MAGAZINE

What's Happening

SIDEBURN CIRCUS

Continual good music, some live and some recorded, was peripheral to a civilization of man/womankind and rod/customkind that was as billed. Too cool. It's hard to say "It's about the iron," when the people are so cool it's as though they wear the cars as fashion baubles.

I mean, even the bicycles there were outstanding. Got a mini-education from the cats at King Dick's, and now we gotta go looking for the right original bike to hop up. These folks even hop themselves up. Great tattoo work, clothing (the gig was about clothes and accessories), and all the while it really is "about the iron." The rides. Where we sat, we could see the cars come in and get situated in the p-lot and, accompanied by good music, these cars went through their 'steps' in full cruise. A black Caddy came in, moved around, chose a good 'power' spot to park, and gawd- this couple was cool - the act was accompanied by "Havana Moon". Chuck Berry at his best. All time. Nothing silly.

Havana Moon? 'Kinda' sounds like an inspiration for a slammed Rivvie with Skylark wires...a debadged hulk full of creature comfort with a Robin Egg tint reflecting in the store windows when you slow down to watch the spokes flicker........but that's another story.

The Autoholics are a bunch of (it's an over-simplification to call them fun-loving) Billys. They've got one of 'em who - a big ol' boy - never stood still; greeting everydamnbody in the county, havin' a few pops (breakfast), radiated 'party' non-stop. Fun. Great big, greased, inked, liquored-up fun. One day we'll have a whiskey with this galloot.

Back to the iron: There's a fine line between kitch and cool. It seldom blurs with these cats, but once in a while someone will try "too hard." Caution. Don't try "too hard." That's what our mentors always told us when our circle was overlapping into that of another auto-dicipline. Probably the most validating credential Greasers have is that they approach Outrageous without trying "too hard." Again, they are the real deal. And they're kind to old guys, too.

Don't miss the next Sideburn Circus..

PLEASANTON

You can't go to anything that big without seeing something that blows your skirt up. Customs abound, and simply-styled hot rods are showing up as though they are a fad. They are, in some cases.

NONE OF THESE CARS WERE AT PLEASANTON

But my, my, the execution. It doesn't have to be a beater to be a Hop Up kind of car.

Remember, the cars in the Real Hop Up were painted, plated, and trimmed to the top of the game. Don't cut out the rides that get the treatment just because the guy had good taste and a good wallet!

In typical Jimmy Olsen fashion, we'll spare you boring details, but we're gonna share a lead we got from Commander Stroupe (Northern Front). He had snooped around for some time in recent years looking for a deuce three window that had been a "San Anselmo" car; maybe got some ink, maybe not. What happens is, some other cat got to it and, unbeknownst to the Commander, it gets 'done'. OH, did it get done. Get Back, Loretta! This metallic blue piece turns up as one of the finest restorations of a late 50's car we think we've seen. EVERY real mag will cover it, so you'll know it, chapter and verse in 3 months, but (forgot to take a picture), we just want to be the ones to alert you to it if you weren't there. Chrysler. Tasteful period interior. The look. The stance. Cover car. Whoa Daddy!

The Streetrod of the Year winner is the custom (lemme 'splain ya sumthin') that was featured in the white in Rodders Journal. Dave Crook? Yeah. That's it.

FTB

YOU'RE JUST THE RIGHT SIZE!

As usual, the Billy Boys have perfect music, recorded and live, the look, the atttitude, and, oh........did we mention The Iron? Here's a few pictures of what was a real mellow day until The Bulls got there and broke up the ........WHAT?

IT'S FINE WHEN YOU HOLE THE BUMPERS

That line came out of 1949, didn't it? A pair of Cops from The City of Orange - apparently Neanderthals about my age, rousted everybody - gave a cat on a HD a ticket for riding through the p-lot without his helmet- the same thing the overweight motor cop had done earlier and generally harassed Axle and the Shifters like there was one of these, "You're not gonna do this in Our town" messages. Orange. The town that has more car shops, from C.W. Moss to Randy Ema's Deusy shop, and more unlicensed aliens driving the streets, and more illegal housing (garages, etc.) than any place in Orange County, more illegal zoning in businesses along the tracks, a town that has an "International Fair" in its' traffic circle this weekend with people getting looped at beer concessions that line the street, then driving home, that has the most anal Code Enforcement practices in the country, a town that enforces one set laws for citizens and John Q's, but blinks when its' institutions, shopping malls, railroads, freeways and other bigtime operations come to town, creating mini-power and advantage for its' part-time politicians. This reporter's opinion, I guess.

DO WE SEE A TREND TOWARD ROUND TRUCKS?

We had a good time anyway, but I haven't felt like that - oppressed by 'The Cops' - in thirty-five years. And the overweight, hole-in-the-haircut louts who represented the City were an embarassment to my generation. I quit.

We bet The Shifters do it again and we'll be there, even if we hedge our bets and do both next time.

Well done, Axle.

CUSTOMS AND RODS MIX AS IT IS WRITTEN

SEE WHY WE LIKED IT?

EVERY LITTLE BEAT O' MY HEART

BONNEVILLE

IT'S QUIET EXCEPT FOR TEAGUE

It doesn't hurt to be there with your kin. Kindred spirits who've all been there before.......

The aura is best related in Peter Vincent's Photography, but you may be surprised to hear him articulate it in words - usually a very few of them - that trail off into a sigh and a slow head-shake. Its an emotional place.