Who cruised Van Nuys Bl in the 70's?

I mainly cruised Whittier Blvd Fridays and Saturday nights. I had a black 57 Bel Air with Hawaiian plates. Had a blast. Plenty chicks and a light to light race anytime you wanted.

Every once in a while we'd hit Van Nuys in the middle of the week. Sometimes Colorado Blvd on Thursdays too. Van Nuys was like Disney World for cruisin' though. Just huge. So many great cars and so, so many girls. I made the mistake of loading up my Dad's new Caddy with my peep's and hitting Van Nuys. We weren't fooling anybody. Got outta there quick.

F*cking cops started shutting down all the side streets and it was all gone in one summer. I wonder what the point was.

Those were the days brothers, these cruise nights they put together nowadays don't come close.

 

While on topic. I wonder why no one has attempted to bring back the cruise again? Wouldn't it be a blast again to have again. Just think of the cars that would show up for it. Cruising Van Nuys Blvd was one of the things to do in So Cal back then. I always love seeing Corvette Summer just to see the Blvd cruise again. Who would be up for bringing it back? KNUX!

 

I cruised Van Nuys, during the '70s. I drove a lowered '67 Riviera, burgundy with a black vinyl top. Hung out at June Ellens.
Had lots of friends that street raced, went with them once in awhile.
Also cruised San Fernando, the mall and the mission.
Wish we could do it again.

Craig

 

"Scratch"
I hadn't heard that in awhile

 

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I did from 58-62 till the Navy got me. ran a 49 Buick Roadmaster with Caddy wire wheels on the ground. had factory 2 2's Isky cam and twin pipes with scavegners. also had a 53 Buick Roadmaster I raced at S F V Drags. By far the best years of my entire life. after Nam I came home in 69 hung around the Valley till 75 rode my Harley most the time. did cruse with my 65 GTO but my people were all gone, most to the war, others in the white flight of the 70's

 

I did from 58-62 till the Navy got me. ran a 49 Buick Roadmaster with Caddy wire wheels on the ground. had factory 2 2's Isky cam and twin pipes with scavegners. also had a 53 Buick Roadmaster I raced at S F V Drags. By far the best years of my entire life. after Nam I came home in 69 hung around the Valley till 75 rode my Harley most the time. did cruse with my 65 GTO but my people were all gone, most to the war, others in the white flight of the 70's

 

I went 60's and 70's. Had several low rider cars and a 66 Dodge van. Hung at June Ellens when it was mostly Low riders. I think I remember Fred Frost (was he a big guy) with a white 59 Impala. Never was and never will be anything like it again. I remember Walter Prey having a candy red 57 Nomad. Sure miss those times.

 

i have a movie call "van nuys blvd" looks like it's in the 70's......lots of vans .

 

Evil ed is one here from time to time, that pic of his car was in trad rod and kulture a ways back for a whole artile on the Van Nuys cruise nights....He said he used 30 gallons of clear on that car!

 

man i am diggin this thread, love the 60s and 70s lowriders esp that red prix with the 5s.

 

While it seems like a great idea, the same reasons for it being shut down would surely caome around again. The valley is full of signs that say "no cruising". Not to mention, the valley is not like it was then. I'd be down for it, but how long would it last? I was too young for the first time around, perhaps trying to recapture the past would be a hollow version of the real thing.

 

It was just a thought but ya, it wouldn't last for long being that there would be someone to ruin it for the rest. I still remember cruising WestWood and then that idiot decided to run people off the sidewalk. KNUX!

 

I think the number one reason for shutting it down was due to emergency vehicles could not get through quickly.

 

ya can`t go home they say ? I grew up on van nuys blvd in the 70`s on a bicycle on the back wheel most of the time .
worked at the Honda shop .on van nuys blvd, and spent all my pay checks at the supper shops on van nuys blvd every friday
went to van nuys high,
when they were filming fast times at ridgemont high.
and watched them film Hollywood nights by vallerio st .
cool thread ! brings back a lot of good memories !
It can never be like it was ! it was cool .

 

If you drive down Van Nuys Blvd now, a good portion of the signage is in spanish. It has really gone down hill since the 70's.

 

This was "Gotcha's" car. He was a pinstripper from Van Nuys and the head of "Race?".

 

When I came back from the Army in 1968 I bought a new Plymouth Satellite and lowered it ran some chrome wheels, glass pax, and baby moons. The only lowered Plymouth out there.
Cruised all over So. Cal. Tweety, Colorado Blvd, Covina, Whittier Blvd, but mostly Bellflower and Firestone (I lived in Artesia)
FUN TIMES!!!

 

I was in high school in the late 70's...cruising was still happing a little bit
I lived in anaheim..and still do. One friday night in 77? I think out at the end of the street on Lapalma ave near Imperial highway people were drag racing and some guys pulled up with full on drag cars...and went off
like crazy there were alot of people that night...cops showed up everyone went split....
by 1980 most crusing was over...The mini truck craze ended it.

 

...this car is owned by a HAMBer now, guy named Fred, can't think of his HAMB name rite off. Cool thing is it's still racin!

 

every wenesday nite.......62 ford econoline, lite blue chrome wheels .......used to park next to the car dealership in a vacant lot............i remember cops with tape measures

 

I REMEMBER CRUISING VAN NUYS BACK IN MY MINI TRUCKER DAYS.....EARLY 80's......NO MEMORIES THOUGH USUALLY TO DRUNK.

 

so its gone down hill because of the spanish signage? your a idiot!

 

more pics!!!

 

Too young to have cruised Van Nuys, but sure as fuck cruised Laurel Cyn.

 

I went to California for the first time in August of 1980 and was parked on Van Nuys blvd. in what was then Valley Federal Savings at Vanowen. I talked to a couple of guys who were regulars on the Blvd. years before. I never got their names. One was driving a black 69 Camaro and in his early Thirties , originally from Massachusetts. The other was about the same age and driving a 66 or 67 Chevelle green with a black vinyl top. Anyone know these guys?

 

This is a great thread, I was born in '77 and have never lived in CA, but I love the stories...

 

You guy's where living what we in the Mid-West could only read and dream about in the car magazine's of the time. Getting misty now, with the passage of time. Cherish the time's you have lived.The Gypsy Rose and it's owner was elected to the Lowrider Magazine Hall of Fame last year. I read some place, that gang violence and cocaine played a large roll in the crackdown's.

 

I worked at Korky's Kustom Studio across from Air port on Roscoe.
I didn't have a place so I lived in the shop with a Hype called The Greek. Anyone remember that bunch. Frenchy, Dave, Larry,Joey B.?
The Kit Kat Klub on Van Nuys Blvd.?

 

i remember back in the late '70's i lived in santa maria. we used to cruise there on fridays and saturdays. one summer me and my buddy got this wild hair to go cruising in van nuys on wed., san luis obispo on thurs., sm on friday and sat. that was a blast.