Greetings, fellow street rodders. In order to get you up to speed, I'm writing this installment on Saturday, October 26. Last Saturday (the 19th), Barry White, Chad Vogele, Ryan Rivers, and I were in the "Attack Mode," finishing as much of The Online Deuce as we could. At about 7:00pm, we fired the motor, set the timing, and all was good. Chad and Ryan both went home to re-charge their batteries, while Barry and I installed and adjusted the hood, and then put it on wheels for the first time in over six months. The following morning, we rolled the car out and loaded it in the trailer for a trip to the upholstery shop.
Saturday (the 26th) dawned on the moist and gloomy side, following the first rain showers to hit Southern California in almost a year. After our weekly "hot rod breakfast," I grabbed my camera and started the 40-mile ride to Gabe's Custom Interiors. Only expecting to take a few photos and head for home, I was surprised to find that Gabe and his "Super Crew" had made as much progress as they had.
While I walked into the shop, Gabe was shaping the foam cushion on the backrest of the custom-made seat. Little did I know, the bottom cushion was almost finished, too. While the boss was doing his thing, Gabe Jr. was fitting the trunk panels, and Robert Flores was working on the firewall. As I started clicking photos, I noticed a door panel, a trunk panel, and even more was finished. The underside of the deck lid was done, too. Each piece was a well-executed, three-dimensional, leather-covered version of Chris Brown's rendering, and was I jazzed.
Gabe Lopez and his guys have really gone the distance, helping us meet our SEMA Show goal. The workmanship clearly demonstrates his 25 years of experience, though he's been his own boss for only eight years. As is the case with many other professional trades, good news travels fast. That's why Gabe has created so many award-winning custom interiors, not only for Barry White (2001 AMBR winner), but also for the likes of Chapouris, Foose, and Coddington. I never thought I'd own a "magazine-quality" hot rod, much less one that's coming together the way this one is.
And with its SEMA debut just 10 days away, there might not be time for any more updates. But, if that's the case, stay tuned to Street Rodder magazine for a full-color feature. Thanks to Barry White, Gabe Lopez, and many street rod industry friends, this life-long gearhead is finally turning his dream into reality. See you on the street!
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Gabe Lopez was shaping the foam for the backrest he'd just finished fabricating. Different areas of the seat cushions require different densities of foam, for driver comfort. The lower portion of the backrest features special shaping for a contoured lumber support. |
Robert Flores removed a few tools and some scraps of padding, in order to install the seat riser and cushions. |
The seat riser will house the stereo and the Lokar emergency brake handle, along with storage for one or two odds and ends. |
Gabe and Robert carefully lowered the backrest into position . . . |
. . . then, slid the seat riser in place. Notice the stereo support housing on the driver's side. |
Just like a puzzle, each piece fits together perfectly. Next, Gabe asked me to try it on for size. |
After they pryed me out of the car (yeah, it felt that good), Gabe Sr., and Jr. (L) worked on installing the trunk panels. |
Robert kept working on the firewall, which (like the floor) is covered in black wool "squareweave." |
Chalk lines mark where Robert will trim around the trans tunnel. The squareweave looks really clean, and it's durable, too. |
Next, Robert sewed the binding around the edges of the firewall panel he had just finished trimming to fit. |
The trunk was complete, with the exception of the "whiskers" that finish off the electric trunk opener slot, as well as the hinge cut-outs. |
Although the arm rests weren't covered in (black) leather, or installed yet, I asked Gabe to hold one up against the door panel so I could check it out. Yeah, I asked him to smile, too. |
Once the naked seat cushions have some leather stitched on them, it looks like the seat riser, and the side panels are the only things left for Gabe to finish up. Okay, I forgot the shift boot, the trim plate, and the arm rests. Hey Barry, start the Dually! It's almost time to bring it home! |
The Vaughan brothers were out for a Saturday morning ride. Greg, in his sparkling '23 T, and Mel, in his sinister-looking '34 coupe cruised over to get a quote from Gabe. You meet the nicest people in street rods! |
I thought about showing you a photo of the whole car, but you'll have to wait until the feature comes out in Street Rodder magazine. Well, unless you're at SEMA, that is. Anyway, it's now 8:00 pm and I've had enough for one day (and night). Thanks for logging on! |