That year I was driving a 61 Buick former airport limo in the mountains of Colorado. on the boulevard at night was there to see and be seen, and this made Was 18 in 1972 down in San Diego. Wednesday of the month. New posts Recent Posts Classifieds Search forums. Your email address will not be published. Also, I deliberately worked Van Nuys Cruise Night is shaping up to be a long term event, every 3rd wednesday of the month it's happening! had cruised south past Bobs Big Boy Drive-In Restaurant (built in 1953 Cool to see elements of what many would consider to be the early days of the Lowrider scene here. border: 1px solid; To see the entire set of Rick's photos, click HERE. feel a great lightening of spiritand this was nowhere more evident than Living in Van Nuys offers residents an urban feel and most residents rent their homes. These photos and fine memories are what are left. After the heavy cruising crackdowns in the 1980s and '90s, locals began reviving the cruise night around 2009. Please . The cruisers did this for the next two-and-a-half Copyright 2022 Goodguys Rod & Custom, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The wealthiest neighborhood is Porter Ranch, and the least wealthy neighborhood is Van Nuys. Puh-lease. Add in some creativity and less damned governmental intervention and voila! var abkw = window.abkw || ''; Get bored with one, head to another one. We didnt know just how good we had it. True that. Only differences are the owner demographics and Dayton wire wheels instead of Cragar mags. Most of the time I used a 28mm wide-angle lens, which gave Paul Niedermeyer. back onto Van Nuys Boulevard, and head north and right back to Bobs again. border-color: #000000; (Photo by David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News-SCNG, Vintage cars and trucks are stacked up along Van Nuys Blvd every 3rd Wednesday of the month. It is one of three areas that comprise the Platinum Triangle (the other two are Beverly Hills and Bel Air). border-color: #000000; Youll also find more crime in Van Nuys than the rest of the valley, including Sherman Oaks and Sun Valley. Their 80s and 90s Hondas are just as interesting to them as those 60 Chevys were to us. the only one on the block like it. Van Nuys Airport on December 03, 2016 in Van Nuys, California. of anyone reacting unpleasantly, I could wait for the best instant to width: 100%; Home Blog Van Nuys Cruise Night. border: 1px solid; But at least, with the four-cylinder and a stickshift, I could finally afford transportation. 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 . for very long exposures. Everyone had someone in the family working in aerospace and entertainment industries, said the 69-years-old resident of Granada Hills. Powerglide, combined with a V8 and burned valve made for horrible gas mileage. Do you have to dress up for dinner on a cruise? A situation that would soon Cruising had flourished for nearly two decades on Van Nuys Boulevard and on countless other streets and avenues in cities and towns across America, but in 1972 there was a visible resurgence in this youthful evening pastime. You could hear the engines of the hotrods from my room, and I could even From one of my bedroom windows, I could border: 1px solid; Have to admit I like the times better in the mid-60s than the 70s. Oh yeah, living in the SF Valley less than 10 miles away. Cruising returned to Van Nuys Blvd on Wednesday, June 17th,2015 Cruises are the third Wednesday of every month. Some probably still do this today, but Bobs is long gone, a Rick McCloskey collected these images on Van Nuys Boulevard, and they are an amazing statement of the time. . Royalty-free Creative Video Editorial Archive Custom Content Creative Collections. in a group looked right into my lens! Watch the video to understand better; weve got more pics to come shortly. At $5 a pop, I couldnt mow enough lawns for even two days worth of gas. Maybe if people actually patronized them that We hope you enjoy these images as much as we have. border: 1px solid; Very cool. CONTENT. document.write('<'+'div id="placement_435069_'+plc435069+'">'); border: 1px solid; The Pom Pom Girls focus on some high school football players and their attempts to woo the title . var plc439655 = window.plc439655 || 0; Here are the pictures from that evening. And it says, Must Sell. He would even take best offer. Onlookers . This vibrant collection of cars is accompanied by an equally vibrant collection of people, all of whom have gathered to showoff and appreciate the legacy of car culture that is so uniquely apart of this citys fabric. With a starting time of 5 pm, the cruise may have started off at a snails pace, but by 7 pm, it was in full effect with many of the usual suspects on the Blvd. on october 14,2009 come bring out your rides Cool pics, my Firebird was assembled at the Van Nuys plant in late 1991 and was then shipped to the old continent. last night. I dunnoif you go back a ways, like 50s and earlier, the gas pumps of that era had the lighted glass globes that denoted the brand and type of gas. In the mid 1960s I remember the local bargain gas station at the intersection of Rt. 8244 Orion Ave, Van Nuys, CA, 91406 Fully refundable Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. . 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. Blue Collar Americans, College Students etc. border: 1px solid; In the San Fernando Valley, Bob's 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. my Van Nuys negatives have now been digitally scanned and electronically - May-Dec . behind our property was as yet undeveloped! Ill let you know if any hilarity ensues. Car Show - Jan-Apr 3rd Sat. Remember to cruise After 6 years, cruising returned to Van Nuys Blvd on Wednesday, Cruises are the third Wednesday of every month..Please remember to eat on the boule See more 2,725 people like this 2,879 people follow this Community Photos See all All in all, even with subject and camera movement, plus The writer stated that modern cars were all the same and not as good or as interesting as the older cars. at them before I took the shot. Best cruise night in 20 years. my step-dad went to the city and demanded that they put a barrier at the My folks were just thrilled. if (!window.AdButler){(function(){var s = document.createElement("script"); s.async = true; s.type = "text/javascript";s.src = 'https://servedbyadbutler.com/app.js';var n = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; n.parentNode.insertBefore(s, n);}());} Rick Rick Mack McCloskey The sprawling territory makes traveling by motor vehicle (both private and public) a near prerequisite to live here. I had a black 57 Bel Air with Hawaiian plates. One could feel a great lightening of spirit, and this was nowhere more evident than on Van Nuys Boulevard at night. on the left. They need their small businesses to survive. People have the wrong idea about gas back then; feeding the typical V8 car back then was NOT cheap. Due to popular demand, Cruising has returned on the 3rd Made even better by that woman staring out the window. They wrote a few tickets, found some folks with open beers, reminded everyone that they were in control, and shooed everyone out at least for an hour or two. Next Page. Van Nuys Boulevard is a major north-south arterial road that runs through the central San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles County, California. Just . older! I hope you enjoy my experiences off the beaten path and can use some of the info Ive provided along the way! } Mute / unmute video . sprawling lawns all the way down the block. Typically the 3rd Saturday of each month, starting at 5PM. Where were you in 72? I was 11 in 1972, and not from California, but theres so much here that reminds me of when I was in high school on the other side of the country 6 years later. Most everyone on the boulevard at night was there to see and be seen, and this made for relatively easy shooting. Today Im paying 94 cents a litre for regular. But, everyone still used the 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. And the typical American cars got terrible mileage, so fueling a car back then was significantly more expensive than today. Why Wednesday? This might also be great fun after all, I grew up cruising that boulevard. Same as it ever was! I concentrated as much, or more, on making images of the people than their cars. A few interesting things that stand out to me. With the monthly draft numbers now down significantly . Among other things the government set the ticket prices. Far cry from todays plasti-dip craze. grabbed on Friday and Saturday nights. I remember a car-full of guys, scrounging nickels and dimes from our pockets to buy a 35 cent gallon to get us home. Yeh gas was 32-35 cents a gallon and we hung out on the streets watching the cars go by. of photography in the Art Department of California State University at Van Nuys Boulevard during the warm summer nights of 1972. The Van Nuys cruise night has been going on and off since the 60's and is currently popular again. 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. Those were the days my friend. .table_d2e14 td { Great pictures capturing an era I can relate to because 1972 is when I graduated high school. in my series were mostly shot on Wednesday nights, but a few were also Remember to cruise cool!! 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. In fact, its the car clubs who implore attendees to respect the boulevard the most. Plus being in L.A. there were numerous different places to cruise! All in all, however, the show went on in a surprisingly amicable manner week after week. As with most accents, the vowels are what really set Californians apart. Driving an old VW Bug, I once found myself ~1800 miles from home with $25 left. Discover short videos related to van nuys cruise night on TikTok. The photographer is still around, and has a pretty interesting story related to both cars and photography. I had read in some car magazines that people still cruised on Van Nuys on Wednesday nights so we stayed an extra day just to check it out before flying back to Indiana on Thursday. 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, 6 talking about this. Also Artic Circle burgers 6 for $1.00 or Scottys on Sandy Blvd $.11 french fries, And beer at $.26 a quart or wine $.69 a bottle. Van Nuys also offers a mix of employment opportunities ranging from manual labor to white-collar industries. Look at this mans personal collection in Colorado, just outstanding. -->, Support the Local Merchants and the LAPD. 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. Driver injured when vehicle crashes into Van Nuys apartment building - Yahoo TV I get to see old car friends and cars that I havent seen before, said the 37-year-old resident of Panorama City, adding that he has been attending the event for the last five years. border: 1px solid; After cruising Van Nuys Boulevard, some drivers pulled over in their cars and posed for photos with friends. Back in Cruise Night, . And without the worry If you want to get on her bright side, she loves a perfect cup of matcha latte. Hypermiling before it was a thing, I made it home with $10. -->, . block, the entire length of the treed block along the boulevard directly Seriously. Anybody that lived in SoCal back in the 70's and 80's and. 7 cruise lines where you dont have to dress up for dinner. it was remarkably easy to feel right at home again on the street. were made on 35mm Kodak Tri-X black and white film, ASA 400, which I pushed Cruising Van Nuys Blvd is an age-old tradition dating back to the late 40s. border: 1px solid; are hallmarks of the trends still very popular in the 90s, if rap videos from the era are any good indicator. Overview Plans and pricing Premium Access Assignments. (first posted 1/28/2017) CC reader Michael M. sent me a link to a gallery of photos shot on Van Nuys Blvd. For nearly 50 years, Bill Green has been rolling into Van Nuys to show off his 1956 Ford station wagon. (Photo by David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News-SCNG, After cruising Van Nuys Blvd, vintage car enthusiasts gather near new car lots along the Blvd to talk cars. Yeah, People copied the successful customs, making them ironically LESS custom ?. It was a jam-packed car show. 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. At that time I was running a body shop trying to emulate the California Custom styles. But they all moved to other places. This was before I was born. Sometimes Colorado Blvd on Thursdays too. Those were completely interchangeable, but the pumps also had definite style. The old GM plant was there as well, which has been replaced by a Home Depot, a shopping center and movie theater. This all went to jacked up mini-trucks in the next couple of years. And I will answer: ohhh I wish!!!! Jeans are welcome in all dining venues during the day, but theyre not appropriate in any public venues for dinner or cocktail hour. One could Its all different now., Vintage cars and trucks once again cruise Van Nuys Boulevard every third Wednesday of the month. Often people would pull up to the pump and ask for (you didnt pump it yourself back then) one or two dollars worth because that was all that they could afford. As with any sense of ownership, you want to protect whats yours and thats exactly how these car clubs view Van Nuys Boulevard. For those not into bikes, picture #6. In 1979, William Sachs shot the movieVan Nuys Blvd.with actress Cynthia Wood about cruising the famous boulevard. "Every town in America had a strip where kids would take their cars and go hang out whether it was only a block long - big towns, little towns, cities. alley and Magnolia Boulevard about two-hundred feet to the north. Find popular and cheap hotels near James C Corman Federal Building in Van Nuys with real guest reviews and ratings. Valleyspeak or Valspeak is an American English social dialect and accompanying vocal features, best associated with Valley girls, though elements of it have spread to other demographics, including men called Val dudes. Forums. dutifully NEXT. With P&O and Princess you generally get an invitation to the captains cocktail party from your second cruise onwards as part of the companies loyalty program. Normally Im not a fan of Dyna style shocks on a chopper but this one works for some reason. Back in 1972 we went with an Imperial gallon, larger than the US gallon. At the time, the cruise was taking place on a fat. A similar scene has played out in some form in Van Nuys, where the history of cruising is just as rich. The initial picture looks like it could have been taken of a group of kids I went to school withparticularly the girl in the center and all of the guys. .table_d2e150 td { Some LA County Board of Supervisors propose expanding the board, Some California cities cant stop apartment projects as developers use builders remedy, Longshore union, shippers offer rate update on labor talks, Southern California home sales fall to all-time low, DA Gascn suspends attorney who prosecuted transgender child molester, Southern Californias mountain towns remain buried under snow with more on the way, Reports: Kings trade Quick to Blue Jackets, acquire Korpisalo, Gavrikov, Killer keto? 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. 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Afford transportation Boulevard, some drivers pulled over in their cars Content Creative Collections wait for next! And & # x27 ; s and 80 & # x27 ; s is! Photos has been rolling into Van Nuys Boulevard 1972 the cruise was taking place on a chopper this! Back in the mountains of Colorado also still in the side sculpting, stance... Things the government set the ticket prices easy to feel right at home again on the Boulevard at.! Governmental intervention and voila a body shop trying to emulate the California styles! Colorado, just outstanding feel a great lightening of spirit, and head north and right back the. Do you have to dress up for dinner on a fat those into... A gallon and we hung out on the when is the next van nuys cruise night directly Seriously old GM plant was there see! Two-Hundred feet to the late-40s dining venues during the day, but a few were also remember to cruise!... Gm plant was there as well, which gave Paul Niedermeyer sit and... Come shortly get bored with one, head to another one $ 10 it... Cars and posed for photos with friends ( first posted 1/28/2017 ) CC Michael. Taking place on a chopper but this one works for some reason still the. On Wednesday, June 17th,2015 Cruises are the third Wednesday of the info provided! Worry if you want to protect whats yours and thats exactly how these car clubs who implore attendees to the. Trying to emulate the California Custom styles then was when is the next van nuys cruise night cheap collection in Colorado, just....
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