Classic Car

Gary Moskowitz It took William Dickson five years to fully restore a 1933 Chevy Eagle from a pile of old parts to the shiny, slick, classic car that it is today. It was a labor of love for Dickson, who had wanted one of his own Chevy Eagles ever since his dad drove one before World War II. Dickson, a Santa Clarita resident, was one of hundreds of people with a common love for classic cars and trucks and hot rods who attended the 1st annual Foothill Festival of Cars on Saturday at First Baptist Church in La Crescenta.

A journey back to the good old days is in store for local residents at tonight's Cruise Night and street party on Brand Boulevard. "I always come for the music," Assistant City Manager Bob McFall said. "The music is often representative of different eras ? 60s, 70s and 80s." The '60s will be featured this year when The Kingsmen, Sha Na Na, the Murmaids and Freddy Boom Boom Cannon take the main stage, which will face north in the intersection of Brand Boulevard and Wilson Street.

GLENDALE — The owner of a red 1959 Chevrolet Impala that was stolen last summer got mixed news last week: Police tracked down and recovered the classic car, but the thieves repainted it green and made other modifications. And since the owner had cashed out his last-minute insurance policy after the theft, the car goes to the firm, not him. Acting on a tip, detectives recovered the Impala from a chop shop in Hawthorne last week after it was stolen nearly eight months ago on Cruise Night, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.

Gary Moskowitz NORTHEAST GLENDALE -- It's that time of year again, when the owners of classic cars cruise down to Verdugo Park and display their pride and joy -- their automobiles. The ninth annual Jewel City Kiwanis Club's Classic Car and Street Rod Show will give classic car owners and fans the chance to mingle and enjoy a common interest in custom cars. The show is free to visitors and will be from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Verdugo Park, 1621 Canada Blvd.

In response to “Police check under the hood” Wednesday, as one of many classic-car enthusiasts in Glendale, I want to voice my concern about this new crackdown having the potential to negatively affect our hobby. As I have written before to the Glendale News-Press, everyone in Glendale with even a shred of intellectual honesty knows who is overwhelmingly responsible for the roadway insanity that has become so shamefully characteristic of this city. The embarrassing spectacle of kids somehow being able to “acquire” these expensive vehicles leaves most of us working adults scratching (or rather shaking)

Nearly four years after his daughter's death, Todd Olympius keeps Brianna close to his heart by planning an event that's easy on the eyes. The second Rev-N-Rock for CHOC classic car show takes place at Huntington Beach's Central Park today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with proceeds going to Children's Hospital of Orange County's Neuroscience Institute. Brianna spent her final days at the hospital, battling a cancerous tumor in her brain stem. She lived nine months longer than expected, and Olympius said he credits the hospital for infusing life into Brianna's final weeks.

Around 400 classic cars will be on display Saturday during the 19th annual Cruise Night downtown. The festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. and will take over Brand Boulevard from Lexington Drive to Broadway. “It looks like it will be another successful event,” said city spokesman Tom Lorenz. City officials scaled down this year's event as they coped with severe budget pressures. The event had been funded primarily by roughly $103,000 in redevelopment money, but when the state sapped that funding source earlier this year, the city was forced to pony up $42,000 from the General Fund.

Car enthusiasts gathered to see their favorite hot rods firing up their engines on Sunday during the Independence Day block party and hot rod show at Montrose Shopping Park. The roaring sounds of engines attracted crowds of onlookers who took a break from shopping at the area's Harvest Market to see vintage automobiles lined up on Honolulu Avenue. "We just moved up here from San Diego, and this is better than the car shows we've seen down there," La Cañada Flintridge resident Chuck Robbins said as he admired a 1932 Ford Roadster.

Assisteens presented at 'Stars' fundraiser Assisteens, an auxiliary of the Assistance League of Glendale, will have its annual member recognition and fundraiser on April 2 at the La Canada Country Club. The event, titled "Hollywood Stars," begins at 11 a.m. and includes Senior Presentation, lunch, fashion show, presentation of awards and silent auction. Seniors to be presented are Amanda Ainsworth, Jessica Forster, Vanessa Marquette and Lisa Mawhinney, all of La Crescenta, and Rebecca Simon of Glendale.

Verdugo Park becomes the home for the free 15th annual Classic Car and Hot Rod Show sponsored on Sunday by the Jewel City Kiwanis Club. It is always a real treat to walk through the park and see more than 300 classic and unique cars and even some motorcycles looking their very best. You will see everything from Model T?s to 1950s hot rods to 1970s muscle cars. Plus added to the show will be some of Germany?s and Italy?s sleek ?burner cars.? The Kiwanis Club sets up its barbecue catering trailer at the park and cooks up the best food.

After her husband died in 1999, Sandy Norris began fixing up his 1951 Ford Convertible. She fixed the engine and painted the exterior Georgia peach. “I didn't have any choice,” she said Saturday afternoon at Glendale's 19th annual Cruise Night. Her husband had upholstered the seats a similar color before he died of esophageal cancer, and she wanted the inside and outside to match. Ever since the La Crescenta resident upgraded the car, she's been displaying it at shows, her husband's wish.

Around 400 classic cars will be on display Saturday during the 19th annual Cruise Night downtown. The festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. and will take over Brand Boulevard from Lexington Drive to Broadway. “It looks like it will be another successful event,” said city spokesman Tom Lorenz. City officials scaled down this year's event as they coped with severe budget pressures. The event had been funded primarily by roughly $103,000 in redevelopment money, but when the state sapped that funding source earlier this year, the city was forced to pony up $42,000 from the General Fund.

The first time Alyce Russell thought she'd been duped by her longtime friend John Drayman was at the former councilman's reelection-night party last April. At the time, Russell was president of the Montrose Shopping Park Assn., which runs the Montrose Harvest Market. Drayman was in charge of counting proceeds from the market, but by election day, he was nearly 11 months behind on turning the money in, according to recently unsealed grand jury testimony. Russell and other shopping park officials knew Drayman was busy with campaigning, so they let the tardiness slide.

Along with the recent observances of Passover and Easter, one sure sign that spring has sprung in Burbank is the staging of the Burbank Kiwanis For Fun Foundation spring car show and the Burbank Council Parent Teachers Assn.’s annual service awards. Local Kiwanians and more than 200 classic car owners rolled into Johnny Carson Park on April 17 for the organization’s 12th annual car show fundraiser. Along with a pancake breakfast and barbeque lunch, the daylong event gave hundreds of attendees the opportunity to peruse an eclectic mix of vehicles.

GLENDALE — The owner of a red 1959 Chevrolet Impala that was stolen last summer got mixed news last week: Police tracked down and recovered the classic car, but the thieves repainted it green and made other modifications. And since the owner had cashed out his last-minute insurance policy after the theft, the car goes to the firm, not him. Acting on a tip, detectives recovered the Impala from a chop shop in Hawthorne last week after it was stolen nearly eight months ago on Cruise Night, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.

Do you ever wonder how a carpet business that remained on Foothill Boulevard in La Crescenta for 27 years turned into a store for pet grooming run by the same owner? Here's the scoop. When Violet Hovsepian's husband decided to leave carpets behind, Hovsepian decided to follow her passion for dogs and cats. One year ago, she started Pampered Poochez in the same location with her sister-in-law Lala Maranjyan . The Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce hosted an open house at the pet grooming store on Saturday.

Bruce Carnachan’s friends know him as Mr. Jaguar. The 86-year-old Glendale resident began his love affair with cars in the 1930s, watching the kids down the block work on sporty models. He bought his first car, a 1930 Model A, in 1940 for $40. “My friends helped fix it up,” he said. “We overhauled the engine.” The first sports car he owned was a 1951 MG TD and he showed it off at car rallies and events as a member of the Glendale Four Cylinder Club of America.

Tom Russell was 13 years old when he first dreamed of customizing his own car — and he fulfilled that fantasy even before he received a driver’s license. His first car, a lime green 1946 Willys Jeep, gave way to an orange 1964 Corvette with flames and finally a burgundy and black 1926 Lincoln, Russell said. The latter car earned Russell and his son Robert a third-place trophy at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The father and son drove up onto a small bridge to claim their prize.

Brand Boulevard went retro Saturday as automobiles from eras past filled the street for the city’s 16th annual Cruise Night. More than 450 classic cars filled the boulevard, which was blocked off from traffic for several blocks. Thousands of contest entrants and attendees came from across Southern California for what many said has become an annual tradition for people across the region. “We come every year,” said Patti Moore, who was sitting with her husband Tom by their white 1956 Ford Thunderbird, which her husband’s uncle bought after returning home from military service.

She drives a 2002 Honda and drove a Toyota before that, but Sandy Norris’ heart is set on her 1949 Ford — one of her late husband’s favorite cars. Born in Chicago and raised in Cleveland until she was 12, Norris came to La Crescenta in 1952. She graduated from Glendale High School in 1957 and married her husband in September that year. They were happily married for 42 years; it will be 10 years this August since he died after battling cancer. When they met, she was driving a ’49 Ford and he was driving a ’49 Mercury.