57 Chevy Bel Air

Modesto California american graffiti cruise June 5 2008

Perhaps the most famous cruising strip (or main drag) is McHenry Avenue in Modesto, California. The cruising culture of the early 1960s was depicted in the film American Graffiti. The film was set (but not actually filmed) in director George Lucas' home town of Modesto, which also hosts an annual "Graffiti Night" celebration in the film's honor.
Cruising in Detroit took place from the 1950s to the 1970s in the city's northern suburbs along Woodward Avenue, from Ferndale north to Pontiac.[2] Cruising along Woodward reached its peak in the mid 1960s, with muscle car competitions that were covered by journalists from Car and Driver, Motor Trend, and CBS World News Roundup. The cruising culture on Woodward Avenue faded in the 1970s when new car safety standards and higher gas prices altered American automotive design.
The Woodward Dream Cruise occurs on the third Saturday in August along the original cruising strip in Detroit's northern suburbs. The event is a tribute to the classic Woodward cruisers and attracts approximately 1 million people[citation needed] and 40,000 muscle cars, street rods, and custom, collector, and special interest vehicles.
Waukegan, Illinois has an annual summer "Scoop the Loop" cruising festival.[3]
In the 2000s, some cities (such as Milwaukee, Wisconsin) began to consider cruising a traffic offense.[4][5]

Dismissed as a disgraceand unreleasable by the suits who know the business, American Graffiti not only grossed millions and spawned a wave of pale imitations, but earned a pair of Oscar nominations for George Lucas as both writer and director.

The film was inspired by Lucas own adolescent years cruising the Strip in Modesto, on Highway 99 between Stockton and Fresno in central California. And Modesto is the town to head for if youve got the wheels and want to show them off.

The regular cruise has moved from its sixties location Tenth Street between G and K Streets to McHenry Avenue. There is actually a Graffiti night on the first Saturday after graduation day (some time in the middle of June call the Modesto Visitors Bureau (tel: 209.526.5588) to check the date).

Modesto even boasts roller-skating waitresses at the A&W Root Beer Drive-In, close to the cruise strip, at 1404 G Street. Despite all this razzmatazz, Modesto is not where the movie was filmed. The two towns used, which had barely changed since the sixties, were Petaluma in Sonoma County and San Rafael in Marin County, on Highway 101 north of San Francisco.

San Rafael, now all rather gentrified, was the first choice for filming but the disruption caused by initial shooting on Fourth Street, downtown, led to the production being moved to another location.

Youll instantly recognise Petaluma as Graffiti-town. Proud of its varied and well-preserved architecture, Petaluma has provided the backdrop for a whole slew of movies including Francis Ford Coppolas Peggy Sue Got Married, Joe Dantes Explorers, Paul Verhoevens Basic Instinct, legendary turkey Howard The Duck and the controversial Nineties remake of Lolita.

You can take a walking tour of the towns many movie sites, with a guide from the Petaluma Visitor Center, 210 Lakeville Street/Hwy 116 (tel: 707.769.0429).

The boys drive up and down Petaluma Boulevard North, on D Street and Washington Street, the main drag used in the movie. Curt Henderson (Richard Dreyfuss) is drafted into the Pharaohs gang in front of the Old Opera House, 149 Kentucky Street.

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• graffiti
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• California
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• Modesto

[DrEdgarr]

name of song?

[ROCKsquareANORACK]

@DrEdgarr both songs by Sonny Burgess we gonna boogie and aint got a thing

[dewayne408]

What year is the second car, because I never see the wheel on the back of the '57 models?

[ROCKsquareANORACK]

@dewayne408 57 chevy bel air 2 door sports coupe

[edwardwhite70]

I've gotta say...the '55 is probably my favorite. I've build a few model cars of these in my model car days...and may yet again. Trouble is, the REAL ones have gotten very pricy to actually own, Oh Well. HEY!, at 0.38 there's a 54 chevy. I HAD one! dumbly sold it to my brother in law, No V-8, but a cool car. Wish I'd never sold it. Those three years HAVE to be Chevrolet's high water mark. 1958 through maybe 1970 had it's highlights, but after that...awful. Clap for the Wolfman, Jack! Thanks!

[ROCKsquareANORACK]

my favourite is the yellow 57 belair

[ihavnovids]

My friend is taking care of this car for her grandpa, and I might get it when I get my licence!

[MrGotsquashed]

The original ones are best!

[dewayne408]

That second one was beautiful!

[natyrocks04]

beautiful cars!!!

[syren345]

dude GMC those idiots have a concept for a new one in storage but say that thing's history and they won't fricking build it! that's bull****!