South Coast Corsa Corvair

SCC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 41, NUMBER 7
JULY 2011
SOUTH COAST CORSA
Corvair
SCC CAR SHOW 2011
CRUISES INTO THE HISTORIC
BOB’S BIG BOY BROILER, DOWNEY
South Coast Corsa is pleased to announce a new venue for the 4th Annual All Corvair Car Show
on Saturday, September 10, 2011―Bob’s Big Boy Broiler in Downey, CA! Bob’s Big Boy Broiler
holds a rich history for any Southern California car enthusiasts, and it is certainly one of the premier
destinations for classic and collector cars to meet. Become a part of history and attend this show!
It all began when original owners Harvey and Minnie Ortner purchased ‘Sally’s Fryers,’ a chicken farm
on the corner of Firestone Boulevard and Old River School Road in Downey. However, Harvey Ortner
had no intention of ever raising chickens. Harvey entertained the idea that the property was a perfect
spot for a restaurant due to the unique, sharp turn Firestone took where the property stood, creating a
perfect high-visibility location for the busy traffic moving east and west. Ortner envisioned a large, red
script Harvey's Broiler sign that would be visible for a mile in either direction―and he was right about
that. Harvey’s became an overnight success and Mecca for the Southern California car culture.
(continued page 4)
N E X T S C C C L U B M E E T I N G , T H U R S D AY, J U LY 2 1 , 7 P M
MEETING LOCATION:
POLLY’S PIES
819 W. CARSON, TORRANCE
(East of Vermont; West of the 110 Freeway)
CORVAIR.ORG/CHAPTERS/SOUTHCOAST
PAGE 1
SCC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 41, NUMBER 7
CORVAIR.ORG/CHAPTERS/SOUTHCOAST
JULY 2011
PAGE 2
SCC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 41, NUMBER 7
JULY 2011
FORM AVAILABLE AT: http://www.corvair.org/chapters/southcoast/events/CarShow2011.pdf
CORVAIR.ORG/CHAPTERS/SOUTHCOAST
PAGE 3
SCC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 41, NUMBER 7
JULY 2011
Designed by Paul B. Clayton and opened in 1958, Harvey’s Broiler was one of the last coffee shop/
drive-ins constructed in Southern California, incorporating the space-age "Googie" elements associated with coffee shop and drive-in architectural styles: strongly articulated rooflines, glass walls, brightlylit interiors and exteriors, enormous "V" shaped car canopies, semi-exhibition cooking, and gigantic
signage. The restaurant ran 24/7 in order to
accommodate the large crowds flocking to
“The Broiler”.
In 1964, Hot-Rodding magazine wrote an
article about Harvey's Broiler calling it, "The
center of attraction for Southern California
auto enthusiasts since 1958, Harvey's lures
an almost unbelievable 5000 cars every
weekend night. Harvey Ortner, owner and
operator, has become the impresario of what
is certainly the largest, richest, and most
spectacular automotive exposition in the
world. It all takes place in the extra large
paved area surrounding the restaurant which
provides plenty of 'cruising' room. Many
times, however, traffic is lined up more than a
city block in an effort to join the action. The crowd is made up of young people from Long Beach,
Pasadena, San Diego, San Bernardino, and other cities within a 100 mile radius, in addition to the local
patrons." Hot rodders and custom car enthusiasts would make the circuit: Grisinger's (now George's)
drive-in, in Long Beach; to Holly's, Hawthorne Boulevard and 137th, Hawthorne;
to Wich Stand, Slauson and Overhill, Inglewood; ending at Harvey’s Broiler.
Writer Tom Wolfe chronicled a night of cruising at Harvey's Broiler in an essay ‘The Hair Boys’ from his 1968 book The Pump House Gang, "Every Friday
night at Harvey's, starting about 9:30 p.m., kids from all over the Los Angeles
teenage netherworld, from West Los Angeles, Bell, Maywood, Hollywood, Gardena, San Pedro, white Watts, San Gabriel, even Santa Ana, Santa Monica, Covina―they all drive to Harvey's Drive-in in their cruising cars...The real reason
they come is simply to promenade, or, in the parlance of Harvey's Drive-in, ‘to
cruise.’ They cruise around in their cars in Harvey's huge parking lot, boys and
girls, showing each other the latest in fashions in cars, hairdos (male and female) and clothes in the Los Angeles Teenage...and Second-Generation Teenage...modes. Rank moderne! Teenage Paris! Harvey's Drive-in!"
In 1968, the Ortner’s sold the business to a Mr. Johnson (hence the reason
CORVAIR.ORG/CHAPTERS/SOUTHCOAST
PAGE 4
SCC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 41, NUMBER 7
JULY 2011
for one "N" in the name Johnie's) who reportedly
changed the name to Johnie’s Broiler. The "Fat Boy"
mascot was added in 1969 and was attached to the
original roof sign. In 1970 and according to city
construction permits, Johnie’s was acquired by former
Harvey’s 2nd chef, Christos Smyrniotis who operated
Johnie’s Broiler until its closing on New Years’ Eve
2001
In 1986, Lee McCullough, aka "Mr. Harvey's
Cruise-Nite," requested and received financial compensation and started up Harvey's Cruise Nite, based
on the success of an earlier cruise originated by
Street Rodder magazine contributing editor and Harvey's alumni Burlie Burlile, in tribute to “The Broiler's”
heyday of 1960's and late 50's cruising. DJ, Randy
Roubal, played oldies, and hundreds of hot rods and vintage cars from the
'30s to the early '70s attended the popular cruise nite on Wednesday evenings. In July 1990, because of a dispute with the owner, McCullough’s
Cruise Nite ended. Cruising returned in 1991 and ended again in 1994.
Rod & Custom Magazine shot their December 1993 cover at Johnie’s to
raised public awareness, and Johnie’s experienced a brief revival that
slowly declined again until closing in 2001.
In early 2002, a grass-roots campaign to have the restaurant’s exterior preserved began and was successful in having Johnie's Broiler placed
on the State's official Register of Historical Places. But, according to a
Los Angeles Times story, Smyrniotis objected on “economic grounds” to
the property's being included on the list.
The property was leased as a car dealership until January 7, 2007. In
August 2006, the dealership’s lease was terminated and a new 99-year
lease was signed with a new tenant, Ardas Yanik, who took it upon himself
to illegally demolish the restaurant, “without
even fencing off the property or disconnecting the utilities" after the city had turned
down a demolition permit in November of
that year. The city and concerned citizens
were able to stop the demolition before
most of the structure had been destroyed;
much of the main structure has been
heavily damaged, leaving the large main
sign, front facade and car canopy structures
still remaining upright, the original kitchen
and the back of the coffee shop had been
demolished. The Downey city prosecutor
filed a criminal case against the site's
T-shirts for sale.
Crown V-8 and All Corvair Car Show
(see left)
$20, includes shipping. By order.
Contact SCC.
See club contact info on page 8.
Also, see Chuck Rust at a meeting!
NEW T-SHIRTS TO COME!
CORVAIR.ORG/CHAPTERS/SOUTHCOAST
PAGE 5
SCC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 41, NUMBER 7
JULY 2011
tenant, who has been charged with conducting a demolition without a permit, among other things.
After pleading no contest to three misdemeanor charges in October 2007, property lessee Yanik was
sentenced to three years' probation, a $2,500 fine, reimbursement of $4,600 to the City of Downey, and
fifteen days of community service work with the California Department of Transportation.
Shocked by the almost total demolition, supporters regrouped and committees like the Mod-Com
(Los Angeles Conservancy’s Modern Committee), Friends of Johnie's Broiler, and the Coalition to Save
& Rebuild Harvey's Broiler sprang into action, and the city put moratorium on any further destruction.
In 2008 Bob’s Big Boy franchise owner, Jim Louder, entered into negotiations with owner
Smyrniotis. Louder reconstructed the Googie icon using as much remaining original material as possible. Additionally, the restaurant was rebuilt following original architect Paul Clayton's 1958 blueprints
and reopened as Bob’s Big Boy Broiler on October 19, 2009.
(Author’s note: details of this article were culled from a variety of sources and are as accurate as
possible, considering some contradictory information between the sources.)
CORVAIR.ORG/CHAPTERS/SOUTHCOAST
PAGE 6
SCC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 41, NUMBER 7
JULY 2011
Layout for NEW South Coast Corsa Car Show T-shirt! Available at the show ($10) and to the public by
mail order ($18). Contact [email protected] if you want to order by mail.
SHOW PARKING
DJ JIM
SHOW PARKING
SHOW PARKING
SHOW PARKING
CORVAIR.ORG/CHAPTERS/SOUTHCOAST
Bobs’ Big Boy is
1.4 miles east of
the 710 (Long
Beach Freeway)
—turn left at
Pomering; and
2.9 miles west of
the 605 (San
Gabriel Freeway)
—turn right at
Pomering.
Enter the Car
Show at
Pomering Road.
Car Show parking
will be at the front
part of the lot.
Come early for
the best parking
spots!
PAGE 7
SCC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 41, NUMBER 7
SCC
CALENDAR OF
JULY 2011
EVENTS
JULY
16―Glendale Cruise Night―5:30-10pm―Brand Blvd., Glendale
17―All GM Car Show―8:30am-13pm―Woodley Park, Van Nuys
23―Los Angeles Dodgers 1st Annual Car Show―10am-3pm―Dodger Stadium
31―Mustang Car Club Show―Corvair Class―Wyotech, Long Beach (see Sam Fine)
AUGUST
6―Ventura County Fair Parade―Contact Jack Pinard (805) 340-6533
14―Wounded Warrior Car Show―Wyotech, Long Beach
20―Main Street Car Show―10am-4pm―El Segundo
20―SCC GATHERING at Marty and Kathy Giffis’ House―12noon-??―Lakewood
SEPTEMBER
10―SCC Annual Car Show―10am-3pm―BOB’S BIG BOY BROILER DOWNEY
11―Belmont Shores Car Show―Leaving early AM―Long Beach
15-18―Route 66 Rendezvous―Downtown San Bernadino
24―Cruising for a Cure―7am- 5pm―Orange County Fairgrounds
??―Corsa West All Chevy Show―Woodley Park, Van Nuys
OCTOBER
1-2―Long Beach Motorama―Long Beach
2―Corsa West Concourse D’Elegance―Mission Hills
2―Corvair Heritage Day―Event to be announced
21-23―Great Western Fan Belt Toss and Swap Meet―Palm Springs
For Fan Belt Toss info: contact Corsa West L.A.: 818-345-9304
NOVEMBER
TBD
DECEMBER
Date To Be Determined―SCC Holiday Party
SCC GATHERING/GARAGE RUN!
SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011― Noon-??
The club is getting together to socialize!
All members welcome; including family, significant others, kids!
Marty and Kathy Giffis’ House: 6121 Carpintero Avenue, Lakewood, CA 90713
Food and drinks will be provided. BBQ! There is also a pool. NOTICE: there is no lifeguard so parents
are responsible for supervising their children.
CORVAIR.ORG/CHAPTERS/SOUTHCOAST
PAGE 8
SCC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 41, NUMBER 7
JUNE 2011 MTG. MINUTES
✦Attendance.
18 members; 5 cars!
✦We had visitors: Rafael
Ruvalcaba and his son (new
members); Albert Medina; Jorge
Flor (new member).
✦Talked about the project car and
the progress of restoration. Reminder that it may take longer than
we estimate, so we need to commit
and work on the car regularly. Diff
and transaxle complete (thanks!
Dan Drommerhausen), and Dan is
working on a number of other parts
on the car; Greg Petersen is going
through the engine and turbo
(thank you!); Richard Dolgenow
donated axel shafts and is rebuilding generator (thank you!); Rafee
Corvair donated gaskets (thank
you!); LS Corvair donated trans
cross member and some trans
parts (thank you!). Bob Nichols is
working on the instrument cluster
(thank you!); Walt Pickett will sand
and paint (thank you!); Paint donated by Hector Gonzalez (thank
you!); Dave Bristol will work on
brakes with Dan (thank you!).
Other members have offered help
come the time it is needed. Labor
needed. Loans (to paid back
when car is raffled) and/or donations to cover costs are welcomed. We want members to
meet at project car regularly and
see where help is needed (clean
parts?, repair? etc.). Project car is
located at Chuck’s shop. Dates to
meet are Saturday 7/23, 8/6, 8/20.
Call Greg Vargas if you want to
meet. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Target date: running early 2012;
then work out problems and
display car for raffle at GWFBT
Oct. 2012 . Raffle tickets will be
sold for the car; $20 with a MAX of
500 tickets. We are asking each
club member to sell 10 tickets.
Tickets to come.
✦SCC Car on September 10 at
Bob’s Big Boy Broiler Downey
discussed. VOLUN-TEERS
NEEDED ON DAY OF SHOW!!
✦ Wear your SCC T-shirt (any
shirt with SCC logo) AND your
name tag to the meeting. You
can win $$$! June meeting winner
was Hector Gonzales.
✦NAME TAGS: $10. Get one now!
SCC EVENTS FOR 2011
✦SEE
CALENDAR
✦Sunday, July 17: E-Board
meeting at Mills, 9am.
★Wednesday, July 20: SCC CAR
Show 2011 Meeting at Mills, 7pm.
OTHER CORVAIR EVENTS
★Wednesdays, 4-10pm: Cruise
night at Bob’s Big Boy in Downey.
The landmark building used to be
Johnie’s Broiler. 7447 Firestone
Blvd., Downey. GREAT PLACE!
★2nd Saturday of every month -free Car Show in Downtown
Torrance hosted by Cruising 50s.
Show starts at 3pm-7pm.
★Tuesday-Saturday, July 26-30:
2011 CORSA International
Convention. Denver, CO. Hosted by
Rocky Mountain CORSA. Flyers
are now available for download.
Click here.
★Weekly Friday Night Cruise at
Ruby’s
SCC OFFICERS
President
Hector “El Presidente” Gonzalez
[email protected]
562-597-1582
Vice President
Chuck Rust
[email protected]
310-732-1091
Newsletter Editor & Webmaster
Greg “Goyo” Vargas
[email protected]
310-998-0095
Technical Officer
Richard Dolgenow
[email protected]
562-423-4873
Treasurer
Greg Copeck
[email protected]
562-490-0845
CORVAIR.ORG/CHAPTERS/SOUTHCOAST
JULY 2011
NEEDED FOR
SCC CAR SHOW:
✴ YOUR CAR!
✴
EZ-Ups
✴ Raffle prizes
✴ Volunteers
Corvair
SCC is a
Enthusiast Club
South Coast Corsa Corvair is published
monthly. Letters, Tech Tips, and articles
are solicited from members and friends.
If you have an article to submit or
information you want to spread to other
members, the deadline for submission
is the 3rd Thursday of each month.
SCC CLUB EMAIL ADDRESS:
[email protected]
NEWS AND WEB MAIL:
South Coast Corsa Corvair
c/o Greg Vargas
2340 Virginia Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90404
[email protected]
MEMBERSHIP DUES:
Dues are $25 per year (prorated
$2 per month if joining after
September). Application. Send
dues to:
South Coast Corsa Corvair
c/o Greg Vargas
2340 Virginia Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90404
A chapter of
CORSA—#903
Corvair Society
of America—
CORVAIR.ORG
Join CORSA!
PAGE 9
SCC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 41, NUMBER 7
Hot Air
from “El Presidente” Hector
Gonzalez
Hello to all!
It's already July, and upcoming events are
fast approaching.
Recently, a few of our members participated
in Vintage Corsa's Econo Run. It was a well
attended event. It was good to see old friends
again. It's always special to mingle outside of the
club-meeting environment.
Unfortunately, SCC had to give up the coveted
"Got Gas?" trophy for the 1st time (the trophy for
using the MOST gas during an Econo Run; last
year’s winner was Chuck Rust). We were well
on our way in winning it again when a mechanical failure took us out. Now, next year's event will
have our focus to return the trophy to our club!
Good job, Vintage Corsa, and thank you!
Our project car is in progress right now, along
with our annual car show. Greg Vargas has
secured a new location and all is set up for the
event, and the rest of the planning is coming
together. As you know, we previously announced
that Mills Restaurant would be our show site, but
that didn't materialize as expected. So, BOB'S
BIG BOY BROILER (formerly Johnie's Broiler)
in the City of Downey has been secured! It is
a much better venue, way car-friendly, and with
an awesome history for the Southern California
car culture. So, let's get them cars ready to
rumble! We hope to see many of you at this
year’s show.
We will be setting up a schedule to meet at
the project car at regular intervals, so volunteers
can plan there participation. We came up with
an idea of giving out T-shirts for donating at least
10 hours of work on the project car. The T-shirt
will have a design specific to the car restoration
project.
Thanks to all, once again, for making our club
an enjoyable group.
JULY 2011
DUES ARE DUE
$25
SEPTEMBER
2011-2012
Members and Advertisers!
SCC AD POLICY
Classified ads: available to all SCC members whose
dues are paid in full.
Commercial ads: available for $25 per year beginning
in September (prorated at $2 per month). If you would
like commercial ad space, please send payment to
South Coast Corsa Corvair, c/o Greg Vargas, 2340
Virginia Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90404 (indicate
payment “Commercial Ad Space”)
Artwork: Mail art or classified listing info to the NEWS
SNAIL MAIL address on page 10. Submission
deadline is the 3rd Thursday of every month. Email
artwork or classified ad info to:
[email protected].
SCC CLASSIFIED ADS
Rare 1965 Gilbert made Napoleon Solo - The Man
from U.N.C.L.E action figure; in
box with ID, pistol, pistol
adaptor, and instructions. Plus,
separately boxed (box is worn)
U.N.C.L.E. TV Action Figure
Arsenal Set #1.
$325 obo. Contact:
[email protected]
G r e g Pe t e r s e n
(310) 594-7225
See you at the next meet and at the CAR
SHOW!
El Presidente
CORVAIR.ORG/CHAPTERS/SOUTHCOAST
PAGE 10
SCC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 41, NUMBER 7
JULY 2011
SCC COMMERCIAL ADS
Star Silkscreen - shirts, caps,
decals, artwork for Club Logos.
Operated by SCC member
Chuck Rust. Call (310) 679-7443
www.starsilkscreen.com
CORVAIR.ORG/CHAPTERS/SOUTHCOAST
PAGE 11
SCC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 41, NUMBER 7
CORVAIR.ORG/CHAPTERS/SOUTHCOAST
JULY 2011
PAGE 12