Doozy’s and donuts…

…and coffee, too.

Got into a great conversation with a friend recently over a few donuts and some coffee, and talk turned to historical cars that offer inspiration from a variety of standpoints…. and it tied in perfectly with what’s going on in the automotive industry… especially with American companies folding. This kills me, as there seems to be absolutely NO RESPECT for the advances made by American car companies, or their impact on technology and the economy at large.

As you may already know, I have a deep fascination with all things Ferrari. The sheer elegance of design, combined with the amazing heritage and utter lust for performance that these machines elicit in one’s mind… hell, one’s soul, even, is the stuff of legend. Yet, surprisingly, for a guy who talks a lot, I’ve never touched on another great car to come from not Italy (although we’ll touch on that later), but from right here in the US, the mighty Duesenberg.

How can one deny the sheer excitement of any of the company’s offerings? Hell, even the history of the marque is filled with the stuff of legend. Two brothers, both self-taught engineers (think about it, isn’t every hot rodder somewhat of a self-taught engineer?) set out to build sports cars. August and Fred built cars in the ’20’s that had features you might find on today’s cars: four valves per cylinder, dual overhead cams, and even juice brakes!

Anyway, the history of the marque is readily available with some minimal research skills, so we won’t waste time on chronology here. What interested me most about the Brothers Duesenberg, was their use of superchargers and other go-fast goodies that seems, well, kind of strange, given the years in question. We’re talking cars in the late ’20’s that had 140 MPH capability! An American, coach-built car (hell, by the time a wealthy owner got done, these things weighed tons!) that could run 0-60 times in roughly eight seconds! Again, that’s PRE-1930! If that’s not engineering and hot rodding at its finest, well, grab some stronger coffee, sir, and wake up.

Moving along, an interesting point was brought up regarding the partnership of one Virgil Exner and Fritz Duesenberg (son of August) on the Stutz Bearcat…. here was the prime example of Chrysler design, working with the heir of the genius that was Duesenberg. Sadly, this was a doomed marque (but sure made creative use of domestic offerings from Delta 88’s to Grand Prix’s!) One begins to wonder what may have been, had this partnership been at a more opportune time. In a way, there’s a lot of inspiration to be found in there…. the use of existing, perhaps not-so-inspirational cars to begin with, to create a coach-built car with performance, all while giving a nod to this golden age.
Sadly, we’re at a point where the political agendas and underlying turmoil have destroyed the industry, and are stripping the historical significance of our storied past, and leaving with it a revised version, loaded with controversy. At it’s most basic level, this is an industry that is dynamic, exciting and loaded with great stories of great men and innovation, and to not be inspired by any of it leaves one to consider anyone’s dedication to it in a much brighter light.

We’re in an age now (in the hot rodding hobby) where we have talented builders following on this original path, and creating incredible cars from almost nothing. While it’s exciting to witness, it just seems altogether more interesting when compared to a historical reference point, and one draws out some inspiration from two brothers who simply wanted to build fast cars… Ahh, the good old days.

At the heart of “Resilience”

About a year ago at the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, I met with Tim Strange and the Hansens, Erik and Paul, to discuss a project that we had been kicking around. I was absolutely floored by the way we all just meshed with ideas… the creativity that morning just flowed, and there was an incredible amount of collaboration. It foreshadowed the great time we’ve all had on the project… Tim’s incredibly long days and nights notwithstanding.

In any event, the big Buick project began moving forward, and true to its name, “Resilience”, it’s shaping up to be one amazing custom car, with a ton of classic and modern touches that reflect not only the golden age of the craft, but the personalities of everyone involved. I’m stoked about this car like none before it, and can’t say enough good about the way it has progressed from paper to steel, and hope you’ll enjoy it, too when it hits the floor at the Grand National Roadster Show.

You may recognize Tim’s name from, well, everywhere… and the Hansens from their 2005 AMBR-winning “Sedeuced”. While I can’t give away too much here, I did want to thank some of the great and talented folks involved so far in making the car come to reality, and share a sneak peek at the killer induction…

A Caddy mill for a Buick custom...

Thanks to Carrie Strange (keep sneaking the Rockstars in Tim’s soup!), Dave Neal, Shawn Ray, Jim Decrane, Chuck Heerde, Dan & Betty Strange, Jesse Greening (and his crew at Greening Auto Works), Mark Rolen, John Loveridge, Tucci Hot Rods, AutoRon’s, Classic Instruments, Air Ride Technologies, BF Goodrich, Dynamat, Flowmaster, Hot Hues by DuPont, Iwata Spray Guns, Kicker Car Audio, Motorhead Design House, Pearlcraft, Advanced Plating, and supportive families, significant others, and energy drink and coffee suppliers from IL to AZ to CA…

A Rocket Ride….

…and a trade that rocked the world.

Twenty years ago this week, the Edmonton Oilers traded Wayne “The Great One” Gretzky to the LA Kings, marking the day that Hockey stood still. August 9, 1988 is a date that still elicits a response in any Hockey fan, and for good reason. I’ll throw in another date: December 12, 2000, the day that GM announced that they were pulling the plug on Oldsmobile. Two very different events with very different outcomes… yet, they share a few key things in common, and a valuable lesson that a carmaker could have learned from a Hockey player.

Consider the impact that Gretzky had on the game (if not a community): 1851 points… 200+ points in each of four seasons… 92 goals in ONE season! (hell, being a Sabres fan, I have to point out that Alexander Mogilny came close once… at 70) Take a moment to fathom that, then, consider that his record has stood since being set in the ’81-’82 season. The man’s photo should appear in the dictionary under the word “Hockey”. I could spout off stats here, but you can find those easily enough… Suffice to say, he dominated the game on the ice. Yet, what he did OFF of the ice would forever change the game as well.

In 1988, the Great One was traded to the LA Kings.

The deal was monstrous to begin with, but the terms were astounding in their own right: The Oilers gave up the league’s reigning superstar for $15 million, three number one draft picks, Krushelnyski, McSorley, and negotiating rights to minor league defensemen, along with LA’s Jimmy Carson (a recent pick who just put up 55 goals).

Take a second to drink in that trade.

Not only was that big money in ’88, but it broke up a team that had “dynasty” written all over it… If you’re a Hockey fan, then you know all about the Oilers of that era, with Grant Fuhr, Jari Kurri, Mark Messier… Man, I remember collecting cards and stickers of those guys like they were gold (in some cases, they were… Remember the gold foil stickers?). To take Gretzky to LA?! What were they thinking?

Granted, number 99 in Los Angeles wasn’t the ticket to a cup victory (or a dynasty) on ice… But what the deal did for the sport itself?! Far-reaching and dynamic are two words that scratch the surface… Barely. Here was an uber-talent, wrapped in a marketing dream. Great personality, incredible with words, and a look that could move product. His assimilation into US pop culture was the stuff of legend. Consider: If, like me, you grew up in the ‘80’s, you knew Gretzky (even if not from Hockey) from ads for Campbell’s, Coke, Ford, American Express, an action figure, hell… the guy even had a Saturday morning cartoon with Bo Jackson and Michael Jordan! (remember “Pro Stars”?) Add to his clout an ambassador status, bringing the game to numerous new fans… A fact to ponder: When Gretzky hit US soil as a player, there were 15 franchises of the NHL in the US. Today, there are 24. Talk about opening a market!

Back to Oldsmobile for a spell here… Consider that in 1897, the carmaker was forging ahead, pushing design and technical innovation to create a dynamic new car. It was to become GM’s shining star, the brand that pushed innovation for the corporation. Being GM’s “innovation brand” meant that other carmakers would often study their products, and attempt to mimic them. Not only was Oldsmobile the first mass-produced car (the 1901-1904 Curved Dash), but was the first with an automatic transmission (1940 – the Hydromatic), the first overhead valve V8 (’49 – also leading the way with a hardtop and wrap-around windshield that year!), the first turbocharged engine in an American car (’62!), the first front wheel drive car in America (the ’66 Toronado), and so on… Ponder this: in the 50’s and ‘60’s, makers like Mercedes would buy and dissect Oldsmobiles (and other GM cars) to see what made them tick. At the time, there was truly no substitute for an American car.

Oldsmobiles were the choice of the techie crowd… they had the advanced features, and appealed to the more technologically hip consumer. Olds and GM capitalized on this for a bit, but then lost the vision somewhere along the way. Rather than build on a success (see Gretzky above), GM stuttered, and down-graded the brand to compete with foreign cars on their own level. Rather than push the envelope, and allow Oldsmobile to bloom into the leader in technology and design for GM, they pulled funding from the coffers for projects like Saturn, among other things. (don’t get me wrong here— Saturn is a fine make, and having worked for Saturn, I am grateful for the food and shelter my career there provided… just still suffering the “WHY??!!” over pushing Saturn into Oldsmobile territory, and giving the little plastic-clad cars all of the cool advancements) GM dropped the ball, and took what should have been a bright Oldsmobile future, with great new cars that would have rivaled Lexus, BMW and their ilk, and let it slip into the old folks home of the corporation. One notable exception was the Aurora (I have a very soft spot for the first-generation units… Remember the first time you saw the ‘95’s… Man were those cool when new!), which led the way in innovation, and sat at the crossroads for a trek back to greatness… yet, sadly, it seems that the higher-ups were too busy looking into overpriced, oversized SUV’s to haul fat-ass suburbanites around the mini malls. By the time that last Alero rolled off the line on April 4, 2004, the fire was definitely gone. The rocket was more of a lawn dart, sadly…

Adding insult to injury, GM decided to kill off more jobs and cars with potential to concentrate on… Trucks.

At the start of a new environmental awareness, the good General concentrated on big old SUV’s, targeted at vacuous housewives who have no clue how to drive them. Another well thought out plan. Rather than attack the future and hold an upper hand, doing some good for the entire brand, they concentrated on one small niche, which ironically, has become the proverbial Achille’s heel of a car-making giant. Presently, they have no true marquee in brand that does what Olds once could. Who’s to say that Oldsmobile may have been the leverage point for GM in the escalating hybrid wars? I’d like to entertain that notion. Had they stayed on path, who knows? We may have seen George Clooney cruising a Cutlass versus a Prius.

Consider the effects of the Gretzky trade, when applied to the Oldsmobile (and subsequent GM) debacle: While Edmonton sacrificed a pillar of their team, they still managed winning seasons and a Cup victory, and gained a fairly stable ground (player-wise, not so much owner-wise) to build on. Bigger than that, Hockey itself won, big time. By allowing a great talent to continue down a road that he himself forged, great things happened all around. Had number 99 stayed in Edmonton, I have no doubts that we’d have seen a number of Oilers Stanley Cup years… it’s a given. Yet, what that trade accomplished for the future of the sport was incredible. Am I suggesting that had GM invested resources into allowing Oldsmobile to progress on the brand’s original course that it may have had a similar effect on the corporation at large? You bet your ass I am.

All told, I’ll bet that there will be a moment of silence this week as Edmonton fans and residents recall the day the Great One left the Great White North… and that, at the same time, a few tears will be shed by GM shareholders as they look back on the rocket ride that could have been…

Need more insight and opinion? Just want to look at cool pictures and hot rod designs? Head on over to PCK Studio at www.problemchildkustoms.com.

The Supper Car Club

…and yes, you read that right. “Supper Car” Club.

Why “supper”? Simply put, supper is the term usually used by my kids when refering to dinner-time here, and weekday dinners (or “supper”) are usually nothing over-the-top or spectacular, just a fill-you-up on good food moment in the day. A necessary part of the day, without a lot of fluff. Kind of fitting as you’ll see when we get to the cars that would be in this club.

I had stumbled across the supercar club idea back in 2000, and thought “novel idea”… but then dismissed it, and went back at my day job. This past week, the thought popped back in my head while parking at the Post Office to ship out some designs, and I parked next to a perfectly preserved Gremlin. (I know!! Bitchin’!!) How long has it been since you’ve seen one of those? Apparently, the three other folks checking it out had the same thought. (note to the owner of said ride: What I wrote on my card is serious. I want your car.)

If you’re into exotics, you no doubt know of organizations like Group 20’s incredible Super Car Club, or P1 Prestige and Performance Car Club, or a few others. The basic idea is a shared-access plan, wherein members have access to a number of exotics and luxury cars for about the same cost as owning ONE. Pretty slick, and not unlike shared-access plans for yachts, jets, beach mansions, islands and so-on. So, for like $30k per year, plus a $5-10k membership fee, you’re driving a number of cool cars throughout the year, insurance included. Nifty if you’re of the persuasion that can afford it. Me? Nope. I fall more in line with my nifty idea: The Supper Car Club.

Regular folks cruising regular (and occasionally rare!) cars. We’ll round up a group of investors, and purchase a fleet of hand-picked, basic transportation cars from the past and present (if you can get ‘em from the future, well, we’d like a word with you, too!). We’ll set up a membership fee based on the value of the cars, say $75.00 to join, plus like $300.00/year, and base it all on a points system, allowing everyone access to the cars. You may buy extra points, or trade points for allowing off-use days for cars, etc. Naturally, cruising the Cavalier rag top in June would be double he points of the Cimmaron with the broken A/C, but hey, this is about exclusivity.

I can hear it now– “Why would anyone want to drive a car like a Citation, or a Fairmont sedan, or an ‘80 El Camino with a broken tailgate?” NOSTALGIA. Unless you were some spoiled brat as a teenager, chances are that through college (or beyond if you draw cars for a living and have kids), you’ve driven some questionable-looking, as well as performing cars. And what always comes up in converations about those times past (or present… it happens)? “Man, I hated that car, but I miss it!” Admit it. That ‘79 Delta 88 with the door skins flapping in the breeze was pretty cool. You had FUN with it. I sure as hell did. And my friends still remember that car… even the ones I bump into so many years later… And think about it: If you’re into cars like I am, you check everyhing out. Like the afforementioned Gremlin. I was drawn to that like flies on… oh wait, bad comparison… but you get the idea. A car that hits home will draw as much, if not more attention than some exotic ride. (consider Playboy’s Farmer’s Daughters specials— I read it for the article on cobbler — was that a fluke? The girl next-door is always more approachable, and often more realistic. I bet they sold millions. Cars are the same way, I’ve found.)

Admit it: You had this poster right next to that one with the white Lamborghini.

We’ll offer typical high school and college-year cars, and even a few hot rod-style versions… Maybe ‘78 Malibu with a severe rake, N-50’s and Jensen 6×9’s on the package tray, or even a hand-me-down LTD in powder blue… The kind of stuff you had back then. Imagine pulling up to your reunion in a Camaro with a dented fender, a Moroso decal and sheepskin seat covers, just like you had back in school? Talk about keeping it real. No rental Caddy for you. Just bringing back memories, much like your mullet and parachute pants. And for those who were in all of the musicals, or had weird parents, we’ll round up some used Volvos, VW’s, and the cream of the crop:

…it’s tres chic

(I’m showing the smaller cars so that we get the “green” folks on board. Fret not, my fellow size 34 EEE carbon-footprint friend, I’ll be battling you for points on the Granada with the bad valve seals and cracked rings. We’ll have a little something for everyone. AMC Eagle? We’ll have THREE.) All told, I think that once the trendies see Justin Timberlake pull up at the ESPY’s in the Monaco with the Keystone mags, bad paint and bubbling tint on the windows, this club will be hotter than some crystal and gold-leaf decoupaged Von Dutch hat in an LA boutique after seeing it on a video awards show. If you’re in, hit me up… This will be huge, and a total blast. I have a line already on a Volare’ wagon and a cherry Grand Prix…

More insight/design/lunacy over at www.problemchildkustoms.com.

Taking CAB’s Coupe for a spin…

…halfway around the globe, and finding a new home in Europe! 

Some time ago, I was fortunate to have befriended skateboarding legend, artist, and all-around good guy Steve Caballero. Like all of my artist and hot rod friends, his work and cars are inspirational, and it all kind of becomes like family. You grow attached to the paintings, cars and whatnot, and when a ride or canvas gets sold, you feel a slight twinge of sadness, and hope that the new owner will take good care of it (kinda like my old Chevelle… it’s comforting to know it’s being enjoyed and cared for!).

 

You have to imagine my joy, then, when CAB’s coupe was sold once more, and wound up, in all places, in the garage of a friend across the ocean! Geert (aka Von Skip), is a talented artist, and we hit off our friendship through our work, sharing a mutual admiration for one another’s style and technique. What this guy does on canvas is amazing (<a href=”http://www.vonskip.com/custom_car_art.html”>dig it here!</a>). He’s owned a number of outstanding cars, and when he saw the opportunity to grab CAB’s coupe, well… I became stoked on a number of levels. After all, what are the odds? Two talented artsists (and great people) as owners of the same great car? Two separate continents… and each sharing the same incredible car culture. (and you thought the Dutch were only into wooden shoes and windmills. Shame on you. They like hot rods and customs, too… so there.) 

The world really is a small place, and lately, I’ve come to the conclusion that all things happen for reason. Thankfully, for whatever reason, I made the connection with two incredible people, and one fantastic car, and I get to see how it all plays out in the grand scheme of things. 

…and, as if creating great art, collecting killer cars and just being an all-around cool cat weren’t enough, on June 2nd, Geert and Nanouk welcomed their beautiful baby girl, Moenza into the world! 

Congrats again, Geert!! Enjoy the ride, man…

While the cars are great…

…it’s the people that make this such a great racket. Case in point: last weekend Craig (fromMyRideIsMe.com) was rounding up hands to help in stripping his ‘63 Falcon wagon in preparation for a full-on makeover. And by golly, when the local boys call for help, I’m there. Occasionally, it’s good to put down the pens and stylus and turn a wrench or two… it keeps you grounded in the real stuff… the stuff that got you into this business to begin with.

…and there we were, a small group that would grow to over a dozen before night’s end, attacking the car with near-Overhaulin’ precision, save for the most stubborn windshield on planet Earth (more on my glass nemesis later). What was to be a simple transmission swap was quickly escalted to a “while we’re at it…” sort of project.. which means “look for some concept art soon”. 

That Craig sure knows how to pick friends, huh? From “Falcon Master” Mike (a walking encyclopaedia of all things Falcon and Comet-based) to Racin’ Dave (runner-up in Super Street this year at Fontana (and 0.054 seconds from a Wally!!), to the always handy and knowledgeable Rob (who brought his killer bobber truck over and aired it out, as if that thing needed any more attitude!), you’d think we had all bases covered.

Hardly. 

Dave and his charming wife popped in before heading to a graduation party to offer moral support, and before we knew it, there was Joe and Joel and Devin grabbing tools and jumping in. I mention all of these folks because it’s what makes this hobby so great: The people. All of us are from different backgrounds, lives, careers… Yet we share the common car bond. It’s that great equalizer, that certain “something” that brings people togteher and gets everyone reaching for a common goal. 

When Doug (of Squeeg’s Rod and Kustom) popped in (with Sammy and Moose from the shop in tow, following a trek to Southern California to pick up a Woody), all of that “car guy” stuff became clear. Here’s a pro builder of the highest degree, wrenching on a local car. No glory in this, just stripping away what needed to go, and getting the ball rolling. It’s just that whole “you’re building a car? I’m THERE!” mentality that happens to come across between car people. It’s the late nights spent in a garage, covered in grease and bondo dust that creates memories, and makes it all so damn cool to be a part of… 

Anyway, this is where it sits for now… Look or more on this project as we build steam, and get the old girl rolling once more…

Three issues…

…on the shelves at once with my work is always a cool feeling! (now there’s an understatement) I’ve been fortunate to have my work in print in Rod and Custom, American Rodder, and now Truckin’ this month, making it a great start to the Summer months! I hope you find time to pick up all three of these issues, if not for the artwork, but the great content in all of them.

The amazing Mercury wagon in American Rodder is worth the price of admission alone, we’ve already been over the amazing ‘54 Merc (hey, I see trend here) in R-n-C, and the special horsepower section in Truckin’ makes for some good reading as well!
Thanks to Dan over at Truckin’ for slipping my artwork once again into the Radical Renderings pages (and look out soon for a project that he and I collaborated on, which spawned some great concept art!). I hope you enjoy them all as much as I did creating them…

Rod and Custom Magazine Feature!

Dreams…

…have a funny way of mixing things together. Consider just about any weird dream you’ve ever had… you know, “it was my house, but it wasn’t my house, you know?”… Ever said that? Or maybe you wind up working at a job that you’ve never had… eating something odd, bizarre or exotic… Odd things happen in our subconscious.

Such was the case a few months back when Tim at Rod & Custom Magazine hit me up to create a “Dream Car of the Month” again.

I absolutely love creating artwork for the “Dream Car of the Month” in Rod and Custom Magazine. I dig it because it’s not only the magazine I grew up dreaming of being published in, but the project affords a completely open-ended spectrum of creativity. For this go-round, I took the “dream” part literally, and scoured my subconscious for wild ideas…. What came from it all is a mish-mash of A/FX, gasser, funny car, street machine… You kinda have to see it to believe it…

And even if you’re not a big fan of spicy taco-induced dream cars, grab this iissue if you don’t already have it. The features this month are just outstanding, from Mark Morton’s bsolutely understated ‘54 Mercury that we drooled over at the GNRS in January, to Rob Ida’s unbelieveable Caddy, and the super low, super cool ‘32 three window of Larry Roller… The details will have your head spinning for days!

Thanks again to Tim and Kevin at R-n-C for another great opportunity..

The good old days…

…sure look awesome when looking over old magazines and photos, don’t they? All of the killer cars, shiny paint, classic locations, impeccably dressed people and so-on. It makes it all the more interesting when you either stumble across (or are handed!) an old snapshot that captures real life… an actual hot-rodding moment, frozen on Instamatic or Polaroid paper… In this instance, we have such a subject; one that makes you say “D’oh!”:

 

Yep, it’s harsh reality, there to smack you in the head, as it always seems to. The photo above came to my desk while hunting for source material to fuel my current background project, documenting East Coast customs and hot rods… My father gave me some surviving photos of old cars and car shows, and mixed in was the gem you see above. The car was his personal ride, a ‘57 Chevy 210 that he originally purchased with a six cylinder. The car received a nifty little 283, bored to 301ci, and backed with a 3-speed, 4.11:1’s, and exhaust he described only as “loud”. The car was respectable and quick for the times, running low 13’s. Not too shabby for a kid, and especially for a daily driver.
Anyhow, the moment above captures the aftermath of a floor shift install. Say what? OK, not the IMMEDIATE aftermath… You see, my dad had installed a floor shifter that fine day, and, like so mmany times that I’m sure we can all look back on and say “yup… done that!”, he rushed through to get to work on time (night shift!), and we all know how shifter installs seem to go… Something ALWAYS goes a little haywire. Needless to say, shifting from second to third resulted in, well, nothing.

Youthful thought offeered the option to just reach through the ample hole in the floorboard and grab the linkage, when the stars aligned to strengthjen the Chevy versus Ford battle, and the mighty Chevy plowed into a ‘63 Fairlane.

The car was fixed, using the remains of a t-boned Bel Air hardtop, with the same car supplying the interior for this same car a bit later. The car was sold when my father entered the service, and marked a three year span of ownership in his life. We’ll have to look at the ‘64 Impala and ‘66 Charger that followed at some point, too, all with somewhat better results! 

Granted, I’ve done worse myself (and with no shift linkage to blame!), and that’s not the point here… It’s just an interesting look back on a moment frozen in time… one of those images you don’t often see. It’s real life mixing with youth, hot rodding, and all of those experiences we try to teach our own young ‘uns with…

Over the course of twenty years…

…things are bound to change. Just about 20 years have passed (we’re about a month-and-a-half shy) since this photo was taken:

It’s my old Chevelle, and the pic was snapped as the car was being completed… this being roughly my Senior year in high school (note lack of tail pipes and trunk lock cylinder, among other important items). I bring this up on roughly the tenth anniversary of selling the car, after moving to CA in the late-90’s, and, surprisingly, after my father ran into the car once more in Pleasanton, the very grounds where the old girl was passsed to a new owner. In any event, it’s kind of funny to look back at the changes. I bought the car (with help from my parents… I had a very cool and supportive, hot rod-oriented mom… how killer is THAT?!) as a near basket case (here it is in progress)

…and with a ton of guidance and help from my father and a few close friends, brought it back to life (in the form of the lead photo). Fast-forward a few years, and things were shaping up on it, with some new wheels and aggressive rubber, all setting the tone of a late-’60’s/early ’70’s street machine (OK, with updated wheels… hindsight yells “shoulda kept the slotted mags!!”). The tall stance and big meats were part of it, as was the period cool crushed velvet interior:

It was a fun car… not the fastest, by any stretch, but respectable enough. It was a clean car that had a classic look, and looking back on it, was an amazing car for a late-teens/early twenties-age guy going to school.

It packed attitude, and that black paint was a constant source of pride (and time-swallowing detailing), and the monster even saw the first snow on one notable occasion. It was a reliable, almost comfortable car, considering the ride height…

Fast-forward ten years after selling the car to head back to school, and I get a phone call from my dad, at the Pleasanton Goodguy’s event. “You’ll never guess what I’m standing in front of,” he says. “The disembodied, floating head of Elvis?!” I ask, really wanting a picture… “No, you (expletive), your old Chevelle.” Very cool indeed… The old girl is alive and well. Granted, like any personal project, the new owner has taken the car and personalized it, as anyone might make something their own, creating a vision they can be proud of. The car has a new life, yet continues its rebirth, which is an awesome thing. See if you can spot the changes:

Rally stripes, new wheels, a front valance…

New seats up front (the rear remains!), updated gauges, speakers, and so on….

…but most amazingly, the black paint that was laid upon the car in ‘88 is still looking deep, shiny and straight… Seeing that work live on made my day. It’s testimony to spending time in the right places, and taking pride in anything you do… a lessson I’ve been trying to teach my kids in all they do, and was illustrated perfectly in a car none of the three are old enough to recall. In any event, long post, I know… But I thought it was cool to share a project that spans two decade, two owners and two very distinct styles, but shares the same basic foundation.

May all your first projects carry on as long…