Hey there Otterites!
Martin Monday again and I had one of those days where I just couldn’t put my brain into focus on anything. Just totally scatterbrained, so here Monday is almost over and I really don’t have anything for Martin Monday.
Still, it is good for my outlook to try to write a little something. Something about anything really. Forces a focus and makes me feel good. Make no mistake, Robert and Francis are the real writers of our little endeavor. I’m more like a wiseass who can type than a writer. My desire goes back to high school, but when you realize your attention span is too short to crank out 50,000 well researched words, well that just leaves you with a job search in another field and an admiration for those who can swing it. Still, maybe in another day with some different influences I might have been a gonzo journalist like my idol PJ O’Rourke.
I am hanging out here in Studio M checking out another custom car building show. I love these things. Talk about artisans. To see these guys sketch out complete designs, then cut, chop, weld, fill, sand, paint and wrench these cars is really amazing. The precision they apply to these cars, especially the ones that weren’t too precise when built the first time, really displays a degree of skill that has to be pretty rare.
Of course the favorite for most are the classic late 60s muscle cars. I prefer the oddball classics though. When one of these shows pulls in a 60s Lincoln or Caddy for a restomod, or some old school pickup or 4 wheeler, I get really interested. If you aren’t familiar with the shows or the terminology, a restomod is when a builder or customizer updates primarily the mechanicals, like the engine and suspension, but leaves the body panels mostly alone. This gives that classic car appearance with modern braking, handling and power. A little best of both worlds kind of thing. There is a lot to be said for authentic restorations though. Bringing a car back to the day it rolled off the showroom floor takes major patience and ability.
If you don’t watch these shows, give them a shot. You will be seriously impressed by the skills. Painting a car with a custom, high end paint job is a real special skill. Blocking and sanding to make sure every body panel is super straight takes the patience of Job.
We don’t have an episode on custom or classic cars, but I think we are planning a little something on cars. Like most Gen Xers, we have a fondness for those late 70s cars since that’s usually what we inherited to drive around campus in the 80s. That first make out session in the back of mom’s Cutlass is a serious cultural touchstone. I think that may be where we go with a car episode.
See you next Monday Otterites. Get in, buckle up, and let’s roll.
(Image is from Martin Bros Customs in Johnson City, TX)
