The process is fairly random, with invitees ranging from first-time cruisers to VIPs. 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). Amazing! 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. 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. border: 1px solid; Cool pics, my Firebird was assembled at the Van Nuys plant in late 1991 and was then shipped to the old continent. during the late spring of 1972. (Photo by David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News-SCNG, Vintage cars and trucks are lined up along side new cars for sale along Van Nuys Blvd on Wednesday cruise night. border: 1px solid; But the cruise scene has seen its low points. CONTENT. Well, I grew up in Northern California, graduated high school in 1973, but it was nothing like this. Purely by happenstance, I discovered the new resurgence Van Nuys was like Disney World for cruisin' though. Photographs From The Summer of 1972. Get a load of those gas prices! Tonight in Jungleland Cars back then were part of the party. But still. The Pom Pom Girls focus on some high school football players and their attempts to woo the title . Yes, two chili dogs from cupid's and drive a couple of blocks to tommy's for chili . border-color: #000000; (Photo by David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News-SCNG, Hugo Gardado in his 1957 Ford Fairlane on Wednesday cruise night in Van Nuys. It turned out that he was hosting a cruise night on Van Nuys Blvd. Its a whole different world today. 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. There was a time several decades actually when cruising Van Nuys Boulevard at night to see and be seen was a major youth culture tradition in Los Angeles, and especially for teenagers (the real kind and the ageless kind) in the San Fernando Valley. Among other things the government set the ticket prices. I hope you enjoy my experiences off the beaten path and can use some of the info Ive provided along the way! Since he looks at least half a generation older than the people in the other pics Im leaning to the latter. For nearly 50 years, Bill Green has been rolling into Van Nuys to show off his 1956 Ford station wagon. 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. Young people have always been social and wanted to go out. 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. During the monthly Van Nuys Cruise Night Van Nuys Blvd. 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. In 1992, the City Council cracked down on cruising at all the hotspots in L.A. County; and on four consecutive Sundays in early January, they came down hard, issuing 214 citations, towing 30 cars, and arresting six people. Along the way, she picked up awards from the Los Angeles Press Club and Society of Professional Journalists. But looking at the pics I was sold at the girls in pic 1. Wednesday night was always cruise night on Van Nuys Boulevard. And the people! Not only could we hear the young peoples cars cruising on the boulevard, 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. Have to admit I like the times better in the mid-60s than the 70s. Van Nuys Cruise Night. my Van Nuys negatives have now been digitally scanned and electronically Zipping a left turn into and through the paved section of } var AdButler = AdButler || {}; AdButler.ads = AdButler.ads || []; Their 80s and 90s Hondas are just as interesting to them as those 60 Chevys were to us. Additional terms may apply. Dont underestimate what the kids are doing today. .table_d2e98 { Van Nuys Blvd, paved by Isaac Van Nuys in the early 1920's over farm land. victim of the big earthquake in 1993? kids in the photos are now approaching sixty years of age, a few are even We did that a lot back then. 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. You could pick a used car to fit your personality. PLEASE do NOT protest in Van Nuys tomorrow. For this community feature, take the opportunity to get to know Jairo and check out some of his work. 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. Special Update!!! -Nate. The VNCA is not affiliated but we wish the new promoters the best of luck. I read a letter to the editor in a mechanics magazine. As with any sense of ownership, you want to protect whats yours and thats exactly how these car clubs view Van Nuys Boulevard. document.write(''); Get the Fuel Curve Insider and get the top posts delivered to your inbox each week. For those not into bikes, picture #6. width: 100%; Molina is one of dozens of car lovers drawn to Van Nuys Boulevard for a long-running cruise night. I believe) located on Van Nuys Boulevard only two blocks north of Magnolia! In general the conformity really burnt me out of custom cars a long time ago. Of course, the cruising phenomenon goes all the way back to the early-1950s, possibly even back to the late-'40s. And loved Van Nuys. last night. behind us, and see Van Nuys Boulevard only two-hundred feet distant. But still, those girls in pic 1. What city is the heart of the San Fernando Valley? .table_d2e189 td { - See Flyer for Time: 2nd Sat. Pic 3 immediately immediately had me thinking of Wooderson (Dazed and Confused) and his musings on what he liked about high school girls, to wit: I keep getting older and they just stay the same age.. People on the other side of the hill always made fun of it and in the mid 70s I was hearing about how awful and gang infested it was. Jairo - take it away. .table_d2e23 td { Indeed, many of my subjects would play for my camera; they very much wanted Tremendous money spent to purchase and restore, cant imagine todays value.$$$. a second floor, kind of like a mezzanine with two bedrooms and a bath, border: 1px solid; border-color: #000000; The other side of the alley had a line of single garages Cruise nights are evenings during which cars drive slowly. Some cars hopped a few feet in the air as they rode along the boulevard. In 1979, William Sachs shot the movieVan Nuys Blvd.with actress Cynthia Wood about cruising the famous boulevard. on october 14,2009 come bring out your rides Yeah, those were a bit more work to replace. (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. Despite the pandemic's winter surge in Southern California, the Van Nuys cruise nights seemed to intensify in December and January. Van Nuys Boulevard, I should say, was not at all like the difficult and width: 100%; and our military presence in Vietnam being reduced daily, young people, Published by westcoastbodyandpaint . Amazing. -->. Northridge, I now had the photographic skills I would need. For a moment I thought the gas prices of the Mobil station were in a different currency 32 cents a gallon! look east out over our backyard, over the vacant lot with the walnut trees A situation that would soon Can you wear jeans in the main dining room on Carnival cruise? Powerglide, combined with a V8 and burned valve made for horrible gas mileage. facing in the direction of our house. Driver injured when vehicle crashes into Van Nuys apartment building - Yahoo TV 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. Holmby Hills sits just a few blocks east of UCLA and abuts the Los Angeles Country club. 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. Its a nice slice of youth and automotive culture of the times. These photos and fine memories are what are left. Every generation gets hit with this. Location: Van Nuys Boulevard. Let us know in the comments below. After studying writing in Moscow, she moved to Los Angeles in 2007 and has called it home ever since. 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. width: 100%; Over the years, thanks to his passion, he was able to meet new friends and witness how the familiar neighborhood has changed. Bobs was the center of the cruising universe, and driving south past document.write(''); Editors Note: The latest installment of our Through the Lens series is an intriguing detour of sorts. Cruising returned to Van Nuys Blvd on Wednesday, June 17th,2015 Cruises are the third Wednesday of every month. Folks talked endlessly about the violent gangs but I never once saw even a fist fight, after the L.A.P.D. Book the best deals of hotels to stay close to San Fernando Valley Mini Maker Faire with the lowest price guaranteed by Trip.com! Wish I had pictures of the same melded with those of the surfing scene and the young women on the beaches. for young Americans. border: 1px solid; Enjoy. June Ellens was also a favored stop for bikers. Van Nuys Blvd Cruise Night On Saturday, March 20th, we hit the Van Nuys Blvd Cruise Night, and it didn't disappoint. grabbed on Friday and Saturday nights. border-color: #000000; Ask the lawyer, Is five enough? Green said he used to come with his friends all the way from the Westside to join the cruising. width: 100%; Gas pumps and the assorted signage on them and around the rest of the station have been designed so that an ownership change is cheap to do. The median household income in Van Nuys is $46,331. Shooting photos of young people during cruise nights on That year I was driving a 61 Buick former airport limo in the mountains of Colorado. It speaks from so many angles. The Van Nuys Cruising Association meets every second Wednesday in the parking lot of Rydell Chevorlet at 6001 Van Nuys Blvd. Was I lucky to be one of the cool kids, driving a cool car? Ah, come on now, that camper is awesome! So in theory we got better value for our money. I remember a car-full of guys, scrounging nickels and dimes from our pockets to buy a 35 cent gallon to get us home. . New 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport SE in Van Nuys, CA SAL1P9EUXPA116674 Cruising of this type does not happen anymore. There have been allegations that the Van Nuys protests are an LAPD setup. My father had a 56 DeSoto back when gas was 25 a gallon. It would be interesting to see where everyone is at now. You do not have to participate in formal night on a cruise, but your dining options in the evening will be more limited. By. and wonderful energy levels of the evening car culture on Van Nuys Boulevard Every once in a while we'd hit Van Nuys in the middle of the week. I feel his work ranks with the great social photographers like Mary Bourke White and Henri Catier-Bresson.. Those pictured were high. YouTube. Magnolia Boulevard where you could jump into the left turn lane, turn The good old days vs reality! For this community feature, take the opportunity to get to know Jairo and check out some of his work. rarely had over 1/2 tank . 109 and the main road to town was .27 cents / gallon . We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. 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. But the night is hardly for members-only. Remember to cruise cool!! saved. In the mid 1960s I remember the local bargain gas station at the intersection of Rt. Everyone had someone in the family working in aerospace and entertainment industries, said the 69-years-old resident of Granada Hills. Activity on the boulevards across the USA spiked markedly border-color: #000000; You come here and have a date for the rest of the week.. To celebratewhat would have been Arman Jerejians 22nd birthday, Individuals CC and Armans foundation, Young Legend, orchestrated a cruise to celebrate his life and there was no better name way to name it than by calling it, A Legendary Cruise Night. The evening produced a strong showing of the finest lowriders as well as a small, but significant showing of exotics. The VNCA is not affiliated but we wish the new promoters the best of luck. Thats what I hear when I see these photos. AdButler.ads.push({handler: function(opt){ AdButler.register(171804, 435069, [300,100], 'placement_435069_'+opt.place, opt); }, opt: { place: plc435069++, keywords: abkw, domain: 'servedbyadbutler.com', click:'CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER' }}); var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6); 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. ease of approaching my young subjects, I was able to take my time and Corky's, 5043 Van Nuys Blvd no longer welcomes cruisers to come park and hang out. Van Nuys Airport on December 03, 2016 in Van Nuys, California. These New Yorkers have no appreciation of automotive styling. Although all kinds of cars could be found in the lot on any Wednesday, many were lowriders. Van Nuys Boulevard is a major north-south arterial road that runs through the central San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles County, California. Locals are likely to point out there is some crime with the need to stay aware of your surroundings. !police shutdown van nuys lowrider cruise!!! Remember to cruise Next Page. Please observe posted parking signs. What does a California accent sound like? 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 . First Choice Business Brokers. This all went to jacked up mini-trucks in the next couple of years. The old GM plant was there as well, which has been replaced by a Home Depot, a shopping center and movie theater. var pid435068 = window.pid435068 || rnd; You could be right, but I cant remember! 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. width: 100%; SOLUTIONS. Cruising returned to Van Nuys Blvd on Wednesday, June 17th,2015 Cruises are the third Wednesday of every month. Discover short videos related to van nuys cruise night on TikTok. Its the mothership of all cars, he said. The Pontiac Aztec and the original iMac may have been ugly, But at least theyre recognizable. } border: 1px solid; Friday and Saturday nights also found a large number of people and their cars out on the boulevard, but Wednesday was the big night. On formal nights, proper attire includes tuxedos, suits or slacks (jackets required) for men and evening gowns, cocktail dresses or dressy pantsuits for women. The wealthiest neighborhood is Porter Ranch, and the least wealthy neighborhood is Van Nuys. Royalty-free Creative Video Editorial Archive Custom Content Creative Collections. Endeavor to discover something new everyday, no matter how big or small. At 32 cents a gallon is it any wonder traveling by car was so popular back then? Well, it was under a penny a mile for gas. But, everyone still used the -->,