A Gas
A lot of fun.
All show and no go.
Referenced to a car that had all the pretty chrome goodies, but wouldn't get out of its own way.
Ankle Biter
A baby or small child
Ape
Used with "Go", "Gone" or "Went". To explode or go completely irate. Example: "When my parents saw my report card, they went ape.
Bad
Awesome.
Badass
A tough guy. A guy you really don't want to mess with.
Bag
To Steal. Example: Who bagged my towel? ; also see Score
Also; "What's your bag" meaning what's your problem or where are you coming from.
Ball
To party, as in Little Richards "Good Golly Miss Molly, Sho Like To Ball".
Later, it meant having intercourse.
Barf
Counter digestate the previously consumed.
Bean Wagon
A Lowered all the way around, usually Hispanic owned Chevy, but could be anything.
Beat Feet
Leave the scene in a hurry.
Bench Racing
When a few of guys are sitting down (on a bench, maybe) talking about how fast a certain person's car is, or discussing who could beat who in a drag race.

Blast
A Great Time. Example: "We had a blast at the Prom".
Blew the doors off
Easily beat the other car in a race.
Blitzed
Drunk
Blown
A car engine that has a blower (supercharger) installed. Goes between the intake manifold and the carburetors/injectors except in the case of a Paxton/McCullough which delivered pressurized air to the carb. The blower made it go faster, which was always good.
Blue Flamer
Take a B.A. ( also in the slang section ) and add a big fart...then ignite it with a match..
Bogart
To "hog" something.
Bone Yard
Auto wrecking yard; Junk yard.
Bookin'
Going real fast, usually in a car.
Boss
A great or cool thing. Example: "The Beach Boys new record is really boss".
Bozo
An idiot. "What a Bozo".
Bread
Money
Brew (Brewski)
Beer
Brody
Also, Brody Out; To skid in a half circle with the brakes locked up.
Buddha Head
Someone of Asian descent. (Pre-Political Correctness)
Bug, To
To irritate or bother
Bug out
Leave the premises
Bummed out
Depressed
Bummer, What a
How depressing
Burn Rubber
To accelerate hard spinning the tires, making noise, and billows of smoke come from the rear of the vehicle.
Candyass
A real wimp or an uncool thing.
Cat
A guy.
Channeled
A car body that has been lowered with respect to it's frame, leaving the suspension as it is.
Check it out
Look at that.
Cherry
Pristine, Totally Clean. Example: "That rod is cherry"!
Chick
A girl or a woman.
Chicken, To play
Two cars race toward each other; the first to pull to the side is the chicken (coward)
Thanks to Bettie Gray for this 50's/60's term.
Chinese Fire Drill
Stop at a Red Light. Everyone on the Driver's side would run around and get in on the Passenger's side. Everyone on the Passenger's side would run around and get in on the Driver's side.
Choice
Really cool or bitchin. Example: "That girl with the tight sweater is really choice."
Choose Off
To pick a fight or a race; as in, "John is going to choose-off Bob in a race for pinks". Or, "Ralph chose-off Bertha after school and she kicked his butt."
Chop
To cut down verbally.
Example: "Man, you're so ugly, you gotta slip up on a glass to get a drink of water." (Now that was a "chop".)
Chopped
A section is cut out horizontally through the roof pillars of a car to lower the roof.
Chrome Dome
A bald guy.
Church Key
Before poptops, a Beer or Soda can was opened with one of these.
Circus Wagon
A car, usually lowered, with an outlandish paint job, but in lousy shape, mechanically.
Cool
Nice.
Cool Head/Cat
Nice Guy
Cooties
Someone who wasn't cool had them. No one ever saw them, but you knew who had them.
Copacetic
Very good; all right, as in no problems. Example: Everything is copacetic.
Crash
Go to bed; go to sleep.
Crop Duster
A car that burnt oil creating a cloud of smoke. A 2 cycle motorcycle.
Cruising
Driving up and down the same street looking for races, girls, guys, etc.
Cut Out
To leave without ceremony. As in, "Bob, this party is a drag. I'm gonna cut out."
Cut Outs
Additions to the exhaust system that would let you open the exhaust pipe in front of the muffler to let the engine breathe easier, thus adding horsepower and a whole lot of noise.
Daddy-O
Daddy's Car
A car that was very conservative looking; that might be owned by your parents.
Dead Soldier
An empty beer, wine or whiskey bottle.
Decked
A term used to indicate that the trunk handle had been removed, the holes filled, sanded smooth and primed. (See Nosed)
Decked Out
Dressed up.
Deuce
A 1932 Ford. As in, "She's my Little Deuce Coupe, you don't know what I got". Bob Rierdan (61) gets the credit again for this old stand by.
Dibs
Most always used with "Got". Example: I "got dibs" on that Coke bottle. Meaning you owned that Coke bottle.
Dig
Do you understand?
Dip Stick, What a
An Idiot
Ditch
Skip a school day without permission; also, leave someone behind as in "Let's ditch this guy".
Ditz
An Idiot
Don't Flip Your Wig
See "Don't have a Cow".
Don't have a Cow
Used when someone was "going ape" or perhaps being a "spaz."
Example: So I took your book by mistake, don't have a cow about it.
Don't Sweat It
Don't worry about it; stop bothering me
Thanks go to Larry Bach, HHS 72, for this one.
Dork
See Dip Stick
Drag
To race another car a short distance (sometimes one block, sometimes two or three blocks) from a standing start at a stoplight when the light turned green. The term originally comes from the phrase "main drag", a combination of "main" or main street in town, and "drag" which referred to a car that was lowered in the back and dragged the ground if it hit a bump while racing or was just so low that it touched the ground if the street was not perfectly level.
A Drag
Someone or something that's boring or un-enlightening.
Drawing Designs
Usually some guy looking a girl over REAL good. Example: Ron was really drawing designs on Carolyn at the party last night.
Duck Butt, Duck Tail or DA
A way of combing your hair in the back. Instead of combing your hair straight down in the back, you would comb both sides in towards the middle and then, with the end of the comb, part it down the middle.
Dude
In the 60's, a dude was a geek or a panty waist.
Easy
Another way of saying Goodbye. Example: "Easy, Man!!".
Also a girl who was a sure thing, sexually. Example: That girl Bob took out last night was "Easy".
Fab
Great, fantastic, fabulous.
Far Out
Excellent, cool.
Fine
A good looking guy/girl. Example: She's so fine.
Fink
A tattle tale. Example: You're such a fink. Why do you always tell mom everything I do?
Five Finger Discount
Anything obtained by theft.
Five-Oh-Two
Drunk Driving (502 was the State penal code number for the drunk driving infraction at that time)
Flake
A useless person.
Flake Off
Get outta here.
Flat Top
A very short hair cut, usually cut extra close on top.
Flat Top with Fenders
A flat top with long sides.
Flee the Scene
See Bug Out
Flick
Movie
Flip Flops
Thongs (that went on your feet)
Flower Child
A Hippie
Fox
An outstanding looking girl or woman.
Freak Out
Temporary loss of control due to an unpleasant event.
Funky
Neat, Cool; also gone bad. Example: I think that milk is funky.
"F**kin' A"
This was simply the vulgar form of, "I concur".
Fuzz
The Police
Get or Lay Rubber
To leave some rubber on the street while accelerating in a vehicle. A term used usually with first, second, third, or fourth gear.
Example: "Bob's 49 Ford is pretty fast. He can get second gear rubber."
Gimme some skin
Shake hands
Go All The Way
Have sex with.
Go Cat Go
Encouraging someone to go harder or faster. Mainly on an instrument or in dance.
Going Steady
If you were "Going Steady", you were dating only one special person.
Golden
See Cherry.
Cool, groovy, neat, neato; said of a person, as in He's a real gone cat. Or you could say, I'm gone over him. (wowed, infatuated, totally sold on).
Gnarly
Originally a difficult or large wave (He wiped out on a gnarly wave),later anything big or difficult (The Chemistry test was gnarly.), then later an expletive of approval (That custom paint job is gnarly!)
Gremmy(sp)
A rookie surfer.
Groovy
Nice, "Cool" or Neat. Used commonly among hippies in the 60's.
Groady (grow'- tee):
A shortened version of grotesque. When we went to wash the car (by hand at the park) we wore our grotees. Also, someone's dorm room if it was "trashed" out would be called grotey.
Glasspacks
Mufflers that are packed with fiberglass to muffle the sound. They came in different lengths. The shorter the glasspacks, the louder the car.
Gutt Waddin'
Any type of cheap fast food, to fill you up and take the hunger away. Example:"I'm going to Skippys to get some Gut Waddin."
Hacked
Angry, disgusted, mad, ticked off, etc. Sometimes used in reference to parents. "My Old Man is really hacked at me about my grades...."
the cracks.
Hang Loose
Relax; Take it easy.
Hanky Panky
Devious or mischievious activity, usually sexual.
Hauls Ass
A car that really moves.
Example: "Since Ron put the new engine in his car, it really hauls ass!"
Heat
The Cops
Heavy
Deep, Cool, Chaotic, Sad, Controversial
Hep
With it. A person who understands the situation.
Hip
Very good,cool.
Hodad
A non-surfer, usually someone who just hangs around the beach.
Hook
Steal
Hopped Up
See Souped Up
Horn
Telephone
Hunk
What a person would call a good looking guy
"Into you"
Has affection for. Example: "She's been into you since the 8th grade"
Ivy Leaguers
A type of men's pants with no pleats, made of polished cotton, and with a buckle in the back.
Jacked Up
To Raise the front end of a car. Done to transfer weight to the rear wheels for drag racing or just to make your car look cool.
Car shown with Collector Headers.
Jam
To leave the area, (See "Cut Out")
Example: "Hey John, this party is going to get busted. I'm going to jam!"
Jazzed
Elated, Excited; "This is going to be a great reunion. I'm really jazzed about going."
Jelly Roll
Another way of combing your hair. You comb it up and forward on both sides and bring it together in the middle of the forehead.
Jesus Boots
Sandals
Jinx, You Owe Me A Coke!!
When two people said the same thing at the same time, one would slug the other on the shoulder and say these 6 little words.
I don't think anyone ever paid up.
Jump Bad
Looking for a fight - acting tough. As in "I think Jim was drunk last night, he tried to jump bad with everybody!"
Keen or Keen-o
Someone or something that was Cool.
Kibosh
To quickly put a stop to; Put the Kibosh on
Kings X
To proclaim a truce or time out
Kipe
To steal.
Kissee
A cross between kiss-ass and sissy.
Kiss up
The proverbial "Teachers Pet". This person who would do anything to please the teacher.
Knocked Up
Pregnant
Kybo
The bathroom. Stood for Keep Your Bowels Open.
Later
Goodbye; See you later
Lay A Patch/Strip
To accelerate leaving a strip or patch of rubber behind on the road.
Lay it on me
Speak your piece.
Lay some scratch
To burn rubber in a vehicle. Example: That car is so powerful it can get second gear scratch. Once again, the slangmeister, Ron Stowe comes through.
Lead Sled
Lead was used prior to Bondo to fill in the holes and to do body work. A lead sled was a car that had extensive body fill work done with lead.
Light'em Up
See Burn rubber
Lip Flappin'
Talking about things of little importance.
Loaded
Intoxicated
Main Squeeze
Primary Girl/Boy friend
Make Out
Usually a kissing session in a parked car at a Drive In or other secluded place.
"Meanwhile Back At The Ranch"
Used when someone who was telling a story would ramble off to another subject. So, the term was used by the listener to get the storyteller back on track. The term itself was no doubt linked to "the Western," which was TV's dominant genre in the late 50s and early 60s. Bonanza, Have Gun Will Travel, Rawhide, The Virginian and many more shows.
Meat
As in, "Hey Meat"; A jocks term for "Guy" or "Man"
Mellow Out
Usually said to a person who is very loud, agitated, worried, or scared.
Melvin
See Wedgie; Example: "Jimmy the Fink was smarting off to Billy, so I sneaked up behind him and gave him a Melvin."
Midnight Auto Supply
Car parts obtained through theft.
Mirror Warmer
Usually, a piece of pastel blue or pink cashmere that was attached to elastic and was placed around the perimeter of your inside rear view mirror. It was usually your girl friends idea.
Moon
To drop your pants, bend over, and show your bare butt. (See "Hangin a B.A.")
Moons (Baby Moons)
Chrome hubcaps that were smooth and domed. They fit the inner part of the wheel, leaving room for beauty rings.
Necker's Knob
See Suicide Knob.
Neat (Neato)
Nice; Sharp
Nifty
Meaning "Cool" but usually said by someone who wasn't.
Nosed
A term used to indicate that the hood ornament had been removed and the holes filled with bondo. The spot was sanded smooth and at least primed. (See Decked)
Old Lady
Your Mother.
Old Man
Your Father.
On the Make
Usually after a break up of steadies, a guy or girl who was "on the make" was looking very hard for a new mate.
Also, someone who's looking for another someone, sexually.
Outta Sight
Fantastic, Awesome. Example: Hey Kathleen, that tie dyed top your wearing is "outta sight".
Pad
Someone's house. Example: There wasn't much to do so we all hung out at John's pad, drank Cokes and listened to records. Thanks again to Ron Stowe for this old standard.
Padiddle
A word "called" by someone that has just seen a car with one headlight. The caller then receives a kiss from the person of their choice.
Padunkle
Same as a Padiddle only it refers to a car with one taillight.
Pants
An activity where usually two or more boys physically remove the pants from another boy so as to cause him embarrassment in a group setting.
Panty Waist
A mama's boy or a geek.
Paper Shaker
Pom Pom Girl
Passion Pit
Drive-in Theater
Peel Out
(See Lay A Patch/Strip)
Peepers
Glasses
Peggers
A type of men's pants, very similar to today's dockers, but with a cuff.
PG
Pregnant
Pig
Cop
Pig Out
Over eat
Pin
To look hard at someone. Example: Hey Bob, That guy over there is really pinning you.
Pound
If someone was going to beat up someone else you said he was going to "pound" the other person. For an example, Joe caught Jim with the hubcaps that he stole from Joe's '50 Merc last night. He'll probably pound him after school.
Primo
First class.
PV
Palos Verdes. A great place to make out. (Also stood for Pregnant Valley)
Rake
Also "On a Rake". To lower the front end of a car.
(Shown with Scavenger pipes) Example: "Carl's short has a bitchin' rake."
Race for Pinks
Also race for pink slips. Meaning two people race and the winner gets the others car.
Rags
Clothes
Rap
Talk
Rat Fink
(See Fink)
Raunchy
Raw, Rank, Disgusting
Real Gone Cat
Someone who marches to his own drummer. Example: The Fonz is a real gone cat.
Right On
I agree; I concur
Righteous
Extremely fine, beautiful. For us guys it was generally used when talking about the most important areas of our lives; cars and women.
Examples:
"John's got a righteous new paint job on his '58 Chevy".
"Ron met this righteous babe down at 26th St.".
Ripped Off
To have something stolen, or to have stolen something
Rule
As in, "Hodads Rule"; To take ownership of
Thanks again to Bill Sloey for this great slang word.
Sad
An expression of disapproval. Example: "That cat is really sad."
Sanitary
See Sano
Sano
Usually referring to someones car, or part of ones car, as being pristine: "Ron did a sano job on his 56 Chevy".
also "Super Sano" (Very Pristine)
Scarf
To eat very fast. Example:"I'm going to scarf this hot dog".
Scheming
When someone is really interested in the opposite sex. Example: "Jim is really scheming on Jill" Thanks to Lillian McDonald Parra HHS63 for this one.
Score
To obtain something valuable or necessary; (Let's go score some pizza.); Also to go all the way with a girl.
Scratch
Money
Screwed, Got
Cheated out of something
Screwed up
Made a mistake; messed up in the head; intoxicated
Sectioned
A section is cut out horizontally through the body of a car to give it a lower sleeker look.
Sex Pot
A sexy or seductive person.
Shades
Sunglasses
Shafted
Cheated, Humiliated, Treated unfairly or badly.
Shag Ass
Let's get out of here. Example: "Let's shag ass before the cops get here."
Shake it, Don't Break it!
Said to a girl who had an awesome wiggle in her walk.
Shine It On
Don't give it much thought; just forget about it.
Shined Me/Them On
Ignored me/them, or their comments.
Short
Car.
Shotgun
A place of honor in the front seat of a car nearest the door. Usually reserved for the coolest guy in the group besides the driver of the car. If there is a doubt, before entering the car someone will call shotgun and then everyone will argue as to who actually will ride shotgun.
Skag
An ugly girl.
Skank
See Skag
Skanky
Gross, Disgusting
Skirt
Girl
Skuzz
Lowdown; undesirable
Skuzz Bucket
An ugly car
Slug Bug
This when you saw a VW beetle on the road. Saying "Slug Bug" before anyone else gave you the right to hit or slug the person next to you
Slut
A promiscuous person
So Fine
Another cool or bitchin' thing. "That girl in my science class is so fine".
Used in a variety of early rock and roll songs usually as follows:
"She's so fine, she makes me want to blow my mind".
So Tuff
See So Fine
Smokem'
"Let's see you burn rubber"
Snowing Down South, It's
Said to a girl when her slip was showing.
Solid
Something that is ok or all right.
Sosh
Meaning a person who is stuck-up, snooty, and thinks they are better than everyone else.
Example: "That girl wearing those fuzzy bobby-sox is a real sosh!"
Souped Up
A car that's had the engine modified to go fast. Example: "Bob really souped up his car. It did the quarter in 14.5 seconds!"
Spaz
Used as a put down, or to describe someone who was acting retarded.
Split
See Cut Out
Sponge
One big need. Everything you get comes from those around you. AKA; bum. Also practiced by those who are so stingy as not to spend their own money. Someone who is always borrowing money or is always broke. A spongy person Thanks to Mike Mawbey for this word.
Square
Someone who was not "Cool". Example: "Jerry's so square, all he does is his homework, watch TV, and he doesn't even like Elvis!"
Stacked
Being well endowed, "Upstairs" Example: "Wow, that girl is really stacked!!"
Steady
Boyfriend or Girlfriend
Stellar
Cool
Stoked (as in I'm stoked)
Excited
Stone
A car that's pretty slow.
Stoned
Intoxicated
Stood Up
When a guy (or girl) didn't show up for a date
Stuck Up
Conceited
Stud
See Hunk
Submarine Races
A place at the beach or PV, where you would park facing the ocean and wait for the Submarines to start racing. Of course they wouldn't show up, but while you were waiting, you'd make out....for hours until the insides of your lips were raw.
Thanks to Colleen Trott O'Ryan (64) for this great slang.
Suicide Knob
A knob placed on your steering wheel allowing you to drive with one hand, leaving the other free to put around your date.
Swampwater
Half A&W Root Beer and half Orange Drink.Thanks go to Amy Nixon (HHS66) for this local slang word.
Swapping Spit
Those passionate, "get down and really into it", French Kisses.
Swordfish Fights
See Submarine Races
Swear to Buddha
I guess we thought it was less irreverant than saying "I swear to God."
Sweat Hog
A fat chick.
Sweat Parties
Intense physical exercise after school to make up a non suit (strip) usually at the hands of Messrs Bravo and / or Sevier.
"Taco Wagon"
See Bean Wagon
"Tail Dragger"
A car that's lowered in the rear. (Front stock height)
"T Bucket"
A hot rod made from a Model T Ford. A two seater, with lots of go. Norm Grabowski, Tommy Ivo, and Edd "Kookie" Burns made them famous on TV. They are still popular.
Teach
A Teacher
"The A"
The A&W Drive In (Hawthorne Bl and 136th St)
"The Beach"
Lions Drag Strip in Long Beach
"The Bird"
The Finger.
"The Digs"
The Drags
"The Hill"
The Wich Stand (Slauson and Overhill)
"The Most"
Something that is the best or the greatest (Superbitchin')
"The Man"
Police
Thicker than a $5.00 malt
Someone that's not too bright. Back then, malts were only 30 cents!
Think Fast
It usually was used to tell you to get ready because someone was tossing you something.
Thongs
In the 60's, thongs were something you wore on your feet.
Threads
Clothes
"Three On The Tree"
A car with a three speed manual transmission and the shifter on the steering column.
Tight
Close; as in close friends
Tooling
To cruise or drive around without aim. As in: "There was nothing to do last night, so we just went tooling around."
Tough or Tuff
Neat, cherry, great, bitchin'. - as in "Wow, she's really a tuff chic!"
Trollin'
Cruising the Boulevard looking for girls. As in "Let's go trollin' for some chicks."
Truckin
As in we're "Truckin" over to Joe's house to party, or Let's "Truck" on over to Holly's and scarf.
Twice Pipes
Dual Exhaust
Twitchin'
The word used instead of Bitchin', around your parents
Uncorked
Running your car with the "Cut Outs" open.
Wedgees
A shoe style. The sole and heel were one piece and on the same plane.
Wedgie
When someone pulls your underwear up from the back and it ends up in the crack all on it's own. Now they call it a thong and wear them on purpose.
Wet Willie
A trick played when someone wets their finger and puts it in your ear.
What's Your Bag, Man?
What's your problem; where are you coming from?
Wicked
Term of Admiration. Example:"That Chevy that Bob has is one wicked machine."
Wiggin' out
Going crazy
Winnie
As in, "He gave me the Winnie." Or "I got the Winnie." It could mean many things. For example: The jerk didn't show up for our date last night! Or, I got grounded for coming in late!
When things really got bad, it was the "Big Winnie."
Wipe(d) out
Originally, to fall off a wave while surfing, later to crash one's vehicle and severely damage it, then later a term for extreme fatigue
Wiz, Take a
Urinate
Woody
An erection.
Woody Wagon
A wood sided station wagon used to transport surfboards and surfers to and from the beach.
Zits
Pimples.