you are correct. street rods was at the corner of ocean view & whittier-southeast corner.norm samuels ran it. i had a muffler shop just a stones throw east and he used to bring cars down for simple repairs occasionally.
Dan in Pasadena, I lived right there too! One house off the corner of Colima and on Hornell. There's a stop light there now. Use to do the "loop". Telegraph Rd and La Mirada Blvd brings back the good old days.
Directly across at the opposite corner,once upon a time, there was a Pep Boys. Anyone remembers J&N Speed Shop?? Who remembers that on Whittier and Painter, on the four corners, there was the Quad, Pioneer Chicken, Der Weinerschnitzel and Taco Bell?
We were there in '79 and the opening nite of Boulevard nights was showing in a movie theatre on whittier. There were heaps of people in lawn chairs that nite watching the cruising. I'll never forget that!!!! Pretty big deal for a couple of young Aussie car nuts.
I cruised Whittier Blvd in the early 80's in my 59. I got spanked a lot because it only had a 283 at the time. Lotta fun though. There was an old Sears that had a open underground parking lot. The ceiling just barly cleared the roof on my truck (by inches). It was always fun to take a quick drive though there with a date. It looked like it would hit the beams. Here's how my truck looked at the time - primer graphics - lol BTW, we would all meet at Johnnies. Most of my friend's had bugs. One (a 61 bug) ran 11's at OCIR. 2380, DeLardos, Superflow heads, Carillo Chevy rods, Bus trans. He would launch at 9000 RPM. It was fast. Everybody would always look under the rear bumper to see the motor. He finnally welded a bead that read "EAT SHIT" on the cylinders
Man, I haven't been to this thread in a looong time and I come today and find your reference to me! You and I may have played together as kids if you're the right age? I'm 58 now. I lived on Mystic Street right off Bluefield which came off Hornell, IF I remember correctly. At the very least, I drove past your house every day! Yup, I remember it all. Especially the tiny (by today's standards) Pep Boys on the NE corner of Whittier Blvd & Oceanview. Later I lived straight up Oceanview past Mar Vista on Eastridge. Better known as Christmas Tree Lane at Christmas time. Us neighbors paid a City worker to come the weekend after Thanksgiving to hang lights in the HUGE trees on the street. Yup, I remember these too. The Fox theater was the "Whittier Walk-in". At least that's what I knew it by. By the time it closed it had fallen on very hard times but when I was 16-17 it was still cool with the faux Spanish interior side balconies, etc. The original Whittwood theater? I saw (gulp!) "Funny Girl" with my older sister there. Now get this younger guys - You couldn't see any old movie any old time - VCR's hadn't been invented yet. Or should I say "Betamax" hadn't been invented yet. So I saw "Gone With The Wind" there at a rare re-release and the theater was PACKED! We had 3 networks then: 2=KNXT (now KCBS. The Big News, Jerry Dunphy!) 4=KNBC 7=KABC. No Fox network yet 5=KTLA (Think Soupy Sales, The Winchell Mahoney Hour with Knucklehead Smiff, Shrimpenstein - I THINK!) 9=KHJ (Sam Riddle, Cam Nelson - wherever you are I STILL love you! GAWD, you were the hottest girl I'd ever seen) 11=KTTV (George Putnam) 13= Who cares, it showed crap then and STILL does Any of THIS ring any bells for you guys?
I just got thru reading this thread a bit late but just had to chime in I never got to cruise Whittier Blvd, but was cursing D block in Greeley, Colorado back in the late 70's to mid 80's and it was a Hot spot in the midwest 4 one-way lanes up from the train station and 4 one-way lanes back the other direction, the perfect cruising and street racing set up!American Graffiti every week end. I grew up a gear head and still am today, building customs & Hot rods now in Lincoln, Neb. Back in 94 I had sold one of my custom cars to a guy in Whittier and said we could bring it out for him. So I mentioned to my Mom and she said Oh you should visit your Great aunt & Uncle they have a Auto Dealership in Whittier, What, I never herd of them before? We'll I guess I met them a time or two at family gatherings and such, back here in Neb. OK well let see here is the address RICKER Motors Whittier Blvd. Oh my God look at all these cool classic cars I said what the heck do we have going on here! Mom said they have a car lot this was Jan of 1994 I was expecting Toyota's, Taurus, Not 50's & 60's classic cars of every variety from 56 Chevy's to AMC's, to Edsel s, Hoolwood Grahams, Studebaker's etc. unbelievable! I got my video camera out and filmed the site WOW! we went inside to find my aunt Anne & her husband Mike, they knew me from when i was just a kid so we visited for a bit and Mike showed us the back workshop full of cool & interesting classics of all kinds, and then the back lot! OMG! the neat stuff every where! I keep the camera rolling and I'm glad I had it with me. I had no idea I was related to such cool people in the car business! this was fun! Now we all get very busy and always think there is more time to get back out to visit again, but I didn't make the effort untill it was to late my great uncle Mike passed away in 04 age 96 he was quite a legend in his day with Packard, Studebaker, AMC, dealerships etc. He also built the famed Nash grilled Glasspar roadster. Well I just got a X-mas card from Anne yesterday she is 99 yrs old Dec 25th and still has more stories to tell, someday I plan to write an article of her life in the automobile world as best I can, over the years I video taped her reflecting back on the old days of selling, and servicing cars from the 40's to the 80's
Funny that you mentioned seeing "Gone with the wind" because I saw that movie in the theater that was in uptown Whittier. I was about 8 at the time. Later that theater became "The Pussycat Theater" and then sometime in the early 90s they changed it to 3 screen and started showing mainstream movies again and it's still open. And I remember the old T.V. stations and how the channels would go off the air.
Just for shits and giggles I looked it up on Wikipedia-- Whittier Boulevard in East Los Angeles[edit] Zoot Suit Riots[edit] During World War II, Whittier Boulevard and neighboring East LA streets were the location for many Pachucos. A few Zoot Suits fights happened in East Los Angeles' streets like Whittier Blvd. When the Zoot Suit Riots occurred in Los Angeles it was difficult to be a Latino in that area (especially around Whittier Blvd), especially for those who wore a Zoot Suit. Lowriding[edit] One memorable and still alive trend along Whittier Boulevard is the usage and showings of lowriders.<SUP id=cite_ref-1 class=reference jQuery18302646310533142828="77">[1]</SUP> It has been said that East Los Angeles, specifically on Whittier Boulevard was one of the few first places that low riders began to appear around World War II and up until now, there are still low-rider showings along Whittier Boulevard, or any where in East Los Angeles. Drivers would compete against each other and hope to win the other driver’s car, known as "hopping for pink slips.”<SUP id=cite_ref-2 class=reference jQuery18302646310533142828="80">[2]</SUP> The street itself became very popular because it became a place for low riders to come together and the locals would cruise up and down the streets. To this day lowriders are still being driven and meet ups occur, where those who still have cars and want to showcase them come together at parks, parking lots, etc. anywhere they find place and come in groups. Present day: The cuisine of Whittier Boulevard[edit] Whittier Blvd located in The East Los Angeles community consists mainly of Latino decent, but as well as other culture groups, which provides the diversity of this city. Whittier Boulevard is the heart of the community in East Los Angeles; it is filled with street vendors, selling hot dogs, fruits, garments, and Mexican food. In particular, taco trucks appear frequently on Whittier Boulevard. Other establishments include liquor stores, bread shops, clothing stores and furniture warehouses, 99 cent stores, as well as a supermarket, but with the change in times, places are being shut down and remodeled or new shops pop up frequently. The tacos are not the only thing popular along these strips, but the occasional, but a more growing popular snack rising is the Hot Dog created on the streets of Whittier. Hot dogs served along Whittier are wrapped in bacon and served with grilled onions and jalapeños. When prepared this way, it is known as an East L.A. Ditch Dog. <SUP id=cite_ref-3 class=reference jQuery18302646310533142828="83">[3]</SUP> Both hot dogs and tacos can be served with nieves (Mexican slushy), the esquites (corn kernels smothered in mayo, Mexican cheese, and butter, with the option of chili or other condiments). Events[edit] Every year there is a Christmas parade, called the East Los Angeles Parade <SUP id=cite_ref-4 class=reference jQuery18302646310533142828="86">[4]</SUP> that takes place on Whittier Boulevard and starts on Eastern and ends at Whittier Blvd. and Atlantic. This parade usually consists of high school cheer squad, the elementary and middle school cheer squad as well, they occasionally bring in elephants, television reporters, and broadcasters come from local stations to cover the parade, sometimes some TV. Celebrities come. In 2008 they brought a famous Mexican singer called Jose Jose.<SUP id=cite_ref-5 class=reference jQuery18302646310533142828="89">[5]</SUP> Media[edit] Another trend that became part of the popular culture of Whittier Boulevard are Thee Midniters. Thee Midniters were a Chicano rock band that became popular in the 1960s. Their song “Whittier Boulevard”<SUP id=cite_ref-6 class=reference jQuery18302646310533142828="92">[6]</SUP> gained popularity just as they did. They named their song after the most popular street in East Los Angeles: Whittier Boulevard.<SUP id=cite_ref-7 class=reference jQuery18302646310533142828="95">[7]</SUP> Scenes of Whittier Blvd appeared in the beginning of Chico and the Man TV show.<SUP id=cite_ref-8 class=reference jQuery18302646310533142828="98">[8]</SUP> Which was actually based on East Los Angeles and showed much of the neighborhood and streets. Salazar Park[edit] Along the Whittier Boulevard strip there is Salazar Park, named after Ruben Salazar.<SUP id=cite_ref-9 class=reference jQuery18302646310533142828="101">[9]</SUP> It was renamed after the LA Times reporter who got shot by the sheriff’s deputy from the Los Angeles County Sheriffs while investigating the Vietnam War protests of the Chicano Community. His death made national news and he became immortalized not just after having a park named after him, but by Lalo Guerrero, who wrote a corrido (Spanish narrative song) about him and in the Sonoma University; they renamed this library in his honor. The Ruben Salazar Park represents not only a landmark of the Chicano struggle, but also the legacy of Salazar and his endeavor for giving Mexican Americans a voice. This Park today hosts baseball games, senior activities in their gym, offers a public swimming pool in the summer and classes for non swimmers, allowing community members to have recreational activities.
Remember Whittier Blvd. very well....born ('63) & raised in Downey. First time on the blvd, I was 13 (1976) riding in the backseat of 1 of "the older" kids Duster....when I was old enough to drive, would cruise it every chance I could get. Met a lot of girls there. Even ventured to the E.L.A. end & it seemed me & my buddy were the only white guys cruising there. One time on the E.L.A. end, I got pulled over for no front plate, pulled away from the curb, got about 50 yards & got pulled over by another cop for being to low. I think I remember Jack Rudy's Tattooland shop was in E.L.A. Good memories.
I found a few more pictures of my great aunt, Anne from back in the day. She left Nebraska in the 1930's, stood in lines to get a job, lived in a small apt. was never taller than 4' 9" she got on with a Chevy dealership in the 30's in accounting quickly rose to become the first lady parts manager for General Motors, on the west coast, sold radios to Cecil Demille (film maker) for his Cadillacs, Anne worked the service dept as well and would deal with Betty Grable when she would bring in her Cadillac for service! driving the mechanics at the dealership nuts! She meet Mike Ricker in the 40's while working at the dealership, they later married,and had their own Dealerships in Whittier, Studebaker, Nash, Hudson, AMC. all the way into the 80's. whem they retired but stayed on the there coner lot and sold classic used cars Mike was a heck f a nice guy. I'm grateful to have finally meet them and have Anne as my great aunt (my grandmothers sister that died before I was born in 62 so Anne is like my grandmother) So glad o have the chance to just sit and listen to her endless stories of the good old days of the Automobile industry. I have video taped some of her accounts and they are just so great to listen to, I could go on & on but I'll stop. Here are some pictures of Anne and Mike Ricker over the years owners of Ricker Motors on Whittier Blvd, I hope some of you enjoy this little piece of Automotive history! the last picture is of my wife and Anne watching the video I took of her and Mike back in 1994 when we first visited their classic car lot, she really enjoyed her life and times on Whittier Blvd. .
Does anyone know if Koopman's Way on Whittier Blvd in Whittier is where the old Edsel dealership was? I've been trying to scout it out since I drive by there a lot. I feel it also could have been at Whittier and Beach Blvd. The current (being torn down as we speak) car wash / key cutter. Also, on a side note, does anyone know if the current location of Joann Fabrics was a grocery store, it has that old 50's grocery look.
Again, I haven't been back to this thread in months but... Edsel was a model of Ford, you know? There were no "Edsel dealerships" that I know of. Board Ford on Whittier Blvd (now defunct) was the "new" Ford dealership in Whittier. The old one I barely remember but it was called Dore Ford and was on Painter I believe; could have been Greenleaf. Interesting that you bring up the car wash at Whittier and Beach Blvd's. Just a block or so below Whittier Blvd on Beach Blvd was a BMW dealership on the East side...now long gone. As for Joann Fabrics having been a grocery store - I THINK it was but I am too young (thank God!) to remember EVERYthing old in Whittier. I DO remember the giant (to me as a kid) Standard Brands paint store at Idaho St on Whittier in La Habra, about a big block east of Beach. You couldn't miss it, it was school bus yellow with giant writing on the sides. In that same center was a grocery store that for a short time was called Fazio's. Almost no one remembers there ever was a chain of grocery stores named that. It lasted maybe 2-3 years. Speaking of old grocery stores in Whittier, I'd love to hear if ANYONE remembers the one on Lambert Rd called Esco's? It was there a long time. I think it was a solo store. In the same strip mall (they weren't called that then) there was a restaurant called the Holly House that sold submarine sandwiches. I remember going there with my Dad as a very young kid, maybe 5 or 6-ish. I seem to remember it being or having green and yellow tile on it - odd the things you remember.
Cool photos, thanks for posting them. It's always nice to take the time to listen to the stories of the old generation and learning how life was once upon a time.
I don't know if it's the same market because I can't recall the name but we lived off Lambert and Armley Ave and the next street up was Gunn Ave and on Lambert Rd, there was a shopping center that had a place that sold good Submarine sandwiches. Next door there was a pharmacy, some other small stores and then a Market. At the opposite end of the shopping center was a swim school.
This is the whittier blvd i remember,if you were not driving you could walk and have just as a good time as if you were driving...New years was my fondest of memories,everybody swapping spit and hand fulls of salutations.at the stroke of 12:01..mann that was nothing but good times!
Yes, that's exactly the same place I'm talking about. Swim place was called Whittier Swim School. I wonder is its still there? Wonder if they filled the pool if not? There WAS a little motorcycle shop on the corner at the east end of that strip mall. Can't remember that street name. It opened in about my high school freshman year, 1968. That became Bert's Mega Mall if the story I heard is accurate. Humble beginning for what is now a multi million dollar operation!
jcmarz - Did you go to high school in Whittier? Calhi? I went to Monte Vista, Class of '72. What year were you?
I went to Calhi, class of 81. Monte Vista and Sierra were both closed at the end of my Sophomore year and kids from Monte Vista ended up at Calhi. Monte Vista is now the Sheriffs Academy and Sierra became a continuation/ROP school.
my wife and i bought a 1959 autobiachina from your aunt at ricker motors, i think he was still alive at that point, but she's the one who helped us with it. i used to love going in there and talking with him. we just sold the car recently and it went down to mexico city, so i kept the black plates and the metal "ricker motors" frames as they wouldn't be needing them.
Ricker Motors also had a Hurst Super Stock AMX new, and had Shirley Shahans Drag-On Lady AMX for awhile: http://www.superstockamx.com/page41.php
Yup, very familiar with what's happened. It made no sense to sell off the biggest, newest high school in the district (Monte Vista) when it was sold, but I don't know what the financial stakes were at the time. Whittier sure isn't what it once was....but then again, what is? I guess that's just mourning the things of our youth I suppose.
Wow that's cool I remember that car red one right? I told my wife we could drive it back to Nebraska! I have it on my video footage from their place back in 1994 along with the whole row of the other interesting classics they had that day. yes my great aunt Anne Ricker just turned 99 Christmas day, her husband Mike died at 96 in 2004, i wish I would have taken more time to spend with them, and learn more about them and their involvement in the auto industry of yesteryear, regrets! please send me a picture of the autobiachina if you can
i will do that. it's was orange, and i dont see that car making it back to nebraska! maybe on a flatbed. top speed on that car was about 35/40. we would use it just to have fun and give the nieces/ nephews rides,i need to go through some memorey sticks and find the pictures for you, but i will do it. kurt.
Yeah, Whittier just isn't the same which makes me cherish my memories of growing up and living in Whittier from 1968 to 1991.
The Jalopy Journal
