Car Clubs

The Throttle Benders car club was established in 1949. Joe "Bud" Simmons was a founding member of the club, and according to his grandson, Brian Burnham, it wasn't a big club, "just a bunch of farm kids from the California Central Valley." The members of the club were from the town of Chowchilla, California. Photo courtesy of Brian Burnham.

The 1320 Eliminators was a car club out of Altus, Oklahoma.

A collection of plaques from hot rod clubs of the Hartford area in the 1950s. Photo courtesy of John Bozio.

The Wolf Hounds is an East Los Angeles, California car club. The club was an integrated club, including both whites and Latinos, and when George Gonzales won the presidency in 1954 it made front page news. Photo courtesy of Esteban E. Villegas.

Avenue Angels of East Rocakway, Long Island, New York. The club was formed at D & H Service Center in 1955.

The Strokers of Saginaw is a car club from Saginaw, Michighan. Established in 1955, the club was one of the NHRA charter clubs. The club was still active in 2020, celebrating its 65th anniversary as a club. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Russell.

Spark Jumpers of Lincoln Park was a car club founded in Lincoln Park, Michigan in the 1950s. Photo courtesy of Jerry Sarkozi Jr.

The Dragettes was an all-girl hot rod club from Kansas City, Missouri. They were members of the Kansas City Timing Association, and according to The Southeast Missourian - Apr 21, 1959 the Dragettes was the only all-girl hot rod club in Kansas City. At the time, the club consisted of seven members. The members were either wives or sweethearts of members of other clubs.

The Slo Poks of Wapato, Washington was a small northwest club started in 1959-1960. The club rented a clubhouse building from Logan's Feed And Seed for club functions and to work on their cars. Photo courtesy of Kevin Bennett.

This is the plaque of The Townsmen of East Long Beach Car Club, featuring their emblematic character dressed in a top hat and holding a cane, a symbol of their club's identity in the Southern California car scene during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Officially established on September 27, 1959, and centered around Millikan High School in Lakewood, California, the Townsmen were known for their modified cars and, unfortunately, gained notoriety following the events of the 1960 Car Club Murder. Photo courtesy of Car Club Plaques.

The Eliminators of West Rod Club was a car club established in West, Texas in 1960. Founded by a group of six passionate hot rodders, the club was dedicated to the world of rods and customs. With a motto of "Dedicated to Safety," the club played a significant role in the local car culture of the early 1960s. The club had a relatively short lifespan, disbanding in 1962. The primary reason for its dissolution was the departure of its members for various reasons, including college, military service, and work commitments. As George Jezek reminisced, "It was a good time to be a hot rodder. We enjoyed this hobby, and a couple of us remain friends to this day." His testimonials offer a glimpse into the joy and excitement of that era, a time when cars were more than machines – they were a canvas for creativity and a means to forge lasting bonds. Photo from The George Jezek and Charles Andrle Collection.

The 1960 Car Club Murder. On March 28, 1960, a violent car club clash shook Long Beach, California, when members of the Townsmen of East Long Beach Car Club raided a meeting of the Dutchmen of Paramount at the Lakewood Moose Lodge. The attack left 16-year-old Neil Mahan critically injured with a gunshot wound to the head. The event, covered in newspapers like the Independent on March 30, 1960, sent shockwaves through the local community and marked a pivotal moment in the region's car club history. The aftermath of the incident, involving multiple arrests and a high-profile trial, was seen by some as signaling the decline of the car club culture among teenagers in the area. Photo courtesy of the Independent, March 30, 1960.

The Road Angels was a car club from St. Louis, Missouri. Photo courtesy of Gerald Zielinski Jr.

The Beatniks Koolsville car club was formed in 1992.

1 The 1960 Car Club Murder
2 Hot Rod and Custom Car Clubs of California
3 Hot Rod and Custom Car Clubs of Connecticut
4 Hot Rod and Custom Car Clubs of Illinois
5 Hot Rod and Custom Car Clubs of Maryland
6 Hot Rod and Custom Car Clubs of Massachusetts
7 Hot Rod and Custom Car Clubs of Michigan
8 Hot Rod and Custom Car Clubs of Missouri
9 Hot Rod and Custom Car Clubs of New Jersey
10 Hot Rod and Custom Car Clubs of New York
11 Hot Rod and Custom Car Clubs of Oklahoma
12 Hot Rod and Custom Car Clubs of Oregon
13 Hot Rod and Custom Car Clubs of Pennsylvania
14 Hot Rod and Custom Car Clubs of South Dakota
15 Hot Rod and Custom Car Clubs of Texas
16 Car Clubs of Utah
17 Car Clubs of Washington
18 Hot Rod and Custom Car Clubs of Australia
19 Hot Rod and Custom Car Clubs of Canada
20 Hot Rod and Custom Car Clubs of Japan
21 Car Clubs of Norway
22 Car Clubs of Sweden
23 Pacers Car Clubs

The 1960 Car Club Murder

The 1960 Car Club Murder was a tragic and defining moment in the history of Southern California car clubs. On March 28, 1960, a violent clash erupted when members of the Townsmen of East Long Beach Car Club raided a meeting of the Dutchmen of Paramount at the Lakewood Moose Lodge. Armed with weapons, the Townsmen stormed the hall in an attack described as premeditated. During the chaos, 16-year-old Neil Mahan of the Dutchmen was shot in the head while seeking refuge in the kitchen. He succumbed to his injuries days later, igniting outrage and leading to the arrest and trial of several Townsmen members. The incident highlighted the dangerous rivalries between car clubs of the era and ultimately led to widespread discussions about youth violence and the car club culture of the 1960s.^[1]