As a kid, I grew up in the projects in Riverview
Terrace, across the river from Sulfur Springs. I was
probably twelve when I realized that all I wanted to
do was build and paint model cars and go to the
racetrack at Golden Gate Speedway. My uncle was
a race car driver out there and I’d go out and watch
him race, and when he would wreck, I would go back
to my house and recreate his wrecked car with one of
my model cars. I’d heat it up and smash it to look like
his wrecked car. My uncle and model cars were my
inspiration until seventh grade.
When I got into junior high, I told my mom I wanted
to be a “punk”. All I wanted to do was work on cars!
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job doing just what I wanted to do. That’s how I got
my diploma. I worked for Dixie Auto Painting until
1979, when I left home to go out on my own. I already
had a natural ability to draw, but I didn’t pay attention
to the fact that it would be my career. It was just
easy for me. All I needed was some material and an
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vertible beetle and the van for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Buccaneer Orange! I became hungry for that
kind of work. So, I bought a motorcycle, had some
business cards printed up and on the back of my motorcycle
I bungee corded a 7-11 Styrofoam cooler and
made that my toolbox for pinstriping and painting. I’d
pull right up to the businesses and work on the cars.
I’d do an entire pinstriping job for 25 bucks. A job like
that today would be $250-$300.
Late in 1979, I got a call from a body shop on Dale
Mabry, Bay Area Customs, that wanted me to paint
a sign for them. That resulted in me going to work
for them. At one point I was approached by World
on Wheels to paint a vehicle for them that was to be
given away. It was a Camaro. We got parts from just
about everyone to complete the job. We did the job
so well on that Camaro that we continued doing a car
every year until 1990. After that I was approached by
one of the radio stations to barter advertising time for
painting their vans and trailers that they used for their
remote broadcasts. I did paint jobs for Y95, Q105, 98
Rock, and the Power Pig.