History Vic Hubbard Speed & Marine-Head Hunters Hayward CC/

Awesome! Thanks Ron..

 

Please forgive me for an O/T question, but y'all are the guys who can tell me. Lived in Castro Valley for 5 months in '66 as a 13 yr. old. My dad took me numerous times to "the hill climbs" for dirt bike riding, but he can't remember exactly where we went. Had that one monster hill that everyone wheelied at the top. Sure wasn't far, I remember that. Lived on San Miguel Ave. near the h.s. (across the street from Don DeMello)

 

Ive only lived in Castro Valley for a couple years myself.Ron Brooks "R&C Ron" would know, he's been here his whole life.

 

BrerHair - It was probably "Carnegie" (out past Livermore on the Alameda / San Joaquin county line)

 

No Redwood road. Before we started going to Carnegoe in the '70s. Oakland Hills. I used to ride in the '60s. Beeser hill! Almost strait up. The off and ons. You would go off Redwood Rd. to a trail and then back on. Closed off now.

 

I thought of that too, but I thought he was speaking only about Castro Valley in general.Used to go out there in the 80's on a 1980 CR 80 Honda and later on my friends 87 Yamaha YZ.

 

Thanks y'all, Redwood Rd. is probably it. I do remember that it was not far at all. The trails reminded me of cattle trails, although bikes could have been responsible.

Googled it and was led to some bike forums. How 'bout this:

Hey Cookie, seeing as how you're a local guy you may remember the hill climbs out on Redwood road back in the 60's? I remember the only bikes that could take the really steep hills were (modified) Bonnevilles.

Of course (can't get rid of the bold italics!), I don't agree with the statement above. A Honda 125 would get the job done. Or a 305 easily. Thanks . . . now back to your thread Marcus.

 

Rode there alot. Most riders I knew called that hill "Baldy". The Hayward Motorcycle Club was rumored to be the "club in charge" It was close to home and didn't cost a dime. There was a varely large area off the side of the road to back your pickup to, unload the bikes and watch the activities. Back in the day most of us wore only Levis, linemans boots, no shirt and no helmet. BS with the guys, have a beer, smoke, fire off the BSA and hit the hill. Crazy time.

 

Atwater Mike posted that Hank Silva lent an engine to the bread truck. Back in 85 or 86 I had Rodsil's build my Pontiac GTO motor while in the Air Force at CAFB. It was fun talking to Hank and Rod (can't remember "Rod's" full name). Let me hang out at the shop and showed me pictures of the old days. Would be nice talking to those guys again. I'm building a gasser in the future and think I'll put the Vic Hubbard symbol and Rodsil's somewhere on it. Will post pics when done.

 

Yes it was on Redwood rd for sure. Even Oakland PD traded there Motor officers on FLH's on those hills. It was the place to go.

 

I have a Vic Hubbard Speed & Marine license plate frame on my roadster. I did business at all 3 stores.

 

Spent some time with Denny Forsberg at the Oakland Roadster Show Reunion last Saturday recalling memories, what a nice guy!

 

Thanks for posting this, I have Family ties to the Lights. My Grandmother is a niece to Jerry. My Grandfather worked for Vic Hubbard Speed and Marine. This information is great, My Grandparents will love to read all of this.

 

Any of you old-time VH guys remember my buddy from Napa, Walter Cantrell? He was somewhat of a fixture at Hubbards, Ashland, Hannan's, and ABC Auto Wreckers in the 70's and 80's- he and Jerry were pretty good buddies/ partners in crime. Over the years he had three original 427 Cobras, a MkI and MkII GT40's, Boss 429 on and on, and was always trading with the Sousa Brothers and just about anyone in the Bay Area into FE and road racing Ford stuff. Jerry showed up at the Sears Point Historic races one year with a nondescript old USRRC/ CanAm car with a 289 HiPo in it, no bodywork, and no brakes- he would fire it up once in a while and take a drive around the pits, and Walter and I would run out and catch the roll bar and drag him to a stop. They also had a buddy who had a '62 Chrysler New Yorker with a built 440 in it and 5.13 gears, painted like Starsky and Hutch with the stripe, and surprised many kids in Camaros and such, pretty much unbeatable from stoplight to stoplight- just known as "The Chrysler"
I have a pretty cherry copy of the '65 VH catalog with all the ALGON stuff, lists a setup for just about any V8 engine you ever heard of- this is my ALGON 427 Ford setup, even have a cherry set of the original adjustable nozzles

 

Thanks again for all the cool history.. Most of my parts on this 55 where from the meekland store. The roll bar was a display on the wall./
Anyway to repost all your photos.. Page one photos are all gone just a black X.

thanks again

 

old thread but, interesting

 

Bought my fender flares at Vic Hubbards, they were hanging right on the wall in the showroom, a hot rodder's candy store.

 

btt

 

Just saw this, Thanks for all this history! During high school I saved money from my dish washing and sign painting jobs to by flathead parts at the old shop. In '61 or '62 I bought an adapter and motor mount to put a 303 Olds in my '38 Ford coupe. I had to drive from Concord through Crow Canyon to get there. A fun trip in the '38. During my college years in Oakland we did a lot of riding in the Redwood hills also up at Nortonville between Clayton and Antioch. We used to see the guys from Nelson Brothers on some bad ass Triumphs at Redwood. I also got a McCulloch Mac 10 engine for my1/2 midget racer and lots of little stuff at Vic Hubbards. Other than Mal Staley selling Model A parts and a little flathead stuff out of his garage in Walnut Creek or Pleasant hill that was pretty much for us. Flathead Jack didn't have a store yet. But the junk yards were full!

 

Hey guys,
I know this is an old thread but though I would share my bit.
I worked at Vic Hubbard’s when I was in highschool, 2002-2004, in the days when Gary Light was in charge. My job was going back and forth from the warehouse (inventory owned by the wholesale side) and the front retail store (which essentially bought inventory from wholesale each day). This was fun because we had 2 warehouses sandwiched together, 2 floors except for one area which had 3 levels. That third level was awesome because it had a lot of old old NOS bits. I once found 2 1/2 systems for original 1979 Chevy small block v8 turbo systems (a blow-through carb setup using 2 of the same side stock exhaust manifolds, and no intercooler). These came on a few rare select 1979 Firebirds.

One rumor I always heard, although unconfirmed is that Vic Hubbard had lent money to Vic Edelbrock for his business. I can tell you we had a very strong support and beefy inventory of Edelbrock parts.

Also not sure if mentioned, but the guys who workedin the original storefront were also volunteer firemen, which there was a firehouse nextdoor (is my understanding). When the alarm would go off, the firemen would just up and leave the store. Unattended, with customers still milling about. Different era I guess

-Kevin

 

Oh, supposedly also at one point we had a Hell’s Angel’s plaque up on the wall with the rest of the car club plaques. Story goes that one day 2 biiiiiiiiiiiiiig sons rolled in and demanded the plaque back, said it was only for club members and if we didn’t give it back, they would come back with more and take it.

We gave it back.

 

just saw this and yes I did, knew Mike, He hung with Darrell Akins Silver 55, Steve Curry with 312 in 54 Merc Hard top, Paul Reno and Mike Brasher, In high School I had 55 Bel Air hardtop with 60 over 283, back yard circa '65 (wish I had it now)

 

to cool to revisit this amazing thread, thanx guys

 

This has been a great read. I'm just barely old enough to have shopped at VH when I was in high school. I've been researching local shops to do some engine machine work for me. I didn't know Al hubbards was still in business. I live right off Redwood road in Oakland. You guys make me want to go looking for old hill climb carnage!

 

just looked at eBay - reminder to look for VH stuff at Turlock Swap at end of this month

 

I had that catalog! I was going to DVC & working in the auto shop ant Montgomery Wards in Pleasant Hill. Driving my '38 Coupe and making occasional runs to Vic Hubbard's. What a wonderful life!

 

I lived in Fremont from 1980 to 1992, but I don't remember a Vic Hubbard store in Fremont. There was a Super Shops store on Mowry, just west of Mission Blvd. I do remember both Hayward locations well, Fremont Raceway (Drags), etc.

 

It was in a small store in a strip mall on Stevenson and Blacow

 

^I went to the Vic Hubbard in Fremont many times.^ Hit up the Super Shops too. Those were the days.