Some of you may recall from the previous board that I,m planning our first ever trip to the US. I had asked for some ideas for some old car related stuff to see and got some good replies, Thanks
So we,re coming over for Pomona in April.
What about those 50s style diners,like in Happy Days? Any still around or am i 40 years too late!
Thanks 58savoy
I hope you are not dissapointed with your trip to Pomona in April. Living in So.Cal I have attended the Pomona Swap Meet many times. During the last few years I have noted a considerablel falling off of the private type vendors (garage sale types) I have been told this is a result of eBay, why pack everything up in your vehiicle, pay outragous prices for fuel plus the entrance fee's when you can sell your stuff from the comfort of you home via ebay.
Several of my friends and I are going to give it one more try in March, we are going to take a car to sell (53 Pontiac 2dr) and some parts, this way we can beat the admission price plus we wont have to walk as far.
One more thing about Pomona, I have never found anything at Pomona for a Plymouth, lots of Chevy/Ford stuff, lot of custom parts vendors. Oh ya.....the girl watching in April is pretty good, warm enough for scanty clothing..
Now to the question at hand ......... 50's style dinners....
I get around the LA area quite a bit, yet I can't think of any 50's diners, maybe Mel's in the Santa Monica area, probably the best of the best is The Pantry Kitchen in downtown LA, this place has not changed since the 1940's. Breakfast is great but so is everthing else.
I will do some checking for you on other locations.....Bill
This just happens to be an area of interest for me, especially those in the southern California area.
If you were to visit only one, I would reccomend Bob's Big Boy in Burbank. If you show up on a Friday night, chances are there will be a sizeable turnout of classics/muscle cars. Here are a few of my pictures from the WPC cruise night this past summer.
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(https://www.plymouthowners.club/talk/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi5.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy158%2F90firebird%2FDSCF1394.jpg&hash=7bcdb2869a037249bf3702c1337f9ed4292eac1b)
(https://www.plymouthowners.club/talk/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi5.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy158%2F90firebird%2FDSCF1399.jpg&hash=c6ce59f4c5b133c4484f52bace01030e66b9731b)
http://www.bobs.net/
I recently visited the oldest operating McDonalds, and I must say that it was quite interesting. There is a small museum type building adjascent to the restaraunt with many McDonalds related displays, and is a nice place to see as long as you don't expect a good meal.
(https://www.plymouthowners.club/talk/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Forangeroof.org%2FCalifornia%2FCaliAdventure%2FMcDonalds%2F10-3--5-2004%2Fspeedee16.jpg&hash=9e539ed84b29a9ab462f16201bc8593bb3dc7183)
http://www.downeyca.org/visitor_mcdonalds.php
Norm's is a chain of 50's era coffee shops scattered throughout the greater southern California area. Although some are more aesthetically appealing than others, they all have distinctively 50's architecture, and are quite popular. This one is on La Cienega Bl.
(https://www.plymouthowners.club/talk/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.you-are-here.com%2Fgoogie%2Fgoogie10.jpg&hash=691acc38f44d00af6796ea712b6efbb152950837)
http://www.normsrestaurants.com/
other notable coffee shops can be found on this website; it is quite interesting and definitly worthwhile to check out..
http://www.roadsidepeek.com/coffeeeats/coffeeshop/
I hope you are able to check out some of these restaraunts since, in my opinion, they are priceless gems of 50's americana.
Sorry guys I had a brain hic-up, I ment to say NORM'S, the last time I was in a Norms's I was with a friend named Mel. Bob's in Burbank completely slipped my mind, Oh well win a few, loose a few....Bill
Hi there,
If I'm not too late, you might enjoy Mels in Hollywood. I haven't seen too many classics parked there when I used to frequent it, but there is a great selection of memorabilia from Happy Days and American Graffiti spread about. I believe the proprieter is the son of the original Mel, who began rescuing the diners in the 80's from destruction and reopening them/
You can get a little info at http://www.melsdrive-in.com/, there are several locations in California, and the mushroom swiss burger is worth having.
The pantry is also a classic, and more authentic than campy. Late nights on a Friday or a Saturday you used to see the swing dancers descending upon piles of burgers and fries after a long night of dancing in 40's regalia. Not too much anymore, but still fun to visit.
Sincerely,
Wendy
Hey Thanks for the great ideas, I;ve added them all to our" things to do" list. Love those cars outside Bobs,Would be great to catch someting like that!
What about that auto parts place Memory Lane in Sun Valley, Is it worth a look.
Thanks
Can't wait till April !!!
Even if you're not in need of parts and think that checking out a classic car junkyard is something that draws your interest, then memory lane is definitly a worthwhile trip. I've been there one time, and although a sad sight, it truly is an experience to be had. The yard isn't very large, as it shares a parking lot with a modern "pick your part" which literally dwarfs it, however there are still a sizeable amount of cars since they are stacked two high, frame rail to roof. I never dealed with any employees there, so I can't tell you what to expect in that area, but I'm sure you can ask if you happen to need a ladder or something. Oh, it's a good idea to wear clothes that you aren't afraid of getting dirty. Just incase you haven't seen their website already, it's http://www.oldautoparts.com/. Have fun! :)