Charger Script Tattoo

Went over to Sunken Ship Tattoo in Everett, WA to have Matt Sawdon start some new ink for me. Decided on Dodge Charger script lettering on my left arm. Matt did a great job and I plan on going back next month to add some detail to some older tats and start planning out how to tie everything together.

More Stills Of Don Charbonneau For Rats & Gassers

From yesterdays shoot.

Interview With Don Charbonneau For Rats & Gassers

Did an interview with artist and pinstriper Don Charbonneau at the studio today for the Rats & Gassers: Kustom Kulture Takes A Ride documentary. As part of the interview Don pinstriped my Hellcat VI on camera, explaining the process as he went. Very cool. With a bass guitar like this I have to hurry up and become a musical legend to justify owning it. :)

HEMI Charger Shirt Design

My new ‘67 HEMI Charger Gasser Shirt and Poster design. 

Shake The Shack Rockabilly Ball Car Show

Had a blast at the Shake The Shack Rockabilly Ball Car Show down in Georgetown, WA. Excellent turn out and some very cool rides. This year they had it at Bogarts with bands playing inside and on a small outdoor stage. Made a few connections for interviewees for Rats & Gassers as well. I took my GoPro to try a quick filming, but the battery wasn't charged (dahhh) and I only got a few seconds of footage. So I just took a few stills with the cell phone.

1967 Dodge Coronet Roadster Concept

Put the finishing touches on my 1967 Dodge HEMI Coronet Roadster 1/25th scale mock-up of a show car I'd like to build someday. Something you might have seen on the 1966-67 Chrysler Show Car Circuit. Similar to the 1964 Dodge HEMI Charger Concept, a large size two seater with integral roll bar. This car has a Charger grill, low slung custom wrap around windshield and both bumpers removed.

HEMI Valve Covers Just Arrived

The HEMI Valve Covers for my Dodge Charger just came FedEx this afternoon. I am going to send them down to Chris' Hot Rod Garage, where my Charger is being built tomorrow. Man these things are huge!

GoPro Motorsports HD Video Camera Arrives

Got the little GoPro today. So small, but nice picture quality. Did a little riding around on my bike while filming. Can't wait to try it out on a few Hot Rods!

Dink Ass Drivers

• So this guy cuts me off going to drop the kids at school this morning. I saw him coming and the the car in the right lane (in front of him) was slow, so I sped up so the jackass could get in behind me. Instead he speeds up even more and cuts within inches of our van (no signal). When we stop at the school (kids embarrassed)  I get out and go over to his SUV and start yelling at the turd. He was like "I have kids in the car!" I was "so do I asshole and since when do you drive like a maniac with kids IN YOUR CAR?" He started visible shaking. He shuts up and after much beeping from the rows of cars behind us- I got back in the van. I think more of us need to give some New York style in the window or in the face verbage to dink ass drivers to teach them that their stupid actions have potential reactions...instant karma. People get so arrogant driving in their 3,000 plus pound metal go-karts that they fail to take it seriously...they drive like they are in a video game. Rant done.

Quadcopter For Ariel Photography

So I just saw this bad boy online today. Look- it's got a GoPro Camera mounted underneath! Looking into buying one for my next production.

GoPro Motorsports HD Video Camera

After a little consideration- picked up a GoPro Motorsports HD Cam off Amazon for use in filming for my various automotive projects. I wish I had one of these during the filming Rat Rod Rockers! For the Rats & Gassers and various muscle car DVDs this bad boy should cover the in car and car mounted shots that can add some spice to the production. Should have it next week.

Trevor Robinson Interview For Rats & Gassers

Some stills from last nights filming of Trevor Robinson and his “Nothing Special” Ford Pickup Hot Rod for Rats & Gassers: Kustom Kulture Takes A Ride documentary. I originally met Trevor at the Seattle Roadster Show back in 2008. We interviewed him for our Go-Kustom TV Show. I have always loved the stance and look of his truck. Very unique and creatively done. We were running late and lost our sunlight so we stopped at an abandon but still well lit gas station for the shoot. I think it gave the pics a certain ambience that really works with the style of his truck.

HEMI Valve Covers

Won the bid on these 426 HEMI valve covers on eBay. Got them for $99.00. Not too bad. We are gonna use them on my ‘66 Charger to make the 383 look like a HEMI. I know thats sad- the Charger will not INITIALLY have a 426 HEMI but eventually it will. For the filming of The Legend Of D.B. Petty we can get by with mounting the HEMI valve covers atop the 383s and running the plug wires down and through them to the stock 383 position. I have seen this “fake HEMI” mod done on several cars and as long as the engine is in the car, it is hard to see the underside of the heads and spark plugs (on the 383 they are on the side of the head).

Gearhead Punks

This is the new logo for my Gearhead Punks subdivision of Go-Kustom. These are DVDs that are only about cars. The Rats & Gassers: Kustom Kulture Takes A Ride and Dodge Charger films are both under the Gearhead Punks brand. 

383 HEMI?

OK so this has been eating at me for along time. We are building a movie car for my film The Legend Of D.B. Petty. A 1966 HEMI Charger Gasser. Thing is I can't afford a HEMI right now and builder Chris Darland found a dirt cheap 383 to install. On a whim I typed 383 HEMI heads and found that many hot rodders were putting HEMI valve covers on their 350 Chevys! Now I think that is lame for a show car, because you are just trying to trick bystanders. But for a movie car- you are telling a story and that is a whole different thing. SO anyway- I see multiple websites about guys building NASCAR HEMI replicas out of their 383 Chargers and the mod isn't hard at all. Most just make a bracket and bolt the valve covers over the stock ones, run fake wires with boots and viola...instant HEMI. Of course if you took the engine out of the car you would see a huge gap on the header side of the heads, but with the engine in the car, it's hard to see. So anyway I bid on a set of crinkle black HEMI repo valve covers on eBay. Why I didn't think of this sooner...I do not know. 

Matt Sawdon Interview for Rats & Gassers

Went up to Everett, WA to interview tattoo artist Matt Sawdon for Rats & Gassers: Kustom Kulture Takes A Ride. Matt and wife Hot Rod Heidi (who played Ruby Milldue in my last film Rat Rod Rockers!) own and operate Sunken Ship Tattoo. I thought it would be interesting to get a tattoo artist's take on Kustom Kulture Art Styles and the relationship between Hot Rod Kulture, Tattoos and Fabricators. Matt has a long body of work and years and years of knowledge. His perspectives were a welcome addition to this documentary.

My Inadvertently "Road Worn" Hellcat VI

Original color headstock. Pulled off strings.

Removed pick guard.

Sanded and masked off headstock.

To go from black to silver I used a white primer.

Primer on the pick guard.

Several coats of primer and then the silver.

Nice silver finish.

With tuning pegs installed.

Mistake- I just didn't like the star. Too glam.

When I removed the star I had a star shaped imprint in the silver.

Messed up.

Nice sliver finish on the pick guard. Maybe too nice!

So I started sanding to get rid of the star imprint...but hey...that looks cool!

So after looking at some "Road Worn" Fenders online...out came the power sander!

Viola one bad ass bass!

I love this!

Gorgeous!

Vintage modern....

My Schecter Hellcat VI “Road Worn” Bass. I was repainting the pick guard and head stock then f’d up and started sanding the head and really liked the “road worn” vibe. So I took out the power sander and went to town! It sounds and plays like a brand new instrument but looks like I found it in a Pawn Shop back in 1967!  I am gonna get it pinstriped next week.