auto butchers

another from last weekend. there were a lot of really interesting cars, so deal with it.

these two are a little strange. works in progress. both are in the auto butchers car club.

i've run in to the owner of the orange '56 a couple of times in the last couple of weeks. said he'd recently had the chrome done; first time i saw it last year, at the usuals bbq, i guess the bumpers were a bit rusty.

purple car, i've never seen. not sure what that front grille is from—something being spliced and welded—but i'm almost imagining a couple of bolts on the sides and calling it frankenstein. maybe just frank.

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so, a few things happened today. had the day off as my memorial day, since i had to work on the actual holiday. you'd think, yay, three day weekend...get the hell out of town! right? right?

but no. family stuff going on, so not taking any long weekend trips for fun or vacation anytime soon, unless i go on my own. and just when work is telling me i have to take some time off...vacation balance is too high.

shit happens. we're dealing.

didn't go to any car shows today. could have. three or four, if i'd wanted. told myself, i'd get up real stupid early tomorrow, and drive out to one instead. hard drives are filling up anyway.

oh, bit of good news. found out i got five pictures in the oc fair. and realizing i should trust my first instinct when sifting through pictures. i usually pick too many, then ask my better half to help narrow down the selection.

he gives great critique, honest opinions. but there is always one or two i felt strongly about, that he wasn't quite sold on, that i enter anyway, and they've gotten in. same this year. he doesn't care, he's happy for me.

there was something else, but i can't remember what it was now. whatever.

rusty crusty

so we've been busy dealing with a family emergency since sunday. i've been working from home, and making daily visits to the hospital. not sure what will happen when they get out, and how we will work around that, but will worry about it, when we have to worry about it.

pretty tired, so i'm not going to write a lot tonight. i put a crap iphone shot of this car up on my instagram, and people seemed pretty interested in it, so put this one up tonight. i like this shot from my camera better.

not the first time i've posted it...put it up last year, but nobody really noticed. that was a bright, sunny, hot day versus this shot, early, overcast and cool.

one of these things is not...

this truck isn't particularly one i'd normally shoot. it's got a lot going on. it's not a classic classic that i prefer. the colors are kinda, shall i just say vomitous together, but that's just me. they go, but not my favorite design.

i thought it was the same truck i saw being pinstriped a couple of years ago. yes, it was; that was the only picture i entered in the fair last year that got a ribbon, even if it was only honorable mention. again. i recognized the pinstriping on the back end. nice to see the completed design. pinstriping is cool. that's why i shot it in the first place.

and interesting angry orchard beer pull for the stick shift.

psycle

this was a pretty awesome bike. may be a standard issue harley, but the airbrushing was really interesting. so maybe the praise should be thrown more at the artist.

ford

another pic i told the owner i'd post for them. was either this, or a sideview. since i just posted one of those for the other guy, putting this one up. shiny, shiny car. for whatever reason, didn't see it in the parking lot, so didn't shoot more of it.

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woke up with a headache, so skipped going to pomona this morning. maybe next month. now if i can just make this headache stop, i could go for a walk. late for lunch...i'm sure that's not helping.

valspar

woke up early and headed to original mike's for the pistolero's / viejitos show. was wonderfully overcast the whole time i was there, so i'm hoping the pictures will be good.

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was a bit confusing, because when i got there, the lot was full of porsches, with the cars i was looking for sitting on the street. guys were saying they had double-booked shows.

perhaps it was just their regular saturday morning coffee meeting. if not, it was the weirdest show i've seen...none of them were out looking at each other's cars...they were all inside eating/meeting. it was like a damn porsche dealer lot; full of carreras. all the same, all different colors, all packed together.

i spent the time shooting what cars there were on the street. got some good pictures, up against the buildings, and the fire station.

whatever. my guys started moving into the lot about nine, more as the porsche party broke up and started to leave, one by one. i followed them in. shot them again...different location, different light. 

more cars showed up, plenty to keep me happy. cars reshuffled several times as spots opened up, and clubs parked together. shot them again.

only a couple of guys inquired about my pictures. so i'll start with them.

don't think i've seen this plymouth before. i liked it up against this paint building, the colors matching the car almost like they'd matched paint chips. what is that...PMS 188 or 201?

on my way out, this freaky monkey thing was at the entrance/exit, a bizzare greeting to all those that enter. certainly was creeping out a little girl, who did not want to pose with it for her mother.

dud

purposely drove out to the broiler yesterday. i'm in the mood to shoot, and was hoping there would be some cars in downey to help me with that.

i go there rarely anymore, mostly because i have farther to go after work, and just can't bear to sit in traffic that much longer. and the last four or five times i have decided to go, disappointed by how few cars are there. it used to be so packed, even the back lot was full, even when i got there early.

well last night, got there about five-thirty. only a handful of cars there for the "show." small group of regulars, and i wandered over to the few i've met before. they joked that they didn't remember my name, where have i been, etc.

they talked about another show going on at the same time. mentioned that at the show i used to go to off alondra, they had torn down the building and were putting in an in-n-out or something.

anyway, i give up. this show is off my list, not worth the stress of the traffic. i liked the cars that were there, but too far for too few. sorry.

spent an hour with what there was and bid it goodbye for wednesday night shows.

wishing this woodie wasn't next to the t-bird, but apparently the owners are buds, so oh well.

calm before the storm

just before the rain. was starting to sprinkling lightly, and taking one more walk about, and found raynbow's pontiac. didn't see him.

last time i saw his car it was for sale. no sign this time, and the viejitos plaque was still in the back window, so i suppose he was there somewhere.

didn't notice that tudy had arrived with his '56 until after the rain got going and i was waiting up under the building entrance. next time, always a next time...

the usual

caught this one at chinga las vegas at legg lake. many nice cars there that didn't / couldn't drive out to the big show in vegas.

hosted by the usuals car club, it was the usual bring your own bbq and picnic. no trophies, just dudes checking out each others' cars.

always love me a fleetline.

pink elephant

it's really, really bright outside. i've been stalling leaving the house. woke up at six. could have gone to a few cars shows by now. used to be easier, when i was often driving from oc to la, and they were on the way. now, i'm already here. harder to get out of bed. i guess it's just one more of the things you give up when you get married. nah, i could have gone. i'm just tired.

sitting here, wondering if they're still doing a viejitos show on the last sunday of the month. if they are, should be starting about now. i guess i'll head over and see. i can at least pick up some carnitas, show or not.