Hello, The City of Long Beach, CA has a lot of historic buildings. One in particular was an old “classic moderne” design building on American Avenue, now called Long Beach Boulevard. This old building was once the home to Glenn E. Thomas Dodge back in the very old days. After the 1933 earthquake and the redesign of the building, Glenn E. Thomas took the Deco style, over the top, with neon trimming while pushing the latest Dodge autos. Its asymmetrical Streamline Moderne façade was built following the 1933 Long Beach Earthquake. After the 1933 earthquake and the redesign of the building, Glenn E. Thomas took the Deco style, over the top, with neon trimming while pushing the latest Dodge autos. Its asymmetrical Streamline Moderne façade was built following the 1933 Long Beach Earthquake. "Car dealers made great use of the building as a showroom both before and after the quake. Early tenants included E.W. Hillnger offering a Demot 2-cylinder horseless carriage for $650 in 1910. The Bush Bros. peddled Paige, Oldsmobile and Chevrolet models in 1916. Cowden & Marti sold Chevy roadsters in 1918 for $825." Jnaki Our history with the building was when it became the famous Long Beach used/old book store called Acres of Books. It has its own history and almost a block long building filled to the brim with books, old mostly and some new. As college students and later on, my wife and I perused the tons of books in the stacks. It was an all day adventure and the cost of a arm full of books was very low cost. Especially, for college kids on some budget or two. Then as 20 something, young married folks with very little pocket change, but still having a fascination with old books and old cars. But, it is/was famous for its ability to know where every book, in every style, is located. Some were rather valuable historic books, too. That store, also, went away as the redevelopment of the whole downtown area was given full swing with bidding to recreate a new/old look. That has somewhat stalled and these are what is left of the historic area. (and the old Glenn E. Thomas Dodge showroom.) Glenn E. Thomas Dodge, today, has since become one of the largest Dodge Dealers in So Cal. (in another location) Note: Glen E. Thomas was a name we all knew as the Dodge Dealer was closer to our high school and favorite bowling alley on Anaheim Street. The location on Anaheim Street was a major thoroughfare that ran from the San Pedro/Harbor City/Wilmington area West to PCH South in East Long Beach. It had more exposure and traffic for a dealership. He signed a franchise agreement with the Chrysler Corporation, and his company became a Dodge dealership. During our time in high school, just down the street, the dealership was still in the 333 E. Anaheim Street historic building. Most of the cars and station wagons seemed like they were sold as family vehicles. Our Chevy sedans were the most popular and it was hard for the Dodge/Plymouth cars to break into the popular teenage choices for hot rods and mild customs. In the later 60s, despite the high power motors and lightweight cars from the factory, very few of those still cruised around the local area. Chevy sedans and Ford hot rods still ruled. Despite the low interest car purchase market from the teenagers, the dealership flourished and move to Signal Hill area of Long Beach. Now, it is one of the largest dealers on Spring St. near Cherry Avenue. If a Dodge/Plymouth was in the picture, one ventured to Glenn E. Thomas dealership on Anaheim St. It was the only Dodge/Plymouth dealer in town. Now, located in the Signal Hill portion of Long Beach in what is known as the “Avenue of Cars” on a hill. By the time the Glenn E. Thomas Dodge/Plymouth dealership moved to the Signal Hill location, those cars were in the thick of things at the dragstrips all over So Cal. In Long Beach, everyone knew where to go to get their version of those hot Dodge and Plymouth sedans. This was the Super Stock class, not the altered wheelbase cars, that was for a different classification of racing. “Factory literature from 1962–1964 states "the 413/426 Max Wedge was “available in any Dodge or Plymouth B-Body except taxi and station wagon” applications. Several factory-built 1962 and 1963 four-doors have been verified, though the factory lightweight package (sales code 709) was restricted to two-door sedans after March 1963."
What a beautifully decorated DC3! and,is that A Sky Pilot in centre frame? If so,he is in good hands.
I don't know how you do it! But looking at the vid. I can understand how, reading some reports, of their tendency to fail...sometimes.
Hello, It located at a Sears Department Store parking Lot just up in the area of Compton and Lynwood, in So Cal. It was probably noted as the car show of car shows. But, at the time, it was just a car show of some of the top builders and custom car guys in So Cal or anywhere else for that matter. It you saw it in a magazine back then, then it was in this parking lot at Sears. We all remember the Sears Department Stores from our "Guaranteed for life" Craftsman tools section. This is one of them from So Cal. Now, there are none left. Progress? Jnaki Here is the whole wide angle photo showing some of the best in So Cal at the time. 1957. Custom Car Chronicles did a wonderful job of showing the event. Kudos.
The ubiquitous Beetle! showing the time honoured way to store your must have,spare fan belt! Tucked around the five hub cap clips. Volkswagen,they think of everything.
Flights took off with afterburner about a half hour before our reveille. We lost that half hour sleep because of the bang of the afterburner.
The Jalopy Journal
