This is mockup of PEP# 326, with notes by the colorist. You know how comic books are drawn by one guy, inked by another, and colored by another? PEP #326 was published in June of 1977, which explains the combination of two massive 70’s fads, the skateboard and the CB Radio. I still hate Archie, if you’re wondering, but I’m also trying to feature him once a week. This colorist’s proof starts at $90 on eBay. There are no other skateboard stories or illustrations in this issue. – Thanks to David Maes for the tip.

Laura Thornhill featured in Dynamite Magazine #42, published in 1977. Sylvester Stallone on the cover, what is next for Sylvester after Rocky? four more Rocky movies of course. Listen, I don’t care if he only made 3 more or 5 more, so don’t bother to correct me if I’m wrong. This is the third appearance of skateboarding in Dynamite Magazine here on S&A. Complete spread and text after the jump.

The Cami Three Aces (Tres Assi) model, a six wheeled, three truck plastic skateboard made in Italy at some point in the late 70’s or early 80’s most likely. Actullay, that top graphic makes me think it’s 80’s or possibly even later. I’ve been on the lookout for the six wheeled plastic skateboard as seen in this post. I think the side by side truck configuration is more rare. I’ve seen the three aces configuration on more recent boards. And then there’s the Wheelie Board. Finding a 6 wheeled plastic skateboard on the internet is tough, you’ll turn up endless Penny board knockoffs and collections of regular wheels without an actual board. So who knows if I’ll ever find the right one. Meanwhile, what about the Three Aces? Pretty damned cool, although $200 bucks is a steep price for a plastic board, but it is pretty rare. What I need is more disposable income. – Thanks to David ODK for the tip.

A sticker from Adidas that looks to be of 70’s vintage, based on the somewhat narrow skateboard, hockey style helmet and odd implementation of pads. As seen on Ebay.

I’ve seen skateboards with logos for all kinds of drinks, including Pepsi, Coke, Mountain Dew and Sobe , but this is the first time I’ve seen an RC Cola skateboard. This particular one made by Super Surfer. They actually molded “Me and My RC” onto the top deck. The Super Surfer imprints on the bottom and trucks are cool as well. I can’t tell if those are plastic trucks or not. The baseplate is metal, but the trucks look like they might be plastic, although I don’t remember plastic trucks showing up until the 90’s. (UPDATE: They are indeed metal trucks.) Maybe this artifact isn’t as old as the seller claims. But then again when was the last time anyone heard the slogan “Me and My RC,” or Royal Crown Cola, come to think of it. UPDATE: Thanks to Daymond Dodge for pictures of his own RC Cola board and KC for the RC Cola TV commercial.

5 years ago I found a weird looking board on Ebay. The wacky truck configuration and the fact that it was a promotional board for an auto parts manufacturer made me save the pictures. I just recently found an ad for Hooker Headers in the May, 1976 issue of Hot Rod that had a order form for the Hooker Headers skateboard, and amazingly enough, I was able to find those old pictures among the flotsam on my hard drive. It’s got a metal plate between the trucks, similar to the Flex-trol, but it also adds the ability to change your wheelbase on the fly. Hooker was positioning this as the “ultimate suspension system” for skateboards. Was it a way to build brand loyalty for kids to young to drive yet? I can’t imagine they had a longterm business model that involved skateboarding. Still, it was too expensive of a setup (manufacturing wise) to be purely promotional, especially considering that they offered three boards in two colors as well as the suspension system in two different configurations. Maybe someone at Hooker had a kid who skated. The brand is still around but it looks like it has been absorbed by Holley.…

If I didn’t know better I’d think this was a gag from GVK. The ad copy is absurd. “The ol’ Mersedes Bends Skatboard Factory?” Seriously? Even if “skateboard” wasn’t misspelled, that would still be a bit much. Twenty dollars will buy you the hottest skateboard you’ve ever seen. Star wheels designed by freestyle champ Ed Nadalin normally sell for $79.95 each (yes, each) but through this ad you can get a complete set for only $12. That’s an amazing 97% discount! Pre-designed configural CAMBER-FLEX? They make a big deal about including sealed bearings, so you know it must be 1976, and it is. Volume 3, Number 1, which is the October 1976 issue of Skateboarder Magazine. My best friend in grade school nada plastic board with a Mercedes logo relief on top, but no name visible anywhere. It always impressed me as a kid. We all called it the Mercedes Benz board. I’m surprised Skateboarder agreed to print this advertisement, it would be the same thing as Thrasher running an ad for Nash…. Oh wait, they actually did that all the time.

Here’s three vintage Levi’s print ads from the 70’s. The one on the right is from Salvador Dali’s brief, unpublicized performance art piece where he worked as commercial artist in various ad agencies. Yes, I am making this up.

SFGate has posted some pictures in a feature called Four decades of skateboarding in San Francisco. It’s part of their Let’s Go to the Morgue! series where they dig up old photographs from the San Francisco Chronicle. Better versions of the picture, along with a little commentary are on the SFGate blog. The earliest photo dates back to 1964, and the last one is from 1994.

A Flex-trol skateboard, apparently the first one on the Interwebs, as I couldn’t find a single image of one anywhere. I’m guessing the name is combination of “flex” and “control.” Yeah I know, wild guess. This skateboard is fitted with a tension and torque control bar. The trucks are held at a fixed distance by the bar and as result: Has a sharp turning radius. It takes less lean to do a turn. Fewer skid-outs. The control bar tends to keep all 4 wheels on the ground during maneuvers. Board flex is controlled. As the flex increases, the board stiffens. This eliminates any “mushy” feel. Manufactured by the good folks at A.E. & Co out of Tarzana, Ca. I’m tempted to look it up and see if that patent ever got awarded. List of possible subtitles for this post: It takes less lean to do a turn. Fewer skid-outs As the flex increases, the board stiffens? Danimal picked this up recently at a Good Will!