Thursday, March 5, 2015

The South Bay Originals

This should make up for the recent lack of posts.

Around 2006-2007 I went on a mission of surfing the net to see if there were any good vintage chopper photos floating around. At that time motorcycle blogs were just starting to take off and there were some really cool photos showing up here and there. 

That exercise eventually lead to the creation of this blog in 2008. Through the blog I was fortunate to connect with guys like Joe Hurst, Bruce Parrish, Kerry Crist, and lately Angel Marc which really helped in sharing some of the best vintage chopper photos out there.

About two and a half years ago I posted three South Bay Originals photos that Joe sent and was totally knocked out by them. They especially touched me since I had memories of seeing choppers on  my visits to Hermosa Beach in the late sixties. Other than they were being shared by a few old South Bay friends on facebook, I did not know their orgins. Then recently I was contacted by Angel Marc who filled me in. As metioned in a previous post they are photos of his Huns brothers taken by the club's unofficial photographer Bill Miller.

I had hoped there were more and now it turns out there is. Marc has sent me several more to which I have included the three previously posted ones to round out this set.

They were taken around 1967 in Hermosa Beach. Some in front of the pier and a few others near the pier by the old Taco Bell. 

These are as good as it gets and it would be hard to pick a favorite. Because they were taken at night they have a great aura about them. I'd put them right up there with the classic photos of the Hells Angels by Bill Ray or Irving Penn.

2x4 Joe. He got his name after one time when his bike wouldn't start he picked up a 2x4 and beat it.

Alky Al

Filthy Frank 

Rac


Steve Drale

Ron

Dishpan Dave

BSA Bob

Lindsey

Thank you Marc for sharing.

6 comments:

Chris said...

Damn, insanely cool!

BoBo Jufat said...

Amazing, thank you for posting! AMAZING!!!

Anonymous said...

Wow, thanks for charing!

Art De Ross said...

My name is Art DeRoss. I lived in the South Bay and hung out with Angel Mark and the whole crew. I was a welder and worked in El Segundo. I built a bike for Roger Davis. I rented my house from Fats Noriegas parents at the time Richard was about 12. I'm glad to check into your website just to put me back a few. I now have in my possesion one of the v8 trikes that Dick built. I'm also currantly building a gooseneck frame around a twin cam. I would most definatly like to get in touch with Marc

Anonymous said...

I lived on 28th Street in Hermosa in the 60's and my dad (an old 82nd Airborne Vet) was friends with a some of these guys, he even lived with Frenchy when my mother threw him out, and also there once was a shootout in front of our house (i think around 67), I know my dad was friends with filthy Frank too but don't remember ever seeing him at the house,I have always looked for any old pics or stories, as I was only like 8 or 9 back then and my dad has passed several years ago. Thank you for posting these. Are any of these guys still around?

Chris K said...

Steve Drale has passed. I don't know about the rest of the guys in these particular photos, but Angel Marc, who supplied the photos and Nez are still around. Marc and Nez are in one of the other sets of of SBO photos.