Mike's shout out compliment to Olympic Coatings in Escondido!

Mike finished welding up a pair of sliders on Sunday, and left them with Olympic Coatings on Monday morning, here's his experience!

I was asked when I needed them back and I said by Friday if possible. They are very busy so we went inside to verify if this could happen. They kindly fit them in with other projects they had going on.

I received a call Thursday morning informing me that they were finished and I was welcome to come pick them up. When I arrived, I waited inside their lobby, looking at all of the hot rod photos on the wall. This is when I noticed the ‘tree’ from a drag strip somewhere in the mid-west. I asked if it was the real deal and was told it’s legit. They even plugged it in for me to view.

All in all, great people to work with and their work is awesome. I highly recommend them for large or small powder coating projects you have or will have in the future.

They are located at:
Olympic Coatings ( www.olycoatings.com )
2200 Micro Place
Escondido, CA 

I want to move in here.... when was the last time you loved an auto parts store? Probably the last time you walked on wood floorboards. Rippey Auto Parts, Columbia Tennessee (Thanks David!)

the locals know it as the bearing place. No kidding.

http://www.columbiadailyherald.com/news/local-news/lightning-causes-fire-auto-parts-store

https://www.facebook.com/Rippey-Auto-Parts-and-Industrial-Supply-649847908470233

Mosher's shop is the only unit in their industrial area building that was spared in a fire last October, “There are some things that make it look suspicious,” Monrovia Fire Chief Brad Dover said

Fire started around 6:45 am, fire dept on scene at 7:05, things were already too far gone to prevent serious damage

No one was injured in the blaze. The cause and exact origin are still under investigation, Dover said, but arson was “definitely a possibility.”

“There are some things that make it look suspicious,” he said.

Dover said the fire was isolated to the building and about half of the structure appeared to be salvageable.

Still, he estimated the damages to structure and contents at about $1 million, given the heavy machinery and cars lost.

“There’s lots of expensive vehicles in the building. We were able to save some,” Dover said

https://www.sgvtribune.com/2017/10/09/firefighters-battling-to-structure-fire-in-monrovia/
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/close-call-for-moshers-in-monrovia-almost-burnt-down.1081561/

Mosher's moved, of course, and in a June 2018 post on their website http://www.moparsbymosher.com/ they show the new location

https://www.instagram.com/moparsbymosher/

Kettle Moraine Preservation & Restoration, dedicated to the integrity and preservation of the history of motorsports, ranging from fully race-ready vintage cars to the trophies they may have won 'in the day.'

Above, Penske CHOSE the KMPR team to restore the Mark Donohue raced 1972 Gurney All American Racers Indy Eagle #7225.   Here they are at the 2016 Milwaukee Concours d'Elegance, where KMPR's work won Best in Class for Race Cars.


Thirty minutes outside Milwaukee, there is a small warehouse in the back of a quiet industrial park. It is one hour south of Road America, one of the greatest and most storied road courses on this continent, and not by accident. There is no signage, nothing to identify the business, just a few parked trailers and a small gravel parking lot. The grass out front is neatly kept but slowly subsuming the rocks.

And then you walk inside, and there are Indianapolis race cars. There are also race car parts, from loose gears on a bench to shelves full of hand-lettered bodywork, the chassis attached to the latter long ago crashed or broken up.

Rick and his son Jacques are historians. The work of their shop, Kettle Moraine Preservation and Restoration (KMPR), has been showcased at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and lauded by Dan Gurney and Roger Penske.

Penske’s outfit asked the Dresangs for help when restoring one of the team’s enormous 1970s International Fleetstar transporters. Penske himself requested a Dresang-rebuilt Penske Eagle—the ex-Mark Donohue 1972 example shown here—to be present in 2016 when he received a lifetime achievement award from the International Motor Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen. Staff at Gurney’s All American Racers shop in California have referred to Kettle Moraine as “AAR East,” due to the store of Gurney blueprints and cars, and the Dresangs’ devotion to sleuthing the team’s past.

Even with those ties, KMPR is an odd bird in the world of motorsport: a top-shelf restoration facility with no customers. The shop was founded to maintain and share the Dresangs’ vehicles, but it’s more than just a collection of machinery.

“The sport is a flushing toilet, and only a few people make it to the rim. It’s like anything—if a war’s fought, we want to know about the losing side. At Indy, there are 32 losing sides.”

“We just want to share the stories,” Jacques says. Preferably, he adds, those from outside the spotlight.

It’s why the KMPR trophy cases are full of vintage cups, from America to Europe, engraved with obscure names. Why Jacques hunts down crew members from C-level teams, or even their relatives, gently inquiring about the past.

“When I started this, I just started calling people, collecting data,” Jacques says. “Cross-referencing things, crew-member A to crew-member B. I’m an ass for the truth. I don’t care if it’s not what I want it to be, I just want to know what it was."

The work may be tedious, but the result is valuable insight into the sport’s dimmer corners—that unglamorous zone where journalists and historians rarely tread.

The Dresangs have day jobs and thus mostly deal with Kettle Moraine business in after hours. Evenings and weekends of research, mechanical work, or simply helping the odd well- known driver sort through his history.

“Take David Hobbs . . . it was funny. We were going through old photos at his house with a bottle of wine. I was asking, Who’s this guy, who’s that guy? He said, ‘Why do you want to know about him?’ I said, Because he did this and this and this, with nothing. He goes, ‘You really like the little guys, eh?’

“Yes. Because they tried. And you if you go to the Wikipedia page, there’s nothing, and it bothers me.”
https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a13930479/the-wisconsin-shop-that-keeps-forgotten-indy-500-history-alive/
..................................................................................................................................................................

In 2009, the team found an ultra-rare 1977 All American Racers Eagle DGF Formula Ford in California.

After a year of restoration, the car took to the track at the SCCA Kettle Moraine Regionals, winning one of the two sprint races. The season-ending Fall Sprints Regional event at Blackhawk Farms Fall Sprints proved difficult for the team, losing longtime friend and team member Loyd Haslee to cancer the morning of qualifying. Dresang and the team went 10-10ths for their lost friend, capturing pole position, winning all three heat races and the feature event in a car many had thought was past its prime.

 Since 2011, the team primarily focuses on vintage open-wheel car racing and restoration, mainly with AAR Eagles as their specialty

http://kmvintage.net/news/coming-soon-to-road-track
http://www.kmvintage.net/about.html

44 years of repairing Porsches in San Clemente in the same shop. Wow.

As a teenager in the late 1960s, Staggs belonged to the era when hundreds of thousands of VW Beetles were sold in the U.S. each year, and every kid learned to work on these air- cooled runabouts.
 Staggs worked on Beetles in the parking lot of his high school in San Clemente, then moved on to Porsches by visiting the shops of the best Porsche mechanics and asking questions for hours.

Staggs sits at his wooden workbench in a primitive two-bay shop not far from PCH in San Clemente, California. It's the same shop where he has done business since 1973. He specializes in the 356, and he does car repair in the classic way: one man, one toolbox, one car. He can, in that manner, do just about anything. "Depending on what you want, I can repair your car, or I can really fix your car, or I can make your car like it was when it was new," Staggs says.

One service Staggs doesn't perform is concours-level restoration. "We're more interested in people driving their cars," he says. Neither does he want much to do with newer Porsches. "Fancy 911 Turbos or whatever—I have actually no interest in those things. Can you even get it out to nine-tenths of its ability, ever? With a 356, there's no power steering, no power brakes. And you can hear the engine and you're working the clutch, heel-and-toeing. It doesn't get any better than that."

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/news/a32871/shops-we-love-california-calling/
https://theshopmag.com/features/impromptu-car-show-porsche-shop-s-end-year-bbq dec 2017 update

the oldest vehicle repair shop in the USA? Probably. The Fitzpatrick Brothers in Dorchester/Boston Massachusetts still located on the same spot since 1894

Founded in 1894 by Thomas and Martin Fitzpatrick.

In 1919, and in 1929 their sons joined, and then the grandsons Harry and Frank, began in 1954 and 1956 respectively. Finally, greatgrandson  Neale began working full time for the company in the late 1980s.

They transitioned from a horse-drawn wagon repair shop working long hours and instead of body techs they had blacksmiths, wheelwrights and carpenters back then, to a technically advanced collision repair center in 1926, when they became the first auto body repair shop to use spray guns, and they stopped using a paint brush. They are now Mon - Fri, 630am to 330pm

When they celebrated the business' 100th year on September 8, 1994, the Fitzpatricks mailed over 1,000 thank-you cards to all the names accumulated in their database, which was only 6 years old, no one had thought to keep track of the customers for the first 100 years.

To put some perspective on how long Fitzpatrick Brothers has been in business, in 1894 the sport of basketball was only three years old, Dwight Eisenhower was four, the camera was six, the Statue of Liberty was eight, Einstein was 15, and Grover Cleveland was president then.

How did they survive the great depression?  From 1931 to 1937, that generation of Fitzpatricks stayed afloat through a community bartering effort. Cash was almost non-existent, weekly salaries averaged $5, and if you could sweep the floor for a quarter you were doing pretty well for yourself. If they needed groceries, they repaired the grocer's truck. Need some hardware supplies? Surely the store owner was in need of a paint job. When the electrician needed some work done on his car, he'd offer to rewire your building.

It wasn't until the '50s that the business would see its most significant transformation since gasoline. No longer would insurance companies simply acknowledge a claim and send a check. They wanted to see the work now. "The business became really tough," said Franny. "Insurance companies began insisting on negotiating. You had to deal with an agent and present him with your bill. And those were days when $200 and $300 jobs were major operations."

In order to streamline their appraisal and billing process, they purchased a $4,500 computer from Radio Shack in 1979

What made a difference, the brothers say, is that nobody in the family was ever mandated to work for the family business. Harry and Franny's father and uncle never asked them to give up their accounting and radio engineering degrees respectively. They chose the family business like their father and his brother. Harry's two sons, Neale and Scott, have continued the tradition. "It's funny how things work out," Franny philosophized. "We have always had two Fitzpatrick brothers running the business with two more stepping in. We have all wanted to be a part of this. In this day and age when families are falling apart, it's nice to see this kind of longevity."

“It wouldn’t have worked the same way anywhere else, we’re probably the only body shop in the whole world surrounded by residential houses,” Fitzpatrick said. “And 90 percent of those houses are out customers, even when someone gets married and moves to Milton or Quincy, they tell their kids to come by the shop to get work done.”

Fitzpatrick said that while he appreciates his business’ history, his real pride comes from what lays ahead.  “It’s a funny thing, but we’ve been here now for more than 100 years. You won’t become a millionaire doing this kind of work, but it’s satisfying knowing you’re doing the same work as your father, as your grandfather. You know it’s the work you can keep on doing.”

http://www.fitzpatrickbrothers.com/about-us.html
http://www.fitzpatrickbrothers.com/article.html
http://www.autobodynews.com/index.php/northeastern/item/11201-oldest-shop-on-the-east-coast-keeps-family-legacy-alive.html
http://www.dotnews.com/2011/hailing-dot-s-stalwarts-they-built-businesses-and-they-stayed
hat tip to Repaint Reporter v75.2, the PPG company magazine

You know how companies like bars seem to have a tradition of framing the first dollar earned for good luck? Don't you wish this company had an 1894 dollar of some type, bank note, silver dollar, whatever... framed? I think that would be awesome, don't you?

Bike builder master craftsman, photographer, shop owner, blogger, and man who appreciates cool old things... "JoJo" Maes and his shop - Dusselrad

http://www.duesselrad.de/

with Google translate garbling the original a bit, here is an article from Stephan Wapnner:

Maes goes mobile

 The bike service Düsselrad: Franz-Josef Maes leads the store successfully for ten years - and with quiet hands.

 On the office table a fossil, a worn typewriter, "I like old things," said the friendly man with blue overalls, steel-rimmed glasses and wild, gray hair. "I like the representation of old things."

He points to a wall calendar, on the February Journal the painting of a traditional road bike can be seen.

Franz-Josef Maes, who is called by friends, acquaintances and even many customers "Jojo", has made a passion for bikes into a career.

 He runs the bike trade and service "Düsselrad". Not only for the people in the district is a first port of call when it comes to his beloved vehicle. Düsselrad is in a romantic-looking backyard in Unterbilk. Düsselrad consists of approximately 200 square meters area of ​​two "showrooms", a workshop and an office, with more than 2000 jobs annually. And the impression that the company Dusselrad gives to visitors is that this is a third or fourth generation shop.

Maes began ten years ago. "I somehow managed that people believe it  has been here always," smiles the 49-year-old. There is no customer mass treatment, a maximum of one well-organized chaos, and - above all - the owner and his partner Andrew "Isi" Mertner - friendly and competent advice.

Maes Mobility - convenient and good. Düsselrad is in four years, the producers of the popular bicycle. A high quality manufacturer whose "skeleton" is made in a workshop, and the Bielefeld partner at Concordia Street - is refined - according to the individual wishes of the customer.

Handlebar, saddle, bell, pedals and colors of Powder Blue on toxic green to gray mouse - In Düsselrad everyone gets their own personal Düsselrad experience. "I'm sort Kleinkonfektionär" said Maes, who asks 600 to 800 euros for one of these bicycles.

 "Jojo" Maes, who somehow reminds me of Gyro Gearloose, has not always made bicycles, earlier he has chauffeured people in a balloon over Europe and the western United States, then the dreamer came slowly back down, building Internet networks temporarily in Munich. "But I realized that I do not fit into Bavaria and especially that modern working life is not for me with his strange hierarchical thinking," said Maes. Then, "Jojo" settled down and founded in his hometown Düsselrad.

 "The decision I have never regretted," says the bike expert who has for pretty much anything that moves, a driver's license. and with his wife Sabine and for many years with the motorcycle took part in the so-called team race in the Eifel. The numerous trophies that are available in the workshop on the shelves make it clear that the two are a good team on the road.

Maes collects bikes - the oldest model from 1910 hangs on a wall in the courtyard - but also motorcycle tanks and even typewriters. What he does not like are mountain bikes but such "mountain bikes"  Düsselrad takes in for repair, if the bottom bracket is down or chain is broken. Ever for Maes and his colleagues "Isi" no job is too delicate.  Stephan Wappner

http://www.duesselrad.de/

Do you think badgering Dan to get his website up and running would be good, or bad?

this ought to be a familiar car to you long time readers, Dan went from a 68 383 Road Runner to a Optima Street Car Invitational contestant.

He has his own shop, and what does he do there? Add content to Facebook. I'm against that fundamentally.

Is he building race cars? Upgrading 1960's Mopars to perform like his Pro-Touring Road Runner? Making engine coffee tables?

So, if you kindly want to help Dan decide to get his website http://www.dtmracing.us/ filled in for our information and enjoyment, email him dan@dtmracing.us 

If you prefer the Facebook method, http://www.facebook.com/pages/DTM-Racing/305030966187707?fref=ts

I looked up My Jalopy's bike shop, Coco's Variety, and finally met him, got some photos of the shop too

http://www.cocosvariety.com/ is the store site,
Coco's Variety's primary business is bicycles. Additionally, we sell Japanese figural pencil erasers, used bike parts, old toolboxes, books worth owning, bike pumps, vintage novelty French flags, metric measuring tapes, bicycle tools, wicker bike baskets and bicycle cargo bags for the carting of fresh produce, the transportation of books of French poetry and the rescuing of kittens.

At this time, we sell neither pancakes nor parakeets.
2427 Riverside Drive
Los Angeles, California 90039
Email (323) 664-7400 Map

Fall Hours
Open 7 days, my friend
Daily 10:30 - 6:30

 http://www.misterjalopy.com/ is a bit of a bio on Mr Jalopy, but if you've been reading since around 2007, I did a couple of posts linking to his site "Hooptyrides"

In addition to selling and renting Linus bicycles, Coco's is engaged in the refurbishment, repair and sale of used bicycles. From the scrap iron dealer's mud puddle, we buy bikes that nobody else wants. We buy junkers, clunkers, road bikes, mountain bikes, mixtes, European bicycles, stepthrough ten speeds, heavy bikes, skip tooth relics, racing bikes, 80's splatter paint disasters, suspension bikes, track bikes, cruisers, bruisers and midnight losers.

We believe the bicycle with the greatest positive impact on the environment is a fading champion that has already served a meaningful life and is resuscitated for a second chance at glory.

I remember that most girls bikes in the 70's had wicker baskets, and that is cool

Here is Mr Jalopy himself. The man with no jalopies. http://hooptyrides.blogspot.com/ is one of the first blogs I started looking at, and enjoying immensely. He's finally adding to it again, not that my encouragement is in vain, but he didn't post 2 dozen things in 2009-2011 and that was why I had to pull Hooptyrides of my recommended list back in 2009. But I'm encouraged that he's back!

So let's see how 2013 goes at http://hooptyrides.blogspot.com/ because he posts some of the coolest things like:

 a 1931 Montana mail carrier car,

a '65 Ferrari 330GT 2+2 (Four seater) Berlinetta

Marcel's Custom Metal in Corona Ca .... you may not have heard of it, but they've built more Ridler Award winners and AMBR winners than any other shop

Learned from Street Rod Premiere, Eric Geisert's article on page 13

JR Competition has a couple special offers for hot rodders and performance engine owners

JR Competition had it's 1st annual open house... cool place! Lotsa Space! and can do about anything needed to a street, strip, or show car

2080 Wineridge Place, Escondido. West of the 15, off Valley parkway, take a right (north) to Auto Parkway, left (west)  to Anderson, http://maps.google.com/maps?q=2080+Wineridge+Place,+Escondido&oe=UTF-8&hnear=2080+Wineridge+Pl,+Escondido,+San+Diego,+California+92029&gl=us&t=m&z=16&vpsrc=0

They can take care of restorations, engine upgrades, head porting, etc etc speed shop stuff

 A signed NASCAR tire is really damned cool, but having a catering truck show up for your open house is bitchin!