Van Nuys Cruise Video

[Ponch ®]

According to local lore (and the old timers), back in the 60s, 70s, and early 80's, Van Nuys Blvd was the center of SoCal car culture every Wednesday night. The tradition eventually died down, but at the beginning of the summer a bunch of car enthusiats decided to bring it back. In the middle of the summer there were 1000+ cars on cruise night. It's held the 2nd Wednesday of every month. This month I rode shotgun in my buddy's 73 Duster and brought my camera along. So without further ado...here's my filmmaking debut:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhyv_5qnkqc

(be lenient...it's my first time trying to put something like this together)

[68X426]

GREAT VIDEO. You nailed it first time out. Can't wait to see Van Nuys II, then Return to Van Nuys, then Van Nuys with a Vengeance. I will pop the popcorn for those shows.

Now that you have uncovered me as one of those old-timers (ouch, I'm 52 going on 19, but now I am officially old, because I was there) I can tell stories.

I got my license in 73 and hit the Boulevard in mom's 70 Ford station wagon with about 11 people stacked inside. We were from "way out" past Thousand Oaks and all of Ventura County went to VN, and it seemed like all of LA and Orange County was there. I bought my 68 Charger in 74 and every Wednesday it was there along with thousands of cars and spectators.

The cops were cool. They allowed some seriously bad ass race cars to cruise; it was the first time that kids (like me) actually saw blowers and slicks. We would all then drive home to Newbury Park and go race on Portrero Road (now covered with houses and condos).

Van Nuys cruising was shut down as I remember it by 1978. Somebody who was also there can correct me on that. I graduated college in 79 and moved away. It was a glorious time to have a car, a girl, and friends. I was lucky and didn't even know it.

Thanks for the trip on the Boulevard.

[tan top]

   good video Ponch , thanks for posting  .....  really captures the feel of the evening   , lot of mopar hardware there by the look of it !!! 
i spyed a  Daytona also    ..wonder if it was real ??

[Ponch ®]

GREAT VIDEO. You nailed it first time out. Can't wait to see Van Nuys II, then Return to Van Nuys, then Van Nuys with a Vengeance. I will pop the popcorn for those shows.

Now that you have uncovered me as one of those old-timers (ouch, I'm 52 going on 19, but now I am officially old, because I was there) I can tell stories.

I got my license in 73 and hit the Boulevard in mom's 70 Ford station wagon with about 11 people stacked inside. We were from "way out" past Thousand Oaks and all of Ventura County went to VN, and it seemed like all of LA and Orange County was there. I bought my 68 Charger in 74 and every Wednesday it was there along with thousands of cars and spectators.

The cops were cool. They allowed some seriously bad ass race cars to cruise; it was the first time that kids (like me) actually saw blowers and slicks. We would all then drive home to Newbury Park and go race on Portrero Road (now covered with houses and condos).

Van Nuys cruising was shut down as I remember it by 1978. Somebody who was also there can correct me on that. I graduated college in 79 and moved away. It was a glorious time to have a car, a girl, and friends. I was lucky and didn't even know it.

Thanks for the trip on the Boulevard.

the more things change, the more they stay the same. people also come from all over for this (in fact, my buddy whose duster I was in drives from Camarillo). The cops are also cool and let certain things slide (no front plate, lights), mostly cuz everyone is pretty good about not being stupid

  good video Ponch , thanks for posting  .....  really captures the feel of the evening   , lot of mopar hardware there by the look of it !!! 
i spyed a  Daytona also    ..wonder if it was real ??

sure is...belongs to a guy from my mopar club. 

[68charger383]

Very cool video.

I've been trying to get down there for a while and was waiting for the cooler weather since I'll be coming from the Pomona area.

Rolling_Thunder mentioned having all get together for all the SoCal members, this might be a great place.