Remember this photo?

**Mile_High_Mark** · 07-29-2009 10:24 AM

The skater's name escapes me, but I want to say that it was someone from Florida. Anyone have the issue of SkateBoarder Magazine with the original?

**Cann0n** · 07-29-2009 10:45 AM

Looks familiar. I think I remember a segment in Transworld mag on the Old School Feed.

**Gary in VA** · 07-29-2009 11:44 AM

Mark, ask Parallel Man. He's got all the old Skateboarder mags. I do remember that picture.

**nick cecchi** · 07-29-2009 01:52 PM

who is Lau?

**lollygag** · 07-29-2009 02:05 PM

Ethan's Hawaiian

**nick cecchi** · 07-29-2009 02:29 PM

I thought it was Ethan Lau, score 1 for me.

**Mile_High_Mark** · 07-29-2009 02:33 PM

The photo that the graphic is based on is from the mid-70's. In fact, I'd say no later than '77.

**Mile_High_Mark** · 07-29-2009 02:42 PM

**LongboardSkillz97** · 07-29-2009 03:19 PM

Cool, I have that board. Rides like a beast.

**SpeedFiend** · 07-29-2009 03:36 PM

I think that is the guy Mark

**classic510** · 08-05-2009 03:04 AM

dam i wish boards were cheap like they were back then

**KJ FiveTwo** · 08-05-2009 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by Mile_High_Mark

Momo's ftw

**msk** · 08-05-2009 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by classic510

dam i wish boards were cheap like they were back then

Cheap? That board, as set up on the cover shot, would've been about $75-$80, in 1976 dollars. For the same number of hours of work at minimum wage required to buy that board back then, at today's minimum wage you'd be able to afford a $240 setup...

**classic510** · 08-06-2009 12:11 AM

Originally Posted by msk

Cheap? That board, as set up on the cover shot, would've been about $75-$80, in 1976 dollars. For the same number of hours of work at minimum wage required to buy that board back then, at today's minimum wage you'd be able to afford a $240 setup...

i mean the exact same amount of money not like that

**livefortoday2007** · 08-06-2009 01:08 AM

Originally Posted by classic510

i mean the exact same amount of money not like that

whatever you were trying to get at just didn't add up.

**classic510** · 08-06-2009 01:13 AM

like i wish a deck like that wasnt hella money now i wish it was the same price as it was back then

**msk** · 08-06-2009 01:49 AM

**classic510** · 08-06-2009 01:58 AM

**WeekendxCarver** · 08-06-2009 08:01 AM

No doubt that was a little harsh my friend

**msk** · 08-06-2009 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by WeekendxCarver

No doubt that was a little harsh my friend

That wasn't intended to be harsh at all. The "cheaper price" of skateboards, as well as many other things back then, is simply an illusion. You can't say something was "cheaper" or "more expensive" without taking into account what people were earning, which back then was on average about 1/3 of what people doing the same work earn today.

Besides, that deck isn't even comparable to an average deck today. That was a flat slab of solid oak, with a glued-on wedge for a kicktail, which is what the majority of decks were at that time. Much cheaper and less labor intensive to produce than a laminated maple deck. Nothing the average jr high woodshop student couldn't make in hour (and many of us did just that), and even today would only cost about $10 for materials. A few months after that issue of SkateBoarder came out, maple decks started becoming the standard, and deck prices nearly doubled (and we still didn't have concave or nose kicks). So 6 months later, an average board would've been nearly $100, not much cheaper than what an average board costs today, and that's if you didn't count for inflation.

Those of us who had to work at McDonald's or a gas station for $2.50 an hour after school back in the 70s in order to buy a board didn't think $75 was cheap at all...