The very first 'hot rod' club

Atwater Mike · Oct 13, 2010

As they weren't coined 'hot rods' yet, anybody have info on the very first club?
I believe it was one of the original ones that joined SCTA, but which one?

There were the 'Gophers', '********rs', 'Hutters' (I know, they came later, named for their hangout: "The Hula Hut",) then, 'Throttlers', and more...

Anyone know which was the first?

A 'mate' of mine from O-Z was here for a week, now he's touring the Grand Canyon, etc.
He asked me, and being the old "Rodder From Yesteryear" that he thinks I am, I would be grateful for any help my HAMB Bros can give me.

You know, to save my "fair name"! LOL

Weasel · Oct 13, 2010

The Outriders were founded in 1932 and still going strong.

Special Ed · Oct 13, 2010

Weasel said: ↑

The Outriders were founded in 1932 and still going strong.
Click to expand...

That's how I understand it, as well. Outriders in '32. Just your basic Southern California hotrod carclub with a membership roster that reads like a who's who....

cuznbrucie · Oct 13, 2010

The Fullerton *Knight Riders* were founded in 1934 at Fullerton HS and boasted such members as Duke Hallock, and Bernie Couch, who still drives his full fendered Deuce roadster to this day.......I have a couple of their t-shirts......wear them proudly......

Not as old as the Outriders perhaps, but still one of the real pioneers..... Here's a piece written by my good friend, Jim Moore of Arroyo Grande.......


[FONT=&quot]RACING OUT OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION:[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]THE KNIGHT RIDERS[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]By Jim Moore[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot](Rev. #1 - see underlines)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Following the Stock Market crash of 1929, California, like the rest of the country, was reeling from the devastating effects of the Great Depression. By 1932, the state’s unemployment rate was 28% and by 1934, one-fifth of all California’s work force was on relief. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Despite these dire economic cir***stances, young Southern California roadster enthusiasts, with the eternal optimism of youth, had begun banding together to form racing clubs to compete at Muroc (Rogers), El Mirage, Harper, Rosemond, and Lucerne dry lakes in the nearby desert. (While the exact date of the first roadster club founding is elusive, reference to one club, the Outriders, has been do***ented as early as 1932.) Actually, the very first organized speed trials at Muroc were promoted by Earl Mansell of Pasadena and took place on October 9, 1927.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]On November 5, 1934, a group of roadster owners, most of them Fullerton Union High School graduates or students, met to form a racing club they named the Knight Riders. It is unclear why they chose this particular handle, but in March 1940, the members voted to change the club’s name from the Knight Riders to the more socially acceptable sounding California Roadster Club. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]A**** the Knight Riders’ charter members was Duke Hallock, creator of the first vee windshield for ‘28 and ‘29 Model A roadsters. Duke’s design was inspired by the ‘29 Auburn speedster and ‘30 Duesenberg roadster, and his windshields are highly prized to this day. Another charter member, Ed Adams, went on to be the first president of the Southern California Timing ***ociation in 1938. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Each member of the club had a black leather jacket with the club emblem on the left pocket and a hand-painted sheet metal Knight Riders plaque with his number on it. The number was ***igned by his roadster’s speed, number one being the fastest. Duke was the first holder of the number one plaque. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]By 1936, the ranking of the club’s roadsters by number had become controversial, so in June, the members traveled to Lucerne Dry Lake where a series of timed speed trials settled all arguments once and for all. Rules were then established that if a member wanted to advance his number, he must make an official challenge and put up $1. If he won, he got his dollar back and got to exchange plaques with the loser. If he lost, 50 cents went to the guy he challenged and 50 cents went to the club treasury. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Because the Ford V8 was in its infancy when the club began, nearly all the Knight Riders roadsters were powered by hopped up 4-bangers, including 7 Cragars, 4 Winfield flat heads, one 2 Port Riley, and one 4 Port Riley; there were also 2 A-V8 roadsters. A Yorba Linda, CA, newspaper account dated June 6, 1937, described the following exploits of home town boy Mel Ball, a member of the Fullerton Knight Riders: “After showing a speed of 105.26 miles an hour in his qualifying run, Melvin Ball of Barton’s Garage took first place in the Cl*** C race for stock body cars at Muroc Lake Sunday. And for being second fastest in cars equipped with a Cragar head, Melvin was awarded a substantial merchandise order.”[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]On May 16, 1937, the Knight Riders, ***isted by the Tornados of Santa Ana, and the 90 MPH Club of Los Angeles, staged the first car club-sponsored time trials at Muroc, under the banner of the Muroc Racing ***ociation. In November of that year, several roadster clubs got together to propose a merger, resulting in the formation of the Southern California Timing ***ociation, with the Knight Riders’ Ed Adams as its president. Other charter members with the Knight Riders were the Roadrunners, Sidewinders, Throttlers, Ramblers, and Idlers. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]With the beginning of the Second World War in December 1941, the Army Air Corps quickly took over Muroc Dry Lake, effectively ending speed trials for the duration. Knight Riders/CRC member Bernie Couch returned from military service in 1946 and took up with the club where he had left off, racing the ‘32 Ford roadster his brother had helped him buy some years earlier from the used car lot of McCoy and Mills Ford in Fullerton. Not only did Bernie manage to wring out more than 134 MPH from his roadster at El Mirage, but he was one of the few guys with a camera in those days. Thanks to his foresight, we are able to enjoy the pictures accompanying this story. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]For many of the California roadster Club members returning from the war, roadster activities had to be put on the back burner as they married, bought homes, and had kids. As membership in the club dwindled, the remaining active members like Bernie, Wally O’Brien, and several others joined the Strokers of nearby Whittier. The Strokers was a very active club in SCTA in the late ‘40’s and early ‘50’s.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Meanwhile, the disbanded California Roadster Club soon became just another asterisk in the dry lakes history books…until 1990. That year, roadster enthusiasts Duane McKinney and Tom Schauppner saw a need for a real hot rod roadster club and resurrected the California Roadster Club. Unlike the usual power parking, lawn chair lounging street rod dudes, these guys were the real deal. By 2004, the California Roadsters had grown to 23 members, nearly all of them boasting racing credentials, including two Bonneville 200 MPH club members, a two-time winner of the great American Race and owner of the world’s fastest street driven roadster, a road racer, pro-stock and top fuel drag racers, a sprint car racer, an off road racer and the owner of the first door-slammer, a Pontiac Firebird, to break the 300 MPH barrier at Bonneville...a feat Duane likens to climbing Mount Everest for the first time. Most remarkable guy of all, however, has to be the original Knight Riders and California roadster Club member, who has now owned his ‘32 Ford roadster nearly 64 years: BERNIE COUCH.[/FONT]

'
CB

McFly · Oct 13, 2010

Wow! Thanks CB. I live in Fullerton and have been trying to do some research on the early years of the Knight Riders. Very cool info!

Atwater Mike · Oct 13, 2010

Weasel! Spec Ed! Cuz'n Brucie! Thanks much, now I can return to 'hero status'. LOL

Outriders AND Knight Riders had slipped my mind, but I misplaced my DeSoto Hemi a week ago, so it's no wonder! (found it on my new deck, I had stacked my new kitchen cabinets in front of it...Yeah, don't ask! I got a big deck...)

cuznbrucie · Oct 13, 2010

McFly said: ↑

Wow! Thanks CB. I live in Fullerton and have been trying to do some research on the early years of the Knight Riders. Very cool info!
Click to expand...

Bernie Couch still lives in Fullerton, if I am not mistaken...or somewhere very close.......you should make an attempt to contact him and go have a chat.......*living history*, that man....

CB

Sir Woosh · Oct 13, 2010

Great thread! Will always enjoy hot rod history.

I would have been into history much more in school with this kind of study..........................

hotroddon · Oct 13, 2010

you might want to look at this thread
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=190757&highlight=oldest
Most generally agree that the Outriders, est 1932 are the oldest known. Glendale Sidewinders came about in around 34, same as knight Riders and then a hole slew by 37 when the SCTA started.

LANCE-SPEED · Oct 13, 2010

Special Ed said: ↑

That's how I understand it, as well. Outriders in '32. Just your basic Southern California hotrod carclub with a membership roster that reads like a who's who....
Click to expand...

HEY ED, was your road trip??

philly the greek · Oct 13, 2010

cuznbrucie said: ↑

Bernie Couch still lives in Fullerton, if I am not mistaken...or somewhere very close.......you should make an attempt to contact him and go have a chat.......*living history*, that man....

CB
Click to expand...

I have been a member of the California Roadsters for the last 15 years , and we are very proud to have Bernie Couch in our club. At 86 years old he still drives the the hell out of the same '32 roadster that he's had for 65 years .

Royalshifter · Oct 13, 2010

Wow Brucie's gun was loaded....what a great history lesson.

hombres ruin · Oct 13, 2010

Great thread.learned alot anyone have a pic of bernie and his 32?

philly the greek · Oct 13, 2010

Here's a pic of Bernie Couch taken last year

DocWatson · Oct 13, 2010

cuznbrucie said: ↑

The Fullerton *Knight Riders* were founded in 1934 at Fullerton HS and boasted such members as Duke Hallock, and Bernie Couch, who still drives his full fendered Deuce roadster to this day.......I have a couple of their t-shirts......wear them proudly......
Click to expand...

So...........where does KITT come into it??

I love the early history of our way of life (Yeah, I don't think its just a hobby!) Thank you for the time to post.
Doc.

hombres ruin · Oct 14, 2010

great pic phil,thanks very much.

Bullet Nose · Oct 17, 2010

cuznbrucie said: ↑

Here's a piece written by my good friend, Jim Moore of Arroyo Grande.......

CB
Click to expand...

Good read. I also have a few photos of those original hand painted plaques on our website. Not sure if all the info I have on the following page is correct but I tried to do***ent the early days with these examples .....

Car Club Plaque History

Kona Cruisers · Oct 17, 2010

My grandfather inlaw is a founding member of the Glendale sidewiders... he had a T roadster ith a riley two port. He hasnt had anyone to talk about the old days untill he met me! he told me he is leaving me an ORIGINAL FIRST CASTING CLUB PLATE!!!! his name is Ben Martin his older brother was in the club two, but I dont know his name.

greenlitebandit · Feb 20, 2011

Just bumped into this quote. There is a bit of misinformation in it. The creation of the California Roadster Club was more than just a simple "[FONT=&quot]vote to change the clubs name"[/FONT] from the Knight Riders, although many of the members were of the Knight Riders. My uncle, a Fullerton boy as myself, is one of the founding California Roadster Club members. Still alive, not too many years ago he moved from So Cal to Arizona for the "climate."

In the 1940s my father was a police officer who built hot rods and shepherded the local boys to keep them from trouble. One of those was the late Commissioner Sam Collins. Yes Sam's father was the local senator in those days. Dad and uncle with us kids in tow spent many weekends at the SA Airport drags when they opened.

cuznbrucie said: ↑

The Fullerton *Knight Riders* were founded in 1934 at Fullerton HS and boasted such members as Duke Hallock, and Bernie Couch, who still drives his full fendered Deuce roadster to this day.......I have a couple of their t-shirts......wear them proudly......

Not as old as the Outriders perhaps, but still one of the real pioneers..... Here's a piece written by my good friend, Jim Moore of Arroyo Grande.......


[FONT=&quot]RACING OUT OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION:[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]THE KNIGHT RIDERS[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]By Jim Moore[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot](Rev. #1 - see underlines)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Following the Stock Market crash of 1929, California, like the rest of the country, was reeling from the devastating effects of the Great Depression. By 1932, the states unemployment rate was 28% and by 1934, one-fifth of all Californias work force was on relief. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Despite these dire economic cir***stances, young Southern California roadster enthusiasts, with the eternal optimism of youth, had begun banding together to form racing clubs to compete at Muroc (Rogers), El Mirage, Harper, Rosemond, and Lucerne dry lakes in the nearby desert. (While the exact date of the first roadster club founding is elusive, reference to one club, the Outriders, has been do***ented as early as 1932.) Actually, the very first organized speed trials at Muroc were promoted by Earl Mansell of Pasadena and took place on October 9, 1927.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On November 5, 1934, a group of roadster owners, most of them Fullerton Union High School graduates or students, met to form a racing club they named the Knight Riders. It is unclear why they chose this particular handle, but in March 1940, the members voted to change the clubs name from the Knight Riders to the more socially acceptable sounding California Roadster Club. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]A**** the Knight Riders charter members was Duke Hallock, creator of the first vee windshield for 28 and 29 Model A roadsters. Dukes design was inspired by the 29 Auburn speedster and 30 Duesenberg roadster, and his windshields are highly prized to this day. Another charter member, Ed Adams, went on to be the first president of the Southern California Timing ***ociation in 1938. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Each member of the club had a black leather jacket with the club emblem on the left pocket and a hand-painted sheet metal Knight Riders plaque with his number on it. The number was ***igned by his roadsters speed, number one being the fastest. Duke was the first holder of the number one plaque. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]By 1936, the ranking of the clubs roadsters by number had become controversial, so in June, the members traveled to Lucerne Dry Lake where a series of timed speed trials settled all arguments once and for all. Rules were then established that if a member wanted to advance his number, he must make an official challenge and put up $1. If he won, he got his dollar back and got to exchange plaques with the loser. If he lost, 50 cents went to the guy he challenged and 50 cents went to the club treasury. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Because the Ford V8 was in its infancy when the club began, nearly all the Knight Riders roadsters were powered by hopped up 4-bangers, including 7 Cragars, 4 Winfield flat heads, one 2 Port Riley, and one 4 Port Riley; there were also 2 A-V8 roadsters. A Yorba Linda, CA, newspaper account dated June 6, 1937, described the following exploits of home town boy Mel Ball, a member of the Fullerton Knight Riders: After showing a speed of 105.26 miles an hour in his qualifying run, Melvin Ball of Bartons Garage took first place in the Cl*** C race for stock body cars at Muroc Lake Sunday. And for being second fastest in cars equipped with a Cragar head, Melvin was awarded a substantial merchandise order.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On May 16, 1937, the Knight Riders, ***isted by the Tornados of Santa Ana, and the 90 MPH Club of Los Angeles, staged the first car club-sponsored time trials at Muroc, under the banner of the Muroc Racing ***ociation. In November of that year, several roadster clubs got together to propose a merger, resulting in the formation of the Southern California Timing ***ociation, with the Knight Riders Ed Adams as its president. Other charter members with the Knight Riders were the Roadrunners, Sidewinders, Throttlers, Ramblers, and Idlers. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]With the beginning of the Second World War in December 1941, the Army Air Corps quickly took over Muroc Dry Lake, effectively ending speed trials for the duration. Knight Riders/CRC member Bernie Couch returned from military service in 1946 and took up with the club where he had left off, racing the 32 Ford roadster his brother had helped him buy some years earlier from the used car lot of McCoy and Mills Ford in Fullerton. Not only did Bernie manage to wring out more than 134 MPH from his roadster at El Mirage, but he was one of the few guys with a camera in those days. Thanks to his foresight, we are able to enjoy the pictures accompanying this story. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]For many of the California roadster Club members returning from the war, roadster activities had to be put on the back burner as they married, bought homes, and had kids. As membership in the club dwindled, the remaining active members like Bernie, Wally OBrien, and several others joined the Strokers of nearby Whittier. The Strokers was a very active club in SCTA in the late 40s and early 50s.
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Meanwhile, the disbanded California Roadster Club soon became just another asterisk in the dry lakes history booksuntil 1990. That year, roadster enthusiasts Duane McKinney and Tom Schauppner saw a need for a real hot rod roadster club and resurrected the California Roadster Club. Unlike the usual power parking, lawn chair lounging street rod dudes, these guys were the real deal. By 2004, the California Roadsters had grown to 23 members, nearly all of them boasting racing credentials, including two Bonneville 200 MPH club members, a two-time winner of the great American Race and owner of the worlds fastest street driven roadster, a road racer, pro-stock and top fuel drag racers, a sprint car racer, an off road racer and the owner of the first door-slammer, a Pontiac Firebird, to break the 300 MPH barrier at Bonneville...a feat Duane likens to climbing Mount Everest for the first time. Most remarkable guy of all, however, has to be the original Knight Riders and California roadster Club member, who has now owned his 32 Ford roadster nearly 64 years: BERNIE COUCH.[/FONT]

'
CB
Click to expand...

Jalopy Joker · May 15, 2011

Wow, great info

stillrunners · May 15, 2011

wow....cool stuff....thanks

Rumbler · May 15, 2011

I like the fact that to move up in the club, you had to race the guy with the higher ranking plaque. Now thats how you move up in the world!

Scott De Shields · May 16, 2011

Does anyone know any history of the T Timers club?

Bullet Nose · May 16, 2011

Scott De Shields said: ↑

Does anyone know any history of the T Timers club?
Click to expand...

I know the club was started in Santa Monica and was based there. I have a little info about them on this page .....

Clubs with the Same Name

and a lot of former members have contacted me.

The37Kid · Mar 17, 2012

I started this thread but it really relates to this one on early Hot Rod Clubs. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7573771#post7573771

Doc Squat · Mar 17, 2012

Lots of cool history here. Some people think we're a dying breed. Young guys today are more interested in Cameros and Mustangs. And then there's the rice burners. Our club lost 3 guys over the winter and don't seem to be guys around interested in "hot rod clubs." Maybe we are a dying breed.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Like I told the kid, "Your musics not too loud, its just like OKC, it ****s!"

Deuce Daddy Don · Mar 18, 2012

Doc Squat said: ↑

Lots of cool history here. Some people think we're a dying breed. Young guys today are more interested in Cameros and Mustangs. And then there's the rice burners. Our club lost 3 guys over the winter and don't seem to be guys around interested in "hot rod clubs." Maybe we are a dying breed.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Like I told the kid, "Your musics not too loud, its just like OKC, it ****s!"
Click to expand...

Thats OK!---We still have our memories!!!

lothiandon1940 · Mar 18, 2012

Great history lesson, Bruce, and everyone else who has posted. Don't know how I missed this thread when it started. I find the history of these early hot-rodding pioneers fascinating. I'm sure most of you have read them, but R&C has a great monthly story on one of these pioneers. Recent ones have been Jim Travis, Nick Arias, Jr. and in the March 2012 issue, the Bernie Couch Story. Great stuff that anyone who calls himself a "hot-rodder" should really enjoy.....Don.

Doc Squat · Mar 18, 2012

Deuce Daddy Don said: ↑

Thats OK!---We still have our memories!!!
Click to expand...

You're right about that. Heres one we lost a couple weeks ago. Joel Burkhart. His 32 roadster was a 1956 build with a nailhead Buick.Around Tulsa it was an iconic rod. Nothing changed since 1956.

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The very first 'hot rod' club

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