CRUISING IN STYLE
The plucky few who stuck around fro breakfast after the event.
Before we begin I would like to thank Danny (Instagram: Supercruiserstudios) and Gene (Instagram: Mean13gene) for organizing and leading the Valley Cruise Nights events. We had a blast.
Car events in Los Angeles tend to be static affairs. Cars roll in and they park. The general feeling has sadly turned into a “look what I bought” show and tell. Thankfully there are still a few gems out there. Homegrown events like the ones Valley Cruise Night hosts in Burbank, California stand tall against the established car meets. Normally taking place at Fosters Freeze on Glenoaks on Friday nights, the initial meetup and following cruise is a refreshing alternative to the Bobs Big Boy meet that occurs at the same time. No drama, no snobbishness, just cars. The people who attend regularly have become close friends and care for one another’s pursuits. The cruisers support and help one another to accomplish repairs or goals. The camaraderie is evident when you pull into the dimly lit sloping parking lot and start chatting with these cooky and wonderful men and women.
Last Sunday, Valley Cruise Nights hosted a fantastic event starting at Travel Town in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. Once in a while, Valley Cruise Nights becomes Valley Cruise Day. I’ve attended one of their cruises in the past and knew we were in for a great time. As per usual, I was the first into the parking lot. My excitement invariably results in me freezing at the break of dawn waiting for everyone else to arrive. Thankfully, there were multiple eager participants to join me for a pre meeting get together. After four or five cars arrived, the manager on duty for the Travel Town museum took notice and felt obligated to walk over. He was concerned that we were “street racers”. As per usual, the City of Los Angeles (represented today by the city employee), despite being known as the automotive mecca, felt the need to try and squash a gathering. Luckily for us, they weren’t open yet, so the desire to have us vacate was not a strong one. We talked him down and put his worries that a horde of misbehaving enthusiast would disrupt the historic train museums operations to rest and he walked away.
By ten thirty A.M., the sounds of lowering air bag suspension, zoom exhaust, and heavy doors slamming shut grew louder. Friends embraced friends and everyone admired one another’s vehicles. I would estimate around 60 cars turned up in total. Everything from 4 cylinder hotrods to big block powered luxury cars to breathtaking custom ratrods drove in for the cruise. Surprisingly, and refreshingly, the cliche muscle cars that dominate the classic American automotive scene were relatively scarce. Sure, there were some Impalas and Chevelles. Furthermore, those that did come were special. They were custom jobs that didn’t follow the aftermarket formula. Because of the variety, walking around the lot was an absolute treat.
With the incomparable blast of a vintage horn as the only warning, it was time to take off on our cruise. The destination was vaguely described as a breakfast joint in Los Feliz. Sixty pieces of automotive history took to the mildly winding roads of Griffith park. The weather was perfect. While the Santa Ana winds make the lives of San Fernando Valley residents dry and frustrated, the winds sweep away the residual smog. With wind speeds up to 50 miles per hour the night before, the sky was windswept clear and the scenic cruise was about as pretty as a massive park surrounded by 29 million people can be. The route was relatively simple. We left from Travel town and took to the Griffith Park backroads. We cruised passed the LA Zoo where a few excited onlookers stood along the sidewalk to watch our procession. One of the best parts of a car cruise is seeing the expressions of those around. Unlike with many other types of automobiles, despite the overly loud exhaust, the fumes, the loud music, and the occasional smoky tires, the general public seems to enjoy watching a line of classic cars roll through town. Had we been in BMW M3s, Porsches, or Subaru STIs instead, the phones used to record us in delight would have been replaced with single fingers (and not the pointing finger). If they did record us though, the videos would have been used for evidence. Being a rebel is tied into the classic American culture and as a result the classic car drivers are still able to get away with shenanigans that never would fly in modern cars.
There were three frustrating stop signs and one left turn that disrupted the continuity of our car chain. A few Priuses and other oblivious interlopers broke the long line of cars. When it was my turn to make a left at the only signal light intersection, which of course was turning yellow, I fell into the classic drum brake dilemma… Do I punch through in defiance of traffic laws, thereby sticking with the pack and not getting lost? Or do I attempt my luck at defying physics with my biggest Buick ever’s overworked and underpowered finned drum brakes. Said Buick drum brakes were actually considered some of the best at the time, regardless… stopping and quickly were two distinctly different things. Despite the Rockabilly music blasting in my ears, I chose the “safer” choice and slammed on the brakes watching the line of cars drive off. Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, the light turned green and I made my left hoping to find a clue as to where the rest of the cars went. Alas, it was unnecessary. Our destination was just beyond the next sweeping right. The Los Feliz Cafe had no idea what was coming. We swamped it. The parking lot of the Cafe was almost full before we pulled in, and for the majority of the procession, we had to find street parking or park out of acceptable boundaries. I chose the latter. A quick word on Los Feliz Cafe. The coffee was tasty and the food was delicious. Sorry for swarming into your restaurant, but we are glad we came. Next time, we will find a bigger parking lot though. There were no accidents during the cruise and I don’t believe there were any serious breakdowns either. Everyone had a great time and Blacktop cannot wait for the next one.
The first car to arrive after myself. I love the yellow headlights.
The early birds. No worms.
Probably the cleanest hot rod you’ll ever see. Each detail was both subtle and intricate. An incredible build.
A traditional Hi-boy driven by a very charismatic untraditional man. Many laughs were raised by the driver.
The lot quickly filled up by 9:30 am.
Alec Harrelson’s Oldsmobile had the coolest antenna I have ever seen. Looks like a cartoon ray gun.
The top of the antenna was equally as enjoyable to look at.
The antenna looks space age on this 50’s Oldsmobile. Wonderful details.
A perfect example of a rat rod. The patina’d checker flag firewall was an excellent look.
When looking into vibrant and airy interiors, you can’t help but feel excited and happy.
Best Uber ever.
Perfect classic Ranchero.
The man himself, Danny was responsible for this meet and he did an excellent job.
He owns a small restoration garage which you can follow from @supercruiserstudios on Instagram.
His massive Buick is fed by a remarkably simple fuel setup.
I love the old rounded Buick fuel filter glass. My Buick has the same filter setup as well.
Checkout the grapefruit of a horn.
These events in the end aren’t about cars. They are about the interaction between car owners and their cars. Everyone here was incredibly chill.
This built custom Chevy Truck had a badass presence with the airbags dropped and the engines intake stakes reaching high.
Army green rat rods have a special place in my heart.
The Chevy’s fuel filters are pretty cool as well.
Doesn’t get cooler than that.
This custom Chevy was an absolute treat. The more you looked, the more you saw. The patina was incredible and the fabrication was excellent.
My favorite thing about the build is the holes put through the sun visor. It made for interesting shaped light playing on the windshield in every picture.
Entering the event with style. The Chevy was one of the few cars to actively draw a little crowd upon arrival.
Words dont do this piece of art justice.
The 1938 Chevy Bomb has one of the most powerful presences on the road. It doesn’t drive on it, it owns it.
The prettiest engine bay I’ve ever seen on a rat rod. No dirt, no grime, just polished chrome brass and steel. A Sema winning quality build.
The interior was equally incredible. Remember, you can’t buy this stuff. Everything you see is fabricated to create the special final product.
The streamlined automobile was just breathtaking. Take note how all the screws round the perimeter in line. I imagine the holes were each created differently to ensure the final product was in a ring.
While they may not have the shiniest cars, Rolling Heaps Car Club were the most entertaining to talk to.
Behold the glorious Valiant four door. Take note of the monstrous aftermarket hood scoop. I call it, the Dart Jr.
This Thunderbird had very cool LED aftermarket headlights.
The owner of the GMC truck specially offered to pay me NOT to take any pictures of his truck. I couldn’t resist.
The way the yellow reflects across this Ford was intriguing.
A custom Ford Galaxie 500 with cool pin striping.
Sinister. Rat rods are known for their ease of use and visibility. Oh wait… no they aren’t.
Low down with the Riviera.
I really wish we could bring back the paint schemes of yesteryear.
1960 Chevy impala interior.
While Travel town was worried we would disrupt operations, the audience enjoyed the gathering.
It was time to roll out finally. But not before catching a few more of the army truck.
Simply. Badass.
Some guys just pull off the look in their car.
My wonderful view while cruising through Griffith Park
My favorite photo of the event.
Check out the folding window on the Garcia Special.
A few motorcycles joined the procession.
Windows down, arms out. A mandatory driving position.
While we waited for the streetlight to change, I hopped out of the car to the a picture of the procession.
Buick Riviera.
A perfect example of a ‘62 Chevy Impala as we arrived to Los Feliz Cafe.
The self proclaimed Garcia Special is one of the coolest hot rods in the San Fernando Valley.
Looking the part is important as well.
Handprinted designs are one my favorite aspects of hot rod culture.
Glamor shots in the parking lot to finish off the day.
A barn find brought back to life.
A true San Fernando car.
Vintage style car tires have one of the best looks about them.