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Title: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: johnl on November 16, 2011, 19:41:08 pm Here is the next segment of my photos I'll share. Note that these have a watermark with my name affixed and there is a reason. Since I posted the photos of the DKP Road Trip to Featherly Park I've received e-mails from Europe showing these posted to other sites and am being asked if I've seen them. Of course I have as I took them, but somehow in lifting the photos and posting to other locations the origins as to where they came from has been lost. Hopefully this will help with future offerings.
The topic here is the Pickwick Hotel and the DKP Clubhouse. The hotel was built in 1926 and originally named “El Torre Hotel” which is something I never knew until I did some research. By 1929 it was re-named the “Pickwick Hotel” which it remained until it was torn down in June of 1988. Here is a link with a couple of photos and some more data: http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt1v19p938/?layout=metadata I don't know exactly how it was set up in those early days and I wasn't exposed to it until 1956 when my family moved from Santa Ana to Anaheim. I suspect the bus depot was always in the back alley as it looked to be original to the building. By the time I arrived on the scene there were a series of retail shops on Los Angeles St., later named Anaheim Blvd. One of these was Tiny’s Hobby Shop which I use to ride my bike to and spend hours there. Yes Mr. Goss, this is when I rode by a young Stan Betz (Betz Speed & Color) sitting on the curb in front of his shop on Chestnut mixing paint for Hot Rods. I was big into HO Trains and AMT Model car kits. Tiny ran model contest and I was always entering. One of my winning cars was a first generation Corvair done in candy purple with purple and white tuck and roll done with corduroy. I’d cut the doors, hood and engine compartment lid open and they were hinged. The engine was a small block Chevy in the rear. The car was mounted on a mirrored glass with trophies, gas and oil cans displayed. The hotel has more history to DKP than most of you know as there were two clubhouses there. Our first was on Los Angeles St. at the south end of the building very close to where Tiny’s had been. Later, when I was away in the Navy it was moved to the Chestnut St. location and I don’t really know the details why. Just south of the first location was the Anaheim Library, now the cities historical museum. This building has significance as it was the location where Pete Dayton and Mike Huggins came up with the club’s name and logo. I drive through parts of Anaheim daily as my business is located not to far from all of this. Memories continually stir of days long gone by. Probably most can say where they grew up was great, but for me this was and is the place. For a kid of nine years old to arrive in such a place and live the life and make the friends I have is beyond words for me. Now to the photos……………………………….. Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: johnl on November 16, 2011, 19:44:36 pm A photo of the Corvair model I built back around 1960. This shot was taken in my parents back yard and I still have this model today.
Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: johnl on November 16, 2011, 19:50:32 pm This is the front of club house #2. L-R Kip Ralston, Art Alvarez, Steve Leikus, Mike Larson and myself. Butternut parked in the foreground. Note the Americans were now painted a brown in the centers to match the interior and sunroof. Looks like we are moving trophies out of the clubhouse probably to go to a Bug-In.
Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: johnl on November 16, 2011, 19:53:18 pm Another photo of myself on the left with Steve Leikus. Unknown blue car, but I'm thinking it might have belonged to Kip Ralston and Butternut to the right.
Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: speedwell on November 16, 2011, 19:56:05 pm once again thx john for sharing those stories with us
fabs Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: johnl on November 16, 2011, 20:02:20 pm This is looking east on Chestnut St. In the photo L-R are Bill McMillan, Steve Leikus, Mike Larson in the background, Liz (more about her later), Art Alvarez, Arnie Mohlman and Mark Thurber under the hood of his car.
Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: johnl on November 16, 2011, 20:09:37 pm Okay, this is the MONEY SHOT. Unknown person on the left, Kip Ralston, Stan Davis with his arm around Liz. Now Liz was the local Barfly and she had exited the Pla-Mor Bar at the end of the street and had to get in the photo. Note the rather fancy dress she is wearing and certainly pick the right guy to have her photo with. Next would be Arnie Mohlman and Mark Thurber's car.
This was taken on a Sunday morning around 9:30am as I recall. We were gathering to go somewhere but I can't remember what. Jim E., maybe you can add to this?? Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: johnl on November 16, 2011, 20:22:55 pm The final shot of this series. L-R Dave Patrick drinking coffee, Art Alvarez, Steve Leikus, Unknown, I think Stan Davis bent over showing us his best side.. :o :o Vehicles parked are the "Toilet", Arnie's '67 with real BMR's as that was all he could afford, the unknown blue car and Mark Thurber's car.
In the background on Los Angeles St. you can clearly see the "Pla-Mor" behind Dave Patrick. On the right was West Coast Auto Supply which was just to the east of our clubhouse. A couple more thought have come to mind. Gregg Bunch somehow managed to obtain a lamp from the Pickwick as the place was being torn down. I've seen it at his house, but don't remember many details of that conversation although it was somewhat recent. The other things that come to mind was Doug Haydon's Bachelor party held at the clubhouse and he was graceful enough to put his elbow through one of the plate glass front windows. Whit Haydon and and I took him to Anaheim Memorial Hospital to get sewn up. I remember calling his Mom and telling her he was okay. She asked if he had been drinking and of course I lied... ;) ;) Last was we use to say that when you went in the clubhouse and turned on the lights the floor moved as it was full of cock roaches, but it was home for us.... :) :) :) Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: deano on November 17, 2011, 01:21:39 am Nice burnout marks in the bottom photo! Finally, some good photos do exist of the famed Pickwick Hotel and DKP Lounge. Fab photos JohnL...
Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: kingsburgphil on November 17, 2011, 01:40:01 am Nice burnout marks in the bottom photo! Finally, some good photos do exist of the famed Pickwick Hotel and DKP Lounge. Fab photos JohnL... I've been waiting for pictures of the DKP groupies, namely the Hunt sisters Valerie and Mallory ;D. Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: Rennsurfer on November 17, 2011, 02:20:48 am EXCELLENT photos, John! And as usual, thank you for sharing.
Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: johnl on November 17, 2011, 02:58:35 am Nice burnout marks in the bottom photo! Finally, some good photos do exist of the famed Pickwick Hotel and DKP Lounge. Fab photos JohnL... Ah, I wondered if there were any eyes out there that would spot the burnout marks. ::) ::) ::) ::) Good eyes Deano and glad you like the photos. These days when I drive around down there I'm sad as for what was once there. Progress is not always good and I'm one to preserve old things such as homes, public buildings, senior citizens of which I'm becoming one rather rapidly and certainly not last are automobiles no matter what mark. In my opinion they all have value and tell us of our past...... Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: johnl on November 17, 2011, 03:01:53 am Nice burnout marks in the bottom photo! Finally, some good photos do exist of the famed Pickwick Hotel and DKP Lounge. Fab photos JohnL... I've been waiting for pictures of the DKP groupies, namely the Hunt sisters Valerie and Mallory ;D. Anyone who was around back in those times could never forget Valerie and Mallory. What a pair is all I'll say. Got to thinking and the Clementine 1302 in the Featherly Park photos might have belonged to one of them. Jim E, where are you as I need your memory on this...... Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: johnl on November 17, 2011, 03:09:35 am I've found another good site to see the Pickwick. There are three photos you can click on and enlarge each one. My favorite is the one with the 1958 Edsel wagon. A rare vehicle indeed and I'd like to have one in my garage especially if it was the Bermuda model with the bleached phony wood on the sides. ;D ;D
There is also an outline area in red showing where the hotel once stood and what has replaced it. If you look down that row of trees on the north end of the old location you might just see a couple of those burnout marks..... ::) ::) ::) ::) http://wikimapia.org/4328838/Pickwick-Hotel-site Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: Fritter on November 17, 2011, 03:41:53 am Great stuff, thanks for sharing!
Looks like everyone just took their bumpers and brackets off at this time, tbars weren't until a few years later? Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: Rennsurfer on November 17, 2011, 04:06:34 am Here is the next segment of my photos I'll share. Note that these have a watermark with my name affixed and there is a reason. Since I posted the photos of the DKP Road Trip to Featherly Park I've received e-mails from Europe showing these posted to other sites and am being asked if I've seen them. Of course I have as I took them, but somehow in lifting the photos and posting to other locations the origins as to where they came from has been lost. Hopefully this will help with future offerings. Amen to THAT! It's a trip to see how many of my photos end up on other web sites/pages/blogs/etc. Some of my online pictures date back to the nineties and it amazes me to see the miles they've traveled over the years. Hence why I watermark move of my shots. To the people that have the class/respect to retain the photographers' credits. thank you. The the rest; learn from the prior group, dig? Carry on. Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: johnl on November 17, 2011, 05:23:29 am Great stuff, thanks for sharing! Looks like everyone just took their bumpers and brackets off at this time, tbars weren't until a few years later? Mike, My pleasure to share with all so that they may have a better understanding of where we came from. Regarding the T-Bars I can remember Auto Haus offering them under the RaceTrim brand along with the chrome "Nerf Bars". They were around back then, but no one had made the move yet. Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: Fastbrit on November 17, 2011, 09:20:46 am Very cool John (as always!) – you are THE MAN! 8)
Now, if I could just get a publisher interested again... :-\ Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: Helge/DFL on November 17, 2011, 09:35:59 am YES Keith! A third book!
Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: johnl on November 17, 2011, 16:25:18 pm Very cool John (as always!) – you are THE MAN! 8) Now, if I could just get a publisher interested again... :-\ Keith, Thanks for the comments. I am only the guy lucky enough to have kept some of this documentation in photos. Maybe you should reconsider doing another book as I will have more to come in stories and photos. ;D ;D ;D Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: mgmahaffey on November 17, 2011, 20:48:11 pm We move the clubhouse around the corner because it was cheaper and we lost a lot of members to the Vietnam war including you. It was a little smaller but I swear there were more cockroaches there. I think we paid about $40 a month. Isn't that Doug Hayden in the photo you weren't sure? . . . Aw yes, the Hunt sisters - or didn't we have another nickname for them ;D
Mike Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: johnl on November 17, 2011, 21:23:18 pm We move the clubhouse around the corner because it was cheaper and we lost a lot of members to the Vietnam war including you. It was a little smaller but I swear there were more cockroaches there. I think we paid about $40 a month. Isn't that Doug Hayden in the photo you weren't sure? . . . Aw yes, the Hunt sisters - or didn't we have another nickname for them ;D Mike Mike, HOWDY !!!! ;D ;D ;D Okay, you've supplied the answer to why the clubhouse was moved and that makes sense. I'm sure that the guy in the dark blue long sleeve shirt with his hands in his pockets is NOT Doug Haydon. I remember this guy being around and I want to think he drove a Squareback but beyond that I can't put it together. Maybe Edmiston will have an answer. The "Hunt" sisters had a few other names as I recall.. Check with Brooks as I'm sure he will know...... ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: WCB Hitler's Hot Rod on November 17, 2011, 21:28:46 pm Thanks for the history lesson/ class of DKP John ! I'm facinated with it all; especially learning what happened before my era with cal-look. I would like to see Dean Kirsten , Stephan or someone from Hot VWs write and publish a book covering cal-look clubs of all sorts along with DKP. Possibly a seperate book similiar in size to the ,"All about VW Performance Engines" that Hot VWs published years ago. IMO I think it would sell. Who else has the ultimate library concerning this....dig?
Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: johnl on November 17, 2011, 21:40:15 pm Thanks for the history lesson/ class of DKP John ! I'm fascinated with it all; especially learning what happened before my era with cal-look. I would like to see Dean Kirsten , Stephan or someone from Hot VWs write and publish a book covering cal-look clubs of all sorts along with DKP. Possibly a separate book similar in size to the ,"All about VW Performance Engines" that Hot VWs published years ago. IMO I think it would sell. Who else has the ultimate library concerning this....dig? History lessons are good as we can learn from them. I'm glad you are "fascinated" with this stuff as at times I feel most think I'm rambling and someone is looking for the duct tape to put on my mouth and wrap my fingers keeping them away from the keyboard. It has been stated on this site more than once that I should write a book based on my remembrances but most of them are now here for anyone who wishes to read them. A book would certainly be neat, but possibly in the "Big Picture" from a publisher's stand point there isn't enough of a market to support the topic. I'm sure Keith Seume and others that have written on the VW subject would know better than I. Only time and effort would show the final results, but you must remember that it is potential $$ that makes publishing companies take such a task on. Mean while, I'll keep exercising my fingers telling the stories of our past...... ;) ;) ;) Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: Sarge on November 17, 2011, 22:24:15 pm Man it's neat seeing some new pictures and remembering some of the times we had back then. I can tell you guys that many a club meeting ended at the Pla-Mor... stale beer and cigarette smoke smells are permanently etched in my skull along with visions of the local losers that frequented the place. For new guys here who may have missed it, I'll add the link to a similar thread from three years ago...
http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,3570.0.html Thanks for all the great pics, John! Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: johnl on November 17, 2011, 22:57:56 pm Man it's neat seeing some new pictures and remembering some of the times we had back then. I can tell you guys that many a club meeting ended at the Pla-Mor... stale beer and cigarette smoke smells are permanently etched in my skull along with visions of the local losers that frequented the place. For new guys here who may have missed it, I'll add the link to a similar thread from three years ago... http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,3570.0.html Thanks for all the great pics, John! Sooooooooooooooooooooooooo Jim, Would you say that "Liz" was the "Queen" of Elmer's Pla-Mor?? ::) ::) ::) ::) Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: Jim M on November 18, 2011, 02:51:27 am John, THANK YOU and more please...........
Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: nlvtinman on November 18, 2011, 03:16:02 am John,
Looks to me as if Liz was one of life's original "Cougars" and she had an eager group of healthy young men to tempt. That she would be wearing that white dress on an early Sunday morning has to say a LOT about her. ;) Steve Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: johnl on November 18, 2011, 03:25:09 am John, Looks to me as if Liz was one of life's original "Cougars" and she had an eager group of healthy young men to tempt. That she would be wearing that white dress on an early Sunday morning has to say a LOT about her. ;) Steve I don't think I saw her sitting in front of me at church last week... ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: nlvtinman on November 18, 2011, 03:29:24 am Oh John, yes she was there. She was that grey haired 90 year old women with crepe paper looking skin... and the short skirt :o
Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: johnl on November 18, 2011, 06:13:12 am Oh John, yes she was there. She was that grey haired 90 year old women with crepe paper looking skin... and the short skirt :o Steve, I'm glad you cleared that up for me as I thought I was seeing a Stephen King novel and it was just a well used Liz. Knowing this I'll sleep better tonight............... :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: So.Cal.Life on November 18, 2011, 08:00:17 am Seeing all the pics of Old Downtown always brings back a flood of some of the best memories of my life, what a Great place. Thanks John
Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: Nico86 on November 18, 2011, 23:03:55 pm Thanks again John! :)
Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: Triple D on November 19, 2011, 01:46:22 am Hey John
"Vhat is mit da Boom Boom??" Does that bring back and memories?? ;) Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: johnl on November 19, 2011, 02:54:28 am Hey John "Vhat is mit da Boom Boom??" Does that bring back and memories?? ;) Wah da Boom Boom........ ;D ;) ;) ;) Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: bilboa2 on November 19, 2011, 03:04:05 am john, thanks also , just wanted to agree with keith goss about seeing the old anaheim as I grew up. Great memories of riding around in the back of my parents 63 pontiac wagon and seeing all the vws in the downtown area, la palma park, pickwick hotel, hillcrest park and remembering the "anchor muffler" written on some of the cars..I barely remember going to the downtown fox theater and seeing the sound of music, army navy store, sqr store, the library, etc and the killer rail road tracks on lincoln where in the right lane it would almost tear your suspension out if you went to fast.. Did not know of "thee" dkp club then, but I liked the way they looked. Got me hooked for sure. First car I owned, vw. Hard to believe. Little did I know when years later roger grago pulled me over and invited me to join the dkp 2 gang. Dkp was in my blood and I never knew it. Thanks for the great historic shots and many, many great memories of growing up in anaheim and seeing history in the making. AWESOME PICS.. THANK YOU...bill
Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: johnl on November 19, 2011, 03:32:48 am john, thanks also , just wanted to agree with Keith goss about seeing the old Anaheim as I grew up. Great memories of riding around in the back of my parents 63 Pontiac wagon and seeing all the vws in the downtown area, la palma park, pickwick hotel, hillcrest park and remembering the "anchor muffler" written on some of the cars..I barely remember going to the downtown fox theater and seeing the sound of music, army navy store, sqr store, the library, etc and the killer rail road tracks on lincoln where in the right lane it would almost tear your suspension out if you went to fast.. Did not know of "thee" dkp club then, but I liked the way they looked. Got me hooked for sure. First car I owned, vw. Hard to believe. Little did I know when years later roger grago pulled me over and invited me to join the dkp 2 gang. Dkp was in my blood and I never knew it. Thanks for the great historic shots and many, many great memories of growing up in anaheim and seeing history in the making. AWESOME PICS.. THANK YOU...bill For those of us that lived in the old downtown Anaheim before they plowed it down (don't ya just love progress) it definitely was a special place. A '63 Pontiac wagon was and is a KOOL ride, but then I'm a wagon guy and like um all. I spent many hours in the Fox Anaheim and Fox Fullerton as a kid and also went to the Garden Theater on Lincoln almost at Olive before it became an "Adult Theater". They use to show old serials there and you could get in with bottle caps. The SQR store was quite the place and the "R" stood for Renner. I went to school with Randy Renner, grandson of the founder from the fourth grade up. They had the "tubes" that took payments up to the second floor where they kept the $$. You didn't mention Cotler's Men's Store. I knew Ronnie Cotler through Schneider Motors as he had a VW and we use to cruise in it. One night I'll always remember was we were driving west on Romneya St. just prior to Harbor Blvd. and Big Carl's. The car felt funny and all at once the driver's side settled down as the front wheel came off and rolled out in front of us. Luckily we were not going fast. Ronnie pulled over and got the jack out. I chased the tire and about five minutes later we were parked at Carl's having a burger. Had to mention "burger" as Christie and I went to Bob's Big Boy in Orange for dinner tonight. I think we were the youngest couple in the place. :o :o :o Roger Grago was just a kid when DKP I was going strong and I remember him and others in "the other clubs". Back then it was a definite competition and each club view all others as the "enemy" to a degree. I'm pleased to see all of that has changed and we all grew up and appreciate each other in the current times. Great times and memories. Glad to hear the comments from all as I say THANK YOU to all who remember. Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: Sarge on November 19, 2011, 14:09:14 pm "Vhat is mit da Boom Boom??" Does that bring back and memories?? ;) "Boom Boom" were the sounds of some raucous games of four-square we held INSIDE the clubhouse... the man uttering those words was Johann Stumpf who ran the hotel and most certainly hated us all.>:( Years later, while selling parts at Commonwealth VW, I was filling out a special order form for an elderly German man at the front counter... it was HIM! :o Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: mgmahaffey on November 22, 2011, 04:22:56 am "vat is all dat boom, boom?!!". Those were great 4-square games. Not to mention dodgeball.
Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: deano on November 22, 2011, 06:11:08 am "vat is all dat boom, boom?!!". There needs to be a new T-shirt with the Pickwick hotel/DKP Club House on it, with that slogan across the top! Title: Re: DKP CLUBHOUSES AND THE PICKWICK HOTEL Post by: Rick Meredith on November 22, 2011, 19:38:05 pm "vat is all dat boom, boom?!!". There needs to be a new T-shirt with the Pickwick hotel/DKP Club House on it, with that slogan across the top! Calling Mr. Rayburn... Mr. Rayburn to the white phone. |