Yeah, that film was way cool. I liked the tow truck with the wreck on hook at about 1.42, the way everyone was driving I'm surprised there weren't more! Great shot of old gas stations and dealerships. Don't suppose it was too long till all those vacant lots filled up.
Hmmm...can anyone identify the coupe sitting at the Sinclair gas station pumps at the 2:45 mark? It looks like a 1935 GM Coupe' (???) but I am not so sure...and the little pair of fender blisters at the rear edges of both the front and rear fenders are completely escaping me....but I am sure someone in the HAMB community knows...
Solved: From my friend Hugh in Montana comes the answer...1935 Pontiac Coupe'...what an elegant automobile. Thanks Hugh!
This show looks like it was incredible.The Pan Pacific was just as classy inside as it was out.Probably my favorite structure of all time.
Went through this hole post noting beats the old L.A I wish I was alive then. Great pics you guy's. I enjoyed alot.
I used to work for Muntz when he was just starting to market his color TV's. I did some of his first advertising for his new projection TV.
If you wonder why Los Angeles had a smog problem back in the day, check the exhaust clouds coming from the two Fords pulling away from the camera. The picture was made in 1940 and the cars weren't that old.
I have a colleague who graduated from Burbank HS in '57, said the air was way bad and much better these days, too bad it caused the problems with the eco nazis we deal with today. That's what I want, a black box in my new car, of course I'll never buy another new car or fly on a fucking airliner again. Fortunately I have enough dinero to buy diesel and the time to drive. What a long strange trip it's been.
This was taken in the Courtyard Parking Lot of the Auto Club's Headquarters at Figueroa & Adams near USC. I worked at this location for the Auto Club from 1972 thru 1987. A Historical Landmark today it is part of USC although the Los Angeles Office is still located on the First Floor and the lot is intact as in this picture. During this time the Auto Club posted most traffic signs ... note their logo at the bottom.
I do remember, I was a founding member of the Ghost Riders - San Fernando Valley, from 1953 on. Raced at Saugas and San Fernando Drags. Jimdandy
Los Angeles 1954: The Cold War in full effect. Pictured is a Chrysler Air Raid Siren that was installed on the roof of the Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles. Three sirens were tested (the others were placed near Griffith Park and above Avenue 43 in Highland Park) in late January 1954. The siren shown had a range of 3 to 5 miles. I believe that Don Garlits has one of these in his collection ... I recall seeing him talk about it on one of the cable channel gearhead shows a year or two ago.
Cool, my grandfather was the plant manager at the Citadel when it was a Uniroyal plant. Couldn't miss it...it was like a huge castle here it is today [/QUOTE]
There are a few of those floating around. At least one was still in its original location in Los Angeles a couple of years ago. I have one that belonged to the city of Portland, Oregon. Unfortunately it was later used as an irrigation pump and the siren part is missing as is the turntable. It seems that the siren was actually removed before the rest was sold to the public...would be thankful for any parts leads... Great thread!
I was with ACSC from '78 to late '85 and worked at this location for a while in 1980 or so....... beautiful old building.
Just watching kcet now and they're showing a program called "things that aren't here anymore". It's really good! I'm considering ordering the DVDs, it comes with a book as well...
'Dead Line' (waiting to be scrapped) Southern Pacific Yards Los Angeles c.1975 Photo shot from edge of Chinatown-there was an old wooden planked steel footbridge that crossed over the yard and though blocked off at each end it didn't take much to get past the barrier and walk carefully across looking for rooten and missing planks. photo from Skyscraper City
[/QUOTE] It was never a Firestone plant. Samson tire built the Citadel in the 20s and then U.S. took over the plant in the 30s and continued until it closed, I remember when it was a tire plant. My aunt lived close by. City of Commerce had a lot of businesses. Jobs that went to China.
Here's an earlier view of the Firestone plant which was located in South Gate (central Los Angeles area). Dick Whittington photo.
Looks like the new California adventure is going to be paying a bigger tribute to the history of Los Angeles then anyone else.It looks amazing the attention to detail they are doing.
For the money Disneyland is now charging for admission, they ought to re-create historic Los Angeles !!
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