shark attack!
an Eau Claire man’s dream car is now one of the show circuit’s hottest hot rods
WORDS: TOM GIFFEY
Like its aquatic namesake, the Shark is impressive to read about. And, like its namesake, it’s even more impressive when you’re face to fin with it.
It’s no stretch to say that the Shark –that’s the nickname Mike Markin of Eau Claire has given to his award-winning hot rod – is a work of art. Car enthusiasts once gave the 1938 Graham Model 97 the nickname “Shark Nose” because of the distinctive cut-back grille that lends it the cool, menacing air of an ocean predator – albeit fat-fendered, Art Deco one. Markin and his design and building team took that concept and pushed it to the limit, making nearly 200 modifications to the vehicle and turning it into a fierce specimen that has consumed the competition at car shows nationwide.
“This is a very unusual car, so we get a lot of questions,” Markin said after describing the years-long team effort that culminated in March when the vehicle was named Grand Champion at the International Show Car Association Championship Finals.
Markin has always liked cars, but he picked up restoration as a hobby in 2002 after receiving some sage advice from a friend. “He suggested if I didn’t get a hobby I’d be dead in five years,” Markin recalled.
So he threw himself into the hobby, restoring five or six prewar cars before discovering the vehicle that would become his focus: the 1938 Graham 97. Until he saw a listing for one in an auto catalog, he’d never heard of the car. (That’s not surprising: The Graham-Paige company made cars between the 1920s and 1940s, and only 3,800 of this model were produced.) Nonetheless, Markin fell in love with the model, and eventu-
ally tracked one down in California that was just an engine-less shell. “It wasn’t economically feasible to bring that back to original (condition). It was too far gone,” Markin explained. “But it was the perfect base for a hot rod.”
Markin bought the car in 2007, but restoration didn’t begin for several years. In all, it took several skilled teams 4½ years to bring Markin’s vision to
reality. His amateur but imaginative sketches were transformed by an artist, and eventually – thanks to a large team of craftsmen – were brought to life in steel and chrome. Transformation work began at Donn McFarlane’s body shop in Altoona, while body work, painting, and more were completed at L’Cars Automotive Specialties in Cameron.
While numerous talented people
contributed to the project, Markin gives top credit to his wife, Pat. She served as a sounding board, held Mike and his team to task, and provided much-needed encouragement. She even helped pick the Shark’s distinctive, wine-colored paint, PPG Bordeaux Reserve.
The nearly 200 modifications made to the vehicle range from minor to radical. Among the most extreme: The
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SPIRIT OF MOTION Mike Markin’s meticuloulsy modified 1938 Graham hot rod has turned heads and won awards at auto shows nationwide.
THE STARTING LINE The vintage care was an empty shell when Markin bought it in 2007.
car originally had four doors, but was converted to a two-door coupe. On each side of the car, part of the rear door was chopped off and added to the front door to extend it. Then the car’s body was shortened by removing 26 inches from the roof, and the original trunk was replaced by a deck lid from a 1937 Chevrolet coupe. The fat fenders – which drew Markin’s attention in the first place – were retained, but they were scalloped and streamlined, and the running board was removed.
In the front, the hood was lowered a bit, and the Shark was given a “nose job”: The original grille was removed and replaced with a custom-made aluminum grille. The only two unmodified pieces on the whole car – the glass in the headlights, made in 1938 but never before used in a car – are now framed by gleaming bezels that mimic the lines of the fenders.
And the car’s exterior is just the beginning. Under the hood – gleaming with polished stainless and aluminum – is a 600-horsepower “big block” Chevy 540. Even here, no detail was spared: The air clean was designed to mimic the shape of the fenders and hood. Inside there are bucket seats, a custom-made steering wheel, a heavily modified 1937 Lincoln-Zephyr dashboard, and 21st century amenities like a hidden, Bluetooth-
enabled music system. Even the car’s underside gleams like a gearhead’s vision of heaven.
In 2010, Markin attended the Detroit Autorama – a top-tier hot rod event – to get ideas. Amazed by the cars he saw there, Markin was inspired to turn his gutted Graham into a showpiece, not just a daily driver. Six years later, in February 2016, his car made its debut at the show and finished in the “Great 8” –i.e., the best never-before-displayed eight hot rods. After that, the Shark continued to turn heads and collect accolades at shows across the U.S. and Canada.
The Shark’s inaugural season culminated the first weekend of March in Chicago at the International Show Car Association Championship Finals, where the car topped the hot rod category and was named the overall Grand Champion for the year. And Markin and his team aren’t resting on their laurels: In the weeks after their win, they took Best Rod honors at shows in Minneapolis and Winnipeg, accumulating two of the four points they need to contend for the ISCA crown next year.
From coast to coast, hot rod lovers have learned a vital lesson: Look out for the Shark.
To learn more about the Shark –including build books, specs, and tons of photos – visit theshark-shop.com.
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CHASING TAILLIGHTS
when I was in fifth grade, my brother’s muscle car was the coolest ride in town
WORDS: KEN SZYMANSKI
At age 17, circa 1981, my brother Don set his sights on a Midnight Blue 1964 Chevelle SS Malibu. 327 engine.
4-barrel carb.
4-speed.
Dual exhaust.
8-track player under the seat.
Our father, on the other hand, thought vintage hot rods were bottomless money pits. Not to mention unreliable, loud, and – God forbid – impractical. And when broken-down and propped up on blocks in the driveway, a classic car turned into a classic eye sore.
But on his 18th birthday, Don bought his dream car. For me, all it took was
one ride to realize Dad was wrong on this one. I could literally feel the force of acceleration in my ribcage. Pedestrians stopped and looked at us in the Chevelle – sometimes nodding and giving a thumbs-up sign. That never happened in Dad’s Ford LTD.
Another thing Dad’s car lacked was a subculture. One epic evening, Don took my brother Ron and me to cruise night. Before the convoy, cruise night involved hanging out at the classic car rendezvous point, which at that time was the Burger King parking lot on Hastings Way. We looked under the hoods of other cars and had conversations as engines revved in the background.
Chevy guys stood with Chevy guys; Ford guys stood with Ford guys. Rivalries simmered between the groups. Guys stood by their cars, arms crossed, fists under their biceps. I never saw a fight, but there was a cool danger in the air. Was the Chevelle – or any other of those other cars – totally street legal? None of your business.
I was out after curfew on a Saturday night, without my parents, wearing my “Chevrolet #1” shirt – all soundtracked by ‘60s rock on the 8-track. It was as cool as I could get, at least while standing in a fast-food parking lot. Then we hopped in our cars to start the cruise. A caravan of 30 or so muscle cars, jacked up or riding low, rolled down vintage six-lane Hastings Way: Doughnut Land, CO-OP Shopping Center, Pied Piper, Woo’s Pagoda, Wagner’s 66, and Mr. Steak.
At every red light, the cars revved their engines – BRR-PUH-PUH-PUH –waiting to punch the gas on the green. Our car probably could’ve looked more badass without the fifth-grader grinning from the backseat (no seatbelt!). Downtown, onlookers stood under the Civic Center underpass, making rotations with their hands, hoping to hear some squealing tires echo off the concrete. I was told to keep an eye out for the cops. If we got pulled over, the police would be greeted with Don’s back license plate frame: I’D RATHER BE DRAG RACING.
Unfortunately, the classic car era in our family ended too soon when Don started a career and needed reliable transportation. It was time to become an adult. In the Chevelle’s window, Don put
up the sign: FOR SALE.
When some guy in Mondovi finally bought it, Dad didn’t celebrate, just nodded his head in approval. A neighbor inquired about the missing car, with condolences. “That had to be tough,” he said, sighing like he knew something about adulthood that we didn’t.
Now, all my family members drive generic cars. They get better gas mileage. They’re safer. More reliable. More sensible. But not memorable.
As for the old Chevelle, Don thought he saw it on Hastings Way a couple of times, barreling in the other direction. That was years ago, though. He guesses it was sent to the crusher long ago after all of the salvageable parts were picked clean.
But maybe not. Perhaps someone went through the effort to preserve it. Why? Well, ask any sports memorabilia collector, Civil War reenactor, or archaeologist. Why do they bother? The same reason that right here, right now, I’m trying to polish up an old memory from my own scrap heap. The same reason Don still hangs around car shows and Rock Falls Raceway.
We’re time travelers, all of us, chasing taillights back into the midnight blue.
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A PASSION - NOT A HOBBY
President of Wisconsin Car Enthusiast Club talks the future of Midwest car collectors
WORDS: HILLARY BELL
Acar might be just a car to some people, something to get them to work, to home, and to places in-between, but to the president of the Wisconsin Car Enthusiast Club, Alex Martinez, cars are everything. Martinez, of Eau Claire, saw improvements that could be made to help the car scene thrive. What he changed has not only refined the car culture but has created a community of its very own. We asked Alex a few questions to get a better look into what this car community is all about, and how this passion came to life.
V1: When did the Wisconsin Car Enthusiast Club start? What sparked the idea?
Alex Martinez: I had noticed a lot of disrespect in the automotive community, mostly from people bickering about different makes and models. It was disappointing. I had always had a passion for cars, but it seemed that the community was never inviting or treated people fairly. That was the moment I realized that I wanted to create this group. It was meant to be a place where enthusiasts could get together and share a mutual respect for the things we loved: cars. After a few weeks of brainstorming and preparing the club, I unveiled the Wisconsin Car Enthusiast Club on Dec. 6, 2013, to the local Eau Claire enthusiasts. A little over three years later, we are one of the largest automotive groups in the Midwest.
What is it about cars that make people want to get together, talk about them, and even collect them?
I believe that almost every individual takes part in something that allows them to express their personality in some artistic form. Whether it’s painting, writing, shooting film, or gardening, these are all forms of artistic expression. The automotive community is the same way.
Many individuals express themselves and how they see the world in the cars they own. Each car can have a story, with its own special connection to the owner, the same way a painter has to his first work of art.
Are there certain kinds of cars that the club focuses on more than others?
Short answer? No. Our focus is and always has been to be a welcoming group for car enthusiasts of any kind to come share their passion. We tend to have a strong influence in the 18- to 30-yearold range with both male and female enthusiasts. We have members that are upwards of 75 and as young as 16. We have members that own exotics and old school rat-rods. The spectrum for what is in our group is pretty expansive.
Do any members have big collections?
How long have they been collecting them? Yes, we have some members that have
various car collections. Some of the more experienced collectors in our group have been hoarding – ahem – I mean collecting cars for over three decades.
Why do you like getting to talk to people who are just as passionate about cars as you are?
Bringing people together is a passion of mine. To be able to bring that into another hobby of mine is a pretty spectacular thing. Car enthusiasts love talking to each other about vehicles. To some, those talks begin to extend past cars and eventually form friendships. These friendships can create new opportunities for people. I’ve even witnessed a marriage or two happen because of WCEC.
What kinds of events do you have?
The amazing team behind WCEC is what truly makes these events possible. We host automotive meet and greets, which are free to attend events that get people together to simply talk cars. We also host car shows, which are usually paid entry events for those who wish to participate and include trophies, giveaways, and more. We host partnered events with statewide Autocross organizers and even have started hosting our first ever road rally.
What is the general spirit behind the club? Why do people join?
I feel the spirit of the club is to always share your passion. Nowadays, I feel many join because they’ve heard of it from word of mouth or know about the events we host. We currently have an Facebook forum that hosts anyone and everyone who is interested in cars. We believe that the club can provide almost every opportunity needed for an enthusiast to grow.
What’s the future of the group?
That’s a question we ask ourselves every day. The club has not slowed down in terms of growth, and we are continuously trying to find new and engaging ways to bring car enthusiasts together. You will see our focus start aiming towards integrating large-scale automotive events similar to those of Car Craft, Automotion Classic Car Show, and more. In time, we will become the premiere automotive event hosts in Wisconsin. We also want to find new and engaging ways we can give back to the communities that we all live in. We currently host non-perishable food drives, school item drives, and much more. I think that is something we can continue to make better so others who are less fortunate than us can indirectly benefit from our own success.
To get involved with or learn more about the Wisconsin Car Enthusiasts Club, check out theofficialwcec.com or find the WCEC on Facebook.
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A COLLECTION OF COLLECTORS Wisconsin Car Enthusiasts Club president Alex Martinex riles up the huge crowd at a recent car show.
“Car enthusiasts love talking to each other about vehicles. To some, those talks begin to extend past cars and eventually form friendships. ... I’ve even witnessed a marriage or two happen because of WCEC.”
ALEX MARTINEX, WISCONSIN CAR ENTHUSIAST CLUB
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CAR CULTURE LISTINGS: local car clubs and more
Badger Wheels Studebaker Club • studebakerclubs.com/bwc The Badger Wheel Chapter is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the restoration and preservation of Studebaker produced and related vehicles.
Chippewa Valley Antique Engine & Model Club • Find this Club on Facebook If your nerves have not tingled to the smell of the steam and hot cylinder oil, if your blood has not raced with the rhythemic chuff-chuff of a steam traction engine under load, you have not fully lived. But don’t worry, you yet may live! Also hosts the Pioneer Days show in the summer.
Chippewa Valley Corvette Club • (715) 456-8726 • dougskapyak@hotmail.com • chippewavalleycorvettes.com A club for the Corvette enthusiast, owner or not. A non-profit that donates to charities every. October through May, meetings are held at Monk’s Bar & Grill. June through September they meet at Irvine Park in Chippewa Falls for a potluck style dinner/meeting at 6:30pm.
Chippewa Valley Model A Club • Find this Club on Facebook Anyone interested in the restoration, preservation, news, tours of old cars. Welcomes anyone interested in the hobby regardless of the car or truck, regardless of make or model. Meets the third Tuesday of every month for a social and business meeting which is usually held at a members house.
Chippewa Valley Sports Car Club • (715) 864-7028 • cvscc@cvscc.org • facebook.com/cvscc.
org The CVSCC hosts and attends various auto related events, and also hosts a monthly “Cars and Coffee” meeting at The Classic Garage. They meet the third Tuesday of the month, Feb-Nov. Any person having a genuine interest in sports cars and who will take an active part in the club is eligible for membership.
Chippewa Valley Volkswagen Club • cvvwclub@yahoo.com • thecvvc.com Dedicated to Volkswagen enthusiasts, this group features car shows and other events. Hosts weekly get-togethers at The Classic Garage at 6:30pm. Hosts the Annual Dub Jam event (car show, camping, cruise, charity auction) during the summer. CVTC Auto Club • (715) 833-6313 • autoclub@ cvtc.edu An extension of the CVTC auto mechanic and technician programs. Hosts the CVTC Auto Club Car Show & Swap Meet in May.
Indianhead Harley Owners Group (HOG)
Chapter • facebook.com/IndianheadHog The Indianhead Chapter of the Harley Owners Group has over 200 members -- and growing. It’s active year-round. It hosts an annual holiday party and chapter meetings during the cooler months, and weekly Wednesday rides during the warmer months. Rides start at 6pm and end at an area restaurant for dinner.
Indianhead Old Car Club • (715) 832-0552 • sunliteproperties@att.net Hosts the Annual Indianhead Swap Meet & Car Show. A group for people who appreciate antique cars, collector cars, trucks, and cycles. The members have a wide variety of vehicles ranging from the early 1900’s to the start of the 21st century. Owning an old car is not required. Meets first wednesdays of every month.
Red Cedar Classic Auto Club • rccaclub@ gmail.com • facebook.com/RedCedarClassicAutoClub Club dedicated to the enjoyment of old cars, tractors, motorcycles and anything else old! Membership doesn’t require the ownership of a vintage vehicle, simply a passion for the transportation of yesteryear.
CAR SHOWS
Burger King Classic Car Shows Typically Wednesdays and Thursdays May-Sep. • Held at area Burger Kings; check schedule and locations online • burgerkingclassiccarshows.com This is a weekly classic car show that takes place at Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, and Menomonie Burger Kings.
Cinder City Days Car Show Altoona City Park Pavilion, 10th Street West, Altoona • cindercitydays. com Multiple competition classes like factory restored, sports car, muscle cars, convertibles, corvettes, street rods, and more. Awards include participant judging, peoples choice, long distance, and best of show. Dash plaques for all cars, trophies, door prizes, vendors welcome, on-site concessions, and 50s & 60s music.
CVTC Auto Club Car Show & Swap
Meet Chippewa Valley Technical College, 620 West Clairemont Avenue, Eau Claire • (715) 833-6313 • autoclub@cvtc.edu • cvtc.edu Free admission for spectators & show cars. Shine & show anything with wheels. All makes and years of show cars are welcome. Dash plaques for first 100 show cars. Trophies and prizes awarded at 2pm. Vendors wanted. $10 for generous–sized swap space. Vendor set-up begins at 8am.
Dub Jam 2017 Find this Event on Facebook/ This event is hosted by the Chippewa Valley Volkswagen Club. Includes a car show, camping, cruise, cookout, and charity event. All VW’s welcome. Prizes, swap meet, vendors, fun and games for kids, silent auction, and more.
Eau Claire Big Rig Truck Show Northern WI State Fairgrounds, Chippewa Falls • eauclairebigrigtruckshow.com Truck Show features over-the-road semitrucks from across the United States and Canada. Light show Friday night & Saturday evening after a Monster Truck Show. Military and law enforcement vehicles. Antique trucks. Free rides. Truck parade. Beer gardens, food & vendors, outdoor exhibitors, live music and more.
Eau Claire Corvette Show Owen Park, Eau Claire • Celebrating an American sports car legend in picturesque Owen Park. Live music. Pie & ice cream social. Usually held in late June.
Indianhead Swap Meet and Car Show
Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds, Chippewa Falls • (715) 832-0552 • carshowinfo@att.net • indianheadcarshow.com This car show features over 700 show cars, vehicle-related vendors, and food and refreshments.
Menomonie Airfest & Autorama
Menomonie Municipal Airport, Menomonie • Find this Car Show on Facebook Fly-in, pancake breakfast, car show, all brand motorcycle show, airshow performers, radar run, kids activities, helicopter candy drop, helicopter and biplane rides, flight simulator, food, vendors, fun for all ages. Held in late June.
Pioneer Days • pioneer-days.org The Pioneer Days is an event hosted by the Chippewa Valley Antique Engine & Model Club, held annually in late August. Features historical displays of craftsmanship as well as steam engines, tractor pulls, and an antique and classic car swap meet/show.
Red Cedar Speedway Races 1700 block of Stout Rd., Dunn County Recreation Park, Menomonie • (715) 235-6318 • info@redcedarracing.com • redcedarracing.com Racing season starts April 12th and runs through the middle of August with races happening every Friday evening. Races feature WISSOTA Late Models, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Midwest Mods, Street Stocks, Red Cedar Pure Stocks, and Hornets. Pit gates open at 4pm, main gates at 5pm, with racing at 7pm.
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• writers / tom giffey, ken szymanski, hillary bell • design / mackenzie cavanagh, eric christenson • listings / james johonnott •