Really old skateboard stuff wanted (OT)

[Robin (UK)]

Hi Guys,

I know this is way off-topic, so please accept my apologies.

I am gathering information and resources for an exhibition on the birth of skateboarding and its association with surfing in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Do any of you have:

Old skateboards (with metal or clay wheels)

Relevant photos

Magazine or newspaper articles

Adverts featuring skateboards

Etc

I'm planning this exhibition for next year and intend to tie in the connections between surfing, skateboarding, custom car and hotrod culture, artwork, music, etc.

It will all be pre-1965.

In the UK, I can't just head off to a yard sale to look for this stuff, so please check your garages, old magazines, photo albums and all, and let me know if you can help.

Thanks guys.

Robin.

Robin@RockTheJoint.com

[Plymouthy Adams]

ah..skateboarding, 25 stitches in my foot from an small accident while riding a Sidewalk Surfer ..correct year..1965...that was a most unpleasant experience..I have no pictures or the board but some bad memories..a search on the brand name above may net a few pictures

[greg g]

Robin I recall the kids making gravity scooters as they called them in 65/66. they would take a board and take the trucks off lace up roller skates (they had composit wheels by then not steel like the side walk skates) and bolt them to the board. They would have some sort of handle sometimes just a lenght of rope at the front, some kids modified garden tool handles like rakes and shovels, that were fixed at the front.

They would go to the local K-mart parking lot on Sundays because it was empty and had a hill, they would basically race down the hills and go as far as possible on the flat.

no tricks, no stunts, just speed. No helmets, no pads. no brakes. and the wheels didn't last very log on the pavement.

Edited October 6, 2009 by greg g

[Robin (UK)]

Ouch!

Sorry to rake up the bad memories, Tim.

And thanks for the personal memories, Greg.

I just won a Sidewalk Surfboard from the early 60s on Ebay. It's a terrifyingly dangerous piece of kit!

I've got an issue of Life magazine from '65, with a female skateboarder on the front cover and a copy of Jan and Dean's Sidewalk Surfin' record from '62 - with a great picture sleeve.

I've also sourced a 15-minute documentary from The Canadian Film Board (shot in Montreal in 1965).

So the collection is starting to form.

I have some friends also starting to gather stuff, so I hope we'll have a lot more before too long.

R.

[jd52cranbrook]

Made my own skate board at wood shop, 1966. Laminated one inch strips of wood together length wise for a neat look. Darn thing keep getting smaller and smaller as I tried to get the sides equal.

Metal wheels. Learned to skate board on single car driveway with it. Wish I still had it.

[Guest P15-D24]

from crashing on the 52nd Street hill in Indy. Those hard clay wheels were lethal!

[realgonekatt]

Wish I still had my 1st board. It wasnt in the 60's or nothing (im only 29) Still, it was a Steve Cabbalero, Powell Perelta with indy trucks and 60mm slimeball wheels.(about a foot wide and 100pounds ha) That board sparked years of skating and breaking bones! Street,Vert,Mini-ramps ahhhh the memories. Falling hurts now:( Good luck on your noble venture sir! Go big or go home!

___Bryan

[Robin (UK)]

Hey Bryan,

I hope you still skate.

I now regret taking over 25 years off... I stopped in the early 1980s and only took it up again a year ago, when my son started to ride.

I'll be 45 this weekend but I'm really enjoying hitting the skateparks most weekends. And i meet regularly with several dads who ride with their kids.

This is me, about a year ago, just after my skating be-birth, riding my recommissioned early 80s freestyle set-up (it's a Powell Peralta deck, with Tracker 3/4 track trucks and Belair Lip Bomb wheels).

I've since come to my senses and bought a modern set-up - 8" concave deck with Indys and Bones soft cores.

The other picture is Henry (age 9) on our vacation in the summer.

[Plymouthy Adams]

check the internet for Ethan Sontag..you tube video..out of Wisconsin..this is my wifes brothers kid (nephew)...he is quite good..

[realgonekatt]

I cant keep up with the kids these days. Some are damn good man. Keep carving those bowls robin, looks like youre holding your own, Not bad for an old limey! HAHA j/k. I dig bowls and mini-ramps with spines. So any of you sk8rs grow up on punk rock as well?

___Bryan

[Don Coatney]

Robin;

Come to your sences. You are no longer invencible. At your age it hurts a lot more when you fall and it takes a lot longer to heal-up. Stick with your p-15.

[Robin (UK)]

Hey Don,

Thanks for your concern - it's nice to know you care.

I have actually had a few painful falls, but that's the name of the game.

Rest assured I definitely won't ever be sliding down handrails like Tim's nephew.

Wow! He's good!!!

[greg g]

I know it not cool but helmet and pads are consicuouse by thier absence, Hope EThan and or his parents/sponsors have good health insurance.

I know Party Pooper. but with all the stuff on lately about concussions among NFL retired guys, then college guys and now high school kids. I would think a helmet would be manditory for the activity.