1970’s
Hang Ten – Aluminum
After a decade of steel and clay wheeled mayhem, this guy named Frank Nasworthy invented the urethane “Cadillac” skateboard wheel…. This was the change skateboarding had been waiting for. While clay wheels were a minor improvement over steel wheels, the urethane blew the performance of steel and clay wheels right out of the water. Shown here is a 5 1/2″ x 24″ Hang Ten double kick aluminum Early ’70’s board equipped with Chicago Trucks and early loose bearing urethane Hang Ten wheels. Skateboarding technique appeared to advance much more rapidly after the urethane wheels appeared. This set up also features wider rear wheels and narrower front wheels to create a dragster effect … not super functional, but looked tough so who cared?
additional pics 1
Hobie – Woody Weaver
Pro model skateboards began to get more popular in the ’70’s. This one in particular measures 6 1/2″ x 23 3/4′ and is Greg Weaver’s pro model on Hobie. Made from solid wood and equipped with ACS 430 trucks and Power Paw wheels (these wheels feature yet another important development in skate equipment, which was the change from loose to precision bearings that improved performance drastically). The diamond tail shape featured on this board was popular in the early and mid seventies.
Pro model skateboards began to get more popular in the ’70’s. This one in particular measures 6 1/2″ x 23 3/4′ and is Greg Weaver’s pro model on Hobie. Made from solid wood and equipped with ACS 430 trucks and Power Paw wheels (these wheels feature yet another important development in skate equipment, which was the change from loose to precision bearings that improved performance drastically). The diamond tail shape featured on this board was popular in the early and mid seventies.
Norco Sundancer
Norco is a bike maker based in Vancouver, Canada. This 7” x 28” mid-seventies board features solid oak construction with diamond shaped wedge kick tail.
Duraflex Surfer
The Seventies became the next boom phase of skateboarding, fueled by mass production of boards like this 5 3/4″ x 27″ Duraflex Surf design. Made with a glass / polymer composite deck construction and double action trucks with loose bearing urethane wheels. Set-ups like these were made and sold in the kajillions. The one redeeming feature of this particular board is the clean stylized surf influenced graphics that are screen printed sharp and crisp onto the top of the deck.
additional pics 1
Northwest Glass Flex
From out of North Vancouver, Canada comes this mid-seventies Northwest Skateboards glass flex measuring 6 ½” x 26 ½”. Mounted with ACS 430 trucks and Solar wheels.
Hawaii Glass
This flexible all fiberglass construction deck measures 6” x 25 ½” with a full top graphic featuring a Hawaiian motif theme. It’s mounted with double action generic trucks and clear red urethane wheels with contained loose bearings. This was a popular style produced by many companies in the early to mid 70’s.
Surfer Magazine Skateboard
Another product of the early ’70’s mass production boom was this 5 3/4″ x 24″ Surfer Magazine poltruded fiberglass set up. Pretty flexy and sketchy, this is a mint example that shows the main attraction of this board… the mosaic of photographic images from the Surfer Magazine applied into the deck top using a sublimation process. It’s unclear whether this was a burn or an actual authorized Surfer Magazine product, but it was advertised and sold nationally.
additional pics 1
Lightning Bolt Glass Flex
Lightning Bolt was a high profile surf brand in the seventies fronted by Jerry Lopez, the master of the Pipeline on the North Shore. Lightning Bolt produced surfboards, t-shirts, shorts, necklaces and this 6 ½” x 27” fiberglass flex skate deck with loose bearing Metaflex wheels.
additional pics 1
CAL 240 Polyboard
This board pretty much epitomizes the mass made seventies skateboard … Polyboard, Banana Board, Plastic Board, or whatever you want to call it – as sketchy as it was, this type of skateboard introduced an unprecedented amount of new people in the early to mid ’70’s to skateboarding. Originally formulated in just a couple of small factories in California, soon Polyboards were being made world wide in unheard of quantities. As you can probably imagine, the quality was pretty bad on a lot of these boards (especially the ones produced over seas) which helped to eventually create yet another media backlash, “menace unleashed on streets everywhere”. Boards were breaking and kids were falling down.
additional pics 1
Logan Earth Ski – Diamond Tail
This solid oak early Logan Earth Ski is a completely flat 7″ x 24 1/2″ diamond tail board with the classic bulbous mid section / pointy nose Logan shape. Not sure exactly what year the Logans started making boards, but guessing this is an early one because of the lack of kick tail plus the Logan Earth Ski logo doesn’t have lines around it yet. The concept of high performance decks, only sold in component form, and ready to be custom assembled to the customer’s specifications was just starting to really catch on by the mid seventies.
additional pics 1
Logan Earth Ski – Bruce Logan
These boards, and in particular this model – the 7 1/2″ x 29″ Bruce Logan signature model – became one of the best known skatedecks on the high-end scale during the mid seventies. Tony Alva rode for Logan and there is some sick photos of him riding one at Wallos in Hawaii. People like T.A. took skating in a completely different direction on boards like this one. Away from hills and flatland skating and into ditch, bank, and eventually pool skating. Undrilled beautifully finished wedge kick diamond tail; would typically be set up with Bennet trucks and Roadrider wheels.
additional pics 1
Logan Earth Ski – Torger Johnson
At 7 3/4″ x 32″, this was the biggest board Logan made and it was considered massive in comparison to other boards at the time. Torger Johnson was a legendary old school skater whose riding influenced people like Tony Alva and others that came after him. This deck is mint and has a template shape that is really starting to show some refinement in the lines. Like all Logans, this board came undrilled and had to be marked and drilled for either the three hole Chicago / Bennet style hole pattern or for the new Tracker style four hole pattern which was just emerging.
additional pics 1
Logan Earth Ski – Brad Logan
Brad Logan is Bruces’ brother and the other half of Logan Earth Ski. His pro model measures 7 1/2″ x 30″ and was also a solid oak wedge tail, but with a square tail instead of a diamond tail like most of the other Logans. The one shown here is built with Tracker Half Tracks and Roadrider 4’s. Also popular at the time was the sparse grip treatment that this deck has… perfect for those high pirouette moves.
additional pics 1
Santa Cruz Woodburn
Solid oak was the material of choice for a lot of the high-end boards in the mid ’70’s. This 6 1/2″ x 27″ Santa Cruz board features routed rails for wheel clearance and lightness. The woodburn Santa Cruz Skateboards logo is a classic on this board that was built with Bennett trucks and Sims Pure Juice Bowlrider wheels. Tick tacks, space walks, g-turns, toe spins, nose wheelies, tail wheelies, walk the dog, 360’s, step-overs, and other various maneuvers were now staring to fill skaters bag of tricks and vocabularies.
additional pics 1
Ed Nadalin Pro Model
Ed Nadalin was an extremist who took skateboarding to the outer limits with his power moves in the early and mid ’70’s. His fiberglass poltruded pro model measured 5 3/4″ x 24″ (smaller than other decks at that time) with a twin freestyle shape that came mounted with Speed Spring trucks and Power Paw wheels. As an example, one of the things Ed did back in the days was to hit launch ramps and fling large gorilla grip airs (a gorilla grip is done in barefeet and the rider uses their toes to grab onto the board) … just plain crazy.
additional pics 1
Hobie Hustler
Hobart “Hobie” Alter began shaping surfboards in the father’s garage in the early 50’s. Hobie, together with Gordon Clark (Clark Foam), are credited with creating the first foam and glass surfboards in 1958. This 6 ½” x 27 ½” flat fiberglass Hobie Hustler deck with ACS trucks and Hobie wheels hit the market around 1974-75, along with other skateboards of similar design and construction.
Kasper
The 6 ¾” x 26 ½” Kasper glass mat and resin deck shown here is finished with dual colored resin tint, a kick tail and a textured top surface. It’s put together with ACS 430 trucks, NTN bearings and Road Rider 4 wheels.
Wayne Brown
Wayne Brown Surfboards was another surf brand that dabbled in the production of skateboards. This mid 70’s hook tailed, all glass 6” x 24 ¾” deck featured textured top, bright imbedded graphics and a 3-dimesional logo cast into the bottom of the board. It’s built up with ACS 430s and sealed bearing Power Paw wheels.
California Rainbow
This 7″ x 29″ California Rainbow is an example of an early imitation style board produced by a company which had nothing to do with skateboarding, but thought they would go a head and co-opt and mimic other boards of the time. Boards like this were usually more comical than anything else … this one has a wider rear truck as stock equipment and the cheesy “Pool Rat” slick wheels with outer insets so deep you need a special extension socket to get at the axle nut.
additional pics 1
Maha – Oak
This board measures 7 1/2″ x 29″ and, although not made by a skateboard company, the quality of the board is excellent. Produced by the waterski company Maharaja, this model looks kind of like a Logan Earthski, but is equipped with a massive wrap around rubber nose bumper. This one is set up with Tracker Half Track trucks and Sims Bowlrider wheels. Maha also made some killer inlaid laminate skatedecks and longboard decks in the ’70’s.
additional pics 1
Wee Willie Winkles – Inlaid
W W W was a Canadian board maker who produced boards for tons of different people in the ’70’s (Alva, Sims, etc.) This is an earlier example of a pristine 7 3/4″ x 30″ inlaid vertical laminate with horizontal inset nose and tail block which serves as a nose and tail kick. This would have been a very labor-intensive board to produce. This particular deck is set up with ACS 650’s (the beefier version of the 651’s) and the rare 70mm Kahuna tar wheels. Mint and never ridden, this board looks killer and weighs a ton.
additional pics 1
Santa Cruz – Wood Slalom
Early Santa Cruz slalom shape cut from solid wood laminates. This 7 1/2″ x 30″ template shape is slalom influenced while the laminates are stiff and more suited for all around skating. This unit is set up with X-caliber trucks and Sims Bowlrider wheels. It’s not hard to imagine this set up carving or cutting cones in the Northern California back hills sometime in the early to mid ’70’s.
Santa Cruz – Orange Slalom
From what I understand, this Santa Cruz glass flex slalom board is racer John Hutson’s model. This template shape has a filled in nose where the other Santa Cruz slalom decks have needle noses. This set up is built with California slalom trucks and Road Rider, Henry Hester, wheels. The whole line of Santa Cruz wood / fiberglass laminate decks proved to be very popular in the early and mid seventies and slalom was still a big part of the skateboarding scene at this time.
From what I understand, this Santa Cruz glass flex slalom board is racer John Hutson’s model. This template shape has a filled in nose where the other Santa Cruz slalom decks have needle noses. This set up is built with California slalom trucks and Road Rider, Henry Hester, wheels. The whole line of Santa Cruz wood / fiberglass laminate decks proved to be very popular in the early and mid seventies and slalom was still a big part of the skateboarding scene at this time.
Santa Cruz – 24″ Glass
This board is set up very similar to some of the first-ever pro quality boards I ever put my hands (and feet) on. This 6 1/4″ x 24″ wood and fiberglass laminate deck is in mint condition along with the Bennett Hi-Jacker trucks and Road Rider 2 wheels. This set up would have been the bomb in the early ’70’s. After riding plastic boards and homemade boards with loose bearing wheels, seeing one of these you understood … this was a whole other world performance wise.
Santa Cruz – 28″ Glass
This glass and wood laminate combination of construction became the standard for a time in the early to mid ’70’s. This 6 3/4″ x 28″ Santa Cruz is set up with the old style Gullwing trucks in silver with the split axle design. These, and all other trucks with angled kingpins, tend to have a problem with the kingpin snapping. Because of the obtuse angle, excessive stress is rendered onto the kingpin and breakage often results. This ride has Rolls Royce Silver Cloud wheels and Rad Pad clear / red angled rise pads … walk the dog brah.
additional pics 1
Santa Cruz 5 Ply
The all maple-laminated Santa Cruz 5-ply has a full rocker profile, which lowers the centre of gravity. It was a popular board around 1975-76. This one is built with ACS 500s, Road Rider 4 wheels and a Power Pivot skid plate.
Fibreflex – Pultruded Glass
This is a most interesting Fibreflex in that it looks the least like a Fibreflex. The 6″ x 23 1/2″ deck is made from pultruded fiberglass construction. The trucks are three hole Chicago’s and the wheels are loose bearing Power Paws. When I asked Larry Gordon about this board he said he didn’t recall when they were made, but it sounded like this may have been a lower price entry level board that G&S produced.
G&S Fibreflex – Wood/Glass Laminate
The most famous early fiberglass and wood laminate boards were the G&S Fibreflex. This 6 1/4″ x 25 3/4″ Fibreflex is a nice example. It includes rubber style griptape along with O.G. three hole Bennett Trucks (same hole pattern as the Chicago) mounted on wooden riser pads with Power Paw precision bearing wheels. Ellen O ‘ Neil use to rock a set up similar to this one with which she did smooth one footed tail wheelies and Christies.
G&S Fibreflex – Wood /Glass Laminate
This type of set up was considered pretty technical in the mid-seventies. The 6 3/8″ x 28 3/4″ glass / wood laminates were light and responsive. The Bennett pro trucks (now with a five hole base plate) turned like a mutha and the Road Rider wheels, with IKS bearings, rolled really smooth. Skating banks and ditches became a reality, now that equipment was getting dialed in, and more people were starting to feel the stoke of building ramps. Although, lots of the early ramps were 45-degree wedges made to mimic a ditch rather than a pool.
G&S – Warp Tail Stacey Peralta Model
This board shows Gordon & Smith’s progression into boards designed more for pools and aggressive riding styles. With Stacey riding for G&S, they originally produced his Warp Tail model in solid oak with a wedge tail kick. This model is a 7″ x 27″ maple laminate version equipped with unusual stamped metal Bahne Trucks and Road Rider Four Wheels. This laminated kick tail construction was pioneered by Wee Willie Winkles and Lonnie Toft and would become the most popular and longest running type of skate deck construction.
This board shows Gordon & Smith’s progression into boards designed more for pools and aggressive riding styles. With Stacey riding for G&S, they originally produced his Warp Tail model in solid oak with a wedge tail kick. This model is a 7″ x 27″ maple laminate version equipped with unusual stamped metal Bahne Trucks and Road Rider Four Wheels. This laminated kick tail construction was pioneered by Wee Willie Winkles and Lonnie Toft and would become the most popular and longest running type of skate deck construction.
Sims – Taperkick
Sims made several shapes and sizes of their Taperkick models in the Seventies, many of which were longboards. The board shown here measures 6 3/4” x 36” and was produced in the mid-Seventies. This deck had been assembled complete with Tracker Mid Track trucks (and tracker Copers, which came out later). One of the cool things about the Taperkick series was the fact that they were constructed using vertical wood inlay sandwiched onto a thin horizontal center ply giving them a classic look. Unique to this complete is the Planet brand skid plate and wheels, made in Canada in limited quantities.
Sims made several shapes and sizes of their Taperkick models in the Seventies, many of which were longboards. The board shown here measures 6 3/4” x 36” and was produced in the mid-Seventies. This deck had been assembled complete with Tracker Mid Track trucks (and tracker Copers, which came out later). One of the cool things about the Taperkick series was the fact that they were constructed using vertical wood inlay sandwiched onto a thin horizontal center ply giving them a classic look. Unique to this complete is the Planet brand skid plate and wheels, made in Canada in limited quantities.
Powell – 50KG Quicksilver
In the mid and late seventies, deck manufacturers started experimenting a lot with different materials and building techniques. George Powell got together with Tom Sims and they developed the Powell Quicksilver line. This 6 5/8″ x 28 1/2″ board is a wood and aluminum laminate construction, with plastic side walls, and aluminum torsion beam running from one truck to the other on the bottom side of the deck. This one is set up with Tracker Half Track trucks and OJ Slalom Wheels. These boards looked cool, but weighed a ton, and hurt when they hit you in the ankle.
In the mid and late seventies, deck manufacturers started experimenting a lot with different materials and building techniques. George Powell got together with Tom Sims and they developed the Powell Quicksilver line. This 6 5/8″ x 28 1/2″ board is a wood and aluminum laminate construction, with plastic side walls, and aluminum torsion beam running from one truck to the other on the bottom side of the deck. This one is set up with Tracker Half Track trucks and OJ Slalom Wheels. These boards looked cool, but weighed a ton, and hurt when they hit you in the ankle.
Powell – 70KG Quicksilver
This 6 5/8″ x 28 1/2″ Quicksilver is the same template shape as the 50KG minus the torsion beam and with an added stiffer overall flex pattern. Just like the 50KG model, this one has the Sims logo on the top and the Powell logo on the bottom. It’s equipped with Lazer Trucks and Sims Pure Juice Competition Wheels with cast in graphics. Powell wasn’t the first, and unfortunately won’t be the last, to make aluminum skateboard decks.
additional pics 1
Powell – 69cm Quicktail
After the success (?) of the Quicksilver decks, which were essentially carving boards, came the Powell aluminum Quicktail boards. The one shown here is the 6 5/8″ x 27″ (69cm) and built up with Tracker Half Track Trucks and Logan Park Rider 5 Wheels. I remember in the ads that they use to show these boards set up with Trackers and the original Bones Wheels.
After the success (?) of the Quicksilver decks, which were essentially carving boards, came the Powell aluminum Quicktail boards. The one shown here is the 6 5/8″ x 27″ (69cm) and built up with Tracker Half Track Trucks and Logan Park Rider 5 Wheels. I remember in the ads that they use to show these boards set up with Trackers and the original Bones Wheels.
Powell – 70KG Quicksilver
The larger version of the Quicktail deck models is the 72cm (6 5/8″ x 28 1/2″), shown here with the first edition Gullwing Phoenix Trucks, which were equipped with king pin reinforcement devices (didn’t matter, the king pin still broke), and Road Rider Four Wheels. It is quite possible that this is the heaviest, or at least the most dense, skateboard in this collection.
additional pics 1
Turner – Summer Ski
Turner is a legendary name in skateboard slalom racing – and for good reason. The boards produced by Turner Summer Ski during the Seventies were cutting edge designs and construction. This 8 1/4″ x 28 3/4″ yellow glass and foam beauty came set up just as it’s shown here with Tracker Extrack Truck and Kryptonics wheels. It’s likely that most boards were running Bennetts and other quicker turning trucks, for the slalom courses, at the time.
Turner is a legendary name in skateboard slalom racing – and for good reason. The boards produced by Turner Summer Ski during the Seventies were cutting edge designs and construction. This 8 1/4″ x 28 3/4″ yellow glass and foam beauty came set up just as it’s shown here with Tracker Extrack Truck and Kryptonics wheels. It’s likely that most boards were running Bennetts and other quicker turning trucks, for the slalom courses, at the time.
Z-Flex – 27″ Rocker
Z-Flex was one of the most notable companies to come out of the Dogtown Z-Boys era. Early hand-laid fiberglass decks, like the Jay Adams and the Jimmy Plummer models, were ruling pool skates of the time. This 7 3/4″ x 27″ Rocker model Z-Flex features a smaller template size and a rocker profile instead of flat kick like the other models had. It’s built with Tracker Half Tracks and Tunnel Rock wheels complete with a sideways mounted Power Pivot. Pool skating was pretty much dominating skateboarding by this point.
additional pics 1
Hobie Z-Flex
So this is actually not a Z-Flex at all but rather Hobie’s version of a Z-Flex style deck. The fiberglass Z-Flex Jay Adams, Jimi Plummer and Rocker models were wildly successful in the mid 70’s, enter this Hobie injection fiberglass deck. It’s a prototype, which shows a blemish on the rail. This deck in fact was never put into production.
Caster
Caster was one of the more underground brands of the 70’s that has a pretty cult following, due in part to sponsoring riders like Chris Strople and Tom “Wally” Inoyue. Caster’s innovation was to blend fiberglass with maple laminate pool decks giving them strength and a snappy flex. This 7 ¾” x 28” deck is and early model built with Bennett Pros and blue Kryptos.
Alva Skate – 27″
The smaller of the two Alva Skates models that came out around 1976, this board measures 7 3/4″ x 27″. It is built up with tracker Full Tracks and Powerflex 5 wheels and it features Alva die-cut grip and a red Alva logo on the bottom. I remember my little sister skated this model for awhile when I was riding the 30″ version. The Powerflex wheels are mixed in color, which was as unwritten law as far as Powerflex was concerned. If they caught you rolling a set of all the same color, there was going to be trouble.
The smaller of the two Alva Skates models that came out around 1976, this board measures 7 3/4″ x 27″. It is built up with tracker Full Tracks and Powerflex 5 wheels and it features Alva die-cut grip and a red Alva logo on the bottom. I remember my little sister skated this model for awhile when I was riding the 30″ version. The Powerflex wheels are mixed in color, which was as unwritten law as far as Powerflex was concerned. If they caught you rolling a set of all the same color, there was going to be trouble.
Alva Skate – 30″
O.k. I know these Alvas are kind of beat, but skating was still pretty underground at this time – there wasn’t a lot of equipment and people use to skate the shit out of there set ups trying to learn how to skate vert. This 7 3/4″ x 30″ Alva is the larger of the two Alva models and also features die-cut grip, but this one (compared to the 27″) has a blue Alva logo on the bottom as opposed to the red. Built with Tracker Full Tracks and Powerflex 5s.
O.k. I know these Alvas are kind of beat, but skating was still pretty underground at this time – there wasn’t a lot of equipment and people use to skate the shit out of there set ups trying to learn how to skate vert. This 7 3/4″ x 30″ Alva is the larger of the two Alva models and also features die-cut grip, but this one (compared to the 27″) has a blue Alva logo on the bottom as opposed to the red. Built with Tracker Full Tracks and Powerflex 5s.
Alva Skate – 30″
Sometime after the original 30” Alva Skates came out they introduced this slightly wider 8” x 30” version which has a fuller nose shape and grip tape that comes closer to the edge of the deck for fuller coverage. This board is set up with Tracker Full Track trucks and green 65mm Kryptonics wheels. This was The Bomb set up at that time and I can remember the mail order ads in Skateboarder Magazine, etc. showing these identical set-ups based on what TA’s personal pool skating cues were like then.
Sometime after the original 30” Alva Skates came out they introduced this slightly wider 8” x 30” version which has a fuller nose shape and grip tape that comes closer to the edge of the deck for fuller coverage. This board is set up with Tracker Full Track trucks and green 65mm Kryptonics wheels. This was The Bomb set up at that time and I can remember the mail order ads in Skateboarder Magazine, etc. showing these identical set-ups based on what TA’s personal pool skating cues were like then.
Sims – Super Light
, some manufactures were still playing around with different lay-ups and materials. The Sims Super Light was a series made from ash and birch? Sorry, not sure on this one, but anyway, the idea was lighter boards, but unfortunately they churned and fell apart pretty fast. This 7 3/4″ x 30 1/4″ example straddles the earth’s surface with thanks to Tracker Half Track Trucks and Orange Wings Wheels.
additional pics 1
GNC – Pipecleaner
What you are viewing is the humble beginnings of, the now world famous, Skull Skates. The 7 3/4″ x
27 3/4″ GNC Pipecleaner (Skull Skates started as GNC Skates) was pressed from seven ply maple in 1976 and featured a tapered template shape with square tail and sweet seventies Cooper font graphics printed in brown ink on a natural deck. Built with ACS 651s and Sims “The Wheel” wheels – I built this set up in the Seventies (with different wheels) in Regina, Saskatchewan and then bought it back twenty-three years later from the same guy who was in San Francisco. I tried to get the “Tony Hawk 1996” autograph off, but it wouldn’t budge without wrecking the finish.
What you are viewing is the humble beginnings of, the now world famous, Skull Skates. The 7 3/4″ x
27 3/4″ GNC Pipecleaner (Skull Skates started as GNC Skates) was pressed from seven ply maple in 1976 and featured a tapered template shape with square tail and sweet seventies Cooper font graphics printed in brown ink on a natural deck. Built with ACS 651s and Sims “The Wheel” wheels – I built this set up in the Seventies (with different wheels) in Regina, Saskatchewan and then bought it back twenty-three years later from the same guy who was in San Francisco. I tried to get the “Tony Hawk 1996” autograph off, but it wouldn’t budge without wrecking the finish.
GNC – Moose
GNC Skates also produced the 8″ x 31″ GNC Moose board in the seventies. Featuring a fuller template / square tail shape and built with ACS 500 trucks and OJ Slalom Juice wheels. This board was found in an attic in East Vancouver and donated to the Skull Skates museum. No concave was happening yet in skateboarding – strictly flat kick profiles and directional template shapes. This board is early Skull Skates history. GNC was the abbreviation for Great Northern Country Skateboards, started in 1976.
GNC Skates also produced the 8″ x 31″ GNC Moose board in the seventies. Featuring a fuller template / square tail shape and built with ACS 500 trucks and OJ Slalom Juice wheels. This board was found in an attic in East Vancouver and donated to the Skull Skates museum. No concave was happening yet in skateboarding – strictly flat kick profiles and directional template shapes. This board is early Skull Skates history. GNC was the abbreviation for Great Northern Country Skateboards, started in 1976.
Sims – Lonnie Toft
The pro model thing was in full swing by now and Lonnie Toft’s various models on Sims skateboards proved to be popular. This earlier 8 1/8″ x 27 1/2″ model is a seven-ply maple flat kick with the patented Sims / Winkels wheel well treatment. This board is set up with Gullwing Phoenix trucks (the version with the vertical kingpins that didn’t break) and the ever-popular Sims Snake wheels in white, which was the harder version of the more common lime green Snakes.
The pro model thing was in full swing by now and Lonnie Toft’s various models on Sims skateboards proved to be popular. This earlier 8 1/8″ x 27 1/2″ model is a seven-ply maple flat kick with the patented Sims / Winkels wheel well treatment. This board is set up with Gullwing Phoenix trucks (the version with the vertical kingpins that didn’t break) and the ever-popular Sims Snake wheels in white, which was the harder version of the more common lime green Snakes.
Sims – Lonnie Toft Pig
Besides Wes Humpston, the other person who helped to pioneer the wider “pig” style boards, was Lonnie Toft. Lonnie had been riding doublewide eight wheeled boards and experimenting with wider shapes early on. This 10″ x 30″ Sims Lonnie Toft features Lazer Grinder trucks, which were the first wider trucks designed to fit the larger decks and grind better. The deck was also built with the green Kryptonics wheels, which were quickly becoming the hottest wheels for vert skating.
Besides Wes Humpston, the other person who helped to pioneer the wider “pig” style boards, was Lonnie Toft. Lonnie had been riding doublewide eight wheeled boards and experimenting with wider shapes early on. This 10″ x 30″ Sims Lonnie Toft features Lazer Grinder trucks, which were the first wider trucks designed to fit the larger decks and grind better. The deck was also built with the green Kryptonics wheels, which were quickly becoming the hottest wheels for vert skating.
Sims – Lonnie Toft Eight Wheeler
Lonnie was on some other shit back in the day. Just feast your eyes on this 13 1/2″ x 29 1/2″ Lonnie Toft Eight Wheeler, fitted with four Tracker Half Track trucks and eight green Sims Snake wheels. Lonnie skated these, and the larger kneeboards, in empty pools and vert skate parks. This thing is scary as hell… if you lean towards the center of the board everything locks up ad you get bucked badly.
additional pics 1
Powell Pig
A rare deck to be sure, this late seventies 9 ½” x 30” Powell Pig shaped deck was the pre-cursor to the Brite Lite series by Powell. The profile is flat with a mellow kick tail angle. A notable innovation is the angled wheel wells, which allowed the wheels to line up better then the standard wells of the time.
Powell – Beamer
The Powell corporation did it’s part to add to weird construction experimentation by releasing this 9 3/8″ x 30″ Powell Beamer board onto the market in the late seventies. They looked really tech and were light, but as was the problem with all Beam style decks, after some skating, the deck would sag down around the beam creating a convex deck surface. This one is built with gnarly Trackers and blue Kryptonics double conical wheels. The ads for these boards were cool.
The Powell corporation did it’s part to add to weird construction experimentation by releasing this 9 3/8″ x 30″ Powell Beamer board onto the market in the late seventies. They looked really tech and were light, but as was the problem with all Beam style decks, after some skating, the deck would sag down around the beam creating a convex deck surface. This one is built with gnarly Trackers and blue Kryptonics double conical wheels. The ads for these boards were cool.
Kryptonics
With the success of their quality wheels under their belt, in the late 70’s Kyrptonics set off to innovate in the deck arena. This 9 ¾” x 31” foam core board is constructed much like a ski with p-tex base and urethane rails. There were a few different models produced that were ridden and endorsed by Shogo Kubo. This one is built with early Indys and Krypto C66 double conicals.
Krypto – K-Beam
By 1979 vert was it in skateboarding. Everything was going to the wider 10″ x 30″ pig template shapes and suppliers were caught with the now dead skinny deck & truck stock. Kryptonics produced the K-beam series of vert boards utilizing a vertically laminate center beam and compressed paper and wax outer skins (later to be known as Boneite). This particular board is Steve Alba’s model. It measures 10 1/2″ x 30 3/4″ and is set up with Indys and green Kryptonics double conicals. You can just imagine this board lip sliding the big bowl at Upland.
By 1979 vert was it in skateboarding. Everything was going to the wider 10″ x 30″ pig template shapes and suppliers were caught with the now dead skinny deck & truck stock. Kryptonics produced the K-beam series of vert boards utilizing a vertically laminate center beam and compressed paper and wax outer skins (later to be known as Boneite). This particular board is Steve Alba’s model. It measures 10 1/2″ x 30 3/4″ and is set up with Indys and green Kryptonics double conicals. You can just imagine this board lip sliding the big bowl at Upland.
GNC – Pig
Yes, it’s pretty embarrassing, but cut us some slack – it was our first ever attempt at a wide template shape, and we I had no reference at all (obviously). This was a hand cut (and the graphics were hand drawn) GNC Skates 10 1/2″ x 30″ pig shape prototype. Number one of one, cut from a 7/16″ ten ply blank pressed by Wee Willie Winkles. I set this up, and it skated terribly, so the shape was promptly redesigned on a new blank and this prototype was retired to the dusty backroom. This was in 1977, early 1978.
Yes, it’s pretty embarrassing, but cut us some slack – it was our first ever attempt at a wide template shape, and we I had no reference at all (obviously). This was a hand cut (and the graphics were hand drawn) GNC Skates 10 1/2″ x 30″ pig shape prototype. Number one of one, cut from a 7/16″ ten ply blank pressed by Wee Willie Winkles. I set this up, and it skated terribly, so the shape was promptly redesigned on a new blank and this prototype was retired to the dusty backroom. This was in 1977, early 1978.
GNC – Skate
This 9 7/8″ x 30″ GNC Skate deck was the first true production pig model skatedeck from Skull Skates. Pressed in Canada by Wee Willie Winkles, this deck features a more correct template shape and the famous Sims / Winkles style drum sanded wheel wells. This board was completely flat with a kicktail and was also available in a smaller version, which I think was around 8 1/2″ x 28″ in dimension. This deck was produced in very small quantities and available only through Great Northern Country Skateboards in Regina, Saskatchewan.
This 9 7/8″ x 30″ GNC Skate deck was the first true production pig model skatedeck from Skull Skates. Pressed in Canada by Wee Willie Winkles, this deck features a more correct template shape and the famous Sims / Winkles style drum sanded wheel wells. This board was completely flat with a kicktail and was also available in a smaller version, which I think was around 8 1/2″ x 28″ in dimension. This deck was produced in very small quantities and available only through Great Northern Country Skateboards in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Alva – 10"
Tony Alva’s pig model skateboard deck was one of the hottest selling skatedecks of the late seventies. Featuring O.G. D-Town 10″ x 30″ pig style pool shape with the flat kick and the now famous Alva split fountain / die cut grip tape application. This particular board was originally set up and sold and then later rediscovered all in Vancouver, Canada. T.A.’s reputation was massive at this point – fueled by his cutting edge skating, all of the media attention, and also the Alva Skates revolutionary advertising campaigns designed by artist / photographer Raul Vega.
additional pics 1
Shred Model – 10" x 30"
This Seventies flatkick model pig was the shop brand carried by PD’s Hot Shop back in the late Seventies. Big ol’ full pig template shape with wheel wells, pressed in Canada by Winkles. Shown here assembled with old 169 T-Hangar Indy trucks and the original Powell Bones wheels. Like most high-end skateboards from this era it’s rolling on GMN brand German made full precision bearings, kick ass bearings without the goofy packaging. This was the board that got a lot of first time skaters into skating in Vancouver in 1979 and 1980.
D-Town – Wes Humpston
Wes Humpston designed all of the original template shapes and graphics plus physically produced the original Dogtown boards designed for pool skating. This example, of his 12″ x 31″ Big Foot, shows wide boards taken to the extreme. Apparently cut from eight wheeler blanks, pressed by Wee Willie Winkles, featuring routed air foils and cutaway wheel wells, with the signature Humpston graphic. The year was 1978 and Skull Skates (not GNC Skates) now officially appeared on the scene.
Wes Humpston designed all of the original template shapes and graphics plus physically produced the original Dogtown boards designed for pool skating. This example, of his 12″ x 31″ Big Foot, shows wide boards taken to the extreme. Apparently cut from eight wheeler blanks, pressed by Wee Willie Winkles, featuring routed air foils and cutaway wheel wells, with the signature Humpston graphic. The year was 1978 and Skull Skates (not GNC Skates) now officially appeared on the scene.
Sims – Phase 2 Composite
The late Seventies was the era of the pig shapes in skateboarding. It was also a time when companies did a fair amount of experimenting with various construction ideas. This 10 1/4” x 30 1/2” Sims Phase Two Composite board is constructed with a P-Tex base, foam core, and synthetic side rails – much like a ski. Built with old Indy 169 T-hanger trucks complete with Grindmaster devices, rolling on green Kryptonics CX-66 double conical wheels. This set up makes you want to bust out some crazy shit at a nineteen-seventy-nine skatepark bowl like the Lakewood Monster Bowl.
The late Seventies was the era of the pig shapes in skateboarding. It was also a time when companies did a fair amount of experimenting with various construction ideas. This 10 1/4” x 30 1/2” Sims Phase Two Composite board is constructed with a P-Tex base, foam core, and synthetic side rails – much like a ski. Built with old Indy 169 T-hanger trucks complete with Grindmaster devices, rolling on green Kryptonics CX-66 double conical wheels. This set up makes you want to bust out some crazy shit at a nineteen-seventy-nine skatepark bowl like the Lakewood Monster Bowl.
