Car 23 vs Car 32

Car 32 was the Land Cruiser my dad used for his first Mexican 1000.  It was an FJ45v the gigantic station wagon version of the FJ40.  The early Mexican 1000s were a very long race and it was reasonable to think you'd be on the road for 40 hours.  So, Dad and his best friend and co-driver, Kenny Younghusband, decided to use the wagon and put a hammock in the back.  Dad had been in the navy and Kenny in the merchant marines, so maybe they thought they could sleep through anything.  Needless to say it didn't work.  Now with five point harnesses, fire suits, safety nets and neck braces it is amazing to think someone could just climb in the back and sleep.

Well, Car 32 only did the one race and after that my family moved on to the smaller, faster, more nimble FJ40.

One thing the fj45 and fj40 had in common was breakable spindles.  I managed to break the front drivers side spindle just a couple weeks ago and incredibly the wheel stayed on.  I drove it around for about a week before I realized what had happened.  Handling was terrible but the disc brake calipers and one ring clip held it together.  So, I fixed it.

Then, I heard from my mom, that dad had broken a spindle during the fj45's first race.  They'd actually brought a spare and Kenny replaced it by the side of the road.  I don't know if I'm up for changing it in the dirt but we'll be packing a spare spindle for our race.

Bushing Fest!

After some bouncing around off road I realized there was something I'd missed.  Car 23 had it's shackles and their bushings replaced but I hadn't gotten around to replacing the inner leaf spring bushings. The 1964 Toyota Land Cruiser isn't know for it's tracking but my fj40 was getting worse.  So I got under the car and here are the bushings that were removed. 

There should be eight but two had completely disolved and the rest weren't far behind.

Car 23 is tracking much better now.  

Manual Haiku 16 - Datsun 411

CONSUMER INFORMATION

the information

may not be correct under

other conditions.

What I'm Working On - testing the car

Last weekend was a work out for me and Car 23.  Rhonda - pilot, mba, recent superbike school graduate and dear friend agreed to be my co-driver.  She has a perfect balance of daring and sanity.  I was comfortable being the passenger as she bombed down mountain roads and she also put up with my driving.

Sunday was spent at Rowher Flats.  This time we really gave the car a work out and it easily handled anything we threw at it.  I loves to climb and doesn’t seemed to be fazed by any obstacle in front of it.  It’s feels like it wants to drive itself.

There are some issues.  Car 23 bottoms out and the tires rub against the body work.  So, there is definitely work to be done on the suspension.  Also, trying to figure out how to fit a fuel cell, spare tires and any other equipment in the back is a challenge..  Oh and remembering to tie things down - collecting tools and gas cans off the trail isn’t that fun.

I am thrilled to be at 27% funded this early in the United States Artists Project and now matching funds are available.  So, tell your friends. Thank you everyone who has supported Car 23 so far.

Drawn to Television - ipad sketch

This one bounced between my ipad and my computer.

Support Car 23!

Friends,

In 2007, I took a new route through a nearby neighborhood and spotted a familiar silhouette.  Parked in a driveway stood a 1964 Toyota Landcruiser.  It was full of cobwebs, and clearly hadn’t run for some time, but my stomach did a little flip-flop just the same.  I’d recently begun sketching out a body of work inspired by my father’s off-road racing career—a serious hobby he pursued when I was a boy.  He was a Landcruiser devotee, and my family had a series of them from this era, most adorned by zebra stripes so we could pick him out even when racing numbers were obscured by dust.

I found reasons to drive by this forlorn Toyota every few days.  Finally, I spotted the owner and offered to take it off his hands.  Thus began several bodies of work using elements of my childhood to explore larger ideas:  the impulse to conquer challenging landscapes, the drive to push our limits, the need to create meaning through personal quests, the construction of masculinity in ex-urban environments—you get the idea.

I took the car apart and made sculpture from its body (Hilites, 2008) and engine (Can’t Stop it, 2009) as well as lots of related work.  Soon, I started dreaming about a performative element that would tie all this work together—and produce more.  A grant from the California Community Foundation helped me rebuild the car and get it running.  Shows at theMiami Art Museum, Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery (Barnsdall) and the Laguna Art Museum focused my thinking.  A team of friends provided both moral support and considerable labor.  Now I need a little more help from a lot more people.

In spring 2012, the National Off-Road Racing Association is staging a vintage rally of the Mexican 1000 race from Mexicali to La Paz.  This was my father’s favorite race—and he did well in it over the years.  I am preparing the car and myself for this journey, and I’m seeking sponsorship through United States Artists’ microphilanthropy site for artist projects.  Please watch the video, read about my project and consider a donation.  Your gift is tax-deductible, and will make the difference in my ability to participate.

http://www.unitedstatesartists.org/project/car_23

Feel free to forward this and email me with any questions.

Many thanks for your support.

All my best,

Sean

What I'm working on - Dj Rig

For my book release I created a Dj set up.  It had some technical problems (the lower double turntable grumbled) but over all it worked nicely and the Recerd Player Tordimint was fun.

Next time I need to spend a bit more time setting it up.

What I'm up to - BOOK RELEASE!

We're having a little kick off party for my Front 40 Press book at Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects.  The book is really nice with an excellent essay by Doug Harvey and an interview with Veronica Fernandez (where I actually sound articulatet!).  The release should be fun.  I'm packing up the Dj rig and it looks like its going to be a full blown "Recerd Player Tornimint."

Saturday, September 17, 6:30-8

Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects.

What I'm working on - floor painting

Spare Tire Carrier!

I picked up a stock spare tire carrier on the IH8MUD forum and it seems to work pretty well.

 When the cars were originally raced the spares were bolted into the bed, but until I race, I have a rear bench seat - so that's not an option.

I also haven't saved up for new tires yet, so for now it's really nice to have a spare.

Inspiration - 80s new wave ads

I came across this ad about 10 years ago and it cracked me uo.  With the resurgence of skinny jeans it might be funnier now.

Well, except, ten years ago people might have remembered who Kajagoogoo was.  It's impressive that Wrangler put their ad budget into a joke based on Kajagoogoo but then again it was the 80s.  Even X and Oingo Boingo were doing ads for Budweiser.  So it sort of makes sense.

The ad came from the June 1984 issue of the British magazine "The Face."  I bought it back when I was doing work about mods and modernists.  It had a pretty good article "Mods; the class of 84 hits the trail of 64." 

But, looking at it now, the real treat was "Gang Wars: Welcome to LA; Sudden Death in Olympic City" and it's handy list of "Gang Slang"  

This was two years before NWA formed - I wonder what British new wavers thought of it at the time?

Inspiration - folks' workroom pt 2

The filing system of the workroom flew out the window years ago.  Which makes you feel like a bit of an archeologist when you look for things.  This trip I noticed at least two rattlesnake rattles in the drawers.

 I really love this second picture.  You've got a 70s Bart Guides, "How to Solder", a rattlesnake rattle, a sardine can key, a pink diaper ducky pin, some string, spray paint nozzles, archaic fuses, and a bunch of picture hanging hooks....makes sense to me.

Inspiration - folks' workroom

I've always loved my folks workroom.  It has everything except that one thing you're looking for.  This weekend I was looking for a hammer and finally gave up and used an old pipe wrench.  When I brought the pipe wrench back I found a milk crate full of hammers, probably twenty or so. 

This trip I came across these Gemco Bags.  Not really all that spectacular, until you consider that Gemco went out of business in 1986 and this isn't the last Gemco logo but one from the early 80s.  Which means that I was living  there when two empty Price Club Mayonnaise containers were double bagged and hung from a hook.

Lucky on the other hand didn't go out of business until 1999 but it was still nice to see the bag and the old Coleman lantern next to it. 

inspiration - boss cars

A couple 1972 pictures of the Olds 442 "Grabber."  I'm guessing this is from the Mexican 1000.

 I think James Garner drove the white one.