What it's called: Mad Fabricators Society Volume FourWho done it: Mad Fabricators Society
What it's about: It's a feature-based video magazine geared to enthusiasts of vintage-genre hot rods and custom cars. Presented in a two-disc DVD format, Mad Fab showcases survivor cars, the pioneers who built them, the latter-day enthusiasts inspired by their contributions, and the cars those enthusiasts build.
Notes: Whenever Piero DeLuca releases a Mad Fabricators Society video, we get a firsthand account of the places he's been, the cars he's seen, and the personalities he's met during the prior year. Best of all, he takes full advantage of the mixed media. For example, he sets a feature's tone with a raucous mix of surf, garage, punkabilly, cowpunk, and a whole bunch of other music genres you'll never hear on crappy corporate radio. If you really have to hear how it sounds to understand a car, you'll get a firsthand experience of how open pipes and howling tires echo off skyscrapers at midnight.
This year, we meet Ionia Hot Rods' Matt and Dennis Lesky and blast across El Mirage in Geoff Skene's drab-green roadster and the Lesky family's Deuce sedan; we revisit Mark Moriarity and see even more of his incredible collection of historical cars, including a mid-restoration peek at Car Craft's Dream Rod; Richey Kyska shows off the meticulously preserved Deuce he built in the late 1950s; artist Dirty Donny tells us how he painted himself into his corner within the underground art world; Mad Fab regulars Bob Bleed and Jonny "Jean Jacket" Koller reanimate Jonny's dad's old A-bone hot rod after four decades of hibernation, and it's enough to make ya weep. Deanier Probst shows off his Lil' Dough '34 Ford show car; Mike LaVella describes how Gearhead, one of the coolest underground music/car culture magazines, was developed; Bill Michaelson explains how he built the unbelievable Roth-car diorama by scratch-building model kits that never existed.
If you missed the display of the 75 Most Influential '32 Ford Hot Rods at last year's Grand National Roadster Show, here's your chance to see it; if you're looking for a reason to see the Lone Star Roundup, you'll get a good idea of what it's like; ever wondered what Luche Libre wrestling was all about? There's a bunch of it at the Pride of the Champ show in Antioch. Footage from the Rockabilly Rod Reunion gives us hope that Las Vegas' car scene may one day catch up with those of Davisburg, Michigan, and Antioch, California, the venues for last year's Billetproof events (Piero did both); he discovered that Rex Rods and Jalopy Journal are onto something with their Hot Rod Revolution show in Penngrove, California, and somehow talked his way into shooting the contents of the fabled Von Dutch/Roth auction in Hollywood. Consistent in years past, Piero closes the video with one of Bob Bleed's wacky antics. This time, holding court for the Burbank Choppers' Keith Weesner and Gambino Kustoms' Alex Gambino, Lil' Bobby and Jonny Jean Jacket attempt to launch a clapped-out Toyota Cressida from a plywood ramp. As usual, it all goes terribly-and hilariously-wrong.
Where to find it:
www.madfabricators.com