Issue 36 web

The Ferrari of Apt. 8

Steel Manufactured Garages

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On stands until May 2017

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Garage Style Magazine Spring 2017

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contents

features

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18

Car-Nival

28

Posh Garage on Viscaino

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Resurrection

40

Neon Therapy

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On the Cover

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Our cover shot depicts the unusual sight looking through the front door, into the living room of an apartment containing a vintage Ferrari.

Photo by Don Weberg

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

A Legacy of style and steel

Reversed

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departments 8

Publisher’s Note

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Lance’s Column

12

Phil’s Column

16

Garage News

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Tales from the Garage

44

Personality Profile

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Garages in History

People do the Funniest Things

Manly Avanti

Driving with John “Jay” Geils

Rust in Peace

Fireball Lawrence

The Facade

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Book Reviews

50

Auction House Journal

56

Business Profile

59

Product Review

62

Buyer’s Guide

63

Matt’s Column

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Garage Bazaar

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Garage Meanings

The Finest Automobile Auctions

Griots

Pole Buildings

Garage Styling in Cuba is a much Different World

Donnie Callaway

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2017

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Publisher’s

note

People do the Funniest Things

W

hat a crazy adventure life can be. I’m in Las Vegas, Nevada attending the Morphy and Mecum auctions when I get a phone call at about 4pm from my buddy, Shant Meshefedjian who tells me he’s going to be helping pull a 1960 Ferrari from an apartment in Hollywood, California the next day, and would I like to help document this.

It’s been in a ground-floor unit of the building since the 1980s, hasn’t seen the light of day for over 30 years. That woke me up – it’s been in an apartment unit, not even the parking garage. Unreal. By 5, I’m saying my goodbyes, packing the car, hitting the road by 7 – I move slowly and have a lot of goodbyes. I made it to Hollywood in record time, checked into the hotel my wife reserved for me and awaited dawn with giddy eagerness. A lost Ferrari, being unearthed. I think I got about an hours sleep.

My buddy, Donnie Calaway, a Ferrari restoration expert, shows up at the hotel in the wee hours with coffee and the same giddy expression I’ve got. We jump in his XJ6 and zip over to the apartment building, roughly four blocks from the hotel. Interestingly the property shares the fence with the apartment building used in the film Pretty Woman, but that’s another story. And we wait – no one is there. I begin to wonder if Shant was playing a trick on me – but the parking lot is empty, which is an interesting sign something is going to be happening. Hollywood is a strange place when it’s quiet. It makes you think something is wrong.

A construction truck rolls into the parking lot with a small crew of workers. A large pickup shows up with an enclosed trailer in tow. A white Suburban pulls into the parking lot. A motley crew of hipster camera people wander purposefully up the sidewalk looking mod and heavily laden with equipment. They have a drone. I’m jealous. The scene is starting to wake up. The construction crew goes to work hammering away at the stucco, following an obvious repair patch line that’s been there for years, a repair that makes a large rectangular box on the side of the building. The guy in the white Suburban opens the door to Unit 8 and there it is, the image on the cover of this magazine. Amid scads of old discarded items and enough dust to scare a vacuum cleaner sits smack in the living room floor a 1960 Ferrari 250GT PF Coupe, faded silver with a black interior of Naugahyde. Well, it’s a durable material.

In a short amount of time, the wall is nudged open, swinging outwardly into the parking area (it was on a hinge) and the lost Ferrari, forgotten to time, was breathing fresh air. The sun baked down upon the paint showing that it wasn’t quite as faded as it seemed. The chrome glistened as best as it could, and it wasn’t doing badly.

One minute, you’re in Vegas, the next, Hollywood, freeing a Ferrari for its next chapter of life. What a crazy adventure life can be. So far, 2017 isn’t starting out too badly for me.

- Don Weberg

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Garage style

magazine

Editor-Publisher Don Weberg Art Director Web Designer – Coordinator Kari McDaniel Business Development Manager Michele Weberg

Columinists Lance Lambert Phil Berg Matt Stone Rodney Kemerer

Contributors Robin DePry Bob Estrada John Gunnell Dr. Rick Rader Bill Nakasone Ron Lampley

Specialized Photographer Dale Quinio

Advertising Cindy Meitle 480.277.1864 | cindy@GarageStyleMagazine.com Carmen Price 714.276.5285 | carmen.price1@aol.com Don Weberg 562-833-8085 | carwrter@aol.com

Subscriptions – Address Changes Garage Style Magazine PO Box 92198 Long Beach, CA 90809 GSM@pfsmag.com 888.881.5861

Not responsible for undelivered issues due to late change of address.

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All rights reserved by Garage Style Magazine, Inc. Garage Style Magazine is Published Quarterly by Weberg Media Group, Inc. 271 W. Imperial Hwy. Suite B La Habra, CA 90631 www.garagestylemagazine.com

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Lance’s

column

MANLY AVANTI M

y wife is a lovely woman.

She’s a wonderful wife and an outstanding mother. She is even a reasonably good driver. But is she able to drive a “manly” car?

Many years ago I was the happy owner of a 1970 Avanti II. The Avanti, originally manufactured by the Studebaker Corporation, was only on the market for the model years of 1963 and 1964.

Studebaker stopped manufacturing automobiles in 1966. The largest Studebaker dealership in the world, Neumann & Altman, located in South Bend, Indiana, bought the rights to continue manufacturing the Avanti and also acquired most of surplus items necessary to continue making the car. As the parts supply ran out they began replacing them with Chevrolet parts. My 1970 Avanti II was built with a Studebaker frame and suspension but a Chevrolet engine and transmission. To the unknowing it appeared to be a Studebaker Avanti. As far as I was concerned it was close enough to a “real” Avanti.

It arrived in our garage after a long and intense search. I placed an ad in a national magazine hoping to find a good example. I drove hundreds of miles to look at a few that, despite the seller’s assurances otherwise, were pieces of junk. I even rode a train over 300 miles roundtrip to look at an Avanti that the seller said was one of the best examples around. It wasn’t.

My efforts paid off when I located an Avanti II in Portland, OR. It was a little rough but overall in good condition. I loved it!

To my eyes the Avanti is beautiful. The design is also a bit unusual.

The automotive press seemed to love them when they were first introduced to the market. Two magazine reviews in 1963 did a great job of explaining the design appeal: “The Avanti looks like it either belongs parked at the local country club, or on the surface of the moon” and “An Avanti looks like a champion prize fighter in a tuxedo.” I agree with both of these descriptions.

So there in the garage sat my Avanti. It was a great driving and handling car and had plenty of power with the Chevrolet 350 cubic inch V8 driving the rear wheels. It was, like a champion prize fighter, able to move quickly and get the better of me if I was not paying attention. To me it was a “Man’s Car” and I was just the man to appreciate it. My wife thought differently.

The Avanti shared the garage with her 1995 Ford Taurus station wagon. The Taurus was a good car but not always a properly functioning car. One day it was not functioning properly, or at all, despite my bride’s need of transportation. She had a social commitment that evening and asked if she could borrow the Avanti.

Upon hearing the question my stomach began churning and my head started hurting. Did she have any idea what she was asking?

She was a she and, therefore, not likely able to handle the manly man-ness needed to properly drive the Avanti. This car was not just something used to travel from place to place. This was a car that needed to be controlled as it was driven. How was I going to handle this request?

My various options were considered, including her displeasure if I denied her use of the car. Realizing that my concerns were not being

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appreciated or understood, I succumbed to her argument that I was being overprotective of the Avanti and did not need to be so worried.

Perhaps she was correct. I didn’t really think so but occasionally she is correct about things that I’m incorrect about. I decided to not try to dissuade her from using the car despite the Avanti’s manly driving requirements that might result in harm coming to both her and the car. I was going to let fate take its course.

My concern was enough that I parked the Avanti in front of our house and began taking photographs. These would be used both as evidence to the insurance company of the car’s good condition prior to the accident, and would also be gazed upon in the future when I sadly thought about the nice Avanti that I used to own. Something told me that the damage would only be to the car, not to my spouse.

She dressed for her evening’s event, headed to the car and assured me that I had nothing to worry about. She kissed me and climbed into the manly interior. I waved as she drove away and then waited for the call that was sure to come. “I don’t want you to worry but I had an accident tonight. I’m fine but the Avanti is not. I’m so sorry and you were correct; it is a manly man’s car and I should not have driven it tonight.”

The evening wore on and I sat looking out the window like a father waiting for his daughter to come home from a date with a rock musician. I expected the worse.

It was late when I heard the Avanti coming down the street. I headed to the garage to assess the likely damage to the car and to the temporary driver. Into the garage she drove and turned off the engine. I walked around the car and, unbelievably, no damage was apparent. I was relieved and a little shocked.

I expressed my relief and she seemed surprised. Then she said something that was nearly as painful as it would have been if the car had been damaged.

“I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but it drives just like a regular car. I felt like I was driving the Taurus.”

Suddenly the “champion prize fighter” Avanti and I were both kayoed. My bride succeeded in putting both me and my manly man opinion flat on the mat. Just a regular car! Could this be true?

Looking back on that night makes me realize that perhaps she was right. She compared the Avanti to the Taurus. Our Ford Taurus station wagon was 25 years newer than the Avanti; therefore, the Avanti was 25 years ahead of its time. I was correct in my opinion that it was a special car.

Score one for us manly men!

- Lance Lambert

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Garage Style Magazine Spring 2017

11

Phil Berg’s Dispatches from the Ultimate Garage Tour

Driving with John “Jay” Geils

M

y best experiences in life have usually been centered around a brisk drive on scenic roads in a fun car. On a crisp, bright day in the Spring of 2012 I visited musician and car nut John “Jay” Geils at his home garage in the northern suburbs of Boston, and he had me follow him to KTR European Motorsports a dozen miles away in Ayer, Mass. I followed Geils’ semi-modern Mercedes CL500 coupe--adorned with Ferrari and Maserati logo stickers--which is his daily driver, and also a distant progenitor of the 1937 540K Geils’ father John (also nicknamed “Jay”) used as a daily driver when 70-year-old Geils Jr. was a kid.

We were driving about 50 mph through the semi-rural hills and valleys, roads that Geils cruises regularly in his Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo cars and MV, Ducati, and Benelli bikes.

1997 in garage/home, which also contains a basement room full of vintage guitars. The list of classic sports cars and European motorcycles that Geils has owned fills two legal pad pages.

Geils founded KTR before his band broke up the first time in 1985, when he needed much more garage space for his vintage race cars, and now KTR is a 7,000-square foot factory of vintage racer creations, as well as a place for the cars Geils owns that can’t fit inside his home garage. At one point Geils owned a

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Ferrari 250 GT Lusso and a Ferrari SWB California Spyder, and raced a Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France Berlinetta.

“I started out with a Bugeye Sprite in high school and was drooling over Ferraris,” he explained. His father had taken him to auto hillclimbs in Wilkes-Barre, Penn., and “I asked him, ‘What are those red cars?’ ‘Those are Ferraris, son.’ I was ten years old. I told myself, ‘I want that someday.’” Later, when his band was in its heyday, he bought the Spyder for $5,000 in New York and drove it home to Massachusetts.

“My father was a big jazz fan. He was an electrical engineer.

He liked old cars, like the 540K. Back then it was just an old car.

I think he bought the damn thing for $900,” recalls Geils. Today Mercedes 540Ks and Ferrari California Spyders have set auction records of eight figures.

“My whole vocation was based on my father’s avocation. It rubs off. I got it, and I got it with the cars,” he adds. Originally a trumpet player, Geils credits his discovery of Chicago blues for his interest in guitars, and he credits his father, the original J. Geils, for his love of tinkering with old cars. “I’ve personally rebuilt ten or twelve Ferrari engines, and my engines never leaked,” he recalls back in his garage, seated at his small workbench. “I’m a driver, everything here is ready to go.”

- Phil Berg

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2017

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Garage

news

Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance coming together for 2017 Each August, the 18th fairway of the Pebble Beach Golf Course Links are transformed into one of the most astounding, competitive and sophisticated automotive events ever, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Paired with a number of other great events from Tours to auctions to art festivals and so much more, every year it seems to get better.

This year, the Concours is anticipating Special Classes of Isotta Frashini, Castagna Coachwork and American Dream Cars of the 1960s. To be held on August 20 at The Lodge at Pebble Beach, what started out so long ago as a road race through Pebble Beach has

Rodeo Drive Concours fast approaching

evolved into one of the world’s most prominent automotive events, one which other events aspire to mimic. Host to an international roster of guests, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance always has something for everyone and the social possibilities are amazing.

One of the greatest elements of the event has to be the attire guests adorn themselves with – clothing reflecting the period of so many of the cars on the lawn, an elegant, classic fashion show spanning so many decades and styles. Those even remotely interested in history or fashion will adore the scene. Accommodations fill up early, so make your reservations soon.

Microcars to invade Nashville

Free and open to the public, the Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance, held on Father’s Day, June 18, 2017, is one of Southern California’s smash events. Rodeo drive closes to thoroughfare traffic and instead becomes the stage for roughly 100 cars ranging from muscle to classic to sport to exotic. Interestingly too, the Concours has been used to introduce various new cars and products from the Jaguar XJ to the Learjet 85.

Auburn Spring with Auctions America Last year, the two top sellers at Auburn Spring at Auburn Auction Park were a 1968 Ferrari 365 GT 2+2, fetching $247,500, and a 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429, reeling in $238,700. Fabulous numbers in anyone’s book, the 2017 event aims to be even more impressive, especially with the Antique Automobile Club of America and the Classic Car Club of America coming together with Auctions America to host the Triple Crown Meet. Hundreds of cars cross the block as enthusiasts and collectors alike scour the swap meet and car corral during this three-day event, May 11-13, 2017.

The Lane Motor Museum will be hosting what should prove to be a remarkably fun event, a Microcar Meet in May. Held during Memorial Day Weekend, May 26-28, 2017, the event will begin with a tour to Percy Priest Lake with rides in the museum’s Amphicar.

A car show will ensure on Saturday at the Museum followed by a tour of downtown Nashville, with Sunday ushering in another regional tour returning to the museum for Microcar Gymkhana and a dinner. Regular collector cars are welcome to attend as well.

Join us in the virtual world and receive our new electronic newsletter! It’s free - you’ll get to see pictures that didn’t make it into the issues, upcoming garages, special buyer’s guides and much more! Send a note to GarageStyleNews@gmail.com with the Email you would like to use!

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Car-Nival A little bit of everything Text and Images by Don Weberg

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Tales from the garage

Rust in Peace

Text and Images by Rodney Kemerer

T

ales From The Garage sometimes takes us to the dark side. Where cars are no longer running. The final resting place in an open field where the automotive carrion bakes in the sun. Time for a visit, and please, do not disturb the occupants.

My love affair with cars has been with me all of my life. Recently I was watching an interview with a famous actress. The interviewer asked her when she knew she wanted to be an actress. She responded by saying that she had always heard that if you look at what your interests were between the ages of 10 and 12, that will represent your true self. Interesting. In her case it was clearly acting. At that age you are not really a child any longer but yet not influenced by

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Garage Style Magazine Spring 2017

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The Posh Garage on Viscaino Hotelier’s love of red and art shines through his space Text and Images by Don Weberg

E

ntering the garage on Viscaino Drive is a remarkable experience, because it’s one of those moments that you realize Dan Tanna may have had a much larger effect on people than originally anticipated. Housing three vehicles with great space and comfort, the open floor plan leads to a living room area, kitchen, and bathroom with shower. A set of stairs built into the wall leads to a door to another set of stairs leading to the home space above the garage. But the garage space is no slouch for home – it even has a patio with a fantastic view that, if it weren’t for the fog and trees, would lead right to the ocean. The owner, Denny, is a local hotelier and landlord who bought the historic property as well as the property next door, and built this space.

“This house is one of the original homes built in this area,” he said. “The structure is absolutely charming and beautiful, and we built this home adjacent to compliment the design of that one, but, of course, we added the garage and a lot of modern amenities.”

Denny is a stickler for preservation and charming properties, and his specialty has long been just that – buying, restoring, and preserving historically unique properties. All throughout Carmel, California, Denny has bought quaint inns and hotels and given them his attention to detail and comfort, making them some of the most popular places in town, especially for animal lovers and car

enthusiasts alike.

The garage is ample to say the least, and spans a huge square.

The floor is a magnificent bright red and white diamond pattern checkerboard of epoxy. Baseboards and crown moldings add to the more elegant, finished flare of the space, and the living room is decorated with unique, almost baroque-styled furniture. The center of the living room is a large, circular glass coffee table lending a modern look, but held up by what looks like a massive, cast iron cauldron. Bookshelves hold books, magazines, and videos from various eras, mostly revolving around significant personalities, automobiles, boats, properties, guns, and comedies. A sign on the wall reads, “Where Men Can Be Men,” and it’s likely very true.

Interestingly, Denny has amassed quite the collection of Pebble Beach Concours posters, many dating back to the 1970s. But, he’s also placed personal pictures of family, friends, and professional alliances making the eye candy a great mishmash of car stuff and personal insight.

“My wife and I lived there briefly before moving to the other side of town and renting the space out,” he said. “But, I managed to keep the garage for myself, mostly as convenient storage.”

Aside from parking his wooden boat, Bentely, Bugatti racecar replica, Ferrari Dino coupe, or other collector car that might

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2017

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The 22nd Annual

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

March 10-12, 2017

Honoring

Four Time Indianapolis 500 winner, Al Unser, Sr Celebrating the Jaguar D-type Featuring Streamliners, the cars of Marmon, Brumos Racing, and Japanese Power Benefiting The Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Foundation For Advance Tickets & Event Information, visit www.ameliaconcours.org Photos Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz AG Archives Michael Furman

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2017

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Top left, the V-12 was set in the kitchen after being rebuilt; center, the view at the entrance; right, the beautiful interior will shine soon.

S

omewhere, in the center of Hollywood, California is an unremarkable apartment building like so many others in the area. Aging, the two-story building reflects such a classic California vibe that it might be a scene for a television series.

Styled in a modern design with an open courtyard complete with lots of foliage surrounding a swimming pool, in its day it was likely a swingin’ pad. But what sets this apartment so well apart from the others in the area is the secret it’s held since about 1985 – a 1960 Ferrari 250GT PF Coupe in Unit 8. Literally in Unit 8, spanning the living room and dining room to be exact. The engine is in the kitchen and the apartment surrounds are frozen in time.

Magazines from various years and decades gone by are here and there and in a box, a decades old refrigerator stands in the kitchen, an ancient orb light hangs from the ceiling above the Ferrari’s hood, an 8-track stereo system, tired and dilapidated Googie-style furniture, and dust – lots and lots of dust surround the faded silver

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Ferrari in quiet disarray upon the hardwood or linoleum flooring, depending on what room you are standing in.

Interestingly enough, the history on the car is as fascinating as the idea of a Ferrari in an apartment unit – originally sold in Naples, Italy to Lidia Piedimonte, the car was later sold to Eleanor von Neumann, the wife of sports car racing great, John von Neumann who piloted many Ferraris, MGs, and Porsches to victory, all while building an automotive empire in and around Los Angeles, California. The von Neumanns employed Rolf Wutherich, mechanic to James Dean, who was with Dean when he was killed in the crash – in fact, the von Neumanns arrived on the scene in time to see the wreckage of Dean’s Porsche being loaded upon a flatbed headed for storage after the wreck, a car the von Neumann’s dealership sold to Dean. They drove Rolf home to Los Angeles that horrible day. John founded Competition Motors in Culver City, California importing and introducing various sports

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Top, one wall dominates with neon and art as well as a lighted gas pump; below left, vintage jukebox and Pirelli sign really set the tone at the head wall; right, work bench is fun and kept orderly.

B

eing a police officer can be an excruciating way to earn a paycheck, but, sometimes, the rewards make the often grueling job well worth the effort and sacrifice. Officer Jim has worn a badge for nearly 30 years and worked for a number of departments throughout Southern California and has found neon therapy a great way to combat the rigors of the job.

“I’ve always loved cars and motorcycles,” he said. “So when I had the opportunity to really decorate a garage the way I’d like it, I jumped at the chance.”

His home was bought largely based on the size of the garage.

“At the time, my wife and I were living in another city, looking for a home in this area. This house became available, and we

bought it before we sold the other house,” he said. “Pretty risky, but she managed to market the other house well. She sold it quickly and we did well enough to help buy this one.”

Jim quickly went to work creating the garage he really wanted.

A three-car space, oversized, he had plenty of room to bring in cabinets, a small workbench, a refrigerator, jukebox, slot machine, and a host of other interesting odds and ends, not to mention the vast array of neon. Clocks, walk/don’t walk signs, shoe advertisements, tire signs, and more create a colorful glow that rivals nuclear testing facilities.

“It’s a lot of fun in here, the neon creates a sweet glow that has a little bit of a calming effect on me,” he said. “You can turn off

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2017

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2017 Grand National Roadster Show Text and Images by Bill Nakasone

S

outhern California is universally acknowledged at the birth place of American Hot Rodding and no other exhibit better exemplifies the spirit of the hobby like the “Grand National Roadster Show.” Held for 68 consecutive years, the Grand National Roadster Show is the longest running indoor car show in the world.

The coveted prize of the entire event is the AMBR award – an acronym for the “America’s Most Beautiful Roadster.” The rules are quite simple – the car must be a “Roadster” meaning it must have a removable windshield, be devoid of roll up side windows and be manufactured prior to 1936. However, within this simple framework of qualification are cars constructed to the highest level of creativity, innovation, craftsmanship, fit, and finish. The award winner for 2017 was a custom Packard Roadster built by Troy Ladd of Hollywood Hot Rods. Troy Ladd is an esteemed builder whose work is renowned for excellence both in style as well as engineering. Other famous builders of equal stature such as John D’Agostino, Troy Trapanier, and Rick Dore also had cars entered for competition judging and exhibition. There were over 500 entrants housed within the nine buildings of the Pomona Fairplex. Although the focus is largely on the contenders for the AMBR award, it is

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the rest of the cars that truly comprise the backbone of the event.

These cars are built by talented owners who are passionate about their craft and hobby. The genre of automotive entries is varied and diverse ranging from hot rods, low riders, competition cars, rat rods, pick- up trucks, muscle cars, choppers, and everything else imaginable. Although the majority are not associated with a big-name builder, they are all done to an extremely high standard. This is automotive art and the cars reflect the level of passion, time commitment, and monetary investment necessary to be considered for acceptance into this show. On the outside perimeter of the showgrounds was another 500 cars driven to the show for display (but not for award consideration). Once again, these participants reflect the hot rod culture of Southern California and as a whole, many of whom use their customized cars as every day transportation. After all, this is what started the entire custom car movement in the United States – everyday people applying their creativity to their personal car and using it as a grocery getter, commuter car, and cruise machine and / or weekend race car.

Garage Style Magazine blesses the Grand National Roadster Show as a “must – see” event. GSM

THE FAÇADE

Garages in history

Garage Styling with Dimension Text By Rick Radar Images By Terry Doran, and Don Weberg

I

t’s obvious that readers of Garage Style Magazine migrate to garages with style. There is one commonality that almost all GSM garages share (whether it’s a single car or multi-story garage emporium) and that’s the essence of “display.”

Most enthusiasts collect automotive inspired arts, artifacts, tools, signs, ads, posters, models, toys, emblems, license plates, pedal cars, maps, trophies, accessories, petroliana, parts and virtually anything that has been a byproduct of the automotive heritage. A quick perusal of the articles and ads in GSM attest to the vast spectrum of collectibles. The “universe” of the diverse things that have attracted enough enthusiasts (two of anything is a collection) to invigorate an auction was brought to light last year at the Hershey swap meet when I saw two guys trying to outbid each other at a vendor’s stand over a rare Desoto radio delete plate.

The collectibles have provided creative opportunities to display them; with the display becoming as much of a focal point as the items being displayed. Beyond the shadow boxes, showcases, trophy cases and framed pieces we have seen “tire tables,” “gas pump showcases,” “custom painted hanging engine hoods,” “car part furniture,” and “crankshaft lamps.” If a car guy is inspired to display his stuff he is bound to come up with a creative way to showcase the collection.

One striking addition to the idea of a garage display is the emergence of the “garage façade.” The idea of a “façade” a fake front is two-fold. It not only provides a three dimensional display but it uses collectibles to enhance it. The most classic garage façade is the gas station façade. Here the enthusiast virtually replicates the outside of a period garage providing the illusion that a real garage exists. They can then use their “petroliana” collectibles (gas pumps, lubesters, display racks, tools, signs, air meters, soda machines etc.) to equip and portray an actual garage. Most of these garage facades adhere to a single brand, i.e. Gulf, Texaco, American, Phillips, Shell and other both popular and obscure companies. It’s a great opportunity to display the gas station related artifacts and provide an added dimension to the garage motif. Some collectors are obsessive about only using authentic components (and will spend years looking for that elusive Shell advertising calendar from 1943) while others (for both economic and personal tastes) are satisfied with reproductions (you can equip an entire gas station façade with reproductions sourced from catalogs and swap meets).

The facades are typically built to attach to a wall in the garage, (typically two feet wide) with additional space being required to display the gas station components (the “island” containing

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the gas pumps, oil can display, signs, lights etc. can extend another five feet depending on the intended layout). Of course a “flat façade” is only one of many options depending on one’s vision, space, needs and imagination. There are “gas station facades” that are built to enter and serve as an office or lounge in the garage. Some facades are continued on the inside and provide an opportunity to replicate the interior of the garage. Here the collector can actually recreate the station’s office featuring a counter, cash register, map stands and related gas station collectibles. These of course require additional space, infrastructure, electrical and ventilation. The concept of the “façade” is commonly seen in themed amusement parks and based on theatrical stage scenery. The façade requires a basic frame (using lumber), plywood, windows, lights, doors and all the components that constitute the front of a building. The materials can be sourced through the big box stores or for a more authentic look from surplus or salvage suppliers. There are many ways that the new materials can be made to look old (the recent attraction of replica “barn finds” where new paint is applied to a car and then patinarized has become a cottage industry; the same techniques can be applied to building materials to make them appear seasoned). Ideas for a “gas station façade” can be found in a vast array of books devoted to the evolution of the American gas station. The internet provides a multitude of photos of period stations that can be referenced and in design layouts. Because the garage items had a long life you don’t have to have a strict policy of only using period pieces. It was not unusual to see soda machines from the 40’s still being used in the 60’s; or gas pumps from the 30’s still being used in the 50’s. This was especially true with more rural stations that received less scrutiny by regional oil company field managers.

When it became possible to create a façade in my brother Phil’s garage our collective minds went to work. While we surely had enough vintage gas station artifacts to recreate a gas station from any number of decades we strived for something different. Over the years we both accumulated a select collection of model cars.

Like many youngsters growing up in the fifties we were frequent

Book

reviews

ISKY Ed Iskendarian and the History of Hot Rodding Matt Stone

To tell the life story of Ed “Isky” Iskenderian is to tell the history of hot rodding in America.

Isky: Ed “Isky” Iskenderian and the History of Hot Rodding, tells the whole story, from his pre-war Lake Muroc and car club activities, his service in the military, starting a small business fabricating parts and making cams in the back of a rented shop, and then selling cams to other rodders. It covers how he grew a business from a single cam grinder and became the leading cam authority in barely 10 years. Ed was a gifted machinist, and he also had a natural knack for promotion. He purchased an ad in the very first edition of Hot Rod magazine, sensing something big; his instincts, as always, were right. He was also the first to use T-shirts and uniforms as promotion.

Not only was he an early pioneer in the industry for print adverting and catalogs, he was also among the first to understand the value of having successful race cars using his cams in their engines and wearing his decals on their fenders. The biggest names in the racing industry were running Isky cams, and Ed made sure the world knew it.

Ed’s company name went on to become one of the household names in the performance community. His continued success is an entertaining tale of mingling with industry icons, insight into the business of hot rodding, great stories of yesterday and today, and a life very well lived. You will enjoy the stories recorded here as much as Ed “Isky” Iskenderian seems to enjoy telling them.

Steve McQueen in Le Mans – a Graphic STROKER: THE ARTISITIC WORKS OF TOM MEDLEY Novel Sandro Garbo

Gary Medley

Loving cars and racing all his life, Steve McQueen realized his dream in 1970 to create a film featuring one of the oldest and most prestigious endurance races in the world. And the movie Le Mans became a cult masterpiece for a whole generation of car racing fans.

Stroker. The Artistic Works of Tom Medley is a long awaited, limited edition book, three years in the making. The 256page, exquisitely designed coffee table book has over 300 illustrations and photos which showcase the work of the famed Hot Rod magazine cartoonist.

45 years later, an unknown enthusiast decided to live the same dream.

Sandro Garbo and his team invested a lot of effort, making sure that every detail was carefully crafted and depicted the story at its best.

Called Steve McQueen in Le Mans, it retells the film’s story in colorful, rich illustration. Sandro Garbo, the graphic novel’s Belgian creator, captured the high-intensity action of the movie in page after page of gorgeous illustrations.

This book reviews the seven decades of Medley’s work, and offers an insightful bio on the artist. It features letters he sent home during WWII, drawings from the 78th Infantry Division Lightning newspaper, the “Fearless Freddy Flash;” legendary character “Stroker McGurk” from Hot Rod magazine, character “Flat Out Snodgrass” from Cycling magazine, automotive cutaway illustrations, spot cartoons, logos, t-shirt designs, greeting cards, and so much more.

All these and many more are available at: Autobooks-Aerobooks 2900 W. Magnolia Blvd.

Burbank, CA 91505

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818-845-0707 www.autobooks-aerobooks.com

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outlook AUCTION HOUSE JOURNAL

automobilia

Ten Days of Automobilia at Kissimme Text by Don Weberg | Images by Mecum Auction Company

F

rom January 6 to Janaury 15, the Mecum Auction Company lit up Kissimmee, Florida with the carnival atmosphere of fun and excitement that only an auction can provide. With over 3,000 cars on offer several full collections crossed the block from well-known collectors. Bidders competed hard at this sale, driving prices up on a lot of very desirable cars – some of the top mentions were a 1969 Maserati Ghibli 4.9 Spider which traded hands for a cool $920,000. At $775,000, a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette convertible with a 435 horsepower 427 brought in a higher sales figure than a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT, which pulled in $625,000. It helps that the Corvette was the only known black and blue example in existence.

The automobilia and petroliana offerings were off the chart – but interestingly, some of the top selling items were not related to the automobile industry, but rather, the amusement business. A Flying Superman coin-op kiddie ride took $30,000, an Esso Tiger coin-op kiddie ride commanded $25,000, and a Rocket Patrol Spaceship coin-op kiddie ride also realized $25,000. Granted, the Esso Tiger ride is related to the fuel company, but the other two were just – rides. Amazing. Interestingly too, a trend that’s been burbling for the past couple of years, items from the food and beverage industry have been gaining value and the Kissimmee sale had plenty on hand. It seems the Coca-Cola brand continues

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personality

profile

Fireball Lawrence Text by Don Weberg| Image courtesy of Fireball Lawrence

A

new columnist is joining Garage Style Magazine soon, Fireball Lawrence, host of the famous Fireball Malibu Video Log, or VLOG. The son of screenwriter/producer Anthony Lawrence, whose credits include Hawaii Five-O, Planet of the Apes, The Outter Limits and Bonanza, Fireball has taken to producing the Fireball Malibu VLOG, introducing people to various cars from old to new and interviewing hordes of people along the way. From celebrities to regular car folks, Fireball has talked to them all, usually riding in a slick car cruising along Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu.

As an automotive design expert, Fireball has long intertwined his love of cars and Hollywood, helping

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to create the Batmobile used in the 1989 film Batman starring Michael Keaton while he was still in college.

He’s also credited with working to design and build cars for projects such as Gone in 60 Seconds, Knight Rider, Starsky and Hutch, and many more.

Fireball is his true, legal name – it’s on his license plate, driver’s license, mortgage and everything. As a kid, his parents called him a little fireball, and he owned it. To boot, he loved to blow things up, so, that helps too.

With all this talent and personality, we felt he would bring a lot to the table here at Garage Style Magazine and hope you enjoy his contributions. GSM

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2017

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business

profile

The Finest Automobile Auctions Blending High Quality with High Tech Text by Don Weberg | Images Courtesy of The Finest Automobile Auctions Co.

A

nyone who has bid on anything at a live auction via the Web will likely attest that the experience can be very frustrating. The timing is off – live bidders storm right along as the online bidders anxiously click away, bidding, bidding, trying to be seen… only to be outbid by about 10 seconds by a live bidder. It’s a constant game of catch up. But what if the playing field were leveled? What if every bidder were an online bidder, even those people in the room? And then, what if the auction house hosting the auction improved how online bidding was received? What if they worked with better technology, faster servers, faster internet technology? In that case – every bidder would be bidding in real time, online, and

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they would be able to bid from anywhere they could get an internet connection.

This was the thought Bradley Farrell had when he sought to sell his vintage Ferrari, which led to his assisting a friend sell a Lamborghini Countach.

He built a specialized auction platform, displayed many photographs of the car, explained the car in detail, and sold it in six days.

“It’s about getting it in front of the right audience,” he said. “With

Product

review

Clearing the Glass Text and Images by Don Weberg

S

ome of you have heard about the new Ford Flex running around for Garage Style Magazine subsequently retiring the old Ford Flex. Bought pretty much right off the car carrier, the dealership never had a chance to detail it properly. No worries, we have all the talent we need right here. Most annoying was the glass – covered in a strange thin film of yuck, the huge rainstorm that has drenched most of Southern California for the past several weeks made visibility, especially at night, a real challenge. The windshield wipers just smeared the yuck and water around.

In our first issue, Richard Griot, founder of Griot’s Garage, was the subject of our Personality Profile and he discussed a Mustang he had bought with similar glass challenges. His solution was their glass care line, comprised of a polish, clay, special cloths, cleaners, waxes, and more. Telling our problem to the Griot company, they stocked us up with everything we needed.

In the Box: Griot supplied us with their proprietary Foaming Glass Cleaner, Speed Shine, Glass Cleaning Clay, Fine and Regular Glass Polish, Glass Sealant, Premium Micro Fiber Dual Weave Glass Towels, and 3-inch Glass Polishing Pads for a 3-inch Griot’s buffer already here in house. On our own we brought microfiber towels to the project and the small orbital Griot buffer.

With this, your glass should be immaculate. In the rain, the Flex’s wipers were much more effective at moving water off the window and didn’t leave the spots and lines. Instead the glass was literally crystal clear.

The Griot products were easy to use, the directions were very clear and understandable and finding helpful videos online was a snap. This process took a little over an hour, and keep in mind we were also setting up products for photography, taking pictures, and writing down notes.

So, really, a windshield, even one as big as the Flex’s, would likely take about an hour. GSM

Above, Griot’s Garage glass polishing is completed with just a few products; left, in the light, in the rain, the spots and grime were apparent.

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2017

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Buyer’s

guide

A look at Pole Buildings

I

f you have the space to build a garage, sometimes the best way to go is a steel building, or pole building as they are sometimes called. We’ve featured a number of steel garages and each were very nice. In fact, one has been on the cover of the magazine housing several Jaguars. This is a small guide that will help you find some companies that produce them, even erect them in some cases. Keep in mind that some companies only serve specific regions of the country. Good luck, and enjoy.

Pioneer Pole Buildings

Pioneer is one of those companies that proves time and again that a steel building doesn’t have to look as commercial as it sounds. Offering a number of solutions, PPB brings a number of colors and design ideas to the table. www.pioneerpolebuildings.com

Protective Weather Structures

According to the Protective Weather Structures website, a PWS garage is available in any size and shape you want and offers dozens of color choices to truly personalize your space, fit your environment, and build the garage you have always wanted. PWS uses Red Iron and Galvanized Steel structures that are fully engineered. www.pwssteelbuildings.com

General Steel Buildings

Offering a 50-year warranty, General Steel offers a number of creative solutions for a variety of steel building needs. Each structure is made of high-quality steel and is available with a number of options from the types and sizes of doors to the number of cars that can be parked within. www.gensteel.com 62

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Matt’s

column

Garage styling in Cuba is a much different world

I

t was my recent great fortune to partake in a highly car biased trip to and tour of Cuba. I wanted to see as much of the real Cuba as I could before all of the world trade embargos lifted, and the Havana coastline became dotted with Holiday Inns and Starbucks coffee shops. I timed it perfectly, getting there for a week in the late fall just prior to Fidel’s passing. My trip was hosted and coordinated by my friend and fabulous photographer Brenda Priddy, and the most marvelous imaginable tour coordinator Matt Smith (detourswithmatt.com) and his able, and delightful young local Cuban guide Alejandro.

Every story you’ve ever hear about the Cars in Cuba scene is true. And amazing for a variety of reasons. I’m working with Editor Weberg to find the time place and space to bring you a fully illustrated long form feature on the scene. In the meantime, I’ll tell you about a garage place that I visited and found interesting, unusual and passionate about the hardware. In fact during Mr. Obama’s presidential visit a few years back, the family stopped by, touring this very shop; there’s a letter from the First Lady on the wall thanking them for their hospitality.

Nostalgicar Cuba is an unusual enterprise, in that it is both a restoration shop, and a “tour taxi” business. The tour taxi aspect is for tourists who like to ride around in all the classic old American cars marooned in Cuba, either from point to point, or – for $40-50 – enjoy an hour long cruise around Havana in the mid-50s Chevy, Ford, Dodge, or Plymouth (many of which are convertibles) that most appeals to them. Besides cars that are restored, owned, and enjoyed by enthusiasts that are not doing tour taxi duty, these are among the better cut of cars on the island.

Julio Alvarez Torres owns and operates Nostalgicar Cuba, and his shop makes sure that its tour taxis are beautifully and faithfully restored to a high level. Nostalgicar is no quick and dirty Bondo shop either; instead a small group of hand skilled craftsmen – young and not as young – that together can take a car down to its frame, address any rust or accident damage, then bring the car back to life, often from scratch. This is a big job in any country or parlance, but consider that Cuba has been cut off from free trade with the United States and many other countries since the revolution and subsequent trade embargos of 1959, and also has limited and otherwise censored internet access. They cannot buy replacement or reproduction parts or supplies from America, or several other countries. This includes tools, machine equipment, and such. There are black markets but those channels generally cost between 50 and 100 percent more than anything “normal” retail. So fenders, door skins and many other components that would otherwise be scrapped have to be repaired, by hand. Torres runs more than a dozen or so beautifully restored American tour taxis, and will also restore a car for outside customers. You’ve likely heard that many pre-1960 cars in Cuba run Chinese, Korean,

or Japanese diesel engines, which is true; Torres used to perform many of these engine swaps, but now prefers to restore cars to something much more resembling factory original condition; no mean feat I promise. The shop is little more than a couple garage type huts tied together, plus a courtyard area, where much of the work is done outside. These guys work hard, in less than fabulous conditions, with few modern tools, and generally little to work with, and turn out great cars that any of us would be proud to own – all in, a wonderful definition of true automotive passion.

- Matt Stone

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2017

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Garage

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Art/Automobilia/ Collectibles/Media

Mecum Auctions, Back Cover 262.275.5050 www.mecum.com

Cornhusker Sign, Page 17 402.332.5050 www.oldneons.com

Benedict Castle Concours, Page 27 949.877.9336 www.crossroadscarshows.com

Reedyville Goods, Page 19 916.652.5584 www.reedyvillegoods.com

Drive Toward a Cure, Page 23 www.drivetowardacure.org

Matt Stone, Page 33 www.MattStoneCars.com

Automobile Restoration/ Maintanence/Sales/ Storage

GarageArt.com, Page 9 800.708.5051 www.garageart.com

CARS, Page www.carsusa.com

Vintage Vehicle Show, Page 43 www.vintagevehicletv.com

XPEL, Page 11 800.447.9928 www.xpel.com

Autobooks-Aerobooks, Page 14 818.845.0707 www.autobooks-aerobooks.com

Auctions/Events Auctions America, Page 2-3 www.auctionsamerica.com Amelia Island Concours, Page 33 904.636.0027 www.ameliaislandconcours.org

Checker Motor Cars, Page 14 978.423.3770 www.checkmotorcars.com Metrongarage, Page 7 800.511.7208 www.metrongarage.com

Clubs Packards International www.PackardsInternational.com National Corvette Restorers Society, Page 43 www.NCRS.org

Furniture/Electronics PitStop Furniture, Page 15 866.319.8500 www.intro-techautomotive.com Custom Auto Sound, Page 17 1.800.88.TUNES www.custom-autosound.com Wheel Unique, Page 64 714.602.6435 www.wheelunique.com

Security

Travel/Leisure/Dining Talbott Vineyards www.talbottvineyards.com Carmel Boutique Inns www.carmelboutiqueinns.com Flanagans Restaurant-Pub, Page 49 831.625.5500 www.flanaganscarmel.com

Tools/Equipment Save-A-Battery, Page 13 888.819.2190 510.471.6442 www.saveabattery.com Race Ramps, Page 23 866.464.2788 raceramps.com

Secure It 562.677.3777 secureit@ngcia.com

InTech, Page 55 www.intechtrailers.com

Festivals of Speed, Page 39 www.festivalsofspeed.com

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Garage

meanings

In the Garage with Cindy Meitle

Donnie Callaway, Automotive enthusiast Donnie was riding up the California Coast in a Ferrari before he was even born, his dad driving while his pregnant mom sat shotgun.

Growing up, he continually heard dad talk about racing his Td and Tc’s and the Ferrari all over Los Angeles and the Riverside track.

When dad took him to local sports car shops, the lines, shapes and smell of leather hooked him. Growing up in L.A. and Beverly Hills, these cars would tear down the street and the sound sent chills down his spine. This solidified his passion for rolling works of art.

Fast forward and he has followed his dreams, learning from the best mechanics and artisans, and staying true to his passion. He’s a perfectionist, every nut and bolt being polished, every crank finely balanced. It all must work precisely as it was intended. Today he restores these machines and wins trophies for their owners, and is invited to judge at the finest events.

What is your favorite item in the garage space and why?

Usually it’s the projects at hand and all that is going into them.

It’s quite the bacchanal scene you know.

What’s one item you’d like to have in your garage?

A ferrari or anything eclectically Italian. Engine parts, aluminum body panels and a massive pile of NOS Ferrari factory parts still in their boxes!

What is the strangest item in your garage?

I have a perfectly preserved owl hanging from one of its talons.

It had died and just dried out in this perfect mid-dive bomber stance. That’s the strangest, but there’s also the mannequin my fiancé’ used to make her dress. She used it to make her wedding dress right before she died. It is a permanent fixture, dressed in scarf and field sun hat.

What are you doing most of the time when you’re in the garage?

I’m often exploring the web looking for the rarest Ferrari parts, tools and automobilia to feather my auto nest with. I’m adding to the ever-present slideshow of playmates on the background of my computer screen, and always downloading and adding to my shuffle of the best music ever. Then there are the projects I totally groove over. I get lost in the levels of perfection I can gain in building them. From 512 Boxer engines to full groundup 60s Ferrari restorations where every single nut and bolt is photographed and catalogued during disassembly. Thousands of photographs are taken of the vehicle’s current state and the entire process before, during and after. It gets messy at times. Right now, I have an Alfa Romeo Montreal in the garage. I’m helping a friend with some light tuning and shocks to get it ready for the Copper State Rally. Mostly, I’m enjoying my music while I just enjoy these rare and beautiful rolling works of Italian artwork that I restore

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Image Courtesy Steven Tishkoff

and breathe life into again. Once I have a vehicle finely tuned, I take it out on some amazing roads at full speed and road race the car as it was intended to driven. This is not only a thrill, it’s necessary and allows me to fully assess my work. I then bring the car back and make any adjustments for the client and then just watch them melt when their sweet dreams come true. There’s nothing like firing the engine up and just listening to it purr.

Did you grow up around the garage?

Yes, it seems that everything I have ever done creatively has come from a garage. It’s just the American way, right? My grandfather was an artist and the garage was his studio. I spent 10 years with my uncle Arnie Roberts in Hawaii learning how to hand-form aluminum into bodies, paint and weld. He was a master. I built my first place in one of those bays and literally lived with my work. It allowed me to overlook my work from my living room that, even in Hawaii, I filled with Ferraris and other exotics.

How does your garage make you feel?

“My garage feels like home to me.” -Donnie Callaway

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OVER 700 LOT S OF ROAD ART

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