Hopupland

HOPUPLAND

A note from Ed.:
Web server stats suggest that we actually have more than the apocryphal 19 readers. Since the center, the core, is a small number by i-net standards, we call it 19. Just goofin’, but the lemming-like might be impressed by who those “19” actually are.
While we won’t name them, other than to say that these guys are way more likely to set/start behaviors or styles...trends if you will… than to emmulate them, some may soon be featured (exploited) as an advertising gimmick.”

Now, let’s talk about THIS MONTH’S COVER

A few seasons ago I was conjuring a ‘40 Merc for myself - a Matranga Clone.The pursuit was frustrated by cars being not-for-sale, or too far gone or too expensive, so we went another way. I would have been satisfied with a tribute car just as dozens of other custom fans are…the art form had not evolved materially since the work of Nick Matranga and his consorts and that was AOK by me. Thus I was only mildly interested in the project Rudy Rodriguez was doing for a friend of mine, full aware that it would be among the best of its’ ilk, whatever was done to it, solely owing to Rudy’s creativity. Proof of this began to show up a couple years ago, as decisions were made by the ‘Two’, regarding theme and the degree to which custom tradition would be served.
The project has been kept (modestly) quiet but not secret. Groups, in town for Father’s Day or this or that have popped in on the shop, some in-progress shots taken…but prob’ly no evolved photographs have surfaced until now.
The car will be shown first at GNRS and it’s been afforded a justifiably cool spot in the Main Building; some quiet buzz can be heard on this or that message board, but the first real report is coming to you from the Hop Up Towers, right here in River City.
Have a look at this.

Cardinal Rules have been foresaken,e.g. door handles left on, side mouldings remain…and black is chosen with abandon, knowing that covers are usually vorboten for black cars. And there are other departures from convention.
But that’s what these guys do.

I found myself in a kind of Circle of Trust on this one, and the other two were bemused by my awe, enthuiasm for the car, to the point where they thought that I thought I was part of the collaboration. Well, I didn’ think that, of course, but I felt a certain priviledge being included in the candid relation of pain and progress. (Don’t worry: although inwardly gushing over the car I still maintained cool, ya know?)

It will be at the Big Show, so get in there and stand back 50 feet or so…you’ll probly see what I mean.

You can now savor this bitch this way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urf3V5VEDNc

Hey, we’ll be back in a month or so..so…...y’all come.