Clean 50's style Ford...

A Luau in 1960

More Hawaii

7

Some more family Hawaii in 1960

Next time we will hit a Luau...

Vintage Hawaii...

In my line of work, we put in for our vacation time almost a year in advance.  Basically senority gets first pick and goes down the line from there.  I found out that I have time off coming that I didn't even remember putting in for.  Too bad, this is as close to Hawaii as I am gonna get...  I stumbled across photos my great grandmother took when she went in 1960..  Pretty kool stuff...

Right off  the plane...  My great grandmother is on the far right..

on the back of the photo it said "me with an old fashion car"  The same could be said now of that 5 or 6 year old Cadillac behind them.

Dole pinapple fields

It is so kool to see how nicely everyone dressed, even on vacation.  In present day, most folks look like the just got out of bed....  Man, was I born in the wrong era...

Stay tuned.....  more to come....

Who says 4 doors aren't KOOL???

When I think of a kustom, I immediately think of a 2 door hardtop with all the windows rolled down..   Most people don't care for 4 doors as kustoms, and I would tend to agree, however here are a few I would not kick out of the garage...

Tony Farnetti's Merc..

Kinda works for "gassers" too, although not the direction I would have gone

Big Daddy...

Who's YOUR Daddy....

It is so neat to see the old legends still active in the lifestyle..

Function over fashion...



Note:  the older fellow in the ball cap was the driver of the 57 pictured below...



The photos were taken back in the late 80's or early 90's at Bakersfield (Famoso).  This pre-dates the whole fashion of a "gasser".  No dis-respect to those that have built or are building a "gasser".  I just miss the days of a car doing what it was built to do.  It seems that the hot thing is to put a straight axle under just about anything and call it a gasser.  I realize back in the day, there were some unusual race cars out there.  Case in point, Packards, Studebakers, and so on.  But that doesn't mean you grab the first P.O.S. you find, throw a huge motor in it, build a cage out of exhaust tubing and claim it was an old race car.  In the old days, there were plenty of cars that pulled double duty.  Transportation by day, racer by evening and weekend.  The cars and owners above are not confused about their role.  The owners role is to plant their right foot on the floor and point the car straight and make a good pass.  The cars role is to launch straight and keep all of it's drivetrain where it belongs.  There is no question in anyones mind, what is happening when you line up next to them...

Haulin the grocerys.....

It is such a shame that SUVs have taken the place of a good old fashioned station wagon...   Try to be competitive in Super Stock with a new Tahoe or Expedition...

Nostalgia Drags 1980's

L.A. County Raceway in the 80's

Bill Gonzales' DeSoto hotrod....

Gotta love Bill's DeSoto hotrod...  Haven't seen it in many years...

More WCK Los Banos....

Mark's 57 Lincoln.  This pre-dates the forming of the Headhunters.  Mark and I had just met about 6 months prior and we all camped together with the whole Garza clan..

I do not know who owned this Buick, but I believe Tom painted it..

Tom Herrera's (Diablo)Pontiac

My post the other day sure stirred up some of the good times from the past...  For those that don't know, West Coast Kustoms used to do the Cruisin Nationals in Los Banos, Ca on Labor Day weekend.  If you really want to go back, the Santa Maria show from Paso Robles actually started out that direction at Casa de Fruita.  Anyway, this show was one of my highlights of the year.  I was lucky to live near Paso, so this drive was really kool, and I don't mean"cool".   I would usually leave Santa Maria on Thursday nght, and drive to King City for the night.  That way, I could leave King City early to get over Pacheco Pass before the ass crack of noon.  I remember wearing newer Levis one time on that drive over and stained the heck out of my white interior (body heat=sweat=dark colors bleed). 

Been slacking lately...

I am not sure why I have been slacking lately.  I could lie and say I have been busting my hump building this or that.  Most of my days off are spent at the shop.  It is one of those places that you find something to "fix" whether it needed fixing or not.  I almost NEVER just sit at home and watch tv on my days off.  I have been known to just go to the shop and just organize nuts and bolts...  Most of the females wouldn't understand, but if you are a guy, you are with me...   Not too long ago, I bought a new car trailer.  Honestly, the last few weeks, I have just been making it my own.  Adding diamond plate on the tongue, a tool box, a winch, a spare tire and some extra tie downs is far from photoworthy.

In the meantime, lets go to WCK Los Banos mid 90's.....

This is what happens when the wind catches the door and breaks the stop...

Chrome & Light Studios Presents the Art of Jay Mason.: T-Shirt Studio is up and running.

Chrome & Light Studios Presents the Art of Jay Mason.: T-Shirt Studio is up and running.: "Out Now! My Photography has opened up into other art forms now. New works by Chrome & Light Studios. Shirts produced in our T-shirt studi..."