Did we mention there were BIG things at the show? This orange-flamed blown Willys looks large and menacing with bug-devouring butterflies reaching head-high above the roofline.
A BIG Show needs a BIG Star–and there he was–Billy Joel the “Piano Man” riding his custom 20th Century Cycles’ “Vinago” – a Vincent motorcycle distant-cousin built from a Yamaha Virago. Billy’s NY-plated Vinago is a comfy cafe racer with a throaty note and perfect detail.
While Billy Joel was flying around Santa Barbara on his Vinago, this sleek ’64 Studebaker GT Hawk made a perfect landing in the hearts of show attendees. It’s powered by a 289 Thunderbolt V-8 backed up by a Flight-O-Matic transmission.
Speaking of Studebakers, this metallic mint ’49 pickup was refreshingly flameless and all business – thanks to owners Pete & Kristen Thomsen of Solvang, CA.
Santa Barbara has long been known for its environmentally-friendly Green Movement, but I’m not sure the fossil-free crowd had this ’32, three-window coupe in mind as a symbol for
moving ahead in a green direction!
Angel Martinez’s drop-down, drop-dead-gorgeous ’53 Chevy Bel Air just may be the perfect cruiser for Santa Barbara’s palm-tree-lined, ocean boulevards.
This is a Santa Barbara show – so why polish your car all day when you could be heading down to the beach or out to the vineyards in Mitch Stewart’s patina-rich ’35 Ford five-window coupe
Vik Martyniuk is a master Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin and Maserati mechanic, but he prefers the racy thrills he gets from his winged red ’72 DeTomaso Pantera.
Photos & Text by Jim Palam, Solvang, CA. /http://jimpalam.com/
For more information about Santa Barbara’s premier car show which benefits the Page Youth Center and The Progeria Research Foundation, please visit http://sbcarshow.com/