Well as I stated in the classifieds I sold one of our Cyclone Deuces This one being the 21 stud version. Well the whole sale was quite interesting. When I built that car, Girlfriend Pat (C'Deuced on the HAMB) & I took what I'll refer to as her Deuce to the Antique Nats in Palm-tuckey. Pat was selling Cyclone shirts & I was selling the hard parts as well as helping her. Along comes World Renowned Hot Rod Artist Tom Fritz. We're working & Tom asks if the roadster is ours, to which Pat says with an ear to ear grin "Yes!" Several years before Tom had me pose with my early era 27 T-ster and did a very slick oil painting of it. I didn't really know much about paintings so it didn't really stick in my brain. One day a year or so later, I'm @ the LARS and Wally Parks was being driven around by Greg Sharp in his golf kart & Uncle Wally tells me "Don't change a thing on that car, That's how they ran @ Muroc!" (It had already been there). Well another guy walks by & says that car is under the canopy on canvas!(Tom had a space inside-I was in the swap area). Intrigued, I had to go check it out. Man-What a sight! So from that moment we became like family, It took multi-thousands of $'s but a couple of roadster shows later Pat presented my an official Tom Fritz original with me in my T-ster! (that very same painting) on fathers day. Back to the Antique Nats, Tom starts clicking off 3 rolls of 36 shots ea of 35mm film,(108 pics)! I really didn't think too much of that as I knew that Tom being an enthusiast was looking to build one some time. A few months later I get an e-mail from Tom, He sends over a scan of what he calls "Looking So Good" a few months later comes another email with a different scan of what he calls "Infected By Remedy " They are both of our Deuce. The 1st painting I own. The second went to a private collection. The right for replication for catalog purpose of the 1st one ended being bought by Bob Drake, The 2nd,ended in Toms inside cover ad in Hop Up#7(My personal fave!) This is where the title comes into revelence. The buyer of the roadster really liked Toms work and wanted to meet him. Pat rang Tom up & he so graciously gave the buyer all of the answers to the questions that he asked. The buyer & Tom met in person and acquaintences were made,Tom told him "That he just loved that car and could paint it 8 more times, A different way every time!" Mind you Tom has never painted a car more than once now? Well perhaps Tom may paint it one more time so that the new owner may have an original oil of Toms. The new owners wife is also an excellent painter, so who knows what will happen there, This guy has some nice cars! Tom is the best!!!! Thank you for appreciating what we create!
Cool story. I met him in person for the first time this past weekend. I'm a HUGE fan. What a humble, unassuming gentlemen. Great guy.
Wow, that's an awesome story! Tom's work is incrediable, there are no other words to describe it. I can only imagine how you feel having your car immortalized in one of Tom's paintings! Congrats~Mojodaddy
Tom Fritz is amazing! I have a medium sized piece of a '32 roadster with a white top, that I got from him in '89 or so. It's the best thing in my living room! Maybe someday I'll get another one. He rules.
Awesome dude and awesome work. An interview I did with him. http://theworldmotorreview.blogspot.com/2007/02/tom-fritz-interview.html
My story about Tom Fritz: I was driving across the salt flats in 2006 when someone flagged me down. I stopped and this guy came towards me in a coolie hat and he was smiling like he just won at the Stateline. He introduced himself and said that he'd seen the car at the hotel and had been looking for it all day. He asked if he could take some pictures and I said - sure. I pulled the car out away from the pits and for the next 40 minutes, Tom took pictures. About a year later, our son called us and said.....get on Tom's website, you're not gonna believe it. That was the first time we saw "The Race Poster". Tom had used our 33 5-window coupe, the 415c car in his picture. All I can say is OMG, and I said that about 20 times. He not only keep the car true to form, but really captured the spirit of the car. We now have a signed print hanging in our family room, a gift from Tom for the 40 minutes I spent in the sun one day at Bonneville............
A true gentleman and an amazing talent. You guys (and gals) who have cars immortalized by Mr. Fritz are lucky souls.
Kevin your artwork comes off the milling machine,Tom's is on a canvas. You are both,incredibly talented. Tom is the best in the field,of automotive fine art.No offense to other artists but his work just seems to come alive.
This just in from Tom; Right on. That is too cool. Thanks, Kevin. Molly and I will be in touch soon. Take care! Tom Tom is tops! 29bowtie, Thank you for the above! That means alot to me! CK.
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