MAGAZINE

HOP UP 2000

The price has now gone to cover price, $12.95, and there will probably not be a reprint. Thus, since this is Volume 1, and you know stinkin' well that there will be an annual every year until we flip legs-up, you oughta send for a few of 'em to give away, so those unwashed, ill-informed, back-slidin' pals of yours will come to know what we know:

IT'S ABOUT THE IRON

The Order Form (click here).

HOP UP 2000 LOOKS LIKE THIS

WHAT'S HAPPENING

Nothing.

But if we have to be reflective about this date, let us note that it marks the end of the pure, retro, back to roots movement in our hobby. No, the look won't change. Traditional cars are making a mark that won't be obscured by the next fad. They are - and this pisses backwards - the next fad.

Fraud-rodders from the shallow end of the think tank have noticed that the ATTENTION has gone to traditional cars, and have thrown their wallets and covetous strategies at them. Gone are the, "Oh, but don't axles RIDE rough?" and "Here's my power (whatever) switch" sentiments. We don't know what they are saying, for sure, but we know they are saying something. The saving grace is that Hop Up Guys (numbering 17 or 18) won't hear or see the posturing of the NEUVO NOSTALGIC cuz they're seldom anywhere those guys are, and will continue to enjoy the refined experience of doing it for themselves.

Maybe some of the Neuvo Nostalgic (We'll call 'em "N-Squares") will get it after calming down and seeing the similarity between painting their walls Ferrari red, embroidered prancing horses everywhere, wearing a red, logo-emblazoned cashmere sweater 24 hours a day in order to evoke, "Oh, do you have a Ferrari?" from voyeurs they don't even know or respect, and doing the same cheap act with hot rod ephemera?

We bet that the most 'together' of the N-Squares will get it. How could they not? We know they check in here...........that may help a little. When they learn to self-actualize with old (usually Ford) iron, they'll probably throw those gold chains away. Or sell 'em and buy something corroded at a real swap meet. When they get as much pleasure out of that acquisition as they did out of their new billet mirrors on a previous project, they're doin' OK - unless they want the rust for the wrong reasons..............

ROTTEN CUSTOM MAGAZINE

We intend to seek out and find the best examples of customs out there in sub-celebrity-land, and we're beginning to get in close enough to hear the jungle drums. Like Steve Hegedus' Caddy, below? Ah say, Oh Yeah!

CAN'T YA FEEL IT WHEN YA DRIVE?

Mild customs. Street stuff. They don't always have to be in suede, but primer reminds us that all this iron we dig is usually in transition; the cars are never really done. How many artists get to use their unfinished work? Hop Up Guys get to. Hot rods and customs (and all the rest of 'em if truth be known) are functional art. An expression of personal choices. And in most cases they are a showcase of the cats' craft, and hands-on talents. The more we learn to do on our own rides, the more fulfilling it is. When it comes to the really crafty stuff, though, we have to satisfy ourselves (no complaints here) with being the person who commissions the art. That is another subject.

When the custom goes from mild to wild there is risk. Gawd! Look at 'Mauled Mercs"in Diehards to see evidence that some folks' taste is in their mouth. How can some of them have so little 'eye'? But they are over shadowed by the ones with good taste, good eye, good execution and....restraint. Hop Up is on-the-snoop for the latter. Stay tuned.

EDSEL FORDOR: THE FIX? SKIRT, SLAM, PLATE AND PRIME

OTHER EXTREME

Super celebrity rides are not our meat, but any time we can scoop the big boys, we're in. Paretta keeps us up on Terry Cook's Lincoln's and submits these interesting pictures:

'SCRAPE' AT LOUIS VUITTON CONCOURSE IN NYC

'TITANIC' AT BLACK TIE SWINDLE, GOODWOOD, ENGLAND

Check out our cool T's!