Garage Style Magazine Issue 12

magazine

$ 4.99 US Spring 2011

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Chatting with Bill Warner

Mecum Automobilia Results

Ireland’s First Garage

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2011

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contents 40

28

features 22

Sky’s the Limit

26

Well Appointed Porsche Keeper

28

Corvette Fever

32

Denny’s Toy Box

36

Garage in the Mist

40

Automobilia Palace

43

Speedway Brewing Company

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Garages in History

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departments 6

Publisher’s Note

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Lance’s Column

10

Phil’s Column

11

Personal Notes

12

Garage News

18

Office Profile

50

Tool Bag

54

Automobilia Outlook

60

Artist Profile

62

Unique Artists

Grubby to Guggenheim

Dispatches from the Ultimate Garage Tour

60

Garage Art Collectors Continue Passion for Memorabilia at Recent Mecum Auction Collective Wisdom

Rick Rucker

Bernardo Corman Booker Dean Graham Lambert

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64

Personality Profile

68

Automobile Review

72

Special Products

74

Book Reviews

76

Business Profile

80

Buyer’s Guide

Bill Warner

Gumpert Apollo

Garage Unlimited/Coalescent Design & Development

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Publisher’s

note Social Networking and Facebook

S

everal months ago, my wife, Michele, started badgering me that GSM needed a Facebook account. Not a huge fan of most things tech, I winced at the idea, thinking about having to maintain yet another element of this magazine that already has so many elements it might have a periodic table all to itself. Interestingly, our advertising-public relations representative, Cindy Meitle, was thinking along the same plane, and just went ahead and made one – nicely, by Cindy moving forward, she also took on the majority of the maintenance for the page, and gave everyone in the GSM family a chance to blog (what a great word) about the who’s, what’s, when’s, where’s and why’s of GSM in an instantaneous fashion with the click of a button. I’ve recently learned we can upload information from our cell phones! The Facebook/Garage Style Magazine account has been very successful – within the first few weeks of it being live we collected nearly 1,000 friends. Currently we’re pressing the 2,000-mark and climbing. We’re all very happy about it, and hope you’ll sign on and visit it – even I enjoy checking it out.

But a trip to a junkyard got me to thinking about the axiom Social Networking, and how the phrase has become pigeonholed.

What used to pertain to actual mingling face-to-face with likeminded peers has been reduced to a term referring to an otherwise impersonal computer process. While it still has to do with the personal or professional growth of one’s own diary, it’s really become this boxed-in term – social networking. The junkyard inspired this thought as I yapped it up with another visitor to the yard, who joined me in picking over a 1966 Continental complete with suicide doors, vinyl top, lockable gas door, 8-track and a power trunk release. At one time, many decades past, it was mint green with a white top and interior, very chic.

Being an enthusiast of these beasts, and having owned one in another lifetime, it always drives me a bit bonkers to see them in bone yards, but this particular one especially, as it wasn’t in horrific shape – tired, sure, but not yet ready for the yard. The body was razor straight, the interior was well worn, but workable, the engine looked intact (internal issues, maybe) and the paint was just well-faded. Only the faintest glimmer of rust was beginning to take shape at the usual places. Sad. In the trunk was a washed out for sale sign with a Los Angeles area code and a price of $5,500. I suppose in this bleakish economy bolstered by unpredictable fuel prices, few could see reason to part with that kind of cash for an otherwise amazing piece of machinery in need of a brightening.

This was about the content of our conversation, as I applied my mediocre mechanical skills to remove the steering wheel, and he worked diligently at removing the entire dashboard (darn it, I wanted that). He told me he ran an upholstery shop in Reseda; I told him about GSM – we exchanged business cards. We had a nice time working with each other, helping one another accomplish a given task, chatting about cars and business, and then we were on to other things. Two likeminded fellas networking socially in a junkyard.

Face-to-face. What a concept. Maybe he’s linked his upholstery shop to the GSM Facebook page. I’ll have to look and see.

Thanks for stopping by – I hope you enjoy this 12th edition of GSM, the first of 2011. We have a few changes coming down the pipe for issue 13, and I hope you’ll swing in to check them out!

All the best, Don Weberg

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Garage style

magazine

Editor-PublishEr Don Weberg Art dirEctor WEb dEsignEr – coordinAtor Kari McDaniel grAPhic dEsign intErn Beau Van Sickle businEss dEvEloPmEnt mAnAgEr Michele Weberg columinists Lance Lambert Phil Berg contributors Ned Lawler Kate Lawler Jeremiah McDaniel John Gunnell Dennis Wilkes Iain Curry Steve McCarthy Cobb Ware Dr. Rick Rader Bill Nakasone Public rElAtions/AdvErtising Cindy Meitle 480.277.1864 cindy@carprusa.com AdvErtising Chad Conrad 310.503.0656 chad@garagestylemagazine.com subscriPtions – AddrEss chAngEs Please write to: GSM P.O. Box 18478 Anaheim, CA 92817 800.999.9718 PublishEd QuArtErly by Garage Style Magazine, Inc. 201 W. Sandlewood Ave. La Habra, CA 90631 www.garagestylemagazine.com Not responsible for undelivered issues due to late change of address. Not responsible for issues delivered damaged.

Printed in the United States by American Web Printers

All rights reserved by Garage Style Magazine, Inc.

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Lance’s

column

Grubby to Guggenheim by

lAncE lAmbErt

T

he empty beer bottles have been put in the recycling, the stained pizza boxes thrown into the compost bin and the Avanti hubcap used as a potato chip bowl is again hanging on the wall. The bachelor party for my friend Brian is now history and my garage can relax until the next excuse to fill it with friends.

As a confirmed garageophile I enjoy having visitors and I let friends know that drop-ins are always welcome.

Garageophiles come in several types.

One type is the “Hermit” that displays a collection of automotive and/or petroleum memorabilia in the garage and then posts a “No Trespassing” sign on the door. This type reminds me of Gollum from the “Lord of the Ring” series who cries out “She’s mine, my pretty, all mine!” as he holds the ring close to his chest. The Gollums take great pleasure in enjoying their collection solo and they, of course, have every right to be lone wolves.

Another type is the “Museum Curator” that keeps the garage looking like an operating room at John Hopkins Hospital.

The lighting is perfect, the counters and floors are spotless and everything is placed in a well thought out location. The garage’s “feng shui”, or energy flow, is perfect and the feeling upon entering is similar to entering the Guggenheim Museum and admiring a Mondrian, except the work of art displayed in the garage is more likely a “Best in Class” award from Pebble Beach or an original Ed Roth T-shirt. The curator’s door is usually open to friends but be sure to wipe your feet off before you step inside the garage.

Perhaps a more common garage atmosphere is that of the “Oiled Hand Henrys” in the hobby. Upon entering you first notice the smell of gasoline, oil and dirty rags. The counters are stacked and strewn with various projects, the walls display old signs that were procured for free when they were new

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signs, and visitors are told “Go ahead and move that stuff off the chair and have a seat. Beer?” The Henrys love to have friends drop in, and their garages are frequently the evening and weekend destination for car buddies.

The “Man Cave” and “Garagemahal” trend has resulted in many garageophiles putting considerable thought into the use and appearance of what, to others, is just a storage area for lawn mowers, bicycles, Christmas decorations and things that are too good to throw away but not good enough to keep. How should the garage be decorated and utilized? Do you prefer a hermit cave, operating room or museum? Do you want the garage to be your private rabbit hole or a place where friends and visitors are always welcome? Will the floors and counters become messy as a result of your current restoration project or will it be a spotless area that includes a dust filter and wall to wall chrome and glass display cases?

They are all good! Hermit or Henry, grubby or Guggenheim, the personal pleasure gained from a personalized garage is just that, personal. Surround it with barbed wire or open the doors to guests, it’s your choice. Just get out there and enjoy your garage!

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Phil’s

column

Dispatches from the Ultimate Garage Tour The Tech Shop Club by

Phil bErg

O

n my way to the hardware store on a Saturday morning, I drove past a neighbor who was mowing his lawn riding a smallish, green John Deere tractor, enjoying the rare, sunny bliss of a Michigan Spring. Next door, however, another neighbor was doing the same thing, on exactly the same model John Deere. Seems to me, at least, the two could share mowers, saving space and money.

But we know the reason they won’t share – on the way back from the hardware store, I passed one of these same neighbors out in the street carrying an enormous two-cycle gasoline-powered leaf blower, creating an EF2 micro-tornado to push the grass clippings and leaves farther down our street, to be dispersed by natural means back into the environment.

I don’t own a lawn mower, preferring to hire a service and therefore keep my garage free of turf equipment. Likewise, I don’t own an arbor press, nor a welder, nor a lathe, nor a beadblasting cabinet, although for all of my car projects these items are completely indispensable. For pressing out ball joints, I take a quick trip to either my friend Dean’s garage, or my friend Jeff’s garage, both of which are equipped with the tools.

The welding equipment is at Dean’s, too. It’s upstairs in his cleverly designed garage’s bonus room, in a booth that shields his drafting table and one workbench from metal splatter. The lathe is at yet another friend’s, and the blasting cabinet is at another’s.

In exchange for these invaluable services I find at friends’ garages, I loan them my finish nailer, portable air compressor, as well as spring clamps, electrical fish tape, conduit benders and pro metal crimping tools. It’s a great system of sharing vital tools between garage guys, and also fosters idea sharing and vital hanging-out time.

“That’s great for what you need,” you tell me, “But where am I gonna get a plasma cutter, or the CNC milling machine that I need?” The answer is: At your soon-to-be-local “Tech Shop.”

Tech Shop started with a secret building in Menlo Park, California, nestled in the middle of Silicon Valley. The building has heavy-duty man-doors and is ringed around its circumference by small project rooms. At its’ floorplan center is a lounge, a large room for group desks, where brainstorming

and unique ideas are hatched. It was founded

by Jim Newton, and its concept has been described by Wired magazine as “A Kinko’s for geeks.” It’s actually a huge garage for garage guys.

Newton understands that some of America’s leisure class likes to invent cool stuff in their spare time, in their garages. Tech Shop users are members who take advantage of sophisticated tools and teachers. One of the Tech Shop members at Menlo Park built his own Segway-type gyroscopic peoplemover, one that works just as well as the original. Other members are keeping the federal patent office busy, as well. But it’s unlikely that these inventors and tinkerers would get this far on their own, alone in their own garages.

There are two “Dream Coaches” on duty all day and night, helping members use JET mills, Tormach three-dimensional computer numerical control (CNC) mills, and everything needed for small volume prototyping. The Menlo Park Tech Shop has an Epilog laser cutter, ShopBot robotic machines, a vacuum former for plastic molding, as well as an embroiderer machine. Imagine the hot rod you could build here.

Why this is important is two-fold: First, you don’t have to install vital tools in your garage that you’ll only use two or three times a year. Just head over to the Tech Shop to use tools there. And even more importantly, when you’re struggling alone trying to get a broken stud out of a cylinder head, you can wander down to the Tech Shop for moral support among like-thinking minds.

Ford Motor Company stumbled upon Tech Shop when the company ventured into the public inventor realm when it developed the Sync system of connecting their cars with the frenzy of creations necessary to modern life. Ford has stated that the next breakthroughs of technology in the automotive world will most likely come from independent inventors. These inventors, however, finding it difficult to make mechanical prototypes in their basements, are thriving at Tech Shop.

Ford is helping spread the Tech Shop idea in its hometown, Dearborn, Michigan.

The idea is that every large city should have a Tech Shop, and that the individual inventor mentality should be nurtured within their own environment. So don’t worry about getting the latest equipment for your own garage – Tech Shop can supply that service.

Emerging from a former ultra-secret workshop in Silicon Valley, the garage guy’s dream tools are now at our disposal.

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personal

license no. 788647

notes

I see a lot of grammatical errors in every issue of Garage Style, and it’s disappointing. I love the magazine, the content, the concept, the quality of the product – it’s fantastic. I just wish the grammatical errors were less obvious.

Thanks for a great magazine – please find another editor to help!

Sincerely, Chuck Blaley Lake Tahoe, CA Chuck, Thanks for the note and notice. You’re right – and you’re not alone, we see a few letters now and again concerning grammar and punctuation. As much of an excuse as this might sound, we have a lot of challenges running a tiny publication, one of which being that we’re a skeleton crew to write, edit and layout and make the whole enchilada palatable. This means, more often than we’d like to admit, things slip through the cracks. Hopefully the coming issues will be easier to enjoy and less glaring. Also, keep in mind, publications operate on various styles, not entirely on English grammar style… sometimes what might be perceived as a mistake, is actually an American Press or in-house style.

Ed.

Coalescent Design & Development Group design. build. construction.

General Building & Remodeling Contractors Vintage Car Garage

Garage with Granny Unit

Garage Addition

Your magazine has brought me many hours of joy. I now have confirmation that I’m not alone; I’m not the only garage hermit in the universe! Keep up the good work, and good luck!

Henry Sayles Baton Rouge, LA Your magazine has brought both my wife and I a lot of inspiration. We recently relocated into a new home with a 3,500-sqaure foot garage that we’ve been dying to tackle.

Your magazine has helped us to pinpoint some of the do’s and don’t do’s while illustrating elements that make a garage nice, useful, and enjoyable. Keep up the good work.

Tom Schlege Aspen, CO

Custom Garage

After reading all the letters and articles about Zymol wax, I decided to try some for myself. I live near a company that sells all the Zymol supplies so I purchased a number of products, and spend a small mint in doing so. I think it was worth it – I have a 2003 Bentley and I’m certain it’s never looked better.

Thanks for demonstrating a great product that otherwise was unknown to me, and thanks for producing a great magazine.

Arnold Ellis Thousand Oaks, CA

Specializing In: Plans. Permits. Design & Build. Fire Damage. Basements.

Please send letters to: info@garagestylemagazine.com or Personal Notes C/O GSM PO Box 812 La Habra, CA 90633-0812

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Custom Garages. Kitchens & Baths.

22343 La Palma Ave., Suite 124 Yorba Linda, CA 92887

Look for us on

714.624.3692 www.custombuildersanddesign.com

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Garage

news

Unique Boats a Splashing Success tExt by scott AlEs imAgEs courtEsy of mEcum Auctions

For the last 40-years, collectible automobile auctions have prospered and gained tremendous popularity. Mecum Auctions, a name synonymous with muscle cars, recently branched out from automobiles to include some of the most breathtaking classic and special-interest boasts in the world.

At their 2010 Kissimmee, Florida event, Mecum was awarded the responsibility of selling an ultra rare 1966 Riva Super Aquarama Series II Prototype, and did so bringing in $775,000 under the hammer. Later, at Monterey, California, Mecum wowed the crowds by selling five-of-five rare boats, a 1922 Hacker Race Boat with a 400-horsepower Liberty V12 Aircraft engine ($320,000), a 1940 Chris-Craft Runabout ($291,500), a 1965 Riva Aquarama ($290,000), a 1929 Hacker Craft runabout ($225,000), and a 1955 Chris-Craft Cobra ($90,000). Following those successes, Mecum took the boat auction to Winstead, Minnesota where they sold off the Warner Collection, a fleet of vintage boats amassed over 30-years by a single man – the top sellers were a 1929 Dingle Runabout named Gerry Lo ($285,000), a 1932 Chris-Craft Runabout named Sugar Lady ($275,000), and a 1929 ChrisCraft Runabout called Tuxedo Taxi ($160,000). Meanwhile, in January, 2011 at Kissimmee, Mecum was gearing up to sell a 1996 Riva Aquarama Special Hull #774, the last hand-built

wooden Riva boat ever sold to the public – stay tuned for more on this exciting piece of nautical history.

It’s obvious there is tremendous interest in these unique boats, and Mecum is pleased to announce their successes have allowed them to build exceptional momentum in that special arena. Many a boat lovers are now showing a great deal of interest in Mecum Auctions, offering a spectacular venue in which to buy or sell special-interest watercrafts. Expect to see more famed and fabled names such as Riva, Hacker-Craft, GarWood, Dodge and Greavette join Corvettes, Challengers, Mustangs and fascinating automobilia-petroliana-memorabilia at upcoming Mecum events. www.mecum.com

Fiesta Car Show at Carmel Valley Slated for August 6-7 Fiesta Days in Carmel Valley, California has become a two-day tradition over the years, but most recently, they’ve added a car show. The object of giving just another facet to an already successful event was well received, and the car show is once again planed for August 6.

Interestingly, Fiesta Days is held the weekend prior to the weekend kicking off the automotive festivities all along the Monterey Peninsula.

“It’s become a great warm up for the all the car shows,” said Larry Barber, one of the Fiesta Days organizers. “Mostly local people attend, but we do see a fair number of people travelling in from other parts of the state, sometimes just settling in before the major car week.”

Offering a kaleidoscope of goings-on, Fiesta Days welcomes once again a host of food, craft, fashion and music to liven up the celebrations and the car show has quickly established itself as a popular anchoring component to Fiesta Days. Featuring muscle cars, hot rods, restored classics and some motorcycles, the show helps to bolster the philanthropic event. www.cvkclub.org | 831.241.3900

Andrew Romanowski Elected as President of Lamborghini Club America Touted as “The club that Ferruccio built,” Andrew Romanowski has effectively taken the baton from longtime president Jim Heady at Lamborghini Club America.

With this change the club also launched a new, more interesting and informative website, and Romanowski 12

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is working on plans for exciting new social and driving events, as well as more involvement in the community.

It all adds up to a more enjoyable club for the members. www.lamborghiniclubamerica.com

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17th Annual Muckenthaler Motor Car Festival Slated for May Celebrating Hot Rods and Customs on Saturday, and celebrating a proper Concours d’Elegance on Sunday, the Muckenthaler Motor Car Festival will grace the lawns of the Muckenthaler Cultural Center May 14 and 15 in Fullerton, California.

Long revered as one of the quieter but more enjoyable automotive festivals in Southern California, collectors and enthusiasts travel from across the state to attend and show their vintage vehicles at The Muck.

This year the Concours will pay homage to 50-years of the E-Type Jaguar, celebrating one of the most popular sports cars ever with a sizeable number of XKEs on hand. With the Jaguar Club of Southern California long involved with the Muckenthaler Show, Jaguar fans are certain to be highly impressed with the turnout.

Beyond honoring the E-Type, the show is anticipating the appearance of an original Batmobile from the 1960’s show Batman, a selection of original service vehicles such as a vintage UPS truck and AAA tow truck, and of course a number of rods, customs, classics and vintages. The Motor

Car Festival offers several categories, one of the most popular being the Survivor Category, featuring barn finds and original examples of various vehicles.

Both days play host to an intimate number of vendors and sideline attractions such as foods, beverages, arts and crafts, a boutique and potential tour of the Muckenthaler Mansion. www.themuch.org | 714.738.6595

Ford Unveils Two More Race Ready Stallions

In the wake of the Mustang FR500C, FR500S, BOSS 302R and Cobra Jet, Ford is once again peppering up the stable with the BOSS 302S and Cobra Jet for 2012.

“The enthusiasts who purchase the BOSS 302S will be competitive in both the World Challenge GTS and the NASA American Iron Series,” said Mark Wilson, engineering manager, Ford Racing. “We look forward to adding their names to the BOSS 302’s racing history.”

The BOSS 302S begins life as a white Mustang sans seam sealer, sound deadener, and interior panels to ensure reduced weight over standard Mustangs.

Reinforcements are made to stiffen the body and enhance safety, including a 6-point FIA legal roll cage. RECARO HANS Pro-Racer lightweight racing seats, 6-point racing belts, a quick-release steering wheel and an AIM data acquisition system with GPS

comprise some of the race equipment BOSS 302S enjoys inside. Outside, the 302S includes a front splitter and adjustable carbon fiber rear wing, a retrostyled BOSS 302 graphics package mimicking the original 1969 BOSS 302, and a unique heat-extracting fiberglass hood; the package gives the BOSS 302S an aerodynamic advantage and helps to keep the BOSS stuck to the road and running cool. Under the unique hood is a 440-horsepower 302-cid V8 linked to a 6-speed BOSS-302 transmission; at the back, a Torsen diff with 3.73 gears helps plant the power to the pavement, while special two-way adjustable coil-over dampers and Ford Racing anti-roll bards at the front and rear help keep the 302S stable.

As if BOSS 302S wasn’t enough, the Cobra Jet returns again, this time packing an aluminum 5.4-liter V8 based on the 2011 SVT Mustang with a choice of two superchargers, a 2.3-liter TVS unit or the 4.0-liter Ford Racing Whipple supercharger. The Cobra Jets are race prepped with double-keyed cranks, Manley H-Beam con rods, race-ready automatic transmissions, lowdrag brakes, and fully optimized front and rear springs.

Available only in Race Red, Grabber Blue or Winner White with corresponding graphics, it’s the first time the new gen CJs have been available in optional colors, and all will sport black anodized Cobra Jet wheels from Weld Racing. Only 50 will be made, selling between $91,900 and $103,980.

For racers who want to build their own car, Ford offers the Mustang Competition Roller based on the Cobra Jet that is serialized and complete, minus a power train. www.fordracing.com Garage Style Magazine Spring 2011

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Automobilia Monterey Launches New Website

One of the most popular destinations in August is Monterey, California, and one of the hottest spots at Monterey is Automobilia Monterey. Kicking off Monterey's Car Week, Automobilia Monterey at the Embassy Suites Hotel has long offered vendors and collectors an intimate, comfortable venue in which to conduct business, shoot the breeze and enjoy camaraderie.

Boasting row-upon-row of vendors featuring thousands of original signs, literature, racing memorabilia, petroliana, apparel, toys and more, Automobilia Monterey has earned a sterling reputation among auto aficionados and become

a destination to look forward to. Benefiting the Monterey County Rape Crisis Center, much of the proceeds nicely benefit a worthwhile charity, and on-premises pack & ship make the event a smart choice.

Furthering the awareness of the event is thier all-new website, www.automobiliamonterey.com which boasts images from the 2010 event, better categories, and an all around more enjoyable experience. Even the vendor's section has been improved dramatically, making it easier and more efficient to register for a vendor's space.

Automobilia Monterey will be held Tuesday, August 16 (10am - 6pm) and Wednesday, August 17 (10am - 7pm), with vendor set up Monday, August 15 from Noon to 6pm, and Tuesday before 9:30am. www.automobiliamonterey.com

Ducati Diavel Sets New Standards, Trends Sticking to their long tradition of uncompromising motorcycles, Ducati is set to begin selling the Diavel through authorized dealers in February, 2011. Following the technological lead set by the Ducati Multistrada (GSM issue 8) the Diavel features Traction Control, Sport, Touring and Urban riding modes, Ride-By-Wire throttle, and ABS brakes to deliver the most dominant ride available. Developed from the world champion Testastretta Evoluzione superbike engine, the Diavel comes equipped with the Testastretta 11 engine, a derivative of the original. Capable of up to 162-horsepower in Sport or Touring modes (100 in Urban), the 400-pound motorcycle moves swiftly yet assuredly.

“The Diavel is confident and muscular; this stylized and innovative bike is shaping the future of motorcycle design as riders demand comfort, style and performance in a user-friendly package,” said Cristiano Silei, CEO of Ducati North America.

The Diavel features one of the lowest seat heights in the Ducati family at 30.3-inches, as well as wide tapered aluminum

handlebars beautifully shaped to fit the lines of the bike. Other techno advancements include LED lights, keyless ignition, and an LCD splitlevel instrumentation with a TFT control panel display.

“This Ducati introduction embodies both attitude and ability by offering an ownership experience unlike any other,” said Silei.

Available as the Diavel or the Diavel Carbon (pictured), the former is available in red or pearl white and red, while the latter features a body of carbon fiber with forged aluminum Marchesini wheels, lessening the overall weight by 5.5-pounds. www.ducatiusa.com

CORRECTION: Oops! In our last issue there was a major blooper at the end of the Artist Profile article. To end your suspense here is the entire ending of the profile, “Every once in awhile, I sneak away from my drawing board and hit a few east coast car shows to hang with my fellow car freaks and gather tons of inspiration for more automotive visual insanity…” Watch for him! GSM

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Spirit of Speed ~ ORIGINAL ~

Automobilia • Petroliana • Art

www.spiritofspeed.com Email : spiritofspeed@gmail.com Tel. USA 760.580.8005 France 33. 603.461.031

Everybody Garages...

• Showroom garages

• Power tools

• Cabinets

• Lighting

• Homeowners

• Flourescent

• Tool storage

• Pub table

advertise in

magazine

• Detailing supplies • Hand tools

• Safety

• Stools

• Custom Flooring • Overhead storage

• Working garages • Entertainment centers

...No matter the lifestyle To advertise contact Cindy Meitle 480.277.1864

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office

profile

Clean and sharp, the office is a sanctuary with oodles of books.

The Garage Creep of John Office Profile of: John Photographer: John Occupation: CEO Forzablitz; Former Director of Exterior Design, Cadillac; Lifelong car afficionado Location: Southeastern, Michigan - near the “motor city” Setting: Having been a car junkie my entire life it is only appropriate that I have a space devoted to my passion.This is the “nerve center” of the house, where it all happens.My extensive Ferrari book collection resides there along with all manner of memorabilia related to all things automotive,and transportation design. Scale models, books, magazines, a drawing table, storage for an extensive brochure collection, and scale model of the Motor Trend Car of the Year Award trophy are but just a few things that reside in the “car command center.”

With my new venture Forzablitz.com, it is the perfect place for designing,thinking and reading about cars, design, and anything else appropriate. If it were possible to park vehicles in the “office” I would!

Features: The drawing table is an item that I have had since attending Design school in California 35-years ago.Many,many days and nights were spent hunkered down over that table sketching vehicles and other design related projects.Whenever 18

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Across from the desk, art lines the walls keeping the car theme.

I have car enthusiasts over they are amazed at all the books that are a part of the collection,which also dates back some 35 years. There is also an the obligatory sound system that can rock the house if necessary. GSM

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Another great opportunity brought to you by Garage Style Magazine and Granite

Order or renew your subscription to Garage Style Magazine and receive a $25 gift certificate from Granite Digital good toward any battery charger purchase on www.SaveaBattery.com!

Call 800.999.9718 or go to www.garagestylemagazine.com to get started! *Must pay for subscription or renewal before gift certificate will be issued. Gift certificate issued by Granite Digital.

Offer expires May 1, 2011.

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Garage

features

Simple structure offers space, enjoyment.

Sky’s the Limit A Pilot’s Retreat tExt And imAgEs by

michAEl goodEll

A

s a career pilot, Jon Hagstrom, needed something more in retirement – somehow a new Toyota Avalon and a membership to the local golf course just wasn’t going to cut the mustard. As such he opted to begin collecting automobiles of interest, and in particular is a vehicle he lusted after as a young man, a 1963 289 Shelby Cobra. In order to keep the collection safe, secure, clean and protected, he found himself a garage that few are privy to visit, a secret of sorts, a private lair just for Jon. Because Jon is Jon, his garage has more stories reverberating off the walls than most can absorb in a year.

I had the pleasure of hearing some of his best while visiting the “secret” garage in an undisclosed location (for reasons explained later on).

To understand the garage and its marvelous contents, 22

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one must first understand the man; to say Jon has led an “interesting and thrilling life” is an understatement!

He was born in Cleveland, Ohio (which he refers to as “Detroit without the glitter“) and spent most of his boyhood days dreaming of airplanes and fast automobiles. When his family moved to Florida he rode in the cockpit with the flight team and realized that the longer he kept his mouth shut, the longer he would be able to extend his experience as a young co-pilot; not an easy task.

His first job was as a busboy at the Miami Lakes Country Club, getting fired one evening and immediately re-hired moments later by the Executive Chef, with a promotion to Sous Chef. Jon enjoyed the restaurant business where he could meet new people and save a few bucks to later be put toward…flight school. He even had a short gig playing in a rock

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Well Appointed Porsche Keeper Orderly - Of Course tExt And imAgEs by

don WEbErg

There is no substitute for organization; John embodies the Porsche spirit.

R

etiring to the wilds of Northern Arizona from a Chicago suburb, John and his wife had the opportunity to build a new home from the ground up. An enviable situation, they thought things out very well, and designed a modest home with two well-appointed, oversized garages. One for daily drivers, the other aptly described as the toy box, John found peace in the ability to park his beloved Porsches (a vintage 914 racecar and two 911s from the 1980’s, one with less than 2,000-miles on the odometer) in a devoted space; he also found peace in the ability to 26

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work in one garage without having to move cars around to make way for the daily drivers, and more peace was found in a space that featured all the amenities anyone would need in a garage.

“If you spend as much time as I do in my garage, it’s a pleasure to spend it in comfortable, clean surroundings,” said John. “Because we were designing the house from the ground up, I wanted to add everything I’d ever wanted in a dream garage.”

With this in mind, John and his wife began working with

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Corvette Fever Purpose Built Corvette Corral tExt by

don WEbErg imAgEs by

michAEl broWn

Like a shoe each Vette fits perfectly.

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The garage reflects the home.

G

rowing up in 1950’s Middle America and attending senior year of high school in the early 1960’s would have made it close to impossible not to be influenced by Corvette. It was America’s motoring sweetheart, the only American sports car and it made short work of inspiring people to live, dream and drive. The swoopy two-seater had the ability to run with the wildest from Europe, but held with it a distinctively American swagger that set it aside and made it unique from the others.

For Michael Brown, Corvette Fever took hold and never let go.

“I was a senior in high school in Hugo, Oklahoma when GM introduced the tenth anniversary Corvette, and first year coupe,” said Michael. “It was called a Split Window, with reference to the two-piece rear window in the fastback design.

I thought it was stunning, and still do.”

That was the first official bite from a Corvette that Michael recalls, and he was hooked. But, of modest means, and making a name for himself in the media profession, it would take 22-years for him to find a ’63 Split Window that he could afford, and that would be shortly before his 40th birthday.

“After dropping several none-too-subtle hints about it to my wife, Sandra, she finally said, ‘Well, just go buy it and that can be my birthday present to you,’” he said. “It also came with a condition though, she told me to ‘get over my middle-age crazies!’”

Twelve Corvettes later, including that first one, Michael’s not so sure he’s made a good case that he’s over the crazies,

At night, a new persona.

Oil company signs make great eye candy.

but he’s having fun nonetheless.

“There is something truly special about Corvettes,” he said. “I think she understands now, it’s not just a phase.”

Having spent several years living on a sizeable rural estate of about 22-acres, the couple decided it was time to move closer to town, and downsize to about 3-acres. The opportunity presented itself to purchase two homes with adjoining lots totaling 3-acres, and they moved on it.

“Finding acreage for home sites in the city limits can prove to be a challenge,” he said. “As it worked out, we bought two homes from different owners at the same time.”

For the next 10-months, Michael and Sandra lived in the older home while the first home received extensive interior modifications and redecorating. With the land re-platted, they had their 3-acre plot and Michael had begun considering designing and building a truly remarkable garage.

“On the rural property I had a new metal building constructed, which worked great out there, but it wasn’t a possibility in a neighborhood,” he said. “It was also a bit Spartan.”

Once the home was completed and the two had moved in, Michael began planning the garage. The first obstacle was a power pole, which he defeated by planting a few Lance Bark Elms that hid the pole and made life more visually pleasing and simple. To kick off the garage, Michael worked with a builder and architect he knew.

Repeating Rays.

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Denny’s Toy Box How a Master Mechanic Retires tExt And imAgEs by

bill nAkAsonE

I

n a quiet section of North Seattle comprised of large multi-acre residential parcels lies a modest two story residence with an adjacent large steel shed building. The subject property blends in well with the rest of the neighborhood giving no indication of the impressive car collection that resides within. This is the home of Denny’s Toy Box and the list of cars that are housed within the steel building include such honored Marques as Auburn, Cord, Rolls Royce, Jaguar and Porsche (lots of Porsches).

The toy box is bifurcated into two sections. The first section serves as a restoration area for current projects, a service area for maintaining completed projects, and holding area for cars “on deck” waiting for future restoration. During my garage visit, a Cord 812 was undergoing a complete restoration, a preventative maintenance service had just been completed on an Indian motorcycle, and four Porsche Speeders awaited their turn for transformation from project car to completed car. The second section of the building houses all of Denny’s finished cars, a collection of vintage motorcycles, a collection of vintage bicycles and a host of display cases filled with interesting automobilia.

The cars in Denny’s collection are varied and diverse (bordering on eclectic). Although the dominant theme is Porsche, there are a number of vehicles that are decidedly different. First, there is a 1930 Rolls Royce 4-door convertible with body

by Brewster. This car was assembled in the United States during the short 6-year term that Rolls Royce actually made cars in America. Right next to the Rolls Royce is a 1910 Stanley Steamer. Other significant cars include a 1972 Jaguar XKE with a 12-cylinder engine, an Auburn 4-door convertible Phaeton and a 1956 Ford Thunderbird.

The Porsche collection is stunning. The most appropriate 32

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Surprises abound in eclectic garage.

The inner child will be happy.

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6700 sq. ft. custom garage in O range C o. Cali for nia

“A garage should reflect today’s classic designs, in order to preserve yesterday’s vintage cars for tomorrow’s enjoyment.”

GARAGES UNLIMITED Custom Garages for RV’s, Motorhomes & Classic Cars Imagine • Design • Build 22343 La Palma Ave., Suite 124 Yorba Linda, CA 92887 714.624.3692 www.garagesunlimited.net license no. 788647

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Look for us on

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Husband and wife relive old times at the home drive-in.

Garage in the Mist Reliving Favorite Days tExt And imAgEs by

don WEbErg

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Vintage magazines (above) are a neat touch - the garage is fun, comfortable. Mish-mash (below) of police, Hollywood and car collectibles have been gathered over a lifetime.

H

aving retired from 25-years with the Los Angeles Police Department, Frank and his wife, Yara, moved to Northern California to enjoy cooler weather, a more laid back pace and build a garage to showcase their lives together. Improving the basic two-car garage of a home nestled high atop the rim of a canyon, edging up to peaceful pines and a killer view to the ocean, it was exactly the prescription for a karma tune up.

“We’d always loved this area, so when the opportunity presented itself to relocate here, we jumped on it,” said Frank.

“My wife and I both love cars, so the idea of a car guy hangout was a cinch.”

The day after they moved in, Frank began working on the garage, hanging signs and posters, setting up a tool area and just enjoying. It wasn’t too long, though that they wanted more. With the help of a contractor friend from Los Angeles, they extended out the back wall to accommodate a third car, finished the walls and hung some lights. As a first effort it was just what the doctor ordered to better suit their two Corvettes and mint original 1963 Impala convertible.

“The garage was fantastic, and it only took a few weeks,” he said. “We hung some posters, signs and other enjoyables, and it was great. It wasn’t until recently that we decided we Garage Style Magazine Spring 2011

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Carpeted garages are rare and courageous.

Automobilia Palace A Tradition of Collecting Continues tExt And imAgEs by

don WEbErg

T

Great place for great reading.

here was a time when automobilia and petroliana were known simply as automotive memorabilia or, less kindly, car junk. It wasn’t collected by just anyone in those days either, because it wasn’t quite as easily obtained – it was reserved for the true, dyed-in-the-wool car buffs like guys who owned hot rod shops, gas stations or wrecking yards. Larry is a product of the latter, having spent his summers as a teen working at his uncle’s junk yard, helping customers yank parts off cars. His uncle surrounded himself with oodles of gas pumps, signs, neon products, oil can racks, glass oil bottles and more just because he liked the stuff – it rubbed off on Larry, who now spends his time perfecting his collection of car junk, buying and selling various pieces from swap meets, garage sales and, of course, the Internet.

“Uncle Milton was quite the collector, and that’s what sparked my interest in collecting memorabilia,” said Larry. “I enjoyed cars, and learned a lot about them through my uncle, and I really liked being surrounded by all the memorabilia, so

in my 20’s I started collecting it too.”

By the time Larry had relocated to Central California in 1980, he’d amassed a sizable collection of memorabilia, and had a goal of building himself a sensible space in which to keep it all. The home he and his wife bought came with a sizable piece of property, which gave him the freedom to design and construct, with the help of his brother, Mike, over the course of two years, an oversize four-car garage.

“Before we moved here, people would always ask me, ‘Where are you going to put all that stuff you bought?’ and thanks to this garage, now, I have a place to enjoy it,” he said.

The garage is big enough to accommodate four cars easily, maybe six small cars in a pinch, but that wasn’t the point at all for Larry’s garage – he wanted something more along the lines of a museum that would showcase his collection of oil and auto 40

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Speedway Brewing Company Gearhead Heaven tExt And imAgEs by

stEvE mccArthy

Outside, it’s non descript - It’s all inside.

S

o, if you walk into a brewery and the door handles are bigblock Chevy con rods, the barstools are crankshafts and Top Gear is on the TV, have you died and gone to heaven?

Only if in addition to great brews made on the premises, they serve fantastic BBQ with their own award winning sauce.

Heaven indeed awaits thee!

It is in the form of the “Speedway Brewing Company,” in Lacey, Washington, next to Olympia. This place is indeed gearhead heaven. Owned by Brett Dodd, and founded in 2006, this place has become a regular gathering for Pacific Northwesters who love good Beer, good ‘Que, and good Cars.

Brett offers a wide range of well crafted beers from an ESB to a Scots Ale, all the way to a great Stout. His Texas Style BBQ offers ribs, brisket, and hot links (he also slow smokes a whole Prime Rib twice a year – reservations required!) with an amazing array of sauces from mild to supercharged. The sides

are equally good. Beans (naturally), slaw, potato salad, and fries round out the menu.

Inside the converted warehouse, the eatery/bar is decorated with years of collected racing memorabilia that Dodd and his father acquired over decades of racing involvement.

Brett produced racing for TV and film, everything from Desert Off Road to European Road Racing; his father was a local NHRA legend. While filming in Europe, Dodd discovered that there was more to beer than what America had to offer and when he retired from corporate life, decided that he needed to join the growing micro-brewery field. He did need to find a “hook” to differentiate his place from the sizable clan of brewpubs, and hit on the idea of BBQ and Racing, his other two passions. Completely different from what was becoming a standard upscale pub-grub genre. The racing touches are the most obvious. Aside from the afore mentioned door handles Garage Style Magazine Spring 2011

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Kelly’s Garage Ltd. John Kelly bought Peare’s Motor Works in 1917.

Garages in History Catherine Street Waterford, Ireland tExt by

rick rAdEr

imAgE ProvidEd by

mArtin bArrEtt ltd, WAtErford

D

ave Barry remarked that, “Geographically, Ireland is a medium-sized rural island that is slowly but steadily being consumed by sheep.” Up until 1893 the sheep didn’t share the paths (roads came later) with anyone other than horse drawn wagons and carriages.

And then along came Fergus Mitchell who was the owner of the first car in Ireland. The significance of this did not escape the Irish who quickly installed Dublin’s first traffic light.

The light, which is still in full working order, was installed in 1893 outside the home of Mitchell. Why the Irish thought they needed a traffic light with only one automobile remains one of the great philosophical questions of the ages.

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Maybe the insight has to do with another Irish first namely “Sean’s Bar,” in Athlone. Sean’s is not only the oldest pub in Ireland but also the oldest pub in Europe. Here we are talking “old,” not like “Cheers in Boston old,” or even our oldest old bar (Jean Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, New Orleans, 1772) but really old. Sean’s was founded in 900 AD. Mitchell was a patron of Sean’s Bar and is also believed to be Ireland’s first intoxicated driver. Mitchell was often seen driving in his Renault trying to avoid hitting the sheep, even when there were none. My research did not reveal whether or not Mitchell actually had a garage so we can’t claim Mitchell as having the first garage in Ireland. That honor goes to William F. Peare

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(1868-1948) of Waterford (of crystal fame).

However, this garage was not a residential garage, but a “Motor Works,” or an establishment for the sale and repair of these new contraptions. It also raises an interesting philosophical question; wouldn’t you first need a place to sell cars Image: Waterford City Library before you could decide you needed a place to park these goliaths?

Peare and a partner, Sir William Goff, established their garage at the northwest side of Catherine Street in a building formerly used as a coach building concern. Peare inherited his interest in “moving parts” from his father, a watchmaker, and in 1899 started building motorized quadricyles. In 1900 Peare and Goff founded Peare’s Motor Works. According to the company records of John Kelly Ltd, the automobile dealer that bought Peare’s in 1917, “the first car sold by Peare’s was a French De Dion Buton, which is believed to be the first motor car imported into Ireland.”

Guess Peare didn’t hear about Mitchell and his Renault.

Peare’s became the country’s best known “car mechanics,” and motorists (they were not simply car owners in those days) from all over Ireland brought their vehicles to Waterford for repair and service. Not sure how many boxes of Waterford crystal purchased by motorists during those repair trips actually made it back to their homes in one piece. In 1901

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the company began building motorized tricycles and was among the first Irish companies to assemble and build a motor vehicle of any kind. By 1903 the number of Irish motor cars (not quite automobiles at this time) grew to 236. Peare’s Motor Works expanded along with this growth, and a Cork branch was opened in 1913; hence the claim for Ireland’s first multilocation dealership.

The turmoil of World War I brought the demise of Peare’s fortunes. William Peare was a Captain in a British Army Motor Transport unit in Italy and in 1917 the business was forced into liquidation. John Kelly bought the firm in 1917 and it has continued to flourish till today.

The British Historic Trust acknowledged the significance of Peare’s Motor Works with the granting of the Blue Heritage Plaque marking Ireland’s First Motor Garage. GSM

In addition to Peare’s quadricycle cars the following cars were made in Ireland: DeLorean DMC-12 TMC Costin The Shamrock Leprechan Thomond Chambers Clan Fuldamobil Alesbury Silver Stream

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Have you missed an issue?

Issue 1

Issue 2

Issue 4

Issue 3

To order a back issue please write to: GSM P.O. Box 18479 Anaheim, CA 92817 or call 800.999.9718 www.garagestylemagazine.com

Issue 5

When ordering please indicate the issue you would like and how many of each. Back issues are $10 each U.S. only International back issue orders $20 each.

magazine

Carmel’s Baja Cantina $ 4.99 US Fall 2009

Porsches Bent Down Under Engineering

Garage Style Magazine Fall 2009

1

Issue 6

Back yard mechanics to world famous car builders and traditional hot rods to multi million dollar classics are all featured on “The Vintage Vehicle Show”. Lance Lambert, the show’s producer and host, has been taking you on four wheeled adventures since 1993 and “The Vintage Vehicle Show”, broadcast nationally and internationally, can be enjoyed every week on your TV and computer screens.

Check your local listings for times and topics, or log on to www.vintagevehicletv.com 48

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Garage Style Magazine Spring 2011

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Have you missed an issue?

Issue 1

Issue 2

Issue 4

Issue 3

To order a back issue please write to: GSM P.O. Box 18479 Anaheim, CA 92817 or call 800.999.9718 www.garagestylemagazine.com

Issue 5

When ordering please indicate the issue you would like and how many of each. Back issues are $10 each U.S. only International back issue orders $20 each.

magazine

Carmel’s Baja Cantina $ 4.99 US Fall 2009

Porsches Bent Down Under Engineering

Garage Style Magazine Fall 2009

1

Issue 6

Back yard mechanics to world famous car builders and traditional hot rods to multi million dollar classics are all featured on “The Vintage Vehicle Show”. Lance Lambert, the show’s producer and host, has been taking you on four wheeled adventures since 1993 and “The Vintage Vehicle Show”, broadcast nationally and internationally, can be enjoyed every week on your TV and computer screens.

Check your local listings for times and topics, or log on to www.vintagevehicletv.com 48

Issue12.indd 48

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2011

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tool

bag

Matco Specifically engineered for the professional mechanic and technician, Matco recently introduced their Infinium line of cordless tools. Available in three voltage families, the 18V family includes a ½-inch impact wrench, axle grinder and power shear; the 14.4V family has a 3/8-inch impact wrench, drill driver and grease gun, and the 10.8V family includes a mini polisher, drill driver, ¼-inch impact wrench and impact-screwdriver combo.

Lightweight, the entire line is designed to offer simplicity and flexibility in the most demanding work environments, and is complete with the latest battery cell technology and a lithium universal smart charger. www.matcotools.com | 866.289.8665

Autoglym Making a splash in the U.S. market, Autoglym has been introducing their extensive line of automotive enhancement products quarter-by-quarter, successfully impressing enthusiasts and novice detailers alike. Fast Glass is one of their latest U.S. releases, formulated to quickly remove polish stains, grunge and grime, and simply make glass clean. It’s also versitle and gentle enough to use on plastics, Perspex, mirrors, chromes, and more. Free of abrasives, waxes and silicones, Fast Glass doesn’t easily leave residue and streaks behind, making the task of achieving clear glass less stressing. www.autoglymusa.com | 305.266.3887

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automobilia

outlook

Old cans are terrific eye candy - Garage Art can take your decor to the next level.

Garage Art Dot Com The Site for Collectors tExt by

cindy mEitlE

imAgEs courtEsy of

gArAgE Art

S

teve Johnson is the founder of Garage Art Inc., located in Gig Harbor, Washington. The company name was taken from an old saying, “That would make good Garage Art,” a perfect name for a company that markets and sells décor to the automotive and motorcycle enthusiast market. Garage Art works with both commercial and residential customers, and has helped design décor for restaurants and automotive dealerships as well as dream garages.

A hands-on type guy, Steve tries to answer as many phone calls as possible, and since Garage Art strives to have something for everyone including the car collector and enthusiast, he starts with the question, “What theme are you trying to achieve.” If it’s a Packard collector, they have Packard signs; If it’s a hot rod guy, they have hot rod signs; The team is seeing a lot of younger people getting into Garage Art because it’s an affordable way to enjoy the hobby, eliminating a need to own the car, and mega budgets aren’t required to decorate a room to say, “This is what I’m passionate about.”

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the products they develop. All pieces are made in the USA with few exceptions, and they rarely do installations unless they are in the local area. But, make no mistake, they stand behind every piece they sell. If a customer is not satisfied, they can return the item for a full refund.

Steve has personally been collecting garage memorabilia for 30-years. His collection contains over 50 original signs, and he’ll tell you he can always use more space, just like his customers tell him every day. His favorite piece is a Washington Chief gasoline sign, a reproduction of the original signs that sold in 2010 for close to $20,000. His dream is to build a 40’ x 60’ garage with a loft, dance floor and lots of garage art.

Because he’s an enthusiast, his favorite part of the job is being able to talk directly with customers who are planning their dream garage or adding to it. In each case, the customer is working to put their personality into their business or garage.

There are many companies doing small parts of what Steve’s company does, but Garage Art strives to be the company with the largest selection of items a customer can shop in one place. Priding themselves on being hands-on

Garage Style Magazine Spring 2011

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BLT Roll-Out Garage Flooring ®

Newllic a Metilver S lor Co

• Beautifies garage floor in minutes • Hides cracks and stains • Helps prevent concrete damage • Patterned design reduces amount of dirt tracked into home

Simply Unroll No adhesives required

Sandstone

Royal Blue

Forest Green Slate Grey

Brick Red Metallic Silver Midnight Black

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• Provides moisture and vapor barrier • Cushions floor for anti-fatigue benefit • Very durable—lasts for years • 5-year limited warranty • Easy to cut for custom fit • Easy to move for cleaning • Reduced noise and insulates

Contact BLT for purchase locations customerservice@bltllc.com www.g-floor.com Garage Style Magazine SpringPending 2011 59 Qualified distributors—please apply Patents

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Artist

profile

Rick Rucker tExt by

JErEmiAh mcdAniEl imAgEs courtEsy of

rick ruckEr

T

here was a time, a long time ago when artists would apprentice the masters to learn their secrets. Michelangelo was an apprentice and had apprentices, the artist Giotto also started out as an apprentice.

Aprenticeships have been used to teach a new generation a talent or trade for centuries, but as consumerism rises more and more experts are keeping their trade secrets to themselves.

So when a talented artist not only welcomes the opportunity to teach others what he does, but offers to do it for free, it turns heads.

For Rick Rucker art and drawing have brought him so much joy throughout his life that he wants to make the world a better place using it.

“If someone can use my knowledge to draw and make something that makes them happy for the rest of their life, then I’m happy,” said Rucker.

Rucker has a unique style of drawing, he uses tiny dots to develop an image. He says its almost like an inkjet printer, in the artist world its called Pointillism. He began drawing more than 50 years ago, but never drew cars or portraits until 2004. A chance meeting with famed car enthusiast Jay Leno compelled Rucker to draw not only the car Leno drove that day, but also his portrait. When the drawings were done he took them to the Rock Store where he had first met Leno and asked a waitress to give them to him the next time she saw him.

“I got a phone call on a Saturday from Jay Leno and he says ‘Rick this is Jay Leno, I got your picture,’ and I said yeah right,” said Rucker. “Then he tells me how amazing it is and I realize its him and all I can think is that Jay Leno thinks I’m 60

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an asshole.”

Leno was so impressed with the image Rucker produced that he allowed him to draw a number of the cars in his collection. In addition to opening his private collection up to Rucker he introduced him to a number of his friends.

“He introduced me to people I would never have know, its total serendipity,” said Rucker.

From that point on Rucker almost exclusively drew cars and portraits of his favorite drivers and racers. An aspect of his work that makes it unique is that he is able to get the drivers that he portrays to personally autograph the images. He has work signed by Bobby Rahal, Phil Hill and a number of his idols.

“I’m so blessed in life, if God was to tell me it was my time I would thank him,” said Rucker.

It is that serenity that Rucker gets from drawing that he wants to share with the world. He and his wife started a website www.drawingcarsiseasy.com, where Rucker sends anyone who signs up a newsletter teaching them the techniques he uses to draw cars. He is also working with friends to teach an interactive class through YouTube. His hope is that when

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it is completed he will have videos to show his techniques.

“The videos will be from beginning to end on how to draw,” he says.

His thoughts are not of profiting from the videos but simply giving others the knowledge to do what has brought him so much joy. His dream he says is to create a world-wide network where artists can go to learn different drawing techniques, share their ideas and get help.

While these goals are things that he hopes to work up to, he is also working to make changes now. He is currently working with the parks in his area to teach children different ways to draw.

“When they can do something that people say, ‘oh my how did you draw that,’ it boosts their self-esteem, and that is something that you can’t teach,” said Rucker. “The more they can do, the more tools they have in their quiver, the more enjoyment they’ll get out of life. “ Rucker, who calls himself old, is only 64, but his thoughts often drift to what will happen when he’s gone. A man who draws so much enjoyment out of life and what it has provided him, says that he wants to be remembered as the guy who chronicled a snip it of time.

“My thoughts are as long as someone remembers you you’re never really gone.”

It’s hard to imagine a man with such a positive outlook being anything but happy, but life has a funny way of making us realize the things that are precious to us. He recently lost his wife of 38 years, was involved in a serious motorcycle accident in 2009, and he says

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his work has suffered. He has vowed to get back to work, however, it may be these life setbacks that are fueling his fire to help others.

He was recently made a founding member of Club Artistes Auto, a website devoted to giving automotive artists a place to share their art, their ideas and their time with fellow automotive artists.

Rucker, along with artists from the UK, Belgium and Canada offer advice to artists who seek it. This website may be the first step in reaching his ultimate goal. But even if he falls short of his hefty goal of teaching the world to draw, he will still be doing what makes him happy, and in the end that’s really all that matters. GSM www.drawingcarsiseasy.com

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unique

artists

Bernardo Corman Bernardo has been creating wild and imaginative pieces of art since the mid-1980’s. He describes his work as Pop-Surreal Automotive Art Castings, drawing inspiration from the concept cars of the 50’s, and mashing that with a love of Surreal art. The results are castings ranging from small to life-size that could be plucked out of the dream world. His life size piece CaddyCorner can be seen on the streets of Kuwait City, while the rest can be viewed at www.bernardcorman.com.

Booker Booker lives the life of an artist superhero, by day practicing podiatry, and by night crafting stunning images of metal and rubber.

Using HDR he is able to capture the unique beauty and character of each car he shoots.

His prints are available at www.pbase.com/ booker, or he is available for commissioned work to photograph your beloved vehicle.

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personality

profile

Bill Warner works hard to put on a fantastic event - and he has fun.

Bill Warner

Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Founder tExt by

don WEbErg

imAgEs courtEsy of

AmEliA islAnd concours

T

he founder of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, Bill Warner, is a car guy through and through. Having spent part of his life running H.C. Warner Company, the family filtration business, in Jacksonville, Florida, he enjoyed collecting and racing cars on the sidelines. Through the years, he established himself as a consummate car guy with an excellent reputation with racing and collector circles in Florida.

In the mid-1990’s he was approached by the newlyestablished Ritz-Carlton Hotel of Amelia Island about creating a signature automotive event and Bill was agreeable provided there was a charitable arm involved. Ritz-Carlton had no objection, and soon the first Concours was underway. Now, 17-years later, the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance is one of the most respected and revered events in the country, and perhaps the world, and Community Hospice of Northeast

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Amelia has become a piece de resistance with car enthusiasts.

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Automobile

review

Form follows function and Apollo functions well.

Gumpert Apollo

Benchmark Supercar tExt by

don WEbErg imAgEs by

gumPErt gmbh

I

n the past few years, Gumpert has been not-so-quietly expanding its presence in the supercar segment, setting records at famous racetracks around the globe, impressing members of the media, teasing the buying public and just having a good time. What began with the Gumpert Apollo has grown to the Apollo Sport, Apollo Speed and Apollo Hybrid models, each boasting more power, higher performance and a touch of earth-friendly green.

Founder, Roland Gumpert’s experience in the auto industry dates back to the late 1960’s when he began his career as a test engineer at Audi. Being an instrumental leader in the Quattro development, he was a key player in Audi’s domination in various forms of racing. By 2001, he’d ended his tenure with Audi, moving on to independent projects and was approached by MTM’s boss, Roland Mayer, who asked if he’d like to help produce a supercar. Gumpert was interested, 68

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but insisted the car be an actual supercar – a vehicle with performance and usefulness above all else. No problem.

Within a year and a half, the first Gumpert prototype was teasing the media – within two and a half years, the car was proving itself as the third fastest car to circuit the ‘Ring, and the fastest car BBC’s omnipopular show Top Gear had ever tested. Gumpert’s passion for performance is apparent in the car bearing his name, as it’s become a benchmark for other supercars to aspire to – with 0-60 times in the 3.0-second zone, 0-100 times in the 7-second zone, top speeds of over 220-miles per hour, exotic build materials and techniques, and a price tag of about $400,000, it’s easy to see why the Apollo has jolted the supercar market.

Outwardly, the Gumpert Apollo is a bit strange looking, but, it’s absolute form following function at this level. Besides, since when do supercars look sane? Comprised of scoops, wings,

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Have You Missed an Issue?

To order a back issue please write to: GSM P.O. Box 18479 Anaheim, CA 92817 or call 800.999.9718 or visit www.garagestylemagazine.com magazine

$ 4.99 US Summer 2010

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2010 Monterey Guide

Two Year Anniversay Issue Garage Style Magazine Summer 2010 1

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Issue 10

When ordering please indicate the issue you would like and how many of each.

Back issues are $10 each U.S. only International back issue orders $20 each Garage Style Magazine Spring 2011

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special

products

M2 Machines M2 Machines has quickly established itself as a die cast manufacturer to be reckoned with.

Makers of highly-detailed, well-studied vehicles, each car from M2’s varied and extensive collections has been designed based on actual automobile studies, referencing hundreds of images, countless books and occasionally using original sales literature pertaining to each car. The goal is to ensure accuracy as close as possible.

Instead of crafting a few parts that come together and create a simple toy car, like most mass market manufacturers, M2 has gone a step further and elected to produce several components for each car, giving a much more detailed model in the end, more suiting a collector than a child’s toy.

M2 Machines produces something for everyone, from hot rods and customs to detailed authentic original reproductions. They’re branching out into even more special interest sectors such as service vehicles and barn finds. While they take making the models very seriously, they’re also very serious about having fun, dipping into the passion pool to tap the emotions every car guy knows.

M2 Machines gave GSM a barn find ’71 Hemi ’Cuda, ’57 Dodge CRL, ’54 Studebaker 3R tow truck and ’65 Shelby Mustang GT350 to check out and pep up our makeshift office. We were all really impressed with the M2 products and the pricing they’ve established. The 1/64th scale cars run right around $5. www.m2machines.com

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Book

reviews

Heroes, Legends and Plain Old Fashioned Fun! TEN DAYS IN SICILY Tony Andriaensens

Ten days in Sicily is based on a story of four British young men who went to Sicily in May 1966 to watch the last real road race, the Targa Florio.

Arriving in time for the Syracuse Grand Prix, they drove their Fiat 124 saloon press car to Syracuse to watch this first GP race in Europe for the new three-litre formula.

The next weekend - May 8 - all four were present for the start of the Targa Florio. They experienced the excitement of the pre-race practice runs, combined with a commemorative run to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Targa - the Trofeo Marathon, for veteran and vintage cars with special guest Elisabeth Junek.

Author Tony Adriaensens had the chance to use their photo collections which he combined with work from other photographers to get a complete, high quality visual on all participants to the 1966 Targa Florio!

Two of the surviving ‘travellers’ wrote down their personal memories to tell the story of their journey to Sicily. This, in combination with the personal experiences from drivers (Nino Vaccarella, Ignazio Capuano, Jack Wheeler, Alan Minshaw and Rauno Aaltonen, etc.) plus period race reports taken from the best magazines of the day in English, German, French and Italian gives you a complete view on what happened in those Ten days in Sicily: the GP of Syracuse, the Trofeo Marathon and the Targa Florio.

DEUCE OF SPADES The long awaited period hot rod film from Faith Granger...

When a hotrod girl finds a mysterious letter dating back to the fifties hidden in her roadster, she is left with nothing but questions…

Who is Johnny Callaway?

THE LINE OF BEAUTY Diedrich Dasenbrock

A wonderful collection of color photographs providing an aesthetic appreciation of the sports racing cars of the 1950’s–the era of front engines, skinny tires and “if it looks right it must be right” aerodynamics Made over a period of almost 20 years, these are my favorite images of my favorite cars. A Unique and collectible book.

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She sets out to find the answers and retrace her deuce’s troubled past.

Fast hotrods, cool cats, gravity defying swing dancing and rockin’ retro music all serve as a colorful backdrop to this heartfelt, inspiring story.

Discover an underground scene where counter culture is in, old school is cool and nostalgia forever reigns.

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business

profile

Garages Unlimited/ Coalescent Design & Development tExt by

cindy mEitlE

imAgEs courtEsy of

gArAgEs unlimitEd/coAlEscEnt dEsign & dEvEloPmEnt

B

ruce Spielbuehler owns Southern California-based Coalescent Design & Development Group, a general design, building and remodeling company, and its subsidiary Garages Unlimited. His family has been heavily involved in construction for decades.

With contracting in the blood, Bruce launched Coalescent Design & Development Group, and was soon immersed in the Orange County, California construction scene. His talent as a designer-architect-contractor-builder spoke volumes to people looking for a one-stop shop. And then it hit him about ten years ago - garages. He had started doing a lot of homes and garages for NHRA guys as well as local car collectors, fabricators and restoration experts.

The bug that rekindled his automotive interest came when he had a subcontractor who was a plumber and was part of a top-fuel drag team. The bug really bit Bruce when he did a remodel for Austin Coil, John Forces’ Crew Chief, and old-timer Danny Ongais and a few others. Most of his garage projects at the time, were typically done with granny units.

One day, Bruce made a major decision to expand his garage expertise and exposure.

Bruce shares with GSM: “Three years ago, I saw how much more garages could be. I was aware that big-box garage makeover companies were emerging, and I had talks with them about setting up distributorships in California, but nothing happened. I decided I had to compete for the marketplace with a different name and focus. Around this time, I discovered Garage Style Magazine. Garage Style put it all into perspective for me. It opened up the world of the garage and brought to light the place for guys to hang out, in the man cave.

“I’m the principal person who designs, budgets and manages each and every project for Garages Unlimited. I’m a licensed General Contractor and licensed Architect and hands-on with all projects on a daily basis and it’s reflected in my care and attention to detail. My in-house crew knows how I think and how things should be put together. We perform

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GU has studied numerous suppliers for the best materials.

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sewer cleanout and enough space to store 25-30 cars. The space has temperature control to protect car interiors, surround sound and lots of big flat screen TV’s. The floor is a polished, stained slab. The main requirement of the client was to design a garage that doesn’t look like a garage on the outside.

Today, the garage looks like another home next to his main house. This is the evolution of the garage, to make the structure look less like a garage, and more like an extension of the main home.

“This client is a true car collector and used to pay a great deal of money on a monthly basis to keep his cars in storage at various places.

That didn’t make sense. Now, he has a home for his cars and can easily access and admire them.

His most prized car is a ‘65 Shelby Cobra. He uses his new garage for friendly gatherings, fundraisers and as a great all-around hang out place for his teenagers.”

For three years, Bruce has been getting his car fix in Drag Racing by running, crewing and sponsoring a 9-second bracket car (a ’62 Chevy Nova

Giving a garage a facelift is exciting.

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With vast construction experience the sky’s the limit.

named Mighty Mouse) along with his buddy Don Barrie and Don’s son, Dan. He will be running his own 10-second bracket car for the first time this year, a ‘70 Camaro. Bruce and his racing buddies consistently attend the NHRA Heritage Hot Rod Series with about seven cars, and this is a big part of his marketing, as well as several car shows. Bruce knows car guys need functional, creative garages.

Garages Unlimited has performed services for private and commercial projects in Oregon, Washington, Arizona and California, with the bulk of their business derived from Orange County and Los Angeles. Currently, they’re designing and building two residential garages designed to blend in with and complement the main home; fronted by two 18’ x 8’ frosted black glass roll up doors, the effect will be stunning. They’re also in discussions with a company to begin designing and constructing a 50-unit garage car condo facility for cars and RV’s, a sizable undertaking indeed. GSM www.garagesunlimited.net | 714.624.3692

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buyer’s

guide

Some Ideas for the Concours Circuit Suixtil Nothing like a well-made, well-designed bag, and the new Suixtil Rally Helmet Bag is just that.

Perfect for zipping off to the track or packing lightly for the weekend, the Rally Helmet Bag’s leather detailing and bold elements make an elegant, individual statement. www.suixtil.com

B.R.M. Watches Bernard Richards Manufacture recently released their limited-edition version of their CL-44, the N-NID-AB. Emblazoning the B.R.M. racing spirit, the time piece offers exceptional detailing with parts that look like they came directly from a vintage race car. The push buttons resemble start buttons, the aluminum dial emulates the structure of competition vehicles – it’s pretty much the perfect watch for an automobile or racing enthusiast. It’s also durable, assembled with an amazing chassis and resists water for 330-feet/100-meters. www.brm-manufacture.com | +33 (0)1 61 02 00 25

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