So My dad and I were invited to come hang out at Bill Hines' shop after we inquired about a few things from him. After spending an hour at the Mooneyes open house, My dad, my mom, and I went on out way to his shop in Bellflower. Upon pulling up to the shop, you can see cars a**** cars sitting around, and you hear work being done on the other side of this junkyard-style fence. His son greeted us at the door, and after walking into the yard, Bill says "I'm glad you found the place!" It was like a fairy tale! spent about 3 hours gawking, observing, and talking. We shared stories, were given amazing advice and tutorials from Bill on things from the style chop he does to the window frames for the metranga clone he did years past. We chatted with him as he reworked the front end of this wrecked hirohatta clone that he did a couple years ago. He Is unbelievably inspiring, the top notch work continues even in his 87th year! His son says that they beg him to take a day off but he wont have it! 8-9 hours a day 7 days a week. There are about 7 projects in his shop right now, 5 of which are Mercs. I feel so lucky to have been given this opportunity, but the best part is he has invited my dad and I to come into the shop and work along side him, doing work for and with him to help him out. We plan to make it out quite often! I am very excited to get to observe his lead work and craftsmanship! Ian and Family
Things haven't changed much since the days I hung out at his shop on Dix Highway in Michigan back in the fifties. I watched him build the ORIGINAL "Lil Bat" 51 Ford coupe. He customized my 56 Chevy hardtop and painted my Jimmy Jones skirts. We were in the 1958 Autorama and then he moved to California.
Give me about five minutes... And early warning, there aren't a ton, we were all too excited and involved to get more than half a dozen.
Did you notice if Eddie Martinez's shop is still there? They were across the drive from one another for many years.
That's legendary...it would be like getting invited to batting practice with Babe Ruth or Ted Williams.
Well, my damn camera is MIA at the moment, go figure. I didn't notice, we went in through the back alley. They didn't mention it, they have been there for 40 years now though, so I'd be curious to see if they are still there too. It was a very surreal experience, cigar boxes everywhere, cat food all over the inside of the house at the shop. His "Buddha Buggy" was in the garage, a**** a coupe others cramped in tightly. There is so much stuff there, its outrageous
I know, I'm running around my house looking for my camera like a tweaker that needs to get picked up again!
Ok, this is the merc he did for the R&C step-by-step. He sunk the roof and raked the windshield. Parked in front is a totally dis***embled broahm that i didnt get a picture of (sorry, i knew they were slim!) but it was on a late model fwd caddy ch***is. They are finishing the broahm up. its #35 off the line. Same Merc Here is my favorite that was in the shop being worked on. This is a 49 Merc that was a rag when he got it. Some kid bought it, it had fibergl*** and was like 3 cars put into one. They built a new door panel and rear fenders. He then shortened the trunk lid 3 inches after dropping the top into the body. The quarter panels were built with round rod and sheetmetal, and all leaded in. The lower pan is next for lead, then the other fender will be finished. The fender took 3 days of lead work. The pan will take him a day and a half he said. he said he didnt make it high enough so he will have to add a bunch of lead to it! ahaha, and that the stock bumper will but right up to it. He will cut some lenses to fit into the custom taillights. all I really have, disappointing, i know, but I will take a ton next time back, hopefully in less than a week from now. Hope they are a bit enjoyable!
Send him our Thanks, for all the magazine articles over the years. I'm still kicking my self for not stopping to talk to him in Detroit a few years ago.
he'll be in Oklahoma next week? there is some show out that way. He doesn't fly though, never has in his life, drives everywhere. In fact, 3 weeks ago, his son and him were in their 91 caddy and it quit, and then the brakes went, and they nearly missed 3 trees and hit a chainlink fence. Crazy story!
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