Remake VS re-work...

...is often a touchy subject.

Consider re-makes of movies, for instance. You run he risk of there being a complete division of fans... some loving the new and improved version, and others hating it, claiming its inferiority to the original. Rare cases like Dawn of the Dead (the original is a big favorite of mine, and played a BIG role in my youth...more on that sometime...) have had remakes that are excellent, much like Ocean's 11, as well. ...and then you have crap like the Omen.

Occasionally, someone re-works a story, and it's gets me all psyched up... such is the case with Todd McFarlane and Josh Olson teaming up on their feature film, Twisted Land of Oz (of course, you know there'll be LOTS more on this in the near future!! Anything from the house of Spawn is relished in this studio!). Taking what is quite possibly the most widely-known and cherished film of all time, and re-working it with a twisted vision is a great idea, and takes some original and wickedly creative characters even further:

After all, which one looks like a more intense time in the theater to you?

It's not a far throw, then, to talk about re-makes of classsic custom cars or hot rods... I'm all for re-makes of cars like the Hirohata Merc, and even a lost car.. say, for instance a lost Roth car that gets re-made in pure tribute. How cool is that to share history with people who may have never seen it otherwise?

Re-working something take a special brand of creativity, not to mention an ability to walk the line between showing reverence and profaning the memory of the original. Taking a historical custom and re-working it has been done before, and occasionally with good results. It gets me thinking, though... what if I could re-work a classic like the Aztec, or the Jade Idol what would I do? There would be HUGE challenge in each, and improving on either would be an incredible challenge, not to mention running the risk of being chased from town Frankenstein-style if I got it wrong. There have been well-known rides (like the Golden Sahara, with it's re-done multi-finned persona altered from its original incarnation by Jim Skonzakis -- aka "Jim Street") mildly re-worked and accepted by fans of the first incarnation, certainly. But look back on others that were re-worked and over-done to the point of becoming monstrosities, like most show cars did in the early-to-mid 1960's, and it's easy to see where taste can be overcome by the need to "do more" and score more judging points. The risk of toppling over the line from "cool car" to Corvette Summer garishness is but a few gallons of Bondo and some madness away from one another, it seems.

With the new Camaro and Challenger hittingg showrooms, you can't help but wonder what the public will make of these cars. Both are, in essence, re-makes... The latest Mustang has done well to capitalize on the historical reverence of the model, going so far as to offer classic Shelby, King of the Road, and even Drag Pack options in the Motorsport catalog. Should there be a race-only, lightweight Hemi Challenger available? COPO Camaro's being fitted wih race parts in dealerships? Why not? (Imagine a Hemi Dart built on the new LY platform?! Wowza.) It all boils down to doing something well, and taking creative license down the right road... and avoiding the flying monkeys, of course. Goes without saying, I suppose...

"Dooz" and donuts...

...and coffee, too.

Got into a great conversation with a friend recently over a few donuts and some coffee, and talk turned to historical cars that offer inspiration from a variety of standpoints.... and it tied in perfectly with what's going on in the automotive industry... especially with American companies folding. This kills me, as there seems to be absolutely NO RESPECT for the advances made by American car companies, or their impact on technology and the economy at large.

As you may already know, I have a deep fascination with all things Ferrari. The sheer elegance of design, combined with the amazing heritage and utter lust for performance that these machines elicit in one's mind... hell, one's soul, even, is the stuff of legend. Yet, surprisingly, for a guy who talks a lot, I've never touched on another great car to come from not Italy (although we'll touch on that later), but from right here in the US, the mighty Duesenberg.

How can one deny the sheer excitement of any of the company's offerings? Hell, even the history of the marque is filled with the stuff of legend. Two brothers, both self-taught engineers (think about it, isn't every hot rodder somewhat of a self-taught engineer?) set out to build sports cars. August and Fred built cars in the '20's that had features you might find on today's cars: four valves per cylinder, dual overhead cams, and even juice brakes!

Anyway, the history of the marque is readily available with some minimal research skills, so we won't waste time on chronology here. What interested me most about the Brothers Duesenberg, was their use of superchargers and other go-fast goodies that seems, well, kind of strange, given the years in question. We're talking cars in the late '20's that had 140 MPH capability! An American, coach-built car (hell, by the time a wealthy owner got done, these things weighed tons!) that could run 0-60 times in roughly eight seconds! Again, that's PRE-1930! If that's not engineering and hot rodding at its finest, well, grab some stronger coffee, sir, and wake up.

Moving along, an interesting point was brought up regarding the partnership of one Virgil Exner and Fritz Duesenberg (son of August) on the Stutz Bearcat.... here was the prime example of Chrysler design, working with the heir of the genius that was Duesenberg. Sadly, this was a doomed marque (but sure made creative use of domestic offerings from Delta 88's to Grand Prix's!) One begins to wonder what may have been, had this partnership been at a more opportune time. In a way, there's a lot of inspiration to be found in there.... the use of existing, perhaps not-so-inspirational cars to begin with, to create a coach-built car with performance, all while giving a nod to this golden age.

Sadly, we're at a point where the political agendas and underlying turmoil have destroyed the industry, and are stripping the historical significance of our storied past, and leaving with it a revised version, loaded with controversy. At it's most basic level, this is an industry that is dynamic, exciting and loaded with great stories of great men and innovation, and to not be inspired by any of it leaves one to consider anyone's dedication to it in a much brighter light.

We're in an age now (in the hot rodding hobby) where we have talented builders following on this original path, and creating incredible cars from almost nothing. While it's exciting to witness, it just seems altogether more interesting when compared to a historical reference point, and one draws out some inspiration from two brothers who simply wanted to build fast cars... Ahh, the good old days.

"If life were fair..."

...Johnny Carson once said, "...Elvis would be alive and all the impersonators would be dead."

It's a pretty deep thought. It's a fitting one, too, as originality seems to be a dying art at times. I fell into a creative funk recently, and began to look at a late crop of cars, and thought "wow... another car on a set of aftermarket rims. How progresssive." (keep in mind that the cars in question were presented as some "Hot, new!" and "ground-breaking!" rides, and a few were flowing from my pen, seemingly keeping the envelope flat and tidy -- no pushing allowed!) It appeared, during that spell, that true automotive personalization was dead... That, just maybe, we had gotten to a stagnant point in the hobby where every car had to adhere to some set of rules to be "cool"... it was high school all over again, oh no! And just when I thought it was, along came a brilliantly conceived idea, and I'm honored to take part in the design process. Suffice to say, a client approached me with his genius take on a truck, and it's lit a fire, so to speak... In fact, that fire spread quickly to a new piece for a magazine, that I knocked out in record time... (not a truck, but an over-looked car that suddenly hit me like a ton of bricks) The drive was back, and with a fury... My eyes were opened to a whole new set of possibilities... it was like re-discovering cars. I dug through my notebooks and sketchbooks, and began reviewing them with a new-found purpose. I have set out on a journey, the road paved with unique cars, and seemingly endless possibilities.

Talk about timing, too... Some time back, we took in the "Curves of Steel" exhibition at the Phoenix Art Museum, which, despite its small size, packed an unexpected punch. It was a great time, just taking in some design work from true masters. Classic forms, many mixed with function light years ahead of their time, all leading to one thought in my mind: I love what I do. I create, literally, passion on paper. It's not a job, it's creation of passion. It's taking an idea and running with it. It's not something you wake up one day and say "I'm going to design custom cars." It chooses you, and while it makes you work at it endlessly, it gives back a million times over in satisfaction. Simply put:

If I were approached to design a hot rod, custom, pro-touring ride, whatever, I'd want to bring out every aspect of the car's potential, and tie it with the owner's personality, not just create another ho-hum car that wears the right "uniform" for its genre. Granted, certain ideas work well, and have an established following... an early generation Mustang or Chevelle, for example, on 18's and 19's and sitting low looks good, it's a given. However, simply adhering to one look closes so many doors, creatively speaking, that you rob yourself of exploring the car's full potential. It's far too easy to just plug in a formula to achieve a certain look... Of course, there are always budget constraints and whatnot, but this is where careful, creative planning in the earliest stages can make any car into a unique, personal statement.

Obviously, if you like a style of car, you should go for it... I'd never suggest change for the sake of change. Don't just plop a heap of "different"" on top of an over-used motif just to stand out... To stretch the metaphor, if a singing impersonator is good, a fire-eating, sword-swallowing, contortionist skydiving crooner may not always breed better results.

Break the formula where you can, and stretch your imagination, but keep good taste in mind. All it really boils down to is that if all cars were built using the "formula method", every car would simply mimic another, and, in effect, be just another Elvis impersonator. And that's just not fair...

Excessive...

...to excessively clean...

As I mentioned in the last entry, I was digging through some photos, looking for some shots to help illustrate a point in a future blog entry, and, well, the future is now, I guess..."Where are we going today?" you ask... Back to the 1980's! Woo-hoo!

I got to thinking about some cars that made a serious impression on me in my youth, more specifically, cars built in the '80's. Even MORE specifically, cars that defined opposite ends of the spectrum, be they in style, outlandishness, subtlety, whatever. Narrowing it further, the two cars needed to have something in common, beyond their build decade. Bear in mind, the '80's were a decade of HUGE influence on modern hot rodding. The garish show queens that pro-street became ushered in the rebellion we now call pro-touring. Clean street rods led to billet-encrusted trailer rods, and the to the rebellion that spawned a renewed interest in traditional hot rods (which, sadly, bred the "rat rod" whatever-the-hell-it-is hellspawn in the '90's... Ask me sometime how I feel about THAT.). A re-birth of customs, kustoms, and kustom culture. Aside from that whole Huey Lewis deal, not a bad decade.

I narrowed it to the undisputed king of pro-street excess, that yellow and candy-color graphics doused, hyperbole on wheels, Rick Dobbertin's J-2000, and Billy Gibbons' oh-so-sweet, I-could-just-eat-this-thing-up Cadzzilla. As a certain yellow-hued guy might say, "Mmmmmm..... purple."
To say that each car impacted the future of our hobby/industry would be an understatement. And that little Pontiac was anything BUT understated. It was designed to BE excess. One blower is good? Two is better. And make 'em siamesed. Add a pair of turbos, too, why not? The whole car, from the incredible, fully-polished chasssis, to the plated or polished damn-near-everything was detail to the extreme... 

A flip front was trick, and, well, a flip-up body just had to be better, right? And how about that rear suspension, huh? Right on.... THERE WAS NONE! No room for pedestrian items like suspension out back... this thing needeed HUGE meats to complete the look.

It's everything that was "right" with the show car scene at the time, and a glaring example of what was seen as "wrong" with the pro-street movement. You have to admit, though, the car had amazing fabrication work, and a fit and finish that was unheard of before, and in some cases, since.

On the custom side of things, in my opinion, anyway, there is nothing sweeter than Larry Erickson's design opus, Cadzzilla... Take a moment, and drift back to that Hot Rod Magazine fold-out poster you no-doubt hung from your wall... Man, that car turned my world upside-down. It was so radical, yet easily identified as a Cadillac... it was classic, but, well, somehow... futuristic! It was a sled, but it hinted as a dry lakes or salt flats screamer... It was part luxo-barge, part touring car, part kustom... it was an automotive tour de force! Check. All it needed was a cool owner...oh, wait, Billy Gibbons. Checkmate.

In the later part of the 1990's, I snapped a quick shot of this gorgeous ride at the Oakland Museum of California:

...resting beside the Hirohata Merc, which had the windows soaped, as the interior was unfinished... A historic gathering! (and just around the corner? The Beatnik Bandit.) 

So what's all this boil down to? Consider how these two cars influenced the hobby... Sure, they may have ushered in an era of mega-buck show cars, but at the same time, they brought with them a new age of cars-as-personalities. Two very distinct, well-known cars, built with astronomical budgets, and quality that raised the bar sky high. Do I agree with what these cars stood for? Perhaps not entirely... As entertainment, yeah... As practical examples of how to build a car? Probably not. Taken, though, as symbols of the age of excess, well, hell yeah... 

Music lessons...

...or at least something better than that "screamo" crap you're listening to, anyway.

After digging on Christian's post over on the Motorburg forum concerning some "singing F-1 cars" (ever heard an engine belt out "God Save the Queen"? You owe it to yourself to.), I had to share a slightly related piece here.

I've been working with some pretty cool projects lately, a few in particular began with the terms "pushing the envelope" and "extreme", and it did nothing but flare up the urge in me to go fast. Granted, this is bit on the opposing end of the spectrum frrom earlier posts, where we looked at subtle modifications, and really praised the "less is more" school of thought, but the sheer thought and engineering in an F-1 car is mind-blowing, and certainly fits here. What pushes it to the outer reaches is the awesome power (OK, and noise) created by one of these monsters. And in my opinion, they are a textbook example of "extreme". Dig on one running all-out:

More mayhem, as always on my site: www.problemchildkustoms.com

Ingenuity...

...is defined by Webster's as "skill or cleverness in devising or combining : inventiveness, or: cleverness or aptness of design or contrivance".

It's been a word that has spent an unholy amount of time bouncing a

round in my brain lately. I find it to be a powerful word when applied to our hobby/industry of hot rodding in general, as it's really the backbone of what we do. Consider an engine builder, working to tweak every last ounce of power, Sam Barris chopping the first Merc roof, or the first guy to conceive the idea of using lace to create killer patterns in custom paint. Hell, each day I'm confronted with the challenge of bringing unique ideas to a project, and in some cases, finding ways to stretch a budget, and draw in some wicked little details to set a car over the top. It's a matter of using what's there in front of you (and occasionally what doesn't exist!) in a new or different way, and then getting it all to flow.

A recurring theme here in the old blog has been that of cool details and inventive use of materials on a project, and this entry brings in some really neat stuff. First off, time had shot over some pics of his new, self-made planishing hammer.

Confronted with pre-made units that maybe had the power but lacked the throw he needed, or even vice-versa, he did what any hot rodder might do: He made his own. 

Pretty slick, indeed, and a great illustration of the point here. The human mind is capable of solving problems with amazing agility at times (there's even some grace in banging a sheetmetal panel to shape over a 2x4 when it's in the right hands!), and when it comes to creating tools to aid in work, provide convenience, whatever, it's always cool to witness. 

Speaking of ingenuity, a recent side trek on the web, seeking more info on Sam Barris' Merc led me to a video highlighting a car that's always kept me fascinated (and, amazingly, another Barris-constructed car -- I say "constructed", as the majority of the innovations on the car were those of the owner), the Golden Sahara II, from the ingenuity (see a theme here?) of owner/designer Jim Skonzakis (aka Jim Street). Every inch of this car is loaded with ingenuity, and inventive, if not a step beyond state-of-the-art for its time (this was pre-1962!)... Man, consider that this was the FIRST car to have a TV in it, much less every other technical marvel thrown in. You may know this '53 Lincoln Capri from the Jerry Lewis movie Cinderfella:

or even the old Rob't. Williams "Leadsleds" poster (it's there in the original incarnation, anyway), too! In any event, over on YouTube is the following video... take a peek, and we'll pick this back up in a few: 

How absolutely freaking cool is THAT??!

...and those light-up tires? Dig this:

In the '60's, Goodyear toyed with translucent polymers to create pastel-colored, illuminated tires! More likely than not, they were to be marketed toward women (color matching everything was in fashion, after all), yet the material proved to wear too quickly, and they never made it to market... 

Ponder the thought that went into this car, the forward thinking, the sheer inventiveness... the INGENUITY. Granted, there's a lot of gimmickry going on here, but isn't this car just the perfect illustration of the times? That whole "world of tomorrow" kinda vibe going on, and all wrapped up neatly in a pretty slick custom.

 
I had shown this to my kids, and they flipped that the car had a TV, a remote... and then they said "they had TV back THEN"? Illuminated tires, whoopie.... TV? Amazing to kids. Go figure...

Why Hot Rodding is So Damn Important Right NOW

In an age of absolute uncertainty (be it financial, moral or otherwise...take your pick), there are few things that seem to stand the test of time, and afford that feeling of general stability in one's life. I'm not talking so much about job security, or the familiar smile of your favorite teller at the neighborhood bank so much as I am the feeling you get when you talk to someone genuine... Anyone who miraculously slices through the presumptuous bullshit and makes you think a bit.

I know, I know... "but Brian, I NEED the media to tell me what my opinion is on things, and I'm too much of a pussy (yes, I said it: "PUSSY") to express any original thought around my liberal, communist, Stepford-like, golf-afficianado douchebag neighbors for fear of being branded a radical and not being invited along to play Bunko!" If this is your line of thinking, well, you might want to head on off and try on a new pair of plaid shorts. The logic here may get too heavy for you and make your carbon footprint too wide.

For the real people, let's talk about hot rods. "What do hot rods have to do with stability in an uncertain time?" you ask...

Glad you threw that out there.

Simply put, when times get tough, what's the first thing anyone looks at? The negative. And in an age of general stupidity and inability for most folks to construct an original thought for themselves, we have to seek out creativity in almost any fashion, and hold onto it, and push that bastard hard and fast... It's a straightforward concept that I'm throwing out here... And unless you've been raised on network news, awards shows, or sat at the "popular table" and never outgrew your high school days, you should be able to keep up fairly well here. When we start contemplating the negative, it's all that we have to build on, and the logical product of that is, naturally, more negativity. When it's all doom and gloom, any glimmer of hope starts to look better than what's been fed to you, and if you're so conditioned to just take what's handed out, well naturally it all looks good, right? So you accept more of the same agenda as some new concept, and while away the days drinking the Kool Aid and hoping you'll adapt. Not my speed at all.

Maybe that's why I dig hot rods so much.

You see, in the beginning, hot rods were a means of expression, a unique art form that celebrated inventive thought, a positive goal of improved looks and performance (... something we can all use, according to my TV, anyway), and genuine good times. At its heart, it's all never changed, really... Cars are cool, and hot rods even cooler... No matter what the manufacturers threw at us, as hot rodders, we've always managed to make something cool from it. The spirit to alter what's out there, to personalize it, to make it our own. As a general rule, creating something bitchin' from something mundane brings about a kick-ass reaction, and doubly-so from the non-initiated.

What's so scary in this day and age is how the uninitiated ("non hot rodders") are pushing to make this form of expression, along with anything else that resembles free thought or expression for that matter, a thing of the past. Whether we're being blamed for the environment (after all, those glasspacks on your '36 Ford cause the air over China to turn black, right?), told that we're throublemakers, or whatever... Consider that in a half century of hot rodding, our creativity and forward thinking have led to HUGE technological leaps... Simple backyard engineering has led to efficient engines, better aerodynamics, incredible styling, safety features... And yet, they spoon-feed you some hybrid turd that requires strip-mining, international trade treaties that take jobs from our country, and pad special interest group wallets, further separating the have's and have-nots (hey, that's you and me!).

At a more grass-roots level, ponder that you're told only a part of the story by your beloved media, and each day you give up more and more freedom to express your automotive visions... and beyond cars, well... you can only imagine.

The point here?

More than ever, simply sitting on your ass and letting someone make a decision for you, or simple going along with the opinion of some less-informed douchebag with an agenda will strip you of any creative outlet... Imagine having a total stranger step in and build your project as they see fit... Fantastic if they have the vision and experience (like Foose or Brizio...), but what a bummer if it's someone you've never heard of, and who can't back up any claims of their ability... Yet, look around you, and you can see it happening already. Personally, I'm not willing to lay back and see a fairgrounds full of green Priuses passing as a hot rod show, and if you are, well, enjoy the shit out of the boring, constricted future you helped to make, hippy. I'll be hanging out on the fringe, right where you've pushed guys like me for years... And our familiarity with this region will continue to be our greatest strength.

All things considered, with the chips down, and the prospect of being dealt yet another loaded hand, celebrating hot rodding at its very essence is more important than ever. We're the guys who push styling, safety, engineering and technology to that ragged edge where it hangs on, eyes bugging out, screaming for us to back off... And if we let them take that, well....

THE anything...

…was this past weeks’ lingering thought.

Put the word “the” in front of another word… but with emphasis. Like “THE album”, or “THE ‘55 Chevy”. When you do this, especially in the presence of friends or like-minded people, you can almost always get a knowing nod or smile. If you’re Zeppelin fans, “THE album” may be either Physical Graffiti or IV (and may be grounds for a fist fight, who knows?). Say “THE ‘55 Chevy” in one group, and you conjure images of either Falfa’s black ride from American Graffiti (or its prior incarnation in gray for “Two Lane Blacktop”… perhaps the sound of it in “Smokey and the Bandit”? We’ll save that for another time…), or in another crowd, Scott Sullivan’s Cheez Wiz Orange masterpiece.

Say “THE goal” to a Hockey fan, and you’ll conjure up this iconic, historic image:

Game 4. Overtime. Sweep of the Blues on the line. First Cup victory in 29 years. Sanderson’s pass leaves Orr’s stick as he’s hit by Blues defenseman Picard. As Orr sails though the air, the puck slides past goaltender Hall, and a historic moment is caught on film… quite possibly the most famous sports photo of all time….which is what got me thinking about all of this in the first place. Bobby Orr. Why would I think of Hockey’s greatest defenseman while sketching up some cars? It may have to do with my kids heading back to school this past week, and thoughts of book reports, nostalgic whatever about my days in school, who knows… But I do know that one of my first book reports was on a book about Mr. Orr, and it left an impression on me.

I recall reading the book, and thinking “whoa… this guy is the greatest!”, and not just numbers-wise, but man… he’s everything a sports hero SHOULD be: talented, dedicated, and driven. Calder Cup winner, eight straight Norris Trophies, three-time Hart Trophy recipient, two-time Conn Smythe Trophy winner, and two, count ‘em, TWO Stanley Cup winning goals… and a spot in a little place we call the Hall of Fame. He played with a terribly injured left knee, and when he felt that his play on that knee was hindering his team, he politely retired from the game. With 270 regular season career goals, and 645 assists, it’s obvious that this guy was a leader…and more. When he moved to Chicago, and his injuries allowed him to play only 26 games, he refused to accept a salary, and, in fact, never cashed a paycheck.

At that early age, what I had learned at home was reinforced in that book: work hard, remain dedicated to what you do, and earn your keep. It left a mark on me that became permanent… What’s this got to do with cars? Like I said at the beginning, there’s always that certain “something” about, well, something that just sets it apart, and etches itself on you in some way. Bobby Orr’s story was like that to me, much like Scott Sullivan’s ‘55, Doane Spence’s roadster and Winfield’s Jade Idol… Each has that mystique, that vibe that draws you in closer, and then leaves an indelible mark. My goal is to one day design or create something that does that to someone, and who knows, maybe inspire some grammar school kid to look up to me. May you have that effect as well, and leave behind a legacy of “THE’s”…

Surf Cube Concept

After the last post, I got to work, and completed one of the concept sketches...


Naturally, I began sketching ideas for these Cube's as soon as I laid eyes on them, and the above idea kept knocking on my brain... It just HAD to be drawn first!

The "Surfite" of one Ed Roth has always ranked as a top ten custom car in my book, not only because it's so damn original, but it's also surf-oriented, and as you know, I love me some surf ANYTHING. And man... the little Cube not only calls out for a "lifestyle vehicle" treatment, but as a surf wagon??! Oh YES! Taking cues from Mr. Roth's lilliputian land rover, I plugged in classic hot rod and So-Cal VW styling cues, and attempted to honor the master "hisself" (as he'd say) with a modern take on the little Surfite. Pop-out side glass? Check. Asymmetrical tail light treatment? Check. Aggressive stance? Checkity-check. Custom trim and mild re-work all over? Double checkity-check. Take a very unusual car and make it even more personal/unique? Check, check, checkity-check check! It's useful, like the swing-out rear glass and flip-up side windows, to the small step built into the rear fascia, and, well... it just looks COOL.

I dig it, and hope you do, too... And if so, holler at me, and I'll continue finishing what I've started in the sketch book, and show off an entire series, perhaps.

Rubik has nothin' on this Cube...

...and I want one.


Seriously.

This past Saturday, our good friend Pike had organized a pre-release cruise featuring 10 (yes, ten) of the new Nissan Cube's, and it was a blast. We hit a couple of area dealerships, then hit the road to the Pavillions in Scottsdale (great Saturday cruise spot for those of you planning to hit Goodguys Southwest Nationals in November), where the impressive lineup of geometric people movers grabbed a ton of attention on the freeways. Suffice to say, the lineup was a smash at the cruise, and Pike even brought along a GT-R (more on Godzilla later... words fail me yet) and an Infinity G37 convertible just to round out the playing field.

My first reaction when seeing a Cube a couple of years back (don't forget, these have been around overseas since '98) was "not too sure about that". Don't get me wrong, I was impressed as all get-out that anyone could pack that much room into such a small-looking package, but the look was odd to me.

Fast-forward ten years, and my how things have changed. My first moment sitting in the Cube was a wild time... Headroom galore, great sight lines, and just enough legroom for even my lanky appendages. The dash is minimalist, but laid out in a tremendously intuitive way, and all controls are easily understandable and useful. Too cool.

The ride was incredibly comfortable, stable, responsive and above all, QUIET. It was that last fact that kept me stunned. The Cube is damn quiet on both highway and city pavement, and just felt "right" somehow. Aside from the constant stares from other drivers, I have to say, I'm giving this little machine SERIOUS thought (more on THAT, too later!).



Design-wise, I have to say it has me hooked. If you know me, then you know my love for asymmetrical design, and that rear window treatment NAILS it. A wrap-around side glass on the passenger side meets a thick pillar on the left, and it (again) just feels "right". Couple this with tall slab-like side panels, rounded corners all over, and a very trick windshield shape (oh, you'll be seeing this on a few designs of mine to come), and we're getting someplace. But oh that tail light... It was an instant love-fest for me. I have about thirty cars I want to use that in, and it's not coincidental that I like it so much when it shares a similarity to a certain Thunderbird production run. It just says "custom car" all over (hell, even the headliner is sculpted already!)... and I dig the Cube for that immensely.

Naturally, I began sketching ideas for these Cube's as soon as I laid eyes on them, and I'll give a few hints to where it's all going for me, prior to laying out some drawings for you.

As an Alexander Brothers fan, I've always enjoyed a certain "quirky/futuristic" aesthetic when it comes to a kustom, and that taste is finding it's way into the artwork in a huge way.

Think "Deora meets the modern day", and you're getting warm. Throw in some healthy Ed Roth influence, and by golly, we're getting there....



Top it with some Winfield and Cushenbury asymmetrical appeal, and man, it just gets wilder by the second! It's been literally years since any new car has trapped my attention like this, and I'm stoked about it... Hope you are, too. and that you'll stay tuned as I play with a bunch of combinations and styles on this cool ride from Nissan...

You know, maybe that Rubik guy was on to something after all...

Stenciling in some time...

Lately, it's been rough finding a few hours here or there to do anything, much less create some art on the side... but somehow, some way... I managed to sneak in a minute or two per day, and nail down some visions that had been trapped in my head right where they belong: On paper and canvas!

The piece to the left here began some time ago as a digital work, and if you've been following along since 2004 or so, you'll recognize the basics here... I had wanted to throw in the '40 on the first Disturbingly Kool tee, but opted at the very last second to incorporate the Valley Custom-style creeper... This time around, well... it needed to be the '40, and I broke out the Mylar, frisket and tape, and began the process of creating stencils and masks, oh my!

I poked around the studio and garage for a few days as well, rounding up texturally interesting items, and a piece of expanded metal called to me, as well as some bubble wrap... and pretty soon, I had the background texture flying! Mixing paints, inks, and then mixing different mediums into those paints, I began to just go on "auto-pilot", letting the layers build themselves. I'm stoked about the result, and hope you dig it, too!

Next up was the painstaking task of cutting the stencils and masks, and figuring out a good system for layering them all, as I wanted to get this as detailed as possible, and have as much depth as I could, but still retain that flat, stencil look that brought this whole project on in the first place...

If you check out the detail shot to the right here, you'll see what I was after, as well as a slight shift in the stencils, a product of a very late night, but one of those "happy accidents" Bob Ross used to speak of. I learned a LOT about creating work in this manner, and will DEFINITELY do more... it's a blast, and really is a ton of fun to put down the stylus and mouse, and just attack materials with an X-Acto knife, some brushes, an the trusty Iwata twins... There's just that almost Zen moment when David Lee Roth's voice is drowned-out by the hum of the compressor, and the paints manage to somehow eek out of the air brush, loaded with extenders and matte and gloss medium. It's almost crazy to think that it had been so long since I created anything without the aid of computers, and shocking how different of a tan you get between a momitor's glow, and the lighting out in the shop!

I hope you dig this piece, as it's one of my favorites! (so much so, in fact, that I had it scanned, and am offering limited-edition print of this monster over on my site at www.problemchildkustoms.com) If you get time, please check it out, and if the mood strikes, pick up a print so that I can buy some more supplies!

Thanks again for checking it out...