SoCal’s abundant car culture scene
FRIDAY NIGHTS at Bob’s Big Boy mixes two American traditions—diners and cars.
What’s more American than a diner? Could it be how we identify with our cars? Especially here in Los Angeles, your car is not just how you get from point A to point B; a car means so much more. Your car is your identity in L.A. (Even if you decide it’s not your identity, that, in and of itself, is an identity).
It’s hard to explain to people who don’t live in L.A. why one person drives a military-grade $250,000 Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon (that will most likely never face more than our potholes), another person a hydraulic dancing lowrider with candy-colored paint, or why your local teenager replaces a perfectly good muffler so the car will be heard five blocks coming, and yet the local millionaire drives a low-key Toyota Prius to tout their “I fly under the radar” vibe.
BLUE BETTY, a 1956 Chevy 210 with a 383 Stoker, was restored by owners Karen and Gary Arellano, pictured here in the Bob’s parking lot.
The average Angeleno spends over 100 hours a year in traffic, and yes, early on we dismantled our rail system and became a horizontal city, forcing us to evolve alongside our automobiles. 1934 saw our first drive-in movie theater, the ‘gearheads’ created the hot rod to race in the Mojave Desert, and lowrider culture—rolling art pieces of the L.A. Latino culture, evolved here. Drag racing did, too.
Fascinated by our culture of cars? Here are some summer events you might enjoy.
All year, every Friday from 4 to 10 p.m., Bob’s Big Boy’s parking lot in Burbank (4211 West Riverside Dr.) fills up with all sorts of classic cars. Manager Robert Zuniga said, “Car culture is inherent to Bob’s, from the original car hopping service, to drive-ups by waitresses on roller skates.” Zuniga said in 1989 the Road Kings Car Club started hosting Friday nights in their parking lot. Gary Arellano, chairman of Road Kings, said, “Our club has been around since 1952 and still has some original members.”
CADILLAC MAJESTICS lowrider with highly detailed paint at East Side Story car gathering in San Pedro.
Two couples attending Friday nights at Bob’s, the Ovrids and the Fergusons, recalled other fun L.A. car memories, such as the L.A. County Raceway—a quarter mile drag strip (now closed)—or the unofficial late-night hangouts on San Fernando Road in the valley with its drag strips. The ladies’ fathers met in Palmdale High School over cars, and now they and their husbands carry on the culture with what Emil Ovrid explained are, “Belairs built for speed—wide rear tires, and big motors.”
The combined thrill of being a teen and having the power of a car seems to lend itself to ever new realms of daring,—often illegal, if not also creative-experiences. Late-night drag strips in the Valley made way for late night desert four-wheel parties lit only by the moon and the headlights of modified vehicles. More recently, teens head to street takeovers, where crowds gather, blocking off intersections, as drivers dangerously drift and spin out. One local teen who has attended these illegal, and yes, risky, events said, “The sounds of the cars; it’s crazy—you can feel it in your chest. It’s chaotic. So much adrenaline!”
BUICK 1985 belonging to Adam Henry is race-ready and on display at the diner.
Until 1988 cruising the customized vintage hydraulic lowriders in L.A. was also banned, due to the belief that it was a magnet for gang violence and street racing, and because it caused traffic congestion. Seen now as an expression of Chicano culture, it is a classic L.A. car scene. In June, East Side Story, a car event specifically for lowrider vehicles, had their yearly show in San Pedro. This event included food trucks, a performance by Pachucos, who sing R&B classics and doo wop songs popular to the scene, and most importantly a huge display of lowrider vehicles with over 100 cars, trucks, motorcycles, and bicycles. As their website says, “Our event is more than just a car show, it’s a celebration of our culture and our family.” ESS has events throughout California, with their next one taking place Sat., July 25, in San Diego Bay.
A smaller, easier reach? Most Sundays in L.A. there is a gathering of lowriders on display at Elysian Park on Stadium Way.
Even closer is David Lee of Larchmont Jewelers, who has brought his own welcoming flair to car culture on the Boulevard. In June, Lee hosted yet another exciting Saturday car event, where most of South Larchmont Boulevard was parked with his collectible exotic motors. Lee is a collector of Ferraris and invites interaction with the community and his collection of over $300 million worth of high-end sports cars. In addition to displaying his cars, he includes something also dear to him—his faith and Christianity. Coupled with Lee’s Cars and Chronos series (events Lee hosts to share his car collection) is Christ and Cars, an online Christian community he supports. Lee has been quoted on Instagram saying, “Pride… It can be used wrong if it becomes our idol.”
You name it, that car club probably meets here in town. Into British cars? Meet up at Voodoo Doughnut, 7101 Melrose Ave., 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. on the second Sunday of every month. Air-cooled Volkswagens or Porsches? Thursday nights at 7 p.m. on the corner of Ventura and Topanga Canyon boulevards. How about a premier automative museum? Can’t beat the iconic Petersen Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd., with its collection of over 250 rare vehicles from Hollywood icons like the Batmobile and James Bond’s Aston Martin, to presidential limousines and concept cars.
Not your speed? You always have the new Metro line!
Discover your car club preference at socalcarculture.com for a full listing of Southern California events.
Category: Entertainment
