Issue 24

Page 1

magazine

Spring 2014

On stands until May 2014

Frozen in Time

Tennis Court Garage

Tales from the Garage Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

1


Simply unroll the beauty of granite

Floor shown in Tuxedo

Buff

◊ Same tough solid-vinyl floor material as traditional G-Floor flooring

Wine Barrel

◊ Easy roll-out installation and maintenance ◊ Available in 9 popular GraniteSpek styles

Harvest

Midnight

◊ Two surface pattern: tread and ceramic ◊ Protects floors from nearly all common garage floor chemicals

Tuxedo

Ocean

Army Green

Earth 2

www.garagestylemagazine.com

www.gfloorgraphic.com info@gfloorgraphic.com 877-810-6444 ext 321

Almond


G with raphic m of pa wide ats v rint opti ariety ons

◊ Same tough, vinyl floor material as traditional G-Floor flooring ◊ Clear vinyl with printed pattern bonded to reverse side ◊ Available in several popular graphic images and styles ◊ Two surface patterns:—tread and levant

For Purchase Information: www.garageflooringllc.com sales@garageflooringllc.com Toll-Free: (800)-956-4301

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

3


World’s Best Custom Car Covers® Quality Softgoods Since 1965

All-Weather & Indoor Protection

14 High-Performance Indoor & Outdoor Breathable Fabrics

®

Covers made to order from our 80,000+ pattern library!

For nearly 50 years Covercraft has manufactured premium quality exterior and interior protection products for automotive enthusiasts, building a reputation for quality, durability and design. Our mission is to continue leading the market, maintaining the highest standards, utilizing the finest materials and remaining on the cutting edge of manufacturing technology --- putting “Covercraftsmanship” into every product we make!

Custom-Fit Floor Mats CUSTOM-PATTERNED 11 COLORS

THE ORIGINAL CAR BRA SINCE 1961

WORLD’S BEST DASHMATS®

® ULTRA-VIOLET SHIELD

4

www.covercraft.com

www.garagestylemagazine.com

CUSTOM-PATTERNED 5 COLORS

1.800.4COVERS


360°ding/dent protection for use in all parking situations!

Carband™ is an innovative vehicle protection system that is simple, easy to install and virtually maintenance free. Carband™ is an elasticised band made out of a Spacer technology fabric that fits around stationary vehicles of any size to protect against scratches and damage commonly encountered while parked in public and private garages & parking lots. Carband™ is sized to extend not only along the two sides of a car but across the front and the rear to provide all round car protection. ►Carband’s Spacer technology fabric provides a breathable protective barrier for your vehicle.

Carband™ can pay for itself by helping to protect against costly door dings and paint chipping.

Carband™ encompasses all sides of a vehicle with a thick, tight-fitting, self-securing band. Use Carband™ alone or with one of our 14 High-Performance vehicle cover fabrics to provide maximum protection.

º 0 3 6 PROTECTION • Airflow Fully breathable Spacer Fabric material. Allows air to circulate. • Storage and Application Simple and easy to install. Storage bag included. • Tight Fitting and Self Securing A strip of impact-absorbing material encompasses all sides of the vehicle with a thick, tightfitting, self-securing band. • Can be used with or without a vehicle cover. • Patented in both the UK & U.S.

www.covercraft.com

Use with a car cover for maximum protection

1.800.4COVERS

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

5


contents

features 22

38 6

www.garagestylemagazine.com

22

Focusing the Game

26

The Jukebox

30

The Collector’s Collector

34

Frozen in Time

38

DenBeste Motorsports: Pick on from the shelf

42

SEMA show 2013

46

First Green Garage in the United States

49

Garages in History

30


departments 8

Publisher’s Note

10

Lance’s Column

12

Phil’s Column

14

Garage News

19

Office Profile

54

Barn Finds

56

Business Profile

62

Artist Profile

64

Unique Artists

66

Automobile Review

Turbine in Tacoma

56

Garage-built car fever alive and well in Detroit

Creating Garage Decor

Justice Bros.

62

Harold Cleworth

Limo of Tunes

66

68

Book Reviews

70

Personality Profile

74

Automobilia Outlook

76

Buyer’s Guide

78

Matt’s Column

80

Garage Meanings

82

Garage Bazaar

Fred Simeone

Lunch at Carroll’s Garage

Jason Len

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

7


Publisher’s

note

Dreams of Luis, Finding Al, and Looking at Corky

B

ack in August, while stopping for gas and a stretch in beautiful San Luis Obispo, California on our way to Monterey for Car Week, photo extraordinaire Dale Quinio and I discovered a little gem of a gas station. Vacant, and quietly hidden off the main drag, it’s a dreamy little piece of history that immediately gets any garagista’s imagination going. Complete with two stalls, a portico, a pump island, a quaint office, and two restrooms atop a sizable piece of land, I was stunned, but quickly taken in by its potential. I immediately envisioned restoring the station to its former glory: a striking, detail-oriented paint scheme; new reproduction pumps on the island; some neon and specialty lights; a tall, gleaming, classically-styled neon sign at the head of the property; inside, polished concrete and restored cabinets and benches in the shop, with energy efficient, high-output lighting; new black and white tiles in the office area; restrooms restored to their original luster. Modernizing the property, adjustments would be made to comply with ADA regulations, earthquake standards, and efficiency. Upon the roof and atop the portico, solar panels and small windmills would generate power. To help our car friends preferring ultra modern plug-in cars, a couple stations would be available to power up. And, since most cities want to move gas stations away from their centers, we’d support the building not by selling fuel, but with a vintage-themed, high-efficiency detail shop, small bookstore, and a Subway Sandwich shop, or something similar. Of course, in the back, the Garage Style Magazine production offices would hum away, steadily creating the best garage magazine in the world. Instead of an abandoned place ripe for vandals and homeless, it’d be a place tourists and car guys alike could enjoy. Something the city could be proud of, and promote to both locals and visitors. A place for car guys to frequent on Friday or Saturday nights – after all, during the day, we’ll be polishing cars and cranking out magazines. Gems like these are becoming increasingly rare in this condition, too many people turning them into flower shops or fruit marts, or worse, razing them to make way for more socially acceptable, contemporary endeavors like mixed use retail and living quarters. I hope that fate doesn’t befall this station. Like-minded investor visionaries welcome to contact me… A few of you have asked about the Al Award, a project I talked about launching roughly a year ago, and something that is being worked on, just at a glacial pace. When the time comes, rest assured, an ad campaign will launch and promotions will be kicked into place, and the judges will be inundated with images and stories of garages to choose a final winner. And it will be tough – it will be unbearably tough. Because we all feel the same way, everyone’s a winner – we all have the spirit in our hearts and minds that we’ve created a room that resonates our passion for the automobile, motorcycle, and truck, and we don’t need an award to justify it. But, maybe it’ll be nice to have that pat on the back for a job well done. Stay tuned. This past month, Coker Tire opened a distribution and manufacturing facility in the City of Industry, California. I was able to attend the grand opening and truly had a great time, blown away by the number of industry celebrities that turned out, but even more amazed by the facility. Coker will be actually producing reproduction OE and aftermarket rims at this location from locally sourced steel. California doesn’t have a manufacturing friendly reputation, but Coker Tire is pushing forward and making the Golden State home. Stay tuned for a more in-depth look at the new shop. Meanwhile – I hope you enjoy this latest issue of GSM; thank you for stopping by, and keep in touch! 8

www.garagestylemagazine.com

George Barris, Corky Coker, Karen Meguiar, Don Weberg, Barry Meguiar, and The Batmobile saluted Cokers new CA facility.

Hidden in San Luis Obispo, California, a classic gas station awaits the right owner.

Cokers new facility in Industry, California is state of the art.


Garage style Editor-Publisher Don Weberg

magazine

Art Director Web Designer – Coordinator Kari McDaniel Business Development Manager Michele Weberg Columinists Lance Lambert Phil Berg Matt Stone Arts Editor Jeremiah McDaniel Contributors Robin DePry Bob Estrada John Gunnell Iain Curry Steve McCarthy Dr. Rick Rader Bill Nakasone Terry Doran Mary Wortman Specialized Photographers Booker Dale Quinio Brittney Kincannon Tim Sutton Bruno Ratensperger Advertising – Public Relations Cindy Meitle 480.277.1864 | cindy@GarageStyleMagazine.com Advertising Doug Holland 910.398.8307 | douglas@hhpr.biz Carmen Price 714.276.5285 | carmen.price1@aol.com David Jollif 714-889-0883 | David@garagestylemagazine.com Subscriptions – Address Changes Garage Style Magazine PO Box 92198 Long Beach, CA 90809 GSM@pfsmag.com 888.881.5861 Garage Style Magazine is Published Quarterly by Weberg Media Group, Inc. 271 W. Imperial Hwy. Suite B La Habra, CA 90631 www.garagestylemagazine.com Not responsible for undelivered issues due to late change of address. Not responsible for issues delivered damaged. All rights reserved by Garage Style Magazine, Inc.

Printed in the United States by American Web Printers


Lance’s

column

Turbine in Tacoma By

Lance Lambert

W

as there a gas station where you and your buddies hung out during your teenage

years? Like many of you, my high school years were spent mainly doing automotive related activities. I’d cruise to school in my ’54 Olds 88 and then spend the day looking forward to driving it again when the school day was finished. Often on the way home I’d stop for a Coke at the Frisko Freeze drive-in and have a few laughs with my friends. Then it would be a quick trip home for chores, as little homework as possible and then dinner. I was back out the door after dinner to either return to Frisko Freeze, or cruise up Tacoma’s 6th Avenue to the Union 76 station. My friend Tim worked at the station and he let his friends hang out there whenever the owner was not around. It was a cool station and Tim was a cool guy. He was a couple of years older and drove a 409-powered 1963 Chevrolet Impala. It was black with a black interior and black vinyl top. It was originally red but a close encounter with a telephone pole provided Tim with the opportunity to make some changes. There were two significant things that happened at the Union 76 station. One was having permission to use all of the tools and hoist. Permission had been granted as a result of my bartering skills. I worked at the nearby Pizza Haven and gave Tim two pizzas a week in trade for being able to use the station’s hoist and tools when needed. The second significant thing was watching a “magic carpet” arrive at the station. This magic carpet took the form of a 1963 Chrysler Turbine Car. Only 55 of these vehicles were manufactured and the chance of having one parked in front of me was about as likely as having Elvis stop me to ask for driving directions. The routine for the Chrysler Corporation was to loan these cars to “typical” American drivers to see how the car performed in normal driving, and to find out what the drivers thought about the car. A family in the neighborhood was lucky enough to be allowed two months use of a Turbine Car and I, along with several buddies, were lucky enough to be hanging out at the station when it pulled up to the pumps. We were not aware that a Turbine was in Tacoma so we were truly shocked when

10

www.garagestylemagazine.com

it arrived. It was the typical bronze color with a black vinyl top and, as would be expected, looked like it should be George Jetson’s daily driver. We quickly gathered around the car and began asking questions. The couple in the car was pleasant but we could tell they were growing tired of talking about the car, especially to a half dozen excited teenage boys. The two most memorable things both came from the rear of the Turbine Car; the sound of the exhaust and the rear bumper and taillight design. It definitely sounded and looked like it was from the future. But was it the future? Apparently it was not. The turbine engine proved to be a gas guzzler and suffered from “turbine lag.” The Chrysler Corporation destroyed 46 of the cars and the remainder now reside in museums and private collections. My friends and I spent many more evenings hanging out at the station but never again saw the Turbine pull up to the pumps. At least we have the pleasure of knowing that we were there when automotive history was being made.



Phil Berg’s Dispatches from the Ultimate Garage Tour

Garage-Built Car Fever Alive and Well in Detroit

I

n the last century of Detroit’s history, local garages have been the womb of the car, from John and Horace Dodge’s unique wooden garage with turntable floor, to Henry Ford’s original workshop. Recently, however, three notable dream cars have sprouted from local garages: 1. GDT Speedster Out of a humble three-car attached suburban home garage, retired Ford climate control engineer Gene Dickirson spent six years with a team of volunteer friends and professional designers and created the GDT Speedster, a home-built car, based on the driveline of a 1994 Corvette, with a 300-hp LT1 pushrod engine and four-speed automatic transmission. The frame is not from a Corvette, only the driveline, which includes the engine cradle and locations for the suspension mounts. Dickirson and his team actually built their own much stiffer and thicker frame, taking care to preserve only the driveline mounting points from the 1994 C4. The new frame holds the thick-skin GDT Speedster fiberglass body. “Chuck [Carlson] and I built that frame, and it took 12 trips to the welding shop,” recalls Dickirson, who titles Carlson, a retired 36-year Ford engineering veteran, as his assistant chief engineer, and credits him with spending the second highest number of the 13,000 working hours it took to complete the project. 2. Falcon F7 As the world reels from shrinking economies, one Detroit man has found an opportunity to build an incredible supercar almost in his backyard, using the recession to get low-priced, high-expertise help. Jeff Lemke, a 43-year-old car nut, spent the years of 1997 to 2009 building composite body panels that Dodge Viper owners could purchase and install to keep rain and wind out of their admittedly leaky sports cars. Lemke had been in engineering school, following the life paths of his Detroit-area family to the automotive industry, but gave way in 2009 to a dream to build his own car. Lemke’s Falcon F7, a mid-engine aluminum monocoque 620-hp V8-powered and carbon fiber-bodied sports coupe that promises 200 mph at a price of $245,000. So far, Lemke and his team at Falcon Motorsports in rural Holly, Michigan, about an hour outside of Detroit. “I laid out this car in foam, it was during tough economic times, and a lot of companies were willing to do work on the body and other parts of development just to keep the lights on. The styling and surfacing was done by the community of experts in the area. I could never have built this car anywhere else,” Lemke explains. “It’s easy to find an expert in body surfacing here. There’s such an expertise in Detroit, I couldn’t have built this car if there wasn’t the expertise. When people saw where I was going with it, so many guys at OEM companies donated their time, and they told me, ‘I just want to be part of it’.” The F7 weighs just 2,800 pounds, and rides on a wheelbase the same as Hall’s racers, 105.0 inches. Overall length is 174.0 inches, three inches longer than a Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2, while the Falcon F7 rides two inches lower. 12

www.garagestylemagazine.com

The F7 is also three inches wider than the Gallardo, following the ages-old mantra in the Detroit car-building business of aiming toward “longer, lower, and wider” cars. Lemke remembers having dreams about Ford GT40s, Ferrari 288 GTOs, Vipers, and Corvettes as a child. “When I was designing the car I had a big poster of the Ford GT hanging in my office, which was my inspiration. It’s beautiful,” Lemke says. He took his mind’s images of all of his favorites and blended them into a single car. “I knew what I wanted and I just drew that. People can see each of those cars in the design of the F7.” There’s an advantage Lemke had: The Detroit area school system teaches its pupils about the successes and methods used by famous denizens such as Henry Ford and GM’s Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell to create cars. “I took the Henry Ford approach: If there is something that I can’t do, or I don’t know, I’m going to find somebody who does and get it done.” 3. Equus Bass 770 Although it looks remarkably like a 1969 Mustang fastback, the new $250,000, 200-mph Equus Bass 770 is, “a clean-sheet of paper design from the ground up,” said Equus company spokesman Ian James when the car was introduced in January at the Detroit auto show. Six years ago an un-named “European businessman” had the idea to build and sell his idea of a dream car for serious car nuts, adds James, a friend of the company’s owner “who is in the background right now.” Equus’ owner is obsessed with Detroit-built muscle cars of the 1960’s and 1970’s, and so he chose the quiet suburb of nearby Rochester Hills, Michigan, to build the Bass 770. The heart of the car is General Motors’ LS9 6.2-liter V8 engine, tuned to make 640 hp, mated to a six-speed manual transmission and driving the rear wheels. The engine is mounted in the front of a custom-built aluminum frame, with an aluminum panel body drawn by a collaboration of car designers to evoke memories of 1960’s and 1970’s American muscle cars. “Some people look at it and see a Challenger, a Barracuda, or a number of other cars from the period,” explained James. The car has carbon fiber inner body panels, and an integral roll cage like a race cars, and it is intended to meet all safety standards, said James. Tires are Michelin Super Sports, brakes are carbon ceramic units, and the fuel economy performance has not yet been released. “If you need to ask the mileage, you’re not the customer we’re aiming for,” said James.


Crosley Replica Pay Phone

• Dial up some classic memories • Vintage look with modern features • Push-button dialing; uses standard phone jack

MMI-CR56-BK ................... $89.97 each

Coin Design Garage Pad

Crosley iJuke Deluxe Jukebox

• 2:3 scale replica of an iconic Wurlitzer • AM/FM radio, CD player, and iPod dock • LCD display, color shifting LED lights

MMI-CR12-2I ................$1,099.97 each

Steve McQueen Book and CD • Forward by Barbara McQueen • From author Marshall Terrill • CD contains 1978 McQueen lecture

MBK-781854432438........ $69.97 each

Personalized Boat Excursions Sign

1969 Camaro Shelf

• Put your collectibles on a 3D car nose • Cast resin; tempered glass shelf • 20.7" wide x 8.7" high x 7.9" deep

SBL-7580-12..................... $74.97 each

Sinclair Lighted Gas Pump Replica

• Adds warm glow to any room • Hand-formed glass tubing • 31" wide x 20" tall

• Add showroom style to your old floors • Installs easily; non-slip surface with moisture barrier • 8' x 22'; slate gray • Other sizes/colors available

OTE-260096.....................$429.97 each

BTL-GF75CN822SG...........$399.97 each

MGN-23101.................... $249.97 each

Personalized Hotrod Plaque and Bracket

Deluxe Roadster Pedal Car

Pit Stop Pub Table and Chair

DEX-DX-20236 .................$329.97 each

IAI-BT7000R .......$349.97 table, red, each IAI-BC6000B ...$399.97 chair, black, each

Corvette C5 Neon Sign

• FREE personalization • Text duplicated on both sides • Plaque available in black or red

WHP-14249 .......... $24.97 bracket, each WHP-1622RG ... $79.97 plaque, red, each

Bone Creeper

• FREE personalization • Corrugated metal with weathered look • 44" wide x 14" high

• Stay comfortable during garage work • Glides over rough floors, cords, hoses, and clutter • Professional grade and made in the USA

MBG-COR11MUM ............$109.97 each

DAE-6031 ........................$116.97 each

• Built for miles of sidewalk cruising • Steel construction, chrome accents, LED headlights • ASTM and CPSIA safety-approved

Gulf Racing Backlit Nostalgic Wall Clock

• Features a battery-operated clock • Steel and cast metal; rubber hoses • Stands over 3 feet tall

• Turn your garage into a gathering place • Both chair and table are adjustable • Available in black or red

Racemate Trash Can

• Time to drop the checkered flag • Uses AA battery and household AC • 14" diameter; lit by 22 watt bulb

• Perfect for shops, game rooms, and trailers • Made with polished aluminum diamondplate • Accepts standard 30 gal. trash bags

CSK-GO1304438 .............$119.97 each

OWE-39148 .....................$199.97 each

Hundreds of gifts under $50 • Gift Cards available from $25 to $500

Sales: 1.800.575.1932 • GenuineHotrod.com Prices good through 3/1/14 • Typographical, description, or photography errors are subject to correction. ©2014 AUTOSALES, INC. SCode: 1402GS

Join Genuine Hotrod Hardware’s exclusive “opt-in” e-mail news list anytime by visiting GenuineHotrod.com/email Genuine Hotrod Hardware is a Summit Racing Equipment Company

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

13


Garage

news

Matthews Auction Company becomes division of Morphy Auctions Matthews Auctions, known for high-profile sales of antique and vintage Petroliana and Automobilia, has become a component of the Morphy Auction Company, another company known and respected in the special-interest collectibles community. Dan Matthews, owner of Matthews Auctions, will head up the department at Morphy’s. “This is a great match up,” said Dan Morphy, CEO of Morphy Auctions. “We’ve always wanted to expand and develop our automotive-related category into a stand-alone division with its own specialized sales, and at the same time, Dan Matthews has built an exceptional auction company that is respected by Petroliana and Automobilia collectors everywhere.” The successful formula Matthews Auction Company has established will be largely emulated and sustained by Morphy’s, holding several major events per year in conjunction with popular Petroliana shows. Events such as the Chicagoland Petroleum & Advertising Show in Peotone, Illinois, the Iowa Gas Swap Meet, and the Check the Oil Show in Dublin, Ohio are on the roster and make up a snippet of the upcoming high-profile events Matthews will be involved with. The first auction reflecting the new business is slated for February 28, 2014, prior to the Peotone event. 877.968.8880 | www.MorphyAuctions.com

Dan Morphy (left), owner and CEO of Morphy Auctions, and Dan Matthews, founder of Matthews Auction Company, which will operate under the Morphy’s banner commencing January 1, 2014.

McQueen Husky fails 2013 is Maserati NA’s most successful YTD to sell in auction A recent auction at Profiles in History in Calabasas, California presented Steve McQueen’s 1971 Husqvarna Moto-Cross 250 motorcycle, but a sale didn’t transpire. Fully documented, the original MedInternational Husqvarna dealer invoice shows Solar Productions, McQueen’s production company, as the purchaser with a note at the bottom, “Ship to Valerians for Steve to have picked up.” The original sale price is listed as $898, and the auction estimated sale price was gauged as $50,000 to $70,000. The last McQueen Husky, a 400, set a world record at $144,000.

14

www.garagestylemagazine.com

Celebrations are coming two fold at the Trident, as Maserati begins celebrating their 100th year in business, and closed out 2013 at an all-time-high. Maserati North America reported a 213% profit increase over 2012, striking an alltime sales benchmark of 4,981 units, resulting in a 72% sales increase over 2012. “Maserati closes a banner year in North America at a historic juncture. With fresh product offerings in the Ghibli and Quattroporte, and the introduction of vital new features such as All-Wheel-Drive, the brand is ideally suited for sustained expansion,” commented Peter Grady, president and CEO of Maserati North America, Inc. The $65,000 Maserati Ghibli has been presented with a Ferrari-built, turbo-charged V6 engine and All-Wheel-Drive, bolstering the Trident’s more premium-level Gran Turismo and Quattroporte. The AWD system is also available on the Quattroporte, and the entire model line allows for the strongest global sales position in Maserati history. www.Maserati.us


Service, Repair and Restoration Of All Classic Jaguars, British & European Sports Cars From The 50s-60s-70s

850 Fiero Lane, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 805-594-1585 • 800-444-5247 www.xksmotorsport.com • email: shop@xks.com

expert mechanics all phases of restoration assembly & machine shop complete body shop upholstery & trim shop ExCEllEnCE SinCE 1973

A Division of XKS Unlimited, Inc.

Picture Moduline Cabinets In Your Garage...

• Residential • Commercial

www.modulinecabinets.com

888-343-4463 AND PREMIUM ACCESSORIES


Ghurka opens west coast flagship store Connecticut-based leather goods company, Ghurka, celebrated its first opening beyond the New York store in nearly a decade by opening a 1,000-square foot location on Post Street in San Francisco. In typical fashion with the brand, the shop will feature a complete assortment of travel, business, and casual leather goods as well as wallets, pouches, gifts, home décor, and recreational pieces. “San Francisco is a very important city for Ghurka, we have a history here,” said John Reuter, Ghurka CEO. “Our founder, Marley Hodgson, operated a beautiful and successful Post Street boutique here in the ’80s and ’90s, and we are thrilled to be back.” The opening occurred December 10th with a private event benefitting the San Francisco Zoo. “We couldn’t think of a better partner for the launch than the San Francisco Zoo,”

said Reuter. “Ghurka is, above all things, about travel, adventure, and experiencing the world. The Zoo brings this experience of exploration and learning to so many individuals and families in the Bay Area each year.” Reuter luckily stumbled upon Art Nouveau vintage bakery caseworks dating back to the turn of the century that had been stored in the garage of a famous chef. The chef was working on a bakery concept which never came to fruition, but was perfect for the image Ghurka wanted to present. “Our namesake, the Ghurka Regiments of the British Army, rose to prominence in the early 1900’s, so the pieces were an ideal fit,” said Reuters. Expanding on the early exploratory and military themes is a hand-painted, largescale strategic military map mural that adorns the rear wall of the store. 415.986.2250 | www.Ghurka.com

Ricardo and McLaren Automotive sign production agreement through 2020 Ricardo High Performance Assembly Facility at Shoreham, UK is a purpose-built engine assembly facility where a vast majority of McLaren Automotive’s engine requirements have been produced. The facility already supplies engines for the McLaren P1, 12C and 12C Spider road cars, and trackfocused models developed and produced by McLaren GT. Focused heavily on quality, a new agreement, representing revenue in the order of £40-million and launching in 2016, will allow the assembly of 5,000 engines per year, thus inspiring future McLaren products. “We are extremely pleased to have concluded this landmark engine-supply agreement with McLaren Automotive,” said Ricardo CEO Dave Shemmans. “Ricardo and McLaren are UK-based companies that serve the world based on a shared ethos of providing the ultimate in performance, quality and value to their respective customers, through excellence in advanced engineering technology and manufacturing. The long-term nature of this agreement underscores the effectiveness of our working relationship to date, and provides an exciting opportunity for both companies to continue to work together to deliver further innovative new products. I

and the entire Ricardo team look forward to working with McLaren Automotive to fulfill its’ engine requirements over the coming years, creating truly exceptional UK-designed and manufactured products for global markets.” www.Ricardo.com | www.cars.mclaren.com


Sin City Success Three day auction proves fabulous Text and Images by

Don Weberg

Mecum Auctions recently acquired the MidAmerica Motorcycle Auction Company and helped out with their Las Vegas sale and exposition. Held January 9th, 10th, and 11th, the event marked the 23rd annual event for MidAmerica which also hosted an old-time bike race. Vendors from around the world attended selling various collectibles from original movie posters to leather goods to actual custom-built motorcycles to rare parts to custom parts to the Automobilia and Petroliana normally associated with an auction of this caliber. Of particular note was the sale of the George Pardos

Collection. Comprised of roughly 20 motorcycles, the collection consisted of Harley-Davidson firsts ranging from 1911 to 1965, and largely demonstrated the evolution of HD from belt driven machines to the legendary Electra Glide. Pardos had spent over 20 years bringing his collection together, restoring and maintaining the bikes in their original state. In the end, nearly $7-million worth of motorcycles crossed the block, and a healthy amount of signage and memorabilia. www.MidAmericaAuctions.com | www.Mecum.com

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

17


The Coolest Accessory in Your Custom Garage Port-A-Cool® portable evaporative cooling units are perfect for your custom garage, shop, pool, patio or anywhere traditional A/C is cost prohibitive or ineffective. • Lowers temp up to 30˚F • Cools with tap water and 115v • Rolls easily on casters

Visit Our Booth at SEMA Expo For more information, call 936-598-5651 or visit www.port-a-cool.com


Office

profile

Creating Garage Decor Bringing the essence of the garage into your living space Text by

Rick Rader, Don Weberg, and Tommy Lee Bird Images by

Rick Rader, Bob Coffman, and Scott Killeen

Case Study: Vintage Champion Spark Plug Crate Coffee Table Ever since the implosion of the world wide web and the availability of finding car parts and related automobilia from the comfort of your living room we have been embroiled in the argument relating to the demise of the collector car flea market and swap meet. While one can indeed find parts (with the click of a mouse) ranging from a Pungs Finch radiator to door handles for a Gordon Keeble and the side mirrors from a Sovam 1100 Targa there is nothing like actually “finding, holding and procuring” the part. One of the beauties of “being there” is the opportunity to encounter a part that you didn’t know you needed. Case in point is this Champion spark plug shipping crate. At the Hershey swap meet this past October I spotted a weathered and original Champion spark plug shipping crate. The stenciled graphics on the wood were intact and nicely pronounced. I wasn’t looking for it; wasn’t aware they existed and instantly became intrigued with it. It’s hard to describe the attraction, logic tree and decision path from “sighting” to “committing,” especially in the domain of something you obviously don’t need. While I was intrigued by the find I found myself ruminating about both its value and utility. Somehow I was able to down play both domains and decided it needed a home. I imagine that I was somewhat influenced by the fact that it was the first one I had seen in 40 years of Hershey swap meets; again a plug for the benefits of being there. Prior to handing over the folded dead presidents the vendor asked me what interested me about the crate? He asked the obvious question, “Are you a spark plug collector?” I wasn’t. “Are you creating a vintage garage display?” I wasn’t. “Naw,” I replied flippantly, “I’m just going to put a glass top on it and use it for a coffee table.” Somehow it resonated with the vendor who said if he thought of that he would have doubled the price. So there was the game plan, born out of a spontaneous remark accompanied by the need to transform it. The idea of simply placing a glass top on the crate seemed to minimize its potential. Surely the spark plug case had to contain spark plugs…..hundreds of them. I was in the right place. Spark plugs, license plates, radio delete plates and hood ornaments have their own collector universe. Spark plug collectors flock to Hershey in pursuit of finding rare, valuable and unique

examples. They can and do approach several hundred dollars each for early, rare examples. I only needed mundane spark plugs for the display. My plans were to install a wood platform at the top of the box and spread the plugs on the top giving the impression that the crate was filled with spark plugs. I was able to procure a couple of hundred (dirty, rusty and lonely) spark plugs for twenty five cents each. There was no turning back now. The plugs were soaked in a rust solvent solution overnight, wire brushed and sprayed with clear urethane. I handed over the layout and assembly to my good friend Dennis Wilkes, a skilled craftsman, artist and “car guy”. I gave Dennis the crate, satchel of spark plugs and a pencil concept drawing; and then (appropriately) got out of his way. Dennis adapted a “moving dolly” to the underside of the crate enabling it to be totally mobile. He then constructed a false platform and arranged the spark plugs into a perfect motif using original cardboard spark plug boxes to serve as the central focal point. Not sure what mathematical equations he used to place the plugs but they were laser perfect. He then created two wood cradles to support the Lexan plastic table

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

19


top. We removed the insulation bodies on four spark plugs and used the threaded heads/electrodes mounted on fender washers to cover the screws used to secure the Lexan to the wood pedestals. The table is unique, novel and constantly

serves to remind me that all you need is a derelict object and a spark of an idea to create a keepsake….and a craftsman named Dennis. My brother Phil had the last word, suggesting that I needed to check the plug gaps.

Case Study: Vintage Cadillac Steering Wheel Pub Table With the help of a friend, Bob Coffman took some time to turn a discarded Cadillac steering wheel into a pub table. Restoring the wheel to its period-correct baby blue luster, they sprayed a base and pole leg the same hue of blue and affixed the two into one piece. Topping it off with a thick piece of glass was the final touch. In the end, the two created a fun, useful, eye catching table that can be enjoyed for years to come. Those of you who attended the January Barrett-Jackson sale in Scottsdale might have spied it for sale in the Automobilia section of the auction.

Case Study: Dragster Conference Table It takes a big office to hold a conference table of this magnitude, and that’s exactly what Bud Brutsman at Brentwood Communications International Inc. (BCII) has in North Hills, California. The long and slender conference room is equipped with a very cool table that was once a real deal dragster, which competed in the Midwest in the 1960’s. Why convert a front engine dragster into a conference table, you ask? Bud is surrounded by cars, thanks to his profession as a CEO of a company that has produced many car-related television shows, such as Overhaulin’, Rides and most recently, Corky Coker’s new show titled Backroad Gold, which airs on the Travel Channel. His heavy involvement in the hot rod industry led him to the idea, and he challenged Corky Coker’s shop, Honest Charley Garage in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to build the coolest conference table of all time. We’d say they came through on that challenge! The chassis started as a Wilson Chassis Engineering piece, built in 1968. By the 1970’s, front engine dragsters had been phased out by the more safety-oriented rear engine dragsters, so they became obsolete until the nostalgia craze created lots of interest in vintage drag cars. This particular chassis had seen a rough life, and was badly tweaked according to the measurements taken by the project manager, Ben Giuliano at Honest Charley Garage. Ben fabricated the uprights, as well as the bracing and mounting brackets to turn this tired dragster into a very cool table. He also fabricated adjustable feet, so that the table could be leveled, instead of resting on the tires. While he had the welder fired up, he built and installed a new roll cage to make it more appropriate for the 1960’s era. 20

www.garagestylemagazine.com

When all of the metal fabrication was complete, Ben used plywood to build a template for the 18-foot glass tabletop. Notice the large hole in the tabletop, allowing the blower and carburetors (attached to a plastic Hemi engine) to protrude. Ben also fabricated the zoomie headers for a nice nostalgia drag racing touch. With the vintage look in mind, he fabricated new body panels and painted them with a ‘60s style metal flake paint job. The chassis is powder-coated in glossy black, while the tabletop supports are chrome-plated, as they are designed to match the shape and finish of the tubular front axle. The table is now in place at BCII’s office, and offers the ultimate wow factor when it’s time for meetings with clients. When we asked Corky what he thought of this outrageous table, he said, “It’s cooler’n dang it!”



garage

features

Focusing the Game A tennis court lets way to a fabulous garage Text by

Don Weberg Images by

Booker

Door to door - the garage is easy to access.

22

www.garagestylemagazine.com


M

any collectors gained their interest in cars at an early age – for Rick, the story is no different. His Dad made him chief flashlight officer at about 5 years old, holding the light while his father tuned, repaired, or just tinkered on the family sedan. It was an experience Rick absorbed and enjoyed and carried with him throughout his life. At 16 he bought his first car from his Mom for $65, a 1946 Ford coupe. Within a short amount of time, Rick had installed Edelbrock heads and three Stromberg carbs. Six months later, Rick bought a 1951 Ford Victoria and replaced the flathead with an Oldsmobile overhead valve engine and a 3-speed on the floor. “That was when I think I realized I was really hooked on cars,” he said. As time passed, he began collecting cars slowly, and most were stored at home but it wasn’t too long until he ran out of space. He built a new four-car garage that he could store five cars in, and then two eight-car barns on his property that also became full. “I knew I wanted all my cars and memorabilia in one location where I could walk from my house without having to drive somewhere,” he said. “For years, I’d play tennis with the same group of guys and as time went by, I found myself during a game analyzing the tennis court as a garage and picturing my cars on the court instead of the tennis balls.”

The floors are ceramic tile; overhead trusses support the roof.

The court was the perfect size, as it turned out. Measuring about 120’x60’ the space would allow Rick to park about 20 cars in one spot. After about two years of thinking, planning, and dreaming, he finally put the wheels in motion. “My tennis partners thought I was crazy, but since I belonged to a tennis club right down the street, I never had any regrets,” he said. In putting it all together, Rick designed what he wanted himself, turning his designs over to a professional architect who followed Rick’s lead. Part of the criterion was that the building had to complement the main house, resemble a European structure to match the English Tudor home; inside, there could be no posts, any car could be moved without moving another, the doors could open without striking another car, and each car would have its own 110v receptacle to plug in a battery tender. “We designed the garage with a slate roof to match the main house, and included a stone exterior,” he said. “We had natural, stained wooden doors, and windows that resembled those on the main house. Landscaping it and adding pavers and stone walkways really created a nice environment. It matched the house well, but had its own unique look too.” During the design phase, Rick cut out patterns of each car so that he could move them around and make accurate measurements and decide where each car should be placed. The final size was 100’x50’, which allows for 15 cars plus about

“I knew I wanted all my cars and memorabilia in one location where I could walk from my house without having to drive somewhere.” Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

23


Top, Ferrari and Porshe make up the bulk of the collection; Below, original Speedster is a favorite driver of the owner.

four more straight down the center aisle. The structure was steel-framed with steel trusses, and the walls were insulated and dry walled. The floor is a 6 inch thick slab of concrete, formerly the tennis court, and the entire garage is climate controlled. “I visited a number of garages and collections in the United States and Europe and determined that each collection was an expression of their personality,” Rick said. “I wanted my garage to resemble an art gallery atmosphere, where the cars were the stars, surrounded by paintings, posters, and related memorabilia.” Rick elected the maintenance-free nature of a ceramic tile floor, and installed an interactive lighting system throughout to illuminate any one part of the garage at a time. The center has large, fixed Halogen lighting, and each side has two rows of adjustable Halogen lights that can be adjusted to highlight each car. A full-service bar occupies one corner, while a workroom adjacent to the bar allows for light mechanical and detailing work to be done. “We’ve hosted a number of functions here for the Ferrari Club and Checkered Flag 200, and it works beautifully,” he said. “We line up tables down the center, everyone has plenty of space, and because we’re all, car guys, where better to enjoy a dinner than in the garage?” In the end, the garage has served a number of purposes in a single sweep. Now, Rick has all of his cars and memorabilia under one roof, just across the driveway from his home. Moving the cars out of all the out buildings has allowed him to dedicate

24

www.garagestylemagazine.com


Top left, a ski plane is a great diversion; Top right, the workshop is orderly; Below right, Ford Hot Rod takes the owner back to high school; Bottom left, a fully stocked bar is a great element in any garage; Center left, Ceramic tiles extend outside, and the structure resonates a European winery.

those buildings to his on-site vineyard upon which he grows Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grapes. The wine is processed and sold commercially, and eventually, Rick says a double door at the rear of the garage will lead to a wine tasting room. “I don’t think I’d do anything differently,” Rick said. “I love just going up to the garage and turning on classical music. I can detail the cars, read a car magazine, or just chill out in an inviting environment. Many times we’ll entertain friends at the bar and spend an enjoyable evening just talking. I enjoy looking at the cars as much as I enjoy driving them.” GSM Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014 25


Tales from the garage

The Jukebox Text by Rodney Kemerer Illustrations By Jeff Maurer Ad Art Images Courtesy of Rodney Kemerer Collection

I

f your garage is anything like my garage, and I assume that it is since you are reading a magazine called Garage Style, then this story is for you. To a nongarage person, the contents of my garage look like so much “stuff”. Some of it more interesting than others. To me, it has always been the stories behind the “stuff” more than the “stuff” itself that I value. Here is one item and one story from my garage. I remember the first time I saw her. It was in a friend’s basement. She was backed up against the wall under the exposed wooden stairs. There was an old towel draped over the top. I had never seen anything like it in all of my 14 years. I stopped dead and asked, “What is this?” “It’s an old jukebox, but it doesn’t work,” my friend said. “What’s wrong with it?” I asked. “I dunno, the plug’s broken,” my friend said. “That’s it?” I asked. “I guess, come on, let’s play the bowling game, it works,” he said, pulling me into another part of the basement. So off we went and played the electronic bowling machine, you the know the one where you slide a heavy metal hockey-puck-like object down a slick wooden lane and it triggers little metal tabs in the deck causing the plastic pins to fold up backwards as though they have been knocked down. It wasn’t much like bowling but it made a great sound and lit up the backboard while it kept score. My mind was not on bowling, electronic or otherwise. I was smitten. I was in love with the sleeping Wurlitzer under the stairs. The next day I was back at my friend’s house with a new black plug and screwdriver in hand. I asked if I could try to repair the cord and see if it worked. My friend said sure, give it a try. Within minutes I had the new plug wired in and was ready, like Dr. Frankenstein, to see if this thing would live. It is hard to put into words what I felt that moment when all the lights came on at once on the Wurlitzer Model 1015, but it is safe to say that I lit up more than the jukebox. And that would be accurate. It in fact, did not play, but it did light up and that was enough for me. My friend’s parents had no interest in the machine and neither did my friend. The next thing I heard was: “If you want it you can have it, but you know it doesn’t work?” “Yes, yes, I know it doesn’t work but I really want it. I just have to ask my parents.” Okay, so now I am home and, in my best car salesman pitch, I am explaining to my parents the virtues of the 360-pound object that doesn’t actually play music but it does light up and I could fix it and on an on. I pitched my teenage heart out. Now you have to understand that I was not a teenager who brought home lost dogs and kittens. For some reason, I dragged home odd used and broken things – bicycles, old radios, wooden soda crates, old tin signs found

26

www.garagestylemagazine.com


along the roadway. These items spoke to me in some strange way. They seemed to have stories to tell and I seemed to be the only one listening. This Wurlitzer had a lot of stories to tell. My father listened and then politely reminded me of all the other “objects” downstairs that I had promised to fix and transform. “But,” I interrupted, “This is different. It lights up!” It was also the largest item I had ever attempted to drag into my parents’ house. My father was having none of it. He was in the middle of listing my “other unfinished projects” when I heard him say: “No. Not this time. Too much junk downstairs.” He might just as well have punched me in the gut. “No? It lights up! It’s free! I want it. What else is there?” To me this was a nobrainer, but not to my father. To him, it was a brainer. No more junk in the house. At this point you think okay, the father will come around or the mother will exert gentle pressure and permission will be granted. No such luck. No jukebox, and that was the final parental decree. I went to my room, flopped on the bed and thought, how can life be so cruel? At fourteen, the world of possibilities seemed doomed. It’s free, it lights up! and I want it. If I can’t have this, why live? What’s the point? I moped around for days. This also had no effect on my parents. A mopey teenager barely registered in our household of three boys. I made a teenage decision. I would disobey my father. Flatout Fifth Commandment blowout. I didn’t drive yet, and just getting the jukebox home would be a logistical problem, but, as they say, within every problem lies the solution waiting to be brought out. My older brother did have a driver’s license and access to the family car. Salvation awaited. My brother knew nothing about permission, granted or otherwise. My burning Wurlitzer passion was blinded by desire. Within a few days a date was set. We would take the family’s 1965 Dodge Polara with its striking metallic burgundy paint to my friend’s house and load in the jukebox, bring it home, get it to play music that my father would love and all would be right with the world. Not

quite the way it worked out. A 1965 Dodge Polara is not a pickup truck and not the ideal vehicle to transport a hulking machine. The Wurlitzer did fit into the trunk but with a good two thirds hanging out over the rear bumper. It would not travel well. My older brother just looked at me with that, “Now what, smart guy” look that only older brothers can give to younger brothers. I had not come this far to be thwarted by a simple unbalanced load. I said fine, you drive (slowly), and I’ll run behind you holding up the tipping point of the massive jukebox. Only a teenager would think this was a sensible, safe or even practical idea. Did my brother speed up occasionally just to screw with me? Of course. That’s what brothers do. I’m yelling, “Slow down, slow down!” over the roar of the traffic. Visions of Wurlitzer wreckage flooded my brain as I ran faster and faster to get my prize safely home. My scenario of getting it home, installed and working before my father got home was naïve to say the least. I did get it home and into the basement, but “working,” that was a much longer road. Now this is when I tell you that I was not a teenager who willfully

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

27


he would often have a box or two, sometimes an album, under his arm. We would have dinner and then head down to the basement to sample the records he had brought home, everything from John McCormack to Elvis Presley. It was a terrific music education but mostly, it was the best time I ever spent with my father. At Christmas time, we would fill the machine with all the classics and it played all day and all night throughout the season. It sat in the same room with the Christmas tree and, in my memory, they are forever linked together. The jukebox did not travel to college or graduate school with me, but was left behind and became my father’s favorite pastime when my parents became empty nesters. I went on to have an adult life with my mother asking occasionally, “What are you going to do with your jukebox?” I always asked if my father still played and the answer was Could I have known that it was the most italways “Yes.” When my significant song in my parents’ World War II father passed away, I went home for the courtship and marriage? Not a chance. funeral and service. While relatives came Was it fate that picked the first record or just dumb luck? and went, I boxed up the We’ll never know. “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree (with Anyone thousands of 78 records and Else But Me)” by the Andrews Sisters. Could I have known built a crate in which to ship that it was the most significant song in my parents’ World the jukebox to my own home. War II courtship and marriage? Not a chance. Somehow the There are some lines from Wurlitzer had picked the right record. The turntable rose up an Emily Dickinson poem from the wooden deck, lifting the Andrews Sisters to meet the -- “The bustle in a house, tone arm. Music happened. I reached around the back for The morning after death, Is the volume key and went full blast. The room and, I suspect, the solemnest of industries the whole house shook. After two weeks my father was again enacted upon earth”—that in the basement looking always come to mind when at the jukebox and at me. I think of that period. I was Only this time, it was with boxing up the memory of my the biggest smile I had father and the jukebox all at the same time. ever seen on his face. When Wurlitzer made The Andrews Sisters had saved my life. Now jukeboxes they had no idea that for that happy ending you not only do they play music, they wanted. For the next three also tell the stories of people’s lives. years, before I went off to Some of those stories become college, my father helped Tales from the Garage. GSM me collect 10-inch 78rpm Note: Rodney Kemerer lives in Beverly records from all of his Hills California and forty-five years friends and co-workers. In later, is still known to bring home an the 1960s, no one much old soda crate or two. The Wurlitzer? cared for 78 rpm records She continues to play music and tell and so the word went out stories with the same black plug he and when my father would attached as a teenage boy. come home from work disobeyed my parents. And certainly not a direct directive that was stated as a “No, you cannot do this.” This was a first, a point blank disobey of parents. But I just kept telling myself that when he sees it, my father will love it as much as I do. Love was not the first thing that came to mind when my father came home and saw me and the Wurlitzer sitting in the basement. He came down the stairs, looked at it, then at me, and without saying a word, walked back up the stairs. He would not say a word to me for two weeks. Cold. That’s how mad he was at my flying in the face of a direct order. It was a chilly two weeks in that Pennsylvania basement. “Where’s the happy ending?” you’re asking. Hold on, it’s coming. Getting the Model 1015 to actually play music was a tough test for a 14-yearold’s engineering skills but with the threat of my father’s continued silent treatment motivating me, I pushed forward. After two weeks of trial and error, the Wurlitzer spoke. And it had a lot to say.

28

www.garagestylemagazine.com


AU TO M O B I L I A I N AG U R A L AU C T I O N S P R I N G 2 0 1 4 | DA L L A S | L I V E & O N L I N E

AUTOMOBILIA CONSIGNMENTS SOUGHT MARQUE SPECIFIC ITEMS Vintage Memorabilia from Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Bugatti, Porsche, Duesenberg, Rolls Royce, Bentley, and other Similar Marques AUTOMOTIVE ART Vintage Event Related Photographs and Posters, Paintings, Prints and Sculptures Vintage Petroliana (gas pumps and signage) Vintage Automotive Signage RARE VINTAGE OEM ITEMS Mascots, Luggage Sets, In-Car Tool Kits and Owners Manuals, Picnic Baskets VINTAGE MOTORSPORTS Historical Race Worn Items, Historical Racing Trophies and Awards Historically Significant Engine/Engine Components MISCELLANEOUS Vintage Pedal Cars, Toys & Models 1:8 Scale and Larger, Rare Automotive Literature

Inquiries: 877.HERITAGE (437-4824) Karl Chiao | ext 1958 | KarlC@ha.com

Annual Sales Exceed $800 Million ❘ 850,000+ Online Bidder-Members 3500 Maple Ave. ❘ Dallas, TX 75219 ❘ 877-HERITAGE (437-4824) ❘ HA.com DALLAS ❘ NEW YORK ❘ BEVERLY HILLS ❘ SAN FRANCISCO ❘ HOUSTON ❘ PARIS ❘ GENEVA TX & NY Auctioneer license: Samuel Foose 11727 & 0952360. Heritage Auction Galleries CA Bond #RSB2004175; CA Auctioneer Bond: Carolyn Mani #RSB2005661. Buyer’s Premium 12%-25%. See HA.com for details. HERITAGE Reg. U.S. Pat & TM Off.

31678


The garage is a museum of racing items. The racing suit once helped save the owner. The Hot Rod is an LT-1 equipped custom.

The collectors’ collector Over 60 years of collecting isn’t clutter Text by

Don Weberg Images by

Dale Quinio

C

het has long been an avid fan of racing and automobiles. As a little boy, he watched his first Midget race at Los Angeles’ Gilmore Stadium, now the site of the Farmer’s Market, and was completely hooked. Growing up, he enjoyed watching the development of the automobile, from street cars to Indy to F1. This interest helped him land a job at Lockheed, where he learned about metal shaping and fabrication, a skill that helped him in founding Cyclone Headers. Cyclone went on to produce a number of headers for aftermarket applications, original equipment headers for Shelby Cobras and GT350s, and even the original Batmobile. The company experienced booming growth until a truck drivers strike in the late 1970’s stalled their deliveries and forced them to sell to a larger exhaust company. “If that strike hadn’t occurred, Cyclone would have been

30

www.garagestylemagazine.com

Outside, the garage is simple in style, remodeled a few times, but built in 1912.


the largest in just a couple of years,” he said. Chet invested heavily in Los Angeles real estate, and had the good fortune of purchasing a bookstore in 2001 that’s become legend in automotive circles, Autobooks-Aerobooks in Burbank, California. His promise to his wife was that he’d sell it upon his 80th birthday, and he did, passing the reigns over to French and Italian car enthusiasts, Tina Van Curen and Chuck Forward. Now, 87 years young, Chet enjoys a semblance of retirement, managing properties he’s bought along the way, and attending auctions, swap meets, car shows, and just having a good time. “Cars have always brought me so much enjoyment, and they’ve often brought me a lot of heartache,” Chet laughed. “But, overall, they’ve always hit my jelly spot.” Through the years, Chet has amassed a collection of racing history, die cast, magazines, books, awards, and so much more that his garage is something of instant overload. Built along with the house in 1912, Chet’s garage began life as a simple 3 ½ car structure with a small attached apartment complete with diminutive but full bath and a miniscule kitchen. Someone added onto it an office, third car area, and created a perfect garage retreat. What more does anyone need? Apartment, facilities, kitchen, office, and garage – it’s perfect. Add to it the sensory overload of collectibles, and it’s truly a car

guy’s home. “I’ve always enjoyed being in here, and I’ve always enjoyed sharing it with friends,” said Chet. “It does bring a smile to people’s faces, but sometimes I think people are a little shocked.” That’s putting it mildly. What Chet has created over the years is a virtual library of automotive history. Entering the garage from the front, visitors are greeted immediately by hanging signs, race cars and hot rods, engines, exhaust pieces, racing tires and rims, racing promos, race car hoods with stories, and more and more. Even a Roar with Gilmore stuffed lion hangs from the ceiling – when was the last time one of those popped up? And the Triple-A reflector-laden STOP sign in very good condition with matching ONE WAY sign are gems. One of the most stunning items is an ultra rare replica Offenhauser inline-6 cylinder engine ensconced within a Plexiglas case. “I am an avid Offy fan. They have such a rich history it’s hard to be a car guy and not love Offenhauser,” he said. “This 6-cylinder is one of four, I believe, that were built as an Offy copy, but for whatever reason, they never caught on. This one has never been run, and when I bought it, I had my engine builder go through the entire engine and put it right. There’s a small fortune in it, but it’s ready to drop into a car and go!” Top, a Hot Rod and race car bunk wheelto-wheel; Below, The rubber floor is easy to place and protects well.

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

31


A door in the back wall of the car park connects to the apartment area, in which another vintage 1934 Midget resides. How it got in there is perplexing, and Chet’s not talking, but it’s documented to hold the fourth Offy engine ever placed in a race car. But, like the car park area, the apartment is awash with more die cast toys, concours brochures and posters, pictures, manufacturer information, and so much more. Adjacent to this is the office, in which literally thousands of books and magazines and papers and pictures are stored. Tables and a desk along with an army of bookshelves provide the surfaces for storage, and again, the feeling of being overwhelmed is indescribable largely because it’s such a great feeling. Where else can one see all this history? Racing programs from the 1950’s, 32

www.garagestylemagazine.com

car brochures from a variety of eras and manufacturers, handmade scale-model Midget racers, die cast toys from companies gone and growing, and tons of books about tons of automotive subjects from engineering to marque-specific titles to racing history weigh down the shelves and tabletops in the room. “I’ve just been interested in so many things for so long,” said Chet. “It’s a bit much, and I’m trying to clean house, but it’s hard. There’s so much to go through, but I’m making progress.” Nothing lasts forever – but for now, it’s a wonder, and Chet is interested in trading out the whole enchilada that makes up the contents of his garage for a vintage Indy car. Any takers? GSM


Restored Original Gas Pumps

Brad Morrison bm1705@comcast.net

Kevin Parker kp1705@comcast.net

1705 Lebanon Road Crawfordsville, IN 47933 www.route32restorations.com 765-307-7119


Frozen in time

Text and Images By

Don Weberg

An original Mickey Thompson drag body hangs in the rafters above various cars.

34

www.garagestylemagazine.com


N

early five years ago, shortly after launching Garage Style Magazine, our dear friend, Warren Tracy, founder of The Busted Knuckle Garage brand (www.BustedKnuckeGarage.com), told us about a garage nestled away in a quiet corner of Arizona that might be of interest. Indeed, it was – a dusty shop filled with Ford cammers, Chrysler Hemis, and Chevy whoknows-whats all scattered around Alfa Romeo, Jaguar, and something-or-others. Chevrolet engines with four-two-barrel carbs; a 1955 Thunderbird built in 1961 by Gordon Potter with a 1,000-horsepower, 500-inch Chrysler Hemi with a T6 turbo; and there were cars – original Ford 427 Galaxies from the early 1960’s when Ford was all about Total Performance, a multitude of AF/X cars, a few Mercedes Adenauer cars, a few late 1940’s Buicks, a few early Thunderbirds, a couple of cars that could have been ‘shine runners in their day helping inspire NASCAR, and so much more. It’s one of those mystical places stuck in time, a place that makes all car guys freeze slack jawed in their tracks and just process what they see. The dust only adds to the allure, evidence that this is the real deal, a collection that’s gathered its stripes over time, organically. The owner, a reclusive gentleman who enjoys his anonymity, worked for Mickey Thompson back in the day. From the rafters hang an assortment of MT Racing shirts, and even one of the original fiberglass Mustang Mach 1 drag bodies. Look closely at the pictures on the walls – through the fade, yellowing, and dust, you might spy the car in the image is the very car in the next room. Signs from dealerships and oil vendors hang sporadically, and upstairs is a cacophony of more stuff. Magazines, books, blueprints, diagrams, advertisements, and more are simply strewn here and there, and have been there for decades judging by the dust. It’s truly a fascinating walk through a frozen era of racing and experimentation. We hope you enjoy this photo essay of the garage frozen in time with a thousand treasures. Don Weberg

Top, a small room you could spend a day in; Below, from above, one section looks like an old service garage.

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

35


Top, engines and parts galore and an assortment of Mickey Thompson shirts; Center right, it might be over fed but it’s cool; Below right, everywhere a project; Below left, a Mercury is undergoing a full restoration amid little treasures; Center left, get your goggles!

36

www.garagestylemagazine.com



DenBeste Motorsports: Pick one from the shelf Text by

Don Weberg Images by

Booker

B

Various Cobra, Shelby, and Ford vehicles make up the bulk of the collection.

38

www.garagestylemagazine.com

ill DenBeste has enjoyed cars his whole life. The sights and sounds of the automobile always intrigued him, but like so many, he was truly impressed with vehicles of exceptional design and power – the Shelby Cobra took him by storm, and over the years, he’s become not only one of the preeminent Cobra collectors, but also established a business around his passion as an authorized Shelby dealer, selling Cobras, Daytonas, and even GT40s to other passionate enthusiasts. His showroom in Northern California is testament to DenBeste Motorsports’ interest in providing something for everyone – the cars are literally stored on the walls. “This showroom got to a point where space was limited, and we wanted something that was unique and would make a lasting impression, so we put the cars on the walls. People can literally come in and pick one off the shelf!” The founder of DenBeste Transportation, Bill’s professional life deals largely with the transportation of liquid and solid hazardous and non-hazardous. DenBeste Transportation has been involved with a number of high-profile projects such as the Alameda Corridor, Deep Horizon Oil Spill, and numerous military bases throughout the Western United States. But, never happy to just enjoy what’s been done, Bill went into the wine making business a few years ago. Partnering with Shelby, they produce wine from their Alexander Valley vineyard in Sonoma County, California. It is sold online through their website or almost any Shelby entity, including Shelby American. “The wine’s a lot of fun, the vineyard has been in the family for decades,” he said. “Carroll and I were very good friends, and we thought it would be a fun to produce custom Shelby wines. In 2009 we bottled our first batch, and it’s been a great success. I always enjoyed my time with Carroll. Whenever I was in Southern California we’d make time to have lunch with one another. His passing was really heartbreaking, he was a great inspiration to anyone he got to know, and he really loved the car community.” In 2011, DenBeste hosted a benefit dinner to raise money


Top left, to save room the owner hung the cars on the wall, Top right, a selection of wines is available along with powerful engines; Below, a TransAm breaks up the Fordness.

“Space was limited, and we wanted something that was unique.� Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

39


Left, roughly 50 Cobras are on hand; Right, a lounge perfect for relaxing.

for the Carroll Shelby Foundation. Held at the showroom, over 200 people attended, Carroll gave a speech, and between the table sales, live and silent auctions, and donations, over $100,000 was raised. “We feel he was proud of what we have been doing here when he was alive, and we’ll continue on the same path,” he said. With a true passion for racing, DenBeste partnered with Fred Biagi, the owner of Biagi Brothers, to form BiagiDenBeste Racing a few years back. They’ve run in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2012 and 2013. They will kick off the 2014 season in Daytona, and are looking forward to another great year. The showroom is about seven years old, and resides on DenBeste Court. Constructed as a way to have a dedicated showroom, it’s been host to a number of club events and single visitors. A concrete tilt-up building, it measures out 30,000-square feet, and is home to roughly 120 cars. Located a few miles from Bill’s home, he enjoys the separation but also the ability to be at the garage in a moment’s notice. “The building is well protected,” he said. “It’s not a highprofile location, and we have a number of security measures in place to protect from fires and burglaries.”

40

www.garagestylemagazine.com

Interestingly, taking a close look around the showroom, each element of DenBeste’s professional life is represented – a wine lounge is off to one side with bottles on display and cozy lounge chairs; images of race tracks and racecars are everywhere, as are many stock cars and powerful engines on stands; Cobras and Shelby vehicles are everywhere, but so too is the occasional oddball like a vintage VW Bus, Continental, Cadillac, and Trans Am. Out of the Shelby and Cobra sync, but they add a nice eclectic element to the presentation. The floors are bare concrete with a light clear coat, and occasionally a sign or neon protrudes from a wall or steel beam. It’s obvious that in this showroom the cars are the stars. Each has a story behind it, and none were built or bought in a mass purchase from an auction or estate sale. “I bought my first car when I was 16, it was a 1967 Mustang fastback,” he said. “I’ve always had a soft spot for Shelbys and Cobras, and at 16 I was lucky enough to have as close as I could get with the fastback.” Bill’s come a long way since he was 16 – he has a number of actual Shelby fastbacks and Cobras. GSM DenBeste Motorsports 820 DenBeste Ct. Windsor, CA 95492 707.836.1534


Porcelain License Plate Panels Handcrafted by Bob Peterson

The pairing of fine woodworking and pristine porcelain license plates will become a unique addition to your automobilia collection. Each panel is a complete run of the styles and years for one of 17 states. ď ś

View current panels for sale at www.BPpanels.com


2013 Car Guy Sensory Overload Text by

Ron Lampley Images by

Ron Lampley and Don Weberg

T

he SEMA Show once again dominated the convention centers of Las Vegas, Nevada November 4 thru 7, bringing manufacturers and auto industry pros together to create what’s arguably the most intense car show on the planet. With Banquet performances by American Idol winner Taylor Hicks, and comedians John Heffrion and Jon Reep, the show kicked off to a bangin’ start, and the convention center halls were packed with products ranging from new cars to mini cameras to O-rings. A little background, SEMA is an acronym for Specialty Equipment Market Association, an evolution from the original Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association. An alliance of wholesalers, retailers, manufacturers and in betweens, the show aims to allow auto industry pros an easy, one-stop-shop forum in which to conduct business in an expanded setting. Over 2,000 vendors fill the halls, offering everything from nuts and bolts to polishes to car lifts to paints to garage doors to flooring options to wheels and tires to art to… more. Not open to the public, this year’s event hosted many vendors offering items to make your garage look its best. Several flooring vendors displayed ranges of colors and patterns, from metallic flooring to plastic modular snaptogether to roll-on epoxy complete with flakes you could mix in for you own personal touch. Now you have the floor done, it’s time to work on the walls and an array of products were on display. Slatwall panels, different types of grid systems, drawer trays, and more. Cabinets always play a crucial role at SEMA and in garages, and there was no shortage of work benches, storage bins, hooks, trays etc. If you had the room many vendors could cover your bear walls with some of the best looking cabinets I’ve seen, in any color. There were enough garage-specific vendors at the SEMA Show, you could easily take an old garage and turn it into the most high-tech room in your house. If you have a parking problem, there were vendors who had a solution for you with their car stackers and dollies. And, for that guy who just needs to get his car off the ground to work on the brakes, there were a number of scissor lifts to examine. Of course, there were plenty of car restoration and modification companies on hand with vintage rims, tires, interior, exterior, and even complete, brand-new shells for vintage Mustangs and Camaros. Interesting to think that

42

www.garagestylemagazine.com

Top, beautiful Chevy truck is one of thousands at SEMA; Below, 1960’s Vette is highly modified demostrating the sponsors abilities.



Top left, Hurst Performance recreated some legendary Pontiacs; Top right, Corky Coker and his Honest Charley work truck; Below, a yester year scene with modern vehicles.

if you had the money, skills, and space – you could indeed have a brand-new old Pony Car. Lingenfelter was in house showing off their latest C7 Corvette – boasting nearly as much horsepower as a locomotive, we’re betting it hits 60 from zip in about 3-seconds. Maybe less. This year I was amazed at the body wrap installers. They would cover every part of the car with a different color of wrap, and when they had wrapped the whole car they would just rip it off and start again. Xpel was of particular interest – from Texas, this company is wrapping cars around the world, literally, with a unique protective film that never discolors, and actually can heal itself if scratched. Leave it in the sun or use a heat gun, et voila – it seals back up. Two cover companies truly impressed, Covercraft and Coverite. Both manufacture their own covers, and each offers a unique spin on the old craft. Covercraft in particular was mindboggling with its many offerings from covers to dash mats to seat covers to floor mats – is there anything they don’t have to help protect your car? Coverite’s covers were slick in that they

44

www.garagestylemagazine.com

actually had what became known to us as hood scoops. An actual scoop on the hood, the idea is to offer a higher degree of breathability for the car without sacrificing protection. SEMA claims that approximately 130,000 people attended the show this year and I believe it. There were plenty of cars to see – new, modified, recreations, you name it. Outside the halls, fresh air and more cars awaited. Most of the cars outside boasted amazing modifications that might not work so well on the street, but were nonetheless cool, and truly demonstrated the abilities of some of these guys in the industry. Ford had one side of the building demonstrating the drifting and jumping abilities of the Fiesta, Mustang, and Raptor, while GM used the other side of the building to offer rides in the new C7, Camaro, and trucks. If this all wasn’t enough, West Coast Customs had a truly slick set up between the buildings – they were actually creating custom cars on site, and a few body vendors were actually repairing cars demonstrating their tools in frame and body technology. Another year down and just waiting for 2014. GSM


February 28, 2014 Will County Fairgrounds, Peotone, IL

Over 500 Lots

Auction begins at 10am

A Division of

2000 N. Reading Road, Denver, PA 17517 USA Tel: 1- 717-335-3435 | Fax: 1-717- 336-7115 morphy@morphyauctions.com danm@matthewsauctions.com

Visit morphyauctions.com for more info

20% Buyer’s Premium 2% Discount Cash/Check AH001884


Totally green garage brings color to Santa Monica, California.

First Green Garage in the United States A Multi-Colored Wonder Text and Images By

Mary Wortman

T

he Santa Monica Civic Center Parking Structure in Santa Monica, California, is widely recognized as the first green garage in the United States. Although it’s actually multicolored, this green garage has been up and running since 2007. Just a few blocks from the edge of the Pacific Ocean, this “parkitecture” is the brainchild of Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners (MRY) of Santa Monica. To be considered “green,” a structure must be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council as meeting or exceeding Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) requirements. While it might seem like an oxymoron to build an energy-efficient structure to house 882 pollution-producing cars, the distinct design includes 14 electric vehicle charging

46

www.garagestylemagazine.com

stations and free secure bicycle storage. The garage also boasts myriad features that directly correlate with independent sustainability. Even the California sunshine plays a role in sustaining this unique structure. Photovoltaic panels (solar cells) on the roof provide most of the building’s energy needs. “This was a challenge,” said James Mary O’Connnor, Principal-in-Charge at MRY. “We wanted to install photovoltaic cells on the roof to collect the power of the sun. The city approved the idea unanimously with one stipulation. We could not lose even one parking space to accomplish this. That’s why we cantilevered the panels on the roof. Not only does it create all the electricity needed for the building but also it creates shady, cooler parking


“We wanted to take an ‘ordinary’ project and turn it into something ‘extraordinary.’”

spaces,” said James. The solar power inverter converts direct current generated from the photovoltaic panels into alternating current for the facility’s use. The unique garage also has its own on-site water filtration system. It preserves natural resources, conserves water and energy, and reduces waste. The reclaimed grey water use for landscaping and tenant space toilets reduces the demand for potable water. The storm management runoff water is treated using an on-site filtration device to reduce the total suspended solids before it enters the municipal waste water collection system. The design does not disguise the utilitarian nature of the building but actually celebrates it and integrates it into the garage’s aesthetic. Even automobiles themselves, from their colors, shapes, and movements, are integrated as elements of the overall design strategy. Even the signage is part of the green philosophy. The air exhaust system is incorporated into the design of the sign on the garage. “We took the honest pieces of the structure and incorporated them into the design,” said James. The exhaust system pipes and grates are all part of the structure’s signage. MRY used multi-colored glass panels on the outside of the structure to reflect natural light into each parking space. These panels also give the building a colorful nighttime glow, eliminating the ominous feeling of a dark parking structure after daylight hours. “One night,” said James, “I saw tourists taking each other’s pictures in the iridescent lights of the garage. That’s when it really hit home that we had accomplished something unique.” MRY morphed a parking structure into a tourist attraction as well as an environmentally friendly area. James explained, “Usually, green technology goes into elegant buildings such as museums and opera houses so we wanted to take an ‘ordinary’ project and turn it into something ‘extraordinary.’” And that they did. The design of the 300,000 square-feet building established an elegant presence among the other nearby civic structure such as the historic City Hall, Courthouse, and Public Safety Building. The various amenities incorporated into the parking structure allow the designed mass to function beyond its service capacity. Materials with a high recycled content were used to create the structure in addition to replacing the use of traditional cement with flyash, a cooler material. MRY also designed in recycled-content reinforcing steel and framing. Not only does the garage provide for the automobiles of the denizens of the city but also it provides for the health of the drivers. A busy gym is housed on the ground level, with plans for a café in the near future. The local police station is across the street and is connected to the structure by underground tunnels. “Normally, a parking structure is just a jail for cars. I feel that we brought art and architecture into the ordinary,” said James. Just outside each elevator bay sits a large art installation made of recycled ship parts from various local shipyards. The city didn’t want the green garage to be a standalone project so it’s part of a planned network for the future. There is a light rail project in the works, a new housing project, and

The Santa Monica, California, Civic Center Parking Garage glows at night as it stands as a tourist attraction.

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

47


Above and below, Cantilevered photovoltaic panels (solar cells) create shade as well as generate approximately 281 kilowatt hours of renewable electricity a year. This prevents the emission of 226,696 lbs of CO2 from entering the atmosphere per year. It’s the equivalent of removing 225,000 vehicle miles per year.

James Mary O’Connor, Principal at Moore, Ruble, Yudell, Architects & Planners, looks over his architectural drawings of the first green garage in the United States in Santa Monica, California. He stands under a panel of photovoltaic cells that generate the energy needed to run the garage day and night.

48

www.garagestylemagazine.com

a new park just between the garage and the famous Santa Monica Pier. The green garage is the lynchpin for several new and exciting projects. It provides a stong, direct transporation link to the significant future of the Exposition Light Tail line under construction and estimated to be completed in 2015. This line will connect downtown Los Angeles to Culver City and Santa Monica, with the terminal station located one block from the city’s green garage. The structure is also becoming famous. Be on the lookout for images of this building in chase scenes of movies and video games. It currently has a starring role in the popular video game, “Grand Theft Auto.” When not busy working for film or video games, the structure can be seen at 333 Civic Center Drive, Santa Monica, Calif., working for all of us who care about our world. GSM


Garages in

history

301 East Jefferson, Detroit, MI Metzger’s Garage and Auto Emporium Text by

RICK RADER Images as

Credited

T

he “Garages in History” column might be a misnomer. A more appropriate title might be “Garages That Made History.” Why wax philosophical in a car (er, garage) magazine? The garages that are showcased in this column were not bystanders as history revolved around them; they were not merely places, locations or facilities, they were instrumental in helping to create history. They were major players in influencing the landscape of not only the United States but of the world. In the study of the history of anything (technology, art, exploration, culture, science) one needs to seek out where that history began; hence the historian’s preoccupation with the “first.” The first after all, is where the “history” began, where the movement got its stronghold and its momentum. This installment looks at the “first” American automobile dealership and with it the “first” garage. There is always the danger of crediting the “first” of any endeavor, movement or enterprise to a single individual. History is full of repudiations Site of first automobile dealership and garage in US Metzger’s Garage and Auto Emporium of anointing the moniker of “the first,” (in the Biddle House Hotel), 301 East Jefferson Avenue, Detroit. (Photo: Detroit Historical to anyone. Perhaps that is what Society) historians thrive on. With that as background music I want to introduce GSM readers to William E. Metzger, reputed to be the first to London to attend the world’s first “automobile show.” automobile dealer in the U.S. (certainly the first automobile Unfortunately the show was by invitation only and he had dealer in Detroit). to use his Detroit salesmanship to worm his way into the Metzger was a bicycle enthusiast in the late 1880’s. He show. The show had a profound impact on his plans. was the first president of the Detroit Wheelmen cycling club and Gas buggies from Benz and Daimler gave him a window an avid bicycle racer. In 1891 he opened the Huber & Metzger into the future. He was also able to see a demonstration bike shop at 13 Grand River in Detroit, eventually growing it into of the “Thornycroft Steamer” (try finding parts for that one of the largest bike shops in the U.S. on eBay) being put through its paces on the Turnbridge In 1895 Metzger gets wind of a new contraption Downs racetrack. From his perspective of being a bicycle raising eyebrows in England and Europe, “the horseless man he knew he had to get in on this game changing new carriage.” Being both curious and an entrepreneur he goes invention. In 1895 he closed his bicycle shop and opened

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

49


an auto salesroom in the former Biddle House Hotel at 301 East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit. Ironically the hotel was razed in 1937 to make way for a “parking lot.” The first car he sold was a Waverly Electric. There were no exclusive car franchise dealerships at this time, dealers sold whatever they could get their hands on. Car companies appeared and disappeared. Soon after opening, Metzger sold steamers and then gas-powered cars from a variety of companies. In 1899 Metzger met Ransom E. Olds and negotiated a deal to start selling Oldsmobiles. Metzger sold the very first Oldsmobile and helped the company become the first automobile manufacturer to sell cars in large numbers. Metzger had significant influence and impact on the incubating automobile industry. In 1902, along with Henry Leland, he helped form Cadillac. He also formed a new car company called the E-M-F, along with two former Ford executives. They negotiated with Studebaker to distribute their car, which lasted until Metzger became disenchanted with Studebaker policies. He later started a new but short lived company called the Rickenbaker, using the World War One fighter pilot “Ace” and Medal of Honor winner icon as the front piece for early name recognition and appeal. Metzger used his ingenuity for sales and marketing in creating the first Detroit Auto Show (1899) as well as the first New York Auto Show (1900). Metzger left the automobile industry for the aviation industry, and helped to create the Stinson Aircraft Co., but was unable to replicate his earlier success. He died in 1933 at the age of 64. Anthony Yanik, one of the most celebrated historians of the early years of the American automobile industry called Metzger, “One of the big unknown heroes of the early days.” Metzger’s Garage was certainly a garage “that made history.” GSM

Metzger’s bicycle shop preceded the opening of his first automobile dealership and garage. (Photo Detroit News)




The 19th Annual

Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island The Golf Club of Amelia Island

March 7-9, 2014

Honoring: Jochen Mass And the 25th Anniversary of his Victory at Le Mans Celebrating Offenhauser Powered Cars and the 50th Anniversary of McLaren Benefitting Community Hospice of Northeast Florida For Advance Tickets & Event Information, visit: www.ameliaconcours.org Photos by Peter Harholdt, Michael Furman, and Mercedes-Benz

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

53


Barn

finds

Even the Roosters knew it was Rare Text and Images by

John “Gunner” Gunnell

C

hrysler Corp. was heavily involved in production of military goods for World War II long before automobile production stopped in 1942. As the war drew to a close in Europe and the Pacific, plans were put into effect to resume the building of civilian vehicles based on the 1942 designs. Chrysler’s start-up time for retooling, plus nationwide materials shortages, delayed the onset of manufacturing until the end of 1945. The 1946 models were carried forward, virtually unchanged, through 1948. This was due to the unparalleled demand for vehicles in the immediate postwar period. This demand, coupled with the long lead time needed for a complete model changeover, prevented major styling advances until model year 1949.

54

www.garagestylemagazine.com

Production totals for all Chrysler built between 1946 and 1948 were inclusive. During this three-year period, Chrysler made only 773 three-passenger coupes with a straight eight engine, and only 74 of them were Saratoga models. This “barn find” 1948 Saratoga is one of them. It was unearthed in Ohio and wound up with a new owner in Chicago who is having the car freshened up at a Wisconsin restoration shop. We have it on good authority that this car, with its long hood, tiny greenhouse and stretches-back-forever deck lid, is such an oddity that even the roosters in the barn knew it was a rarity. Extensive owner research indicates that only three of these cars are known to survive today and only two are in the United States, with the third residing in Europe. GSM


Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

55


Business

profile

Get your kicks on Route 66

and treat yourself to some exciting automotive history! Text and Images by

Jim McGowan

R

oute 66, the “Mother Road” from Chicago to California, is arguably one of the most famous stretches of pavement on the globe. Auto enthusiasts from around the world come to America just to travel its approximately 2448 notorious miles. Opened in 1926, it became the escape road for dust bowl migrants heading west to start a new life. Without Route 66, Steinbeck probably wouldn’t have written the Grapes Of Wrath, and maybe we wouldn’t have a Kar Kulture in Cali. What could be a more fitting location for the Justice Private Automotive Collection of early American racing vehicles than along this historic road in Duarte, California?

56

www.garagestylemagazine.com

Top, Restored midget built by Ed and Zeke in the 1940’s, recently discovered and added to the ever-growing collection; Above, The brothers (L to R) Gus, Zeke and Ed sold this midget to help finance their new business venture in the car care products business.


Hollywood on Route 66! These are the actual Reynard Indy cars used in the Sylvester Stallone movie Driven!

Engineering and dazzling aesthetics were just as important in the twenties and thirties they are today. This Dreyer racer looks sleek in gleaming black and red.

This is Charlie Allen’s Offy-powered 1939 Kurtis, which incorporates the body “diapered” around the chassis. This is the first Kurtis racecar ever built!

A Pitts biplane, suspended in the museum entry, greets visitors as they arrive in the lobby. There’s always something of interest to see just off Route 66!

The three brothers Ed, Lawrence (Zeke) and James (Gus) Justice were raised in Paola, Kansas during the depression. To earn money they started repairing bicycles, moved up to doing car repairs and eventually honed their skills for bigger things. They built their first racecar from mail order plans and parts they pieced together. That was the beginning of their obsession with racing. Years later, the museum was one of the results. After moving to California, the Justice boys started building midget race cars for the famous Kurtis Kraft shop and worked evenings doing car repair. They soon realized that they would rather work for themselves. Their love of all things automotive, and their entrepreneurial spirit, eventually led to their starting their own business developing, manufacturing and distributing car care products world-

wide. The Justice Brothers, Inc. was then formed, and it’s still a family-run business. The collection features over 200 cars including several Top Fuel dragsters, many restored and original dirt track and modified racecars, a selection of Thirties Ford open cars, early race engines, movie cars and much more. Each vehicle is displayed so you can get up close to examine the design and engineering involved, and see the progression of the racecar from the Thirties through today. Several of the museum’s cars were driven by famous drivers like Parnelli Jones and A.J. Foyt. This is a unique collection, as it covers a spectrum of vehicles that other auto museums don’t feature. It’s a display of American automotive genius and mechanical ingenuity like no other in the world. It’s a place where you not only

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

57


The brother’s very first midget which was handbuilt using plans mail ordered from Floyd Clymer Handbooks. Those were the days!

Above, many of the display vehicles are as beautiful as they are fast. Such meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail almost seems out of place on vehicles designed for hardcore competition; Right, A.J. Foyt is known by many as the multi-time winner of the Indy 500, but he was equally skilled behind the wheel of midget race cars. This Chevy powered beauty sports a much needed roll cage.

enjoy the historic vehicles, but also learn something about the birth of auto racing in our country! Today, Ed Justice, Jr. is President and CEO of the company, and maintains the museum that he and his father, Ed Sr., established in 1985. The collection of unique vehicles, memorabilia, photography, classic gas pumps, etc. is extensive and includes vintage race cars, street rods, classics, racing engines and even a Pitts racing biplane hanging in the entry. Each year the company produces their award winning racing calendar, which is available via the internet or at the museum. Admission is FREE and the museum is open weekdays from 9 AM until 5 PM. Club tours 58

www.garagestylemagazine.com

are available with a reservation. So, if you’re a true automotive enthusiast traveling all, or just the western part of America’s Route 66, make a point of pulling into the Justice Private Automotive Collection and enjoy! GSM Justice Brothers, Inc. 2734 E. Huntington Drive Duarte, CA 91010 626-359-9174 Fax: 626-357-2550 www.justicebrothers.com


Find Automotive Books for your favorite car enthusiast! by author, photographer, broadcaster

McQueen’s Machines, the Cars and Bikes of a Hollywood Icon from Motorbooks Publishing or at Amazon.com

Winning! The Racing Life of Paul Newman also with Preston Lerner, with Foreword by Mario Andretti from Motorbooks Publishing or at Amazon.com

Matt Stone My First Car Motorbooks Publishing or at Amazon.com

Histories Greatest Automotive Mysteries, Myths, and rumors coauthored with Preston Lerner Now available from Motorbooks Publishing

Please visit www.MattStoneCars.com

The Ferrari Phenomenon co-authored with Luca dal Monte BullPublishing.com or Amazon.com


MAGIC HAPPENS My daughters Nicol and Dina have been to many car shows with the grandkids over the years. This picture was taken about 12 years ago at one of the car shows. My 3 year old granddaughter Lauren Jones is sitting in our 1932 Ford Petal Car that her dad Chris and I built from a kit. I am in the full size ’32 3 window coupe. Both have license plates “LIL2CPE”. Lauren just received her learners permit and soon will be a “car gal”. Garage Style Magazine and SEMA encourage you to take a kid to a car show! Share the passion and enjoy time with one another in a great setting! Send us your youth-related car show stories and an image to info@garagestylemagazine.com.



artist

profile

Harold Cleworth Text By

Jeremiah McDaniel Images Courtesy of

Harold Cleworth

F

irst impressions are everything. Even the least judgmental person makes snap judgments when they meet someone, go to an event, or experience something. It’s evolutionary. Those judgments in our past lives helped to keep us alive. Sometimes one impression can have a life-long effect on a person. There’s a growing theory among psychologists who believe people who claim to be abducted by aliens are actually remembering their birth. Think about it, bright lights, weird looking people, strange sounds, it all sounds pretty traumatic. But regardless if that’s true or otherworldly beings come here to poke and prod our most stellar human specimens we are able to produce, one thing is for sure, impressions can shape us. Harold Cleworth remembers vividly the sound of the bombing planes droning through the night sky on their way to wreak havoc on the town of Manchester. He remembers the red glow of the city as it burned on the horizon, and he remembers that this is what it was like to be born during World War II. These events, his eye-witness accounts of how England was battered by bombs, have stuck with him throughout the years, but what really left an impression on him, what shaped who he is today is far less dramatic. “My dad drove a bus for 50 years,” said Cleworth. “He was always tinkering, telling me to look at this engine, or look at how that works.” It is these impressions that molded Cleworth and sent him down a road where automobiles were his passion. Years later he would paint those P51 Mustangs and Corsair’s that are etched in his memory, but they can’t touch his first love. Unsurprisingly, Harold Cleworth got his start in graphic design. After college he worked for Decca Records designing album covers for “little to no money.” Some of his early work 62

www.garagestylemagazine.com

included designing jackets for little bands like the Rolling Stones, and The Who. “Those bands were just starting out back then, but looking back I can say ‘I was there’,” said Cleworth. Designing the art for those bands was just about being in the right place at the right time. Cleworth had no idea the weight those bands would have on the rest of the world, but as his story plays out more and more evidence is introduced to support the theory that Cleworth may have the Midas touch. On a whim Cleworth moved across the pond and landed


in San Francisco. Once again he found himself on the ground floor of something that would prove to be massively influential. Cleworth came to the city shortly after the death of the Hippy movement known as the “Summer of Love.” As the Hippies moved out of the area they left a void in the Haight Ashbury district that was quickly filled by criminals and drug dealers, unrecognizable from the mecca that many artist claim it to be today. This is where he decided to set up shop. “It was rough at that time,” said Cleworth. “There were [high profile] murders, kidnappings, it was dangerous, but I was never more alive in my life. The atmosphere was electric.” After a “starving artist period,” Cleworth’s work started to take off. He says the area lacked any type of artistic outlet at the time and that gave him a big advantage. His first big hit was producing posters of a ‘55 Gullwing Mercedes he painted, and once again Cleworth’s name was attached to the beginning of a trend. “In England you could buy posters for $25 and in the U.S. they run $2-$3,” said Cleworth. “I introduced a good quality poster, worthy of putting in a frame.” These posters gave consumers accessibility to high quality art, and introduced them to a new style, one where cars were the focus. The poster skyrocketed in popularity and he says they gave him a name. “It was a very unusual thing to do,” said Cleworth. “To have people spending money on portraits of cars and not their wives or kids, they just didn’t do that.” In 1981, just as San Francisco was planting roots as a creative capitol, Cleworth decided it was time to move again. One could suppose that the city was getting too cool. He set his sights on Los Angeles. Like a beacon in the night he was drawn to the city of Venice, a rough neighborhood pinned between the Pacific Ocean and the decaying urban center of Los Angeles. In the early 80s Venice had a reputation for being inhabited by drug dealers, gang members, and burnouts. In contrast, today you’d be lucky to find a studio condo for under a $1-million, the local coffee shop sells $8 cups of Joe and Hollywood’s elite are fleeing the hills like rats on a sinking ship to set up shop in tiny homes on its narrow, tree-lined streets. To say it has transformed is an understatement, and Cleworth can say that he’s been there from the beginning. “L.A. was a barren wasteland, the places to be were New

York, Paris, London,” said Cleworth. He says it was by coincidence that he made the move but he’s glad he did. “It reminds me of Haight Ashbury, only by the beach,” said Cleworth. “It provides flavor, it’s the place to live. I have very interesting neighbors. Movie stars, music people, all very creative people.” Editor’s note: In a strange coincidence a large number of artists featured in this magazine currently call Venice home. We don’t specifically look for artists from that area, but for some reason it produces a lot of highly talented people. Maybe it’s in the water or maybe they’re just following the path blazed by Cleworth. It could be further theorized that there are no great artistic centers brewing anywhere in the world by the simple fact that Cleworth has not moved since he first came to Venice, and thus he cannot start them. His career has spanned more than 35 years, and while he can’t be credited for single-handily starting the artist cultures in San Francisco and L.A., he was definitely doing what’s cool long before anyone knew it was cool. And just as long ago those events left their impressions on a small boy from Leigh, England, Cleworth has definitely left his mark on the world of art. GSM Cleworthart.com

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

63


Unique

artists

Alexander DCD Smith Alexander DCD Smith is taking automotive art to new levels. His work can be seen in traditional places like on canvases and panels, but it can also be seen in nontraditional places like shoes, helmets and just about anything paint will stick to, pushing the boundaries of how we view art. www.alexanderdcd.com

Dennis Hoyt The sculptures created by Dennis Hoyt aren’t for the faint of heart. They dig down and grab your inner gas pedal redlining your adrenaline, while at the same time comforting like a fine Italian hand crafted leather seat, leaving you dizzy with emotion and searching for more. dennishoyt.com

64

www.garagestylemagazine.com


Jim Valentine Whether your’re looking to spice up your foyer or add something special to your man cave, Jim Valentine’s mosaics are the perfect touch of class and uniqueness. Each piece is hand crafted and can be built specifically for your project. exoticmosaics.com

Ron Pinkerton The desert is a vast and empty space, but for Ron Pinkerton the cars that dot the terrain, cars left to rot in anonymity, tell stories no modern car can. Pinkerton uses the harsh landscape and enduring beauty of these classics to create wonderful, out-of-this-world photographs. www.dejavue.us

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

65


Automobile

review

Limo of Tunes Life on a ranch has kept it young Text and Images by

Don Weberg

C

ustom Autosound in Fullerton, California pioneered the idea of installing a modern radio into a vintage dash without surgically altering or otherwise damaging the originality of the car 37 years ago. Founder Carl Sprague enjoys a good reputation in the hobby and industry, and has enjoyed a few specialty cars in his day, namely Corvettes. But when he was looking for a car to represent his company at events like SEMA, he searched for something a little more unique, something with a lot of presence. “I heard about this Cadillac on a high-end dude ranch in New Mexico that had quietly entered the market, so I called on it,” he said. “The car was bought new by the ranch in 1953, and it’d been used to shuttle people from the airport to the ranch and back until the 1970’s. It was still in pretty good shape, so I flew out there, bought it, gave it a good servicing, and drove it back to Orange County.” Like any vintage car, especially one that’d spent the latter part of its life not only on a ranch but hauling the hired hands around, the Cadillac had fallen into a bit of disrepair. But overall, it was in great shape. Hailing from the Raton, New Mexico area, it had no real rust to speak of, sported most of its original paint and interior, but was just tired. Carl said the drive

66

www.garagestylemagazine.com

“I heard about this Cadillac on a highend dude ranch in New Mexico that had quietly entered the market, so I called on it.” from New Mexico back to California was relatively uneventful in spite of the long distance and questionable nature of the car. “It was a great adventure, travelling through the desert and enjoying the scenery and all the little towns along the way,” he said. “Once in a lifetime thing.” Once back in Southern California, Carl and his crew went to work restoring the Cadillac back to its original splendor with some tweaks and tricks along the way. The overall job took about a year, but the results are stunning. A new factory-correct interior from headliner to carpets, to door panels to dash pads was custom cut and installed in the original red hue; the engine was freshened up inside and out, and the transmission received a complete rebuild. The brake system was completely restored as were the front and rear suspensions. The original chrome


and stainless were replated and polished to mirror finish, and a beautiful set of original-style Cadillac wire rims helped the car stand out more. Sprayed a custom blended pearl white, the car absolutely exudes the epitome of old world elegance and sophistication, something any Mafioso or Hollywood mogul or even Elvis would adore. Of course, the car boasts a flagship unit of Custom Autosound engineering. From the outside, nothing but the head unit and rear seat controller is visible, and both are subtle. However, the sound system is anything

but – it packs a major set of speakers, a sub woofer, and a complete custom wiring set. “It’s a really nice set up, and demonstrates some of what we’re capable of,” Carl said. “At the 2012 SEMA Show the car really drew crowds the entire time. People love it, and a lot of people had great stories about old Cadillacs or even limos.” Of late, Carl’s friends and employees utilize its “charm” for weddings, local car shows, and so on until they find a new home for this beauty. GSM Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

67


Book

reviews

Racing on the Salt, in the Mountains, on the Track, the Cars, the Drivers, the Innovators and Good Finds THE BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS Two Decades of Photography by Peter Vincent

Peter Vincent is arguably the most experienced photographer of the Bonneville Salt Flats. Every year for more than two decades he has visited this unique American landscape with camera in hand. This book contains the very best of the thousands of images he has captured at Bonneville and its surroundings, delivering an exceptional photographic portrait. Bonneville is a simple but challenging setting. Its flat, white surface and endless arc of sky above allow a photographer to bring a great degree of subtlety to his work. But there is little protection from the elements; high winds, blinding sun, and blistering

heat contrast with immense rainstorms that can cover the basin in 6 to 12 inches of water within an hour’s time. All of these conditions create an unusual yet creatively stimulating environment. Vincent first came to the salt to photograph the racers who test their machinery upon the planet’s ultimate proving grounds. Somewhere along the way, Vincent began to appreciate the salt flats and its surroundings as something more than just a location. In this book he captures the meaning of Bonneville from every possible angle of speed, culture, landscape, and light.

RACING DEMONS PORSCHE AND THE TARGA FLORIO Michael Keyser

Forever hailed as the world’s last true road race, the legendary Targa Florio in Sicily was first held in 1906 on a 148 km (92 mile) circuit that twisted and turned though the Madonie mountains east of Palermo, passing through a number of small, picturesque villages before running along the Mediterranean coast and back

68

www.garagestylemagazine.com

to the start/finish line. Each year, for one spectacular spring day, this tortuous course, laid out on the island at the toe of the boot of Italy, was the focus of the entire racing world. There was simply nothing quite like racing exotic sports cars around narrow island roads lined with over half a million race crazy Italians who, together with Sicily’s spectacular backdrop and the circuit’s challenging characteristics, created the magical ambiance that made the Targa one of the most famous races in the sport’s history. And no other car won this grueling event more times than Porsche.


JIMMY & ME A PERSONAL MEMOIR OF A GREAT FRIENDSHIP Lew Bracker

There have been over 200 books written about James Dean over the years since his tragic car crash. It seems everyone has remembered, reminisced, examined, re-examined, defied and worshipped James Dean. To one man, however, the modern interpretations of James Dean ring hollow. For him, James Dean is not a mythical figure, but a living memory. This one man has never shared his story

- until now: Lew Bracker, James Dean’s closest friend. Jimmy And Me: A Personal Memoir of James Dean is a very personal narrative of a friendship that began with young men talking of girls, old movies and cool cars. Its abrupt interruption will break your heart. Many of the events and conversations in this book have never been shared or published before. You will laugh and you will cry. This book is not just a must-read for those having an interest in James Dean or for those curious about the real James Dean as told by the friend who knew him best. This is a compelling, brave and straightforward telling of a close friendship where the author paints a magnificent portrait of his friend, James Dean.

1967 CHRIS AMON, SCUDERIA FERRARI AND A YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY John Julian

1967 was a milestone year in motor racing. For Ferrari, the season started with sports-car victories at Daytona and Monza, but soon turned tragic with the death of Lorenzo Bandini after an accident at the Monaco Grand Prix. At Spa, another spectacular accident put Mike Parkes out of action with two broken legs, and prompted Ludovico Scarfiotti to quit the Ferrari team. That left Chris Amon, a 23- year old New Zealander in his first year with the Italian team, to fight on alone until the year’s last race in Mexico. He would finish fourth in the F1 Drivers Championship after reaching the podium four times.

FOLLMER AMERICAN WHEEL MAN Tom Madigan

All these and many more are available at:

FINALLY, THE BOOK WE HAVE WAITED FOR! Can Am. Trans Am, Formula 1, Indy Car, NASCAR, Formula 500, IROC, World Manufacturers Championship, Le Mans He did it all!

Autobooks-Aerobooks 2900 W. Magnolia Blvd. Burbank, CA 91505 818-845-0707 www.autobooks-aerobooks.com

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

69


Personality

Fred enjoys the cars often, as they’re supposed to be.

profile

Fred Simeone

“What you see is what you get” Text by Bill Nakasone Images Courtesy of Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum

F

red Simeone has earned the respect of the collector car community for three very significant reasons: he has personally assembled an impressive collection of historically significant vintage racing machines, he has created a world class automotive charitable museum and he has practiced a strict code of preservation and authenticity in both the acquisition and maintenance of his cars. The Simeone Museum at its current location was opened in 2008 and has over 60 significant examples on display housed within a 100,000 square foot building. The three acre parcel also has ample public parking as well as an area where the museum cars are driven and demonstrated to the public. This is one of the defining features of the Simeone Foundation Museum. It is a dynamic experience where the sight, sound, smell and character of each car are brought to life. Fred Simeone literally grew up with gasoline in his veins. His father supported himself through medical school by fixing cars and reselling them. From the age of 5 years old on, Fred accompanied his father on both medical house calls and actively assisted on automotive repair projects. It stands to reason that Fred Simeone ultimately became 70

www.garagestylemagazine.com

a very successful neurosurgeon and an avid car collector. In the late 1960’s, Fred began his medical career and took a parallel path of collecting vintage vehicles. It all started innocently enough with a Stutz Black Hawk, a Cord 812 and an Auburn Speedster. Then came the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing. Fred immediately saw the difference – the American classics were beautiful cars that performed like trucks. The Mercedes was another experience; stylish, agile, smooth and fast. Fred then set his sights on European sports cars and European Sports Racers. Fred’s collection of cars took on a feverish pace. In the early 1970’s, the quantity of the collection became sizeable enough that he had to find space in which to house them. While working as a neurosurgeon at the Pennsylvania Hospital, he purchased a large public parking facility just two blocks away. He stored his ever expanding car collection on the second floor (away from public view and prying eyes) and leased out public parking spaces on the first floor. By the mid-1990’s, Fred realized that a museum venue for his collection was necessary. Realizing that he was a custodian of automotive racing history, he felt compelled to share his passion with the automotive community at large,


Top left, car king Jay Leno and Fred enjoy a laugh over a British early; Top right, the museum building is impressive; Center, dioramas give the cars depth; Below, the museum often gives seminars about the cars.

“I only display authentic examples in original condition, preferably un-restored.� Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

71


Top, Club days are common at the museum; Center, below left and below right, the dioramas make the cars look like toys.

so he donated the cars to the Foundation. Hence, Fred Simeone’s first museum was opened in 1988 in his now a fully converted parking facility. This first museum housed approximately 50 cars (the majority of which are on display at his new museum) and served its purpose for the next 20 years. However, Fred felt that a new venue was necessary to take the collection to a higher level. First, he wanted the cars in their static state to be displayed in a diorama setting lending a historical and visual backdrop. Second, he wanted an outside area to run the cars. This format would address the automotive road racing experience on a total sensory level including sight, sound, smell, speed and feel. In 2008, the new Simeone Foundation – Automotive Museum was opened to the public and the response has been overwhelming. Fred is adamant about both honoring as well as

72

www.garagestylemagazine.com

preserving the history of some of the greatest racing cars of all time. Hence, he only acquires those examples which reflect provenance and originality. The Simeone Foundation is decidedly devoid of any cars that are “over-restored trailer queens.” “I only display authentic examples in original condition, preferably un-restored,” Fred said. “Over-restored cars are only reflections of the owner’s ego and the restorer’s ability. They are not examples of how the car was built in its day.” This purity and honesty is very much the reflection of Fred Simeone’s own personality. He is a “what you see is what you get” kind of guy, and the collector car community is a better place because of him. The Simeone Foundation – Automotive Museum can be reached at www.simeonefoundation.org and 215.365.7233. GSM



automobilia

outlook

Automobilia-Petroliana: The new Picasso and Monet? Text by

Don Weberg

I

n recent years, the interest in Automobilia-Petroliana has skyrocketed to previously unconsidered heights. The prices of vintage, original signs alone has gone a bit batty from just five years ago, and there seems to be no end is sight. Heritage Auctions has taken notice of this, and through the years they’ve dipped their toe into the A-P waters and come away with a good feeling. So much so, that they’re announcing that Automobilia will become their next new auction category, alongside traditional art, coins and stamps, books, and many more. Their first A-P auction will be held 29 May, 2014 in Dallas, Texas. “We feel our 850,000 online bidder members are well

tuned to this market,” said Karl Chiao, Heritage Auctions’ Director of Trusts and Estates and the person who will be overseeing the Automobilia department. The inaugural Automobilia auction will feature trophies, race-worn items, helmets, photography, advertising, autographs, Petroliana, posters, and large-scale model cars. They’re also considering mascots, pre-1970 European racing collectibles. Consignment deadline is April 7, 2014. “We see this serving fans of history’s greatest races and fantastic car brands, including memorabilia from Ferrari, Mercedes, Bentley, Bugatti, and more,” Chiao replied. 877.HERITAGE (437.4824)

Automobilia and Petroliana come in many forms - from literature to gas pumps and beyond, the value continues to soar with the interest. Images above for demonstrative purposes only; not actual Heritage consignments.

74

www.garagestylemagazine.com


Auction House Journal Bonhams 9 Nov 2014 Las Vegas Original ‘Flying Merkel’ sales brochure Sold: $1,125 including premium Rare motorcycle sales brochure from early 20th century, card covers, staple bound, produced by the Merkel-Light Motor Co. of Pottstown, PA. Gives detailed information as to the models specifications with illustrations and technical data, not perfect.

Bonhams 9 Dec 2014 Oxford Signed Sebastian Vettel helmet by Arai Sold: £72,100 ($117,808) including premium Used during the race weekend at the German Grand Prix, Nurburgring, 2013, this helmet was signed by four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel on the helmet and visor tear off. Each Vettel helmet has a unique design for every race, this glittering helmet was designed by Jens Munser Designs and was titled ‘Home Run 2013.’ Worn, with debris marks to front, crown and visor, with helmet bag, Arai box, and Certificate of Authenticity.

Mecum-MidAmerica Motorcycle Auction 9, 10, 11 Jan 2014 Las Vegas 1911 Harley-Davidson 7D Twin Sold: $260,000 One of four complete first-year machines known to exist. Built in late 1911 with a 1912 type front fender and painted Renault Grey, likely the only color available. The older restoration is wearing well. Original list price was $300.

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

75


Buyer’s

guide

Swing into Spring Some ideas for the garage and travel

Save-A-Battery

The latest line of Battery Saver 6-12 Volt Chargers, Maintainers and Testers is now available from Save-A-Battery. Designed to support all lead acid, AGM, and Gel Cell batteries, they not only charge and maintain automotive-type batteries, but also test, monitor, rejuvenate, condition, power cycle, and diagnose electrical and charging systems. The built-in LCD display w o r k s as a voltmeter to pinpoint most electrical and charging system problems. The compact design also makes them easy to carry and place on a vehicle. The Save-A-Battery

line of products from Granite Digital came to fruition by Frank Gabrielli, President of Granite Digital, who said he grew tired of his vintage vehicles and motorcycles not starting due to weak or no charges in the battery. His desire was a device that would charge, maintain, monitor, and keep a battery in good condition nearly regardless of the length of storage. The Granite line of products does all of the above, charging any bike, car, boat, motorcycle, or ATV. It can switch between modes and maintain and monitor, or charge and condition, and if a battery is bad, it tells you. If you connect the leads in correctly, it alerts you. If there’s a problem with the vehicle charging system, it tells you, and if everything is good, it tells you. www.BatterySaver.com | 510.471.6442

WrenchWare

Ghurka Trading Co.

Famous for adventurous, elegant, and durable designs and construction methods, Ghurka offers a variety of fabulous travel bags for any situation. The Cavalier II No. 97 alludes to the possibilities of a quick getaway in a vintage two-seater to lesser-known hideaways off the beaten path for a cell phone and tablet-free weekend. Made in the USA of leather or twill, the Cavalier II is available in a variety of colors, and features a foldend design allowing for a wide-top opening for ease of packing, and a zippered pocket inside allows for a little extra storage. Visit their website to see their entire line of bags and accessories. www.ghurka.com | 212.993.7231 76

www.garagestylemagazine.com

Put a little pizzazz into meals with WrenchWare products. Their line of cutlery, bowls, wine glasses, mugs, and much more will bring a lot of car guy imagination to your next meal, and are a special hit at garage gatherings with your like-minded car friends. The 3-piece cutlery set is their flagship product, made of 18/10 polished and drop-forged stainless steel, the set comes with a blowmolded ABS plastic box for easy storage. www.wrenchware.com


Fenders, Fins & Friends

Our very own columnist and contributor, Lance Lambert, has put together a wonderful book, a collection of confessions to be sure, and Lance has a ton of them – getting enough guys in the back of a van to get a wheel stand; riding shotgun in a 1939 Ford while having the steering wheel handed to him; installing a siren in a 1955 Ford, and many more tales will bring laughter and maybe some tears but all around good clean fun. Host of the infamous “The Vintage Vehicle Show,” Lance has interviewed hundreds of enthusiasts and collectors around the world, creating a show that’s earned fans in several nations for nearly 20 years. www.amazon.com | www.woodedislepress.com

Movado Red Label Calendomatic

The Red Label collection is Movado’s prestigious assortment of timepieces celebrating Movado’s lengthy and rich history. Detailed by the signature red lettering, the family ranges from the iconic Museum dial watches to limited production pieces featuring highly-detailed dials depicting artist-enhanced photographic images of the constellations and continents, elegant moon phase apertures and unique animated date displays. This latest Red Label was inspired by the original 1946 Movado Calendomatic with rotating date disk. Crafted in solid stainless steel, the 42mm case with extended lugs has a sapphire crystal exhibition back to reveal the inner workings of the automatic movement. Protected by antireflective sapphire crystal, the matte black dial features a unique, rotating major cities-of-the-world disk at its center; a stationary 24-hour scale around the perimeter indicates the hour in the different metropolitan time zones, and the dial is detailed by silver-toned skeleton dauphine hour and minute hands, a centermounted seconds hand, Movado concave dot at 12 o’clock, etched minute track and subtle red lettering. www.movado.com

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2014

77


Matt’s

column

Lunch at Carroll’s Garage By

Matt Stone

I

miss those phone calls. My cell would ring and it was that unmistakable, I’d-know-it-anywhere-in-the-middleof-the-night, rich yet raspy Texas voice, announcing that it was “Carroll Hall Shelby, here” – as if it could possibly be anyone else. He’d follow up with “Hey Matt – it’s time for lunch” to which the answer was always, always, “yes it is.” If the date we’d chosen meant he’d be home based that day, it usually meant lunch at the Bel Air Country Club, a really wonderful place even if, as in my case, you could care less about golf. But my favorite place to meet Carroll Shelby for lunch was his Gardena, California office and warehouse. An easy half hour from me, this low lying industrial building sits in the shadow of the Carson, California base camp for the Goodyear blimp, and we would watch it take off and land from his upstairs office. Once in a while, we’d get into the car and head for a little sandwich place nearby, but it usually meant lunch in his office or conference room, casually and nicely prepared by his wonderful front office manager / receptionist Rafaela, a smart, friendly, and fine woman who now runs the Carroll Shelby gift shop store at the same location. Lunch was always the same; a proper homemade ham and cheese sandwich, pickle on the side. Diet Coke. Chips. Perfect. Shelby’s Gardena property, used to be the main warehouse for his Goodyear Racing Tire distributorship. It’s a big rambling place, many thousands of square feet under roof, and after lunch we’d stroll down to “the garage” to take a look at his personal car collection – most of which – but not all – were Shelby vehicles of one stripe or another, or maybe to see what new monster car he was cooking up. He had a ’27 Rolls-Royce tourer, the last 289 Cobra built, a Sunbeam Tiger, a pretty pristine Chrysler Airflow, a Shelby Series I, a car which he was very proud of. And a massive vintage fire truck, for which he had no use for and was clear he’d never restore or ever drive. Two DeTomaso Panteras always

78

www.garagestylemagazine.com

piqued my interest; one was a white GTS model from the late 1970s, which meant an updated interior over my own ’72, and body color-painted wheels and trim. The other Pantera, red I think, ran a Chrysler 340 or 360 V-8, dating from a pre-Viper time when Chrysler was contemplating an ongoing relationship with Allessandro DeTomaso, possibly bringing the Pantera back to America with midengined Chrysler power. I love this place. And then we’d talk. And talk. Then talk some more; mostly about cars, many times about other things. Much like a kid who was good while at the dentist, he’d always send me home with a small gift of some sort. Sometimes it was a die-cast car model, or a pocket knife (Carroll loved knives, I never knew why. He had rooms of them, some he’d had for a while, other piles recently delivered via the Home Shopping Network or some such). Since his passing, the property has been cleaned up and freshened considerably, as it is still home to Shelby Licensing, the Shelby Foundation, and other companies he owned over time. It’s also been renamed Shelby Los Angeles. I don’t care what they call it, it will always be his office and garage to me. I really miss those phone calls, and those lunches. And I miss Carroll Shelby.



Garage

meanings

In the Garage with Cindy Meitle

Jason Len, owner of XKs Unlimited Jason Len is the owner of XKs Unlimited, based in San Luis Obispo, in Central California. For decades Jason’s team has served the Jaguar and British car community, working with owners and collectors who seek the finest service and restoration work. Jason is himself a lover of classic cars and race cars, but also a serious motorcycle collector and fanatic with close to 50 examples in his collection, ranging from BSA to Norton and everything in between. 1. What is your favorite item in your garage and why? My projects. I love projects whether it is a classic motorcycle, a vintage car, or my race car. My garage is divided into two parts; the “museum” section where I display my finished projects, and the “workshop.” I enjoy my collection but I love my workshop. I really enjoy the hands-on process of restoring or building a vehicle. 2. What is one item (car, Automobilia, tool, other) you have always wanted in your garage that you hope to one day acquire, and why do you want it so much? I recently purchased a vertical mill and lathe. Those are two tools I have always wanted. I plan to get a good TIG welder next. I have a large workbench but I am hoping to add one of the giant stainless steel benches with all the built-in storage and shelving. I am a “collector” of parts and tools and never have enough space for it all! 3. What’s the strangest item in your garage? I have a 1950’s pinball machine…a real classic. I got it from my father-in-law. 4. What are you doing most of the time when in your garage? I’m working on cars and motorcycles. I am currently working on a 1915 Model T Speedster, a 1970 Morgan Plus 8 racer, a 1971 Porsche 911 Gruppe R car, a 1982 Triumph motorcycle, a 1959 Triumph motorcycle, and three Honda CBX 1000 motorcycles. I have lots going on. 5. Did you spend much time in the garage growing up? What are your memories? I grew up in Southern California in the 1950’s and 1960’s during the height

80

www.garagestylemagazine.com

of the car craze. I used to spend every weekend building and racing slot cars. When I was 13, my neighbor bought a beautiful 1945 MGTC. I fell in love with that car. I used to help him clean it and take it to car shows. From there, I started working summers at the sports car shop that restored the car for him. That hooked me on British sports cars and I have been working on them ever since. 6. Can you give us a quote about the garage and what it means to you? “My garage is my kingdom. My time in my garage is total freedom to do what I want, when I want, and it is always fun time.” You can follow Jason’s car and motorcycle adventures here: http:// jagmanxksunlimited.blogspot.com/



Garage

bazaar

Art/Automobilia/ Collectibles/Media Porcelain License Plates www.BPpanels.com Route 32 Restorations 765.307.7119 www.Route32Restorations.com Mascot Magazine 404.556.4698 www.MascotMagazine.com Genuine Hotrod Hardware 800.575.1932 www.genuinehotrod.com Rally Legends www.rallylegendsrc.com Matt Stone www.MattStoneCars.com GarageArt.com 800.708.5051 www.garageart.com Vintage Vehicle Show www.vintagevehicletv.com Autobooks-Aerobooks 818.845.0707 www.autobooks-aerobooks.com Ultimate Garages www.ultimategarages.net

Auctions

Furniture/Electronics

Mecum Auctions 262.275.5050 www.mecum.com

PitStop Furniture 866.319.8500 www.intro-techautomotive.com

Bonhams 415.503.3248 www.bonhams.com

Custom Auto Sound 1.800.88.TUNES www.custom-autosound.com

Morphy Auctions 1.717.335.3435 morphyauctions.com

Insurance

Automobile Restoration/ Maintanence Wheelsmith 800.854.8937 951.898.4563 www.thewheelsmith.net 401k Restorations 714.993.401k www.the401kclub.com Custom Auto Service 714.543.2980 www.customautoservice.com Packards International www.PackardsInternational.com XKS Motorsports 805.594.1585 www.xksmotorsport.com

Flooring BLT 913.894.0403 ext. 21 www.bltllc.com

Advertise in the Bazaar! Spaces are just $42 per quarter.

82

www.garagestylemagazine.com

Heacock Classic 800.678.5173 www.heacockclassic.com

Museums

Travel/Leisure/Dining Cafe Stravaganza 831.625.3733 Flanagans Restaurant-Pub 831.625.5500 www.flanaganscarmel.com

Tools/Equipment International Aero 562.634.1009

www.internationalAeroProducts.com

inTech Trailers 574.773.9536 www.intechtrailers.com

Mullin Automotive Museum 805.385.5400

CoverCraft 800.4.covers www.covercraft.com

Petersen Automotive Museum 323.930.CARS www.petersen.org

Save-A-Battery 888.819.2190 510.471.6442 www.saveabattery.com

www.mullinautomotivemuseum.com

Simeone Foundation - Automotive Museum 215.365.7233 www.simeonefoundation.org

Security Secure It 562.677.3777 secureit@ngcia.com

Port-A-Cool 800.695.2942 www.port-a-cool.com Zymol 800.999.5563 www.zymol.com Moduline 888.343.4463 www.modulinecabinets.com

Can we help you sell it? A picture plus 40-50 words, $90. Advertise your automobilia, petroliana, literature or other related treasures in Private Listings. PrivateListings@garagestylemagazine.com


www.zymol.com 800.999.5563

MUNICH • NEW YORK • BEVERLYHILLS • TOKYO • LONDON • SYDNEY • PARIS • SINGAPORE • BEIJING • DUBAI • TORONTO • STOCKHOLM • HONG KONG • MOSCOW • JOHANNESBURG


HOUSTON

HOUSTON MOTORCYCLE AUCTION

SPRING

April 10-12, 2014 The Reliant Center Houston, Texas

April13, 2014 The Reliant Center Houston, Texas

April 24-26, 2014 Kansas City Convention Center Bartle Hall - Kansas City, Missouri

KANSAS CITY

DANA MECUM’s

INDY

27th Original Spring Classic MAy 13-18, 2014 Indiana State Fairgrounds Indianapolis, Indiana

For Auction Schedule and Consignment or Bidding Information go to mecum.com or call 262-275-5050.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.