Art & Inspiration Traditional images that need no explanation.

Hello,

One year, my wife and I stumbled upon a Santa Barbara Car Show and met some wonderful folks. The cars were really nice and several got my/our attention. My wife also liked it due to it being a roadster type convertible.

So, the old hot rods we were looking at were mostly open air style. Roadsters, Phaetons, and a T-Bucket grabbed our attention. The hot rod folks saw me taking some photos and one of the guys started talking to me about a convertible he was in the process of building. Back then, it was a rare thing to see a guy with a 35mm camera or two strapped to the shoulder taking photos of old hot rods and trucks. Not like today with phones coming out at every second of any action, at a show or on the street corner… yikes!

The conversation turned into one of the best experiences we had encountered in the photographic years. We came back to Santa Barbara a couple of weeks later and the hot rod builder took us on a tour of Santa Barbara’s known places and we actually stopped and met Sam Foose at his house. Our new friend had done work for Sam Foose on many cars and were like old buddies. His son was about 8 years old at the time.

So, it was back to his work garage and then we saw what was the beginning or modifications of a 1934 Ford Phaeton. ‘

Read the old story of the “California Top” on the HAMB for details:
She was instrumental in getting this action photo, as she was the primary driver in our El Camino. Since I was kneeling down and/or standing up in the bed with several cameras, coordination was the key. (yes, I was strapped in place with nylon tie down straps so I would not fall out during the moving action shots.) The timing of the Phaeton and the El Camino was perfect and the photos came out with the background slightly blurry. "Action in motion?"

The photo technique for hot rods in motion at the time, was to pan the camera from a stationary position as the hot rod moved by the photographer. That was the standard technique, but as practiced as possible, it was always a hit or miss photograph situation. So, we developed this "In the El Camino bed," moving action technique for clear photos and blurry backgrounds.

My wife would have liked the idea of an open top for those sunny So Cal cruising around days to the beach or mountains. As long as it had enough power and of course, A/C. One thing she mentioned in our old conversations about convertibles and open roadster cruising. She did not necessarily like the blob of canvas sitting on the back trunk area or open cab area. It just looked too much or someone just picked up a month’s worth of clothes/industrial washings and just threw them back there.

When we took our multiple road trips to Santa Barbara/Goleta, CA area, she liked what she saw as an option to this jumbled mess sitting on the back of any Phaeton or convertible. That normal blob, in itself, was one thing that kept us from having a convertible in our arsenal of daily drivers, hot rod style or new.

When the idea of a hand made custom top was created for a 1934 Ford Phaeton, the design suddenly took front and center. It was light enough for two people to clip it on and install/remove the California Top. So, it was not that much different than a manual fold top that just sat on the rear area.
But, a lot cleaner in design and function.

So, after the multiple visits and plenty of photos, the finished product was outstanding. It was a long photo process and we were happy to be there as it was created and eventually finished.
The world through rose colored glasses...
Thanks, BHK and your multi-color glasses... very cool.
The Stow House in Goleta, CA
In our early exploration of Santa Barbara and Goleta area in the early 60s, we saw various famous spots. Rincon Beach with the famous point surf break, Hollister Ranch, the Mission in Santa Barbara and old historic homes spread out through the whole open area along the rocky shoreline area.

The early hot rod days had been formed in old barns, garages and historic homes from the old days. But, it was not the most publicized of things. When we were taking photos of the area and finding several homes, it was a flashback to the really “old days.”

The 1934 Phaeton was bright yellow, had custom Buick Skylark wire wheels and the stance that said “hot rod.” But, the real feature was the one of a kind top added to the custom build. From far away, it looks like a normal lowered black top that provided shade on those “out for a cruise” days. The custom one of a kind “California Top.”

I knew the magazines would feature the yellow 34 Phaeton, but this time we were going for a two page, center spread. Although the center spread is large, there are binding staples holding the magazines together that ruin any large wall display.


So, with the color action shots, the build shots and the standard posed shots, I added in some historic architecture to the ensemble and now, hopefully a full color page should pop up. It was months in the development and several road trips up the coast were the payoffs for this storyline. A vacation in almost paradise location, relaxing in a wonderful coastal city and taking photos to shore up any doubt as to the important aspect of hot rods and custom cars.

This was the result of all of those hard working (+ vacationing) 20 something folks casually driving along the coast in our El Camino, to spend some great times in a lush area like Santa Barbara/Goleta area for “work?”
Thanks…Big Hearted Ken…
Ken Perry and Lee Hammock’s 1934 Ford Phaeton.

 

I am about 1 mile as the crow flies from where Fremont Drag strip used to be.

 

Okay, see this lever here? Good, DO NOT pull that lever.

 

49 ratfink, I moved from Fremont about 25 years ago. I was right off Mission Blvd, by Grimmer. 45366 Littlefoot place in Fremont. I wasn't to far from the dragstrip myself, but it was shut down by the time I made it to that area. Use to go there all the time though when it was a working dragstrip.

 

Morris Srabian's ? pick up before the fire at Barris's shop.