I was cruzing Whitter Blvd in the 60's in my 1936 Ford Coupe (I was in High School at Sierra High). Bobs Big Boy was the hot spot, along with Harvies in Belflower (I think). Lots of good times.
My parents moved from La Mirada to Whittier in 1968. We lived in a corner house on Armley and Lambert. I went to Mulberry, Hillview, and CalHi. My sister used to work at Bob's and I remember it was a big place, bigger then the Bobs in Downey. Too bad it's not there anymore. I remember a bunch of guys hanging out at Norms and the pool hall across from Music +. There also used to be a Pep Boys at the corner, once upon a time.Like the song says:"Let's take a trip down Whittier BlVD!"
You are so correct. I started cruising the Blvd in the very late 50's and the 605 wasn't there--but Pioneer Blvd was pretty much the dividing line-same local--they weren't referred to as lo riders back then. Bob's was just going in and Whorley's was the cruise joint. Oh what memories!!! My wife & I graduated from WHS in '61.
I lived in whittier for a while, oh how I wish I could have been alive in those days. Just reading all these stories makes me wish my parents had conceive me 20 years earlier haha
I emember Whirleys but i was only about 11 years old at the time. i do remember seeing the mcmullen roadster though. didn't rich siroonian have a roadster by the name of the Animal?
I had a shop there right across the street form east whittier elementary school and we did a lot of exhaust work for norm from stick city / street rods. he was a super guy. a hustler for sure but a good dude
During the summers of 70,71 after summer league basketball games at Whittier College we would cruise WB in Greg Bocks 55 Chev..
If I remember correctley a guy named Manoo from over by Pioneer High owened The Animal. Siroonian owned everything else and may have bought it later. I was cruzin from the early sixties till I got drafted in 68. I had a 52 Chevy, 56 Olds then a Forty Ford Woody.
A good friend Mickey Gillis used to have that same shop I believe. Mickey just passed away a few months ago
In my experience it was from '65 thru the early 70's. that was when i was active but the scene was happening , I'm sure, long before that. I was a hot rodder at heart (still am) but my best friend thru high school was a low rider with a 66 caprice, on the ground, diamond tuck, You know the rest. we would hit west of the 605 couple times a month. those days things were cool. not too much mixing of the 2 breeds but if you are a genuine car guy it was cool. there is/was just as much care, workmanship & money in one of the low riders (dare i say, more?) than a lot of the street cars east of the 605 i had an exhaust shop then (until 74) and we did a LOT of both types of rides. we just tried to do our best and give a guy a great job for his time & money.
Weren t the Custom House and Johney s Speed and Chrome connected in some way. Johney was pretty flakey and had that nudie bar next door. I had him chrome some stuff for me and finally had to go get it back from a place on Santa Fe Springs by Halibrand and Moons. Ever go to Truman Tows junkyard. That was always fun for an afternoon. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/images/icons/icon1.gif
Mickey Gillis had Mickey s Garage right across from East Whittier and then behind the McDonalds on Painter
Well being new to this site, I just saw this topic. Back in the late 60's and early 70's I cruised Whittier Blvd with my built 65 Chevelle. Being a member of the car club Chaparral's, we use to look for a race. Not to hard to find one with Big Willes car club "The Brotherhood of Street Racers". In fact if you beat one of his car club members, he would give you his "KillerSticker Pack" that had all make of cars stickers that you could put on your fenders to show how many times you won and what make you beat.
Was that the car that was used for the Toyota celica 5 speed swap too? We did that to mine after visiting Ak. Mine was a Grabber Green 71 with the 2.0 Are you saying Johnny's was on Whittier at one time? I only remember it being on Beach right at the 5. And the owner in the 70's was named Huey.
Just read the whole thread. Nice. There are about 12 stories from guys who NEVER got beat. Gotta love it! Bench racing rules!
For all you guys who cruised Whittier BLVD (East) there is a car show coming up in Uptown Whittier on Aug 20. It's the only time I go back to my hometown but it's really not the same anymore. I miss how it used to be. Life goes on.
Damn Lance, like your "Drag Boat" thread you and others here have amazing cruising, speed shop stories! Great to live thru it thru some of you.Growing up in San Diego in "navy housing" with a strict father, I didn't get to experience that lifestyle that I loved and still do. I love and I am POSITIVE others do to, hearing all this stuff. Lots of times that I "waste" on the internet is done by looking up old pictures of some of these buildings and points of interest you guys describe. Lots of cool past memories. I also try to get an old picture and a new picture of the same places and put them side by side to compare the days gone by and the days of now. Most people have pics up at work of cars, bikes and CHICKS. I have pics of cars, bikes and San Diego and LA "buildings and landmarks"!!!! Keep up the stories you guys they are great!!! Ken
Haven't seen any mention of J&L speed shop. My Brothers and Friends used to go there and I bought a few items from them for my 55 Nomad I had at the time. Just for kicks, anyone remember those nudie places on Whittier between Norwalk and the 605 FWY?
Just back from a vacation and was crusing the 'net. I'd forgotten I'd posted to this thread about The Custom House, Johnnie's Speed & Chrome on Beach Blvd, etc. Yeah, I remember Whirly's. It closed in the mid 60's, my brother-in-law's era (He graduated from Sierra High in '63, sister from Calhi in '64, me from Monte Vista in '72) and I didn't get my license until my 16th birthday in 1970. BUT...I remember that the main "building" (it was tiny) was the "hub" with propellers or wings coming off it you drove up to for car-window service. Here's a bit of trivia: That building or hub was still there in the yard of the Whittier Dodge dealership for years and years until they finally tore it down in I think the 80's. So.....with ALL these great memories, anyone want to restart cruising on Whittier Blvd? I do. We could do it say the first Saturday night of the month or some such. COlima Road to Painter and make a U turn. Hell, probably 90% of the Whittier cops wouldn't understand what was happening and the other 10% old enough to rememeber would want to join in! With any luck, present day kids would get into it. Yeah, it'd be Civics, NISMO 350Z's or crap like that but so what? Anyone? Pick a month to start? 1st Saturday night in October; say 6pm? Got a better date? I'm all for it. Tell you what, I'll be there in my oldass '55 Chevy pickup with early Torque Thrusts on it. It's got a rumpety-rump cammed 283 with TH350 in it, but its not in a class with some of the old stuff we were talking about.
Cruised the blvd from 73 to 78. Lots of fun and cool people. Scottys, Stick City and then Street Rods. From Colima to Painter. I remember a guy who always would wear different hats. We called him "Hats by Allen" I think he had a sign that said that. Came over the hill from Rowland Heights. Had a 68 big block 427 Vette. My best friend had a 67 390 Mustang. We would find people to race and go to Russell Street. It was deserted and quiet and had a straight 1/4 mile with lot's of shut down room. Good Times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bumping an oldie here but my HS buddy and I were at the WinterNationals and were talking about this board and old times. I referenced this thread and thought it was nice to relive some old good times on "the boulevard". My time was 1969 to '73 the really big cruising was '71 when it started at Colima and they set barricades up at Painter and made you go miles to turn around. Unless you knew the backstreets. I met my wife at Bobs in 1973 and we're still married. In HS I drove a '64 Olds JetStar1 with a 345 hp 394 in it. It was a hell of a sleeper especially from 20-80 mph. My buddy had a '70 Chevelle SS 396 that was pretty bad-ass and we dropped the hammer on a few Roadrunners. He lurks here so happy memories buddy!
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