Some time ago I found an old wiro notebook in a drawer. A scruffy wiro bound notebook with a photo of 2 men in a kayak with a bear on the front cover. In that notebook I found terrible sketches drawn in pencil made while travelling in 1991. One sketch leapt out at me. It was a rough pencil sketch of Mt Ararat from a backpacking trip to eastern Turkey. The sketch really surprised me – it was a very basic pencil sketch, drawn using a .5mm technical pencil on a cheap notepad. The sketch is just black and white… To my surprise the sounds and smells of the day came flooding back. Meeting some Kurdish goat herders and their flock near the base of Mt Ararat, about 10km from the Iranian border on a bright sunny but cool, alpine day. Along with memories of driving across the mountain steppe in an old Renault 19 and the smells of chai and coffee in a Doğubayazıt pasta solunu. It all came back come flooding back! Why did it evoke such vivid memories? I’m not really sure to be honest. Maybe t...
I recently took my car to Meguiar's Coffee & Cars at the Auckland Showgrounds.
It's always worth a look (and sketch) as you never know what interesting vehicles will turn up. It's a popular event and with 1600 cars on display, and another 400 parked around the neighbourhood it's fair to say it is fairly big too.
This time was no different with various rare exotica, even a Bricklin sports car, which was new one to me. The highlight for me was parking next to this gleaming 1930 Studebaker and learning a little of it's history from the owners. Our 60's MG looked tiny next to it.
Roger and Janet bought the Studebaker as a rusty roadside wreck in 1966 (the same year they were married) for just $70. Janet said she was so embarrassed at the state of the car when they towed it home she hid in the back! Well there's absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about these days – because it looks almost new.
Roger showed me some of its quirks, including the wooden wheels. The rim extrusions (they don't start out 'wheel' shaped) are bent into shape and bolted together over the spokes – not a perfect solid piece like more modern cars (a bit hard to explain without one in front of you!).
He has also completed the pro pinstriping around the swage line. Clearly I could use some tips looking at this wobbly sketch below! Here they are seated on the running board relaxing with a cup of tea...
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