I'm considering buying a red 9'6" Jack's Surf Shop longboard surf board from either 1962 or 63, from the original Jack's Surf Shop in Anaheim, CA.
The owner says: "This board is in fantastic shape, I bought it from the original owner and it doesn't look like it was ever ridden except a few times. He told me that he bought it when he was stationed in Long Beach and when he got out of the Navy in 64, he brought it home with him and never took it back when ever he would go over to the Coast. He's just had it hanging in his Office or in his Garage ever since. There is one small chip on the edge of the glass on the skeg / fin. It doesn't take away from the board at all. There's one listed on ebay just like it, except that one is white. The Jack's is 9'11".
The number on the Jack's didn't really come out to well in the picture, but it's #203. That means it was the 203rd board shaped that was like this one, meaning the rails, nose, & tail were all the same that Jack shaped. He did other styles with different types of rails, noses, tails and lengths. Each of his boards were uneke in there own way and in his way.
Jack was a big time nose rider in the late 50's and 60's. This one as you can see from the pictures has a 2" center balsa stringer, but it doesn't have the redwood tail block like the one posted on ebay"
Pics:
I know that anything is worth what someone is willing to pay but I need to know what I should pay for this, what is it actually worth? I don't want to lowball and I don't want to get ripped off. Please let me know what this board is actually worth. Thanks!
I found this post languishing unanswered in the Surfshop forum, so I moved it over here to General Discussion, which is where I think it really belongs. Unfortunately, it sat there for nearly two months, but hopefully better late than never, eh?
Jack’s Surf shop sure as hell isn’t Jack Haley. Two different entities, completely. Jack’s SS was kook central back in the day. Jack’s was in two locations, Anaheim and Huntington Beach. Jack Haley was based in Seal Beach.
Dale Velzy shaped a number of the boards with the logo seen in the photos. I mean, who didn’t Velzy ghost shape for at one time or another?
That board is nothing special. Typical stock board for the era and worth maybe 300, at most.
This board is NOT a pop out board. The number stenciled on the stringer (#203) signifies through records I have that it was shaped in 1962 by Dale Velzy. In late '59 Dale Velzy was in trouble with the I.R.S. and had to shut his shop in Manhattan Beach. At this time he worked side jobs for Hobie, Jack’s Surf Shop, and various other shops. He shaped boards for Jack’s Surf Shop up until 1968.
If records indicate that Dale shaped it then obviously it is not a Jack Haley.. But as Sammy said it's nothing to get exicited about or blow more than a few hundred bucks on. Even if Dale shaped it I see no proof. I have seen a lot of Jacks at auction in years past. Collectors are not usually interested in them, Jack Haley's shop wasn't around that many years and a Jack Haley with his Seal Beach lam/logo and his signature would be worth considerably more than a non descript Jacks I forget the year; but Jack Haley was US Champ at one time and an OC lifeguard for several years. His Brother Mike was a good surfer as well and passed away a couple/three years ago up on the Central Coast. Mike gave Pat Flecky permission to use the Jack Haley lam and bring back the lable sometime around 2000. After running an add or two in Longboard the idea was nixed by Jacks son. Who I believe is also named Jack and worked for the LA Lakers in some capacity. I still have a few lams that Pat passed onto me. . Lowel
This board is NOT a pop out board. The number stenciled on the stringer (#203) signifies through records I have that it was shaped in 1962 by Dale Velzy.
So, are you the person who was trying to sell this board last Summer?
Any guess why the OP thought it was a Haley?
I just bought this board from him here in Phoenix recently. It is a decent board for a Jack's board, and very clean. Reminds me of a '63 Bing I had, traditional shape, same color pattern, except my Bing had the more expensive and detailed checked board skeg. I still have a Phil Edwards Hobie that I've hung onto, but I wish I would have never sold that Bing. I used to surf that Bing at the Pier up until 1996 for the nostalgia of it when I finally snapped the nose of off for the second time. People always wanted buy that board from me. I finally sold it, knew I would snap the nose off a 3rd time and I didn't want to repair it again.
I grew up in H.B., bought all my boards from either the Frog House in Newport Beach (Small Faces, Infinity), or I'd have Robert August in Huntington make me a nice custom. I was a local in downtown H.B. for many many years and had a place on 3rd and Orange St. I worked afternoons at Hoag Hospital in Newport, which allowed me to surf everyday. After work at 11:30pm the crew would come over my place (H.B.) we'd suit up and head out for night surf till 3am in the morning. Good times!! :)
I'm not sure why he (AJ) the guy I bought it from thought it was a Jack Haley.
Sammy nails it again. “kook central” does not begin to describe that joint. But I did get a good laugh out of the Phoenix/Jack Haley connection. Thanks!
AJ is in his 60’s, he’s a really good guy. He lives in Phoenix and bought the board for his vintage car, but he was downsizing his storage so he wanted to get rid of the board. He just didn’t live out on the coast there so he didn’t know any better about the board or that shop (Jack’s) I found the board after he posted it on craigslist.
True - Jacks’ is “Kook Central” and is owned by some foriegners capitalizing on the beach/surf market. It’s been in their hands since the early '80’s. I always did my buisiness with Robert August or the crew at HSS (Huntington Surf and Sport) to support my local friends. Those were true surf shops!
I worked at a surf shop in the early 80’s down in Newport, Ca., It was Primo Surf Shop on 28th St. right at “Blackies” We actually sold a brand of wetsuits called “Primo Wetsuits”, go figure Fun job! I was more of a twin fin rider in those days, I followed my idol Mark Richards in that era. I used to surf the wedge on a pop-out twin fin because the constuction of that board although heavy, could take the pounding of riding shorebreak that you ride till you were slammed into the sand. (I did snap off a lot of fins though) I was frick’in crazy in those days, I just charged it!
I got a very fair deal from AJ, and if I ever wanted to unload the board it would be easy to sell to “Jack’s Surf Shop” for some coinage. They are always looking for their early vintage stuff to hang in their building, but I’ll probably just keep it. It really is a beautiful wall hanger and is clean. I just took the buffer to yesterday and most all of the scatches can be lightly wet sanded then buffed again. Should be a nice glassy gloss all the way around when I finish it.
Jack Hoekenson started Jack’s surfboards. The last name spelling is probably wrong but sound it out. He had a shop on Lincoln in Anaheim near the downtown that also sold bicycles. Hit it big with the location right across the street from the pier in Huntington though. He sold it years ago to Ron Abdul, back in the '80’s; one of my friends who owns a landmard surf shop near by curses the day they decided to buy a surf-shop instead of another laundymat.
