Teenage guys hanging out at an A & W drive in with their cars in the fifties!

[LATB]

Originally Posted by GTOguy

This was the case when I was growing up in the '60's and '70's in Oakland ca. One old preacher had a black '59 El Dorado convertible with all sorts of extra chrome trim and a brass chandelier hanging from the top bow. Wore fancy hats and alligator shoes. Many other caddy's were pimped out with the 'diamond in the back' small diamond back window, twin TV antennas, etc. Just like the song "Be Thankful For What You Got'' says. Seriously.
A Cadillac, even an older one, was seen as a status symbol to those who could not afford to buy a home or move up the socioeconomic ladder. They were all over the place.
That said, I crack up when I see commercials of black folks camping, mountain climbing, kayaking, etc. Beein camping 58 years and have only seen one or two blacks in the wilderness....one Female at Zion (with a white guy) and one female at Sierra Buttes with a group of white women. When I asked a black friend of mine how come blacks never went camping, he looked at me and raised his eyebrows and said "why would I leave a perfectly good house to go out and sleep in the cold and dirt?? You're crazy!"
Attachment 72949

YouTube (Short URL)

[LATB]

Diamond in the back, sunroof top, diggin' the scene with a gangsta lean
Gangsta whitewalls, TV antennas in the back...

[GTOguy]

Originally Posted by LATB

Diamond in the back, sunroof top, diggin' the scene with a gangsta lean
Gangsta whitewalls, TV antennas in the back...

Or you might not have.....a car at all
Just remember, sisters and brothers, you can still stand tall....

LOL

MAN I miss the '70's!!

[LATB]

Originally Posted by GTOguy

Or you might not have.....a car at all
Just remember, sisters and brothers, you can still stand tall....

LOL

MAN I miss the '70's!!

You and me both brother.

[Yesfam]

Originally Posted by LATB

Small world.
I grew up in Parkville and spent many Friday nights at that Burger King. I remember when it was a “Gino’s”

All the hot rods were there in the 1960’s & 70’s. And yes I’ve spent a few nights at the Thunderbird too. I was a kid but my BIL had a wicked ’66 Chevelle. And another BIL had a Road Runner. Also had friends with hot rod Camaro’s and Corvette’s, etc.

Also the Tops shopping center on Perring parkway. Most of the street drag racing was there on Perring parkway between the Tops and Burger King.

We probably know each other or know of some same people.

Quite possible. I worked at Jerry's Chevrolet for a while when still in High School and while going to welding school after I graduated. Used to hang out at Racing Parts Machine on Joppa road also.

[6spdC6]

Originally Posted by GTOguy

This was the case when I was growing up in the '60's and '70's in Oakland ca. One old preacher had a black '59 El Dorado convertible with all sorts of extra chrome trim and a brass chandelier hanging from the top bow. Wore fancy hats and alligator shoes. Many other caddy's were pimped out with the 'diamond in the back' small diamond back window, twin TV antennas, etc. Just like the song "Be Thankful For What You Got'' says. Seriously.
A Cadillac, even an older one, was seen as a status symbol to those who could not afford to buy a home or move up the socioeconomic ladder. They were all over the place.


That said, I crack up when I see commercials of black folks camping, mountain climbing, kayaking, etc. Beein camping 58 years and have only seen one or two blacks in the wilderness....one Female at Zion (with a white guy) and one female at Sierra Buttes with a group of white women. When I asked a black friend of mine how come blacks never went camping, he looked at me and raised his eyebrows and said "why would I leave a perfectly good house to go out and sleep in the cold and dirt?? You're crazy!"
Attachment 72949

After we retired we moved up to what was our summer camp on a large lake.

After over 50 years of experience I can say you hardly see a black person up here. My town has about a thousand year around residents and in the summer with the campers possibly we have 6,000 people in the town. We have one year around black family in the town, he is a very decent contractor and well though of. Hell he has a very expensive and quite fast of a boat. A real nice person and I'm proud to be a friend!

In my many years of people watching you can go months without seeing a black person up here. That includes in cars, at campgrounds, bars, at stores, on the beach, out in boats. During the hunting season same result, no black people. All the other towns on the lake the same. For whatever reason they just do not seem to like getting out of the cities!

[LATB]

Originally Posted by Yesfam

Quite possible. I worked at Jerry's Chevrolet for a while when still in High School and while going to welding school after I graduated. Used to hang out at Racing Parts Machine on Joppa road also.

I’m a Parkville HS grad, 1977.
You?

[6spdC6]

Originally Posted by Vandelay Industries

My dad bought one these for me when we stopped there one day. I wish I still had it.

We had a couple A&Ws in the area but our main hangout for the car guys was a NEBA shop on the corner of RT5 (AKA Central Avenue) and Colvin Avenue in Albany NY! Neba was when it started a top of the line Roast Beef sandwich, We lived on those things then the company wanted to make more money and cut down on the quality of the meat and bought frozen instead of fresh!

I was a serious street racer in those times and the hotter cars in the area hung out in the huge parking lot adjunct to the Nebas shop. A good summer night there could easily be a 100 or more of us car guys there. Many a race got started there by comparing cars. Take off from there and hit the new interstate for a race. I hung there from around 1961 till mid 1970 (the serious muscle car era) when I got married and sold my current fast, heavily modified 67 Dodge RT for a much more practical street car for a married man (bought a 70 Camaro 350 4 Spd) I had a few other fast cars before the RT and as stated spent a lot of time at Neba or the big lot next door

Working part time at my buddies speed shop I knew many/most of the people and cars there. The Albany police for the most part had 6 cylinder Buick's and their traffic division had a couple 273 2 barrel full size pursuit cars. Life was good.

Been reading all these A&W stories and thought I would put in a few words about the Albany car Culture. Some people liked to call it the NEBA nationals or call that place CATA, (Central Avenue Timing Association)

[PLRX]

Those hangouts made us; teenagers today love to stay at home watching Netflix and playing games simultaneously. My nephew, 22, was crying because my brother wore his ass off. weak

[Yesfam]

Originally Posted by LATB

I’m a Parkville HS grad, 1977.
You?

Towson, '78

[LATB]

Originally Posted by Yesfam

Towson, '78

I had several friends who went to Loch Raven HS. But did not know many folks who went to Towson.

[Yadkin]

Originally Posted by 6spdC6

After we retired we moved up to what was our summer camp on a large lake.

After over 50 years of experience I can say you hardly see a black person up here. My town has about a thousand year around residents and in the summer with the campers possibly we have 6,000 people in the town. We have one year around black family in the town, he is a very decent contractor and well though of. Hell he has a very expensive and quite fast of a boat. A real nice person and I'm proud to be a friend!

In my many years of people watching you can go months without seeing a black person up here. That includes in cars, at campgrounds, bars, at stores, on the beach, out in boats. During the hunting season same result, no black people. All the other towns on the lake the same. For whatever reason they just do not seem to like getting out of the cities!

My village here is all white and one Pacific Islander. No blacks.

The small town I worked in, Upstate NY, had one black guy. Married a white gal. They owned Buyeas (pronounced boo-yahs) True Value. I didn't know them personally, but the entire family including children were highly regarded. That store had everything.

One time I needed a master link for a roller chain- I was fabricating a mower assembly for my '56 International Cub tractor. The local bike shop had no master links. Buyeas had six different sizes.

[Anjdog2003]

Originally Posted by PLRX

My nephew, 22, was crying because my brother wore his ass off. weak

Throw his ass in the Military toughen him up. Never mind his DI might be a transgender.

[zeek]

Originally Posted by StorytellerStealth

First job out of high school tune-up shop West Mcarthur and Grove in Oakland. When they brought in their Cadillacs for tune-ups every one of them lived in the ghetto The black church across the street on Sunday's church parking lot is full of newer Cadillacs and other more expensive cars no old cars in that parking lot on Sundays.

They could live in an old shack, but would still have newer car. Their saying is..."you don't see's me in my house, but you do see's me in my car..." Justification I guess....