Share This Article

LATIN GENTS
Cruise Night in Orange County

This article is from our archives and has not been updated and integrated with our "new" site yet... Even so, it's still awesome - so keep reading!

Published on Sun, Jul 7, 2013

By: The LACar Editorial Staff

2013_Latin_Gents_logo — Latin Gents Car Club Orange County (Nakano)

Words and pictures by Roy Nakano Every first Saturday of the month, it’s Family Cruise Night at the Carl’s Jr. on Beach Boulevard in Westminster, California. The event is hosted by members of the Latin Gents Car Club Orange County, but they welcome anyone with a classic car, hot rod, or bike to show. They only ask for three requirements: No alcohol, no hopping, and no bad attitudes. LA Car was there to meet the gents and see the cars.

2013_Latin_Gents_flags — The club's cars are exclusively 1954 and older models (Nakano)

The history of the Latin Gents goes back to 1961, when it was an informal gathering of friends in Stanton, California—a small city in Orange County, just south of Knott’s Berry Farm. The Gents became an official car club in 1965, and a year later, the membership grew to 125. In subsequent years, the draft took its toll on the club. While a new generation of Gents carried on the tradition in the 1970s, by decade’s end, the club went into retirement mode.

2013_Latin_Gents_green_Chevy — Cruise Night starts at 2 p.m. and goes on to 8:00 (Nakano)

Around six years ago, Hector Ortiz rekindled the club—attracting some of the original members as well as newer, younger members. To make the club more inclusive, the Latin Gents of Stanton became the Latin Gents Car Club Orange County. “We want to make everyone feel more comfortable,” says Ortiz, who serves as the club’s president. This theme runs through the club’s Family Cruise Night. Although the club vehicles are all 1954 and older models (mostly Chevrolets), newer classics, muscle cars, hot rodders, lowriders and even two-wheelers from all over the Southland are welcomed to partake in the event.

2013_Latin_Gents_Ortiz_and_Garcia — The club\'s president, Hector Ortiz, and webmaster, Ernie Garcia (Nakano)

The Latin Gents have been holding Family Cruise Night for about six months now. “We’ve been fortunate to have the support of the local Carl’s Jr., which has supplied the space for the monthly event,” says Ortiz. For LA Car readers interested in the next Latin Gents “cruise out”, note that the event is held the first Saturday of every month, from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at the Carl’s Jr. located at 13425 Beach Boulevard, off of Trask Avenue, just south of Highway 22, in Westminster, California.