5 Tips For Choosing a Hot Rod Designer

Thanks for visiting My Ride is Me. There's lots to see: Picture Gallery · Pinup Pics · Custom Garages · Featured Stories so take a look around! If you like it, create your own custom garage!

Over the last decade, we’ve seen explosive growth in the hot rod and custom car industry and hobby as a whole. This can be attributed to the popularity of television shows like Overhaulin’, American Hot Rod and others, as well as Powerblock TV, the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Events, and of course, access to great personalities like Chip Foose, Stacey David and others. This brings in new enthusiasts, and naturally, more project cars!

Not since George Barris snapped thousands of photos and wrote hundreds of articles promoting the hobby back in the 1950’s and ’60’s have we seen so much attention on our hobby, and it’s amazing to witness. Yet, while there’s all of this excitement, many of these new fans and participants are feeling lost when starting a project. It can be a daunting task to say the least, but when taking those first steps, having the right footing can make all the difference in the world.

Naturally, any success in a project requires a plan, and building or modifying a car requires very careful thought at this stage. I’ve often heard guys say “I just build as I go… no plan, just what feels right”, and sadly, it certainly doesn’t look like it must feel in many cases. Disjointed design, half-assed “fixes” to make parts fit, and often unsafe “engineering” (”engine-beering”, most likely) have sent many a project to an early grave.

The best advice would be to bring on an experienced designer to help guide you along. As a professional hot rod and custom car designer with over twenty years experience in the auto industry (from parts and service to body and after-market accessories), as well as training in design and fine art, I’m here to offer some advice on taking those first steps.

The importance of having a vision on paper, especially when working with shops and others on a team, can’t be overlooked.

The end goal of selecting you car designer is:

• A vision of the finished product for everyone to work from
• Avoid gaps, mis-communications and errors in describing idea
• Get what you want for your custom car dream!

When it comes time to shop for a designer, keep these 5 must items in mind:

5 Things To Consider When Hiring a Custom Car Designer:

1. Pick a Designer Who’s Style You Like

Not only are you hiring someone to assist in laying the groundwork for your project, but the designer must also be able to convey your ideas and tastes, as well as create a piece that will inspire your build team.

You’ll want some “wow” factor, but also be sure that your designer draws with proper scale and proportion! Taking a cartoon-like image or shoddy “Photochop” to an experienced builder will get you laughed out of the shop. The kid you hire in a forum might make that ‘58 Edsel bumper look like it fits your Monza in the drawing, but in reality, would it? And, are you looking to blow your budget on wild changes before the car even hits primer?

Look around, and study the artist’s styles and prior work.

Much like you choose a car that excites you, be it for nostalgia reasons, a certain feeling it gives you, or just the fact that you liked it overall, you’ll be miles ahead by selecting a designer in the same way. When the car is torn apart and looking bleak, the artwork will serve as an excitement generator.

2. Find A Designer You Get Along With

Spend some phone and email time talking with designers. Do you, “get along”?  Can communicate freely? An open exchange with your designer will pay off in a HUGE way during the project.

Look for a custom car designer who:

• Can help guide you
  • if asked, but also take an idea you have and run with it.
  • simply hiring a “wrist” to make some lines based only on what you say is boring, and will leave your design “flat”.
• Is a good listener!
  • Nothing can be more disappointing than a guy who doesn’t listen
  • Is the designer looking to create a portfolio piece on your dime?
• Is more than just a talented artist
  • Doesn’t simply re-hash the same 3D model their last 40 customers got (but with different paint and wheels) because, you’ll get, well, the same car as those other 40 guys!
• Can follow your budget
  • Make your budget known and understood

Make it an open exchange where ideas can flow freely, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised how an idea can grow or be refined to mind-blowingly cool in the right hands.

3. Understand The Designer’s Terms

• Get the terms and details of the design ironed out immediately.
• How many revisions will you receive?
  • What’s the cost for additional revisions?
• How will the work be delivered?
  • Hard copies? (one for you, the shop, and maybe for promotional purposes?)
  • Digital copies for magazine ink? (how about sponsorship proposals?)
• Can you use the artwork to promote the car?
  • Who owns the Copyright?

A professional designer will provide a contract explaining these important terms allowing for worry-free design time. Pay attention from step one, and you’ll avoid starting over when your forum buddy disappears with your PayPal payment.

Understand, too, that “you get what you pay for” applies with car designers.   If you want your designs quickly (or just on time) and at a high quality, be prepared to pay a bit more, and respect the time required to perfect a design. Much as you wouldn’t rush a surgeon reconstructing your body, give your car-body the same consideration for equally functional results!

4. Don’t Be That “I’ll know what I want when I see it” Guy

That guy is the enemy of designers, and it translates to “headache” to any pro. Have an idea at the first consultation, even if it’s vague, and ask for direction/advice if needed (see step 2). Know what you’d like to do with the car. Will it be restored? Modified? A combination of the two? Something wilder? A professional designer will offer examples, and throw ideas around with you, hitting on your likes and dislikes before pencil hits paper. Many great cars develop during these “bench racing” sessions, and you’ll save a ton on revisions.

Communication is your best friend here. Simply jumping from style to style will burn you and your designer out, and close doors on really creative ideas.

Research the hell out of your project and ideas. Go to shows, cruise nights, rod runs… Pick up magazines, books, videos… Look around at what’s been done, and find a style that you like.  Sites like MyRidesisMe.com offer custom car “garages” and show and race picture galleries that are great resources for ideas.

Make a list of things that you enjoy about cars and save pictures that remind you of those features. Perhaps you enjoy good handling, or maybe straightline performance is more your thing. Maybe it’s all about the look of the car, and you’re after a show car that’ll make people stop and drool.

It’s during this hugely important stage that you and your designer will determine a “direction” for the project.

You should have a list of your dreams for the car, as well as a list that is more realistic, taking into consideration the reality of the car you’ve chosen. Approaching a professional designer with these  ideas in place will save time, frustration, and above all, help to nail your “perfect” concept.

5. Don’t Fall Victim To Trends

If you’ve seen a teal green and gray car with a tweed interior and 15-inch billet wheels lately and thought “wow… the 1990’s called, and they want their car back”, imagine what response a car built in a trendy style today will elicit in ten or fifteen years.

Simply shopping at the “popular kids” table will, inevitably, breed you a cookie-cutter car. Simply saying “oh man, that car that won Street Machine of the Year had a cool hood, so I want THAT hood, and the same wheels, and the same paint, and then that car that won the year before had those seats… I want THAT interior…” and so-on, will not design or build YOUR dream car.

Much as you may have enjoyed looking at Alyssa Milano on TV, did you marry her? Chances are, you found someone who fit your life, who matched that often undefinable set of criteria that just “did” something for you. This project car should be no different. It should be a unique reflection of YOUR style, and a talented designer will help you to make that happen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Build to YOUR taste, not someone else’s” is my credo in the studio.

Seek out a designer who understands the style you’re planning to build your car in, and can offer unique approaches to design problems that not only make your eyes pop out, but will prevent your hard earned dollars from doing likewise from your wallet.

Approach modifications tastefully, respectfully, and with the thinking “how does this change affect the rest of the car? What purpose does it serve?” If it makes sense, do it. If it’s questionable, question the hell out of it!

That said, head on out and explore… look at work, compare styles, and talk with designers. Your decision should go beyond price, and be the RIGHT FIT for your project. Seek out a designer that can listen, offer ideas, and above all, nail your design. After all, simply setting sail on the ocean might take you SOMEPLACE, but is it where you WANTED to go? Hiring a designer will help chart that course AND reach the end of the journey.  When plotted correctly, your designer will have you itching to hoist the sails again, and that’s what this whole car thing is all about anyway… feeding that passion.

Brian @ PCKStudio

Pro-Touring + HellaFlush = Ill-Touring

Being passionate about modified rides, I spend a lot of time on websites that span the spectrum of hotrodding to “tuning” and everything in between. Two favorite build styles of mine are Pro-Touring and the Street Drift style called HellaFlush. HellaWho? I’ll explain in a minute. Call it DetroitFlush or Ill-Touring (Ill, as in Siiiick wheel fitment dude!). We can nail down the name later. Let’s dig into this concept a little and see what you, the reader, has to say.

First, lets define the two components of DetroitFlush individually.

Pro-Touring. The Pro-Touring.com’s definition as a reminder, is old muscle with new sports car performance. Modern suspensions, brakes, big wheels/tires and late model drivetrains (like a 6.1L Hemi Crate motor, 6 speed Tremec and 20″ wheels with 315/30/20 Pirelli’s like the TerraCuda built by Chip Foose)

HellaFlush on the other hand is the concept, “Offset Is Everything” and traces its roots to Japanese Street Drifting which pushes the limit of fenders on import cars such as WRX’s, EVO’s, 240SX’s and RX-7’s. As seen in the picture above from the HellaFlush website, the wheels fit flush to the fender. Simple in concept, difficult to achieve, especially for a street driven car. It takes careful engineering and attention to detail to fit 18×9.5, +35mm wheels in fenders designed for 16×6.5 +45mm wheels (ie Subaru WRX stock wheel size) just as it does fitting a Shelby GT500 Supercharged 5.4L V8 into the bay where a 260 ci small block once lived, like the Pro-Touring Comet we featured.

Ill-Touring or DetroitFlush… Starts with a Detroit classic, add Pro-Touring modifications like big brakes, upgraded suspension, interior and exterior updates and a modern EFI mill. Then add aggressive flush fitting wheels. Both Pro-Touring and HellaFlush movements are gaining momentum and the definitions will continue to morph. As an example, check this RX-7 ‘vert with a Mustang 5.0L featured on Speedhunters. For this discussion, let’s ask Willy Wonka. The candyman would say, “Strike that, reverse it”. Take the RX-7’s wheel fitment and transplant it onto a ‘64 Ford Falcon Sprint or ‘72 Chevy Nova SS. Today, we won’t dive into the HellaFlush ways of the force in achieving perfect wheel fitment, but to simplify, the Cliff Notes version would say: fender flares, fender rolling and massaging, serious negative camber, stretching tires, stiff adjustable coilovers, and wide low offset wheels.

Any hot rod artists on board want to bust out some renderings of this concept? I’ll take one of a ‘64 Falcon in white running either a Turbocharged original inline-6 or high revving 289 with black Rota Torque R’s in 18″x9.5″ all around, a CF front splitter, rolled fenders, and nasty front camber. Anyone else see the potential I see or am I off my roller rockers? Time will tell… maybe I need to build my own Ill-Touring Falcon to demonstrate my illness.

Let’s hear what you have to say! Is Ill-Touring crazy cool, or just crazy! Tell us about your own crazy hot rod ideas. Leave a comment below!

Hechtspeed

Get a weekend deal on Vans Shoes:
Shop Vans this Memorial Day Weekend and Receive Free Shipping on Orders Over $50. Use promotional code MEMORIAL9 at checkout. Offer expires 05.26.09.

Diecast Drags in Mesa - For the Kids

Most times it seems like nobody’d notice anyway, but I’ve been slacking on blog writing lately cause I’m working on my Diecast Drags track. I posted about it in the discussion forum. Did you see it?

The Diecast Drags, or some might say, “Hot Wheels” track is brought to you MyRideisMe.com and supporting the Progeria Research Foundation (http://www.Progeriaresearch.org)

The track is 2 continuous lanes that measure 50 feet! I roll it up when I’m done. The entire track lifted off the ground on a support platform to give a gradual decent and super high speeds! Racing will feature an electronic finish line and a “Christmas tree” start that gives an edge to the better reaction time. This promises to be more fun than Pinewood derby racing because it’s easier to get started and the fastest car might not always win!

Of course from the trial run 2/21 at the local, “Cruise in” called the “Mesa Pavilions” at Power and Hampton (Kmart parking lot) the kids could care less about the start! They just want to see who won and the small jump we had setup at the finish line!

The official race will be held on Saturday 2/28 as part of the “Home Runs, Hot Dogs and Hot Rods” car show. Lance Baker at www.Hotrodplanet.com is running that show. All the info you need to know about the show is at Hotrodplanet.com. There are no less than 4 car shows happening that weekend, but none of them have a cruise planned for after! Mesa is hosting a cruise to support local businesses (so bring and empty stomach) on the 4th Saturday of every month. The show starts at 11AM right in downtown at Center and Main streets and the cruise will start about 5PM. So even if you attend another show, make it back to Mesa for the cruise.

The racing action will be, “Free with donation” for all the racers. With each donation, you’ll get 1 Hot Wheel and as many trial runs and races as I can fit in. I’m hoping for $5/person and 100 people/racers to give $500 to the Progeria Foundation. I’d like everyone to know that 100% of the money will be donated.

For more info, I’ve already got a poster and some informational fliers about Progeria. I learned that Chip Foose’s younger sister died of Progeria before most people even knew what Progeria was. Amy Foose’s story of courage was deeply sad yet encouraging and hopeful at the same time. I was inspired to help and will make the donation on behalf of Terry Foose, Chip’s mom, at her fund raising site: First Giving for Progeria Research

Racing on 2/28 will run 12 AM-2PM for kids and at 2-4 for adults (depending on participation). Prizes will include 1 unopened case of Hot Wheels donated by www.Hotrodartbook.com and a gift card (or more!) to build your own custom ride from www.Ridemakerz.com. I’m hoping to add more prizes so more friendly car folks will race and/or donate to this super worthy cause.

Any questions or to make a donation yourself, please contact Craig Pike at pikesan@myrideisme.com or for information about the show and “Main Street” cruise that will follow, go to Hotrodplanet.com.

I hope you enjoy these few pictures, the kids sure did! If you’ll be racing, leave a comment telling me how many kids. Also, if you’d like to make a donation to Progeria but can’t make it to the show, please go to: Terry Foose’s website

50th to 60th Grand National Roadster Show

Written by Len Stupski

I moved to the Bay area in 1996 and attended the 1997 & 1998 Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS). As good as they were, nothing prepared me for the 50th Anniversary show at the Cow Palace in San Francisco that next year in 1999. As I set my eyes upon the main floor my jaw dropped down to my shoulders. Just about every previous America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) winner right there in one spot. Awesome!!. Then, scattered throughout the rest of the building were more and more dynamite cars, built by guys like Bill Reasoner, Gene Winfield, Dave Crook, Marcos Garcia and many other great craftsmen. Saying hello to Big Daddy Roth was a great highlight of the event. After taking in all the colors, the chrome and history I vowed to be at the 60th show, God willing.

Fast forward ten years and I’m living in Gilbert, AZ, and the show is being held much closer now in Pomona, CA. Pure chance? I don’t think so…. perhaps God shares my love of cars.

Early Saturday morning I pile into Pikesan’s car with my son Brian and new friend Paul “Swanee” and head west on I-10. Along the way we catch up to Jimmy Smith and Boston Mike and caravan into Pomona. We stopped for some much needed coffee, oversized breakfast and a quick lesson in water glass safety. (a story for another time, perhaps) All finished we head to the main gate and wait anxiously in line.

As I pass through the turnstile it’s like “Wow…” I’m the farm kid on his first visit to the big city. The show encompasses eight buildings full of cars and has even more cars parked outside in between all the buildings. We head for building 5, and the first car we stop to look at is the ‘52 Buick, “Resilience” designed by my son Brian and built by Tim Strange & the crew from Strange Motion. So, when I finally stopped drooling over this Motorama-styled beauty and shoved my eyes back into their sockets I took off to see the rest of the cars.

So many cars and so little time. Did I mention I was there for two days? This had to be the finest collection of automotive art I have ever witnessed. Masterpieces by Foose, Cotati Speed Shop (talk about fit & finish), D’Agostino et al. blew me away. There was a dynamite ‘61 Impala from Stockholm, Sweden, the recovered Orbitron of Roth lore and the fantastic tributes to the late Boyd Coddington, Dick Dean and ‘Lil John Buttera. Then a trip to the “Twice in a Lifetime” display which featured winners from the ’50’s thru the ’00s. It was great to see the late Ermie Immeroso’s multi AMBR winner which I first saw in Buffalo, NY in 1989, the Hansen’s 2005 winner “Seduced” and so many many beautiful cars. I could go on forever.

Sadly it was time to hit the road. During the drive back to Gilbert I took some time to reflect and compare the 50th to the 60th show. And when I really look back and think about how well done the cars shown in 1999 were, the new paint concepts introduced, the styling by the trendsetters of that era, I realized how they had raised the bar of excellence. Then when I look at the things being done today with the tremendous advances in technology, paint, computer driven machinery to make “one off” parts I can say that a new and higher bar has been set. The 60th Anniversary GNRS has surpassed any level previously known to man and automobile. I can’t wait to see what happens at number 70.

Len Stupski

Pinstriper’s Reunion - Pulling lines for Charity

For 14 years, pinstriper Von Hot Rod has assembled legends and up-and-coming pinstripers from around the world in the main hall of the Grand National Roadster Show. Von told me the Pinstriper’s Reunion was started because, “The freehand pinstriping was coming to an end in the 80’s when vinyl was trying to take over.” I guess I never saw that because I can’t believe anyone would mistakenly apply vinyl after seeing the talent assembled in Pomona.

Pinstiping looks easy… when you watch these guys freestyle a complex design while you snap pictures, but give it a try! This is art! The creativity of the top stripers can spruce up your car, garage or in my case my office. Nothing says cool like hand laid stripes. Screw vinyl!

For all the stripers, Von reminds me this is a invite only show. On hand this year were 30 of the greatest pinstripers from all over the world. We had Pekka from Finland, Dr.D from Florida, Artie from SC, Wildman and Ghost from Japan just to name a few.

Von’s proud to share his success with others through his heartfelt Sunday message and with the charity auction that concludes the reunion. With donations from every pinstriper, the auction raised $14,102 for the Progeria Research Foundation. Show your support by helping the Foose family reach their fund raising goal.

As Von readies for next year’s 15th Reunion, I’ll share some pictures taken by Ren-A with captions by Von.

Thank you to everyone who participated either by striping or by buying from the auction.

If you were one of the artists or you bought an item, let us know! Where’d it go? How was the auction? Will you be back for the 15th? I will!

Thanks Von.

Barrett Jackson Auction’s Salute to Boyd Coddington?

I expect a hot rod driver or builder to know who Boyd Coddington was. Like him or not, there’s no denying his influence on style and the budget of custom cars, especially the one-off rides built for his TV show, “American Hot Rod”. His death almost 1 year ago shocked the custom car world.

It looked like there were alot more hot rods and cars that I’ll call “regular” at the 2009 Barrett Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona this year. What the heck is regular? Well, I just mean they’re somewhat obtainable by more then just wealthy collectors out there. I guy with a dream who’s been saving for a while might have a shot. With the “dreamers” and the collectors all gathered at Barrett Jackson, how many knew who Boyd Coddington? Quite a few!

Case in point are 2 hot rods sold on Saturday at Barret Jackson. The first is this neo-classic styled: chopped, red and flamed but with billet (of course Boyd’s) wheels, 1932 Ford 3 window coupe. A great looking, no-expense-spared car, no doubt, but was it worth the $200k it sold for? (without commissions) Who knows the actual build cost, but that could be said for many cars on the block. From what I heard the auctioneers saying, many cars were being sold for the cost of the “frame off rotisserie” restoration. Not this car, I think it sold for a premium because it was a Boyd car. It’s tough to hear in the video below, but the cheers from the crowd as the price kept rising support that theory. What do you think? (after a short word from their sponsor…)

Also supporting my Boyd buy theory is this Chip and Sam Foose built 29 Ford Sedan. This steel car will be the topic of another blog. I got a chance to chat with the new owner and he was tickled to have such at great car for $50k (without commissions) With 15″ Boyd wheels, this low slung sedan is in fantastic condition and anything with Chip Foose’s name on it, I think, also should fetch a premium. Did it? I think in a few years, it’ll take alot more money to own a car built by Foose. More on this cool 80’s time machine in a future blog.

Finally, I’ll throw out another 32 Ford 3 Window coupe for you to ponder. This is a different, much more nostalgic looking 32, but for years, any steel 32 was fetching big, BIG dollars, weren’t they? This car sold for $58k. Is that right? This car was CHERRY! I checked, it’s a steel car and features a somewhat ordinary 350/350 combo, but with the simple but stylish interior, artillery steelies and whitewalls, this is my style.

So did the Boyd name bump up the price at auction or was it a simple case of 2 guys really wanting the same car?

Scott Fisk, Car artist and Car-tooner

The artists and illustrators I’ve featured on MyRideisMe.com all are super talented and I could easily recommend them. In talking and getting to know them, I’m seeing a trend in the people that make art, especially car art, their living. In talking with Scott Fisk from Studio 669 and CAR-TOONER.com, I’ve found some of the same important features I see in Brian Stupski from Problemchildkustoms.com and from Jimmy Smith from Jimmyshotroddesign.com and it’s my suggestion you look for these 2 qualities in your next artist:

A true passion for all things cars.

A unique style they’re proud to use.

I think you’ll hear these qualities loud and clear after reading my talk with Scott Fisk.

Scott gave me his regular bio for starters. Like many other car artist, he’s been drawing his whole life finding inspiration from rod magazines and one of his instructors while getting his Fine Art degree in Signage and Graphic design in Boston. Struggling through college, Scott recalls drawing for drinks on cocktails napkins. He says, “I was good for about 3 drawings, then the quality started to go down hill, but the people loved it… so hey, way cool!” What great artist doesn’t know pain like that?

From their, I ask Scott a few questions and here’s what he said.

How do you choose the cars you draw?
….sometimes I pull them right out of a magazine..seriously..yet sometimes I just want to draw a particular “specimen” so I’ll google some pics for reference and go from there, but I always put my own spin on them… Once I had an editor call me and tell me that he had 2 features in an upcoming issue: a shoebox and a willys prostreet… Would I be able to get the artwork together in time to go along with the actual pics of the cars for that issue? What kind of time do i have?” I asked. “4 days” was his response. I got 2 ref pics of each to go by, that was it, and the end result was Feb. 08 issue of Rodder’s Digest with the illustration called “Shoebox-Willy”. The editor was tickled! He never had an artist smash something out in 4 days.. no egos here, get it DONE..page time is page time.

What was your first car?
…my first car was a TRUCK and it was GORGEOUS!.. this bad boy was a 1969 Chevy C/10 p/u.. 6 foot step side… 3 “on the tree” had a bad ass 8-track deck with 1 working speaker… wool blanket for a seat cover (that was before Mexican blankets became all the rage) it’s power plant was a mighty 292… I could pop the hood, sit on the inside of the fender well and change the plugs with ease (it was always fouling them out)… could work up a mighty sweat doing a 3 point turnaround since there was no power steering..thank god the steering wheel was 18″ around.
What do I drive now?..have a small handful… my daily is a dub (I’m a dubber to the core) also have a 90 fox wagon, have had it for the past 10 years, already gave it to my son (he’s 9)..should be a killer 25 year old ride by the time he’s behind the wheel…my last is the “ruby lounge” which is a work in progress..it’s a 1964 Olds dynamic 88…330 rocket, 2 barrel carb..Mexican blanket seat covers..YA BABY!

You said drawing “car-toons” so much fun, why?
Car-toons first bit me with the magazine, but the first artist that REALLY bit me was Lance Sorchick..this kat has some killer flow..lines always dynamic always deliberate..always “zooming”..like his stuff, but won’t copy his flow, dig?…I have done piles of “formal” renderings like the kind you find with Chip Foose..but it ain’t often that your average guy off the street can afford a 1500 plus rendering. So I do this dress down “fun” style where real people can afford ORIGINAL art..not a poster, not a likeness..but the REAL DEAL. This “car-toon” style allows me to do just that..I want to be the guy that draws for real people..there are no egos here, egos get left at the door in “my house”..if you have an ego that needs feeding?, I may not be the artist you’re looking for, but not just “car-toons” flow out of my studio. I also have my fingers inside of 5 different kulture clothing lines, my own 669 line of shirts as well as piles of tattoo flash..ya, you heard right…tattoo flash..ever want a 1-off tattoo just for you?..hit me up or even find my compilations @ kingpin tattoo. 3 artist flash books out as well through kingpin and poster bomb. I have also had the pleasure of working with Hasbro toys, Gennie shifter/Streamline Hot Rods and the U. S. gov’t (which is all classified, sorry) doing conceptual artwork for their applications. so nope, not just “car-toons”…

If you weren’t an artist what would you be?
Don’t even ask that question… I was put on this planet to be just this..an artist..was never about the money, that doesn’t drive me in the least..just need what I need to live.. and have fun along the way. take away my pencils, you may as well stick me in the looney bin. most important, it flows from my finger tips..”ol’ skool”..as time goes on there will be 5 gazillion graphic artists and a small handful of “ol’ skoolers”..that’s where I want to be, in the small handful. People search me out for my left handed finger tips, not the adobe generated prints. it’s kept me in pretty good demand for the past 3 years..let’s shoot for another 30, shall we?

With that, I’ll leave you a few select drawings from Car-tooner.com and Scott Fisk. If you ever see him at a show, say hi, you’ll be glad you did. And when you see first hand his passion for cars, maybe he’ll end up sketching for you too.

(all pictures with permission from Scott Fisk)

Book Review: Build Book - From Concept to Reality

You’re walking around a show and when you see a car cruise in that makes you stop in your tracks. You’re stunned and instantly curious. You’re hear it and feel it as it drives by. Time for a closer look. Cars that make you feel that way have alot to see, but it’s all skin deep. What’d he do for the rear axle setup? Are those custom engine mounts? Unless the builder took great pics and brought them, it’s tough to fully appreciate what it took to bring that car to the show. That’s where Build Book comes in.

BuildBookUSA.com has published 5 books covering 5 cars built by some of the top builders in country. I met Scott and BJ Killeen (long time auto journalists) at the Grand National Roadster Show and they were kind enough to let me preview the complete series of books. You gotta check these out!

The first book, and my favorite, is about Joe Rogan’s “Sick Fish” 70 Barracuda. Built by the legendary Troy Trepanier & Rad Rides by Troy, this book oozes coolness page by page. What do you want to know about the build?

Where’d they find the car? Check, got it…
Who did the concept and what’d it look like? Chip Foose did it and it was pretty wild compared to the final car.
How’d they start the build? Troy first sets “the look” by tucking in a set of 19’s and 22’s. From the book, “Trepanier doesn’t wonder if a certain size tire will fit. A master builder decides on a wheel and tire combination and devises a plan to make the tires fit.”

Page by pages, I kept thinking… I want to do that on my car. I always wondered what’s the best way to do that. All those questions are answered in the book.

All of the pictures are full color and there’s hundreds inside. These are books you’ll keep forever and refer back to frequently. For the $15 asking price, it’s a steal.

Here’s a quick look at the other 4 Build Books:

#2: Ken Fenical the owner of Posies highly modified 1935 Ford called “Aeroliner Sport”

#3: 1961 Ford Starliner built by ProRides

#4: 1957 Chevy by the late Boyd Coddington Hot Rod Shop called the “Chubster”

#5: 1967 Mustang called “Reactor” built by the Ringbrothers

Each of these books is extremely well done. I whole heartedly recommend all of them. Go to BuildbookUSA.com to order. (photos taken from BuildbookUSA.com and are property of Team Killeen. All rights reserved.)

Please take a look at our sponsors:

Big Trouble at Unique Performance

By now, this isn’t breaking news, but I just heard it. I thought I kept up with hot rod and general car news, but I guess not. On top of that, I’m a big fan of Chip Foose. There are several good blogs that are writing about this story. Basically, Unique Performance has been busted and raided. Check it out:

Shelby severing ties with Unique Performance

Round 2: Unique Performance fires back at Shelby

Foose Cuts All Ties With Unique Performance

Unique Performance raided by local police

What a mess! Uniqueperformance.com website is DOWN…

I’ll try to update this story as I follow it. I hope Foose’s name is cleared. Everything I’ve seen or read says he’s a solid guy.

The NY Times added this: A Cloud Over Reborn Shelby Mustangs

---

---

Foose-like, Start to Finnish

I was hoping Janne Kutja, our friend from Finland would add more of his Chip Foose-likework to his garage here at MyRideisMe.com. His garage is looking good.

Here’s more about Janne, in his own words:

I’m Janne Kutja born in 1980 in southern Finland. I grew up there in small village, and got interested in cars was little kid. I used to draw my own car models back then, I didn’t look at any pictures. I guess that’s the reason I got interested in hot rods and customs. Hot rod magazines then fed my hunger and customs were the most interesting, especially when I saw Cadzzilla on the cover of the Finnish Street & Race Magazine (RIP), that was and still is really a huge hit. I did build model cars but I couldn’t find time, so focused more on artwork. I’ve drawn cars quite actively 12 years or so. I build cars too, but haven’t had time or money to do it much lately. My favorite’s sheetmetal work when it comes to building cars, and I even have chopped half dozen cars, some of them with my brother. My own projects are ´47 Ford Club coupe and ´63 PV both are customs.

I have been studying industrial design in Lahti Institute of Design four years now (almost graduated). Before that I was one year at art school. Nowadays, I do alot of illustarations and (custom) concepts mainly for private customers and friends. In many cases we discuss about the project and usually my customers agree with my concept. Once we agree, I start to draw, sometimes I’ll do a couple sketches before final work.

Janne is certainly talented! Be sure to check out Janne’s Garage and his website. Janne has also agreed to donate to the My Ride is Me membership drive. If you like his art work, maybe you’ll win an original print! Stay tuned!

Where’s the other Finnish hot rodders? I know you’re out there! Please leave a comment.

Next Page »