American Graffiti

[Gearz]

[Craig Richter]

There is another shot of 22 Jr, which was the pride and joy of Tony Nancy, a very popular upholstery guy from the San Fernando Valley. His orange roadster, with injected "nail-head" Buick power here, was famous because he was constantly re-building it. You never knew what version he was bringing out next week, and that got Jr in a lot of Hot Rod Magazine photo shoots. Great hot rod builder, maybe not so great a driver...

[JTR70]

Great photos Byron! Thank you!

Thanks for sharing those event shots from last weekend Bruce. Where you offered an opportunity to go up in that old red baron replica?

Craig, thanks for sharing that background history on old 22 and its owner. Actually I've been enjoying the banter between you and Bill on how it was down in the valley in the 60's. What a time to grow up in! I find it amazing that you eventually found your way to the 356 after being raised on dragsters. How did that happen? Great stuff you guys! Thank you! Justin

[Craig Richter]

Justin, To tell you the truth, I don't remember the exact way the 356 bug got me. Of course It had something to do with meeting Roger Bursch. I think that was through Karnig Karadezian who worked at "Double Dollar" Don Blair's speed shop in Pasadena, where I used to hang around and dream after school, but mostly about the 50's hot rods. Karnig drag raced a Corvette tuned and sponsored by Roger. I do remember taking a "test ride" with some English guy around the Arroyo Seco in his Bursch-prepped '58 Speedster. Scared the scat out of me and I was hooked! Begged my Dad, and that car became my "go away...to college" ride, and the fun began...

[Bill Sampson]

I find it amazing that you eventually found your way to the 356 after being raised on dragsters. How did that happen? Great stuff you guys! Thank you! Justin

Ok Justin, you asked. I'll give my senior year at South Pasadena High school in 63-64 as an example of what happened. We had 7 class periods per day. You HAD to have a study period. So, I finagled my way into 7th period study and was, I guess, sufficiently disruptive where I was supposed to be that I was permitted to go to the library where Mary Ida Phair, the patron saint of good ole SPHS presided with a very gentle hand. Arnold Weible (RIP) and I spent the 50 minutes reviewing the latest Hot Rod and planning how we were going to get to the drags at San Gabriel where our respective financial positions required us to at least try to sneak in. Our "study" consisted mainly of whether Big John Mazmanian had put the A/GS car of Stone Woods & Cook on the trailer the weekend before or vice versa, plus, heated discussions of the relative merits of the Pure Hell or Pure Heaven AA/FA cars. Even as a then 16 year old the drivers of the AA/FA cars were too crazy to me.

Despite all that, the car for which both of us lusted was the Porsche. NEITHER of us knew the model # (356) but as jazz fans we also knew that nothing could be cooler than cruising through the east Pasadena Bob's in what we called a British Racing Green Porsche with the FM radio (largely NOT available in cars at the time) tuned to either of our LA jazz stations, KNOB or better yet KBCA with Miles Davis assisting us in attracting chicks. I also KNEW that if I owned one of those cars that Jeanne Myers would go out with me. She never did. So, not only did I not get to first base, I was never even on deck. Tragically, back in 2001, I learned from our alumni magazine, Tiger Tales, that Jeanne had passed away. Mind you I had had not contact with her since 1964 and unfortunately almost none before. So, I decided, after close to 40 years of never having a "toy" or enthusiast car that I had better buy a 356 before I joined Jeanne in the hearafter. Our C Coupe was "born" on June 26, 1964, 9 days after I graduated on my 17th birthday. If I drank, I'd toast Jeanne and Arnold, but, I remain forever happy to have known them. Same for Mary Ida.

I finally took my wife Rosemary to the drags for her first trip, in our woodie, at the 50th Winternationals - ON VALENTINE'S DAY. What could possibly be more romantic than the odor of burning rubber, nitromethane and track food?

Thanks for this thread. I've never owned a "real" hotrod and may not, but, if someone walks up and offers me stupid money for our C coupe, I'd probably consider taking the $ and shopping for a 34 Chevy 3 window with a big block. I assure you it never occurred to me that I was doing anything other than buying a youthful toy and saying good by to whatever it cost - not that I cared about those $ and I still don't.

During this stream of unconsciousness, I just thought of something. Craig - are you related to Les?

[Gearz]

Thanks, enjoying the old stories.

[Craig Richter]

Bill,
You and I grew up in Heaven. I think we knew it, just didn't have enough experience yet to be sure...

No, Les wasn't in our part of the Richter family. I haven't been asked that in a few generations! Richter is a pretty common German name...means "judge"...and there's a zillion of us around Chicago/Wisconsin. Was asked constantly about him back then, and did meet him once. He was a pretty darn good player (Tight End? But I think they called that position by another name back then), popular, and worked for the Rams (General Manager?) for years after playing.

Also got asked about the smart Richter that worked at CalTech, and developed that earthquake scale, but he wasn't related to us either. After I left home to attend the University of Spoiled Children, my folks moved from San Marino to up by the Annandale golf course, and he lived right down the street. They used to get each other's mail all the time. Boy, one little question digs up a lot of memories...

[Bill Sampson]

Les Richter was a great linebacker, I'm pretty sure Hall of Fame caliber, for the LA Rams back in the 50s and maybe into the early 60s when 5 Cub Scouts in uniform could get into the Coliseum for free if accompanied by one Dad who paid about 3 bucks . The Rams traded most of a team (about 11 players) to get him from the old Dallas Texans. After football he managed Riverside Raceway and eventually was instrumental in building NASCAR into what it became today. I figured maybe the car interest came from a relative. I think he also kicked for the Rams and probably at Berkeley too.

MOST of my friends are people with whom I attended high school - it was heaven indeed, although I just wouldn't move back - I'm a beach guy. I'm grateful to have those friends though, to this day - it wouldn't have happened without South Pas. As one example I've done the John Muir Trail twice now with my best buddy I met in band in 8th grade. We still take vacations/trips/hikes/what have you together every chance we get. We're both ministers in the Universal Life Church and he married Rosemary and me. Our mothers EACH told us that the other was a bad influence. MOMS are ALWAYS right, aren't they?

University of Spoiled Children? Whatever could you mean?

Bill the Bruin. I'd be Bill the Beaver but when I was at Caltech I didn't work. Oh Well.

[Craig Richter]

Wow, you remember a lot about 'ol Les. He was quite a guy, and a BIG dude. I'd forgotten about all his good work at Riverside Raceway... probably just denial over losing such a fine racetrack... for what? Moreno Valley? Mandy won't even let me drive through that place on the way to Palm Springs because we don't carry guns! Great tradeoff...

San Marino High School graduating class of 1961 has had over 30 reunions, some were really big shindigs including a few other classes, only slowing down recently as we all are hitting our 70's. A very tight bunch, still best friends. In fact our car club, the Barons, has several breakfasts every year with great turnouts, parking lot full of hot rods, muscle cars, and one old Speedster. That's the way it was, still is, and why we are so lucky, Bill.

[Jack Staggs]

...he married Rosemary and me.

That sounds a bit like bigamy.

[Craig Richter]

[Bill Sampson]

...he married Rosemary and me.

That sounds a bit like bigamy.

Jack:

You're clearly a pedant. Shortly after our troth in 1979 Rosemary asked me how I liked being married. I responded it was great and told her I planned to get a couple more wives. ...........................

[Craig Richter]

[Jack Staggs]

Groucho Marx once said "Why any man would want a wife is a mystery. Why a man would want two wives is a bigamystery"

[Gearz]