Here is link to the old paramount track.... http://www.tamsoldracecarsite.net/ParamountRanchToday.html
I think I saw that motor at the Studebaker Museum in South Bend. They have a whole room with Indy and race inspired engines and cars. R1' R2's R3's...oh my!!!!
Last time I saw him was in 2004. We were trying to persuade the Port Authority to allow the Brotherhood to open up the Terminal Island Drag strip again. Voices fell on deaf ears.
I found this site for all those who wold like to see what the postcards of Los Angeles looked like, complete with the messages on the back of them. Here is the link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zilf/sets/72057594063877166/
Has anyone mentioned Gilmore Stadium? Story on midget racing here, that has a photo or two from there, from a June 1941 Popular Science.
Great site thebigdaddyo ! Leads to all kinds of LA history related stuff. Here's a sampling (some of it much the same as earlier postings, but in color!) : Figueroa Tunnels, Los Angeles 1940s - Later became the Pasadena Freeway, the 1st Freeway in the U.S. Hollywood and Vine early 1950s Wilshire Blvd - Miracle Mile 1950s Pacific Sands Developmen<WBR>t, Huntington Beach, California - early 1950's
More stuff from links provided by thebigdaddyo : West Covina, California / Francisqui<WBR>to Avenue Covina, California 1958 West Covina 1961 Looking south over the I-10 Fwy beyond where Forest Lawn is proposing a cemetery. 1961 Eastland Mall, West Covina, 1957 Carousel Theater, West Covina, California - 1965
Still from thebigdaddyo links: Lynwood, CA 1951 Food Giant in Lynwood 1951 Kiddie Rides outside Food Giant grand opening - 1951
Prepared in the office of Regional Planning Commission<WBR>, County of Los Angeles. 1929 Thanks to thebigdaddyo for these links, sure there's plenty more to be mined from there
Great story and pics ! Football at Gilmore Stadium, located near the present-da<WBR>y Farmer's Market in the Fairfax District. The dirt oval surroundin<WBR>g the field was used for auto racing. Photo dated: July 14, 1947 Built by Earl Gilmore, Gilmore Stadium opened in May 1934 and was demolished in 1952. The first profession<WBR>al football team in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Bulldogs played at Gilmore. Before the neighborin<WBR>g Gilmore Field opened in 1939, the Hollywood Stars, a Pacific Coast League baseball team used Gilmore Stadium for their home games. Exterior view of the new Gilmore Field (Hollywood Ball Park). Photo dated: May 10, 1939 Image depicts Gilmore Stadium, located east of Fairfax Avenue between Beverly Boulevard and 3rd Street, only a few months after it opened. Part of the midget car track used for races is present in the center of the image and a glimpse of the Fairfax neighborho<WBR>od is visible in the background on the left. Photograph dated August 17, 1934.
the firest time i got interested in "then and now" photos was about 25 years ago I had a photo of the house than my grandparents bought in the mid-1920's after they moved here from Grinnell, Iowa. They lived here for just a few years before moving to the really rural city of Arcadia. The house is on 77th St. in South L.A. Here it is with Grampa's Nash... I took this photo in the mid-to-late 1980's...
How about any pics of the Culver City Speedway? Somewhere, I have an old videotape of jalopy races there-approx early 50's (heartbreaking to watch all the 32-34 coupes being bashed). Or any info on Carrell Speedway?
Culver only ran for three years, 1924-27. The jalopies must be from Carrell was from 1940-1954, in Gardena
Maybe this will help. I've added the speedways to their old locations. Carrel Speedway 1940-1954 Gardena (Western) Soeedway 1954-1967 Ascot Park 1957-1990 if you can find the book, "Where They Raced" by Harold Osmer ,get it. It's a very interesting book about racing in Southern California
Oh, Lordy...there the old Chrisman coupe made into that Dobie Gillis contraption...horors...thank goodness it's back in it's original condition
the name, Duffy Livingston stands out in Los Angeles racing history for two reasons. First, he is thought of by many as the father of Go-Karts and also for his being able to terrorize the sporty car crowd with his T-racer. here's a "must see" video on the birth of karting with Duffy Livingston http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7077513277061763216# the T is now owned by Brock Yates
I know that, wasn't critizing, just commenting...but commercial viability has its costs. The LA Harbor Commission decided that the land Lions sat on would be more "viable" as a shipping container yard, and thus closed Lions...they had the right to do so, it was their property, but it still sucked! Anyway, thanks for all the great shots of LA! Sounds like you and I were in the same neighborhood...I got my first bike at John's Bicycle Shop, and remember lots of these places...the Hastings Drive In was a regular stop.
Three of Los Angeles' hot rodder's at heart... On the left is Robert Petersen founder of Petersen Publishing. As a kid in the 6th grade in 1961, I looked forward to coming home from school and finding either Hot Rod Magazine, Car Craft or Rod & Custom had come in the mail that day. In the middle, Wally Parks on the right is TV cowboy Roy Rogers, yes THAT Roy Rogers. Rogers was no stranger to running a car at at the Bonneville Salt Flats a great shot of two of L.A.'s hot rod icons... Mickey Thompson and Wally Parks photo taken at the strip that Mickey managed, Lions
I have that book and it is a must have for LA race fans, Western Speedway was the first track I ever went to, after watching the races on KTLA for a few years with Dick Lane calling the races we moved to Gardena to Manhattan Pl. on your map it is just above the n&a in the Gardena you added, later the property became a building supply store and the Ansen Automotive store, Gardena was a hotbed for racing in the 50's & 60's. I lived there from '63 until I was drafted in '70
No sweat, I understand... Wow, you were a John's bike kid, too...I was very lucky to have gotten one bike there, a candy red Schwinn Continental. You could smell the rubber tires from those new bikes before you even got into the door. You know how some smells just transport your memory to another place and time? Well, for me when I get the smell of a stack of new tires, my brain snaps back to John's Bike Shop...not a bad place to "go" even if it's just for a moment.
that's Dick, for me he set the standard for all the rest, that looks like Ralphie Valederas in the Roller Derby pic, Dick also did the Wrestling from the Olympic... he did it all....
The Jalopy Journal
