Join us on February 21 for our first get together and tour for 2026. We’ll start with a visit to Rock-Ola Manufacturing Co. in Torrance – builder of the iconic Rock-Ola Jukebox. Some of us may fondly remember our teenage years when we spent long weekends with our friends at diners, bowling alleys and dances listening to the latest “Top 40” records on the jukebox.
No smart phones in those days!! The jukebox helped create a distinct, more independent youth in mid-20th century America by giving teenagers their music, space to gather and symbols of rebellion. It also fueled the rise of rock’n’roll, generational conflicts over taste and morality. Right on!
David Cullen Rockola started the company in 1927. It began as a manufacturer of coin-operated devices, such as slot machines, scales, pin ball machines, arcade games, firearms in WWII, and finally the world-renowned Rock-Ola Jukebox. Our host will be the company’s COO Ken Urban. The factory tour will include gorgeous vintage jukeboxes and modern ones that echo the originals but incorporate modern digital technology. Gone are the primitive analog 45’s, replaced by gigabytes of digital memory, colorful LED lighting, hi-tech speakers, and booming subwoofers.
After our tour we will drive a short distance to Zamperini Airfield (Torrance Municipal Airport) and visit private car collections and have lunch on the premises. The first stop will be a collection of automotive and aircraft paraphernalia owned by Aaron and Tina Robinson. A highlight of Aaron’s collection is a brass-era 1911 White Motor Car he is currently restoring. Next, we will see the collection of Paul Marcelino and Hiram Bond. It is an eclectic array of foreign and domestic makes of various years and models, and here we will have lunch.
QUESTIONS: Paul Whitney: whitbit@pacbell.net or 818 296-7317
COST: $20 per person, includes tours and lunch.
WHEN: Saturday, February 21
TIME: 9:30 a.m. Tire-kicking, coffee and donuts; 10:00 a.m. tour begins
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Friday, February 13
LOCATION: Rock-Ola Manufacturing Co, 1445 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, 90501
TO SIGN UP: Click here to register online or make check payable to: CCCA/SoCal, and mail along with the form to: Paul Whitney, 1719 Crooked Trail, Westlake Village, CA 91362