I only heard it was a “Rat Rod” car show in Phoenix. My roadster’s a rat rod, whatever that means anymore, so I figured I’d fit in. Later I found out the party was hosted by my online friend Cadillac Cowboy (Bob) and his buddies from the Arizona Sinners. Bob’s got a few pics of his nasty Blown 427 Model T in his garage here at MyRideisMe.com.
The Arizona Sinners I’ve met have been easy going and die hard car guys. They build what the drive and they drive’m hard.
Please enjoy your brief, but meaningful and entertaining, look “over the shoulder” of painter Tom Fritz as he makes what I think is my favorite piece of Hot Rod Art to date (and he’s got alot to like!).
Over My Shoulder… Making Hot Rod Art
Written By Tom Fritz
(Car and Motorcycle fine art)
One of the side benefits of working at my art is that I’ve been blessed with the development of an extended family of very close friends, a rich variety of both men and women who support me in my self-inflicted torture. And as sit here in front of yet another blank canvas trying to figure out the combination of what I am and what the world needs, I’m reminded of all the conversations in which I’ve been asked, how hard is it to make my art, or how long it takes me to make it — in which they try to get a handle on how I put a painting together.
Minnie the Moocher
1964 Morris Minor 2 door sedan (See the Custom Morris Minor)
Written by: “Tootall” Paul from Cornwall, United Kingdom
‘Minnie’ is my Wife’s ‘64 Morris. She had wanted a kustom for a while and has a particular taste for ‘round’ cars. When one of our clubmates (We are members of UK Kustoms) suggested a Minor we looked harder at them and realized that one would make a great sled. When we were told that if we could find one before the 2002 NASC Nationals then the club would chop it for us, the search was on.
Written by: Erock805 (Erick’s Garage) –Primer National Show Pictures also by Erock
Not sure if there’s a better way of spending a Labor Day weekend then in Ventura, California at the Primer Nationals. Why is that you say? Well first of all, Ventura breathes blue collar. Nestled between the grime, glitz and plastic of LA and the pure money and luxury of the uber-rich Santa Barbara lies a little beach town ripe with local color. Ventura has resisted the flow of dough from its northern and southern brethren. Urban sprawl has yet to conquer its pockets of agriculture, manufacturing, and overall laid back attitude. It remains the sleepy beach town, where both free time and surfing are worked into one’s daily schedule.
MyRideisMe.com featured a blog a while ago about the stunning, Grand National Roadster Show stealing (click to read->) 27 Chevy Modified built by Dan Collins of the Old Gold Garage. The car was built for his wife, Tiffany Collins, who actually purchased the car in a rusty hulk in Temecula, CA. If you dug this car, check out how the car was deservingly featured on the cover of Rod and Custom Magazine and they took some great studio pictures of the car and filled in some details. Take a look at the Rod and Custom online story. Congratulations Dan and Tiffany!
Hot rods and pinups are like peas and carrots, so I’m starting a new feature at MyRideisMe.com called Pinup of the month. I’m lucky to have the lovely Kim Falcon as our first for the month of August.
In Kim’s own words and from her website kimfalcon.com
“I Love music. Pin-up modeling, Photography, ROCK-N-ROLL!! Vegetarian food!!, Driving around town in the 64 Cadillac Hearse listening to the Misfits, My children! Love Rockabilly!!!! Love Tiger Army! Absolutely obsessed with roses!!!! I love to travel the world.”
Read more of this story… and more Hot Rod and Pinup Blogs at MyRideisMe.com
If you have ever been to a large auto swap meet with commercial vendors or flipped through a car catalog that offers automobile collectibles for sale, then you’ve probably seen the art of George Trosley (Troz). Troz started his career the traditional way by attending Hussian School of Commercial Art in Philadelphia, PA. After schooling, he landed several well paying commercial jobs working for various studios. But Troz felt that something was missing in his life. Illustrating commercial products was boring and tedious. Taking a big chance in 1973, he threw it all away to chase his dream of becoming a freelance cartoonist. He soon began drawing for CARtoons magazine where he would later create a couple of the best loved characters of the magazine known as Krass and Bernie. Originally Troz wanted to name them “Crash and Burn” which were the nicknames for his brother and himself growing up. They received the nicknames from all their crazy mini-bike and go-cart stunts.
Hot Rod Artist: Read More about Krass and Bernie
Photos and artwork provided by George Trosley and used with permission.
It’s a long haul from Arizona, but MyRideisMe.com wanted to tell you about a great cause, a great man and what looks like a really fun event. It’s the Iowa SuperCruise & SuperShow’n Shine in Des Moines benefiting those suffering from spinal injuries, disease, and paralysis in coordination with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation (CDRF). Joe Kelly, the organizer and chief promoter, contacted me to see if I’d help spread the word. Of course I will, this is what hot rodding’s all about!
For the past ten years Joe has suffered and survived the crippling pain associated with spinal injury, disease, and permanent nerve damage. So it’s no wonder he’s got his heart and soul behind this show. He credits his beautiful wife and three wonderful children for his strength to continue when his own pain, at times, leaves him unable to care for himself. I’m inspired by his courage. It’d be easy for any of us to give up to the pain, but not Joe.
MyRideisMe.com got in touch with Noddy Watts the man behind “Beach Hop” New Zealand’s #1 Nostalgia festival. I’m saving my pennies (ok, quarters!) to attend this show. He’re what Noddy had to say about it:
“New Zealand is a small country with just 4 million people at the bottom of the South Pacific. Is Hot Rodding known in this island paradise? Hell yeah! One of New Zealand’s biggest Festivals just happens to be the “Beach Hop” – celebration of the 50s & 60s. Over 100,000 people attend the free 5 day event – that is 2.5% of the entire population! A highlight is the 1300+ entered Hot Rods and Classic Cars that take over the town for the week with non stop cruising and car shows – amongst stunning South Pacific coastal scenery – blue seas and white sands. Take a look at www.beachhop.co.nz
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What do Hot Rods, cool Kustoms, the LA Roadster show and Octopus have in common? The Throttle Kings of Southern California. In 2007 when MyRideisMe.com was barely idling, I hit the LA Roadster show hard with cards and t-shirts to spread the word. That was when I first met Victor Busatamante. Victor listened about my dream of “Myspace for car guys” and offered a beer to celebrate that I was done jabbering. By that time, I had the pitch down, but even I was tired of hearing it. One beer led to another, then Victor and his buddies were making carne asada and fed me well. You don’t meet guys that generous every day. I was grateful for the hospitality so I loaded up the boys with MyRideisMe.com t-shirts.
Fast forward 1 year to 2008. As Saturday at the Roadster Show was winding down, I set out to find Victor and his guys again. Not so hard, just look for the guys having the most fun! A little ways out, I found them. This year was no different then last. Everyone was having a great time, sipping beers and eating what? Oysters and fried octopus? I tried one of those little suckers too. Chewy. 
I got the idea to grab a picture of each Throttle King member with their car. For these guys, their rides do tell a story about their personalities. My Ride is Me. With every member nicer then the next, they each told me how they help each other out with their rides and if they’re not working, they traveling together to one of the MANY shows and cruises in the greater Los Angeles area.
It didn’t take long to notice I needed almost every letter in the alphabet to get their names! Bustamante and Kopis Georgakopoulos (Greek if you’re wondering), give you the idea. That’s Kopis’s 51 Pontiac Chieftain.
Besides the cocktails and friendship, I also shot some pictures of Don Simm’s wife Doreen. That was my first chance to try pinup photography.
Doreen is a natural, now if I was a talented photographer… you can read that blog… Click HERE.
I hope to see everyone next year, or maybe at the Primer Nationals in Ventura.
Until then, here’s the Throttle Kings and their cars.
Thanks for everything!
See you next year.
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