When we moved out of the McMullen building in Placentia, we filled MULTIPLE roll-away-dumpsters with back issues, negatives, job bags, archives, archive binders, etc. etc. We were told the company would no longer be keeping an archive, it was all on the web. Uh, ok. LOL Those of us who knew better kept what we could but it was amazing the amount of stuff that was simply tossed without regard.
Ben looking for early photos of my roadster and here it is! Wonder if Tom has any more of this car? Ronn
Hello, Wow, that is the worst thing I have heard in a long time. We spent tons of time and energy to get the best angles, backgrounds, locations and sometimes, models or girlfriends to pose with the hot rods. Not only that, the sight of my wife helping me with “stuff” made those couples feel at home and enjoy the photo shoot. She would talk to the girlfriends or wives to get a good feel about the build or hot rod situation. She would remember things and then write them down for a later inclusion in a story if was interesting. But, we went out of our way to get the best shots, using high quality light meters, multiple lenses, action shots never used before and making the adjustments for a larger format camera. (Money and abilities, excluded) The thing was, the photos were just not point and shoot. It took time to set up the angles and composition so nothing was growing out of the hot rod or that someone was walking in the background. They were private photo sessions and the quality represented the photographer and the abilities. My wife was an intregral part as she made the hot rodders feel at ease in the surroundings. Sometimes it takes a little longer to get a good rear ¾ angle shot in good focus or the grooves of the tires sticking out as well as a good depth of field. As women like to talk, it made the longer photo shoot important to the owner and wife/girlfriend. If the girlfriend was willing, model release forms were signed and she was included in the photos. (sometimes, they were not accepted into the magazine photo shoot spread) But, our photo business policy was to send a custom made redwood framed and mounted photo of the hot rod and one of the girlfriend. (besides tons of B&W + color slides of the hot rod given as a thanks…) This was, so in the future, another hot rod would be remembered that it was shot by us. Jnaki The “BEST” angles, color, background, and detailed motor/interior photos were submitted. There were multiple copies of color slides so the best one would be used, possibly for a center spread or cover. The color slide we kept were “seconds” as they looked the same, but for some reason, the absolutely best ones were given to the magazines for inclusion in their acceptance of a photo stories. We were told they would keep them stored. (used again for semi annual editions or special edition of hot rod photo magazines.) Ha, no such luck as now, it comes out that they were disposed when the magazine folded. Well, as magazines fade as the future rolls by all of us, maybe that is good that digital photos have the quality that they have created. There will be multiple copies made of the “best” ones and they will not be thrown away by those that have no clue. Those times were simply fun and exciting as it allowed us to travel all over California seeking out photo shoots by pre arrangements or just by luck from a car show or large hot rod gathering. For us being in So Cal, driving up into northern California was different as the styles were just individual builds from the So Cal versions. Also, it felt like we were on a world tour vacation and the photos were just the side light that paid for the fun times. It was and my wife and I were/are thankful for the experiences. But, not the disposal of some of our “BEST” work that was submitted. (even the ones that did not get selected, too.) A hot rod shot during this vacation photo shoot, but never saw the light of day from the magazine selection committee… “Gone in 60 sec…”
Old thread but this is mounted on the firewall on the new to me 31’ Model A. I’m guessing mine is somewhere in the photos. I don’t know the history prior to 2013, wish I did.
funny, I'm scrolling through these pics of my formative years and "the old days" pops into my head and a few posts after that is my post from 6 years ago where I posted "the good old days".
@Thertyone - That's a LODI '75 "participant button" . . . I think I still have a box of them in my parent's attic. Here's me (holding my LODI '75 "Senior Trike Race" 1st Place trophy ) and my younger siblings posing with the @HEMI32 coupe: Note the "participant buttons" pinned to our pants
that Datsun pickup in today's market is worth more than the coupe was worth when that photo was taken.
Great little pickups. Have a Dato 620 chassis here, sucks body rotted away (poor kermit), also have a rolling 720 chassis, same problem. My Chev roadster has a 720 Datsun diff and pedal box. just some useless info
HEMI32, I don't know how we didn't become friends. I was at those shows. I might be a little older (not by much) than you. I graduated from Arroyo High school in 76, so I started driving in what 74 maybe? Then I lived in Fremont from 86 until 2001, that's when I moved to Missouri, and have been stuck here ever since. I still have my orange track Roadster, I pretty much daily drove it in Fremont, and my Dad;s 40 Chevy is still around, just as seen in this picture, same paint, interior, etc., it's in West Virginia with a childhood friend of mine.
Do you recall a car looking something like this? Welded doors, channeled low, no idea what color it may have been at the time and it didn’t have the number on the door. Maybe had a 289 in it back then.
The Jalopy Journal
