Jay Adams Model Z-Flex skateboard autographed by Jay Adams

Jay Adams Model Z-Flex skateboard autographed by Jay Adams

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Description (Brief)
Jay Adams model, Z-Flex skateboard deck made of green fiberglass with red and dark green swirls in the fiberglass throughout, a small kicktail and is signed by Jay Adams. Adams (1961-2014) began his career as a surfer on the Zephyr surf team which was based out of Jeff Ho Surfboards and Zephyr Productions, created by Jeff Ho, Skip Engblom and Craig Stecyk. In 1975, the second wave of skateboarding was well under way and when the Z-Boys heard about the Bahne-Cadillac Del Mar Nationals skateboard contest, they switched to skating. Adams brought the fluid and assertive moves of a surfer to the sport of skateboarding and became one of the original innovators of the sport. The Z-Boys became known for their aggressive style of skating which contrasted wildly from the freestyle moves of the 1960s skate scene. It helped that the new urethane wheels made skating smoother and the California drought emptied swimming pools across southern California. Adam’s and the Z-Boys spent the better part of two years ‘breaking in’ to people’s yards and skating their empty pools which the state of California had mandated to by empty due to the severe drought of the mid-1970s. Adam’s was one of the true pioneers of “pool” skating which would usher in a new generation of vert skaters.
The history of Z-Flex Skateboards also begins with Jay Adams and the Z-Boys of Dogtown. Once the Z-Boys were firmly established in the skateboarding scene the Zephyr owners approached Adam’s stepdad, Kent Sherwood to produce a new kind of skateboard. Sherwood worked with fiberglass in Dave Sweet’s Surf Shop and was more than willing to take on the challenge. After six months, problems arose and Sherwood took Adam’s and a few of the other Z-Boys and founded EZ-Ryder Skateboards. Within six months the name was change to Z-Flex and the company has been an innovator ever since. They were the first to use a concave on the board’s topside and developed a smoother type of wheel which most of the modern wheels of today are based.
Location
Currently not on view
Object Name
skateboard deck
skate deck
skatedeck
date made
1970s
1975
Physical Description
fiberglass (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 29 1/2 in x 7 in x 1/2 in; 74.93 cm x 17.78 cm x 1.27 cm
ID Number
2014.0022.02
accession number
2014.0022
catalog number
2014.0022.02
subject
Sports
skateboarding
Professional
See more items in
Culture and the Arts: Sport and Leisure
Skateboarding
Sports & Leisure
Data Source
National Museum of American History
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