Larry's Garage: A Typographic Exploration

LARRY’S GARAGE A TYPOGRAPHIC EXPLORATION

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LARRY’S GARAGE A TYPOGRAPHIC EXPLORATION

3. LOOKING ABOVE EYE LEVEL

2. LOOKING AT EYE LEVEL

1. LOOKING BELOW EYE LEVEL

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3. LOOKING ABOVE EYE LEVEL 2. LOOKING AT EYE LEVEL 1. LOOKING BELOW EYE LEVEL

“HEY DAD, I’M STARTING THIS NEW PROJECT ABOUT PUBLIC TYPOGRAPHY. YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU SEE TYPE OUT AND ABOUT AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT DOING IT ON YOUR GARAGE… BECAUSE IT HAS A LOT OF TYPE IN IT.”

“IT DOES?”

It is easy to overlook the type that surrounds us in our daily lives. I have walked through my dad’s garage countless times without truly analyzing the vast typography that fills the area. By looking at type outside a book or magazine, we can understand how it invisibly defines the character of a space. The typography on the tools, car parts, and posters in Larry Hinman’s garage are either used for identifying, branding, or advertising purposes. In this typographic exploration, I will first visually show the type found on the floor and discuss Larry’s auto repair service. From there, type will be investigated at eye level with the story behind the cars. Lastly, type will be examined on the walls with a breakdown of the vernacular typography that individualizes Larry Hinman’s garage.

INTRODUCTION

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CHAPTER 1

1. LOOKING BELOW EYE LEVEL

LOOKING BELOW EYE LEVEL

JUST YOUR AVERAGE GARAGE

LARRY HINMAN’S GARAGE IS JUST LIKE ANY OTHER garage that stores lawn mowers, shovels, gardening equipment and various power tools, but that’s not what you would notice at first. When looking at Larry Hinman’s garage, you are probably distracted by the race car that occupies half of the space and the various engine and auto parts scattered around. Hinman spends the better part of his weekends working on miscellaneous automotive projects. Over the years, he has worked on repairing vehicles for family members and neighbors. He gains satisfaction in putting something back together; he likes the challenge of trying to make something work.

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1. The warning labels on these anti-freeze bottles use yellow type to contrast the blue containers, emphasizing caution.

2. ACDelco is a sub brand of auto parts produced by General Motors. They are now their own independent company who is the number one car parts supplier for GM. The logo features a bold type with triangular indents in the ‘A’ and ‘D’. These could symbolize

1. LOOKING BELOW EYE LEVEL

power, speed, or movement.

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Larry owns a red 1957 Chevy Bel Air and a blue 1969 Chevelle. He races the Chevelle a few times a year and aims to make it run smoother on the drag strip. His weekends are spent solving automotive problems, which require hours of Hinman’s time to perfect, “[IT] DEPENDS IF I AM WORKING ON SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED, IF IT’S NOT THEN I CAN COME BACK TO IT. ALL IN ALL IT IS STILL TIME CONSUMING,” Hinman said. The work is tiresome, but Hinman gains a sense of self-accomplishment in the end.

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1. The raised type on these containers signifies that these are gas jugs, which Larry uses to fuel his lawn mower.

2. Hoosier is a company that produces high performance tires. They use raised type to promote their brand.

1. LOOKING BELOW EYE LEVEL

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“Hinman” has been carved into an old limestone post by Larry’s uncle Kenneth “Kenny” Wagner. Limestone was used to make fence posts up until a farm was able to grow an abundance of trees. They used the wood from the trees to replace the limestone posts. Kenneth Wagner repurposed these posts by carving into them for various family members.

“WORKING ON THAT STUFF THAT I DO,

THE REWARD IN THE END IS THAT IT WORKS RIGHT, AND PERFORMS HOW I WANT IT TO PERFORM” – LARRY HINMAN

FIRST OR WORSE DRAG RACING: BE THE FIRST TO THE FINISH LINE. 1.

Simple, right? Just make sure you don’t red light, or go under your dial, and don’t get caught sleeping at the

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light because that would be embarrassing.

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Not to be confused with illegal street drag racing,

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organized racing occurs locally for amateurs to compete for a trophy and cash prize. A season runs from April– October, each race begin with preliminary time trials to

THE CHRISTMAS TREE

help drivers determine what their dial (eta) should be.

Dialing is crucial to racing because it judges who wins.

The lights are staggered based on each racers dial so that they should cross the finish line at the same time. This is

1. Pre-stage yellow lights 2. Yellow lights 3. Green light 4. Red light, if you leave early

known as handicap racing.

Larry Hinman, on the left, drag races at the former KCIR race track in Kansas City, MO.

Larry lines up to race his blue 1969 chevelle back in the ’90s.

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RULES FOR DETERMINING THE WINNER

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1. If you and your opponent both go faster than your dial/breakout, he who breaks the least amount wins.

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2. If you and your opponent both go slower than your dial, he who 4.

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crosses the finish line first wins.

3. He who red lights, automatically loses.

4. If both racers red light, he who reds lights first loses.

RACING SLIP IF YOU LOSE IN THE FIRST OR SECOND ROUND, 1. Racing lane 2. Estimated time of arrival 3. Reaction time 4. Speed markers at checkpoints 5. Time of arrival

you can pay to continue racing. Known as buy backs, the rules vary from track to track. Otherwise, when you lose, you are out of the race. The winner in the end receives a trophy and a cash prize.

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CHAPTER 2 LOOKING AT EYE LEVEL

THE CAMARO LARRY’S GARAGE ACTS AS A CAR HOSPITAL, repairing vehicles so they leave in better condition. Currently, a maroon 1967 Camaro SS stays in the garage. It has been

2. LOOKING AT EYE LEVEL

in the garage for a majority of the past four years.

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1. Headlight from Wagner Halogen.

Features a bold rounded logo which matches the aesthetic of the bulb.

2. SS steering wheel, the “SS� is the trade mark for all super sports.

3. This plaque, located on the inside of the door, promotes and reinforces the Camaro brand

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2. LOOKING AT EYE LEVEL

THIS IS THE SECOND CAMARO FRIEND AND

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NEIGHBOR LARRY STONE OWNS. Various times over the past few years, Hinman has worked on breaking down the engine to find the source of the issues. When Stone bought his Camaro, it came without an engine.

He hired an automotive shop to make one; however, it

1. Right rear axel shaft. The

2. Left rear axel shaft, features

got improperly built. Since then, Stone has hired Larry

wheel is made by Mark

type that promotes Mark

Williams, a company that

Williams brand.

to rebuild the engine.

sells racing axles.

THE HISTORY OF THE CAMARO

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The 1967 Camaro is the first model of its series.

Chevrolet created and released the Camaro after Ford found success in marketing the Mustang. Called a pony car, a term for sports cars modeled after the Mustang,

3. Left front wheel and

4. Right front wheel and hub

Camaros turned out to be a feat for Chevrolet. According

hub assembly made by

assembly. The Wilwood logo

Wilwood Co, who builds

has been place in the center to

to a 1935 French to English Dictionary, a Camaro is a

high performance brake

represent their brand.

“friend, pal, or comrade�.

assemblies.

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MANY JOKE THAT A CAMARO STANDS FOR “A SMALL, VICIOUS ANIMAL THAT EATS MUSTANGS.” Stone’s two Camaros were both made in 1967, one is a SS and the other is a tribute or clone SS. Traditionally, super sports were produced for everyday driving, but many have utilized them for high-performance racing.

Stone does not use his cars for this purpose, but instead coasts around in them. Occasionally, Stone shows off his Camaros at car shows and cruise inns.

This is the radiator grill on the front of the car, all cars have an emblem on the front so you know what they are.

2. LOOKING AT EYE LEVEL

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3. Larry’s ‘57 Chevy Bel Air license plate with type embedded. “NS” stands for Ness County, “H” stands for Hinman, and “182” is the licence plate number.

1. Embossed type on this engine part.

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2. Drillbit set, numbers indicate the different sizes offered by the inch.

THE CHEVELLE & CHEVY BEL AIR

LARRY PLANS TO FIX HIS CHEVELLE’S ENGINE after he finishes Stone’s Camaro. His Chevelle sits in storage

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near Hays, Kansas. His engine block froze over the winter and cracked.

Hinman bought his Chevelle back in 1986 when he saw it on his drive home from Hays. He had been collecting parts for a few years, prior to purchasing the body, with the desire to build his own Chevelle. He jotted the seller’s number down and called them as soon as he got home.

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He immediately drove back to purchase the Chevelle for

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the low price of $150. It didn’t run, however it was in good condition and gave Hinman a shell to work from.

The Chevelle was completed six years later with the help of Larry’s brother Wade. He raced the Chevelle eight or ten times a year when the Kansas City Raceway (KCIR) was open. Since closing, Hinman races a few times a year in Topeka or Greatbend, Kansas.

“WHEN I STARTED GETTING INTERESTED IN CARS, BIG BLOCK CHEVELLES WERE REAL COMMON AROUND THE TIME. RAY [BROTHER-INLAW] HAD ONE, AN ORIGINAL SS, I SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT THAT CAR FROM HIM, BUT INSTEAD I BOUGHT A ’57 CHEVY” – LARRY HINMAN

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Larry’s 1957 Chevy Bel Air with a two-door hard top.

Someday, Larry hopes to finish up the engine on

AN AMERICAN ICON

his 1957 Chevy Bel Air. While visiting relatives in Lubbock, TX, a 16 year old Larry purchased his Bel

The ’57 Chevy is an American icon. They feature 50s

Air the low price of $500. “I wanted a two-door hard

styling, are mechanically built to last, and include a v-8

top, not a sedan or a four-door hard top. I would

engine. You can find a ’57 Chevy in many movies like

have settled for a ’55, but a ’57 was my first choice,”

Dirty Dancing, American Graffiti, and Catch Me if you

Hinman said. His ’57 ran for around ten years. During

Can. According to ’57 expert, Bob Palma says, “THE

its hay day, Hinman drag raced his car up until the

1957 CHEVY HAD SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.”

engine quit in the mid ’80s.

1. This is the frame of Larry’s

2. Larry checks under the hood

3. Larry’s Chevelle does a wheel

1969 Chevelle. It has been

of his Chevelle while racing at

stand at the KCIR. This occurs

painted so the underlying

the motorplex in Great Bend,

when a car takes a hard launch

metal doesn’t rust and is

KS. This is one of the first

at the starting line. The better the

now prepared to have the

times he raced his Chevelle.

traction, the higher the car will

car’s body assembled.

stand on it’s rear wheels.

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CHAPTER 3 LOOKING ABOVE EYE LEVEL

3. LOOKING ABOVE EYE LEVEL

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This is a left over cabinet Larry acquired from his work, he uses it to store manuals and supplies. It was made by ACDelco, the type that reads “Quality Parts...Professionally Installed� was printed on the cabinet to most likely promote the company and what they stand for. Here, you can see how it has aged over the years.

WHEN LOOKING AT VERNACULAR TYPE HERE, “WE CAN APPRECIATE, THEM [LETTER FORMS] FOR WHAT THEY ARE AND SEE THE BEAUTY AND REAL ‘EXPRESSIVENESS’ OF THE IDEA AND THE CREATOR FOR BEING REPRESENTED” – PAUL TOSH

3. LOOKING ABOVE EYE LEVEL

1. This is a Van Chevrolet

THE VERNACULAR TYPOGRAPHY

posters advertising a monster truck event. Larry found this poster behind an old cabinet at his work. It now acts as garage art.

TYPOGRAPHY IN LARRY’S GARAGE EXEMPLIFIES A

2. This is a GM performance

RUSTIC NATURE. It creates an identity that represents

poster Larry acquired at work when it was about

each tool, product, and poster. The variety of type would

to be thrown away. It was

not be considered perfect or high in design, but works in

originally created as an to show that GM sponsors

unison with the form and context in which it appears.

racer Warren Johnson.

The bold and chunky type feels masculine, while the slanted, out-lined type feels fast. The type is direct.

This garage does not feature ornamental or calligraphic letters, but instead primarily utilizes bold sans serifs for their modern simplicity and power.

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This piece of garage art is a reproduced sign from the early nineteenth century. It uses texture to reinforce a vintage look.

GARAGE ART DEFINED BY LARRY HINMAN “ANYTHING TO HANG ON THE WALL, IT DEPENDS ON WHO’S GARAGE IT IS. SOME GARAGES HANG POSTERS, WHILE OTHERS MIGHT HANG ACTUAL CAR PARTS. IT MAKES THE BARE, DIRTY WALLS LOOK BETTER.”

3. LOOKING ABOVE EYE LEVEL

MOST EVERY PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IS BRANDED. The logos are typographic trademarks specifically

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designed to grab the attention of companies’ targeted consumer. Most treat the type-based logos in bright reds or blue which catch the eye.

There is an aesthetic quality to vernacular typography that can’t be found in a book or magazine, because it individualizes a space. I have a greater appreciation for the culture of garage/automotive typography now that I analyzed my dad’s garage. After dissecting each level, going from the floor on up, I understand how the typographic elements pertain to this space and can appreciate its rustic nature. The type found here is not in vogue with design, but it wouldn’t be as interesting if it was. It is not beautifully designed, but in this garage, it characterizes and creates the narrative of Larry Hinman’s auto service.

1. This is a Midway Warehouse clock, one of the last ones before they went out of business. The ACDelco logo is the biggest typographic element on the clock to promote their brand and ownership of Midway Warehouse.

2. These are different products used for various purposes.

The packaging for each uses a lot of type for branding, instructions, and warnings.

3. This ’57 Chevy Bel Air is printed on a metal placard, a gift from a family member.

The type used plays off older advertisements for the ’57.

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3. LOOKING ABOVE EYE LEVEL 2. LOOKING AT EYE LEVEL 1. LOOKING BELOW EYE LEVEL

TYPE IS EVERYWHERE, IT UNNOTICEABLY GIVES A PLACE CHARACTER. EXPLORING MY DAD’S GARAGE IS JUST ONE LOOK INTO THE VAST WORLD OF VERNACULAR TYPOGRAPHY.

CONCLUSION

CREDITS WRITTEN AND DESIGNED BY SARAH HINMAN

SPECIAL THANKS TO MY DAD, LARRY HINMAN FOR ANSWERING ALL OF MY AUTOMOTIVE QUESTIONS AND FOR LETTING ME RAID HIS GARAGE IN ORDER TO CAPTURE ITS ESSENCE.

DESIGNER AS AUTHOR Patrick Dooley, Fall 2015, the University of Kansas.

TYPEFACE:

TOOLS:

Trade Gothic Sabon

Nikon D 3100 Adobe Photoshop Adobe InDesign

SOURCES: 1. Chevrolet, Chevy Runs Deep, for the First 100 Years and Into the Next. 2012, Feb 2012.

2. Markovich, Tony. The Complete History of the Chevrolet Camaro, 2013 3. Palma, Bob. Why the 1957 Chevrolet is an American Icon, from Hemmings Classic Car. December, 2011.

4. Tosh, Paul. Vernacular Type.

5. Christmas Tree. Photo. www.q8stig.com.

“HEY DAD, I’M STARTING THIS NEW PROJECT ABOUT PUBLIC TYPOGRAPHY. YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU SEE TYPE OUT AND ABOUT AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT DOING IT ON YOUR GARAGE… BECAUSE IT HAS A LOT OF TYPE IN IT.” “IT DOES?” “YEAH.”