Author Topic: Street racing in California circa 1969-1970  (Read 6629 times)

FL SAAC

  • SAAC Member
  • Hero Member
  • *
    • View Profile
Re: Street racing in California circa 1969-1970
« Reply #30 on: March 19, 2022, 08:46:06 PM »
Hoss ( Dan Blocker ) from Bonanza had a Z16

Richard,
As always, I look forward to your car stories.

Wednesday was the best racing night at Van Nuys, year-round.   Fri-Sat was more for the teenagers, but street racers would still show up.

I agree that a stock 302 Z/28 wasn't/isn't a great drag race car...unless you do the series of mods that others above have already mentioned. 

I'd choose the 396 or Yenko 427 as a starting point.  Back in the day, more cubes were always better, right?  (I'm still in that cult.)

Another cool Chevy, and almost unknown to anyone at the time, was the '65 Malibu SS Z/16.  The first 396.  Solid-lifters.  Fender skirts and a vinyl roof. Looked like granny's car, until it promptly ate your lunch.   My cousin had one in the late-60s.  Truly bad-azz with headers and other typical Day Two work.  Strangely, those cars had open-differential, not posi.   They laid down the biggest and angriest one-legged burnouts on the planet.   Chevy only built 201 of them.  They were the first of the big block '60s cars to soar to giant bucks in the mid-'80s.  Nice Z/16s were already at $50k, when you could buy a pretty damn nice Hemi for $40k.  They've typically been over $150k for the past 30 years. 

If it's not appropos for this article of yours...then perhaps in the future.
Living RENT FREE in your minds...

Home of the Hertz Musketeers 

A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs.  It's jolted by every pebble on the road

I have all UNGOLD cars

I am certainly not a Shelby Expert

Life is short B happy

Side-Oilers

  • SAAC Member
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • SAAC member since 1981.
    • View Profile
Re: Street racing in California circa 1969-1970
« Reply #31 on: March 19, 2022, 09:13:30 PM »
^^^ You are correct, Tony. 
Current:
2006 FGT. Tungsten. Whipple, HRE 20s, Ohlin coil-overs, 3.90 gears. 210.7 mph.

Kirkham Cobra. 482-inch aluminum side-oiler. Tremec 5-spd.

Formerly:
1968 GT500KR #2575 (1982-2022)
1970 Ranchero GT 429
1969 LTD Country Squire 429
1963 T-Bird Sport Roadster
1957 T-Bird E-model 3-spd stick

deathsled

  • SAAC Member
  • Hero Member
  • *
    • View Profile
Re: Street racing in California circa 1969-1970
« Reply #32 on: March 19, 2022, 09:48:26 PM »
Richard,
As always, I look forward to your car stories.

Wednesday was the best racing night at Van Nuys, year-round.   Fri-Sat was more for the teenagers, but street racers would still show up.

I agree that a stock 302 Z/28 wasn't/isn't a great drag race car...unless you do the series of mods that others above have already mentioned. 

I'd choose the 396 or Yenko 427 as a starting point.  Back in the day, more cubes were always better, right?  (I'm still in that cult.)

Another cool Chevy, and almost unknown to anyone at the time, was the '65 Malibu SS Z/16.  The first 396.  Solid-lifters.  Fender skirts and a vinyl roof.  Optional pale yellow paint made it the ultimate sleeper car.  It looked like granny's inline-six Chevelle, until it promptly ate your lunch.   

BTW:  My cousin had one in the late-60s.  With headers and other typical Day Two work, they'd really run.  Strangely, those cars had open-differential, not posi.  (The chassis engineers thought a Panhard rod would suffice.)  The result was a car that laid down the biggest and angriest one-legged burnouts on the planet.   Chevy only built 201 of Z/16 (200 hardtops, one convertible)  and they were among the very the first of the big block '60s cars to soar to giant bucks.  (Nice Z/16s were already at $50k in the early/mid-'80s, when you could buy an equal-condition Hemi Satellite or GTX for $20-25k.)  Z/16s have typically been over $150 for the past 30 years. 

If the Z/16 is not appropos for this article of yours...then perhaps in the future.  Keep 'em coning!
Van
Hey Van, thanks for listening to said stories.  It seems that the last one I posted on youtube had a bit of a take off with the algorithm, the story of the ghost behind the gas station in a secret and sealed off area.  Youtube's algorithm is unusual.  My current story lineup involves a 69 Boss 302, a 69 Z/28, a 70 Plymouth Barracuda AAR and a big block 69 Roadrunner A12.  I imagine that a group of friends could run what they had or could afford.  In the scenario they agree to race each other but wait for the big block to race last so that the three smaller blocks can do rounds of elimination.  They never make it to race the big block Roadrunner due to a, ahem, tragic accident.  Then the horror begins for the main character when he visits his afterlife.  Not what he expected.
"Low she sits on five spoke wheels
Small block eight so live she feels
There she's parked beside the curb
Engine revving to disturb
She's the princess from his past
Red paint gold stripes damned she's fast"

JohnSlack

  • Full Member
  • ***
    • View Profile
Re: Street racing in California circa 1969-1970
« Reply #33 on: March 20, 2022, 01:27:54 AM »
My biggest years in street racing in the San Fernando Valley were 1978 through 1981, after that I was so busy with the Unlimited Air Racing that it was very sporadic.

The initial years I ran a couple of different Chevelle's with big blocks.

San Fernando road was really big primarily because where we raced was on the border between Devonshire Division and North Hollywood Division. The results was that we were so far out there that it was rare that the police would travel to the limit of their boundaries just for stupid people in hot rods. That all worked great until a new group started coming out more into beer and partying and causing mayhem than racing. They started throwing rocks at the train full of brand new cars from the Van Nuys Plant......Yeah, the feds showed up, had North Hollywood throw out a net and there was a major bust. Stupid punks throwing rocks at trains is a federal offense and the railroad police have power and NO sense of humor.

Canoga and Nordhoff from the Lumber City parking lot. The stupid thing there turned out to be that two police cars could trap everyone in the parking lot.

Sepulveda Blvd. right were it went on to the freeway if the police showed up you just went straight on the freeway and left the area.

The 118 freeway before it was opened both on the West end of the Valley and on the East end of Simi Valley.

Woodley by the Van Nuys airport.

The North end of Woodley just south of Rinaldi...that was a great spot until one night the Desk Sargent came out of Devonshire, shut us down and told us all, "I know I am not going to stop you hoodlums from drag racing on the streets. But I AM going to stop you from racing on this street"! He then explained that there was a judge from Van Nuys courthouse that lived a block away from where we were. That ended that because the judge called the Division and said "End this noise".

Winnetka by the drive in.

East L.A. scariest night if my life. We went down there to race a friend of mine's Chevelle I had done the engine for and we looked the car over and agreed to race. The guy said he was going to stop and put some slicks on......A different car same color but really different showed up and my friend started calling him a cheater. I told him to shut up and take the loss. Things were not good until Big Willey came over and recognized me and straightened everything out. My friend raced got his doors blown off and we paid $1,500 for the adventure. I never went street racing in East L.A. again.....ever.

There were other places but that was long long ago in a far off land.

I would like to say my respects for Officer Larry Ball who pulled me over many times, always was firm but nice. He was blown up defusing a bomb in 1986 and that made me realize that these officers really had more important things to do than chase us away from street racing.

I still love hot rodding, not a fan of street racing.


John

98SVT - was 06GT

  • SAAC Member
  • Hero Member
  • *
    • View Profile
Re: Street racing in California circa 1969-1970
« Reply #34 on: March 20, 2022, 11:49:36 AM »
throwing rocks at trains is a federal offense and the railroad police have power and NO sense of humor.

The 118 freeway before it was opened both on the West end of the Valley and on the East end of Simi Valley.

Woodley by the Van Nuys airport.

East L.A. scariest night if my life.

A friend of my parents was a railroad cop - never saw the guy smile. What he really hated was stupid employees who who'd break into a shipment to steal a bottle of shampoo. It cost $1,000s to do all the paperwork and investigations then the union usually got the guy his job back.

We used the unfinished 210 in the late 60s. There was also a lot of new housing tracts being built with fresh streets. I worked at the local PD when I got my Road Runner and we'd go to Via Verde after the night shift and use the nice 4 lane road they'd built. The Sheriff came since it was their area. The badges came out and he left.

We'd use the road along the north side of Brackett airport right next to the Pomona Fairgrounds. The cops always showed up after a couple passes. We finally figured out a guy in the control tower at the airport was ratting us out.

East LA was a no-go even in the 60's.
Previous owner 6S843 - GT350H & 68 GT500 Convert #135.
Mine: GT1 Mustang Track Toy, 1998 SVT Cobra, Wife's: 2004 Tbird
Member since 1975 - priceless

deathsled

  • SAAC Member
  • Hero Member
  • *
    • View Profile
Re: Street racing in California circa 1969-1970
« Reply #35 on: March 20, 2022, 02:59:20 PM »
It is a pleasure for me to read all of these untold stories from back in the day.  I love it!
"Low she sits on five spoke wheels
Small block eight so live she feels
There she's parked beside the curb
Engine revving to disturb
She's the princess from his past
Red paint gold stripes damned she's fast"

JohnSlack

  • Full Member
  • ***
    • View Profile
Re: Street racing in California circa 1969-1970
« Reply #36 on: March 20, 2022, 03:09:29 PM »
throwing rocks at trains is a federal offense and the railroad police have power and NO sense of humor.

The 118 freeway before it was opened both on the West end of the Valley and on the East end of Simi Valley.

Woodley by the Van Nuys airport.

East L.A. scariest night if my life.

A friend of my parents was a railroad cop - never saw the guy smile. What he really hated was stupid employees who who'd break into a shipment to steal a bottle of shampoo. It cost $1,000s to do all the paperwork and investigations then the union usually got the guy his job back.

We used the unfinished 210 in the late 60s. There was also a lot of new housing tracts being built with fresh streets. I worked at the local PD when I got my Road Runner and we'd go to Via Verde after the night shift and use the nice 4 lane road they'd built. The Sheriff came since it was their area. The badges came out and he left.

We'd use the road along the north side of Brackett airport right next to the Pomona Fairgrounds. The cops always showed up after a couple passes. We finally figured out a guy in the control tower at the airport was ratting us out.

East LA was a no-go even in the 60's.

Agreed about the railroad police and definitely about East L.A. I had never had any problems with racism growing up. We kept our race plane in a hangar at the Compton airport. Local kids would climb the airport fence, hang out and learn about airplanes. One of the kids my age was graduating the sixth grade same as I was. He was so excited he was graduating! I askfed him where he was going to Jr. High. He told me nowhere, I'm graduating! My Dad and his Crew Chief took him home and talked this mother, they told her that they thought he was an intelligent young man that deserved the opportunity of an education. She wanted to know why did a couple of nosey white men cared about her son. They talked more and she kept her son in school. We eventually moved the racer to Van Nuys airport. Years later early in race week a black man my age came to the pit area and asked for my Dad, he went into the transporter trailer talked with him for a while. They both came out and came towards me. My Dad told me who he was, it was the kid I used to play at the airport with, all grown up with a college degree and a job with the FAA. He had come to say Thank You to a nosey white man that changed his life as well as his brother and sisters lives.  So race never had been a thought for me. But 5 minutes into the experience of getting out of the car in East L.A. was a life changing moment, I found out that just because I didn't have an issue with anybody there did not mean that someone there didn't have a problem with a young 20 year old motor guy there with a big mouthed car owner/driver. Scared the Hell out of me. As I said, luckily I had met and talked with Big Willey in the San Fernando Valley on a few nights. He stepped in defused the situation with my big mouth friend, we put up our money, took the loss and went home. Never to return to East L.A.


John
« Last Edit: March 20, 2022, 03:12:17 PM by JohnSlack »

98SVT - was 06GT

  • SAAC Member
  • Hero Member
  • *
    • View Profile
Re: Street racing in California circa 1969-1970
« Reply #37 on: March 20, 2022, 06:13:37 PM »
Agreed about the railroad police and definitely about East L.A. I had never had any problems with racism growing up. We kept our race plane in a hangar at the Compton airport. .......My Dad told me who he was, it was the kid I used to play at the airport with, all grown up with a college degree and a job with the FAA. He had come to say Thank You to a nosey white man
I had met and talked with Big Willey in the San Fernando Valley on a few nights. He stepped in defused the situation

That had to be a proud moment for you and your dad. When I started flying (swapped my year old Dodge minivan for a high time 182) at Cable everyone said don't go to Compton because they liked shooting at planes on final. My ex brother in law had a friend who was a Compton cop. He carried a 4" 44 Mag and a 45acp 1911 as his back up gun. Compton was the wild west at least until the late 80s.
Growing up in SoCal we never seemed to have racial problems - like hear the south was. Everybody seemed to get along and work together except when some hot heads or gangs caused problems. In the late 70s I went to the heart of Watts to help a guy who worked at one of my accounts get his Model A running again. Missed the turn and went back at the light a carload of gangbangers pulled up and asked what I was doing there. Told him I was going to see a friend and help him with his car. Good to go - but I won't go near the place or East LA today too many crazies.
Big Willie grew up in the south and knew the problems racism caused and would stand for none of it at his events. No booze, drugs, gangs or racial problems allowed.
Everybody always bad mouths scary biker gangs - my only encounter was positive. I took a spill on my Honda 350 when an old lady shot out of a gas station across all the lanes to make a left turn. A couple Mongols saw it and stopped to see if I was OK. I had broke the clutch handle and was scrapped up - t shirt and no helmet. While I was wiping off the blood they swapped the brake & clutch handle and followed me a couple blocks (out of their way) to see that I could get home OK. Mongols (early on it was mostly East LA guys) are the the gang who like to have shootouts and knife fights with the Hell's Angels - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongols_Motorcycle_Club
Previous owner 6S843 - GT350H & 68 GT500 Convert #135.
Mine: GT1 Mustang Track Toy, 1998 SVT Cobra, Wife's: 2004 Tbird
Member since 1975 - priceless

Side-Oilers

  • SAAC Member
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • SAAC member since 1981.
    • View Profile
Re: Street racing in California circa 1969-1970
« Reply #38 on: March 20, 2022, 07:46:15 PM »
At Car Craft Magazine in the early 90s, someone had the idea to do a series of stories about the "Real Truths of Street Racing Today" Or something like that.  We'd planned to report about L.A., Detroit, St Louis, and other lively venues. 

I was freelance at the time, and I (plus one other guy and a Petersen Publishing photographer) spent several weeks going to all the local SoCal illegal venues. We interviewed drivers and spectators who were typically paranoid/secretive/scary (sometimes all three.)  Or they proved to be total squirrels and racer-wanna-bes.

The whole experience was "interesting" to be part of, but the tactical mistake we made was driving a Petersen photo van, which was painted "undercover cop car" brown, with dog dish wheels, no side windows, and replete with giant roof rack platform.  No, we were not welcomed with open arms.  And, shooting flash photos out from the dark confines of the van's interior caused the people to scatter like roaches on a linoleum floor.

Night Two, we wore our Car Craft logo shirts, hats and jackets like they were some sort of gang-member-repellant shields, and it did get a bit easier to walk up to someone and ask if it's okay to take photos of them standing by their car. (But, only about 10% of those we asked, said okay. That's up from 0-1% w/o the Car Craft swag.)

The most memorable time during that story's production was one late night in Lennox area (aka South Central) when we thought the crowd was going to turn on us.  It was only because we knew one old-time racer's nickname (something like "Nitrous Bob") and said he'd vouch for us, that we survived...even though good ol' Bob wasn't there that night. 

We wisely headed back to the Valley, where the Hispanic gangs in low-riders gave off vibes more like PTA Moms in station wagons, by comparison. 

At San Fernando Road, as mentioned by others, the rowdy stuff sometimes did get out of hand...with spectators throwing food, drink cans and rocks at the racing cars. We never saw any guns, but did hear a "pop...pop...pop" once.

We went to Terminal Island and interviewed Big Willy, and he was the overlord, to be sure.  That was 30 years ago.

We ran two or three long stories in Car Craft, before we came to our senses and called it quits.  There was little chance that we'd get the real "full true story" of the inner sanctum of street racing.  Especially because the characters, the streets and the car setups vary, according to parts of the country. 

And, because no one wants to reveal/discuss/admit their knowledge of anything. 


« Last Edit: March 20, 2022, 08:22:19 PM by Side-Oilers »
Current:
2006 FGT. Tungsten. Whipple, HRE 20s, Ohlin coil-overs, 3.90 gears. 210.7 mph.

Kirkham Cobra. 482-inch aluminum side-oiler. Tremec 5-spd.

Formerly:
1968 GT500KR #2575 (1982-2022)
1970 Ranchero GT 429
1969 LTD Country Squire 429
1963 T-Bird Sport Roadster
1957 T-Bird E-model 3-spd stick

98SVT - was 06GT

  • SAAC Member
  • Hero Member
  • *
    • View Profile
Re: Street racing in California circa 1969-1970
« Reply #39 on: March 20, 2022, 08:21:36 PM »
At Car Craft Magazine in the early 90s, someone had the idea to do a series of stories about the "Real Truths of Street Racing Today" Or something like that. 

Most of the groups were very protective of their turf and did not want newcomers anywhere around. It got far worse when CA passed the law where they could seize and crush street racers cars. Kinda like getting beat up if you invaded some locals at their good surfing spot.

And today we have reality TV street racing - albeit with the cops blocking off the road and ambulances standing by. Oh yeah don't forget scripted conversations and outcomes.
« Last Edit: March 20, 2022, 08:26:01 PM by 98SVT - was 06GT »
Previous owner 6S843 - GT350H & 68 GT500 Convert #135.
Mine: GT1 Mustang Track Toy, 1998 SVT Cobra, Wife's: 2004 Tbird
Member since 1975 - priceless

427heaven

  • Hero Member
  • *****
    • View Profile
Re: Street racing in California circa 1969-1970
« Reply #40 on: March 20, 2022, 08:52:11 PM »
The difference today is Street racers have 3500 HP- 230mph Pro mods... back then The Fast guy was bottle BOB with his 69 Corvette ran 10 ohs. Different times fer sure, Like totally! Because I am a valley dude and thats the way it was!!! ;)

JohnSlack

  • Full Member
  • ***
    • View Profile
Re: Street racing in California circa 1969-1970
« Reply #41 on: March 20, 2022, 09:05:09 PM »
At Car Craft Magazine in the early 90s, someone had the idea to do a series of stories about the "Real Truths of Street Racing Today" Or something like that.  We'd planned to report about L.A., Detroit, St Louis, and other lively venues. 

I was freelance at the time, and I (plus one other guy and a Petersen Publishing photographer) spent several weeks going to all the local SoCal illegal venues. We interviewed drivers and spectators who were typically paranoid/secretive/scary (sometimes all three.)  Or they proved to be total squirrels and racer-wanna-bes.

The whole experience was "interesting" to be part of, but the tactical mistake we made was driving a Petersen photo van, which was painted "undercover cop car" brown, with dog dish wheels, no side windows, and replete with giant roof rack platform.  No, we were not welcomed with open arms.  And, shooting flash photos out from the dark confines of the van's interior caused the people to scatter like roaches on a linoleum floor.

Night Two, we wore our Car Craft logo shirts, hats and jackets like they were some sort of gang-member-repellant shields, and it did get a bit easier to walk up to someone and ask if it's okay to take photos of them standing by their car. (But, only about 10% of those we asked, said okay. That's up from 0-1% w/o the Car Craft swag.)

The most memorable time during that story's production was one late night in Lennox area (aka South Central) when we thought the crowd was going to turn on us.  It was only because we knew one old-time racer's nickname (something like "Nitrous Bob") and said he'd vouch for us, that we survived...even though good ol' Bob wasn't there that night. 

We wisely headed back to the Valley, where the Hispanic gangs in low-riders gave off vibes more like PTA Moms in station wagons, by comparison. 

At San Fernando Road, as mentioned by others, the rowdy stuff sometimes did get out of hand...with spectators throwing food, drink cans and rocks at the racing cars. We never saw any guns, but did hear a "pop...pop...pop" once.

We went to Terminal Island and interviewed Big Willy, and he was the overlord, to be sure.  That was 30 years ago.

We ran two or three long stories in Car Craft, before we came to our senses and called it quits.  There was little chance that we'd get the real "full true story" of the inner sanctum of street racing.  Especially because the characters, the streets and the car setups vary, according to parts of the country. 

And, because no one wants to reveal/discuss/admit their knowledge of anything.

"Bottle Bob" ran a late 60s early 70s Corvette on juice, hippy reject cranky old man, was in the middle of swearing he didn't run squeeze on a pass. The solenoid stuck open and blew the mufflers off the back of the car. Sounded like a whole box of M-80s. LOL he was a character. NOT a friend, however I knew who he was.

My Chevelle had a bottle, I could disconnect it, crack open the bottom d prove it was disconnected. I could disconnect the solenoid under the hood. There was another bottle system that went through the frame rails, up through the bottom of the radiator out through the radiator hose, into the bottom of intake manifold and connected to a solenoid under the intake. That's how the nitrous oxide got to the intake manifold. The gasoline solenoid is the one on top nobody ever cared if it got disconnected.....that is how the gasoline got to the intake manifold. The radiator Greg Shaw had made over in a San Fernando radiator shop. The connections were all #6 stainless steel bulkhead fittings out of a San Fernando road surplus shop.

Greg Shaw was the king of "Squeeze" (his nickname for Nitrous Oxide. Greg made a 300, 450, and a 600 horsepower set up for the race plane. We tested the 450 horsepower unit for a 30 minute flight duration. We carried a lot of squeeze we hardly ever used, but it was there if we needed it.

John

427heaven

  • Hero Member
  • *****
    • View Profile
Re: Street racing in California circa 1969-1970
« Reply #42 on: March 20, 2022, 09:23:16 PM »
Thats him... ;D Filthy little Hippie reject with the CRAZY fast VETTE. He was probably in his early forties at the time hangin with the Teens. He was one of the first to experiment with N O S and had mutiple kits on it and watched him spin out at probably 130 mph on Wentworth street. used up all four lanes and never hit a thing, stiil recall what a lucky sum bitch he was.

crossboss

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • ^My Current Project^
    • View Profile
Re: Street racing in California circa 1969-1970
« Reply #43 on: March 20, 2022, 09:48:15 PM »
At Car Craft Magazine in the early 90s, someone had the idea to do a series of stories about the "Real Truths of Street Racing Today" Or something like that.  We'd planned to report about L.A., Detroit, St Louis, and other lively venues. 

I was freelance at the time, and I (plus one other guy and a Petersen Publishing photographer) spent several weeks going to all the local SoCal illegal venues. We interviewed drivers and spectators who were typically paranoid/secretive/scary (sometimes all three.)  Or they proved to be total squirrels and racer-wanna-bes.

The whole experience was "interesting" to be part of, but the tactical mistake we made was driving a Petersen photo van, which was painted "undercover cop car" brown, with dog dish wheels, no side windows, and replete with giant roof rack platform.  No, we were not welcomed with open arms.  And, shooting flash photos out from the dark confines of the van's interior caused the people to scatter like roaches on a linoleum floor.

Night Two, we wore our Car Craft logo shirts, hats and jackets like they were some sort of gang-member-repellant shields, and it did get a bit easier to walk up to someone and ask if it's okay to take photos of them standing by their car. (But, only about 10% of those we asked, said okay. That's up from 0-1% w/o the Car Craft swag.)

The most memorable time during that story's production was one late night in Lennox area (aka South Central) when we thought the crowd was going to turn on us.  It was only because we knew one old-time racer's nickname (something like "Nitrous Bob") and said he'd vouch for us, that we survived...even though good ol' Bob wasn't there that night. 

We wisely headed back to the Valley, where the Hispanic gangs in low-riders gave off vibes more like PTA Moms in station wagons, by comparison. 

At San Fernando Road, as mentioned by others, the rowdy stuff sometimes did get out of hand...with spectators throwing food, drink cans and rocks at the racing cars. We never saw any guns, but did hear a "pop...pop...pop" once.

We went to Terminal Island and interviewed Big Willy, and he was the overlord, to be sure.  That was 30 years ago.

We ran two or three long stories in Car Craft, before we came to our senses and called it quits.  There was little chance that we'd get the real "full true story" of the inner sanctum of street racing.  Especially because the characters, the streets and the car setups vary, according to parts of the country. 

And, because no one wants to reveal/discuss/admit their knowledge of anything.


I also did freelance for CC, HR and Motor Trend mags/TV. Btw, I was a street racer and also a cameraman. I was accepted among the squirrels, and video taped lots of action from 1987-1992. My friends come to know my videos as the 'Squirrel videos'. Many street racers were very shady, some were drug dealers, however most were good guys. I made some great friends from the old street racing days. I believe the reason you were met with suspicion is because you were not one of us--an outsider so to speak. Your stealth van was more like an undercover cop mobile. And the camera flashes didn't help your situation either. Even TV news crews were met that way also. Big Willie was a very gracious leader among us. I got to video tape him many times out at the races...and he was grateful for it getting the message out there.
Here is what I posted over at the Boss 302 site on this topic:
To add it here the street racing in the SFV, Valencia, and Camarillo:
Canoga and Lassen
Mason Ave.
San Fernando Rd.
Glenoaks Blvd.
Raymer
Oxnard St.
Wood Rd.
Laguna Rd.
Lynn Rd.
...and many, many more.
The old hang outs were:
Super Shops, Bob's Big Boy and McDonald's on Van Nuys Blvd.
Kevins Burgers on Reseda and DeSoto.
Chastworth and Zelzah.
Karls Jr on Sepulveda Blvd.
Mobil gas station on Glenoaks Blvd.
Karls Jr in Camarillo
And various industrial lots, etc.
Also, FWIW:
I have countless hours of video from 1987-1992 @ the street races. Including many members who are on this very site!
Past owned Shelby's:
1968 GT-350--Gold
1970 GT-500--#3129--Grabber Orange.
Current lifelong projects:
1969 Mustang Fastback/FOX chassis, 5 speed, 4 wheel discs, with a modern Can-Am 494 (Boss 429), Kaase heads, intake with a 1425 cfm 'B' Autolite Inline carb, ala Trans-Am style
1968/70 Olds 442 W-30

98SVT - was 06GT

  • SAAC Member
  • Hero Member
  • *
    • View Profile
Re: Street racing in California circa 1969-1970
« Reply #44 on: March 20, 2022, 09:53:25 PM »
Greg Shaw was the king of "Squeeze" (his nickname for Nitrous Oxide. Greg made a 300, 450, and a 600 horsepower set up for the race plane. We tested the 450 horsepower unit for a 30 minute flight duration. We carried a lot of squeeze we hardly ever used, but it was there if we needed it.
German innovation in WWII - War Emergency Power  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM-1
Previous owner 6S843 - GT350H & 68 GT500 Convert #135.
Mine: GT1 Mustang Track Toy, 1998 SVT Cobra, Wife's: 2004 Tbird
Member since 1975 - priceless