THE COMPLEX LOVE LIFE OF STACIE ALLISON

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A classic romance: Stacie Allison and her Model A, a match made in Wisconsin. Until some Northwest hot rod guy turned it into a love triangle of Shakespearean proportion and everything went upsidedown. (Photo courtesy of Stacie Allison)

Estrogen-fueled hot rodders are no strangers to this blog. It has featured many, from every micro-niche of the hobby. Such media exposure was considered a novelty not so long ago. But when the women of Generation X came of age and threw their rule books out the window, glass and status quo shards were shattered and scattered from here to eternity and back. There were many fearless women who pioneered the way (bless their souls) and paid dearly for the privilege. Alas, those heroic explorers are now fading faster than their epitaphs can be written. But the cycle of life has also graced us with a beautiful new day.

Most of the hot rod women you've read about here are people I've crossed paths with in the course of my work and have come to know, to various degrees. Exhibit A is SGE favorite Lori Bentley Law, who chronicles notable female gearheads regularly on her Motor Dolls blog (www.motordolls.com). Lori writes of these women with more credibility than I can possibly muster with all of this stuff between my legs. I don't know Stacie Allison or her husband Jeff, but feel like I do, since reading Lori's blog. I'm sure we will meet some day, if it's meant to be. Until then, here's an outsider's perspective:

Following a string of motorcycle projects and a V-8 Austin Healey, Mechanical Engineer Stacie Depner developed a crush on hot rods and decided to build her own. Respected hot rod artist Jeff Allison volunteered to show her the ropes, upon their meeting at the Grand National Roadster Show. This primer-stage shot of the '32 chassis Stacie built illustrates the harmony Jeff and Stacie realize when working together. (Photo courtesy of Stacie Allison)

A natural born tinbender, Stacie fabbed the body from the usable components of two derelict A-bones, under Jeff's watch. (Photo courtesy of Stacie Allison)

To my knowledge, this 327" Chevy is Stacie's first engine build. Highlights include a 6 X 2 induction system and a venerable Duntov 30-30 cam: "It has that wonderful vintage lopey sound." (Photo courtesy of Stacie Allison)

Also a quick study on the welder, Stacie chopped the windshield and stanchions, but went conservative on the lean, keeping the car's traditional Midwest values intact. (Photo courtesy of Chadly Johnson)

That magic moment when the puzzle comes together. Who can't relate to that adrenaline smile? (Photo courtesy of Stacie Allison)

Fruit of the labor: Stacie Depner's dad drives her up the aisle at her wedding. It doesn't get any sweeter. Stacie loves her dad. Minutes later, she magically transformed into Stacie Allison. (Photo courtesy of Sasha Landskov)

Every wedding requires a little drama to keep the guests awake. As usual, Stacie took the DIY approach. You can always get more Bridesmaids. (Photo courtesy of Stacie Allison)

Celebration of the four year build has now moved from the Midwest to the West Coast, without losing any momentum whatsoever. Note narrowed '54 Plymouth dash. (Photo courtesy of Josh Kurpius Photography)

Jeff Allison, esteemed hot rod artist, private fabrication instructor, and vintage tin pilot. Please send healing prayers for Jeff's thumb. The hair looks healthy though. In between building cars and knocking out design work, Jeff founded Thee Inland Emperors car club in his native Spokane, Washington playground. We're practically homies. He then did a stint in Minnesota, and now makes his home in California.

A Jeff Allison sampler:

(Images courtesy of Jeff Allison)

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UPDATES

Last week, my brother Rocky Gosson brought his '34 coupe home from a seven year stretch in Jimmy Vaag's body shop purgatory (details on last week's blog).

Rocky's one car garage had accumulated a few odds and ends during the coupe's absence. This was the scene last week. The coupe would be a snug fit in here.

The Rocky shop today! The coupe will still be cozy in here (can't open doors), but will now share this decadent hospitality area. What happened to the welders, toolboxes, and piles of parts? Rocky surprised wife Janet with an artful redecoration of the living room! That's right gals - sorry, but he's married (as of this writing, anyway). (Photos courtesy of Rocky Gosson)

Not to be outdone, my other brother, Mark Gosson, redecorated his bathroom (he's a VW guy). (Photo courtesy of Mark Gosson)

While my brothers were sidetracked with interior decorating activities, I was at Dr. Lockjaw's Custom Metal shop, gettin' right after it. Doc and I managed to design side supports for the SGE Model A motor mounts on Sunday, and got the passenger-side pieces cut before the Super Bowl started. Next week: The driver's side! 

My heart was set on side supports that would angle outward from the center upright piece at 45 degree angles, offering increased strength and style. Unfortunately, such pieces would require a redesigned (larger diameter) motor mount pad to attach to. With Super Bowl kickoff looming and steel supply shrinking, we went with this 90 degree side support design, featuring radiused outer edges to continue the theme established by our suspension brackets. I was apprehensive regarding the "box design", but pleasantly surprised with the final shape.

The side supports look even better from this angle, and are downright impressive from a dead-on front view. Alas, my trusty Olympus E-420 faceplanted on its way to the front of the car, damaging the lens to the point of being inoperable. We had a good run together - seven years - which probably isn't bad for a Chinese student-model camera, subjected to cruel abuse in hazardous environments from salt flats to drag strips to fab shops, and several wild rides in rowdy race cars.

The diagnoses turned out to be less than terminal. One of the lens cover tabs had broken off, allowing ambient light to sneak in and freak out the camera's little computer, which defaulted to shutdown mode. I had some two-part epoxy handy and tried to bond the busted piece back on, to no avail. Looks like an expensive tube of Super Glue is in my future.

I started duct taping the camera card door shut a few months ago - a sad reality slap and a sticky pain in the ass. 

The Olympus tests positive with the wide angle lens on, which is a relief. With enough duct tape and Super Glue, I should get another seven years out of it, no sweat. Thank God I have my cellphone for backup, so I can keep selling amazing shots like these to discerning publishers worldwide. (Scotty shots)

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SQUIRREL AND TOOLBOX

Ah, how this image transports me back to my photography days. That was a long time ago - over 36 hours now. God, I miss seducing my subject into that perfect intersection of light and angle, and claiming my conquest. I can't take it anymore. I'm off to Walmart for Super Glue and duct tape. With any luck, the camera will be healed up by Valentines Day, and I can take it out for a celebratory dinner at a romantic restaurant. 

Stacie Allison's weekday box includes every tool she needs for her work at Onsite Muse Hair and Makeup Artistry. (Photo courtesy of Stacie Allison)



GRIN

Hot rodders tend to mark their territory wherever they go. From tire tracks to pinstripes, the world is their canvas. Stacie Allison's mixer may have been a wedding present, but is now tagged for posterity in retro-traditional fashion. She can't help it. (Photo courtesy of Stacie Allison)

Neither of these guys are wearing safety glasses. 

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AMERICA'S MOST BEAUTIFUL ROADSTER EXPOSED!

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We've been spying on esteemed Phoenix, Arizona hot rod artist Jimmy Smith for the last few weeks, as he proceeded with a full-court press to attend the Grand National Roadster Show in Los Angeles. When we left Jimmy last Tuesday, this was the state of his '37 Ford truck project. Jimmy was entering the pray-for-a-miracle stage, and was near the bottom of his calling-in-favors list.

The drivetrain was somewhat operational, and Jimmy had a cushy new seat, but the clock was spinning wildly.

24 hours later. Not yet standing on all fours, but pretty well lit up. This illuminating image represents the coin-flip stage of the thrash process: "Should I stay, or should I go?"

Even Jimmy can't explain how it came to pass, but he found himself going. He and gal pal Jacie are Westbound here, waving goodbye to Phoenix. 

Heroes, beating the odds in one of the few GNRS entries actually driven to the most prestigious car show on planet Earth. The only cargo in the floorless bed was a bountiful load of faith and hope. (Photos courtesy of Jimmy Smith)

Mission accomplished! Jimmy and Jacie received a heartfelt hero's welcome upon rolling into the Pomona Fairplex. The '37 revels in glory on the custom car world's biggest stage (the parking lot of it, anyway). Cinderella's got nothing on this truck. (Photo courtesy of Christopher Walker)



It's well known that this is not exactly a show-friendly blog. But after making this epic journey with Jimmy, we might as well take a look around at the company he now keeps. Here are the SGE staff picks from the GNRS:

Rev Tones drummer Marcus Edell's '40 sedan was another last minute thrash that defied the odds. (Photo courtesy of Street Rodder Magazine)

Edell also beat the clock to get his ex-Johnny Gates street/strip T to the show on time. (Photos courtesy of Marcus Edell)

As always, no one had more fun at the show than Dave Shuten. He and the Galpin Ford crew hit it hard, and delivered the one-to-one scale Grass Hopper T Altered under the wire. Tasty display, too! (Photos courtesy of Dave Shuten)

Showing off the goods at the Hollywood Hot Rods booth. Zowie! (Photo courtesy of Josh Mishler)

Also at the HHR booth, this '32 3-window boasted nary an inch of Henry steel - all is hand-fabbed.

And when HHR gets fabby, they don't screw around. (Photos courtesy of Street Rodder Magazine)

Bonus: Spotted at the American Hot Rod Foundation booth. Six string slinger and hot grease flinger David Steele jammed tasty bluegrass with Liz Sloan on fiddle and Jared McGovern on frailing banjo. Most passerby were likely oblivious to the mastery at hand, but those in the know were savoring every note of this rare treat. The perfect soundtrack to yesteryear, as celebrated by the AHRF... (Photo courtesy of David Steele) 

... while out in the parking lot, brothers Don and John Ewald rocked the joint with a rowdy load of nitro in their BankAmericar AA/FD. (Photo courtesy of Don Ewald)

On Sunday night, all hands were on deck for the awards ceremony, including a confident Dave Shuten (with some nut case sitting next to him mocking his every move. Hey, it's L.A.). Tension filled the main hall to the bursting point before the envelope was finally opened. And the trophy for the 2015 America's Most Beautiful Roadster goes to... (Photo courtesy of Dave Shuten)

... Jimmy Smith's 1937 Ford pickup! Congratulations, Jimmy! You earned it, fair and square. This edition of the GNRS will forever be remembered for the divisive controversy surrounding this year's award. Technically, a roadster is an open vehicle with a removable windshield. But our New Lexicon Webster's Dictionary of the English Language clearly defines "roadster" thus: road-ster (roudstar) noun a. Person or vehicle which spends inordinate amount of time travelling on roadways. See Road rash, Semi-truck, Long hauler, Roadkill. Jimmy and Jacie didn't hang around to debate definitions. They tossed the towering AMBR trophy into the bed of the truck, bungee-corded it to the grimy  exposed undercarriage, and hightailed it to Arizona, snapping this parting shot on their way out of Pomona. (Photo courtesy of Jimmy Smith)

EPILOGUE

In the name of fair play and credit where it's due, we present the surprise AMBR runner-up: This old Ford was built by Robby Alltheway from Tennessee, who brought it out to California and entered the contest. You gotta hand it to the guy for moxie. The car really isn't all that bad, considering it's a backwoods build by a complete unknown. An amazing rookie accomplishment, actually. Congrats, Robby! And don't give up - you never know where your perseverance might lead. Unlike snootier blogs, we believe in encouraging newcomers. (Photographer unknown)

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 UPDATES

Following an epic seven year stint at Jimmy Vaag's Iowa bodyshop, Rocky Gosson's '34 Ford coupe is finally back in its Omaha, Nebraska driveway. Gosson plans some refinement of his home-fabbed chassis in preparation of feeding the coupe a one-off 370" Pontiac V-8 and a 5-speed. Well worth the wait, we say. Congratulations to Rocky! 

Rocky Gosson Exposed! The photo behind the photo: "The wind was blowing like hell and the front tire wouldn't stay upright, so I bungee corded it to the frame rail - but not before it blew over right onto its Bob Drake Reproductions '33 Ford hubcap - Spack! Sonuvabitch! The back tire was just leaned up against the little donut spare mounted to the car. I love the stance. It's exactly what I had in mind. Jimmy and I installed a 'Welders Series' flat front crossmember, and I have a 4" dropped axle with reversed eyes and de-arched springs. It's gonna be LOW in front. I'll have to "C" the front and rear frame rails for clearance, but I knew that, going in." (Photos courtesy of Rocky Gosson)


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Record holding landspeed racer, book author, and all-around hot rod crazy Jim Lindsay made a triumphant return to Marty Strode's Roadster Ranch last week with his flathead record smasher. Marty confides, "Ernie and I did a leakdown and compression test on it. Leighton brought his race car scales, so we weighed it. Minus water and some body parts, it weighed 2,020 pounds, with 60% of that on the back." Lindsay (in yellow Jegs hat) had no comment on these developments, possibly due to record-holder paranoia (or RHP Syndrome).

Marty spoke at great length to the construction of his brother-beating Stallion motorbike: "Fabricated some foot pegs for the bike. Very comfortable to sit on. That's all for now." Thank you, Marty! (Photos courtesy of Marty Strode)

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At Dr. Lockjaw's Custom Metal shop, the SGE Model A project is still creeping along. Last week was creepier than most, due to a windy, lengthy and unnecessary discussion on four-stroke-engine-exhaust-dynamics-as-pertaining-to-practical-design-paradigms-and-packaging-restraints discussion that I drew Doc into. In the scant moments remaining of the weekly session, we made the second of four pieces required for the Ford 4-cylinder motor mounts. The biscuit base and frame upright will be joined by two side pieces, which will enjoy an ample weld area on the frame rail. This is the passenger-side mount.

The driver-side mount is quite different, being several inches less than parallel with the other side, and considerably shorter. Ford's engine block design puts the driver-side mount much closer to the frame rail, as well. After much measuring and muttering, Doc hit on a design that makes the concept appear organic to this application.

Hard to tell from this chin-on-the-axle angle, but the mounts are symmetrical from the front. This was way trickier than it looks. My eternal gratitude for Doc's art school training (and his fab skills, and sandwich making acumen, and...)

Some quality research time at my local NAPA dealer revealed this Ford Ranger 4 X 4 transfer case mount to be just the ticket for our Mazda 5-speed application. We'll miss the folksy warmth of the wood blocks, but a tubular crossmember (destined to become a K-member) is next on the list. 

Notes from the extended shop discussion on possible header and muffler designs. No mention whatsoever was made of firing order/scavenging considerations. The lunch bell rang before we got that far. Then all was forgotten. (Scotty shots)

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While attending an invitation only social gathering at this undisclosed Northeast U.S. location, stealthy SGE undercover reporter Mr. X made a stunning discovery...

Hanging from the rafters like a bat, it's the genuine Batmobile fiberglass mold. George Barris fabbed the original Batmobile from Ford Motor Company's steel Futura concept car, but ensuing car show demand dictated half a dozen fiberglass copies, which sprouted from this very mold.

Our man X wasn't done sleuthing yet. The same building also contained this original mold for Speed Racer's Mach 5. And X swears he caught the scent of Jimmy Hoffa wafting from the basement. More on that story as it develops. (Photos courtesy of Mr. X)

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SQUIRREL AND TOOLBOX

As revealed in this week's feature story, there's no business like show business. And there's no people like show people (like no people I know). While purportedly searching for a restroom inside the cavernous main hall at the sprawling Pomona Fairplex, AMBR winner Jimmy Smith happened upon this scene in an unlocked back room. Smith reports a Caucasian male resembling Dave Shuten bolted from the room an instant before snapping this photo of the scene. At press time, Shuten had not returned our requests for comment. (Photo courtesy of Jimmy Smith)

Gotta have a show box for the show blog, and SGE pal Lori Bentley Law's birthday present from the Gasoline Girls car club suits this post to a T. The early-50's era Craftsman two-piece received a spit 'n' polish, latches, and pinstripes from Law's fellow gasser gals and was delivered on time. What else could a girl ask for? (Photo courtesy of Gasoline Girls)


GRIN

Southern California show culture, illustrated by Mark Ryden.

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