Kool Kulture Kollected

Howdy folks!

I’m Fireball and this is my new column here in DRIVE. Times have been tough and shows aren’t what they used to be, but my job here, among lots of other cool car stuff, will be to feature some of the best car shows in SoCal. Even with the nasty, slim pickins.

If you know me, I spend my time designing cars for movies, Car Coloring Books, Trading Cards and lots of shows. We even have our own Cars & Coffee at The Murphy Auto Museum first Sunday of the month in Oxnard. My weekends are generally filled with events with my boy, MC Ken Vela and we’re gonna to do our best… to bring you the BEST. Big thanks to Drive Editor, Michael for inviting me to spread some kool kulture cheer. So… let’s do this!!

But if you know about “DD”, then you also know that it’s been going for neary 40 years and has featured the absolute best in Car Cutlure

If you’ve never heard of Donut Derelicts, then there are only two possibilities; You were either born just last Sunday… or you don’t have any interest in cars. (Oh, the horror…)

But if you know about “DD”, then you also know that it’s been going for nearly 40 years and has featured the absolute best in car culture for that long. If you want to experience a variety of design languages, art expressions and social autopeep varieties, there’s probably no better place to go on a Saturday morning than Donut Derelicts. And the donuts themselves are killer.

Now when I say Saturday, I mean EVERY Saturday. Including rain, sun, snow, sleet, tornado, hurricane and tsunami. Although we haven’t experienced most of these other than sun and a bit of rain, there really isn’t anything that would stop this show from happening. (Probably due to the Tiger Tail Donuts from the corner shop.) But no matter where you fall in the automotive food chain: from builder, designer, collector or enthusiast, you’ll find them gathered here in droves, even during COVID, so be sure to mask-up and stay safe.

Some things you won’t see in abundance at DD are super cars, tuners, German or new Mustangs and Camaros. Although there might be a few peppered in there from time to time, this show is all about Classics, Hot Rods, Rat Rods and the Wild Thing. And when I say the Wild Thing, I mean it. The creative expression here at DD is truly downright specfrikkin’tacular.

Although this is really an art show, the artists themselves are of great interest to me as I’m addicted to what makes people creatively successfu, and DD is basically a gallery setting of those pieces that manifest out of the minds of the artists. To me… its full-mode badassery in it’s truest form. Let’s get in to some…

Off the top, there’s Blake Weddington of Long Beach. This dude has some serious fun with his cars and this particular Saturday, he brought in a 1940 Merc with traditional kustom. The chop top and full build done by the Menges Twins Speed Shop in Paso Robles.

The car has a rebuilt flathead with polished Evans Speed Equipment and Dual Stromberg 97 carbs, plus a Borg Warner Overdrive Tranny.

Blake’s club is named Odd Squad and it’s all about Rats and Kustoms. They do a couple of cruises during the weeknights and you can peruse them on FB @OddSquadCarClub.

Trucks are also a big thing at DD and there’s no shortage of everything from pristine Minty Pickups to slammed and ratted Kustoms.

It’s a big show for Mercs and there were a couple of very slick black ones including a gorgeous one from Warren Mendez. Keep it up, brudda.

Some other highlights from this particular show included a Helms Bakery Truck Restoration from Steve Daniel. In absolute perfect detail, so much so, that you could nearly smell the fresh bread!

It’s a big show for Mercs and there were a couple of very slick black ones including a gorgeous one from Warren Mendez.

Some of the Wild Things included a massive Ford flatbed with a Civil War cannon on the back. Yes, I said cannon! However, it was being guarded by a Bulldog on his own pickup! Also, a crazy-ass hot rod from Cory Caouette and his Lunch Money Garage. One ride in that thing and I’d hand over all the dough I had.

At any rate, the next time you see me at a show, scoot us over to your ride and tell us what kool about it. There’s a chance I may take a snap or two and immortalize it here in the pages of DRIVE.

Until then, keep kar kulture kool my friends and there be peace among the steel!!

I’m out! 

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