I guess it was around the year 2000 when I first met Anthony. I remember pulling up to his old shop in Orange, CA in what appeared to be some kind of abandoned industrial complex. I followed Rob Fortier through a set of roll up doors and then made my... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
If nothing else we all need to remember all it takes is a fraction of a second to alter the lives of the ones around us forever.
I only met him a couple of times over the last decade and a half or so, so I can't say I really knew him, yet his passing has been on my mind heavily for the last couple of days. I always joke about having lived enough in my 48 years and having done so much more than most, that I could be ready at any time... But it always seems when one of us does go, it's always too soon. Wish I would have gotten to know him a bit better.
Well said...Anthony, the Shifters, and a few others were he ones we can all thank for spearheading the traditional hot rod resurgence in socal..although he would never acknowledge that statement. I will miss my friend
I got some photos of his coupe turn into bubble top custom when he brought into the swap meet section of LA Roadster show the first time. The Shifters swap space was crazy all that weekend due to that car. I will see if I can find those photos and scan them so we all can see what a huge impact that car and he was on the scene we are all involved in now. RIP.
I never met him, but judging from the what everyone is writing and doing...he was a good one. RIP Anthony
Early days of the Shifters I had met Anthony and crew and through the years mostly have stayed in contact with Kevan Sledge and I thought wow these guys are living the full on traditional lifestyle. I believe they have truly sparked the traditional revolution. Much respect.
Ryan very well said, One of my best friends from back in the day! Anthony lived life his way and his way was pretty awesome! Thanks for taking the time to write this about him. RIP Anthony Jimmy White
Flash back... I think you were with Rob and I that day I met Anthony at the shop. The last time I talked to Anthony was probably over a year ago. He was making fun of me for how lame the jockey journal was... and I was making fun of him for liking bikes... One of the things that impressed me about Anthony was that he hardly really knew me, but he always stood up for me. And I didn't even know that until very recently. I wish I would have staid in contact with him more. I really do.
Flashback 13-14 years ago. A bunch of us were in our 20s and early 30s. A few of you guys lived out West and saw what was happening. A BUNCH of us stranded inland knew what we liked as far as good ol hotrods and Customs. Then we stumbled upon The Jalopy Journal and the original Hot Rod Deluxe. That timeframe was a genesis for folks of like mind getting together and a movement. Those of us middle continent folks realized we were right all along and HEartbeat Grafficks WERE gay! Anthony was one of those guys that helped steer this now international ship we call traditional hotrodding.
Thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends at this time, and despite being a world away, can share the sentiment and appreciation that he and fellow shifters members have influenced the rodding world. My hope, out of all of this, is that we take the moment to consider those of us around us while they're still able to celebrate life with them, not after. Drewfus
Like many here I never met Anthony, but wish I had. The first I heard of the Shifters was in the February 1998 issue of Rod & Custom. David Fetherston wrote an article titled "Rat Rods" featuring Jeff Vodden's '30 A coupe, Alex Idzardi's A RPU, Kevan Sledge's '24 T & of course Anthony's '31 A coupe in black primer. As a 15 year old (3 months shy of 16) the article was encouraging in that Hot Rods didn't have to be all shiny and nice. Today I pulled that issue out of storage & re-read the article for the first time in at least 10 years. R.I.P Anthony! Thank you for your contributions to Hot Rodding.
Wow-- This really brings a lot of memories back for me too-- The Shifters were THE So Cal car club of early-90s. They had real hard core traditional hot rods when most guys our age could only afford to build a mild 50s custom. I was working the door for Linda at the Doll Hut in Anaheim in the Summer of '95 and those guys would roll up for a show. People would just step back from the curb and let them park where ever they wanted to. Anthony was a man of few words and always seemed to have a sly smile on his face, like he was up to no good. I never felt cool enough to really talk to him much, but he knew his stuff...
I met Anthony several times over the years but never hung out with him like I did some of the other shifters... All those guys to me in those early days were defiantly people we looked up to getting into this whole thing in the mid 90's.. But something drew me to what he was doing in particular that caught my attention even before the bubble top.. I was still trying to figure out what I liked and learning era specific builds and he had that whole 60's thing right on and using Olds motors when people looked at them as junk.. Thats what i wanted..I think he along with others made me take a close look at what can be done and didn't need to have a flathead and flat black paint to be cool.. You can stand out and build wild shit too.. I always appreciated that about him.. He seemed to be different.. Like a Roth of our generation.. I do believe he's sitting at the round table with Roth, Watson, Jeffries, Dutch, Sam Barris and all the others telling stories of his generation and how he carried on the torch.. He was loved by many and his name is stamped in the history books for ever. Rest In Peace Anthony... Piero Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I remember me and Buck selling Anthony some of his first project cars, he called me and told me he was looking for some cars to build, so I took him up to bucks and started showing him the better bodies, he turned around and told me " Na , I want some cheap shit I can turn into something cool" in fifteen minutes he had a pickup load of parts we use to use to repair bodies and two months later, him and his buddies were driving them around. He had a way of spilling enthusiasm and getting you excited. Back them , not too many guys like traditonal hotrods, we were few and far apart, I remember telling Buck " Man this is cool, these guys like what we like " later on , Buck would get his useall parade of picky old men that would wine if a body had a little rust and Buck would tell them "Fuck you guys, you should learn from them rocabilly kids, at least they have the balls to fix something and they are not afraid to use their hands, I 'd rather sell to them for less money, at least they apreciate these old bodies." If you want to sum up Anthony in a frase, "I would call him a bohemium, a beatnick, a true artist" he could come up with great ideas and always had a lot of creativity, he could take shit and stich it into gold, and like a true bohemium, he shure like to party, he was always the last man standing at the bar. Perhaps the thing I enjoyed the most aboat Anthony was his conversations, one on one , he could talk aboat anything if he felt like it. I remember once , he called me and said " Hey Miguel, you always know of good places to eat , I got this new chick and I want to take her to a nice place to eat , and by the way , I need a 32 to 34 p.u. for a custermer" I said " I can handle both, I've got a nice p.u. cab and you got to try this buffet at the Barona casino, it's the best food in San Diego" he came down with his chick and we talked and ate dinner for over 4 hours, I just never figured the p.u. body I sold him would be his demise. Rest in Pease Anthony, for with out you , we probable would'ent have a scene today.
I was at a loss for words Monday, and today isn't much better. To add to what Jimmy White said, it was a special time for us back then, not realizing that it influenced / inspired many to get in the hobby. Attention wasn't the reason , we were simply living our lives the way we saw fit. I'm glad I talked to Anthony a while back, mainly about Muscle Cars, but I can leave you with this. Those that want a small insight of who he was, try and watch "Desperate Generation". For the first time in years I put it on last night, and although bitter sweet, it brought back fond memories. Still stunned, and can't believe this. May God watch over your girls. RIP Anthony.
I think some type of car show would be a great way to honor him and raise money, maybe have some of his creations on display would be great. RIP anthony
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