So, it’s New Year’s Eve. 2009 is tomorrow. And, like we tend to do, I’ll take this opportunity to look forward by looking backward. Fifty years ago, Jimmy Hoffa was tooling along in the front seat of his ‘58 Cadillac – on the phone, looking SHARP, brother and a LIFE magazine photographer was in the backseat [...]

Our last post about the few remaining American jeans got me to thinking: part of being a well-rounded man is knowing enough about a good bourbon to have a bottle in the stash for special occasions. Like firing the Y-block for the first time. Or when all your buddies happen to drop by when you’ve [...]

Look, one of the most defining elements of car culture is a pair of jeans. Nothing could be more American and there are few things copied by more cultures around the world. Shoot, we size each other up from across a car show or a bar by just the way we wear them and what [...]

…while I was looking through some old pics. Thought it kinda summed it all up.

…yesterday. Vern (here) and Keith (here) are back working under the same roof again and – excuse me for saying so – this makes the Tardel Ranch the absolute best hot rod shop on the planet.
If you’re ever in the San Francisco Bay Area, let me know and I’ll take you up to see the [...]

Well, we had more folks throw down for an answer to our mystery motor contest than we ever anticipated – thanks for putting your street cred on the line and taking the plunge! While we had guesses of everything from a Mopar plant to a big block Chevy mill and a few Ford references thrown around [...]

Here it is, kids: our first online contest! This motor was down at Bruno Gianoli’s place in South City and we were completely stumped over it. If you can just tell us ANYTHING about this thing – not even anything completely specific, you’ll win!
“But what will I win, Stoner?” you ask – well, you’ve got every right [...]

This is one of those great ideas whose time has come: a garage/mens club/hideaway for the project cars you don’t want your wife/girlfriend/life-partner to find out about. For a monthly fee to The Pirates Cove, you can stash that Model T carcass you picked up or that ‘49 Olds you just couldn’t help yourself to [...]

So, our buddy Coby Gewertz, publisher of the reet “CHURCH: Cars Not Culture” books, has just released his latest and it’s a very special edition. Apparently, his dad – an avid drags guy from way back – had promised a young Coby his box full of old drag racing photos and it’s taken him till [...]

Vans is doing some neat shit these days. The latest neatness is the ICONoclasts show they put on at Last Laugh in L.A.’s Skid Row: Our own Estevan Oriol was a big part of this one, especially since Last Laugh is his home turf with SA Studios partner and owner, Mr. Cartoon. Robert Williams, Wes [...]