Los Angeles Traffic in 1973

Hollywood, I101 Hollywood Freeway, I5 Santa Ana Freeway

[@GeorgeVreelandHill]

American made cars and no homeless tents. This must be an old film.

[@briane173]

Well, not from my perspective. I lived in the L.A. area the first 17 years of my life; 1973 I entered my senior year in HS, and my two cars were a dune buggy and a '57 Ford F-150 pickup with a Fleetside bed and (get this) a Buick 312ci V-8 and a Ford Mustang C-5 automatic transmission. Don't ask me how.

[@matrox]

Before democRATS turned it into the sh!thole it is now.

[@FIGNAS83]

Legend has it most of those drivers are still stuck in traffic to this day

[@miniredsatan]

it's true. if you listen closely you can still hear the horns...at night. the horns come at night.

[@plushbatfan]

FIGNAS83 Los Angeles traffic jams are the worst in the country!

[@sudipta_archive]

@@plushbatfan new york is now

[@sudipta_archive]

La one became a bit better

[@plushbatfan]

@boogeguy ʕoᴥoʔ Leave the condolences to me. My granny passed away in New York nearly six years ago. She lived to be ninety four.

[@opinionday0079]

the film is so clear, like time travel. I could watch this for hours as I love the cars.

[@Mylo12321]

OpinionDay007 Me too. Love the cars.

[@carlm8821]

Mel Thom Me three, totally love the cars! And the freeways...

[@pmd467]

Crazy.. I look at this film and I'm back there on the Harbor frwy (11).. So many great memories right here.. Sigh..

[@opinionday0079]

@@pmd467 Lieutenant I am a very busy man if you have anymore questions please feel free to contact my secretary. Good day Lieutenant ......... (long pause) then Columbo says (with hand on face) Eh just 1 more thing Sir........

[@pmd467]

@@opinionday0079 Rofl..

[@thatbasementband8122]

an absolute fortune in muscle cars goin' down that freeway...makes me sick.

[@jclm4188]

C H A N C E my buddy used to see 440 cudas, ss camaros454, u name it for sale for a few hundred bucks in 74 in Michigan..like my skip frye surfboard, 30 yrs ago it was a100 bucks.today its1500$.who woulda known????

[@karlkamphefner8529]

When old Detroit iron ruled the roads.

[@casmatori]

Saw a lot of Beetles and MGs too

[@kendollgt]

And Wolksburg!

[@BPoweredLove]

Tons of VWs at that time.

[@johnfloyd2551]

@@casmatori VW was ok, they was America's German automotive stepchild.. part of the landscape just as much as the big 3 excuse me... Big 4 AMC was still around too..

[@matrox]

@@casmatori VWs, MGs and Triumphs were the most popular foriegn cars in America during the 50s-mid 70s.

[@lincbond442]

The majority of those cars could be worked on with minimal mechanical skills and tools. Today, only highly trained technicians using expensive diagnostic equipment and software can work on cars.

[@nothing9271]

The pros of old cars: are massive reliability not too many electronic components cons: poor fuel efficient no ABS, traction control , airbags or a body that could absorbe impacts and maintain people inside safe

[@SriyanGaming]

Well, we can also compare car safety. Car fatality rates have halved in the past 40 years, so we’re definitely better off now

[@alexm566]

how frequently you need to work on new cars tho? let alone electric ones that don't even need an oil change.

[@bobsmithinson2050]

@@alexm566cars that don’t need an oil change?

[@beth2398]

So many sedans back in the day and not one SUV, lol.

[@Novusod]

Not many SUVs were available in the late 60s early 70s. - Jeep Wagoneer - Chevy Suburban - Ford Bronco - Jeep CJ-5 - Land Rover Series II-III (Very rare in the US)

[@101Volts]

Many Sedans were more trucklike at the time and the larger engines could easily handle towing. Look at how few pickup trucks there were too, the few that were around were actually used for something.

[@chargermaster3716]

Novusod forgot the Chevy K5 Blazer and international harvestor scout

[@chargermaster3716]

Catherine G people drove station wagons back in those days

[@THEHamBot1]

back when a family of six could pile into a station wagon. And we wonder why car fatalities were 3x higher with significantly less cars on the road...

[@hard-wired-g3787]

Watching this makes me want to go for a cruise in my '71 Mercury.

[@matrox]

Lots of 50's classics were still on the roads.

[@artdecotimes2942]

Hardly, in between 1964 to 1968 many automobiles from the 1920s to 1950s left the road. In the 1950s you would encounter automobiles from 1940, 1930, and 1920 easily..of course rare to find a Chevrolet 1919 or a Packard 1925 in 1950, however far more common than finding a 1970 Chevrolet or 1976 Ford in 2020.

[@joeldaniels-akacringeevery7650]

@@artdecotimes2942 still had a lot of late 50s car in the 60s

[@Peterkragger]

Because 50s cars in the 70s were as old as 2000s cars now

[@tailsprowerfan2729]

You would still see one once in a while today

[@feg7302]

​@@Peterkragger But there are a lot more 2000s cars nowadays than 50s cars in the 70s. I guess those old V8 engines were more difficult to maintain than modern four cylinders ones.

[@DigitalCyborgman]

WHOA !!!!! Look at those beautiful cars... this is like heaven !

[@joejordan1259]

Yeah they look good but they were pieces of junk.

[@courtneymoyer1637]

​@@joejordan1259no they were not they are better than the new car's today.

[@theeecandlemaker2197]

@@joejordan1259 nerd

[@DeltaSniperZRR]

A white Dodge Charger (?) at 0:06, right lane, mid top. But look at all those cars. Quit sad that that era went so fast, and most of these cars are destroyed/recycled.

[@pipiligrama]

I'm glad they are... they were just pieces of shit

[@One--Two]

0:35 middle lane light green or white 1970 Plymouth Barracuda, same frame, "fast" lane, bronze 1970 Coronet(or general model line); 1:05 '67-'68 gold Camaro

[@bendeleted9155]

But even then, always at least one VW visible.

[@wallyworld2174]

wow way to catch that 'cuda, good eye!

[@sudipta_archive]

These cars are extinct 1880s 1980s

[@darrellpasion6933]

I was born June of 73, it's cool to see all those vintage American cars on the freeway

[@matrox]

After further investigation this IS NOT 1973, Its 1969.

[@davidmay8104]

After 43 seconds in it appears to be late 1960s but the traffic from the front just prior to 43 seconds is early 1970s.

[@Pushyhog]

I think l saw me hitchhiking. If i could go back, u can have my iPhone . You don't have a clue how bad i would love to go back there in socal.

[@joeyramirez6355]

Nobody on the phone. Brave moves out there with drum brakes. But everybody else had them too.

[@akzebraminer]

joey ramirez That’s because it didn’t exist.

[@sudipta_archive]

@@akzebraminer started since 2010s

[@akzebraminer]

boogeguy ʕoᴥoʔ The first smartphone was released in 2007, but it blew up in 2010. You’re correct.

[@johnfloyd2551]

Back when disc brakes was a astonishing feature an automaker boasted about having standard while others in same class were optional..on a certain model in their commercial.. now it's all about the adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, parking assist.. geeze what's next..

[@ChatGPT1111]

@@akzebraminer I had a hand held cell phone, a Motorola ‘brick’ in ‘89, a couple years after they came out for the rich. No cell phone laws then of course. There was no signal here in Florida except when you drove through larger towns and cities.

[@shwt121]

I love the way that everyone appears to be doing the speedlimit & not trying to push others out of the way.....in otherwords driving in harmony...?? What a much simpler time....

[@matrox]

True, there were A-Hole drivers then too but no where near like the A-holes we have today. A-holes were every now and then. Today its like every other driver is an effing A-Hole.

[@awesomeaustin7406]

1970s: Almost everyone drove a Vw Bug 2010s: Almost everyone drives a Toyota Prius

[@markhenley3097]

AwesomeAustin Very true but only for hippies and degenerates.

[@akzebraminer]

Prius sales are going down now. They probably won’t go up, I never liked the Prius. Model 3 is everywhere in my area now....

[@sudipta_archive]

Thats sad vw beetle is better than prius

[@akzebraminer]

boogeguy ʕoᴥoʔ Thankfully they seem to be losing popularity.

[@kendollgt]

By the 1970s Beetles were losing popularity. They were mostly 60s

[@perrysar6931]

Holy cow! America's streets were filled with Mustang coupe's and Ford Fairlane's

[@darinp5612]

I'm never seen a 4 door mustang lol

[@Frozen_fyactal2554]

And a time when mustangs didn't kill crowds

[@cwr837]

It’s like watching a car museum roll by.

[@Heretic_Hero]

Look at all those beautiful cars

[@beakt]

I love how cars looked so different then, but trucks look exactly the same as today.

[@davidfreesefan23]

Probably the only difference between this video and L.A. traffic today is what the cars look like.

The only differences is that traffic then was ruled by big dinosaurs, traffic today is dominated by imports.

[@danielchais4603]

Isaac Pasley And compare to today, they appear to be speeding.

[@johnfloyd2551]

These old cars are the founding fathers of that brown Haze that lingers on in LA

[@susanrobinson9489]

1973 was the year I graduated high school and got my first car. A 68 Mustang with 42000 miles on it. Sold that car 13 years later for twice what I bought it for. Great days

[@stevescheel8807]

Grew up with the Galaxies. My dad drove them as company cars. I graduated in '73, too. My first car was a '70 Fiat Spyder. It caught fire and burned up in a bank parking lot. Then I went out and got the same in a '72.

[@ilarivaisanen]

Lol I just took 25k$ depreciation for my Tesla model S (my first car) in 2 years..

[@karenperlman5059]

Sendin' a shout out to all fellow LA NATIVES from '74!!! ;) Thanks for a great video...

[@1965Gindy]

Every vehicle was nice. I shouldn't have watched this. I really want to exit this time even more.

[@larkatmic]

ahhh. When you could see through the car in front of you all the way down the road. I hate tinted windows!

[@dh2360]

It’s cool watching all those classic cars on the road. Also interesting to see what type of cars were driven most, sedans?

[@joejordan1259]

They weren't classics back then they were called transportation.

[@freddyp07ify]

So many classic cars. Impalas, Cougars, and Chevys

[@XvlerLorenzo]

God i'd do anything to go back in time to 1973

[@JosephusXIX]

Watch this video, then watch a modern-day road rage compilation, and note the difference.

[@aaronwilliams6989]

What FIIINE looking cars. All I wanted to see!

[@MungoidHen]

That was great. I feel really strange watching this. I don't know why. Spooky and hypnotic. Sunny and Beautiful. Sad. Gone. A lost age of hopefulness and pride. Look at those huge cars. Awesome and sleek yet polluting and ridiculous, reflecting some of the aspirations of their society. These ones ran mostly on leaded fuel and the society that deemed this as acceptable has gone forever and will never return either.

[@tomslick1650]

i feel exactly the same. well said.

[@MungoidHen]

Thanks Man.

[@GUITARTIME2024]

I was born in 70. I sometimes wonder is leaded gas usage hurt me.

[@d23g32]

Yeah, that's an America long gone. Hell, 2000 is an America long gone.

[@mynameisgladiator1933]

Died at the hands of the globalists on 9/11.

[@rollsroyce6920]

I want all these classic cars.

[@johnworrall3646]

I like the back ground music .

[@ssan3257]

Back when cars came in color!

[@Frozen_fyactal2554]

They were always the same color * 1980-2021* man , catch up

[@ssan3257]

@@Frozen_fyactal2554 ??? What??

[@Frozen_fyactal2554]

@@ssan3257 sorry but it's the sad truth

[@fakenewsisthenews3542]

Many scenes like this if you watch C.H.I.P.S with Ponch and John! Great stuff

[@bobsmithinson2050]

Agreed! I recently watched all the chips seasons for the first time

[@mjt2231]

No road rage.

[@Ferreal92]

I spotted at least a dozen cars I’d like to own now.

[@johnworrall3646]

What's the instrumental music in the background ???

[@Craiglaca1]

Instrument is the Macrokore kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZW1gWaahp6Eha8

[@OgamiItto70]

At 2:19 out of 2:20 I finally saw the first Toyota. I didn't see any Datsuns or Mazdas or BMWs or Audis or Fiats. Nearly all the imports are VWs and MGs. There's a Porsche (356) and a Mercedes, too.

[@-Finlander-]

What a great video. Different time, different era!

[@gregh7457]

Does anyone think its really strange to see the old style black and gold plates on a new car today? You had to have lived in that time to appreciate what i'm talking about.

[@jclm4188]

greg h black& gold back because they show up better on police car plate readers., surveillance cams.

[@McVaio]

So many beautiful cars!

[@carlm8821]

Ahhh...can almost smell the leaded gasoline fired through carbureted engines and burned through UN-catalyzed exhaust systems!

[@frankbalooga7263]

God, lead gasoline was like chemical warfare...but on ourselves!

[@Ronbo710]

Back when filling up with leaded smelled Sooo goood %)

[@robdavidson993]

Counting the VWs in these old videos is like Where’s Waldo, fun too!

[@pauli6043]

At least back then, the worst distraction was the five buttons on your dashboard radio!

[@billpate8928]

I don't think that these videos are from 1973.The newest car I saw on these videos was a 1968 Plymouth Fury.

[@lizzard71]

Ford Pinto (I think) at 0.25 center lane production started 1971.

[@d23g32]

Up to about 0:42 it's definitely early '70s, but I don't think it's as late as '73. The freeway scene before 0:42 has a Pinto, which as was pointed out was introduced in the '71 model year, and a yellow Barracuda in the center lane that also looks like a '71 model, so that shot had to have been from at least late in 1970. I don't see anything that I can positively ID as newer than a '71, however, which would be highly unusual if it was really 1973. I agree that after 0:42 there is no way it's 1973, or even later than maybe 1968. Hundreds of cars go by in those scenes and I saw none later than '67 or '68, and many vehicles from the early '60s and even the '50s apparently still being used to commute. Fun to watch and pick them out, though.

[@GUITARTIME2024]

+d23g32 recession at that time. most cars would not be new.

[@MrTheMiguelox]

+raleighman3000 1973 model year was a record year, the recession only started in the end of the year when the 1974 models came out.

[@williamwilkins2279]

Bill Pate...I noticed that, too, and was thinking the same thing. Looked to be more like around '69 or '70 at the latest.

[@kanyewist]

My grandpa was in his late 20s When this video was made

[@frankpontone2139]

How come nobody is speeding and driving crazy like today's cities???

[@TimDaCorgi]

C Hoc wow.

[@gregh7457]

yea those guys driving the vw busses would be forced off the freeway nowdays for going too slow with their 40 hp motors. People drove slower then

[@gibnichtauf]

Patience

[@jamesmcintyre4243]

People speed out here in Cali?? How can you speed in stopped traffic from everyone slamming on their brakes for NO reason & not knowing how to merge LMAO

[@redtra236]

There was some pretty reckless driving in this(cutting in between cars, tailgating, etc).

[@stevescheel8807]

OMG! I saw my car at 1:19! Anyone else notice all the tailgaters? I also don't remember the lane lines that close together. Now they're more spaced out.

[@builtbydylan8315]

Still a fair bit of 1950s cars on the road in this

[@official-billvancleef7128]

I think this was from 1969 not 1973, cause I see only vehicles from the mid to late 50’s and early 60’s to late 60’s. So there is no 73’ vehicles

[@ACF6180T]

Only saw a few cars from the 70's most where from the 60's & some from the 50's Thanks for the video.

[@victorcisneros.1196]

V8 in the house. Casi gratis la gasolina. Awueeeevo!!!

[@bvona9006]

What car is the green wagon, on the right, at 0:53??

[@mr.bnatural3700]

I think it's Plymouth Fury.

[@mattf49006]

i was 17 in '73..lived in socal...sure looks like it did back then

[@Iceis_Phoenix]

I've been watching old footage of CA all day. MAGICAL state.

[@melaniexoxo]

Its interesting contrasting this with footage from the 50s and earlier.. you see a lot more cutting in and tailgating

[@richieasian]

Weird, isn't it? I think it's because cars started to become easier to handle than the gigantic boats from the 50's

[@melaniexoxo]

+lovin f30 Nah. I was around back then and people drove totally differently. 5 years later I was driving and people weren't psychos on the road. Just a different mentality.

[@Bruce12867]

Volkswagen cutting in at 1:12.

[@redtra236]

@@richieasian A lot of the cars in this video are from the 1950s though

[@RadialSkid]

1:26 - 1956 Plymouth Fury at the right...the very first year of production, when they were still exclusive performance models.

[@mickmac8300]

I have four cars in my collection one of each in this video. White 66 impala stuck in traffic 40 sec in then red barracuda, green 55 chev then burgandy valiant left of screen going up.

[@massivebeatzz]

No small japanese cars and imports...except VW...the colors, and size, looks so good!! A few years later the US allowed im[orts of cheaper brands and teh sight changed... This looks impressive!

[@gaguy1967]

I think this is maybe fall 1970. I didnt see anything newer than 1971 and only a couple of those

[@Geordo1960]

I think this was a little earlier than 1973 I did not see one 1973 vehicle in this clip

[@101Volts]

Some of it may at least be from 1970, is that a red 71 or 72 LTD Wagon at 0:20-0:29?

[@packard5682]

The newest car I saw was a 70, 71 or 72 Monte Carlo in the left lane but I did not see any 73 vehicles.

[@bendeleted9155]

Yellow Ford Pinto, 00:20 in #4 lane. Had to be later than about October 1970.

[@williamwilkins3084]

Know what I loved most about this video? I saw very few fuckin' Hondas and Toyotas!! Nearly all the cars I saw in here came from this country - and hell, this is in CALIFORNIA!

[@ricardomoreno4825]

At 119 the Canada dry soda as a kid I thought I was big tough as a kid I thought was drinking alcohol

[@SUMM3RY]

Just BEAUTIFUL 😍

[@davshaw5]

Classic Car Paradise, back when they made cars to last and the average person could work on, not the computerized jellybean throw-away junk they’re making today.....

[@davidchicoine9209]

I can remember counting VW Bugs on the road during this time. Quite a few Ford Mustangs, too.

[@donswier]

Gotta believe this was before 1973. Don't see even one car newer than 1969. Anyone else? Pretty sure in SoCal there would be lots of Corollas, 510s and Japanese trucks by 1973.

[@redtra236]

I saw a pinto

[@joeldaniels-akacringeevery7650]

some of the footage not a single car with a blue license plate which became available in 1969

[@michaelhabenicht8950]

Das waren wunderschöne Autos. Hätte ich doch nur eine Zeitmaschine.

[@brincsterbrincster8959]

This is pretty damn sick. I love seeing old cars from the past . I dont even live in los angeles and really enjoy watch old cars drive by a camera. This will probably be a once in a life time look at the past before time travel exsists. Maybe we will be able to time travel in the future. We might be able to depends on how out technology advances over the years. Anyways the one year i want to go to is 1984 why you ask? Ill tell you guys why? Because the 80s had better music than todays music especially Kacie kacems Americas top 40 mann i love the sound of his voice over the radio in my 80s cars blasting the radio with the windows rolled down so everyone can hear him as i drive by everyone that is on the sidewalk. Anyways the 80s were the best times for music

[@bowtie3]

I think I just saw Rockford going to work on another case.

[@philippeemami7594]

Where are gone all these awsome American cars?… :. (

[@countdown2xstacy]

I was waiting for the DUEL truck to come barreling behind a red Plymouth Valiant

[@lynnm7768]

Back when there was an actual rush hour. Today traffic is always rush hour except maybe Christmas morning

[@walterlibrale9249]

I love old american cars ❤

[@rschmidt73]

When trucks had 2 doors, cars had steel chrome bumpers.

[@ucc1-308]

weird seeing real cars

[@CrystalClearWith8BE]

According to the description of the video, it says 101 is an Interstate but _101 is actually US Route 101_ , not an Interstate. *Look at the design of the highway shields, even check Google Maps and will help show you what I mean. And when you start checking Google Maps, start at the East Los Angeles Interchange where I-5, I-10, US 101 and CA-60 connect.*

[@Tennesseestorm76]

Wow. Love this!

[@The74den74]

Very beautiful

[@ItsIdaho]

I just love this!

[@1VaDude]

Very interesting assortment of "classic" cars in there.

[@jamesalford877]

This can't be 1973, when the latest model year I see is 66/67.

[@jorgeybarra3894]

The newer car I saw was a 1967 Mercury cougar which a friend of mine just to own your are very right about the years of this film 66 or 67.

[@tohmestreetz]

Jorge Ybarra I saw some blue plates... it’s after ‘69 for sure. Shows you how well cars were made... nobody wanted to just throw them away after a few years like people do today!

[@redtra236]

@@jorgeybarra3894 There was a pinto in one of the clips

[@StereoMike06]

People actually paying attention to the road. No cellphones to distract or in car infotainment. Not hard to change a station using a real dial or pop in a 8 track and hit play

[@los4ngeles]

Great video, thank you !!!

[@fbghetto5]

Amazing quality for something from 73

[@crazyhorse1755]

people actually driving safely, more focused without cellphones and music blaring and blazing

[@redtra236]

I saw some pretty reckless driving in this mostly tailgating and cutting into small spaces.

[@rong7676]

Nice video. Too bad there weren't more wide shots to show the landmarks and buildings along side the freeway.

[@JONNYHOTROD]

Yeah what the hell happened to the American car?...bloody tragic!!

[@jameswillett7186]

At 1:23 the footage is ca. 1967. I don't see any cars from the 1970's at that point.

[@tombryant1104]

At 0.40 there's a '71 Galaxie in far left lane. Newest I could find.

[@eltravo2112]

Lots of Sunday drivers back then. Born in ‘71

[@lieutenantcandlewax]

What is that green car at 1:10?

[@russianfunkerroma]

Plymouth Fury 1967

[@gordonvincent731]

If you mean the car in front of the red Barracuda, it looks like '67 Plymouth Fury.

[@fueledbymusic3]

I was 3 years old then!

[@Wildstar40]

Me too.

[@Anonym-kd5wf]

I was -23 yrs old then

[@davidconde1521]

Vavazelus and had you seen your damn channel you idiot?

[@mynameislenny2441]

The pickup trucks shown there look like they worked for a living. Now they mostly seem to be shiny, pampered , overpriced overkill for commuting.

[@David-ty1xz]

So I believe this video is from 1967. Based purely on the VW Beetles there are no younger VW's thats newer than 67.

[@redtra236]

Theres a pinto in at least one clip

[@roxrox7853]

Wondering how many possible serial killers were driving in one of those cars with bodies hiding in their trunks right in that moment...

[@robertvillarreal4525]

Naw......

[@roxrox7853]

@@robertvillarreal4525 what do you mean? It could be highly possible, it was the 70s, California and precisely Los Angeles were home for a lot of serial killers during those times.

Perfeito cara

[@chrisl8355]

Is it just me or are the lanes wider than they currently are? Beautiful cars, btw.