Imagine a nice grass lawn park rimmed by a variety of trees; Eucalyptus, Palms, and Pine Trees. A large man-made pond with an island and rope bridge in one corner, clubhouse, amphitheater, rows of picnic tables and pass-through kitchen. All this in the middle of a suburban Southern Californian city. Flanked by houses built in […]
Windy Campbell’s 1974 Dodge Dart Sport While roaming around the Cruisin For A Cure show, there is a building full of “Women and Wheels” exhibit of women owned vehicles. Right up front and center was this beautiful pink 1974 Dodge Dart Sport which we had seen at the All Women’s Car Show at the Zimmerman. […]
Steve Clark’s 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS Have you ever noticed a car for the first time at a regular cruise night? For instance, I go the Historic Main Street Garden Grove Car Show on a regular basis and you see a lot of regulars (err, Hoolligans) and some newbies too. Well this week, a certain […]
An ArtMartyr Short Story While most of Southern California was in a drunken, coke-infested nightclub haze in the 70’s and 80’s there was one family that escaped that scene and took off on the weekends to hit the sand at Rosarita Beach two hours south on Hwy 5 and into Baja California. A small beach […]
Ventura Highway led me to discover a hidden gem. I had the great pleasure to meet Maureen Magnuson today. I went up to Ventura to see my buddy Johnnie Martinez and he said, “Hey, while you are here, let’s go see Maureen.” I was game and he said they have a museum at the shop […]
Shiney Mike’s Hot Rod Shop Truck For as long as he can remember, Mike Grawunder has always wanted a hot rod truck. For his 65th birthday his wife Wendy was all about granting that wish. Mike is a retired trucker who has a passion for polishing metal. The seductive, almost zen-like process allows all […]
When you roll up on this ride at the local car show, there isn’t anything that jumps out at you. Subtlety at its best. You dig deeper and get lost in the deep black skin, the chrome accents just hit the rather snubby looking roller into the stratosphere with rocket cues and adorned fins. Then […]
How do you push the limits? Is it that short blast of energy railing down the quarter-mile? Is it pulling some G’s around the corners at Laguna Seca? Or are you struggling to keep two wheels on the ground as you zip through the Isle of Man? There is no doubt that each of those […]
The Culture Around Collecting It has seems like a lifetime ago when I opened Blacktop Depot, an Automobilia Store that bought and sold; “COOL OLD STUFF”. All our patrons and consigners were a community. A community that dates back to the earliest of man. A community built on having things that other people wanted. Possessing […]
Some of you may remember this beauty of a ride below from our last issue. Derby’s 1939 Coachcraft Lincoln. After hearing his story and the cool old stuff he gets around, we had to make a trek on the Ventura Highway and roll over to his hide-away. His dad was a car guy through and […]
At Cambra Speed Shop The street was quiet. Desolate. I know though. I know that in only an hour or so the blacktop will be busy with vendors rolling in, stage being set, and cars lining up. That vision came through with the sound of a low rumble from around the corner. Before any vendors […]
I have said it before. In fact this is the 11th Born Free Motorcycle Show we have been to. All at Oak Canyon Park in Silverado, California. The thing is, this show is a MUST for anyone interested in vintage bikes, choppers, bobbers, baggers and yes even Dyna’s. Each year Grant and Mike put on […]
