September 2013 Volume 1 • Issue 4
Ryan “Fuzz” Stevens’
TWIN TURBO Rat Rod
Mike Nasiatka’s
CuStom Chopper Chris Hensel’s
’68 Fairlane
$ E E R F $
This month’s cover, Mike Nasiatka’s Custom Built Chopper, was shot on location in Gary by Jerome Hindmon.
Interested in Advertising? Sales@RegionRides.com or Call: 219.200.3877
In This Issue Cruise & Show Schedule Works of Art in Progress
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Plum Crazy
Chris Hensel’s ‘68 Ford Fairlane
Got a Cool Ride? Rides@RegionRides.com
Certifiable
Mike Nasiatka Custom Built Chopper 12
Hands Full
Ryan Stevens Twin Turbo Rat Rod
Our Team
Founder • Publisher Mark Halliar Publisher Rolando Martinez
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Region Renegade Vince Nygra
Something for Tyler Miracle Build for Tyler Vargo
Valparaiso Fire Department 4th Annual Benefit Ride
Contributing Writer Chris Jackson
Hoosier’s Hottest Garages
Contributing Writer Betty LeBeau
Organized Chaos
Cartronix of Valparaiso
Hoosier Headhunters Car Club
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27 28 36
Contributing Photographer Jerome Hindmon
Cruisin’ for critters Animal Shelter Benefit
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Publication & Ad Design Designs by Mark
Kidz Kustom Korner Region Rides Classifieds
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Region Rides is a monthly publication by Region Rides LLC. All rights reserved. Production without permission is strictly prohibited. All photographs & articles submitted become the sole property of Region Rides Magazine.
Cruise Night Schedule MONDAY NIGHTS
Applebees/Advance Auto • 5pm to 8pm 791 Indian Boundary Rd • Chesterton, IN Charley Horse Restaurant • 5pm 8940 Calumet Ave • Munster, IN Dairy Queen of Demotte • 5pm 341 N Halleck St • Demotte, IN
TUESDAY NIGHTS
*Blue 82 • 5pm to 9pm Music, Food, 50/50 Raffle 8209 Wicker Ave • St. John IN Southlake Auto Mall • 4pm to 8pm 4191 E Lincoln Hwy • Merrillville, IN Every 1st & 3rd of the Month Al’s Supermarket • 5pm to 8pm Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN Pav’s Restaurant • 4pm to 8pm 642 North Main St. • Hebron, IN
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS
THURSDAY NIGHTS
White’s Pit Stop • 5pm 330 E US Hwy 30 • Schererville, IN
Courthouse Square • 5pm to 9pm Crown Point, IN
A&W/KFC • 5pm 1475 S. Lake Park Ave • Hobart, IN Across from St Mary Hospital
SouthSIde Pizzeria • 6pm to 9pm Parrish & 133rd Ave • Cedar Lake, IN *Rusty Nail Sports Bar • 6pm to 9pm 2420 Dombey Rd • Portage, IN Whiting Cruise Night • 6pm to 9pm Every 3rd Wednesday • 119th Street Quaker Steak & Lube • 6pm to 11pm *Bike Night w/Live Entertainment 6245 Ameriplex Dr • Portage, IN
Have an Event?!
Region Show Schedule Sunday, September 8 • 11am to 3pm Buddy & Pal’s & Langel’s Pizza 342 US 30 • Schererville, IN $15 Per Truck Class TJ Piccirilli • 219.996.6563
Quaker Steak & Lube • 6pm Truck & Jeep Night w/Entertainment 6245 Ameriplex Dr • Portage, IN
FRIDAY NIGHTS
*Harley Davidson of Valparaiso • 5pm 1151 W Morthland Dr • Valparaiso Finnegan’s Pub • 6pm to 9pm 1074 Joliet St • Dyer, IN Zel’s Restaurant • 5pm 210 US Hwy 41 • Schererville *Boomers Pub & Grub • 5pm 2522 Portage Mall • Portage, IN
Let us know on our Facebook page or send an email to Events@RegionRides.com
Iron Horse 4x4 Inc 5th Annual Beauty & The Beast Truck Show
Pick-Ups Bar & Grill • 7pm to 11pm *Bike Night w/Live Entertainment 21000 Torrence Ave • Sauk Village, IL
FREE Valpo Car Show, Swap & For Sale Corral Sunday, September 8 • 9am to 2pm Porter County Fairgrounds Call Mario: 219.464.9918 Best Paint • Best Engine • Best in Show $0 Registration Fee $5 Spectator Admission
FRIDAY & SATURDAY NIGHTS
Simon Sez • 8pm to Midnight 2250 W Lincoln Hwy • Merrillville
*Bike Night Cruisin’ for Critters Car & Bike Show
September 22 • 9am to 2pm Pav’s Restaurant 642 North Main St • Hebron, IN 219.996.3663 Top 50 Awards Breakfast Will be Served! $15 Registration Fee
Works of Art in progress
The Man Who: Miguel Magana Age 25
The Ride Year: 1987 Make: Chevrolet
Got a project you’re working on? Send us pics and a brief description to: Rides@RegionRides.com
Model: Monte Carlo Paint: Two Tone Black & Cranberry Body: 2 door Suspension: Monroe Shocks Engine: Rebuilt 350 with Custom Intake Trans: 350 Turbo Trans
Interior: Stock Interior, Buckets, Custom Ostrich on Doors, Back Panel, and Back Deck, 8 Custom Pioneer, Speakers Custom Brake LED’s Purchased: Bought in 2008 Modifications: Exhaust Upgrades, Hooker Headers, Custom 2 1/2 inch Pipes, Flowmaster Mufflers Time spent: 4yrs Future Upgrades: Posi Rear-end with Gears, 22 inch rims, High Output Alternator, Bass Amp, and Last Body Work and Paint
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He Says: “About 4 years ago, I had a custom 15 inch lift put on it with 28 inch rims, (worst thing I ever did). I didn’t like the way it drove so I let it sit until 6 months ago. I set it on-top of a new frame, new springs and shocks, new brake and gas lines, picked up a re-built engine from a friend of mine with 23k miles and added a nice 350 turbo trans, headers, carb n custom intake, with a new exhaust.”
HERE’S TO FIRST DOWNS
AND FIRST ROUNDS. Stacked logo with gold drop and slight gradation on red
Stacked logo with gold drop and no gradation on red
Horizontal logo with gold drop and slight gradation on red
Horizontal logo with gold drop and no gradation on red
Horizontal 2 color Stacked 2 color
Plum C Written By: Betty LeBeau
Chris Hensel of Hobart, IN, liked this beauty while doing mechanical work on it for his best friend of 32 years, (and previous owner of 8 years) Chris LaRoche. He first fell in love with this gorgeous 1968 Ford Fairlane Convertible when LaRoche had it painted Plum Crazy Purple. Chris and Chris worked on
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this beauty together for many, many years. After years of nagging, (and with much regret on LaRoche’s part) his best friend finally caved. The Fairlane found new life, (and TONS of power!), in Hensel’s hands. When he got her, she was in pretty good shape; LaRoche was in the
Crazy Photos By: Jerome Hindmon
beginning stages of restoration before he
sold it. Before Chris LaRoche was stationed in Saudi/Kuwait, he bought a red 1997 C-5 Corvette with an LS1 engine. This lead to
smack talking of mammoth proportions on which car was faster (more on that later!). This best-friendly competition leads me right into all of the power that Chris Hensel put under the Fairlane’s lovely, yet unassuming hood.
In response to LaRoche installing a Pro-Charger on the Corvette, Hensel stroked the Ford 302, in the Fairlane, to a 347 with 470 horsepower. His plan was originally just to rebuild the 302 and add some chrome, but as all of us enthusiasts know, the smack talking must be answered with MORE POWER! He then added a 2-stage wet nitrous system that delivers a mean 125 horsepower on the first shot, and 250 horsepower on the second shot. She has an automatic C4 modified trans with a TCI 3500 RPM stall, a Mallory Nitrous
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6 ignition, a 780 CFM Holley carb, and a Flowmaster muffler with 2.5” dual exhaust. All of this meaty goodness sits atop Centerline wheels with stock front disc and rear drum brakes. Let’s just take a breather here Region Riders, I must regain my composure! The interior has been completely factory restored with black vinyl and suede upholstery. Her gauges have been beautifully, and tastefully embedded into the dash. Chris debated for many years on whether or not to cut the dash to upgrade the radio for a newer unit. He went all in, and added a
Clarion head unit, Alpine speakers, and a 650-watt Alpine amp. In addition to the upgraded audio, he installed power windows, and re-felted the trunk. Chris’s primary focus has been on that fantastically muscle-bound drivetrain, engine to rear end. In true gear head fashion, Chris said that his Fairlane would never be finished. He is currently replacing the interior wiring with a new loom, installing new halogen headlights, and trying to find someone local to re-chrome his bumpers (call Region Rides at 773416-0665, if you know a guy, and we will forward the information to Chris). The next phase is to install an R & C coil over/rack and pinion front end, a 6-point chromoly roll cage, and swap the trans to an
Who: Chris Hensel
Trans: C4 Modified, Automatic
What: 1968 Ford Fairlane Convertible
Interior: Factory Restored Black Vinyl and Suede
Where: Hobart, IN
Wheels: Center Line
Engine: Original Ford 302 Stroked to 347
Suspension: Stock
Horsepower: 470
Paint: Mopar-Plum Crazy Purple
Brakes: Stock-Front Disc, Rear Drum
Extras: 2-Stage Wet Nitrous System
Ride Specs
AOD 4-speed to make it a more practical daily driver. “[Now] it’s more of an every-other-day driving car, it’s driven on nice days and when I can afford the gas.” Chris would like to send a very special thank you to the experts at VanSenus Auto Parts (with locations in Hammond and Highland), Bubba for his NOS and Bill Reinschreiber for his machining expertise. Also to Lance’s Auto Repair (Fort Wayne, IN) for his custom driveline. Chris Hensel is the Commander of Chapter
9 AVMRA (American Veterans Motorcycle Riders Association) in Valparaiso, IN. Chapter 9 of AVMRA’s mission statement is, “This corporation is organized for the charitable purpose of providing support and assistance to active military, veterans and their families along with assisting the community through volunteerism and donations. AVMRA 9 provides an opportunity for its members to ride and associate in a brotherhood of like-minded individuals while affecting change in the lives of our community.” Please visit www.avmra9.com to donate, get involved, and for upcoming events.
As promised earlier, back to the competition! Unfortunately, Chris LaRoche ended up selling his Corvette last year, before they got to find out which car was faster. They are searching for the owner of a red 1997 Corvette with a ProCharger Supercharger, believed to live in the Griffith or Gary area. If you have seen this car, know the owner, or have any information at all, please contact Region Rides, so that they can find the owner and put this competition to rest, once and for all. When the owner is found (I am completely confident he will be), and the race is held, please remember, Chris and Chris, there is no crying in customizing!-RR
Certif Written By: Betty LeBeau
This INSANE 2013 Custom Chopper was dreamt up, fabricated, and is the fantastically twisted embodiment of what happens when you cross the precision of a mad-scientist, with the mechanical ability of a NASA engineer, the ingenuity of Da Vinci, dusted heavily with the artistic vision of Retna. The incredibly talented, Mike Nasiatka of Portage, IN has, “had the picture of this bike in my head since I was a kid.” He has always worked on bikes and started out as a young buck wrenching on mopeds, his craft evolved from there. Mike works on both cars and bikes but amazingly, this is his first Harley based chopper. His favorite thing about building is the reaction that he gets from people the first time they see one of his masterpieces, “What the (expletive deleted) is it?!?! IT’S AWESOME!!!” Mike says that he has weird taste, “People either love it, or they hate it.” After hearing about the painstaking, knuckle-busting detail that he put into this work of art, I can’t even begin to imagine how anyone could hate anything that this genius created.
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Photos By: Jerome Hindmon
Mike purchased the frame, with the rake that he wanted (he later re-raked it to where he liked it, going for a “pro street” look), and a set of wheels from Craigslist. The frame was originally set up only for a measly 80 cubic inch motor. He chopped up and completely revamped the frame to accommodate the 150 horsepower, 127” Ultima El Bruto motor. Once, while sitting at a stop light, he was feeling a little curious and decided to punch it on the green, this beast of an engine pulled the front tire right off of the ground! Needless to say, his curiosity was satisfied and that was the first and last time. The transmission is a 6-speed Ultima with 3.5” primary exposed drive belt. For convenience in replacement, the rear drive belt is for an ’02 V-Rod. He added an Ultima R1 Carb with hypercharger, and built a custom oil tank to mimic a nitrous
tank FROM SCRATCH with a high flow nitrous valve and lines ran all the way to the carb with nozzle installed for the complete setup appearance. Holy fantastic fabrication Region Riders! I told you it was insane!
fiable
The ignition system is a James Bond-esque 6-digit keypad fed into the upper motor mount assembly with Voodoo rake-in ignition coils. COOLEST. THING. EVER. PERIOD! Mike built the chin spoiler from scratch to cover the battery box, which holds a gel-cell Braille battery, the regulator, and the relays, which are all neatly tucked and sit on the front of the frame. All of the wiring and the battery cables are ran through the frame, and Mike added tubing to ensure that everything was properly hidden. The Z bar handlebars are modified to accommodate the internal throttle and the hidden wires are run through them. A 6” set of risers was customized to fit the handlebars onto the DNA Springer front end, which was modified, with a 3/2 Choppers Wishbone kit. To put the icing on the chopper cake, he made a mount to hold the gorgeous solid brass headlight. His favorite thing about this magnificent machine is the way that it rides. This is due to the hidden air ride suspension system tucked under the trans. All of the controls are integrated and it is fully adjustable on the fly. While riding, he can change from a super-stiff sporty suspension to super-cushy depending on the terrain and his mood. This sick ass suspension gets a 3.75” raise and slams all the way down to sitting on the frame! The air bags and compressor are enclosed in a CNC machined aluminum box. “You can cruise at 100-110 on the highway and ride for hours comfortably.” This comfort even extends to the passenger seat, which was measured to precisely fit her posterior, and is occupied by Mike’s lovely wife, Amanda. The custom made (by Mike, of course) old school turned aluminum look seat sits a mere 16” from the ground
and is upholstered in bright white Marine Vinyl (also used for the grips), padded with marine foam and a gel insert. Without further ado, the answer to the question on every Region Rider’s mind, “What is going on with that wicked ass paint job!?!?!” Mike and his buddy Vegas laid down the paint on this bike with actual spray paint and paint markers over bare metal! It was finished with a UV protectant clear coat. Under the paint section toward the end, the frame was left with grind marks, welds, and wax marks from the fabrication stage and clear coated. The stunningly gorgeous exhaust is coated in industrial ceramic! Mike can ride for several hours straight, reach down, grab his the exhaust with his whole hand, and it is perfectly cool! The gas tank started as a blank and has a modified inner tunnel to run the electrical components through, and mounted a fully functional bottle opener to the underside. He put recesses on the tank and made inserts into the side out of perforated metal with a brass underlay. The fenders are made from blanks and the rear fender struts internally; the whole thing is completely removable. Mike would like to send a HUGE heartfelt thank you to his loving wife, Amanda Nasiatka, “for being such a trooper through this 8 month build. She planned our entire wedding all by herself, because she couldn’t wait to ride this bike.” You know Mike, you better hang on to that one, she sounds like a keeper! - RR
Ride Specs Who: Mike Nasiatka What: 2013 Custom Chopper Where: Portage, IN Engine: Ultima El Bruto 127” Front Brakes: 4-Piston Caliper, Hydraulic Rear Brakes: Brakester Setup Clutch: Hydraulic Trans: 6-Speed Ultima
Front End: DNA Springer Modified with 3/2 Choppers Wishbone Kit Frame: Custom Rake: Where Mike Liked It Wheels: Front 21” Rear Wheel 18” 300mm Paint: Insanely Beautiful Graffiti design Body: All Custom Gauges: People Use Those?
HANDS Written By: Betty LeBeau
I am not ashamed to say it Region Riders, “Hands Full” is the most impeccable, the most exquisitely detailed, and the downright sexiest specimen of Rat Rod fantastic-ness that I have ever had the pleasure of laying my lovely green eyes upon. If you were to look up Rat Rod in the dictionary of awesomeness, (if there isn’t one-there should be!) a picture of “Hands Full” would grace its margin. I digress; this glorious example of Rat Rod goodness is the brainchild of Ryan “Fuzz” Stevens of Hammond, IN. Ryan’s buddy Tracy (of T & R Auto Body in Hammond) found the 1931 Ford Model A 1 ton cab and bed in Henderson, IN and picked it up for him sight unseen. “This is a really sought after year for rat rods, and it was very solid except for a little rust on the lower parts of the doors.” Ryan said, “I just kind of went with it, I had a vision of what I wanted, and it came out better than what I envisioned.”
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Photos By: Jerome Hindmon
This motorized masterpiece has a Chevy 400 small block engine that Ryan pulled from his 1978 4-wheel drive Suburban. He added a turbo cam, Dart Iron Eagle heads, twin 53 mm turbo dual quads, an Edelbrock TRIYX from the
‘50’s topped off with 2 Holley 450 carbs and a custom built carb hat. All of that power is backed by a
ANDS FULL
350-turbo trans with 2500-stall converter. The frame is a stock 1931 Model A frame that has been boxed. The front end is suicided, with spring front suspension and 1940 Ford Juice brakes. Bringing up the rear is a 1958 Oldsmobile rear end with buggy springs that he Z’d. The 4-wheel drum brakes are what gave “Hands Full” its name. With all that power, “just try and stop it!” The exhaust is a custom built, factory van manifold that has been turned around to face forward to accommodate the turbos. I realize that was a TON of power crammed into one
paragraph, if that made you as weak in the knees as it did me, I would find a comfortable seat for the next one! The seats are 1950’s original fiberglass bomber seats pieced together and cut to fit the floorboards. To add modern convenience, Ryan custom built a dual cup
holder to hold, *ahem, “20 oz. pop bottles”. The glove compartment is an all steel Duke Power Company First Aid Kit box, because when you inevitably get pulled over, (so that the officer can check out your sweet ride), you need somewhere to stash the registration. His steering wheel is out of a
Ride Specs Interior: 1950 Original Fiberglass Bomber Race Car Seats
Who: Ryan “Fuzz” Stevens What: Rat Rod “Hands Full”
Front Tires: 15x6 Smoothie Firestone Dirt Ribbed with Bullet Center Caps
Where: Hammond, IN Engine: 1978 Chevy Small Block 400 Brakes: 4 Wheel Drum Trans: Turbo 350 With 2500 Stall Torque Converter Front End: Suicide Spring Rear End: 1958 Oldsmobile, Buggy Spring & Z’d 1940 Ford F-100. His air-flight bomber goggles are kept around from before Ryan installed the windshield, and had to keep the bug guts out of his eyes while flying around (plus, they look really cool!). The floor shifter is a wrench from when Ford would give you a wrench set when you bought the 1931 Ford Model A, so that you could repair it yourself (and it actually says Ford on it! HOW NEAT IS THAT?!?!). Ryan chopped her top by 6” and channeled it by 6”, as well as shortened the bed to accommodate the shorter frame. The original gas tank, behind the dash, is not in use and the lines were rerouted to the 10-gallon aluminum tank in the open bed. He also welded on those
Rear Tires: 10” 15x10 Flat Smoothie Firestone Dragster Slicks Paint: Are you kidding me? This is a RAT ROD!!! Body: 1931 Ford Model A 1-Ton (Cab and Shortened Bed)
sick-ass spider webs to accent the doors. The headlamps are 682 C’s with yellow bulbs to give it the unmistakable antique look, and the tails are re-pops of the 1930 Model A lights. That striking accent color is a 1970 Cuda Green, in Fuzz’s favorite hue. For convenience at shows, he added a Cabela’s top popper with a 1900 original steel Folgers can to collect the, *ahem, “20 oz. pop bottle lids”. Those “pop bottles” are kept good and frosty in the 1950’s Schlitz cooler in the bed. Hanging off the rear passenger’s side is an awesome skull buddy that his friend Mitch gave him. “It looks really cool swinging around back there when you are going 60.” This rat rod simply oozes with the incredible attention to detail, the unmatched passion, and knucklebusting dedication that Ryan put
into it. While at the Ducktail Run in Fairmount, IN with Hands Full last year, Fuzz proposed to his beautiful wife, Ali Stevens. He was on bended knee in front of 600700 people, thank goodness she said yes! Fuzz would like to send a special thank you out to Tracy at T & R, “for helping with the body and getting it rolling”. Also, thank you to Lee at Pro Stock, Inc.,” he is responsible for getting the turbo system working.” I leave you with this final thought, Region Riders, if you are fortunate enough to see this rod blazing past you, drink it all in, for as long as you can, commit it to memory. Spotting a rat rod like Hands Full is like spotting a unicorn playing Texas Hold’em with Big Foot and a Mermaid. -RR
Region Rene Written By: Betty LeBeau
September’s Region Renegade is Portage’s own, extraordinarily talented “newbie”, Vince Nygra. When I say “newbie”, Region Riders, it is because Vince only started building bikes in his 20
garage, 6 years ago!!! To be so incredibly gifted, and have such a natural aptitude and capacity for mechanical magnificence is beyond comprehension! When Vince was 21 years old, his wife’s
uncle, Greg Callendar, suggested that instead of buying a Harley, he build one using a Buell as a donor engine. (Uncle Greg, you were so wise to get him started!) Both of these beautiful bikes were built,
egade
Vince Nygra Portage Indiana
painted, customized, mechanically upgraded and repaired, and powder coated all by Vince. The black and silver 1979 Harley Davidson Shovelhead Lowrider was complete and his father in law’s first Harley. He changed out the gaskets and cleaned/powder coated the
Photos By: Jerome Hindmon
entire engine. It has a stock 1979 4-speed transmission with an open belt primary. He completely rewired the electrical system, which is without turn signals, horn, gauges, just bare chopper wiring. Who needs that stuff anyway? The handlebars are made by Zombie performance, with a Streamline Designs internal
throttle, and powder coated gloss black. He lowered the 35mm forks by 2� and shaved the lower legs on a lathe then powder coated them gloss black. He cut the frame in half and added on a Santee hardtail section. The rear dons a Led Sled fender that he sanded by hand and clear coated, he used the same process on the gas tank. That super sexy exhaust is custom made and then sleeved with stainless hose from a boiler! The rocker covers are stock, cleaned, and powder coated. Vince also made the forward controls and added a Lowbrow headlight. His favorite thing about this slick ride, are the contrasting colors. It is so beautifully balanced in the way that the black powder coating sets off the sanded bare metal, so sleek, and oh so sexy! He would like to thank Gary and Linda Wilson on this beautiful build.
Vince’s 2005 Buell XB9 is the impeccable chopper that started it all. He and wise Uncle Greg found it totaled at a used car joint in Detroit. He has rebuilt this bike a total of 4 times, changing and upgrading as he got better tools and his skills and techniques improved. The most recent rebuild ran from October of 2012 to April of 2013. The engine is a 2005 Buell with 100 horsepower and a Buell 5-speed trans. Vince rerouted the breather lines, with custom made PCV valves, and converted the original fuel injected system to an S & S Super E. During the most recent rebuild, he cut the frame in half, custom built the front half using the back half of a Red Barron Choppers frame. The handlebars are custom built with an internal throttle. He found the 4.2 gallon
villain gas tank on eBay, and made the custom vented gas cap. The forward controls are custom made using 2 sets of bearings in each peg and have BMX style chain driven shift linkage. This chopper sports a stretch of 6” out and 4” up. The forks are 35 mm all aluminum with the lower legs shaved, custom dust covers, and 6’’ over tubes. This beautiful beast has a rear Led Sled fender and stock rocker covers that have been powder coated. The exhaust is custom built and is 26 SEPARATE PIECES that have been welded together to weave behind the sprocket and chain and back out again. Wendy Drzik upholstered the foamed fiberglass seat pan in sumptuous black velvet. (This is the first seat she has ever done!) The crazy cool twisted sissy bar
stock came from Décor Ironworks in Dyer. That stunning blue paint is Bombtastic Blue Metal Flake over hand-sanded bare metal with airbrushed bubble detail that has been finished with clear coat. Vince’s impeccable chopper took home first place in multiple local shows, and the shovelhead was recently featured on Chopcult. com. He would like to send a special thank you out his lovely wife, Jessica Nygra, and wise uncle Greg Callendar, for helping out with everything. I tell you, it will be absolutely incredible to see what Vince will be capable of in the next 6 years! Be on the lookout, Region Riders, we will keep you posted! - RR
Something It’s a parent’s nightmare. Every parent harbors a secret dread at the thought of an accident or illness affecting their children. If they are smart, parents whose children are born healthy and stay that way should thank God for blessing them with health because when it comes right down to it, your family is really all that matters. Darryl and Peggy Vargo are two of these remarkable people. Their son, Tyler, was born healthy, but a week after his first birthday he was stricken with encephalitis. He began having seizures and was flown by helicopter to the University of Chicago Hospital. After three agonizing
weeks of uncertainty, it appeared Tyler had recovered and returned home. But shortly after coming home, Tyler became lethargic, then limp and then unresponsive.
At that point, the CT scans showed what the Vargos had dreaded; that Tyler had suffered significant brain damage. The doctors best guess at what had happened was that Tyler had suffered from an auto-immune dysfunction as a result of the encephalitis. In other words, Tyler’s immune system hadn’t recognized that there was no longer a n
infection present in the body but had acted as if there were; therefore Tyler’s immune system had attacked his own body. When Tyler was transferred to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago at Northwestern University, the medical professionals not optimistic about Tyler’s future.
Not only would Tyler never be normal or walk, it seemed certain that he would never even be able to swallow, meaning he would exist
g for Tyler Written By: Chris Jackson
on a feeding tube like a virtual vegetable for the rest of his life. But Peggy Vargo never gave up hope.
One year later, Tyler was up on all fours; and a year and a half after that, Tyler was able to walk in to his doctors’ appointment. And the doctor thought that it was nothing short of a miracle. “My wife was so diligent and determined in feeding Tyler,” said Darryl Vargo. “She always felt that he was going to be able to swallow. She kept trying different mixes of foods and different amounts and she would spoon feed it to him. And one day he kept it down. He was able to swallow.” Although Tyler still suffered from seizures, he slowly began to learn and grow. When he was about three, his father began to take him on short motorcycles around the subdivision where the family lived and he really seemed to enjoy the rides. But after a time, Tyler became too big for Vargo to hold, and it appeared his riding days were over. “He just got too big for me to
hold,” said Vargo. “And I couldn’t put him on the back because he didn’t know to hold on.” Today, Tyler is now 20 years old, stands about 5’6” and weighs 140 pounds. He feeds himself and is able to walk, run and even swim. He understands his condition but has issues with frustration b e c a u s e he cannot communicate what he wants.
Remembering the enjoyment Tyler seemed to get from the days when he held him on his motorcycle, Vargo decided to purchase a sidecar for his bike so he could once again take Tyler riding. He found a maroon 2000 Champion sidecar on Craig’s list and bought it just 20 minutes after it was listed. Then he purchased the mounting framework so he could have it mounted it to his 2005 Road King motorcycle. “I showed it (the sidecar) to a guy and told him I wanted to get it painted and mounted and he told me with the amount of work that was involved it would probably take all summer to get it done,” said Vargo, a member of the Operating Engineers Union Local #150.
“But I knew Jeff Halon through a mutual friend so I took the sidecar to
him to see what he thought,” continued Vargo. “It had some rust and a few scratches and some dings, but I didn’t think it was too bad so I talked to Jeff about getting it painted during the week Tyler goes to his summer camp.” “My wife and I always use that time as our respite, because Tyler still goes 100 miles an hour, seven days a week,” said Vargo. “So we left it with Jeff and when we got back the next week I called him and he said ‘you’re gonna be mad at me because I need another week’. I thought well, no big deal, because the other guy had already told me it would take all summer so what was two weeks?” But it was over those two weeks that another miracle was taking place. What Vargo didn’t know was that Halon had enlisted the aid of some friends and businesses and set in motion a complete rehabilitation of the sidecar. Lake Tire donated a new tire, Chapa’s Upholstery restored all the upholstery. Van Senus Auto Parts donated paint and Lake County Customs did the painting. Jody Clark donated the pin-striping and added Tyler’s name to the sidecar. A fellow operating engineer, Rick Parker, and his wife Colleen donated a helmet. Monkey Metal Fabrication, fabricated a fender skirt to prevent Tyler from touching the wheel. John “Smallz” Naumann and Jim Knight of Hammond contributed some cash
to help see the project through. “He (Vargo) brought the sidecar to me to see about having it painted to match his motorcycle,” said Halon. “It didn’t look too bad but it was pretty beat up and when we started working on it we found out that it had been wrecked, too.... Knowing who the sidecar was for, I just thought it would be a really cool thing to do to rehab it completely,” continued Halon. “I think you have to pay it forward and everybody jumped on board to help out.” When Vargo came to pick up the sidecar, he was flabbergasted. “I was speechless,” said Vargo. “It absolutely restores your faith in humanity. Everybody was so generous, and these guys wouldn’t take a dime for it.” The next day, Vargo was able to take Tyler riding once again, and together they put 100 miles on the sidecar. “It’s a daily ritual now,” said Vargo. “He’s tuggin’ at me to go riding as soon as I get home and we put between 35 and 50 miles on it every night.” And Tyler couldn’t be happier. And Darryl Vargo couldn’t be happier either. Even after everything he and his wife Penny, their daughters and younger son Kyle had been through, he wouldn’t change a thing. - RR
Lake Tire
New White Wall Tire
Chapa’s Upholstery Interior
Van Senus Auto Parts Paint
Lake County Customs Paint & Body Work
Jody Clark Pin-Striping
Rick & Colleen Parker Helmet
Monkey Metal Fabrication Fender Skirt
John “Smallz” Naumann & Jim Knight Monetary Donation
Valparaiso Firefighters
4th Annual Benefit Ride
Written By: Chris Jackson
When the bikes hit the street for the 4th Annual Valparaiso Firefighters Benefit Ride on September 14th, the riders will be raising money for the Hoosier Burn Camp as well as having a good time. The Hoosier Burn Camp is located in Battleground, Indiana and is a place where children who have been burn victims get an opportunity to feel like normal kids. The camp hosts activities for kids that help them to connect with other burn victims like themselves and just have fun. Through the camp, kids can build self-esteem and meet positive role models who have experienced similar burn injuries. Sponsored by the Valparaiso Firefighters Local #1124, the first bike will depart from the Valparaiso Harley Davidson dealership located on US Route 30 at Marsh Road at 10am. The riders will head west on Route 30 to the first stop on the run, Maxim’s Motorsports. At Maxim’s and at each stop along the route, the riders will get a paper validated verifying they made the stop. The next stop on the run is Thomas Honda on Route 6 in South Haven, followed by a jaunt to the Michigan City Harley Davidson dealership on North Highway 421. From there, riders will head to the Blackhawk Inn on West Main Street in Westville for a refreshment stop before heading off to Kersting’s Harley Davidson on County Road W 700
N in Winamac. Finally, the riders will head back to the starting point of the run, the Valparaiso Harley Davidson dealership, completing a round trip of approximately 140 miles. When the last bike gets in at 3pm, the festivities will begin. Each rider will draw their cards for the poker hand, with the top three hands receiving cash prizes.
Saturday, September 14th
140 Mile Benefit Ride • 9am Valparaiso Harley Davidson The riders will enjoy food, entertainment, beer garden, door prizes and a 50/50 raffle will be held. There will also be a special raffle to benefit Valparaiso firefighter Wayne Swart, who was severely injured in an automobile accident on March 1st. Married with two children, Swart was traveling on Route 30 en route to his second job as a paramedic in Schererville when another driver crossed the center line and hit Swart head on, causing severe injuries. While Swart has just returned to light duty with the fire department while still undergoing physical therapy, the cost of his medical expenses has been astronomical. So to benefit Swart, there will be an additional raffle with two lucky winners receiving pork freezer packages. The pig has been donated by the Birky Family Farm
in Kouts and the Butcher Block in Lowell has donated the processing. The tickets for the Swart benefit are $10 dollars each. “We’re hoping to have as many as 125 riders this year,” said Tom Steindler, a 17 year veteran of the Valparaiso Fire Department. “We had about 100 riders last year, and we were able to raise about $3,500 for the Indiana Burn Camp.” “It’s a great cause and we would like as many people as possible to participate,” continued Steindler. “If you don’t have a bike and still want to be part of the ride, hot rods or other vehicles are invited too.” The ride is Saturday, September 14th and registration begins at 9am. The cost to enter a bike or other vehicle is $30 dollars, and for each additional passenger the cost is $5 dollars. For the entry fee, every participant will receive a meal ticket and a Tee-Shirt for participating. For more information on the ride, the public can visit the Valparaiso Firefighters Face Book page. To enter a bike or vehicle in the ride, or if you would just like to donate to the Indiana Burn Camp, contact the Valparaiso Fire Department Benefit Ride liaison Stephanie Hart at 219462-8325. - RR
Cartronix - Hoosier People have always wanted a great sound system since ever since Thomas Edison first invented a device that could play back audio in 1877. Whether it was for the house or the car, music lovers have always wanted a better sound.
Today, technology improvements continue to accelerate at unprecedented pace and the available quality of sound a stereo system can generate is incredible. But technology misapplied is technology wasted.
Cartronix is a family run business that has been on the cutting edge of auto sound engineering and installation since 1976, beginning with 8-Track tape players, police scanners and under-the-dashboard equalizers.
Beginning with the advent of stereo sound, as technology has advanced over the years so has the quality of sound systems. And as audio systems got better and better, people would eagerly anticipate the next generation of sound equipment.
To generate the best sound possible you need to have the knowledge and ability to engineer and install a system perfectly. And when it comes to car audio systems, no one does it better than Cartronix in Valparaiso.
Eric Carter, the proprietor of Cartronix, grew up in the business, which was started by his father George.
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r’s Hottest Garage Written By: Chris Jackson
“I grew up doing this after school, getting in everyone’s way all the time and asking questions but I was learning,” said Carter. And he couldn’t have gotten started at a better time, because Carter points to the late 1980’s as a time when things really began to change in automobile stereo sound systems.
“Things really started to change in the ‘80’s,” said Carter. “The way autos were made was different. The dashboards were different, the electronics got smaller; cars were just different. Back in the ‘60’s and even in the ‘70’s a lot of cars didn’t even have antennas or radios,” continued Carter. “But as cars got different, (sound system) installation changed. We could keep a factory radio in a car and build on it. We were able to get more creative.”
Today cars are even better, but the factory systems they come with lack the concert hall sound people are looking for today. And that’s where Cartronix comes in. But simply saying Cartronix is on the cutting edge of automobile sound system engineering and installation would be a gross understatement. The fact of the matter is that Cartronix is in a league all their own. And it’s not just because of their expertise in sound systems, it’s because of how they do business.
True enough, Cartronix has been listed as a Top 50 retailer in the USA as the best for sales, quality and service and made the Top 12 in 2012. And Carter and his installers regularly attend industry expos where they meet with audio equipment vendors and learn about the latest in vehicle
acoustics, integration systems and new technologies. And because of their expertise, Cartronix is a preferred dealer to the vendors. Cartronix is a Flagship Dealer for Alpine, the only Master Dealer in the state of Indiana for Hertz and Carter and his installers have received certification from Sonus in Clarksville, Tennessee in custom installing.
In fact, Cartronix is so well known and respected in the industry that they attract clients from South Bend and Indianapolis, Illinois, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Ohio. But the knowledge and expertise is still not the whole story about Cartronix. The difference is the way Cartronix does business. “We do things differently,” said Carter. “We do a vehicle check-in where we check everything out, we put down floor mats and seat covers.... and if your doors are going to be open for an extended period of time during
the install, we’ll put a battery maintainer on your car,” continued Carter. “That’s why our customers and clients become our friends and keep returning.” And Cartronix can work with all levels of systems, depending on the type of vehicle involved and the budget of the customer, from the typical stereo upgrade all the way up to a $25,000 dollar system. But all the customers get treated the same. For the classic car owner, Cartronix can use the new technology for the best sound system and still keep the same classic look of the automobile. And with a metal shop and wood shop on the premises, Cartronix can fabricate any part necessary for the client looking to install a custom sound system, so the imagination is the limit. And 2013 has been the biggest year ever at Cartronix for motorcycles, too. On bikes Cartronix is not installing digital sound systems, but is also installing custom lighting as well. And at Cartronix, loud is not necessarily better. “A lot of people think they are s a v i n g money
because they take advantage of these ‘big sales’ on car audio components but they are really wasting money,” said Carter.
So do yourself a favor if you’re thinking about installing an audio system in your car. Visit Cartronix located at 2105 La Porte Avenue in Valparaiso or check out their website at artronixcaraudio.com. You owe it to yourself. - RR
“We have an Amp-Dyno in the store and it’s one of just five in the whole country,” said Carter. “This machine measures how many amps an amplifier is turning out so there is no doubt that we can help anyone make the sound better in their car. And we can customize the colors and shape too.”
219.464.2571
Hoosier
H
Written By: Chris Jackson
According to the dictionary, a club is defined as a group of people that are organized for a common purpose such as a particular interest or activity. And depending on which dictionary you look at, by definition a club has regular meetings and the members are subject to the rules or bylaws of the club. Or maybe they aren’t. The members of the Headhunters Car Club are definitely people that have a common purpose or share a particular interest. But that is where the definition of club ends when it comes to this group.
You see, the Headhunters Car Club doesn’t have meetings, has no rules or bylaws, collects no dues and has no officers because they aren’t really organized; but still, it is a club. Or maybe it isn’t. The Headhunters don’t even know officially how many members are in the club because they haven’t compiled a complete membership list yet. And since there are no rules there are no requirements or standards for membership. Or maybe there are. Confusing? Indeed. How can the Headhunters be a club without any of the trappings of a club? Wouldn’t that be an oxymoron? It certainly is a paradox. Or maybe it isn’t. W i t h o u t getting into a
psychological discussion about the duality of man or a mathematical analysis about mutually exclusive sets there is one other aspect of typical club organizations that the Headhunters don’t have and it can be described in one word: Politics. Avoiding politics is why the Headhunters Car Club is the type of club that really isn’t a club by the traditional criteria. “We’re weren’t really organized, we just started out as guys hangin’ out, going to car shows,” said Brian Nelson, more or less the organizer (or disorganizer if you prefer) of the club, referred to unofficially as
“Our unofficial motto is ‘I gotta guy’ because everyone knows somebody who does whatever one of the guys needs...”
Brian Nelson
Headhunters
“We’re Just Organized Chaos!”
Photos By: Jerome Hindmon
the “Poobah” since there are no officers. “We were all guys who were tired of clubs and all the politics that were involved. There were about seven or eight of us that started going to shows together, and then we met another group of guys like us at a show, and that’s how it started.” “Since we were all going to the same shows guys would say ‘hey, save me a spot,’ or ‘hey let’s get breakfast’ and we always ended up hanging out together and having a good time together so we decided to have a club,” continued Nelson. “We debuted at the Regional Streeters show two years ago
and there were about thirteen of us there,” said Nelson. “This year, we had 27 cars at that same show. We originally used the name Hoosier Headhunters Car Club then, but we have guys from out of state in the club now so really I’m not sure if “Hoosier” is part of the name now.” It would figure that a club that is the antithesis of everything that defines a club, would not even be set on their official name. But one thing the club does have is a trademarked logo; a logo and a good time. “It’s a good group of people and w e
have more fun than anybody,” said Nelson. “We’re always cutting up, making fun of each other and our cars, but we look out for each other too. If you are out somewhere and have a breakdown you have guys nearby who you can call.” “And we all help each other out when somebody needs to get something done,” continued Nelson. “Our unofficial motto is ‘I gotta guy’ because
everyone knows somebody who does whatever one of the guys needs. We use our own guys first, like Jody Clark. Jody’s a member so if somebody needs pin-striping, we got it covered. But if we don’t, somebody’s ‘gotta guy’.” There are now in the range of 4045 members in the club, and despite the preference to disorder, a membership list is being compiled, for the simple reason of facilitating getting the word out about what’s going on. The only information required for the membership list is a name, a phone number, an e-mail address and what you are driving, because
20 18
no foreign cars are allowed. So maybe there is a rule. And in another break (gasp) with the unofficial rule against organization, people wanting to join the club now need a referral from a member, but it’s still not all that difficult to join.
“We’re not selective on cars,” said Nelson. We have rat rods, newer cars, hot rods, classics, muscle cars and vintage rides, but no foreign cars are allowed, so I
guess we do have one rule.” “The most important thing is that everyone likes each other. Depending on everyone’s schedules, we have about 15 to 20 cars going to a show every week, and when we’re there we invite other clubs with guys like us to hang out” continued Nelson. “We go to shows together, park together, put our tents up together and everyone chips in with food so we share everything and we’re family friendly, too. Everybody just has a good time, and that’s what it’s all about,” said Nelson. “We’re just organized chaos.” - RR
THE
WORLD’S MOST REFRESHING CAN SCIENTIFICALLY REFRESHING .
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Cruisin’
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Written By: Chris Jackson
It seems like most car and truck shows today are set up to benefit good causes, and that’s a good thing. On the pages of this magazine you have read about shows to benefit individuals, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Schererville Firefighters 9/11 Fund, just to name a few.
The public response to these shows has been phenomenal, and it serves to
demonstrate how big the hearts of the people in Northwest Indiana really are. And this month Pav’s Restaurant in Hebron will host a car, truck and bike show to benefit another good cause: Animal shelters. You may have seen a story recently on television or in the local papers about 34 cats being left on the doorstep of the Hobart Humane Society. This sad tale is just one instance of a burgeoning problem but nonetheless serves to highlight the plight of animals not only locally, but nationwide. There are a number of reasons for this problem, including the failure of owners to spay their pets; but regardless, the number of abandoned, unwanted or stray animals (cats in particular) has reached crisis proportions. Animal shelters everywhere are overwhelmed. They simply don’t have the room or the resources to cope with the ever growing number of animals that end up there, and unfortunately, many end up being euthanized. One person who is determined to help is Jill Andrews, a car buff and the organizer of the “Cruisin’ for Critters” show. “I have always been an animal lover,” said Andrews. “It’s really sad that there are so many
abandoned and unwanted animals out there today.”
“It seems like the problem got worse when the economy went bad a couple of years ago,” continued Andrews. “People lost their jobs and couldn’t afford their pets anymore, or people moved and just left their pets behind. But whatever the reason, the situation is really sad.” Andrews, a Crown Point resident, is the owner of a 1966 Chevelle and has always been into cars. Her husband Arnie owns two 1970 Chevelles and together the couple attend about 20 to 25 car shows a year. The couple also belongs to “R Rides Car Club” and in 2011 the club held a show at Pav’s to benefit the family of a club member who had passed away from cancer. That show was the genesis for Andrews organizing the “Cruisin’ for Critters” show at the restaurant a year ago. Despite a cold day, the cancer benefit was such a success that Andrews decided that Pav’s was the perfect place to host a show to benefit animal shelters. “I had always wanted to do a show to benefit animal rescue,” said Andrews. “And since we had done the cancer benefit show there and it was so successful I thought that this might work.”
or
Critters And work it did. There were 113 cars entered in the show last year, over $2,000 dollars was raised and one of the shelters in attendance was able to get several dogs adopted.
said Griffin. “But she contacted me and asked if we wanted to do it again and we were all for it.”
“I wasn’t working here last year but the place was full, inside and out,” continued Griffin. “The town loves it, we love seeing all the cars and we want everyone to come on out and have a good time.” With the agenda Andrews has set up, it will hard not to have a good time.
In fact, the show was successful beyond Andrews’ wildest dreams. “I couldn’t believe it,” said Andrews. “We encouraged everyone to make donations and we for ended up with three pickup truck loads of supplies.” Sunday, September 22, 2013
Cruisin
“A couple of the shelters that were here last year are private, people who do this out of their home just because they love animals,” continued Andrews. “And one of the women was just overwhelmed. People donated so much stuff she had no way to transport it.” As she looked to plan this year’s show, Andrews had concerns because Pav’s Restaurant had changed hands. A year ago Andrews had worked with former owner Chris Pavlou; there were new owners this year. But she needn’t have worried. New owners Luis Soto and Kelly Griffin are thrilled to have the show back again. “I didn’t know Jill and this is all new to me,”
Critters
642 N Main St • Hebron, IN
$15
Show Entry Fee
Rain or shine, the show is scheduled for Sunday, September 22nd. The show will begin at 9am and will run until at least 2pm. A DJ will provide music and there will be food served all day long as Pav’s will get the feasting started with breakfast before firing up the grill. The cost to enter a car is $15 dollars and trophies will be awarded to the top 50 entries. The first 50 cars to enter will receive goodie buckets and the next 50
entries will receive goodie bags too. In fact, Andrews has been so successful securing donations that there will be special awards and surprises along the way as well. “I sent letters to everyone asking for donations,” said Andrews. “I even have a donation from Jay Leno, and all the proceeds from the show will go to benefit the animal shelters.” Three different animal shelters will be in attendance including the Lake County Animal Shelter, and once again donations of cat food, dog food, blankets and other supplies are encouraged. Pav’s is located at 642 N. Main Street in Hebron, Indiana and the general public is invited to attend. - RR
dz Kustom Korner KiHayden Hrasch •
9 Years Old • Portage, IN
Dan Hrasch sent us pics and a little info on how his son, Hayden, spent his summer vacation. “My boy Hayden is working on decking a trailer, so we can haul his 1982 Honda odessey FL250. He’s also put in countless hours fixing up the buggy.” Great job Hayden and thanks for sending the pics, Dad! - RR
Is YOUR kid working on something cool?! Send us pics and a brief description to Rides@RegionRides. Remember, these are projects your kids are working on themselves!
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