Van Nuys Blvd In The 1970s, By Rick Mack Remember to cruise cool!! Everyone on the boulevard new about this turnaround. .table_d2e23 { Young Lady directly smiling into the camera in the dark tee could be Butterfly from Quentin Tarantinos Death Proof: That hottie in your picture cjiguy plays a supporting role in a current TV show, NCIS: New Orleans, just in case you were curious. for relatively easy shooting. Young people have always been social and wanted to go out. cool!! . 62 Next to Jack-in-the-Box - 9AM - 2PM - Flyer: 14: That thing could shoot 50 feet or more! Many of my images were made at the southern end of Van Nuys Boulevard in the parking lot shared by Hughes Market, Nahas Department Store, and an L-shaped strip mall with a Baskin-Robbins at one end, and June Ellens Donuts at the other. on Wednesday Nights. in the boulevard scene since the beginning of 1966, I knew it well, and Del Monte, our street. and wonderful energy levels of the evening car culture on Van Nuys Boulevard A quick Google of Ricks work is quite the sight; beyond the dual speakers in the doors, talk about a personality here: I love photography almost as much as I love cars, and this is just spectacular work, absolute mastery of nighttime photography. And it says, Must Sell. He would even take best offer. back onto Van Nuys Boulevard, and head north and right back to Bobs again. Photographs From The Summer of 1972. To quote the Beach Boys: I wish they all could be California girls. Like video . Was 18 in 1972 down in San Diego. 09-18-2021 - DangerustLA's Van Nuys Cruise Night - Pt.1 Thanks for stoppin' by and checkin' out the Bsombin' blog! Van Nuys was like Disney World for cruisin' though. Home Blog Van Nuys Cruise Night. With a starting time of 5 pm, the cruise may have started off at a snail's pace, but by 7 pm, it was in full effect with many of the usual suspects on the Blvd. Those were completely interchangeable, but the pumps also had definite style. Damon Lee began snapping photos at car shows when he was 10, tagging along with his father to events throughout the Midwest. As for me, a boring conservative driver, i LOVE all of the comments. Puh-lease. I remember a car-full of guys, scrounging nickels and dimes from our pockets to buy a 35 cent gallon to get us home. It speaks from so many angles. Wish I had pictures of the same melded with those of the surfing scene and the young women on the beaches. Corky's, 5043 Van Nuys Blvd no longer welcomes cruisers to come park and hang out. We meet a lot of talented artists through our Photo lab LA events. var plc435068 = window.plc435068 || 0; images of the people more than images of their cars. Next Page. . Regulations here prevent the engine swaps of old and with good reason, these days you have to engineer your hotrod safely to use it in traffic, but the young generation still persist in hotting up their cars, not cars Im interested in but they love em and can select from a huge range of JDM cars and hotup options delivered to their door, we had to hunt wrecking yards and try to find what we needed to keep some old death trap going faster than its maker intended. Shooting photos of young people during cruise nights on We just came here because we loved cars and cruising. -->. At the time, the cruise was taking place on a fat. end of the paved section of the alley. These photos and fine memories are what are left. Since formal night is so flexible, though, its easy to participate even by wearing an outfit as casual as khakis and a polo shirt. I was there in 72, got my license on my 16th birthday on Jan 28th, totaled my 66 Beetle that summer and replaced it with the 63 a few days later, along with switching the 66 1300 with the 63 40 horse engine and 71 high back seats and removing the Clarion stereo with its 12 volt converter. Gas here was 48c in 1973 it went up dramatically from there it hit $1 a few weeks after I bought a 6 cylinder car now its around $2.50 per litre 1/4 of a gallon and thats for el cheapo 91 octane 95 or 98 are more, You come here and have a date for the rest of the week.. A selection of McCloskeys photos has been compiled in a wonderful hardbound book titled Van Nuys Boulevard 1972. Our friend, fellow journalist, and photographer David Fetherston recently gave it this glowing review: Heres the most fascinating book on California car culture in the 70s ever produced. Does every cruise have a captains dinner? the alley delivered you to a dusty, dirt section through the walnut trees var AdButler = AdButler || {}; AdButler.ads = AdButler.ads || []; Best cruise night in 20 years. And, the police were always pulling someone over for a traffic stop, and actually taking one or two people into custody for whatever transgression. } -->, . Our club is going to try to go out in force next August 12th. Paul Niedermeyer. Had to look twice to make sure the Bug with 4 guys in it wasnt me and my buddies in my 63 cruising the boulevard. 3-3-14. var abkw = window.abkw || ''; ease of approaching my young subjects, I was able to take my time and were made on 35mm Kodak Tri-X black and white film, ASA 400, which I pushed all, I grew up cruising that boulevard. Royalty-free Creative Video Editorial Archive Custom Content Creative Collections. He had to sell it because he couldnt afford to feed it. Amazing. Join us for the next Van Nuys Neighborhood Council Meeting [] 0 events, 9 0 events, 9 0 events, 10 0 events, 10 1 event, 11 1 event, 11 9:30 am - 1:00 pm PLAY LA Hiring Fair . ? Background Hell no! Also the girls leaning on the Mustang in the white shorts: thats a religious experience. They in fact just look like the older siblings of many of my friends. Rise & Shine Breakfast - A Morning of Inspiration, Service, and Celebration, Full Moon Grounding Fire Ceremony and Sound Bath, Better Body Better Life Ladies` Breakfast Meeting, The Return of La Palomas Hot Wednesdays Series, Creative Thinking Workshop / For Individulals &Teams. I drove a 64 GTO and switched to a 68 Falcon a year later. So, jump in the car and cruise the Van Nuys Boulevard of 1953 with a member of the original cast. Becerra, a member of ther Stylistics car club is a car painter and has painted many of the Vintage cars and trucks rolling up and down Van Nuys Blvd on cruise nights. allowing me to closely approach my subjects. Then and especially now. My family moved to Sherman Oaks, California from West By the late-50s, long waiting lines formed on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights along both Van Nuys Boulevard and Clarke Street for a place to park for car hop service. I bet the gentleman on the hood still dreams on that moment to this very day. the only one on the block like it. By 1960, being 14 years old and discovering cars, I would walk over at night from our house, barely three blocks away, just to hang out on the corner in front of Bobs to watch the parade of bitchin cars. What city hosts the best Cruise Night? Your email address will not be published. True that. Due to popular demand, Cruising has returned on the 3rd Wednesday of the month. Its a nice slice of youth and automotive culture of the times. So in theory we got better value for our money. Here are the pictures from that evening. In the San Fernando Valley, Bobs Big Boy drive-in restaurant opened along Van Nuys Boulevard in the early-50s and quickly became the center attraction and collection point, the place to be and be seen. This story has been updated to reflect the correct year of Chris Mills Chevy. And without the worry Copyright 2014 - All Rights Reserved Of course, most of the businesses would have preferred that this parade of young Americans and their cars would find a hangout elsewhere, and the police did descend on the lot in force at least one night while I was there. border: 1px solid; Some of these images were exhibited at the Cal State Northridge Art Department Gallery in 1973, but most were not presented publicly until recent years with the publication of my book, Van Nuys Boulevard 1972, in addition to showcases at the Joseph Bellows Gallery in La Jolla, California, and in print and online media. border-color: #000000; Nonetheless, Im cruising up PCH tomorrow, all the way to Big Sur. You could pick a used car to fit your personality. I like older chicks. Took the kids to the Van Nuys Blvd Cruise night yesterday, May 15, 2021. Van Nuys never disappoints. While we did see a Plymouth or two, a Dodge Daytona, and a ham sangwich at the Four 'N 20 Grill & Bakery, we did not experience any negative waves whatsoever at this cruise night back in April. These pics could have been taken as late as 1978 or 1979. push the button. Enjoy. last night. Remember to cruise Its funny how custom styles dont change much. Portland, Vancouver and even Eugene had scenes like this. Men can wear suits or dress slacks with a sport coat and dress shirt. So many cars, so many happy CA night kids. She also supports the paper in its watchdog role to hold San Fernando Valley power players accountable and loves digging for public records. It would be interesting to see where everyone is at now. Plus being in L.A. there were numerous different places to cruise! United States. feel a great lightening of spiritand this was nowhere more evident than Panorama City The Heart of the Valley | Panorama city, Valley california, San fernando valley. (Photo by David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News-SCNG, Peter Becerra of Palmdale in his 1974 Caprice convertable. forever. Long Beach - Underoath Car Club Cruise Night - 6522 E. Spring St. - 4PM - 7PM - Flyer: 3rd Sat. Never filled it up. Mostly we would run the Sunset Strip, but cruising with the door windows down (rears were fixed) and the radio blasting was the thing to do. The revival of the cruise scene is refreshing, and as the old schoolers merge with the new generation of lowriders, theyre not only bringing back the memories of yesterday but the cars that came with it. Now we pay a lot more than America. Cars back then were part of the party. myself. Due to popular demand, Cruising has returned on the 3rd Then no-cruising laws came in with Ford and Carter. The darkest days of Vietnam were then mostly behind us and activity on boulevards across the country spiked markedly for young Americans. Since I had just completed several years There were plenty of interesting cars, trucks, and people out there that night. Cruising was back, big time! New 2023 Lincoln Navigator Black Label in Van Nuys, CA 5LMJJ2TG3PEL04709 18 years of age during the previous half-dozen tumultuous years. 5043 Van Nuys Blvd no longerwelcomes cruisers to come park and hang out. Many shots At 32 cents a gallon is it any wonder traveling by car was so popular back then? It really depends on the cruise line often the captains dinner is by invitation only. After cruising Van Nuys Boulevard, some drivers pulled over in their cars and posed for photos with friends. To Cruising Purely by happenstance, I discovered the new resurgence border: 1px solid; Nobody is perfect but the two girls in the white shorts are very, very close. Foolish enough in my youth to be oblivious to things like wear and tear, tires, registration, insurance etc, I calculated my cost at under a penny a mile. Was I lucky to be one of the cool kids, driving a cool car? New posts Recent Posts Classifieds Search forums. . border-color: #000000; This was not just any crowded six-lane urban thoroughfare but the storied street immortalized in the 1970s film "Van Nuys Blvd." and in folk tales as the place where cruising may have begun.. Not permitted in the dining room during the Cruise Elegant dinner for ladies and gentlemen: shorts, gym shorts, T-shirts, beach flip-flops, bathing suit attire, jeans, cut-off jeans, sleeveless shirts for men, sportswear, and baseball hats. by the way, was the northernmost boundary of Sherman Oaks, if you crossed Hugo Guardado sat in a camping chair next to his 1957 Ford Fairlane. Tonight in Jungleland One those who has become a regular is Jairo Morales. 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 For Sale in Van Nuys, CA $ 35,235 35,235 . var plc435071 = window.plc435071 || 0; cruise night Valleyspeak. And, did I mention, From Van Nuys to Whittier, Crenshaw to Laurel Canyon, the scene is alive and well, and if you love custom cars then the right night on any of those Blvds could change your life. Not so today sadly. It was a gift, and I preferred to concentrate on making block, the entire length of the treed block along the boulevard directly for young Americans. My father had a 56 DeSoto back when gas was 25 a gallon. var plc435069 = window.plc435069 || 0; Some pictures were shot at 1/2 second! For one night a month, Van Nuys Cruise Night is a celebration of community, family tradition, and artistic self-expression that can, and should be, appreciated by all. border-color: #000000; Jeans are welcome in all dining venues during the day, but theyre not appropriate in any public venues for dinner or cocktail hour. Northridge, I now had the photographic skills I would need. Green began cruising Van Nuys Boulevard in the 1960s after he snagged his drivers license and purchased his first car. Back then in NY we still had fun street racing on Francis Lewis Blvd with our GTOs,SS 396, Mustangs and the like. .table_d2e150 { Of course, you realize that all those hot chicks are grandmothers now. The old stainless steel fire extinguisher we filled with water and pumped up with free gas station air helped cool off a few people in our misspent travels. In the summer of 1972, photographer Rick McCloskey chronicled SoCal's Van Nuys Boulevard cruising scene Cruising, in which young people drove up and down certain streets or strips to show off. Every once in a while we'd hit Van Nuys in the middle of the week. Due to the absolute A major factor in making bone stock cars stand out at cruises/shows. Reminds me of my grandfathers house he built new for $15,000 That sounds cheap until you realize what that meant in 1925! concentrate on composition and on timing. (Photo by David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News-SCNG, Hugo Gardado in his 1957 Ford Fairlane on Wednesday cruise night in Van Nuys. Which is your favorite ride? alley and Magnolia Boulevard about two-hundred feet to the north. sprawling lawns all the way down the block. So much brilliance here the long shutter speed to allow blending of flash and ambient distant light, the wide-angle shot of the Bug that brings out curves I never saw, using the Goodyear tire as a framing device, the mix of people posing for the camera and people interacting with each other ignoring the camera in the same pic. Must have been a great time to be in the car scene back then, but honestly with 3 car meets in my area every single week I cant complain. Too righteous for VN Blvd, besides, going to school, working and protesting the war, I didnt have time for it! I concentrated as much, or more, on making images of the people than their cars. Typically the 3rd Saturday of each month, starting at 5PM. Book the best deals of hotels to stay close to San Fernando Valley Mini Maker Faire with the lowest price guaranteed by Trip.com! .table_d2e180 td { For those not into bikes, picture #6. The days of $.23 tacos, bean burritos and bell burgers at Taco Bell! The photos in my series were mostly shot on Wednesday nights, but a few were also grabbed on Friday and Saturday nights. Those pictured were high. } That single month pretty much marked the end of an era, and soon the cruise scene faded into a distant memory. Those were the days my friend. Van Nuys, 7 hour Beginner Digital Camera Class (+ Get OFF of Auto) Sat Jul 30 2022 at 08:00 am Woodley Park Sep13 Cruise Night - Cruisin Through The Village Tue Sep 13 2022 at 05:00 pm Wolverine Park Dundee Mi Aug13 Cruise Night 2022 Remembering the past. Great shots, though, every single one of them, thanks for posting them. Remember- NO Light to Light Runs, NO Burn-Outs, NOOpen Headers, NO Drugs or Alcohol or WeaponsCruise Cool on Indeed, many of my subjects would play for my camera; they very much wanted to be on stage, to perform and to be photographed. So its no surprise that cruising along Van Nuys Boulevard has been a thing as early as the 1930s (largely due to the fact that Van Nuys Boulevard was one of the first streets in the city to get outfitted with street lights). width: 100%; often risky business of shooting photos of people on the street in everyday How to Pronounce Van Nuys, California? } And those gas prices they didnt seem cheap at the time. (Photo by David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News-SCNG, Lamar Hart watches the cruisers roll down Van Nuys Boulevard Wednesday evening from the trunk of his 1964 Chevy. Since I had just completed several years of photography in the Art Department of California State University at Northridge, it was an easy step to assign myself the task of capturing what I could of the essence of the boulevard scene. Amazingly, A driver was hospitalized Saturday evening after crashing into a Van Nuys apartment building Saturday evening. It is one of three areas that comprise the Platinum Triangle (the other two are Beverly Hills and Bel Air). Im not from the California area, but Ive been in the LA area a few times in the 60s & 70s and Id enjoyed every minute of it.California is a far cry from from here in New York City. Driver injured when vehicle crashes into Van Nuys apartment building - Yahoo TV document.write('<'+'div id="placement_435071_'+plc435071+'">'); Dont get me wrong, The technology is great, but theres no emotion. Apr 4, 2013 - This last June Cruise Night returned to Van Nuys Blvd. They guy owned his own tanker truck and drove it to Boston to buy barge bottom special gasoline, it often had debris in it and back then most vehicles only had a screen or porous bronze typ intake filter that would allow lots of crud to get into your carby . Fill the VWs tank for 3 bucks and cruise all weekend with enough gas left over for getting to work and school the following week. - Posted on January 28, 2023. CRUISE NIGHT WITH AWESOME PEOPLE AND BEAUTIFUL RIDES . The ritzy, private enclave is set in a remote stretch of hillside between Brentwood and Beverly Hills just north of Westwood. Every generation gets hit with this. The old GM plant was there as well, which has been replaced by a Home Depot, a shopping center and movie theater. People riding in the back of a pickup truck without getting arrested. Awesome pictures! This time around, Smiley's '60 Impala from Majestics car club, LOWRIDERS GATHER FOR NEW YEARS DAY IN CLASSIC FASHION, Professionally Done: A 64 Impala Built By A Bonified Gear Head, LOWRIDERS: LA TIMES CELEBRATES CINCO DE MAYO AT ELYSIAN PARK, MISTER CARTOON X PEPSI | SUPERBOWL LOWRIDER BUILD. There will never be a time like that ever again in either L.A. or San Diego. All three are late-`70s teen sex comedies. on the street was often very minimal, I needed to hand-hold my camera Occasionally there would be some kind of dustup between a couple of guys, and the police would come and scoop them up. And to those in the valley, the beach was the place where mass quantities of illicit substances were consumed and much hilarity ensued. (Los Angeles Daily News file photo). The median household income in Van Nuys is $46,331. When the monkey filling your tank costs $21+ per hour to operate alternatives will be found. Back in Cruise Night,