Hello, Harvey’s Broiler was introduced to us as we decided to drive my 58 Impala on a large circuitous route hitting most of the hot rod drive-in restaurants in our local So Cal neighborhoods. It was something to do on a hot summer night. For the famous Harvey’s Broiler, it was just up the freeway in Downey. We were ready to have some great meals and while sitting around watching other cool hot rods and cruising sedans come through the paved paths between the rows and surrounding streets. “Harvey’s Broiler was founded in 1958 by Harvey Ortner. He and his wife Minnie purchased the former poultry farm property located on Firestone Boulevard and Old River School Road in 1950 and hired architect Paul B. Clayton to design the restaurant. It was a superb example of Googie style architecture, also known as "populuxe or Doo-Wop." This was a form of modern and/or futurist architecture, influenced by car culture and the Atomic Age. Googie originated in Southern California during the late 1940s and continued into the mid-1960s. The style lent itself well to motels, coffee houses and bowling alleys. Harvey’s epitomized the movement with a drive-in canopy in the shape of a boomerang and recessed lighting that beamed down like a UFO. The drive-in was somewhat of a fashion show as it could easily accommodate as many as 100 of the sexiest cars of its time. The flamboyant and famous signage was a landmark for the City of Downey, as it was strikingly visible to drivers and onlookers on the main drag of Firestone Boulevard.” The hot spot parking areas were under those swoopy roof lines. But, the cruisers found ways to get from one side to the other in a circular pattern. Jnaki Notes from an old post” It is a historic place. But, like all good things that were around in full swing back in 1959-65, for us it was a memory that will last as a fun place. In those teenage cruising days and nights, Harvey’s was the place to go for most So Cal residents. It was a 11+ mile drive for us to get there, so it was not out of our cruising range. Spending time there was like rolling into a bunch of old hot rods by a bunch of strangers with nice sounding cars. It was like a western movie when the stranger "dressed in black" rolled into town.(pun intended) Everyone gave the stranger a weird look and went on with their business. We were not every week, locals and were treated as such. Perhaps, the darkened look was not to most folks' liking. the reception was rather cold. Only some hot rod guys came over to discuss our cars and drag racing in general. That was cool. But the overall feeling was that we had treaded on someone else’s area and it certainly was not the greeting we normally got at our own home court, Grissinger’s Drive-In Restaurant or Ken’s Burgers around the next big corner in Bixby Knolls. Or even down south in Corona Del Mar at Merle’s drive-in on PCH. YRMV Thanks, @themoose Note: With addition of the Buick Skylark Wire Wheels, plus the motor sounds of a new cam and lifters and new Corvette tube mufflers, it was changed over from mild hot rod sedan to somewhat fast, custom sedan. But, the acceptance level was just not the same as our own So Cal cruising area.
Nash exhibit at the 1933-‘34 Century Of Progress, the World’s Fair held in Chicago. Here’s a postcard from the fair-
Many are always looking for the “get rich quick” pie in the sky. My uncle was one of them feeding the ponies well into his 90’s. I never could see myself gambling as many I know did….With that said I do enjoy an “active Crap” table on occasion at Bonneville.
Illinois only had betting on the ponies or the state lottery until 1990 when off-shore gambling was allowed. Dad would sometimes invite my sister and wife to go to the gambling boat anchored on the Des Plaines River in Joliet. He’d give them each $200 to gamble, have a few laughs and maybe “hit the big one”. He never asked me to go, he knew I’d probably have a couple cocktails and stick the rest of the money in my pocket.
The Jalopy Journal
