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Thinking
of sending ma a scathing e-mail? Read this first!
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Should I do this to MY car? | |
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| 1.16 | Would you help me design a car? | |
WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO THAT POOR CAR?!?
Why
not? Does art need a reason?
The way I see it, you should have some fun with your car. So I did something
I thought would be cool, and surprisingly a lot of other people think so,
too. Plus it gives people something to look/snicker/laugh/marvel at and take
pictures of while stuck in the tedious Los Angeles traffic.
If you're offended by this in some way, you really need to lighten up. I'm sure you have hobbies I'd snicker at... : )
You KNOW you want to! Actually, I couldn't say... It takes a certain personality type to do this. You give up your private life, and become a public figure. Strangers approach you in parking lots and want to talk and get your picture. Kids scream and wave at you out of school bus windows. Police officers pull you over just to look at your vehicle. It's impossible to be inconspicuous and hide from the attention, especially if you are having a bad day- you sort of have to be pleasant all the time. And you have to drive cautiously, since you don't want to tick off people that can find your car so easily. And then you get slammed- and defended- by total strangers on the internet, in addition to e-mails of hate and praise.
But as for me, I love it. I meet thousands of people that I'd normally have no reason to. Someday I'll put up a "Stories" page to tell of some of the cool people I've come across.
Why H-Wing? What ship is it supposed to be?
I've modeled my design on the A-Wing from "Return of the Jedi". I didn't add the rear vertical stabilizers because they are illegal, and added an R2 unit instead, so I've dubbed it an H-Wing. It is, after all, a Honda.
Because the Del Sol is a Honda Civic- it will run forever, parts are relatively cheap, and it's a bit sporty and definitely fun to drive. Plus they only made around 14.000 the year mine came out, so they are unusual enough to make people do a double take, and not just dismiss it as "another _____".
Did you buy the Sol specifically to do this?
Yes. I tried Photoshop designs on a number of different car styles, but it always just looked "Fast and Furious". The Sol looked "spacey" enough for my design without being a DeLorean, and it was inexpensive enough to be attainable.
How much have you spent on the H-Wing?
I bought it used from a private party for $7K, and have put about another $1k into it. It isn't as expensive as it looks... So many people think I've broken the bank on this, but I wanted to have fun, not go bankrupt. Some additions came from the various film projects the car's been in.
How long have you been working on it?
Since April of 2001. I did the initial paint, and then added a little bit here and there. Things get added as I get inspired, and finances allow.
Yup! I consider it my "beater" car, and go everywhere in it. Work, Shopping, whatever. What fun is a neat car if you leave it garaged all the time?
Not really- I have tried to follow the California Vehicle Code as far as i am able, despite it's vague guidelines. I have the car checked by the CHP when I want to add something. The only tickets I've received have been for lighting violations, which are fix-it tickets.
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to top
Where can I see the
H-Wing?
I occasionally put it in shows and exhibits, and and take it to charity events. I'll try to post events here as I book them. Also, several magazines have done photo shoots/articles, and it's been in several films.
Your car looks beat up- why don't you at least deal with the rust on the hood?
The
rust on the hood is fake- it's actually rust-colored primer, and is meant
to look that way on purpose. The "beat up" battle damage is there
on purpose, too- the car wouldn't look right if it were shiny. Watch the first
3 Star Wars movies... Everything is trashed, and that's part of what makes
it look realistic. Mechanically, though, it is perfectly sound.
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Where do you get the weird parts for your car?
All over the place. I have aluminum baseball bats, industrial lighting fixtures, soaker hose, pop-up sprinklers, pipe extenders, hose clamps, rhinestones, drawer handle parts, air compressor parts, toys... all of it junk, but when assembled properly, it looks terrific. Some are bought at Home Depot, some are custom fabricated. I get donations from people around the world- if you'd like to donate something, write me here.
Has George Lucas seen your car?
I can't imagine that it hasn't been brought to his attention after three years, but I haven't heard anything from the ranch. Frankly, I hope he gets a good laugh out of it- It'd be fun to give a bit of entertainment to a guy who's given me a lot.
Is your car "rice"? What is "rice"?
Rice is a somewhat derogatory term for modified Asian import cars. Adding huge spoiler wings, big mufflers, and the sort of "The Fast and The Furious" stuff apparently makes you "rice". I don't think I qualify, but it is definitely in the eye of the beholder.
Would you display your car at my function?
Probably- why don't you write me here with the information and we'll talk?
I'm always glad to talk to anyone who might help make the H-Wing that much cooler! Drop me a line, and we'll see if your products will fit the design of the car.
Would you help me design a car?
You are welcome to pick my brain for ideas, but I don't know that i'll have a lot of time to do photoshop comps for you. But I always like hearing from people that have enough guts to do this to their car.
SIGHTINGS:
