The elaborate paintjobs on some of these cars are impressive, whether theyre to your taste or not, those took a whole lot of talent and dedication to execute and theyre actually being driven on streets! (Photo by David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News-SCNG Hugo Gardado in his 1957 Ford Fairlane on . border: 1px solid; Those were the days. Powerglide, combined with a V8 and burned valve made for horrible gas mileage. but next to our home was an alley which was paved only to a line coinciding THERE'S GONNA BE A CRUISE NIGHT IN THE CITY OF VAN NUYS ON VAN NUYS BLVD AN BURBANK' THERE WAS A ESTIMATED 500 CARS LAST MONTH' IT WILL BE HELD EVERY 2ND WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH' COME EARLY BECAUSE PARKING GETS TAKEN FAST' ALSO A REMINDER DURING THE THREE WEEKS WILL BE POSTED ON TACO'S MEXICO IN. width: 100%; when we bought the house, this particular alley was absolutely critical Cruising Van Nuys Boulevard Let us know in the comments below. And the writer actually pointed out the (now classic) 53 Studebaker as an example of the ugly new Generation! My gawd, where was I then??? One those who has become a regular is Jairo Morales. My photos show this well. 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 For Sale in Van Nuys, CA $ 35,235 35,235 . feel a great lightening of spiritand this was nowhere more evident than I read a letter to the editor in a mechanics magazine. alley and Magnolia Boulevard about two-hundred feet to the north. These pics could have been taken as late as 1978 or 1979. Olga Grigoryants is a multimedia reporter focusing on urban development, business and culture. Due to popular demand, Cruising has returned on the 3rd If you want to get on her bright side, she loves a perfect cup of matcha latte. After the heavy cruising crackdowns in the 1980s and '90s, locals began reviving the cruise night around 2009. On a recent night, Green parked his car on a lot near a car dealership on Van Nuys Boulevard and sat in a camping chair to witness the parade on wheels. I believe) located on Van Nuys Boulevard only two blocks north of Magnolia! That did limit our range due to a student budget to live on. Come join! Industrial design (styling, anyways..) is almost dead. I find production designs far more interesting as ala carte actually provided more variety than the customizations applied to them later. Lived in my post war early suburbs shack in Van Nuys from 98-2010. Exact blocks on Van Nuys Blvd may vary each Cruise Night. But still. Discover short videos related to van nuys cruise night on TikTok. Best cruise night in 20 years. document.write('<'+'div id="placement_435069_'+plc435069+'">'); This might also be great fun, after Golden time.my Dad was in California in early seventies,going to UCLA.He had the time of his life.if only the seventyNine revolution had never happend,we could have stay friends forever.Hopefully someday we will be close friends again. my folks did not. Get bored with one, head to another one. Reminds me of my grandfathers house he built new for $15,000 That sounds cheap until you realize what that meant in 1925! Learn how your comment data is processed. var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6); Those were the days my friend. I could fill the tank and eat for a $5 bill, drive almost all night long and still make it to school then work the next day . And to those in the valley, the beach was the place where mass quantities of illicit substances were consumed and much hilarity ensued. And, the police were always pulling someone over for a traffic stop, and actually taking one or two people into custody for whatever transgression. border-color: #000000; These photos and fine memories are what are left. In the summer of 1972, 26-year-old San Fernando valley native Rick McCloskey was photographing life on SoCal's Van Nuys Boulevard, looking on as the bright young things cruised in cars and hung out. Was 18 in 1972 down in San Diego. Theres a very American Graffiti vibe to these photos which is interesting because the film was set in 1962, but was produced closer to the time these photos were made. Then and especially now. The latest edition of Van Nuys Cruise Night, a San Fernando Valley tradition reborn on the thirdWednesdayof every month, drew several dozen vintage cars and many spectators last week. Maybe if people actually patronized them that cruise night By. And cars today get at least twice the mileage or more. The lot served as both an easy turn-around to cruise back north on Van Nuys, and as a good place to park, show off your ride, and just hang out for a time with your friends. .table_d2e127 { Although I personally had not participated in the boulevard scene since 1966, I knew it well and it was remarkably easy to feel right at home again on the street. .table_d2e98 td { } Also the girls leaning on the Mustang in the white shorts: thats a religious experience. Van Nuys Blvd! Cragars and white line tires look awesome together. border: 1px solid; border: 1px solid; Seriously. var AdButler = AdButler || {}; AdButler.ads = AdButler.ads || []; On the other side of Disc 3 is the first of a threesome of similar movies that continue on Disc 4. Was I lucky to be one of the cool kids, driving a cool car? Took the kids to the Van Nuys Blvd Cruise night yesterday, May 15, 2021. alley as a regular turn-around. That thing could shoot 50 feet or more! Remembering the past. behind our property was as yet undeveloped! Modern gas pumps are literally hard edged boxes crudely fitted with hoses and plastic buttons. For a moment I thought the gas prices of the Mobil station were in a different currency 32 cents a gallon! Not so today sadly. 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. The Van Nuys cruise night has been going on and off since the 60s and is currently popular again. Get a load of those gas prices! Now they just pulled in the alley, backed Gas was expensive out in California. Amazing. on the street was often very minimal, I needed to hand-hold my camera border: 1px solid; The whole night almost feels like a block party. The photos Cruising returned to Van Nuys Blvd on Wednesday, June 17th,2015 Cruises are the third Wednesday of every month. were exposed at 1/8th of a second, and some at faster, slightly more normal, They need their small businesses to survive. on the boulevard at night was there to see and be seen, and this made The odds are quite good that some of his music was playing over the car radios or on 8 track tape as these were taken. His 11-year-old daughter attended the show with him. YouTube. Del Monte, our street. Every summer from 1968-1981 was spent on the beach for kicking back, some body surfing, biking the boardwalk around 4 pm while visiting friends up and down Pacific and Mission Beaches for a couple of beers. Van Nuys was like Disney World for cruisin' though. For this community feature, take the opportunity to get to know Jairo and check out some of his work. Man, I recall when everyone (female) was wearing jeans like that . Location: Van Nuys Boulevard. Plus being in L.A. there were numerous different places to cruise! Times had really changed in L.A. by the early 1970s from just a few years earlier in the mid 1960s. my Hillman hums along on 95 unfortunately, and a gallon 4.5 litres goes nowhere, that may improve with headers a 50mm exhaust and twin throat weber carby or it may get worse time will tell. } Putting the "Cruise" Every generation gets hit with this. I drove a 64 GTO and switched to a 68 Falcon a year later. } graininess in the pictures, I was happy to have accomplished a surprising Book the best deals of hotels to stay close to James C Corman Federal Building with the lowest price guaranteed by Trip.com! The VNCA is not affiliated but we wish the new promoters the best of luck. What city is the heart of the San Fernando Valley? Former NBA player Chris Mills sat next tohis 1959Chevy. Had a blast. and towns across America, but in the year 1972 there was a visible resurgence Published by westcoastbodyandpaint And I will answer: ohhh I wish!!!! It was a jam-packed car show. at them before I took the shot. (first posted 1/28/2017) CC reader Michael M. sent me a link to a gallery of photos shot on Van Nuys Blvd. Although that salary won't get you far in many nearby neighborhoods, Van Nuys is still affordable and comfortable with quick access to the rest of LA. Too bad Youth is wasted on the Young! Plus not everyone in their 20s with a modified car is buzzing around in a 80s-90s Honda (raises hand!). The cover is what I consider the most iconic car culture image of the times. PLEASE do NOT protest in Van Nuys tomorrow. Portland, Vancouver and even Eugene had scenes like this. Most specialty restaurants also require a semi-formal dress code. Its true that hardly anybody ever walks in Los Angeles. March 04, 2021. document.write('<'+'div id="placement_435071_'+plc435071+'">'); 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. Why Wednesday? I recall telling my wife I sure wish we were in our car. At least it gave me bragging rights with my car buddy friends. "After leaving Bob's, we'd head up to Vanowen to Spenser's Drive-in to see what was going on. . This was before I was born. Assuming theyre still alive, of course. This means that cars have pretty much been a necessity since this citys inception which means that pride in what you drive and its varying degrees of personalization is inherent in the DNA of countless generations of Angelenos. on Wednesday Nights. 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. - See Flyer for Time: 2nd Sat. (Photo by David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News-SCNG, Peter Becerra of Palmdale in his 1974 Caprice convertable. Music blares from car to car, food trucks are available for those in attendance, and some even set up chairs along the sidewalk as if it were the 4th of July. We did that a lot back then. The public schools in Van Nuys are above average. Hypermiling before it was a thing, I made it home with $10. Its the engine swap of my era the new regs are designed to circumvent, yes you can still stuff the biggest V8 you can find into the smallest car it will fit no problem,, but if you want to drive it on the road you need it certified as safe. But its still a comfortable place to live. As Rick notes in his accompanying text, the time was a turning point for American culture, a time Rick beautifully captured in artful, journalistic style. . This is like a therapy for me, Mills said, adding that he was not looking for to sell the car. 5043 Van Nuys Blvd no longerwelcomes cruisers to come park and hang out. The process is fairly random, with invitees ranging from first-time cruisers to VIPs. On Saturday, March 20th, we hit the Van Nuys Blvd Cruise Night, and it didnt disappoint. shut down the Van Nuys Cruise it popped up in Pasadena for a while, I had a few problems there . Locals are likely to point out there is some crime with the need to stay aware of your surroundings. Not only could we hear the young peoples cars cruising on the boulevard, me better focus and at least some depth of field under the prevailing . Too righteous for VN Blvd, besides, going to school, working and protesting the war, I didnt have time for it! But the cruise scene has seen its low points. You come here and have a date for the rest of the week.. Magnolia, in a group looked right into my lens! on a Wednesday night in 1977. It seems so strange looking at these pictures and thinking of the recent passing of David Crosby. Yeah, those were a bit more work to replace. Cruising does not happen anymore, it is gone, probably Car Show - Jan-Apr 3rd Sat. .table_d2e180 td { One could feel a great lightening of spirit, and this was nowhere more evident than on Van Nuys Boulevard at night. But they all moved to other places. We refer to Windstars laid-back style as the Big Chill. My wife and I made it out to the Valley from South Bay once in a while in my 56 Chevy with its 66 327: it did DRINK Premium quite rapidly! Bobs Drive-In, then making a quick right turn on Magnolia followed by At only 32 cents a gallon, that car was eating me alive. 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. Normally Im not a fan of Dyna style shocks on a chopper but this one works for some reason. Van Nuys Cruise Night - HEX Van Nuys Cruise Night Home Blog Van Nuys Cruise Night March 04, 2021 We meet a lot of talented artists through our Photo lab LA events. with long hair, facilitating my easy acceptance by all on the street, Hugo Guardado sat in a camping chair next to his 1957 Ford Fairlane. 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. Since the car is a four door, Gardado put the Uber sticker on the window; However, since the car is older than 2000, he cant use it to pick up riders. in my series were mostly shot on Wednesday nights, but a few were also Typically the 3rd Saturday of each month, starting at 5PM. This all went to jacked up mini-trucks in the next couple of years. Unfortunately cruising got a little out of hand in subsequent decades causing law enforcement to crack down on the event. Some pictures were shot at 1/2 second! } United States. -->. Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, Former CHP officer charged with assaulting woman during traffic stop near Santa Clarita, Encino home of late Mannix star Mike Connors lists for $5.5 million, Jesus Revolution tells the true story of Christian hippies and an Orange County church, Encino woman extradited from Montenegro to serve sentence for COVID loan fraud, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concedes defeat, Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, As many as 700,000 Illinois residents could lose Medicaid health coverage this year, Balloon ban made official in Laguna Beach, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Everyone had someone in the family working in aerospace and entertainment industries, said the 69-years-old resident of Granada Hills. They in fact just look like the older siblings of many of my friends. var abkw = window.abkw || ''; 18 years of age during the previous half-dozen tumultuous years. Copyright 2014 - All Rights Reserved People riding in the back of a pickup truck without getting arrested. .table_d2e42 { Our new home (not quite new, built in 1949) was on The days of $.23 tacos, bean burritos and bell burgers at Taco Bell! .table_d2e189 td { Then in 2009, a group of car enthusiasts decided to revive the event, promoting it on social media and spreading the word among friends. I had a ball.and you couldnt beat the iron. Being in my mid-20s with long hair facilitated my easy acceptance by those on the street, allowing me to closely approach my subjects. Then I moved to California in 1970 and the Powerine filling station was .32 / gallon, even then filling the tank was a challenge . Jairo - take it away. After studying writing in Moscow, she moved to Los Angeles in 2007 and has called it home ever since. Its the mothership of all cars, he said. When did industrial design take suck a nosedive? low-light conditions. .table_d2e189 { Some cars hopped a few feet in the air as they rode along the boulevard. Several dozens cars showed up at the event in its biggest turnout since August. 09-18-2021 - DangerustLA's Van Nuys Cruise Night - Pt.1 Thanks for stoppin' by and checkin' out the Bsombin' blog! A situation that would soon Purely by happenstance, I discovered the new resurgence and wonderful energy levels of the evening car culture on Van Nuys Boulevard during the late spring of 1972. in 1972, by photographer Rick McCloskey, and part of his book, Los Angeles in the 1970s. But the event slowly lost the crowd and disappeared after police began cracking down on the cruisers. Years before I moved there. } The Van Nuys cruise night has been going on and off since the 60's and is currently popular again. Cruising Van Nuys Boulevard in the Summer of 1972 April 30, 2020 1970s, California, life & culture, people, street, vehicles In the Los Angeles suburb of San Fernando Valley, Wednesday night was cruise night. Driver injured when vehicle crashes into Van Nuys apartment building - Yahoo TV I like older chicks. } Find popular and cheap hotels near James C Corman Federal Building in Van Nuys with real guest reviews and ratings. As a private individual, Van Nuys was the founder of Hollywood Cemetery. } back onto Van Nuys Boulevard, and head north and right back to Bobs again. Book the best deals of hotels to stay close to San Fernando Valley Mini Maker Faire with the lowest price guaranteed by Trip.com! -->. The Van Nuys cruise night has been going on and off since the 60s and currently become popular again. On the gasoline front,, a truly feulish thing was me piloting a 1950 Buick Super in 1980! Muscle cars in the pro touring mold today are all essentially Foose clones as far as I can tell, and growing up in the 90s hot rods all had that boydster look to them. Back in Cruise Night,