THE TIE THAT BINDS

Doesn't really matter what you nerd-out on, custom cars and hot rods are just cool. And it's been that way ever since cars and Americans crashed into each other.

It's always the same, every time: I meet someone who asks what I do and when they say, "Aw, I ain't into cars...don't really know what you're talking about," a few questions and five minutes later they're talking about their first car or a trip they took or the time they got laid in the backseat or when they saw the captain of a starship leaning up against a neat dune buggy out in front of their house...

FIRST THING IN THE MORNING

I tend to do my best thinking as soon as I wake up in the morning. Well, maybe it's more accurate to say 'most clear' instead of best. But I'm working on some new shirts and other stuff, so stay tuned. I'll lose this train of thought as soon as the coffee pot is empty, though...

THE PRE-BANANA ERA

Arlen Ness's shop in the SF East Bay looooooong before banana-yellow '57 Chevy theme bikes and the scourge of the fat-tire nonsense. Good thing is, chopper culture is rediscovering what kind of bad-ass Arlen was back when the bobber style was fresh. Thanks to Chopper Dave for the shot.

NEW SHIRTS

Take a look at the HoL store when you get a minute (I know the sexual tension between Steven Tyler and J-Lo is soaking up much free time these days) –– I've got a few more shirt designs that I'm working on with some old speed shop names you're gonna really dig, but I won't be able to get them made till I move more inventory.

Got a few questions about 3X and 4X sizes. You caught me off guard with that, but if you want 'em, I'll get 'em. Just drop me a note (houseofloads@gmail.com) and I'll "Larry-The-Cable-Guy" that shit and git 'er done...

WAY LOW-RIDING

18th and Mission Streets in San Francisco. Mid-Seventies. I forget where I found this shot -- I think it was on Javier's Royal Jokers CC page -- but it is just really fucking cool. When most people think about the glory days of lowriding, I don't think they automatically think SF's Mission neighborhood...usually it's East L.A. or the Southwest. Which is good and bad, I guess.

Bad because there's lots of good lo-lo history in this Latin neighborhood of SF. Good because it remains slightly hidden and a little more special that way. Maybe it needs to stay kinda underground...

DON'T KILL DOLPHINS

My LORD. I can think of two good reasons to bring back the Dolphin shorts and tube tops. Feathered hair wouldn't be bad, either. But not the Reno kind of feathered hair where it's on a dude and the wings meet in the back and he's 52 and dancing at the tiki lounge to Tone Loc in Mexican fake 'gator boots with the little eyes on either side of the foot. Not that kind of feathered hair. But tube tops and Dolphin shorts; that's where I'm at right now.

BACK IN WHITE

I'm back after a few months off. OK, like, six months. But I've got a few new t-shirts done--check 'em out in the HoL store. These are all long-gone speedshops from the San Francisco Bay Area and I've been tracking down more and more of these little mom-and-pop shops, as well as some of the greats, too. The shirt designs are all on speed-shop-white, no black or blue or taupe or any other bullshit colors. White. Just like it used to be, dad. Dig on it.

Some of these old shop owners are still alive, some are dead and some just disappeared. Which makes it even better when I find an old ad or whatever from them.

When you order, gimme a few weeks to get it to you –– every dime I get goes back into more designs and shirts and if the old shop owner is still around, they get a piece of the action, too. So, it'll take a little extra time to get the orders completed and shipped. Not a big deal, just sayin.'