Prince and Charco's were next to each other on Garland road. Everyone would drive in one and drive out the other. I remember a couple of huge accidents in front from people pulling in and out. The Dairy Queen was on Fergason at Lakeland. If it wasn't for BA people it would have gone out of business. We never got much farther south than the spillway, you started getting into Woodrow Wilson territory.
Wilki used to cruise around in Richardson in that Cuda. It was strictly a race car. A friend and I had a 65 Chevelle with a built 427 running 4:88 rear. It would run 11 flat on the strip. He would eat us up like we were dragging an anchor.
The dealership who sold Mustang and Indian also sold Zundapp. It was Dallas Motorcycle Sales. It was where Catalina was. Conley's was where Browns was. Conley's later moved to Plano Rd. & Forest Ln. in North Dallas.
I grew up in Grand Prairie in the 60's. GP is between Dallas and Fort Worth for those that are unfamiliar with that area. 2 blocks from my house was Harrys Hot Rod Shop. The building was an old laundry mat. I remember going in there to play with the Hurst shifter displays and maybe buy hot rod decals. And dream of owning one of the Rupp mini bikes out front. There were always drag cars gathered around. Harry once got me and some other neighborhood kids to clean up a old lot so he could have a car show. he paid us in Dr peppers. I was fine with it. The other kids dad was pissed. hahaha Nobody has yet mentioned the old Sportsdrome Speedway that was next to Yello Belly. NOT the new lil track thats there now. Sportsdrome had about a 50 Chevy coupe up on the sign with 88 painted on the doors. I was always facinated with it. There was a movie filmed at Sportsdrome. I think it was called Corky or something. About a dirt track racer. I remember driving by Yello Belly with my dad and doing everything I could to see cars on the strip. Also, In Arlington about a mile from the new Cowboy Stadium was Arlington Downs horse track that held car races. That was 40's or so.
This is a great thread!! Dallas sure has changed. It seems homogenized now to me in some spots. It was good to hear real Dallas accents in that car hop documentary! I read somewher that a grocery store is on the site of Green Valley Dragway,and that there are pics of the old strip in the store.
I would LOVE to hear more about that roadster too. I found a pic among some of my Dad's things years ago that I have since misplaced but looked an awful lot like that one. I've got to see if I can find it. As I understand it was one of my uncles that owned it. Not saying its the same car, but sure got me curious now.
Great Pictures. I met AD back just before he died. I believe it was Carl Shipley, his sponser who used to stop by at the Polar Bear Ice Cream on Lancaster, where I worked and buy a double dip before heading to the track, with AD's racer in tow. He came by after AD's fatal accident to tell me about. It was a very sad day.
Here,s a picture from a couple of years ago. Think this from the staging lanes. That's all that's left of the track.
You can see the Green Valley track and what's left here. Look at post 40. Larry T http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=71752&highlight=green+valley+shut+down&page=3
Don't know if it's been mentioned in here or not... There's going to be a Forest Lane Reunion June 4, 2011.
back in '72 my dad was over in germany making some business calls. he told someone the company he was with was located just outside of dallas, the guy went off on him about people from dallas being a bunch of murderers for killing the president!
I thought the road course had a lot more corners then it shows in the image, bad memory? Also '' the big D pacers" Kart club used to race the road course in the 60's, kinda off topic, but I still like karts.
I lived in Hurst in the 60s. I use to work at Green Valley somewhere around 66-67. The stuff about GV reminds me of a speed shop on Belknap, Haltom City area. It was next to or close to the old Rambler dealer/AMC dealer just down from the old Haltom Theater. A buddy of mine dad use to manage that theater as well as the Belair theaater in Hurst so I was in the area constantly. Does anyone remember the name of the speed shop. My fading memory seems to think it was Scotties.
It was indeed Scotty's Automotive located on Belknap St. and it had the dragster on the pole if you remember. There was another Scotty's location, I believe it was on Lancaster in Ft. Worth, this location also had a machine shop. Scott later opend S&S Automotive a wholesale automotive warehouse on the south side of downtown Ft. Worth, but I don't remember the street name. I had a several good friends that worked for Scott and was partners with the manager of S&S in a dragster back in the late 60's and early 70's. Another good friend eventually bought out S&S from Scott and the rest is history.
My Dad sponcered a stock car that ran at the Sportsdrome. Douglas Asphalt Paving was the sponcer and the car number was the 377. Charles Upchurch was the driver and he won several races out there.
i was born in 1970 so i missed the great 50s 60s . lived in grand prairie spent alot of time at harrys with my dad as a kid , he would pull over off the road & we would watch the cars run at yellow belly , moved to mansfield in jr high , spent alot of time at the kennedale drag strip , behind the miller brewery street racing , & cruised cooper . good times
Raised in GP myself. Raced at Sportsdrome in the late 70's early 80's When the Adrians owned it. Studebaker on the tower, but I can't remember what year it was. We use to hangout in front of Western Auto or behind the Jack-in-the box or Turner park.
After entering a search for Circle Dragstrip, I find this great thread. Reading through, I kept expecting someone who ran there to mention either running 55.55 or 88.88. Personally ran both on the same night in a 48 coupe. It would be too much to ask if someone had video of that place. What was the mid 60s cruisin burger joint in South Oak Cliff, not far from the big park? Lots of good racing came out of there. How many times have I thought of you Bobby and the motivation that your T bucket was for me as I built my Candy Red 27. Thanks again for answers to endless questions and for your compliments when I showed it for the first time. Seeing the AA/ Gassers at Green Valley and the Stone, Woods, and Cook car at Custom set a hook in me for life. An old A/GS '33 Willys from east Texas found me and we have been together since. Fender's was hoppin about that time. I hope you guys appreciate that there aren't too many cities in the world where places like Keller's and Fender's can do what they do and did. They made movies about fun on a carhop tray and you can still do it. Hope you are.
I grew up in North Dallas. Cruised Forest Lane and White Rock lake back when you could. The cruising scene was great and lots of cool cars on the road. I wish I had taken pics. I wonder if the old Drive in diner is still there on North West Hiway north of the lake? Mike
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