Land Shark : Gasps Follow in Wake of Finny Creature as It Cruises Boulevard

The great shark circled its prey silently, its sharp teeth glistening and its huge, fin-topped gray body leaving ripples of excitement in its wake.

Jim Frankle yelled to catch the attention of a group of teen-age restaurant workers in its path.

“A fish sandwich and a Coke,” he shouted.

The Land Shark was on the loose in Woodland Hills. And Frankle was at the helm as he steered it to the McDonald’s restaurant drive-up window to place an order.

Along with the food, he received an extra helping of double takes.

“It does attract attention,” the 18-year-old said of the 1971 Ford station wagon that he has outfitted with a toothy grille and a distinctive rooftop fin. Black shark eyes and gill slits are painted on its sides.

Car Gets Attention

“People honk. They wave. They give me the thumbs-up sign. And, when people see it coming, they get out of the way,” he said.

Several young McDonald’s workers rushed into the parking lot for a closer look as Frankle’s shark pulled onto busy Ventura Boulevard. As promised, the honks and waves began.

A motorcyclist turning into a shopping center parking lot nearly rammed a row of parked cars as he swiveled in his seat to watch the shark go by. A pedestrian in a crosswalk stopped in his tracks when he spied the shark coming up on him. Then he broke out laughing.

A carload of youngsters riding in front of Frankle turned wide-eyed when he pulled close enough for them to notice the mannequin’s head positioned behind the car’s teeth. The head, which resembles that of a swimmer being eaten, came from a West Valley Occupational Center cosmology class.

Inspired by Friends

Until Frankle, an El Camino High School senior, attached the tin teeth to the front of the car last Labor Day, the two-ton station wagon had gobbled nothing more than gasoline. He riveted a metal fin on top and sprayed its entire 16-foot length with gray primer paint. He said he was inspired by friends’ remarks that the front of the car looked like it had a mouth.

To heighten the effect, Frankle bought a tape of the “Jaws” movie sound track to play on the car’s stereo. But he said he cannot afford speakers loud enough for the distinctively scary dum-dum, dum-dum music to be heard outside.

Although the car puts grins on most faces, it causes gasps from girls’ parents when he pulls up for dates, Frankle acknowledged.

“I’ve had some parents complain about it,” he said. “Some have asked their daughter why she was going out in it. Their reaction is always interesting.”

Frankle’s latest girlfriend, 17-year-old Louise Curran of Calabasas, said she is looking forward to her first shark cruise this weekend.

Curran said she has picked a Pacific Palisades restaurant for their first date.

“We’re going to Gladstone’s 4 Fish,” she said.