Vintage shots from days gone by!

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Hello,

This looks like around 1960-61 on the Camp Pendleton Marine Base in So Cal. The San Onofre State Beach was private and better known as the San Onofre Surf Club beach. It was a members only group that could use the private beach on the huge North Camp Pendleton Marine Base. One had to be a member of the club, which got you through the main security gate for the Marine Base.

Then the winding drive down to the water’s edge for another gate guard check. Today, it is called San Onofre State Beach. This spot still looks like this, but with newer cars and huge SUVs instead of woodies, wagons, and vans.

For travelers, there are two camp areas, along the freeway and farther back into the hills. But the beach still has almost the same waves and a view of the old nuclear power plant, just south of the location.

Jnaki

This beach was well known back in the early days and in 1961, I met someone out in the water that was very interesting. When I was a little kid, I saw the movie, “The Thing from Another World” in 1951. It was the scariest movie, ever, for a little kid. I was afraid of the giant “Thing” ever since. But, after the San Onofre waves and the nice conversation out in the water in 1961, I instantly got over my fear of the unknown.


Why? Out in the water was this huge guy sitting on one of the largest surfboards I have ever seen. When he caught a wave and stood up, he made the wave look small. In reality, he was 6’7” and a good surfer. It was the star of Gunsmoke and one of his first roles as an actor was “The Thing.” James Arness was a giant of a guy and was the nicest person to talk to out in the water. We had a nice conversation and had mutual respect for the other’s surfing skills. It was psychotherapy for free. It gave me the impetus to get over the long standing fear of a “Thing” following me in the dark, ANYWHERE, even in my own Long Beach backyard! (... I just talked to the "Thing.")

p.s. His son, just happened to be a World Champion Surfer later on in 1970. He spelled his name correctly (AURNESS) as his dad changed the spelling to make it easier for all of us to pronounce it on TV (ARNESS).

 

TV Tommy or not?

 

Never thought there could be a car more macho than the Cobra. And here it is: a direct comparison.

 

Rootie, in the first photo something about the car looks familiar but I still can't place it. Any info on this shot?

And the second photo looks like the First Day of Time Trials at Indy in 1956. Jack Turner's Travelon Trailer car up front.

 

Can't say for sure who the driver was, but looks to have been taken at Portland Speedway. The car is the Hal powered Scovell #25 which was a well known big car on the west coast back then.

 

Then a big monkey carted her off

 

Love this thread-went to Harold's Club a lot years ago. They had a great firearms collection as well. Still have one of those license toppers they put on your car while you were parked there.