When life gives you CARS… you GO!
Yes, it’s a two-pronged thing this whole car life. Get in the car, go some place cool. But the notion is a lot deeper than that for sure.
What’s the bottom line of having fun? Well, living in Malibu affords me a lot of things, but getting to Malibu and staying here is the result of a certain kind of thinking — a frequency that has to be maintained in order to benefit from our playground here.
It’s not something you’re given, but something you become aware of and hopefully expand as a human being.
As we know, what you give out into the world is what comes back to you. The only challenge is the awareness of this universal fact.
Most people either don’t know it or simply don’t believe it. And this is what keeps them from prosperity. Stop always thinking about yourself and start thinking about others. That doesn’t mean sacrifice yourself for others, it just means get out of your head and start looking for ways to make people happy.
That will make you happy. And happiness is what it’s all about, baby. Let’s go a wee bit deeper here and understand why it’s important to get in your car and go have fun.
Feeling good is a much bigger idea and concept than just a smile on your face. If you’re feeling good, you’re blasting out good thoughts into the world. Those who complain a lot don’t realize that they are blasting negativity out and getting back the same thing.
A wise person realizes that feeling good is what it’s all about, but they also understand why.
And the math is simple. Ready? Think a good thought about something, and this makes you feel good. And that means you are sending out good thoughts about this thing. Then, the universe will give you more of that thing. Done. Get it?
So, when I decided to throw my bike in the back of the massive 2017 Nissan Titan XD that they sent me for the week and ride somewhere cool, I never realized I would end up at the Malibu Creek rock pool, swimming by myself for 40 minutes before anyone else showed up.
Then, it was time to jump off the rocks and scream like a baby. And that’s exactly what we did all day.
Feel good about your health…. Feel good about your money… Feel good about your relationships. Just feel good.
And that will be a result of thinking good thoughts about them. If you’ll do that in the day more than complaining, whining or huffing n’ puffing, then your life will turn around and you will suddenly be living the dream.
Boom. Done. Welcome to Malibu. Now get out there and have fun.
Want to be featured in Ride of the Week? Send Fireball an email at askfireball@fireballtim.com.
Exploring the world — one cool car at a time…
The other day, I was asked why I love cars so much.
And it took a while for me to think about it.
I’m not a collector, although I’ve had many cars. I’m not professional racer, although I can keep up with many who are. I am a car designer and have worked for many companies over the years, but still, design wasn’t the true essence of love for me.
When I was a kid, just about every weekend my parents would put all five of us in a 1973 Chrysler Imperial Station Wagon. One of us was allowed to sit shotgun, while the rest (including my mom) sat in the back. Most times we knew where we were going, but other times it was a surprise.
We did this a lot and loved it — I mean really loved it. And on certain weekends and birthdays, one of the kids even got to pick his or her favorite place to go.
We’d feed the ducks at a pond, go to Westwood to see a movie and have dinner or head to a nursery to buy plants and play hide-and-seek among the begonias. We’d even hit Bob’s Big Boy in Torrance for the double.
Now, this was in the early ’70s and that station wagon took us everywhere.
Over time, I built up a love for the journey. It almost didn’t matter what kind of car, just that we were together as a family, and headed somewhere cool.
Over the years, when my son was growing up, we did something similar. We called them “hat trick trips,” and we would go three places in one day. My wife Kathie and I took him everywhere and he got the same experience I got.
Day camp, two-week camp, camping, cities and foods.
Today, my life is an explosion of the same ideals and excursions. I have a TV show called Fireball Malibu Vlog where we take viewers on journeys, just like I did when I was young.
Only now, each week (or sometimes daily thanks to El Segundo’s Automobile Driving Museum or The Murphy Auto Museum in Oxnard), I’ll drive a cool classic car or truck.
I may drive a brand new car from the 12 cars companies I have deals with or maybe a $350K Mercedes GWagon from Silverstar Mercedes in Thousand Oaks. I even drive friend’s hot rods, rat rods, customs, muscle cars and exotics.
We go to car shows, car museums, shops, custom builders, beaches, restaurants, theme parks, lakes, streams and more. You never know where we’ll be going next. And with millions of viewers, people seem to be enjoying the ride.
I never imagined that my love for cars would take me so many places. And after all this time, I can finally say my love of cars isn’t about owning them, fixing them up or even driving them.
It’s about life’s journey. If you’ll allow it, these vehicular contraptions will take you places to expand your mind, increase the love in your heart and rock your world.
I’m grateful to be living my dream and sharing it with those who want to watch. My copilots are you guys, and my job is to get us to a destination unknown.
But the beauty, sights and sounds along the way are just as important as the destination — sometimes more so.
Thank you for allowing me to take you all in my digital station wagon. I never knew I could fit so many people in this thing.
Today… how about a VLOG CRAZY CAR PLAYLIST?
Get you morning started with some seriously CRAZY CARS. Fruits, Bugs, Trees and Animals. Yes, seriously crazy.
Have a great Thursday!
All-New BLADE RUNNER Trailer 2 will blow your MIND…
Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new Blade Runner, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling), unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what’s left of society into chaos.
K’s discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years. BLADE RUNNER 2049 open October 6th.
Blade Runner is a 1982 American neo-noir science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, and Edward James Olmos. The film, written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples, is a loose adaptation of the 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick.
The film depicts a dystopian Los Angeles of 2019 in which genetically engineered replicants, which are visually indistinguishable from adult humans, are manufactured by the powerful Tyrell Corporation to work on off-world colonies.
Those that escape and return to Earth are hunted down and “retired” by special police operatives known as Blade Runners. The story focuses on burnt-out expert Blade Runner Rick Deckard (Ford), who reluctantly agrees to take on one more assignment to hunt down a group of recently escaped replicants led by Roy Batty (Hauer).
During his investigations, Deckard meets Rachael (Young), an advanced replicant who causes him to question the replicants’ humanity.
Blade Runner initially polarized critics; some were displeased with the pacing, while others praised its thematic complexity and visuals. The year following its release, the film won the prestigious Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.
Blade Runner underperformed in North American theaters, but has since become a cult film.[8] Hailed for its production design, depicting a “retrofitted” future,[9] it remains a leading example of the neo-noir genre.
The film’s soundtrack, composed by Vangelis, was critically acclaimed and nominated in 1983 for a BAFTA and Golden Globe as best original score. The film brought the work of Philip K. Dick to the attention of Hollywood, and several later films were based on his work.
Ridley Scott regards Blade Runner as “probably” his most complete and personal film.[12][13] In 1993, the movie was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, being deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
Blade Runner is now regarded by many critics as one of the all-time best science fiction movies.
Seven versions of the film have been shown for various markets as a result of controversial changes made by studio executives. A director’s cut was released in 1992 after a strong response to test screenings of a workprint.
This, in conjunction with its popularity as a video rental, made it one of the first movies released on DVD—a basic production with mediocre video and audio quality.
In 2007, Warner Bros. released The Final Cut, a 25th anniversary digitally remastered version, the only one on which Scott had complete artistic freedom.[15] This version was shown in selected theaters and subsequently released on DVD, HD DVD, and Blu-ray. A sequel, Blade Runner 2049, is scheduled for release in October 2017.
From executive producer Ridley Scott and director Denis Villeneuve, #BladeRunner2049 stars Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana De Armas, MacKenzie Davis, Sylvia Hoeks, Lennie James, Carla Juri, Robin Wright, Dave Bautista and Jared Leto.
This dood has Green Hornet’s SINISTER BLACK BEAUTY…
Yes, another cool car has miraculously appeared on my radar once again. Although you’d never see this one in a dealership, the nostalgic memories of some of you from the ’60s will be well served.
For the last year, I’ve conversed with my friend Mark Truman about his current build that has lasted over 11 years. Why 11 years? Well, because this is not the kind of build that you rush. It requires TV research, and close inspection of details that pop up over time.
What is the car? Green Hornet’s Black Beauty. Or what was originally a 1966 Chrysler Imperial four-door Crown Hardtop. Whoosh!
As a retired telecom special services employee with GTE/Verizon for 35 years, Mark finally has the time to tinker, blinker and build what he loves. His brother, Nate, shares the same passion for movie cars, so Mark decided to build the Black Beauty at his home. But this build needed major research.
He found a Chrysler that was 20.3 feet long, 5480 pounds and with a 440w Edelbrock 4Barrel Motor that would be perfect. The body and interior were good, but would need to be heavily modified to match the TV series’ night cruiser Black Beauty.
“I bought it in 2004,” began Mark. “From a band and drove it home from Monterey, California. The Black Beauty conversion began in my driveway and has lasted for an astounding 11 years.”
But why was this the car for Mark? I’m glad you asked.
“This is the type [of] car used in the 1966 series ‘The Green Hornet,’” he explained. “[The] original build was by Dean Jeffries in Hollywood, and there were two cars created for the show. Both have survived and are in private hands. So if I wanted one, I had to build it myself.”
Mark and I got together several times to shoot the car for my Vlog Show, but every time, the Beauty was stubborn and temperamental. But eventually, Mark got her into Malibu and we cruised from Point Mugu Rock and had a blast.
I couldn’t believe I was driving the Green Hornet’s car donning a Kato mask. Yes, I actually wore the mask, although my fighting skills weren’t really what they used to be, so I just smiled a lot instead.
Mark’s favorite part was actually mine, too: the overall length and sinister look of the car. Anyone around would look at it and wonder if their safety was at risk.
I say we build 100 of these and send them to drive in our enemies’ cities. Just their presence would calm things down. And if it didn’t, at least they would think they’re cool long enough to stop causing trouble.
Mark uses the car primarily for shows that support youth and police activities, so although the car is black and sinister, it’s got a good heart just like Mark.
And finally, I asked Mark for his best short story with the car and he gave it to me as we wrapped driving.
“I have a high school age grandson who really enjoys when I pick him up in the Beauty,” Mark said. “All his friends think he is really cool that his grandfather has ‘that cool car.’ When he was questioning why he was going to school, I reminded him that I wouldn’t be able to pick him up in front of his friends if he left.
I hope that helped his decision to stay.
“But I also really like watching people spot the car as I pass them. At first, they look confused, then break out into ‘10-year-old’ grins when they recognize it. It’s just cool.”
And what about driving in Malibu?
“Malibu is a unique subculture in SoCal,” he said. “It’s really amazing to drive along the beach and see a high-end car parked alongside the road with a surfboard strapped to it. It is just the same when folks come across my car stopped alongside the road and try to figure out what it is.”
And that was just what they did the whole time we drove for the show. I’d like to offer a big thanks to Mark and his passion for the Beauty. It’s people like him who make me do what I do, and his giving nature made our drive a solid memory.
Want to be featured in Ride of the Week? Send Fireball an email at askfireball@fireballtim.com.
FLASHBACK VLOG! WORLD’S MOST UNIQUE CIGAR BOX!
WORLD’S MOST UNIQUE CAR #CIGAR BOX! – FIREBALL MALIBU VLOG 88 – Fireball hits the Malibu Arts Festival and spots the World’s Most #UniqueCigarBox!
Get one here! http://www.bitchinstuff.net
About CIGARS from WIKI… Cigar #tobacco is grown in significant quantities primarily in Central America and the islands of the Caribbean, including Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Panama, and Puerto Rico;
…it is also produced in the Eastern United States, the Mediterranean countries of Italy and Spain (in the Canary Islands), and in Indonesia and the Philippines of Southeast Asia. unique cigar box
The origins of cigar smoking are still unknown. A Guatamalan ceramic pot dating back to the tenth century features a Mayan smoking tobacco leaves tied together with a string. Sikar, the Maya term for smoking, may have inspired the name cigar.
A unique cigar box is a box container for cigar packaging. Traditionally cigar boxes have been made of wood, cardboard or paper. Spanish cedar has been described as the “best” kind of wood for cigar boxes because of its beautiful grain, fine texture, and pleasant odor.
Eucalyptus and yellow poplar have been popular substitutes that were sometimes stained and scented to resemble it. Other typical woods for #cigarboxes include mahogany, elm, and white oak; less-popular are basswood, Circassian walnut, and rosewood.
There are several types of unique cigar boxes, differing both in construction and purpose.
Cabinet selection, slid-lid or hinged lid, typically storing 25 or 50 cigars 8-9-8, round-sided box with three layers, counting 8, 9 and 8 cigars respectively.
Flat top or 13-topper, two layers with 12 on bottom and 13 on top
Boxes of box-pressed cigars, stored two layers with same number of cigars.
Unique Cigar boxes, labels, and bands are considered a subject of art, with businesses specializing in them and books printed on their design, meaning, and significance. As a result, cigar boxes and their corresponding labels can be considered collectible items.
The 1969 PLYMOUTH FURY that nearly ended up in a heap…
In my world, Malibu is the absolute center of car culture. I go north and south for car shows each weekend and the same goes for museums. North is the Murphy and the Mullins and south is the Petersen and Automobile Driving Museum.
Recently, I happened to be at a show at the ADM when I spotted Scott Seidlin’s 1969 Plymouth Fury. A liquid black beauty that caught my eye on the street and wasn’t even in the show. When Seidlin came up to me, he began to fill in some of the blanks.
The Fury has a 318 engine, Torqueflite automatic tranny, power top, power disc brakes and steering, but completely stock.
Only 1500 Sport Fury convertibles were ever manufactured and were equipped with the base 318 engine but could be ordered with a 383 or 440. In my mind, I could seeing barreling down the highway with the 440, the rumble tailpipe music only overshadowed by the occasional Malibu wave crashing.
Seidlin, a retired lawyer, purchased the car two years ago after randomly catching it appearing on eBay from time to time.
“Having no plans for a Sunday afternoon and no particular need or desire for an obscure unloved model, I drove to Oxnard to see it and learned that the Fury had been owned by a South Bay Mopar enthusiast who grew tired of the renewal process,” Seidlin said.
“He sold the car to this Oxnard seller needing considerable assembly, paint and finishing. As I saw the car, it had been repainted but needed a top, reworking of upholstery and panel realignment.”
According to Seidlin, this car is “yuuuge.” He’s 6-foot-8 and needs it!
“Its relative size feels right, but only after I had the driver’s seat removed from its 3-[inch] pedestals and remounted to the floor and tracked back another 4 inches,” he said.
“My first car was a ’65 Plymouth with a 318 engine also.
Having owned a hundred cars over the years including Studebakers, Kaisers, Stockers and RestoMods, I returned to my roots.
I enjoy odd or unusual cars and this car is unique, as most collectors lean towards smaller Mopars such as Challenger and Cudas or Chargers and Satellites.”
Seidlin has owned two 1951 Studebaker coupes as well as the Fury. All are used for pleasure drives as his time is now his own.
“They are all capable road cars and have been driven long distances with no difficulties,” he said.
But Seidlin’s best short story in the Fury was almost his last story.
“Shortly after purchase, I drove up the coast with the top down to enjoy the day,” he told me. “Returning home to Playa del Rey, I exited PCH at Ocean Ave at the Pier in Santa Monica.
As I stopped and began to accelerate into my turn, my steering wheel turned once, then twice, then three times around and continued spinning!”
It had detached itself from the steering box!
“Had it separated just a few moments earlier, I would have been rudderless at 50mph on PCH,” Seidlin said.
That must have been a scary moment for a car and his owner.
But alive and well, Seidlin wraps it up by saying, “I figured that if this land yacht and I could survive that experience, we could share a few more on PCH.”
And yes, these cars will return many great stories as you coast the routes of SoCal in search of car shows — the best being the ones you can share with others, even if it means you risked you life to save one. And they say that flying is tough.
Thanks for your time, Scottie! You rock and so does your ride!
Want to be featured in Ride of the Week? Send Fireball an email at askfireball@fireballtim.com.
The Week’s Best Vehicle Concept Designs…
AUTOMOTIVE INSPIRATION is… Sharing life’s ride with those around us
Originally published in the Malibu Surfside News
As I’ve mentioned many times in this article over the last five years, I get the pleasure of taking unique people to unique places on my show that we shoot here in town. This past week, I got to do something really fun.
There are many cool automotive places in L.A. many people don’t know about and a good part of our show Fireball Malibu Vlog is to reveal those places and help expand our love of cars. So this week, I grabbed legendary “Leave It To Beaver” actor Tony Dow and his wife Lauren, met up at the new Caffe Luxxe for an amazing cup of joe and headed up PCH to the Murphy Auto Museum in Oxnard.
Now, if you didn’t know about the Murphy, I wouldn’t be surprised. But with our help, you’ll get a chance to peruse some of the coolest nostalgic cars that ever were. Head honcho David Neel runs the place and you can see him easily at a distance as he moves classic cars, muscle cars and even vintage trailers from spot to spot for coming weekend shows.
But the Murphy is different than most car museums, as it’s also an automotive storage facility. As in, if you have a cool car with no place to put it, you can rent some space where they not only keep your car clean, but share your perfect gem in a museum setting.
Other things Tony, Lauren, Ken Vela from WIKD Kustoms, my wife and I caught wind of were the classic Schwinn Bicycles, massive HO Scale Trail Set, tons of walk-in vintage trailers and a back shop where several classics were being worked on. Also, some great art on the walls from automotive designer, friend and confidant Mark Stehrenberger.
I’m very grateful to call David a friend and we’ve done many things together. I get a chance to drive cars from this museum down into Malibu for the car shows here in town, including my own, but also have had the opportunity to experience a massive Vintage Trailer Camp-out in Buellton in September with a great group with over 195 trailers.
But the day at the Murphy also included Tony driving two classic cars, thanks to David. An Avanti and amazing Dodge Fastback. Be sure to check out our show to see what we did, and if you love cool cars, let me know so we can take a spin by visiting www.fireballtim.com.
Much appreciation goes to the Murphy and all the docents — like Ken — who make the place an enjoyable experience. Be sure to check out www.murphyautomuseum.org to see when the shows go off. From Air Cooled Vdubs and Corvairs to Studebakers, this place is a nostalgic car lover’s dream garage.
And if there are any of you celebs out there who want to take a spin with me to one of these cool spots, just reach out. I just took actor Jonathan Banks to The Automobile Driving Museum a week ago, but there’s also the Petersen, The Metropolitan Pit Stop, The English Car Company and many more. All you have to do is ask. Until then, I’ll keep driving.
WATCH! JUMANJI Trailer stampedes into theaters soon…
In the brand new adventure Jumanji…
Welcome to the Jungle, the tables are turned as four teenagers in detention are sucked into the world of Jumanji. When they discover an old video game console with a game they’ve never heard of, they are immediately thrust into the game’s jungle setting, into the bodies of their avatars, played by Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and Karen Gillan. What they discover is that you don’t just play Jumanji –Jumanji plays you. They’ll have to go on the most dangerous adventure of their lives, or they’ll be stuck in the game forever…
