I went to CalHi, Class of '81. I also went to Mulberry and Hillview. My parents moved to Whittier from La Mirada in 1968 and we lived at the corner of Armley and Lambert.
Hey Sally, hope you don't mind me fixing up the photo a bit: Despite living in Pasadena and Lincoln Heights in the early '80s, I never made it over to Whittier. My Aztec buddies and I used to cruise North Broadway and North Main around Lincoln Park in my Imperial, now and then falling into a string of lowriders. I bet a lot of them wondered "who are all these Indios with the gavacho chauffeur?" North Broadway & Daly, 1982
Hey guys.... loved reading all the stories! I'm in the process of buying a 61 Dodge Ram induction Polara D500 that was sold new at Dave Schenk Dodge in Whittier CA back in the day. Makes me wonder if it was cruising Whittier Blvd back in the day, maybe someone here even had a dig or two with it! Note the front license plate frame!
I just looked up this old thread and decided to add some info. I cruise through on Whittier Blvd. occasionally still just to remember. In fact, I lived up on Eastrdige Drive straight up the hill from Norm’s Hamburgers - it’s still there. I wonder if anyone else besides me remembers that diagonally across the street (NE corner of Whittier Blvd & Oceanview) was a Pep Boys back in the 60’s? I went there many times with my Dad. So tiny a store compared to the modern Pep Boys. Collins Top Shop was later owned (maybe still?) by a kid I went to Auto Shop with: Brent Breghoff. I may have the spelling wrong but he worked there and eventually bought it from I assume Mr. Collins. That shop did the upholstery on my ‘66 Chevy van. I remember looking at new DiTomaso Panteras in the showroom windows of Urich Lincoln Mercury. I THINK the new price was about $8995. Long gone now and the parking lot for a Ralphs/now Smart & Final grocery store. Incidentally, Ben Niemi Buick was Jim Childs Buick back in the day. They knocked it down and there are apartments or condos there now. How times change.
Collins Top Shop was later owned (maybe still?) by a kid I went to Auto Shop with: Brent Breghoff. I may have the spelling wrong but he worked there and eventually bought it from I assume Mr. Collins. That shop did the upholstery on my ‘66 Chevy van. @Dan in Pasadena I knew Brent well, was in the Model A club with him. As I remember, he sold the shop in the late '90's and moved up to Lone Pine or thereabouts. I lost track of him after that.
Don't forget Harley Davidson Whittier on Greenleaf. Born in East Elay 1948, near Atlantic and Whittier. Nice stories here.
This is a cool old thread. I used to cruise Whittier Blvd from ~74 - early 80's. The later days was in a 70 Chevelle SS396, 4 speed. Good times. I recall street races happening, as other's have said, down in Santa Fe Springs, or in the industrial area behind the La Mirada drive in. I got nailed for street racing coming home from there once, down Brookhurst street, past Orangethorpe. I denied I was racing anyone, we were just showing off, and he wrote me up for exhibition of speed. I asked why he didn't pull the other guy over, and he said because I won. Then he told me he wished I would've made a run for it cause he liked high speed chases. One night my buddies and I kept going west instead of turning around and ended up in the lowrider cruiser section. We figured that was no place for 3 long hair white boys and got the hell out of there before trouble started.
Nice to see that there are still some of us out here that remember those days. Have watched this thread for a couple of years and no one posted. Thought we were all gone......
Anyone remember Dombrowski and his 57 Chevy named "Gas Saver"? How's about Ron Johanson (sp.). He drove a shortened 57? Chevy that could do wheelstands? Jerry Polis and his Nova? Allensworth and his VW? Bill Beaver driving a primered Ford sedan delivery? Terry Sorensen and his beat up 60 Chevy Nomad? Damn, where did the time go..... Whittier Theater, Winchell's Donuts, Jack's Salad Bowl, Black Jack's pool hall. Anyone remember Pup N Taco across from Urichs? I seem to remember Chuck Norris had a karate studio on Whittier Blvd. in the 70's or am I just hallucinating from some bad drugs.... Anyway, was really nice reading all your memories even if bittersweet. Thanks for making me smile.
It's kind of off topic but still kind of on topic at the same time. From 1965 through 1970, I was the token white guy in a group of 50 or so Chicano motorcycle riders who mostly lived in ELA. We were definitely a mixed group running Beezers, Nortons, the occasional Ariel Square Four, and the poor boys riding Harleys. I can remember riding down Whittier several nights just to see the sights. Saw some absolutely killer paint jobs on the low riders. Couldn't afford a camera back then. Took all my money to keep the Panhead oiled up.
Motorcycle shop I worked in as a 12-13 year old in the late 60's early 70's. Was a Norton/Ducati dealership. It was on the 6000 blk. Whittier Blvd. in East LA. Few blocks from Atlantic. You can still make out the Norton on the upper left on the building after 50 plus years after closing.
The Jalopy Journal
