Lake Street (Mpls, MN) in the 60s

Yah, that's what i meant. Shoulda had my coffee 1st.

 

I think the direction changed already, we have been talking about Wards, Red Rock Rd., "Private Beach", The Sun Drive-in, my junior high school, Mn. Dragways etc etc etc. Keep it going Twin Cities only.

 

Buflochp,



Almost had a heart attack when I saw this picture. Back in about 1969 when I was in High School, I bought this car. At the time it was back in primer (over the red), & the hood was missing. At the time no one wanted customs. I drove it for a while & then had an engine fire & sold the car dirt cheap. Last I heard it was in southern Minnesota. The car started life as a hard top & was converted to a convert. Hat "CHOP CHOP" written on the glove box. Also had 57 Chrysler taillights as I remember.
Wow, does that bring back memories.

 

The story I've heard on this car is, Marlyn Englert is the guy who originally had this car built back when it was brand new. Norm Baltes bought it/restored it in the early 70's. Norm owned it until the mid 2000's then sold it back to Marlyn. I believe Norm was asked to sell the car several times, but had said he would only sell it to Marlyn. Marlyn has since completely restored the car, painting it candy apple red, and putting a different grill in it. It was shown in the GSTA show recently as it is now..

 

More Mpls area drag cars....Any more from Minnesota Dragways, Northstar or Amber Green?

 

Lived behind the grain elevators near Pork's west lake and graduated from West in 71'. Me and my buddies were up and down that street plenty, sometimes in my 53' Olds hardtop. Remember Pirkle Dodge, Grossman Chev, Woodcraft raceway's, the Buzza building? Now a member of the Lakestreet Surf and Drag Assn. Got First thursdays started at Dulono's. (Dictator for Life.....)
Check out KFAI on friday nights...radio rumpus room.
Streaming.

.

 

Here a few that could be seen on lake street back in the days

 

A few more that ran on lake street a few times. The Bird is a bit new for HAMB but its Dennis Loeffler's from my home town of Winona, Mn and yes he did run lake street a few times

 

I wish I could make these better, ther are some great cars here.

 

The yellow '40 Chevy coupe in your last photo belonged to Dick "Thor" Thorstenson from Duluth. Channeled and powered by a 394 Olds. Here's a shot of it posed with my old Lyndwood dragster.

It has survived. Still cruising the streets up here....now in flat black.

 

Lot of old MSMA members pics in the mix.

 

Not the good ole' days, but more recent!

Porky's is still alive and well!

 

Are these scans of pictures you have?

I am trying to research the history of a car I have. 40&61 Fords tipped me off on this post. He believes as well as myself and others that I may have Dave Babblers 36 Ford 3W and that may be a picture of it.

If you have the actual picture, could I talk you into taking that somewhere for a high quality copy?

 

Here's Thor's '40 Chevy as it looks today.

 

Is this the car by chance?

http://www.gstarod-custom.com/carshow/53thPoster2.jpg

 

I just helped the GSTA redesign their website, still not done but there is some cool history about Mpls. hot rodding and drag racing back in the 50's and 60's. Here is a link to the history page, again it's not done, but still a good read:

http://www.gstarod-custom.com/gstahistory.htm

 

It sure is!

 

more old home reminders

the chevette with the blower(fake) was sitting the shed next to what is now my 50 chevv sedan delivery when i first saw it and decided to buy it ..do not remember the owners name this was in Elk River 1989
its a small small (Minnesota) WORLD

 

Don't want to let this thread die. Judging from the stories i've heard in person there has to be more than this.

 

Well it was late 70's for me but I used to cruise Lake Street alot. Drove a yellow 70 Road Runner and used to spend my weekends at North Star dragways.

 

There was a Ford dealer on Lake St, South side of Lake St. between Portland & I-35 - it was named after the owner but I can't remember the name. + there was a Ford dealer many years ago on Hennepin somewhere near where MAS use to be. Also on Lake St. West of I-35 a few blocks; North side of the street was an old brick building where you could still read fainted paint of a Mopar dealer & on South side of street was a big white building with yellow trim that was A Studeabaker dealer. Also - I don't know if they are still there or not - but - what about Downtown Chevytown??? They use to sponser late night tv movies.

 

Who could ever forget Smith Auto at Lyndale and Lake. I thought they had really cool window decals, I have a couple kind of beat up ones in my garage on the electrical service box.

 

I remember Ted Smith Auto.....and my pal Johnny Cottrell (sp?) who worked there. Where are those characters today ?

 

Everybody must remember the yellow T-bucket kit that sat in the window at the MAS on Hennepin...with the 427 SOHC stuck in it. I loved going to that place as a kid with my dad.

 

I've been thinking bout old cars in this area for awhile, but never saw anyone post up. Glad to see the pictures. All I have heard is from what my pops used to tell me. One of these days I'll get some of the old pictures of him an his 36 camping with his buddies.

 

The Ford dealer on Hennepin and 26th was Hull-Dobbs, it was about a block south of where MAS used to be. There's a Chipotle restaurant on that site now. I don't know the name of the Ford dealer between Portland and I-35, but the building is still there. It was a used furniture store for many years, and now is a Mexican mall of some sort with a bunch of small shops inside. The places on Lake St. west of I-35: the Mopar dealer building on the north side of the street is long gone, replaced by a Walgreen's drug store. The building for the Studebaker dealer is still there on the south side of the street, but it's a Mexican grocery store. There is a small auto repair shop working out of the back side of the building. I live about four blocks north of there.

There aren't any dealerships left in downtown Minneapolis at all. The last one was Hansord; they used to be a Pontiac dealer but in recent years sold Jaguars and Land Rovers. They finally moved out to the suburbs several years ago.

Here's a picture of Hull-Dobbs Ford from 1951, they were kitty corner from Jefferson school (the school is still there although it's now an elementary instead of a junior high.)

 

THANK YOU for the update. It has been over 30 years since I have cruised Lake St. - I have been racking my brain on that Ford dealer on Lake St. Was it Ed Nelson or something similar to that?

 

The Studebaker dealer was Randolph Light on Lake Street a few blocks west of Blaisdalle Ave. I grew up about 3 blocks from Hull Dobbs Ford. I remember climbing over the fence behind the shop and going through the body shop dumpster. I grabbed a deep dish steering wheel from a 59 Olds that had a crack in it and put it on my sting ray bicycle. I even hooked up the horn buttons on the wheel to work my bike horn.

 

Man I wish I could have been around at that time. My dad is from Somerset Wi and used to cruise porkey's on Univ. and I remember him saying something about a bridge in St. Paul. He had a 69' red Roadrunner. I use to cruise Univ. in the mid 90's with an orange 71' cuda. After a Back to the 50's day with my dad we went and got my cuda and went to porkies and did some cruising. I still remember the big smile and look on his face that night. That was a priceless moment for me. I have some pictures of cars at the drag strips don't know which ones in MN. When I get some parts for my comuter to use my scaner I will put them on here for you guys. Are there any places that still have cruises. I am down by Owatonna and would love to go to some this summer and meet some of you guys.
Matt

 

In the mid/late 70s when I would go to see my sister up in Ely we would drive by a dragstrip that was on the west side of I-35 on the north side of town. I don't think it was open anymore at the time but there was the strip and a timing tower still there. Was that Northstar or Minnesota Dragway?