Is BOYD playin those silly raindeer games again? .......Merry christmas Ryan....thanks for everything you do for us!
Force and his "company" are truely just like the rest of us if we hit it big. About a dozen years ago I had the opportunity to try and assemble a nitro F/C team. I think I called Force Racing 1/2 a dozen times and never got shined on or felt pressured. They'd even ask me to hold while they took another call. Talked to his daughter several times. My deal went south and at a race a couple years later he and his daughter remembered what I was trying to do and wished me luck. Impressive. I'm just a nobody. I didn't get to see the whole show but what I did see looked kool enough to talk about here.
As some of the above posters have already said, Force and Foose are, pretty much, the same in real life, as what you see on TV. When I worked for a car magazine in Orange County, I had an opportunity to meet John, and chew the fat with him for about an hour. h He's genuine, he's foul-mouthed (well f**k, whaddya expect from a drag racer?? hehehe), outspoken, smart, opinionated, in short, everything a good gearhead should be, and he's also very committed to helping other as he can, when he can. If that Bus was to just become another toy for the Yorba Linda shop, to sit and gather dust, I could agree with what some of the people have said... but you watch- that damned bus (which I thought, with the exception of the airbags and the wimpy front end control arms, was absolutely bad-ASS) will be at every charity he can arrange to get it to... And I met Chip through another friend of mine, Bruce Meyers, who created the original Meyers Manx fiberglass VW powered dune buggies that were all the craze back in the 60's, and he, just like his dad, are just like the people you see on TV. This Floyd Cotterpin character, though, I have never met. But if he is ANYTHING like the man we see on TV, I wouldn't want to. I'd go to work for Foose or Force in a heartbeat.. that other guy?? there ain't enough money in the world...
I saw him on the Mississippi gulf a few months ago. They were filming a car unveiling for a local casino and up coming show. I had my 2 daughters with me who both watch his show. They asked him to sign their shirts several times and he would not. They were even holding a marker out for him. He spent more time explaining why he could not do it than it would have taken for him to just sign. Once they turned the camera on him and the people next to us asked for an autograph on camera and he did it quick and was all smiles. Then he turned to my kids and signed their shirts for the camera. I also "tried" to talk to him several times. He was very short, rude, and basically a total A@#hole just like he is on TV. Dwayne on the other hand is a total jerk on the show but was really nice in person. He talked to you, signed shirts, and even let my kids get a picture with him.
I run into Dwayne and John Force all the time. I've seen John at Dairy Queen,Albertsons,gas station. If i'm in my '49 with flames,he'll come over and say hi. My wife sat next to him at the dentist,and he was on the phone,yelling at someone about not having a gift ready,as promised. She said it was pretty funny. Dwayne lives in Anaheim hills,about 5 minutes from me,and he always honks when he sees me. Now,i'm not buddies with them,but it's cool when they remember who I am. I've gone to Forces cruise nights many times. When he's there,he's the coolest guy. Talks to you like he's known you forever. Boyd on the other hand,seems like an oppertunist. I've tried to talk to him many times,at his shop,shows,etc.. He just looks down his nose at you,like that Aunt,who thinks you don't belong in her family. One of my friends,works at a machine shop,that does some work for Boyd,and he says he has nothing but problems. Getting paid,him changing his mind AFTER the part's already made,then doesn't want to pay for the part. Shit like that. I wonder if Gabe,the upolsterer Boyd uses,ever has trouble with him. I ran into "bluebear",at C.W.Moss,and he said Boyd was a dick ALL the time he worked there. Charlie,his old painter,wouldn't say anything bad about Boyd,but he said he was tired of the pressure put on him. A guy I work with,has a son who works for Foose,and can't say enough great things about the Shop,and Chip.
No doubt in my book that Force is a RULER on and off the track. Drag Race of the mileneum new years eve 99/00, So. Fl.. Christmas tree is to countdown the new year with Garlits and Muldowney staged in their fuelers. Race is a bust,the quaranteed purses gone, promoters surrounded by deputies who couldn't care that they'd stolen OUR $$. John who was the MC for the event(and had gotten his $$ up front) ended up giving it to Big and Shirley just to see them run. He spent loads of time with the kids and fans and come New years day afternoon I saw him sitting alone in the stands,not a soul within 30 ft. of him, just watching the races. At first I felt bad that he'd wasted his new years on this. Then it occured to me that it was probably one of his few chances to sit and watch any races without being mobbed by fans.
Don't run anywhere!I totally agree.These guys are being put down because they've succeeded in life. One guy,because he grew up in his Dad's body shop,can bump and paint and has artistic talent.The other guy was a truck driver with lightening fast reaction ,a great personality and a huge set of balls.Neither guy was born with a silver spoon. Foose's Dad was a bodyman and Force grew up on the poor side of town..Isn't this discussion what "hokey ass message board" stands for? ..I say, post your cars that are cooler, or faster for that matter............just my opinion...Mike
But to do it for someone that can do it or have it done really defeats the purpose of a show like this. They've done this before, it sucked then and it sucks now.[/QUOTE] AGREED!
Just because they are a couple of nice guys, that doesnt make this thread about Traditional Hot Rods & Customs. Re-read this http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44274 If you want to know what the Hokey Ass Message Board stands for.
I'm very familiar with what H.A.M.B. stands for.If you read my post,and take the time to comprehend it, you'll not see me talk about traditional rods and customs.I'm talking about fellow hot rodders and customizers. I'm talking about one man that comes from a bodyshop background and whose Dad has built some of the coolest customs in the country. The other man is a bad ass drag racer and oldtime hot rodder from the old days that continues to dominate today ......By the way, your workmanship that youve shown in your posts is exceptional......Mike
Back to the topic...That bus is bitchin! There's one I see on the way home from work,everyday. It's parked in a shop on Chapman,just down from C.W.Moss,in Orange. Too bad the guy won't sell it. I'm sure i'll see Forces,runnin around Yorba Linda.
Foose is ok in my book. Met him at the gas station once and spent a good 10mins talking with me and my wife. Asked "when she was due?,boy or girl?(she was pregnant then) as well as signed my gas reciept. I have that same reciept framed and hanging in my garage. Though his style of design is different from my ideas of cool, the guy is genuine and talented. The bus was cool. I like what it means more than what it looks. from watching the episode, John seems to be a genuine guy as well, just in his own way. more to the point. He deserved every inch of that bus. My .02.
If people spent half as much time out in their garage as they did on the computer... they'd have a hot rod to show us. Sorry for the attitude... but I just spent 10 minutes of my life reading this post that I will never be able to get back. Sam.
Wow, thanks Mike. All I was trying to say about F&F is that eventhough they are truely gifted, succesfull and nice people, the bulk of what they do is not really Trad...
Sam, I think it's funny that you would say that. Aren't you on the computer? I'm on the computer, yet I've posted my completed cars on here........P.S...Shame on you if it did, in fact, take you 10 minutes to realize what the thread was about...........Mike
The Jalopy Journal
