual quad 270 horse engine, and then a Saginaw 4 speed bought from "Stabbo". No pics of that one but my wagon frequented the Boulevard in '68, first with chrome rims then with 5 spokes I bought from Tom Schribner. The roof rack carried the race slicks for our junior stocker, a 57 210 hardtop with injection. That had been my first car but was made into a racecar before I could drive it.



In 72 and 72 it towed this one Lions, OCIR, Irwindale and to Fremont and Sacramento for NHRA Division 7 Points Meets.



We also had a green 57 Sedan Delivery that saw the Boulevard. I uncorked the headers and drove and raced a few cars on New Years Eve, 1968. Cruising eventually got to be boring with all the vans instead of real cars.

 

My Dad & I Raced with the Schribner brothers, Tom & Harry back in the 60's.
Harry & Dad still hang out today.
I started cruising Van Nuys Blvd in 69.

 

1965-1969, Gas and cigs were $.24 a gallon, you could cruise all night for $2.00. Just south of Bob's, remember the 57 Fords would park facing the street, and all put their hoods up? I'd go early and try to park in front of Praisewater Funeral home. That's where I fell in love with Nomads. It ain't stopped yet....

 

hello Tom, this is Bill (Millers / PAW) long time no talk... glad to see you on the HAMB

 

I used to cruise Van Nuys in the 70s,,it was a lot of fun,,,,with chicks flashing us and all kinds of stuff!!!

 

Started cruisin Van Nuys in 1966. First on motor cycles then Vans, Sports cars and wagons. All with the LA County Street Racers and the Late Great Big Willie Robinson

 

Started cruising Van Nuys in 69 till 72. Had many cars. First was a 1963 Lowered Grand Prix, Second a 1932 Ford 3 Window Coupe, Third 1967 Mustang GT 500 (Pearl White) Fourth was a 1969 Mustang 428 CJ 4 Speed....Yes I did go through the cars back then, did alot of trading.

 

We did, had a Chevelle at the time, friend had a 68 Camaro.

 

I started cruising Van Nuys (& San Fernando Road, etc) in the late '60s and was a regular on Wednesday nights (unless I was racing at Lions') and the odd Friday or Saturday night until the mid-70s.

When L.A. City tried to close the street down to cruising (around 1976?), I appeared before the committee in charge of the move to try to get them to reconsider (as NSRA Southwest Street Machine Division Coordinator), using the rationale that (1) they wouldn't stop young people from cruising and (2) that by keeping everyone in a single, controlled area, enforcement would be easier, cheaper.

While the bureaucrats said they appreciated my point-of-view, they were determined to end a SoCal tradition. I think the decision had already been made and the hearings were merely window dressing for public consumption.

 

I did, was cruising my 66 Mustang fastback with my soon to be wife, my best buddy in a 65 Fastback behind us when this white 4 door sedan pulled up and was gunning his engine making his car jump and pointing at us and down the street, I was 20 so you KNOW what I did, dropped it in first and dumped the clutch, where did all the red lights and sirens come from? Nasty cop said he was going to impound my car, my "Buddy" stopped and asked the cop "isn't that entrapment?" to which the cop said how about we go and ask the Judge if it is. Needless to say my now wife was crying I was shaking and the cop said I don't want to see your car on Van Nuys Blvd again tonight. We went straight home. Cruised there for years till the Mini trucks took over.

 

You don't say

 

i do, in my brothers 65 gto. turn around in britts/ zodys parking lot. eat at the hat, pepe's, belly busters, daisy burger. bob's big boy. look in the window of performance specialty at the speed parts we could'ent afford. it's all chinese through there now.they mow'ed down our culture and put in their's.

 

Still have the slides? Can we see?