History IF I ONLY HAD A TIME MACHINE

Hello,

Well, salaries did not go up too much for minimum wage. ($1.32 in 61 to 1.71 in 1971) When I was a teenager in 1961, I had to earn some money for an up and coming surf trip vacation. So, in the early summer, I got a job at a giant Kit Trailer company near my house on the Westside of Long Beach. It was right across the street from the well known speed shop in an industrial area. The Speed Engineering Shop was created By Tom McEwen and Ronnie LeGrand. They both were a short bicycle ride away.

(the distance to the job was not worth it to start the Flathead 40 Ford Sedan Delivery, so my old 10 speed bike did the job of getting me there and back.)

I started in the cabinet division and if you bought a Kit Trailer in 1961-62, I probably made the doors and attached the hinges to the frames. My starting salary was $1.32 per hour. Back then, I had no idea if that was low or high for a kid. But, I worked there for several weeks and quit, due to unnecessary actions from the supervisor and an injury from the job.

Instead of allowing me to go home to recover, they sent me to another section of the cabinet division. I was told to sand the million doors and get them ready for installation, all while my finger was bleeding profusely through the band-aid. It was not the right way to work in the industry. I was a good worker and set up my section well. So, well that the next area in the assembly line was getting backed up due to the doors I fixed and got ready for the next station.

Jnaki

We all had to start somewhere, but those days as a teenager were built for having fun, not be forced to work injured with a throbbing thumb. But, I heard all of the “stories” from the secretary, the v.p. of operations and my floor supervisor… “Look, kid, this job will lead you to a higher salary in a few years and your future will be set to get a manager’s job.” Yeah, right… it was that important !!! ha!

I earned enough for food for the surf vacation and it was what teenager should have been doing all along… It was the time to enjoy life and not be locked down with a 30 year future plan in place. Ha! YRMV

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...e-worker-stories.1092075/page-4#post-12388216

 

Jeeze, if I had a time machine I'd go back to the time I was racing for the bathroom and had to sneeze mid sprint

 

this car would have probably been better off just parked outside instead of buried.

 

Could be the sweetest and most sentimental comment ever posted on the HAMB.

 

Hello,

If there was a time period of total freedom and exploration in our lives, it was between 1964 and 1976 with our faithful, reliable, red 1965 El Camino. Bought from a dealer’s order form, not what I wanted with all of the custom parts available from the Chevy parts catalog, but at least, it was my first “new” car. We used the El Camino for 120k miles without any repairs, difficulties, and changes. It was as stock as it came (special parts as ordered that were available) from the Fremont, CA GM factory, next door to the old Fremont Dragstrip.

From the first time I stuck my longboard in the back to go to Orange County for a surf session, it was an open road with a long time friend to be. Plenty of road trips to Orange County , San Diego County and deep into Baja, Mexico were regular activities. Up North during college, it was one way to get around the whole S.F. Bay Area to see things I only saw in books and magazines.

Yes, for the first semester, my grades suffered and I almost got kicked out. But the following semester was a night and day experience. Better roommates and a friendlier environment, plus, growing up away from home all made the “A” grades show up on my “permanent record.” Ha! But, those long drives down the freeway at 2:00am were the most fun. Coffee, doughnuts, chips and spare Cokes in a cooler were the snacks of the trips to and from home. No traffic, empty roads and clear sight lines to see on ramps for the CHP waiting cars.

There were plenty of times of those long trips during those Northern Cal college days. But, it was the time of 1966-76 that the El Camino got its heavy duty road use on our travels up and down the coastal highways. Trips to Los Angeles, Big Sur, Monterrey, Santa Cruz up to the S.F. Bay Area and beyond. (even trips to Baja, Mexico was our destination and total relaxation in a different experience) that was our road trip itinerary. My wife and I, during our last two years of college into the total young married days and into the business mode, we made use of that Red El Camino for everything.

My future wife liked the El Camino so much she took one of the best photos of it in the years we owned it and we/she drove it together for 125k miles of pure fun…
photo by VNak
It was not just the college experience, but the knowledge of having the El Camino being so reliable. Being able to do whatever, carry tons of college stuff from one place to another without having to rent a van, etc. Go surfing at the moment after strapping in the longboard in the back, knowing it starts and gets me where I want to go/return safely all made the moment happen.

I did not get what I really wanted from the Chevy dealers for a new car order. They could not explain why I couldn’t order a 396 motor, a 4 speed transmission and bucket seats from the factory, since they are/were in the parts catalog from the factory. Even, the Malibu Chevelle had the ability to get those items on any order from any dealer. But, not the El Camino. (One model year later, in the fall of 1966, the new body style El Camino could be ordered with a 396 motor, 4 speed trans and bucket seats. A friend and fellow desert motorcycle racer had one with all of the above and A/C.)

Jnaki

With all of those single + friend along for the Northern California cruising road trips for exploration and jaunts to the “city” including coastal cruising, it gave me the total freedom to do what I liked to do for fun. But, after the Northern California experiences gave me the confidence to continue going up the coast with my girlfriend/new wife on our own, “Summer Of Love” road trips. For vacations, for photographs, to see concerts and car shows when it was part of our itinerary.

The two seater cab made it comfortable and cozy. Talking most of the way connected with each other in ways that was meant to be, (even for all of these years) during our 20s experiences. A great time to be alive and be able to share the adventures with each other. 1000s of miles of being together set the grounds for all of our togetherness and companionship starting in 1966. It has continued to this day, a zillion light years away…

What made it possible was the reliability of our 65 El Camino and what security it gave us as we drove up the coast, across California, and down the inland areas/desert climate areas to get back to our coastal So Cal apartment/houses. That was a huge part of us growing up together and a big thank you for not having me in the garage fixing things along the way or interrupting our journeys, finding ourselves. A new, 396 c.i. motor, A/C and 4speed would have been nice, but our own 65 El Camino gave me peace of mind and a controlled environment for 125k miles and a long lasting friendship to this day.

Note: Of all of the road miles and experiences, only one repair for a thermostat and new water pump at 120k and sold at 125k to a young surfer/sailor from Dana Point. That is reliability...