Deco
Rides

One trip worth mentioning in April, I attended the Top Marques Car Show in Monaco. Stayed in Niece, France and took the 20 minute train ride to Monte Carlo, where kids are driving Ferraris. They are putting up the Armco barrier and grandstands fro the Vintage and Formula One Grand Prix in May, where they have been racing through the streets since 1929. Back in 1999 the late Reverend Mike and myself were asked to cycle the hydraulics on SCRAPE for Grace Kelly’s kid, Prince Albert of Monaco, at the Loius Vuitton show in Manhattan, but I didn’t run into him this trip.

Ran into a French hot rodder/Monte Carlo. Didier Diamante runs Kustom Garage in Niece, drive’s a primered ‘55 Chevy, and loved Elvis. Visited his shop, met his cohorts and had lunch. Everybody here in the states takes hot rodding for granted. Hot rodding is a crime in the continent of Europe.

Reports from Rich Brandl Sr. that he took Tom duPont’s sedan delivery to a Ferrari/Maserati show in Celebraton City in Florida. The people mobbed it car, and it won a rare Platinum Award. Now it appears Rich is going to build a V-12 Ferrari powered DECO RIDES Zephyr coupe for a customer.

The month kicked off 3-5 with the Detroit Autorama, which has got to be unquestionably the BEST indoor hot rod show on the planet. Year in and year out the MHRA puts together a spectacular show with what seems like 800 cars, bikes, car corrall and swap meet (mostly die cast toys) on the main floor of Cobo Hall, with two downstairs rooms filled with rat rods and tuner cars.

Rich Brandl Jr. and wife Melissa from Superior Classic Customs in Hudson, FL delivered my “finished” Foose DECO “Highbouy” and we exhibited it at the show. I say “finished” because the car subsequently went to Steve Pierce’s One Off Technologies shop in Guilford, NH to have more work done and hopefully prepare it for the cross country trek scheduled in June with Brizio and the boys. This is the car with wood laminated onto the top surface to make it look like an old Chris Craft. It is a completely different car (what a surprise) and was well received by the public. It was not in competition as I hate the concept of trophies.

The next event I attended (as a spectator, not invited to exhibit a car) was the Amelia Island, FL Concours 12 March. This is either the second best Concours in the country, (and possibly the world), or is tied with Meadowbrook for 2nd best. Like Meadowbrook, I was fried by the heat and left by noon. None the less Bill Warner is to be applauded for a fine job. An excellent event.

The following weekend on Sat. the 18th I exhibited my Chris Craft looking Foose “Highbouy” at the 19th annual Mount Dora Antique Boat Festival at Gilbert Park on the shores of Lake Dora, FL. With 143 boats in the water and another 100 on land on display from 18 states, it was possibly the largest gathering of wood and vintage speedboats in the world. It was hosted by the Sunnyland Chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Society, it was spectacular. Most of ‘em seemed to like my wood boatlike hot rod.

The following weekend, Mar. 31-April 2, I flew to Austin, TX to attend an event I’ve wanted to experience for a few years now (as a spectator), the 5th Annual Lonestar Roundup. This has got to be one of my Top Ten favorite events. Twenty years ago Steve Wertheimer bought THE CONTINENTAL CLUB on South Congress Avenue and became part of the incredible Austin, TX music scene. Five years ago he started this event, a mix of rich rodders and rat rodders, and everything in between. There is something very laid back about Austin. Take a stroll down South Congress Ave. and you’ll find all these strange little shops selling funky, oddball clothes, furniture, knick knacks, and the like. Friendly open air restaurants and a warm atmosphere pervades the area.

On Friday and Saturday afternoon and evening there are rods, customs and motorcycles sandwiched everywhere at the curb and in any available parking lot fronting Congress. Cruisin’ is a non-stop array of cool rods and rides. No hassles, no uptight people, nobody getting stupid with burnouts, just good music everywhere from what seems like four different bands scattered throughout the 10 block area.

On Saturday 500 traditional hot rods and custom cars gather at Town Lake at Festival Beach in Austin. Really good bands like The Weary Boys, Barfield (The Tyrant of TX Funk), Doyle Bramhall Sr. and The Blasters entertained the crowd on stage. For more information on next year’s event, visit www.lonestarroundup.com. This year’s event was sold out to the first 500 cars, so it is a early bird that gets the pre-reg.

One thing that helped me step up a notch in Feb. was when I picked up my new trailer. I sold my tired old ‘98 Dodge Dually and the 1990 second or third hand “Sanford & Son” trailer (as my pal Don Boeke called it) to a Sheik in the United Arab Amerits last fall. I bought a new Dodge dually turbo diesel crew cab last August and ordered a new CLASSIC TRAILER capable of carrying two cars. It has triple axles, two side doors, two remote controlled winches, and is generally spectacular. If I’m taking DECO RIDES to a higher level with scratch built steel bodied cars that could be valued at half a million each, it follows that I should take my equipment to the next level.

My new Dually is equipped with Sirius satellite radio. My old truck had XM. If you’re not hip to satellite radio, get with it. Drive coast to coast and listen to static free, commercial free, generally DJ free music you most love. I dig jazz and each has about 5 jazz channels to pick from. Normally I listen to channel 74, Blues. Often I’ll switch to 70 on XM or 72 on Sirius, straight ahead jazz, or the Latin jazz channel Luna on XM. Lately however I’ve stumbled into #63 on Sirius, the Outlaw Country station. I’ve never been into country music to speak of but this station has an edge, and it’s great music. Now I’m enjoying Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash, among others. Yes, I know they’ve been out there for decades and I ignored them. Duuuuhhhh. All I can say is I do a lot of traveling and listening to satellite radio helps those many hours in the Dually roll by enjoyably.

In early February I attended a three day metal shaping class of Lazze Jansson, LAZZE Inc. in Oakdale, CA. (209) 847 1218. I don’t know if I will ever invest in the tools required to do it myself, but it was an excellent experience.

Off to a fantastic start. Aside from trips to Detroit, NH and OH to work on the Delahaye, my big trip was to the San Francisco and Pomona car shows. Rick Perry’s 5th (?) annual San Francisco Rod, Custom and Motorcycle Show 1/13-15/06 at the Cow Palace was a top notch in every respect. The central arena plus one other large room adjacent to it were filled with all sorts of beautiful rides, and another adjacent large room was filled with motorcycles. Out back, another large building with six rooms was filled with race cars and traditional / rat rods. The one room back there that really wound my clock was the collection of vintage camper vehicles and stainless steel travel trailers. They were so different, so cool, and something I see nowhere else in this country in any number when I travel from show to show.

Special thanks to Roy Brizio and Jesee Campillo of BROKE NECK KUSTOMS for coming to my rescue when the air bag system failed on my ‘60 Caddy. I had the occasion to exhibit right across the aisle from Steve and Dave Moal and four of their ultra incredible cars. Along with Chip Foose, these “Moal Men” are leading the pack and taking hot rodding to new heights in terms of craftsmanship and quality. Nice people too.

The following weekend 1/20-22/06 since my Caddy was in the repair shop I exhibited just one car, my blue Zephyr convertible, at the 57th Grand National Roadster Show at the Pomona Fairplex. Producer John Buck has done a fantastic job of acquiring ownership of that fabled show from Dan Cyr, bringing it from Northern to Southern California, and restoring the prestige and reputation befitting one of hot rodding’s top events. Congratulations to John and Annika on the birth of their new baby Sara Buck born on 3/22/06. God Bless. And special thanks to Don Prieto for helping me out, again.

Pomona GNRS had five or six buildings full of cars and bikes, and on Saturday another 200 or so cars parked outside. Too many fabulous cars to mention them all, but Ron and Sonya Kellogg’s scratch built, Dave Holls designed flying fender Type 59 Bugatti was right up there at the top for me, along with their Talbot Lago looking steel coupe scratch built on a Jaguar chassis. Rick Strain’s “STUGATTI” was another spectacular car. I also really liked Todd Varble’s faux painted fiberglass ‘37 fiberglass coupe that looked like an old rusted steel rod from the 50’s.

If you didn’t already know it by now, the unique, the scratch built or radically changed cars that have a true “coachbuilt” style, which are different, original, and (most important) have the right look, are what winds my clock. I could care less if I ever see an absolutely perfect ‘56 Chevy with numbers matching or Heaven forbid another ‘32, ‘34 or ‘37 Ford street rod with a million dollars invested. While it is manna to many, to me that’s old news. Yawn. Beautiful, yes, but boring. How about some original thought for a change? Show me some styling that really works. Something that flows. I’m trying to stimulate people to use that big organ that God gave you in the top of your head.

My pal Riley Hopkins of Gig Harbor, WA told me a few years ago that good things were going to really start happing for me, and “This is going to be your year”. He was right as 2005 was an absolute banner year for both LEAD EAST and DECO RIDES. Happily, 2006 looks to be off to an even better start. DECO RIDES has been evolving and gaining momentum for years. But since August of last year, when I found a customer who believed in me and PROJECT PASSION began, my life has changed dramatically for the better. That was a real turning point, finding a customer who believed in me enough to financially back this project. We will not let him down and will surpass his expectations, building unquestionably the finest car with which I have ever been involved.

Other than the occasional original steel SCRAPE, the 1960 Pininfarina Brougham and a few other cars, until August 2005 DECO RIDES had been focusing on making fiberglass cars. This was because that was all I could afford. With the advent of PROJECT PASSION, not only have I been empowered to fulfill my Type 165 Figoni Falaschi Delahaye and Shah of NJ Bugatti fantasies, I have made the transition from fiberglass cars to building steel cars. I feel like I have been a caterpillar in a cocoon, and last year I began to emerge from the chrysalis as a butterfly.

We have just completed the MISS RUNAGROUND at Superior Custom Classics in Hudson, FL, which I plan to drive cross country from Jersey to Goodguys Indy, then to LA Roadster Show and possibly Pebble Beach RM auction. Right now DECO RIDES is building two cars for customers, a fastback Zephyr and the aforementioned Delahaye, as well as four and half cars for ourselves.

The cars we are building for ourselves include a Maharaja Duesenberg clone, the second a front wheel drive Zephyr Sedan Delivery, the third a steel bodied tribute to the Shah of Persia Bugatti, which is part of the PROJECT PASSION package, and the fourth is the FOOGATI Chip Foose Boattail Speedster. The other mentioned is another highboy Boattail, a streamliner we’ll call Glass Slipper II which I am gathering pieces for and just beginning to build the body. I don’t care if this particular car ever drives onm the street, I’m building it as a pure piece of art. Other than marrying the woman of my dreams (for 38 years now) and us giving birth to and raising two fabulous children, I have never been so excited and fulfilled in my lifetime as my car designing/building fantasy is gaining incredible momentum and taking solid form.

1995 NOVEMBER and DECEMBER: In the latter part of last year the woman who was doing our web went AWOL for reasons unknown. I hope she is OK. Consequently I have been blocked out of doing my own blog for the past six months. Thankfully we recently hooked up with Gail Mardfin of www.plpgraphicdesign.com who totally redesigned our LEAD EAST 50’s Party website www.leadeast.net making it much easier to navigate and understand. On the DECO RIDES side we have started using the services of Tom Macwright macwright@gmail.com. The DECO website is presently being updated and will hopefully be easier for all to navigate and enjoy.

Attended the SEMA Show Nov. 8-11 in Las Vegas with two DECO cars on display outdoors, thanks to the help of EMGEE CLEAN TOOLS (The ABSORBER). Cars were the blue Zephyr convertible and my 1960 Pininfarina Caddy. That was the first time I publicly displayed the just finished (by Ramsey Mosher and Harvey Bagshaw) Caddy. It was a riot to sit by and watch from a distance as guys who considered themselves “car guys” tried to identify it without taking the time to read the sign. A very rare car, only 101 1960 Eldorado Broughams were built, in Italy, and even the “Caddy guys” fumbled, guessed and stumbled. Very few knew what it was or that these cars even existed. Move-in at SEMA was a giant “Donkey #*%#”, a monumental task to stage (on the streets) and position what may have been 400 enthusiast vehicles. Despite the absolute zoo, they managed to find a spot for all the cars to park in a matter of hours. Only a car show promoter can appreciate what a mammoth task this is.

What bummed me out about SEMA was the incredible predominance of 4×4’s and “tuner” cars both outside and inside, and the relative absence of ‘48 & earlier rods and later customs. Although I know Goodguys and other rod & custom events, LEAD EAST included, are setting attendance turnout records for cars and people, at SEMA it appeared as if us “old guys” with old cars were a thing of the past. My favorite car at SEMA was Dan Webb’s daughter’s Thom Taylor designed track-T in the Ford display. A genuine masterpiece of design and construction.

In summary, the major thing that happened in our lives the last quarter of 2005 was that my Mother-In Law, Mary Destro, passed away at the age of 98 and a half. She was a gentle, loving and God Loving soul who raised two fabulous daughters. I’m sure she went through the EZ Pass express lane to heaven. Like my mom, she died in her sleep without pain. So within a period of about a month, my wife Virginia and I both lost our mothers. I want to call my mom to talk to her but I don’t know here area code and number in Heaven. Love you Mom, and you too Dad. I love you too Jesus for being so good to us all.

9/24-27/05: Flew to FL for Mom’s Memorial, and we’re having the NJ version in our home 10/9 with a Mass at local Church. Drove across FL and visited Speedster where 15 Zephyrs in progress are in the shop. Impressive. Then visited Tom DuPont’s even more impressive publishing empire around the corner. Also visited Superior Classic Custom in Hudson to check on progress of speedboat Foose boattail.

9/30-10/1. Got an e-mail from a friend who shall remain unnamed saying the NY City Concours in Central Park was, as expected, a total flop. Glad I went to Carlise, PA Swap Meet instead. In a moment of foolishness, because I love my pal Golden Gup and his bride to be LuLu (who camp out at Carlisle, which was recently sold to Ebay), I decided to spend the night camping out in my chopped yellow Buick Roadmaster Friday evening. Sat 7 AM I awoke to people walking the event and saying heartbreaking, cruel, stupid, terrible comments about my car. They obviously didn’t know I was inside listening. Took me down a peg or two, but I will nevertheless continue in my quest to design and build cars that are different than everyone else’s.
Why is it that people focus on the flaws (cracks in paint, etc.) rather than standing back and admiring the overall design and beauty of a car.

10/06: Drove to Hershey, PA AACA Swap Meet with English Rich. Bought a sweet ‘37 Ford truck grille shell for the Delahaye project, which is REALLY coming together. Looked at a ‘48 Mark IV Jag drophead that turned out to be a Mark V on the way home, and didn’t buy it because it was the wrong car, and because it was a total rag. I have too many projects anyway. Taking a turnkey Zephyr coupe to the docks today 10/07 to ship it overseas. Preparing for Detroit and Branson, MO trip next week. Just got an e-mail that Chip Foose will not be able to appear at either of my events next year due to his heavy schedule. Disappointed but not surprised. Stay tuned for the futher adventures.