drivenWorld AUGUST 2016
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FROM THE EDITOR A
L E T T E R
they have a beer in their hands. Long afternoons and evenings in a garage with your pals, turning wrenches, telling lies and dreaming. My friend Brian had a neighbor named Scott who was into cars. Some of the stories Brian tells about him and Scott, painting cars in the garage, tearing stuff apart, having beers, when he tells the stories, he lights up like he was a kid again. Although they live thousands of miles apart, they are still great friends. And both still car guys. There are so many lessons that get passed on in a garage setting. The biggest lesson is that you can do it. It is just nuts and bolts...right. It is just metal and wiring. I remember when I got into cars, I didn’t know anything. Zero. Man I have learned a lot. All because of my friends. First they have been so kind to help me, but, it was almost like they were passing a torch of knowledge to me that someone had passed to them. And yes, I have gotten yelled at, laughed at, screamed at by my friends helping me when they are shocked at how I did something or tried to do something, but then they help me do it right. A right of passage. If you asked me who could tune a carburetor these days, well, I have only a few guys to call. Most shops won’t work on or don’t want to work on the older cars. It is simply more work than they are accustomed to and it is easier to hook up a computer and read a screen. Some of the old technicians I speak to say that the mechanics schools aren’t teaching mechanics, but rather how to change parts. That the art of being a mechanic is being lost. I cannot speak to that, but I am always amazed by guys who really know how to work on cars. Recently I saw a young man on Facebook tearing apart his 2001 Audi S4 Avant (wagon) to throw on some go fast parts. He had about four of his friends, the cherry picker and they were knee deep in it. I had an Audi S4 Avant, and I didn’t want to pull it apart. Good grief, that is a job. I saw his picture, I saw his excitement, his commitment, his friends with him, it made me so happy. He was going for it. He is not a mechanic, but, he will be. He will have so much more confidence for having the courage and guts to pull that Audi apart. I can just image that sense of pride when they start that car up. I bet they all laugh and hug and high-five. Maybe they go out to eat and have a beer. They will have done it. And, they might just talk about it for the rest of their lives. “I remember when...” As our culture is changing, I fear that one of the most important parts of it is being lost. The time in the garage with friends. The passing on of knowledge and experience. The long hours trying to get something to work that then gives you a greater appreciation for effort, yours and others. There have been so many things that I have learned from others and they learned from others; from their dads, their uncles and so on. And now, I fear that so much of it will be lost, including the bond. The bond between car guys and car gals that can be life lasting. I fear that we may just be losing that. As cars become more sophisticated, I fear that we might become a little less sophisticated with our mechanical knowledge and time spent together sharing that knowledge. Also, there is the appreciation. Until you build a car or pull an engine or paint a car...you really don’t know what it entails. You might think you do, but man, until you do it...you really don’t know. Appreciation is another gift. Being able to look at a car or anything for that matter and to understand the knowledge, experience, effort, time and money that went into something... a car, a house, a painting, a business. Understanding what it took and being able to look into someones eyes and say, “Well done!” Well, it means a little more when you have been there and done it, I believe. As I get older and reflect more, the best times I have had are with the ones I love. My family and friends. We share so much including knowledge. I hope as cars get faster and faster from the factory, we don’t lose what we have learned, what we share and that intimacy with our cars that comes from greasy hands, long hours and friends. Now go take something apart...and call a friend to help you!
B Y D U S T I N T R OYA N
Horsepower. Power adders. It is so interesting. I remember my first car. It was a 1992 Z28 Camaro with a LT-1 Corvette motor. It was black with a grey interior and T-tops. At seventeen years old, I had a really nice car. Really nice. My grandmother promised both my brother and I a car when we turned sixteen. Lance, two and a half years older than me, ended up with a twenty-fifth anniversary Mustang GT, 5.0 with a 5 speed and a sun roof. Lance and my dad went back to Detroit to get the car, where my grandmother lived. They drove it back, cross country. It must have been a really amazing father and son adventure. I remember some story about a semi-truck and my brother driving.... If it were not for my grandmother coming through on her promise to buy us cars, it would be safe to say we probably wouldn’t have had a first car at sixteen years old. If we did, it definitely would not have been a brand new car, let alone a sports car. That Mustang and that Camaro. The 1989 Mustang 5.0 GT came with a whopping 225 horsepower. It seemed mysteriously fast. The Z28 with the LT-1 350 Tuned Port Injected motor came with an astounding 245 horsepower. Back then, two-chambered FlowMaster Mufflers were the standard and if you were a little wild, you would get rid of the catalytic converters. Man those cars were fast. Not even 250hp. The concept of speed has become somewhat distorted in my opinion. When a 2017 V6 Mustang is standard with 300 horsepower, my days of a fast Camaro seem really outdated. A little four-cylinder turbo import car comes with over 300 horsepower...well, things have changed. Struggling for horsepower. I suppose the same technology that reshapes so much of our communication and our lives has also changed the “car guy.” Away with carburetors, and the guys that knew how to tune them, and in with programmers. Jets and floats are now software updates. Turning the distributor is now pressing a button on a keyboard. Plug and play rules the day. I once sold a 1967 Belvedere. It was a car I bought to learn on and then flip. It had a 400cu in engine and it just didn’t run right. I couldn’t seem to get it tuned right. I tried everything. It started and ran but there was a total lack of power. In any event, the guy that bought it asked me to start it up. He listened for about thirty seconds and then told me that my firing order was wrong. He asked if I could “hear it?” I couldn’t. It is pretty amazing that you can buy a current 5.0 Mustang, throw a supercharger or turbo on it, maybe a more radical camshaft and a tune, and be at over 700hp. All the while the car is streetable and possibly can pass all emission requirements. Think about it. For under $10,000.00 of aftermarket parts, you can have a car that is over seven hundred crank horsepower. The same goes for a Camaro. As for the Diesel trucks, it is currently a race to the 1,000 lb/ft of torque and 500+ hp. Stock! The domestic manufacturers are racing to hit that magical thousand torque from the factory. So after the modifiers and tuners get their hands on the trucks and play with them, it is safe to say that you might not be so safe in your sports car getting on a freeway on ramp with a diesel truck next to you. I bet if you told a guy in the 1990’s that a factory diesel truck would someday be at 1,000 ft/lb of torque, they would have told you that you were nuts. It would never happen, would be way too expensive, the transmission could not take it, the mileage would be horrible, the emissions wouldn’t pass and it would not be reliable. The future is now. Technology. Listen, we all use it and we have to love it right. Turning up boost and timing does add a lot and is very easy. Plug the little gizmo into your PCM and change some settings and it is off to the races. But, I fear we are losing something. I think we have all seen those hot rod pictures from the past where there are four or five guys working on a car. You know the black and white picture. Maybe
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drivenworld ISSUE 77, AUG 2016
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Dustin Troyan COPY EDITOR Heather Troyan DESIGN Connected Media Group STORIES BY Dustin Troyan Mike Grudt Greg Grudt Emily Jederlinich Tommy Mansuwan Mark Llewellyn Gwen Banta Tory Herald Steve Oziel Leonard Mayorquin Fireball Tim PHOTOGRAPHY
Greg Grudt Emily Jederlinich Tommy Mansuwan Sotheby’s Steve Oziel Tommy Huth Leonard Mayorquin David Rosenthal HRE Wheels
ADVERTISING / MARKETING dustin@connectedmediagroup.com (818) 516-5053
www.drivenworld.com
www.connectedmediagroup.com www.supercarsunday.com
Driven World Magazine is published twelve times per year by Connected Media Group LLC. It is distributed at upscale locations and events all over California. It is also available online and distributed electronically to highnet-worth individuals as well as members of the car community at large. All rights reserved. Driven World and Supercar Sunday are registered trademarks of Connected Media Group LLC. No articles, illustrations, photographs, or any other materials or advertisements herein may be reproduced without permission of copyright owner. Driven World Magazine and Connected Media Group LLC, do not take responsibility for the claims provided herein. Connected Media Group LLC, Driven World Magazine, and its affiliates, contributors, writers, editors, and publisher accept no responsibility for the errors or omissions with information and/or advertisements contained herein. Connected Media Group LLC does not assume liability for any products or services advertised herein and assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers or editorial information.
On the Cover: La Bestioni by Gary Wales Photo By David Rosenthal
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HRE OPEN HOUSE PA S S I O N
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P E R F E C T I O N
S TO R Y B Y D U S T I N T R OYA N | P H OTO S B Y H R E W H E E L S
There are wheels and then there are wheels. For many of us, HRE is the brand to own or to which you aspire. If you are unfamiliar with HRE Wheels, they are the pinnacle of performance wheels and are highly desirable. A little bit about HRE: HRE designs, engineers and manufactures 3-piece and 1-piece forged
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aluminum alloy wheels for Racing, Performance & Luxury cars and SUVs in their San Diego, California-based, TÜV-approved facility. HRE’s built-to-order wheel sets offer a customized choice of offsets, widths and finishes, resulting in a uniquely personal style and performance solution for each customer’s application. HRE wheels are sold through select high-end car dealerships, specialty retailers and performance companies worldwide.
To many of us, HRE Wheels are the best of the best. HRE is also known to be one of the most passionate and enthusiastic aftermarket companies in the industry. Operated by “car enthusiasts,” HRE is at the cutting edge of trends, technology, safety and production. Somewhere between where lifestyle and racing meet, you have HRE Wheels. As HRE Wheels is loved by so many, it was only natural for HRE to start an annual car show and Open House at their facility in Vista, California. In short order, this annual event became one of the largest, most looked forward to and exotic of car shows in California. Car enthusiasts caravan from all over the state, and then some, to park in the HRE Parking lot for the show. Hundreds of cars and thousands of enthusiasts participate in the event, which
is only getting larger! This year’s event in early June was record setting in every aspect. The cars on display were second to none. The rarest and most exotic, as well as some of the most customized cars, were lined up in a display of automotive perfection. Everywhere you looked, it was nothing but show cars! The attendance was in the thousands. From kids who don’t yet have driver’s licenses to car collectors to social media celebrities and industry innovators, everybody was there. The energy was so incredibly positive, it was a wonderful reflection of HRE and the car community. One of the many things that sets this event apart from others is that HRE 11 opens up their doors so enthusiasts can see what makes HRE Wheels so
special. Every step of the production process was on display and group tours were given to the attendees who not only got an education on wheels, but also how a company does it right. It was one heck of an education! Another amazing aspect of the event is that HRE includes a philanthropic side to the event. Their annual raffle to support the Motor4Toys Charitable Foundation brought in close to seven thousand dollars which will then be used to buy toys in December for the 13th Annual Motor4Toys Charity Car Show and Toy Drive. This has been an annual tradition for years and HRE has been so incredibly kind and generous. HRE is a great example of a company not only providing value to their clients but also giving back to their community. Well done HRE. As the event wrapped up, it was clear it was a huge success. Social media of every type was going crazy with pictures and videos from the event. It was such a beautiful event which truly embodied all of the passion that makes our community so wonderful. Well done HRE Wheels and thank you for a tremendous illustration of doing it right!
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Over 30 years of award winning experience 22836 Ventura Blvd. Woodland Hills, CA 91364
(818) 222-8881
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LA SUMMER CONCOURS C A L I F O R N I A
STORY BY MIKE GRUDT | PHOTOS BY GREG GRUDT
I have a trivia question for you. Which city in the U.S. has nearly 4 million residents and no annual auto concours event? The answer is (was), Los Angeles until this year. The inaugural LASC – Los Angeles Summer Concours Event was held early last month at the Gilbert Lindsey Plaza near the Los Angeles Convention Center. It was touted to be the premier automotive and culinary
experience in Los Angeles, if not elsewhere. Since this was an inaugural event nobody really knew what to expect. The attendance may have been a little on the low side, but an excellent first effort. I’m sure once the word gets out this will become a “must attend” stop on the annual local car event calendar. There were a few high end dealerships that displayed some nice cars
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including the first Ferrari F12 TDF we have seen. I can’t believe the number of little scoops and wings on every section of the car. The Ferrari engineers must have spent countless hours in a wind tunnel with this car to maximize the airflow and minimize drag. I’m not sure it really matters when the car has ~750HP. There was a new Lamborghini Huracan Spyder and an entry level $190K McLaren 570. We also enjoyed a Nissan Nismo racer and a Lotus racer. They were both very nice cars. As we arrived a Pagani was parked near the entrance. We luckily took a few pictures since he was just passing through and was not part of the show. We saw a spotless dark blue over tan Mercedes-Benz 300SL Coupe, a cool light blue Porsche Speedster Cabriolet, a silver BMW 3.0CSi and some nice old Alfa Romeos. There was a Toyota 2000 GT and a one of 73 red 1953 Bandini Siluro Sport (don’t worry, I’ve never heard of these either). As we progressed into the center section we were impressed (as we always are) to view the Ferrari supercars…a Ferrari 288 GTO, F40, F50 and a LaFerrari (No Enzo this time). I am in awe every time I view this group of cars. I have viewed other groups at various shows owned by others. I always like to find out little bits of information that may not be common knowledge to most car aficionados. I noticed that this LaFerrari had a small clear Ferrari prancing horse on the left front fender. We asked the owner, Tony, what that was. He said the Ferrari factory clear coat bra has the little prancing horse logo to show it is the genuine OEM factory part. Now you know. Tony also brought out his very rare one of six dark blue Ferrari Sergio. Another amazing Ferrari. A local tuner brought out some old Ferraris and some old Alfas. We also saw a Porsche 918 and a dark blue Ford GT with white strips. One humorous occurrence was when the owner of a unique Ferrari 458 Spyder in a cream color with dark red interior and red stripes decided to leave. He came to a 5-6 inch curb that earlier in the day had some ramps. He hit a switch and the front of his car rose up a few inches and he drove off the curb. The rear end slightly scrapped the curb, but he made it. Those crazy Ferrari guys! This show was a very intimate and unique gathering and I’m sure it will grow in future years.
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SUMMERTIME LOVE YOUR BODY
A R T I C L E B Y E M I LY J E D E R L I N I C H | H E A LT H A N D W E L L N E S S C O A C H
I will be the first one to admit that I spend some of my free time on the weekends down the magazine aisle at the local grocery store reading the latest Muscle RX magazine on new workout routine, or the latest muscle protein craze. Some articles that I read make me chuckle under my breath, as I wonder how in the world, can someone live off of the grapefruit diet? Behind all of the hot new workout and diet fads, lies the heart of what it really means to be healthy: “To love the body you have, and treating it right”. As a fitness instructor and health coach, I have been in contact with a variety of individuals who have many different goals that range from, reducing their muffin top, toning their flabby arms to strengthening their lower back. I’ve heard it all. One student in my bootcamp class sparked up a conversation with me that proved inspirational. She explained that before she took the bootcamp class, she never loved the body she had. She was embarrassed of her curvy features and wished her stomach was flatter. When she started taking the class, she began to love her curves and realized that, constantly working to improve her health was truly important. It was not about slimming down or shaping up, it was about eating nutritious food, and listening to her body. Once she stopped trying to lose weight, she began to treat her body in loving and healthier ways. I was so inspired by our conversation, I sat in my car after class and thought about what she had said. I thought about what it truly meant to love your body. Here is what I came up with: We all have things that we are self conscious of, whether it’s wishing you had chiseled abs, or
bulging biceps like Arnold Schwarzenegger,— for me it’s my lack of shoulder strength. There are always those little things that we wish we could change about ourselves. What makes us frustrated, and I do this myself, is we continue to look in the mirror and criticize the parts of our body that we don’t like. My recent approach to life has been to accept it, let go of the outcome, or change it. Because of this, I have used my weaknesses as a motivation to work my body harder to stay in shape. But over time, my body could not keep up. I began to learn to love my body for what it is. After all, it’s been good to me over the years. It takes me on afternoon runs and hikes during the evening to watch the sunset. It has held me up while rock climbing and it keeps me strong while I work out at the gym. In return, I treat my body the best I can. I stay active with activities that I enjoy, that do not abuse my body, and I feed it healthy food. I have embraced my body, by accepting the way it is because I have treated it well and continued to exercise and feed it the nutrients it needs. I am an advocate about body confidence, I am even more for embracing a healthy lifestyle. My advice to you this summer is to remember that working towards that perfect body does not mean to work your body to the extreme to fit into a certain mold, because all bodies are different. The perfect body is not the weight ,size or shape you were in high school. It means finding an activity that works well for you, treat your body right, eat healthy, which will lead toward feeling confident in your body. That, my friends, I feel is the best way to learn to love the body you have.
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GOLF WITH TOMMY MANSUWAN FA S T E R S W I N G & F U R T H E R D I S TA N C E A RT I C L E BY TO M M Y M A N SU WA N
In a previous article, I’ve written about increasing your club head speed by way of over speed training and so it only seems right that I share a company I recently came across that specializes in just this. The method experts believe to be most efficient is to swing with three different weighted clubs (lighter, normal, and heavy) for a certain amount of repetitions and sets before you start to hit the driver. Just as if you were to train at the gym in order to get stronger and more fit, likewise, you should do the same while trying to swing faster. To do this, a golfer should have the right equipment along with a proper training regimen so that an injury can be avoided while being as efficient as possible. SuperSpeed Golf seems to have a solution for this training. Used by several touring professionals, as well as, highly respected golf instructors, SuperSpeed Golf offers three well-constructed weighted clubs for this purpose. While I wanted to build my own set of three different weighted clubs to hit with, this approach works much better. By having an actual club head at the end, a golfer may get too focused on where they hit the ball or whether they are making the correct swing. With having just weights on the end, it helps change the mindset for the golfer to simply swing and move as fast as they can rather than worrying about external factors. Another advantage is the ease of travel with the three clubs. Instead of carrying four drivers around, the weighted clubs are simply a thicker and heavier alignment stick that won’t take much room in the golf bag. With all that said, what I love most about this product is that it complements my work in the gym perfectly. I’ve spent over a decade doing various golf specific workouts in the gym trying to get stronger
and faster. However, I always had a tough time trying to transfer the gym work to the actual swing. This is where the speed trainer really helped. Although I was becoming more fit in the gym, I was never taught how to swing faster. By practicing with the SuperSpeed trainer, it has taught me the proper use of my body to create speed by using ground force along with a good core rotation. As a result, my sequencing has improved dramatically since I started using this speed trainer. Before anyone reading this gets too excited and thinks they are going to be the next long drive king after a few sessions with the SuperSpeed trainer, be realistic with yourself. If you have been recently fitted for a driver, you’ll know there are plenty of factors that need to be considered to get more distance out of your drives. Even with a higher swing speed, you’ll still need to hit the center of the club while maintaining an optimal spin rate (among other things) to produce more distance. Also, know your body’s limitations. If your current driver swing speed is 85 mph and you are close to collecting your pension, the odds of you getting Dustin Johnson’s distance after using the SuperSpeed trainer is highly unlikely. After all, this is a training aid and not a magic wand. For more information on this product, check out www.superspeedgolf.com
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GOLDRUSH RALLY D R I V I N G
PA S S I O N
STORY BY MIKE GRUDT | PHOTOS BY GREG GRUDT
The annual goldRush Rally is one of the premiere annual U.S. car rallies. Each year the route changes and we never know where they will travel. Last year we attended the start of goldRush 7 in San Diego. This year the goldRush 8 Rally began in Boston and finished in Los Angeles. The entrants not only drive the best of the best exotic vehicles, they also are known for the amazing colorful wraps on their cars. Most are sponsoring a charitable cause and some are promoting their businesses. Greg and I arrived early at the finish line adjacent to the Staples Center. This seems to be the “go to” spot for car rally start/finish lines in Los Angeles. A few cars had already arrived as we waiting for the bulk of the entrants to roll in. One by one they came in and it was really amazing to see the caliber of cars that participated. One of the coolest was a Jaguar XJ220 from the early 90’s with a British Flag wrap. Most of these rare cars are tucked away in a collection. It was great to see one that was actually being driven. As the cars arrived, it was amazing to see, a Bugatti Veyron or two, a couple of Paganis, a McLaren SLR, a Lexus LFA, a Hennessy Venom GT and more
Porsches, Ferraris, Lambos and McLarens than I could count. I especially enjoyed walking among the entrants after they parked to enjoy the elaborate wraps. One group of McLarens had wraps with Superman, Spiderman and the Hulk. They looked really nice. Many other cars had wraps that were so detailed and intricate and a trademark of this rally that I was just amazed. I spoke to a few entrants and they were very cordial and passionate car owners. We went past the cars a few more times to enjoy the various uniquely wrapped exotics. Some of the cars began to leave so we went to the finish line entrance/exit of the closed off street. Of course a few drivers hit the gas a few times much to the enjoyment of the spectators around the area as they exited. One especially loud Ferrari 458 rolled up near the exit and carefully cleared out all spectators in the street. He gave us “free doughnuts” as he skillfully spun that bad boy around in numerous tight circles in the center of the street. The crowd went nuts. He was obviously a skilled driver and not some hack. It was another great car event in Southern California.
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by Mark Llewellyn
4th Annual Vintage Trailer Show
This summer marked the 4th annual Vintage Trailer Show at the Murphy Auto Museum in Oxnard. Over 1300 guests visited the museum’s 1-day event. They witnessed a collection of over 40 vintage travel trailers from the 1920’s to modern-day marvels. As always, there was live music, good food, and lots of vendors selling their goodies. Each year the event grows in scope and attendance. Some people have spent long hours and large amounts of money restoring their trailers to a pristine, like-new condition. Others have found well cared for older trailers that they continue to maintain in their original condition, and use them for their intended purpose. There are also those that have to customize their home-on-wheels, just like a car, making it an individual expression of one’s self. Trailer life has always been a way of life in my own family. The family ‘patriarch of trailering’ has to go to my mother, Betty Carolyn Prescott. Born August 15, 1928, the joy of her birth was short lived when the stock market crashed in October 1929, followed by the Great Depression of the 1930’s. This
found my grandparents struggling to make a living, like many Americans. Airplanes were a novelty in the 1930’s. The public did not enjoy the convenience that the airlines offer today. Charles Lindberg had just made the first solo flight across the Atlantic, so airplanes were the buzz. My grandfather scraped together all he could and purchased a 2-seater bi-plane. He then set off across middle America selling airplane rides, or as it was called then… “Barnstorming.” Here’s where the trailer comes into the story. My grandparents, along with their infant daughter, lived in the back of a travel trailer throughout most of the 1930’s. My grandfather, with the family in tow, would come into a town and immediately find a farm suitable to land an airplane on. He would offer the farmer free airplane rides for him and his family in exchange for the townsfolk being able to come onto his land on the weekend and go for airplane rides. Once the deal was made on the make-shift airport, Grandpa would go into town and drum up conversation and business. Folks would come out and get the experience of flying for a modest cost. Grandpa would have the pilot fly the plane in from the previous town and the www.LeonsTransmission.com
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show would begin. Grandma would set up the trailer and make a home for the week, and after the festivities were over, she would pack things up and they would move on to the next town. Year after year, this is how they survived the depression. It was a primitive life and the trailers did not enjoy the amenities they do today. Although there was no air conditioning, limited water, and yes‌a bathroom, my grandparents and mother recall those times as some of the best in their lives. I’ll leave you with one of their stories. There were two cockpits in the plane; the pilot sat to the rear and the passenger in the front. While flying a woman over her farm the pilot was treated to a face-full of debris. When he landed he asked the woman what she had thrown out. She told him she dropped the ashes of a loved one over the farm. She thought that would be nice. The pilot recalled that the ashes of her dearly departed were mostly ingested by the pilot and never made it to land. Hope to see you at The Murphy Auto Museum trailer show next year.
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Prescott family, circa 1935
murphyautomuseum.org (805) 487-4333
FIREBALL TIM VLOGS THE CAR CULTURE IT’S FIRBALL TIM
ARTICLE+ PICTURES BY FIREBALL TIM
Hey, I’m Fireball. Yes, it’s my legal name and something about my Mom yelling this as I came into this world. Not too sure about that, but it seems at that time that I was destined to be exactly where I am. Smack dab in Car Culture Central. When I was a kid, all I ever wanted from my folks were toy cars and art supplies. I got ‘em in droves as my parents understood that feeding a child’s interest can grow into something great… and it certainly has to this day. To say my life is unique would be an understatement, but let me give you the gist of how I became a Youtube Car Vlogger. I went to school at Art Center College in Pasadena, and not wanting to design new cars, I got swooped up into Disney Imagineering, designing all themed vehicles for parks. Then to Universal Studios... and then into the film industry as a Car Designer. Spent the better part of 25 years designing cars, sets, props, costumes and more for over 400 films and a thousand commercials. Everything from Batman to Avengers. But when I was a kid, I actually loved making films more than design. Karate Movies, Chase Movies and all things action. Cut to the year 2000, when I was asked to host a show for Discovery Channel called World’s Most Expensive Rides after I completed a film at Universal. This set off a chain of shows from Speed Channel including Street Tuner Challenge that went out to a billion viewers. Then to several episodes of Monster Garage for TLC. And although I realized that Network shows were great, they lacked my ability to connect directly with my audience. So, in 2002, I started a Youtube Channel and began creating my own OAC (Original Automotive Content). After more than a decade, and after about 15 attempts at different shows, I finally landed something that fans seemed to want. FIREBALL MALIBU VLOG as I write this has crested Episode 376. Yes, 376 daily episodes that feature ALL CARS and an amazing Malibu Lifestyle, wrapped in a funny, quirky, weird vibe 70’s that only exists among car guys. I feature all kinds of cars from Hot Rods to Exotics, the people who drive them, beautiful Malibu as well as other amazing cities, my wife Kathie who builds crazy-ass Mascot Characters and a host of unique people that come in and out of the show. I also interview celebs that love cars ‘cause I could care less about their movies and personal life. Just cars, man. FMV took a long time to get off the ground, but around episode 80, I was approached by The Auto Channel to pipe the show to about 12M households out of Boston and Miami. Then that grew to 20M. In conjunction with creating a RIDE OF THE WEEK article for the local Malibu Paper, I found a way to share people’s stories about their cars
and what they loved about them. I’ve had the likes of Jay Leno, Keanu Reeves, Rutger Hauer, Caitlyn Jenner and more celebs than I can mention on the show. It’s led to my physical car shows like Malibu Cars & Coffee and my newest event WHEELS AND WAVES at Gladstones every third Sunday. But recently, I completed a deal to pipe the show to over 100M households nationwide for 2017 and Velocity is finally showing interest. (We’ll see about that!) And all of this has led me to a sudden very important realization… We spend our lives trying to find answers. Getting something out of life… when the truth is that we need to spend more time GIVING IN to life. Because the golden rule is that you get back what you put into it FIRST. No getting around this. I decided to create a show that was fun... for me. As a Car Guy who love people. Not about crashes, fighting, breaking the law or throwing wrenches. I decided to give something that would make people feel good, laugh and bring joy... through cars. Because of the success of the show and my commitment to this ONE THING, the gratitude I feel is overwhelming in that I spend my days filming, traveling the world, driving Exotics, Muscle Cars, Rat Rods, Hot Rods, New Cars and everything in between. I work with 12 car companies who send me a car every Wednesday for a week, gassed and ready to go. It’s also led to my having Children’s Books and Jay giving me the thumbs up. But the best thing about all this is that I get to meet all of you through my show and through friendships with amazing people like the Editor of this great mag, Dustin Troyan. A man committed like me, to bringing you the best possible experience through cars and how they can affect our world in a positive, respectful way. I hope that you’ll join me on the Vlog each day as I become a champion for You. Giving unique stories, people, locations and the funny to put a little bright in your day. And to help you realize that in order to create the Good Life, you actually have to realize that you’ve already got it. Here. Now. Just focus your attention on what you’re grateful for instead of focusing on what you don’t have. And then, pretty soon, you’ll see that the cars in your life will be getting better. Everything will be getting better... until you suddenly realize that the good life was here all along. Check out the Vlog at http://www.fireballtim.com or the Youtube Channel Fireball Tim. And help me Vlog Like I Stole It every day. And... if you happen to have a cool car, shoot me an email and I’ll hook you up. askfireball@ fireballtim.com
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CINCO DE BENZO M E R C E D E S
B E N Z
PA S S I O N
STORY & PHOTOS BY STEVE OZIEL
On Saturday May 14th, the new Mercedes-Benz Vehicle Preparation Center became the backdrop for the largest Mercedes-Benz gathering in Southern California since the famed Rose Bowl event a decade ago. AMG SoCal Lounge, in partnership with Arman Mariano of SoCal’s Finest, hosted the first annual Cinco de Benzo, a show-stopping collection of Mercedes-Benz vehicles that drew over 300 participants and attendees. Over 200 of the luxury German automobiles were on display at the event, over half of which were Mercedes-AMGs that were joined by a number of classics.
“The biggest all MercedesBenz meet Southern California has seen in at least a decade!”
The Mercedes-Benz Vehicle Preparation Center in Long Beach, a sprawling facility over 52 acres, and the former home of the Douglas Aircraft Company and the Boeing 717 aircraft factory, came alive with music, raffles, and tasty eats. As DJ KLong spun a bevvy of hot tracks, event-goers feasted a variety of Mexican fare served up by All Kinds of BBQ. A concourse was held to determine the most exceptional vehicles in 3 categories. Judges declared Steve Marx’s 300SL as the Best Classic Mercedes-Benz, Adam Martin’s CLK 63 Black Series as the Best Mercedes-AMG and Jeff Wong’s Brabus E60 as the all-around Best Mercedes-Benz of the show. Raffle prizes were donated by a long list of generous sponsors, including the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center, House of Imports Mercedes-Benz, Gonwalt Mercedes-Benz Parts, Eco Luxury Detail, TunerWerks, Aerowerkz Motorsport, RacingBrake, Michael Long’s Garage, Quickly Irvine, Cloud Sourcing International (aka Suvneer), AZN Optics, SoCal Tires, The Boogie, Hi Teq Glass Tinting, Pelican Parts, and Agora Churrascaria. AMG SoCal Lounge is indebted to the event staff, volunteers and all of the Mercedes-Benz owners who made the success of the event possible. While AMG SoCal Lounge generally organizes private, membersonly events, they look forward to next year’s Cinco de Benzo, and to organizing more outstanding MercedesBenz events in the future. AMG SoCal Lounge was founded in June 2015 by Steve Oziel and Thomas “MJ” Kim to unite Mercedes-AMG owners in Southern California. Within a year the group has accumulated 300 members and has participated in over 60 events ranging from meets and cruises to charity drives and track time.
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MIKE’S CHEVY PARTS GRAND OPENING IN VALENCIA A
S TO R Y B Y D U S T I N TO R YA N
FA M I LY
B U S I N E S S
A N D P H OTO S B Y DAV I D RO S E N T H A L + M I K E ’S C H E V Y
Mike’s Chevy Parts has been a part of our car community for decades. If you drive a classic Chevy, odds are you know Scott Fortier. He and his team at Mike’s Chevy have helped so many of us rebuild, update, recondition and even restore our classic Chevys. Scott, a car guy from birth is very passionate about everything he does. Whether it is his family, his business or even charity, he definitely puts his “all” into it. After 32 years at the same location in Canoga Park, Scott had outgrown the old place and made a decision to move to a much larger facility and be closer to his home. The 25th of June was set for Mike’s Chevy to have their grand opening at the new Valencia, California location. The grand opening and open house plans had been set and those in the classic car world started to anticipate the new beginnings. When news got out about the grand opening, the caravans from the Valley were set up. The Classic Chevy Club of SoCal rang the club bell and most of the members were to be in attendance. Classics from all over Southern California were going to be there in their classic style to show the support for Mike’s Chevy and Scott. It was going to be amazing. The day of the Grand Opening at the new location was awesome. Having that many cars on display was like stepping back in time. Just under a hundred cars represented every genre of Chevrolet, new and old. Many award winning cars were on display. Scott and his team were consummate hosts. They provided complementary food and beverages and opened his entire facility up for us, it was absolutely wonderful. Bruce Papp from Adam’s Detail Products was on hand giving auto detailing demonstrations throughout the day. There was also a raffle for some pretty incredible prizes. United Pacific do-
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nated a custom powder coated beach cruiser bicycle, gift certificates to Lavaggio, Adam’s Detail products and of course Chevy parts, everybody walked away a winner. And, all proceeds went to support the Motor4Toys Charitable Foundation! WOW! Talk about a great event! The grand opening was a huge success and it was a great time for all! Mike’s Chevy Parts new location is incredible. The Motor4Toys Fundraiser was a huge success too! The parking lot was packed and the camaraderie, well it was one big happy family.
To Mike’s Chevy Parts, we wish you the greatest of success!
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818-STORE-RV Classic & Exotic Car Storage
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FATHER’S DAY RODEO DRIVE CONCOURS D’ ELEGANCE 2016 T H E STORYBY GREG GRUDT
T R A D I T I O N
& PHOTOS BY GREG GRUDT + TOMMY HUTH
On Father’s Day each year, Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills becomes a hotbed for automotive enthusiasts from all around the world. Rodeo Drive is shut down from Santa Monica Blvd. to Wilshire for the annual Father’s Day Rodeo Drive Concours d’ Elegance. The theme this year was “The Fast Lane”. My father and I have been attending this show regularly for over ten years now. Both of my kids also really love cars and I have always wanted to bring them to this show. They also both love their sleep and getting to this show at the crack of dawn is a must! This year I was fortunate enough to bring my daughter with me so that she could enjoy the cars and spend the morning with my dad, sister and I. My wife and son stayed home in the air conditioning and we celebrated Father’s Day with them and the rest of the family later in the afternoon. As always, we arrive early to beat the crowds, the heat and to avoid the harsh sunlight on the cars in the early afternoon. If you can recall back to Father’s Day weekend, it was much hotter than normal this year. The temperature was about 110 degrees in the San Fernando Valley and pushing 95 degrees in Beverly Hills by 11am. The display of supercars at this show was pretty impressive. As soon as I walked into the show, I saw a Maserati MC12 parked behind a childhood favorite, the Saleen S7. There was a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport #300 and a Bugatti EB110 close by as well. It was very cool seeing those cars next to each other as you normally do not get to see that. One of the stars of the show was the street legal McLaren P1 GTR and the all carbon fiber bodied McLaren P1 road car. The Auto Gallery was in full force this year displaying the brand new Pagani
Huayra BC as well as multiple McLarens and Maseratis. The boys at Century Towing brought in a very rare Jaguar XJ220 racecar which was also another childhood favorite of mine. There was also a very rare Spyker C8 Spyder (which we hardly come across anymore) as well as a classic Toyota 2000GT supercar. All five Ferrari supercars were proudly displayed front and center which included the 288 GTO, F40, F50, Enzo and the LaFerrari. In my opinion a supercar show is not complete without the 1995 Ferrari F50! The Ferrari F50 is definitely my all-time favorite car. Per usual there were multiple super cars running around the streets of Beverly Hills (not part of the show) including two Bugatti Veyron Vitesses and countless Ferraris, McLarens and Lamborghinis. We left around 11am as it was extremely warm outside and we had seen everything that we wanted to see before the crowds showed up. Overall, I think that this was one of the greatest displays of supercars outside of a museum or Monterey Car Week that one could possibly hope for. One of the only marques that was missing from the show was a Koenigsegg. Other than that, just about every classic and modern day super car was featured at the event. It has been a nice tradition going with my dad each year and spending Father’s Day with him at this show. As the kids get older, hopefully they will both join us in this yearly tradition. We are definitely looking forward 31 to next year’s show.
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3 POINT SOCIAL CLUB F R O M
C N C
P I C S
S TO R Y & P H OTO S S U B M I T T E D B Y L E O N A R D M AYO R Q U I N
a right hand driven 280se w108 that you don’t ever see. A group of automobiles that are definitely appreciated and not forgotten in the historic community. Cruising from all over So-Cal, they have grown a bond of brotherhood & sisterhood with their cars. Keeping both the preservation and knowledge of Mercedes Benz important to their foundation. Founded by a group of friends Helm, George, Wayne, Mark, Belinda and Arman, alongside other passionate driven members, they’ve collectively combined their talents and continue to build creatively through their love and passion with their classic Mercedes Benz builds. Their recent roll in at the infamous Supercar Sunday in Woodland Hills Ca. ran by Dustin Troyan, an event that has been going on for many years in the San Fernando Valley was truly a success. The 3-Point Social Club definitely made a statement by cruising in with what was different to the general public other than the usual group of Exotics you see on a Sunday morning.
Lightly sweetened or heavily doused. Some groups are called upon with like minded activities or product. But in the motoring world, it’s usually related to one type of car or marquee. The 3-Point Social Club is a different rise in a sea of car clubs. Representing the Saloons, Coupe’s, Estates and Roadsters with a strong historical lineage of Mercedes Benz. The group consists of pre-91 German bred machinery, some rare to the general public with cars dating back to the early 60’s in addition to
Follow us on Instagram @3PointSocialClub
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REAL ESTATE WORLD W H AT
I S
L U X U R Y
G W E N B A N TA & T O R Y H E R A L D | S O T H E B Y ’ S I N T E R N AT I O N A L R E A LT Y
had a closet…or walls. ‘Turns out there was an enormous closet - which is where those vanity photos should have been stored! Another important thing to remember is light. You may have a penchant for cave-like rooms, but those heavy window coverings need to go when you’re ready to sell. Even if you have to hide in the closet until your eyeballs adjust, let the light in. Imagine driving a convertible with the top down – light creates a sense of space and freedom. Sizzle is more difficult to define. It is a combination of the aforementioned light, space and quality, with a touch of pizzazz. Often a simple vase with an elegant flower makes more of a statement than that expensive carving you dragged home from Papua New Guinea. (Don’t smirk – we own some of that.) It’s not about making your house “vanilla,” it’s about creating a beautiful canvas while allowing the buyer to imagine the space as his own. Try not to overly define the space. If you showcase the home more than the furnishings, you will maximize your home’s value. We have attached some favorite photos that we believe reflect luxury. Let us know if you have questions. Remember, we’re here for you and your Uncle Elwood.
What is Luxury? As Sotheby’s agents, we are often asked to define a “luxury” property.” This is one area where size really doesn’t matter. All you car enthusiasts know luxury comes in every size. In real estate, luxury is all about quality and presentation. Buyers are looking for light, space, quality, and sizzle. Space is as much a feeling as it is an actuality. Luxury includes a feeling of space, and that space should not be cluttered. Thus, a savvy seller will remove anything that steals focus from the space. No matter how fabulous Uncle Elwood’s Big Mouth Billy Bass collection may be, if it distracts from the arched windows or the hand-hewn beams, those singing fish should be netted. Simplify! We recently previewed a celebrity residence to find the space so cluttered with collectibles we could barely see the design of the rooms. Even more distracting was the plethora of photos of the celeb and her famous friends. Our client was so mesmerized by the photos he couldn’t even remember if the room
Gwen Banta and Tory Herald – Connecting the Worlds of Real Estate
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CLASSIC CLASSIFIEDS V E H I C L E S
C O N TA C T
F O R
S A L E
D U S T I N @ C O N N E C T E D M E D I A G R O U P. C O M
1986 FORD MUSTANG SVO
Engine:: 2.3L 4 Cylinder Turbo Transmission: 5-Speed Manual Miles: 5,700 Asking Price: Ask for details
M O R E
I N F O R M AT I O N
1957 FORD THUNDERBIRD
This rare SVO Mustang, last year of the 4cyl-turbo SVO has got to be the lowest mileage SVO on the planet with 5,700 original miles. Always kept inside, this is a brand new car! The interior is perfect, the exterior, the drivetrain. This is a rare chance to own a very special, limited edition Mustang SVO with very low miles. This collector car will go up in value!
Engine:: Supercharged v8 Transmission: Automatic Miles: N/A Asking Price: $65,00000
1972 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
Engine:: 350ci LT1 V8 Transmission: N/A Miles: N/A Asking Price: $41,00000
F O R
Full Custom.No expense spared. Pro-Touring inspired, the very best parts, the best paint and bodywork. This supercharged T-Brid is a ready for weekend trip or a visit to your favorite car show.
1968 CHEVROLET CAMARO SS
Engine:: 468ci V8 Transmission: Automatic Miles: N/A Asking Price: Ask for details
A very nice, numbers matching LT-1. Clean title, rebuilt motor, new tires, original saddle interior, Lojack, registered and running like a top. Original color was Ontario Orange, repainted to C6 Atomic Orange.
Not original motor or trans. It has a 468 Big Block with 12.5 to 1 Compression. Forged crank, Chromoly rings, studs on the bottom end, solid cam. Ported and polished heads matched to intake. Carb Shop 960 Carb with Nitrus plate. Trans is a B&M Turbo 350 with 3500 Stall and a TCI Convertor. Rearend is a 12 bolt posi with 4.11 Richmond Gears. Car is running and registered.
FORD MUSTANG FASTBACK PROJECTS
1969 Mustang Mach 1 351C • 4-Speed. Engine was rebuilt and then car sat.
1970 Mustang Fastback 428 Cobrajet • Q-Code. Numbers Matching. Automatic.
1965 Mustang Fastback Roller • No Engine, no transmission, no interior
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1969 Mustang Fastback Roller • No Engine, no transmission, no interior
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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S LEADER IN NEW & CLASSIC FERRARI SERVICE
Your FCA membership is now worth 20% off when you service your Ferrari with The Auto Gallery
We pride ourselves in the best of Ferrari service, facility, and technical expertise 21344 Deering Ct. Canoga Park, CA 91304 | 818.932.1707 theautogallery.com 40