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Hello ! This is GAKU of MOONEYES.
May be better introduce myself for first time. I went to California for the first time on business trip (call it training, job?). I am sending out report on this. Actually I just came back. Its hot and full contents may be too long but please look forward to it.
First of all please let me introduce myself, I am GAKU, purchased ’49 FORD (ShoeBOX) and debut on last RAZZLE DAZZLE. I came out from suburb couple years ago with dream of Hot Rod and finally made it to go to dreamed California. I will report on the first time experience and impressive moments. Report on 49 FORD (ShoeBOX) will come up but please understand that my tension is high and stuck there. So please scroll on. |
- JAPAN Thursday July 12th
Departed MOONEYES Area-1 on TOYOTA Carolla wagon and Probox phase II with Speed Master Wheel. I was excited while taking picture of TANK in NARITA airport for TANK'S BLOG for departure scene. Good picture ? I wanted to be in picture too. Got on Korean Air (KE001), 14:55 started trip to California. Of course taking the in flight dinner which was "BIBINBA" on the way to California.
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● USA Thursday July 12th [MOONEYES USA, SO-CAL Speed Shop, NHRA Museum]
This is the holly land of HOT ROD, California. Landed 8:30am in the morning. Different from weather in Japan dry and hot. The Sunny blue sky. The encounter restaurant was really closed at LAX. We left LAX and headed to Norwalk Blvd, to MOONEYES USA.!!! |
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Took 30 to 40 minutes on Freeway and that Palm Trees were there! It was first time for me to visit MOONEYES USA after I became stuff at MOONEYES. Cool, I took a Look around Shop, Machine Shop and MOONEYES USA. 50 years of history at MOONEYES USA and still unchanged ways are taken to make those Disc, Fuel Block, TANK, Valve Cover, Racing Cam. This Machine shop has long history with professional craft man and most hi tech machine was a push dial phone.
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And there! It's Bill Jenks, I had to take a picture with him. Very impressive moment for me. Then Manny the Disc craftman showed us how to make one!.
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| His tools like brush pod was made by aluminum too, Cool luxury goods. Now I left MOONEYES USA and headed to do some work? |
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- SO-CAL
From MOONEYES USA headed to POMONA for 30 to 40 minutes and where am I heading? Following '69 El Camino driven by BOSS and arrived at SO-CAL Speed Shop California. Said How are you? in not so fluent English. Open the Door and looked around the SO-CAL ware house, Factory. |
| BOSS was having meeting about this year's HOT ROD Custom Show? This picture may contain top secret. GAKU is looking around the cars with smile on. SO-CAL who has been working on HOT ROD from 1946 showed me Very clean and full of energy from factory. Wonder which car will come to Japan for this years HOT ROD Custom Show.
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- Break Time
Took lunch at TOM'S BURGER. My choice to go over TANK's volume I ordered full volume Chili Burger. |
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Here is the first time experience series. NO.1 was ordering food at first food restaurants in ENGLISH! Everyone looked at GAKU worried or with grin. No Problem! Totally. With gesture there was no problem! But one thing the size was huge. I was baring making it while TANK was eating with happy face. |
| The next on NO.2. Filled Gas at Gas Station. Of course at Self Service stand. No Problem! |
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- Kennedy Bros Vintage
Sinners member, Hi-Bond Modified Rico has taken us to Kennedy Bros Vintage where Old Ford was build to a Hot Rod. Here again was meeting for Hot Rod Custom Show? Following BOSS to inside, they were building cars where there was full of American atmosphere in Garage, factory, house and Swimming Pool. The RAT atmosphere but GAKU liked that situation a lot. |
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| While in there oh that face, ShoeBOX.!! GAKU heard that it was '51 FORD almost original other then Chopped roof. |
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| GAKU took out picture of his '49 FORD and conversation flew even though language wasn't really spoken well. Then some parts items for ShoeBOX were introduced. |
| GAKU hoped to see the comfortable guys again in Japan and left there to garage of Rico's shop "Hi Bond Modified".Now HD Sports star was being build. TANK who is taking Driver's ED for motorcycle had sparkle in his eyes. |
- NHRA Museum
Went around the Pomona and arrived at where to study the Bonneville, Drag Race, Dry Lake, NHRA Museum. Finally came here!! My tension reached its high peaks. The latest MOONEYES Shige Suganuma Blog had showed too, with time limit to be closed in 45 minutes, took good look at MOONEYES history so I will make report on that. Of course went direct to Fred's Streamliner. BOSS looked like he had tension raised too. |
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| Many race cars inside and most of them had some MOON Parts on. |
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Counted 8 cars with MOON TANKS. 7 cars with Discs (counted in hurry). Other parts like breathers, valve covers were almost all MOON parts. Show case showed MOON RACING CAMS, MOON DISCS, FOOT Pedals. Imagining the race car run with these parts made me goose bumps.
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| Barris Kustom specials were showing at inside too and looked around with high tension. There was that face at entrance ShoeBOX!! '50 Club Coupe! Rodder's Journal No,20 had report on this ShoeBOX. GAKU was always looking at this magazine but to see the real thing was very impressive moment. |
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| USA first time experience series NO,3! Washing Chevrolet Silverado 3500 at MOONEYES USA. It was too big |
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| A day in California is long. In this light it was almost 8pm. Then the working stance in California was early start as 6am and leave Early as 6pm, then private time after that was used well. GAKU would use that time for drink and talking with friends. |
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| USA first time experience series NO.4! GAKU had vanilla choco ice cream at Dairy Queen. Love to drink but love sweets too. But it was really sweet. Today was full of POMONA. Tomorrow is preparation for MOONEYES USA OPEN House. |
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- USA Friday July 13th [ The system of MOONEYES Quick delivery service ]
Left Hotel at early morning as 7:30am. USA first time experience series NO.5. First time to drive in USA. Drove company car HHR. This trip GAKU went to get international license to join this trip. On Freeway, the cars around were speeding like crazy, GAKU was doing best to follow. Full size truck was really standing out .The big Trailer was looking cool. |
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| With MOONEYS Goshu went to get some parts for Chico Kodama from two shops. FORD old parts are sold at Shop C,W, Moss. MOONEYES AI-Chan told GAKU to go very strongly. Personally wanted to go to this shop, of course for ’49 FORD (ShoeBOX). This was really hot place to be. for ShoeBOX Heaven. All the time smile. |
| The next shop was ABS BRAKE. This shop was famous for brake parts in Hot Rod and has history. |
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| If special order came from customers of MOONEYES JAPAN, USA Stuff will look for parts in this shop and introduce to customer and that's MOONEYES QUICK DELIVERY SERVICE. Please try. After that return to MOONEYES USA and prepared for OPEN HOUSE and finished the day.
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- USA Saturday July 14th [ MOONEYES USA Open House ]
Finally the job of this trip, real OPEN HOUSE. Arrived in 6:30 to wait for customer but by before 7am there were Hot Rod Cars. The morning in California is early. |
| It was Louie former MOONEYES JAPAN Staff. Hi! Came in Buick. After this Lui had taken me around, which will be told later. |
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Keith Weesner's ShoeBOX |
Pin Up Girl Jessica |
HOT ROD TRIO |
SINNERS Danny |
I was walking around with picture of my '49 FORD and tried to have communication with not so fluent English. Scarely looking HOT RODDERS were nice once talking to them. The common subject will make communication easier was what I experienced in this OPEN HOUSE.
After OPEN HOUSE tool some rare pictures. Chico Kodama is building Roadster and got picture on it. Chico, Shige Suganuma on it too. Not so easy to take this picture. When this car is build, it will go to El Mirage, Bonneville.. and on next day at El Mirage.
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| USA first time experience series NO,6. Driving HOT ROD in California. I had chance to drive The former MOONEYES employee Louie's car '53 BUICK. To go to a party! Smiling all the time. Though stepped on gas too much. |
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USA first time experience series NO.7. Louie's cousin had wedding party and arrived on Buick. I was invited to an American Home drama like situation home party. Everyone welcomed me and had taste of Home made Tacos! Great taste but Hot! Low rider couple was born and looked very happy. Congratulations! May you be happy. Made promise to see Lui again and left the party. Thank you Louie. |
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- USA Sunday July 15th
[ El Mirage [S.C.T.A.], POMONA Swap Meet ]
Wake up 3:30am left. The everyday tension got me a little over heat but after I found out that I will be going to The sanctuary, I was cooled down. But piston in my heart was beating hard. |
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| On the way joined BOSS on Freeway, now we are going to El Mirage! About 3 hours drive, with sunrise there are nothing around. Not up for talking and drive in silence. This is? In under the morning cloud there was sign I only saw in magazine. Came to El Mirage. Drove on Dry Lake and white sand was dusting, Morning Sunshine was shining on the sands, very mysterious scene. Lost words again and looking into the scene. |
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Pressed shutter as much as I felt like and filling in this world, the sound of engine started from far. The race day of only six time a year. Quickly went to the Start. Changed the mind to watch the race wishing to see some day MOONEYES will go for a race. Here was another impressive moment. Almost all race car had MOON DISCS on. EYEBALL stickers are also seen often. There I felt very proud to ware this MOONEYES cloth on. |
| Full tune cars, some 50 to 60 years old cars, motorcycles. People were enjoying their own types and styles. There were many elder people to my surprise, old man in Dry Lake style looked very cool. Really Cool. When Chico Kodamas race car shown in MOONEYES USA OPEN HOUSE run on this dry lake or Bonneville, wished myself like to join the crew and took off from the big land. |
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| USA first time experience series NO.8. Drove HHR on Dry Lake. The land is like craters on MOON very rough by the exit. Drove very carefully but fender hit more on TANKs side. |
- POMONA Swap Meet
Largest SWAP MEET Scale that cannot be done in Japan. Here is more ShoeBOX on report as I checked them out. Now I am only thinking about my own ShoeBOX, '49 FORD. How many TOKYO DOMES will need to fit all? New way of expression but cant even imagine, far too big. Roughly place are separated to CARS, VWS and Parts. |
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| POMONA Swap Meet has people pulliing Radio Flyer Cart with kids and parts so we are calling them Pomona Cart in MOONEYES. With real heat TANK has turned to Vietnam Style. POMONA Swap Meet standard style. Some many people are wearing this hat. |
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Oh the MOONEYES Booth. Looks Cool! That's '49 FORD. Pictures turned to be what I like. Strange things were there too. Wanted see more but really out of time so we left. |
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On the way back went to Wildman's favorite antique toy shop. |
| Wildman says there are many shops in different places. Quickly he purchased chaparells Mini Car, very happy. This must be explained in Wildman's blog so I will skip, And the lecture was already started inside the car. |
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USA first time experience series NO.9. HOT DOG! On the way to El Mirage, had first self style HOT DOG. Didn't know how to put this sauce and loaded. But very nice taste. Made me feel like American now. |
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USA first time experience series NO.10. Shopping in huge super market. Very exciting. Items looks very cool some how. I bought ACE corms for present. Payment was No Problems. |
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This night was last night. All Staff went to the Japanese TeppanYaki at BENIHANA. Wildman's birthday was near and had birthday treat and ended this trip. |
| There were many things happening and my head couldn't keep all in order to report. Just as I felt. Sorry if its difficult to read. |
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| The longing California was great. I have imagined from when I was little and dream was getting large for California and it was a sanctuary more then imagined. I wish all people who dreamed like GAKU can visit. Of course to the MOONEYES USA too. |
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I hope this report brought some experience of GAKU to people on California wind? For people who Want to hear more! Please visit MOONEYES Area-1. Lets talk ShoeBOX! See you Again !
GAKU |
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