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Sixty one years ago, going around topless without a driving permit
would get you a stiff fine, maybe even a day or a night in jail.
….Now-a-days you don’t see this activity going on, at least not on any streets or lanes near our house.
…..I remember noticing it a lot when I was I kid but, nowadays, it takes more than a gorgeous, curvy body to turn my head.
….Well, if you added a little chrome accent it might help.
….Factor in a sweet & low rumbling sound and you definitely have my attention.
….I’m talking slow cruising convertibles here, the kind that let you experience the pleasant aromas of spring flowers and views of the sun setting after you
pulled over at the top of the hill.
….I suppose there’s a world like that somewhere; certainly not on the 10 or the 25. Slow down on one of these concrete raceways and you’ll get flattened so quick you’ll wonder what happened to the butter & syrup!
….My son and I were on our way to El Paso the other day, driving a little over the 65 posted limit heading south-east where the lane narrows, merging onto the eastbound 10. I alertly glanced in my rear view mirror making sure I was OK to merge when all of a sudden my view was replaced by huge white & aluminum blinds. I could even read with scary clarity the blind maker’s logo htrowneK!
….Blaugger, Blaugger! GET OUT OF MY WAY! It was trying to get my attention. It was working!
….So, naturally, I did the smartest thing, in total driving school defense, that I could think of. I tapped my brakes several times, a nice signal to the crazy idiot behind me to back-off. Worthless thing to do since there was no way the driver of the aluminum blind big-rig could see my little Odyssey over his long & towering hood, let alone my blinking stop lights.
….”IT” swung over my right lane to inching onto my right-quarter panel and started blasting “IT’s” Blaugger horn again, obviously not getting my well-intentioned request.
….The lane ahead cleared and I took off, now in the 75 MPH lane doing “slightly” over 75, toying with the “Traffic fines double zone”, hell, man I was ready to pay anything to out distance the big-rig’s self-imposed right of way & lane ownership.
….Boy, do I ever miss those lazy, laid back days cruising slowly through the country side in my little topless convertible back in 1955.

Disclaimer: 99.5 % of all of the professional big rig drivers I encounter are just that; pros, due my respect for putting up with the .05 % of the other psychopaths out there.

The Chevrolet Corvette “Blue Flame” inline 6 was Chevrolet's sole engine from 1929, when it replaced their first 4-cylinder engine, the 171-cubic-inch four, through 1954, and was the base engine for the 1954, 1st generation Corvette. In 1955 they added the small block V8 to the lineup. The “Blue Flame Six” had finally been completely phased out by 1990 in North America.
……But, this tale is not about the Corvette’s engine, it is about a “Blue Flame” of another source and, flavor.
…..When I was in the United States Air Force in the mid 1950’s my job was to disassemble and inspect the electrical components of the war ending weapon known as the “FAT MAN”
…..The FAT MAN was a nuclear weapon that ended WW II in July of 1945. Now, leap forward 12 years to the cold-war era of the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. I was a member of a 5 crew task force that did the necessary maintenance on the FAT MAN class of weapons. It was our job, following intricate step by step manuals, to check the detonators that fired the conventional outer sphere of explosives that when lite off, caused a nuclear chain reaction resulting in an xx kiloton atomic explosion. We checked the electrical resistance of the wires in the fist-sized detonators to make sure they would do their job when called upon.
…..It was during one of these routine tests that one of our crew, a guy called “Lucky”, experienced a major gastronomical implosion and released a large amount of methane gas. This lighter-than-air invisible gaseous cloud drifted over to one of the electrical panels that, in those pre-OSHA days, had open, sparking contacts that not only made a clicking sound as the rectifiers powered up and down, but created visible electrical tiny bolts of sparks.
…..Ultimately, Lucky’s gas, as it was later widely labeled, came in contact with the electrical shorting-sparks and ignited into BLUE FLAME ! This ghostly, translucent blue flame quickly covered the floor of our maintenance bay, the same area where we five young tech’s were removing the detonators that were as delicate as live hand grenades!
…..Holy Crap one of us said; Oh Crapola, Lucky moaned, as he grimaced in pain from rolling into a FAT MAN support beam, now realizing that his Olympian wind breaking had also turned liquid, as happens sometimes.
…..Whoosh! As soon as it happened it was over. Bill, tech # 3 experienced singed eyebrows. My hair smelled like burnt pork, probably a leftover undigested morsel from Lucky’s late night diner, the catalyst that set the whole BLUIE FLAME incident in motion. Our commanding officer, Captain Mann, did his compulsorily write-up resulting in the installation of heavy duty mercury switches that did away with the testy crackling and snapping of the old style electric switches.
…..Our crew applied for a commendation ribbon, having survived a potential nuclear melt-down of the mushroom cloud style. The higher-ups said no.
…..Lucky?, Well he was discharged with a medical disability that resulted with him having to wear camo-intends for the rest of his life.
…..I got the mopping up detail and the other members of our crack-tech-bomb-crew did the counting of detonators that were strewn around the work area like golden oranges. Captain Mann went out and bought a 1st Gen Corvette!

Old Pick-up trucks & dogs

I don’t know what it is about old pickups and dogs, just good buddies, I suppose.
An order came in a few days ago from a customer in Georgia sayin’, Will ya draw my old pick up with my god buddy “Boy” sittin in ‘er ?
………………Sure will, I wrote back. Look to your left for the results.
………………Then, along comes an order to draw, in pen & ink a black and white drawing of “Tango von Rotenfuhr” an AKC registered German Shephard ex- service-dog. The regency and pride just quivers by the look and stance.
………………Must be getting closer to Spring then we thought. Time to go walk the dog!

Jack

www.jackpumphreyarts.com

A GIFT FOR JIM
..... My neighbor, Jim Kilcrease, walks his chow-mix “Woofy” a couple of times a day making a short up & down loop of our quiet little street called San Acacio, here in the old country club area of Las Cruces, New Mexico.
..... Jim, 88, has macular degeneration and wears those black wrap-a-round glasses that make it hard for him to recognize his friends in passing cars. Jim and Woofy always stay the course close to the edge of the road, walking against oncoming traffic so he can at least hear approaching cars. We, of the neighborhood and Jim’s/Woofy’s friends, try and stop and chat; bring each other up to date and in general, block traffic as locals who do “own” their turf!
.....A couple of days ago I was on my way to the market and I spot Jim & Woofy coming up the street. I pulled over and said “morning, Jim, that old dog of yours is starting to get a little grey around the edges” “Hell’s-fire, man, aren’t we all?” Then he ask about our roof repair (Our close-knit neighborhood got slammed with a catastrophic hail storm last October 1st, giving all of us something in common to talk about)
..... “Fine, I said, when you having yours done?” “Don’t have a time-line, whenever my contractor-son can get to ‘er”. “well, if you need the number of the guy who did mine, let me know, he did a swell job “
..... I was parked near his home, window down on the passenger side with Jim leaning in trying to see me clearly through those “Star-Trek” glasses. “Ya know, Jack, ya’l ought a come over and visit sometimes and we’ll have some coffee with a drup of whisky” There was a pause, and I could imagine Jim tearing-up behind those black glasses. He lost his wife a couple of years ago, can’t drive anymore and his walking with Woofy is just about the extent of his social life.
..... He’s in good company in our older part of Upper San Acacio Street. Were all “greying” and becoming a partner of one, slowly, house by loving home.
..... “Hey, Jim, gotta go now, anything I can get you from the store?” “Naw, I’m OK; but, next time you’re driving by take a picture of my old Ford truck” “I’d like you to do a nice pen & ink of her to add to my collection of your art “ ( I did a pen & ink of Woofy years ago and another one of his Son’s Saint Bernard, Bailey, too)

......Jack……………Happiest of Holidays

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Even on a shower curtain – YES! A freaking SHOWER CURTAIN!

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Want a cute slogan?………..you got it!
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I thought I knew the answer to that burning question but, I'm finding out it's far more complicated.

For example; last year was a good year for my sales. Not only with print sales through Fine Art America but also original, new commissions from "word of mouth" referrals and from long time friends and repeat orders.

This year? Might as well go off to a nice quiet place and catch up on my reading. Sure have time for it!

I've tried special sales, lowered my commission rate on print sales and have come close to being a pain in most everyone's ass with my crying and complaining about the "dismal art market"

One of my customer's, a multi-time-repeat buyer told me his business was down 25% over last year's. Another complained about the general mood of frustration that exists in his community of friends & business associates.

Not very reassuring but, a little comforting in a macabre sort of way.

So, what to do about forces you have no control?...........

Keep on drawing and painting, feeding the efforts to the galleries that fit and keep up a positive attitude.

Stay in touch with old friends and follow the doctors advice about keeping healthy.

Thanks for allowing me to bend your ear and don't forget, I have a one-man-show called "Artistry in Chrome" opening June 5th at the Rio Grande Theater art Gallery here in Las Cruces.

E-mail for details at : inkyarts@comcast.net

It was a dark, rainy, slick and stormy night and I’m on my way to the SF international Airport to pick up my red headed girlfriend, Paula, a TWA Stewardess. I was in a hurry; we hadn’t seen each other in about a week.

So, I was really getting it on, doing about 84 in my little 1956 blue Porsche 356 A. I had just cleaned and waxed the shiny coupe; wanting to impress you know who.

It was October, 1964 and her 707 International was early coming in from Johannesburg S A; I was running late, we were both looking forward to seeing each other; when you’re 26-28 years old it was a lot more than just “seeing” each other.

I noticed a red glow from the dash and instantly I was engulfed in an awful, smoky stench with brown haze behind me, and then came a screechy sound of grinding metal. Pistons trying to swap sleeves, valves screaming for some cool air. Crank shaft self-destructing.

Seems those little, flat 4 cylinder rear engined air-cooled motors needed lots & lots of air, not old wipe rags full of cleaning wax stuffed in the air intake box. Ka-blooy! There were bits & shards of hot metal everywhere, Cars heading south behind me on the old Nimitz Blood & Guts freeway (101) were slipping & sliding all over.

I managed to steer off onto the right shoulder near the Cow Palace and flag a cab to the TWA hangers.

After the long and silent tow back to Pacific Heights, we dropped the sick little car off at my German mechanics’ shop on O’Farrell. Somehow, our late date turned out to be memorable experience, a real classic. Must have been the left over aroma of danger adding spice to the Irish Coffees?

Back to the Porsche. It took a whopping $ 375.00 repair and a vow to get something a little bigger (A brand new seafoam green ‘65 Buick Riviera GS) was in order to keep up my relationship with Paula who clearly enjoyed a more comfy ride.

I sold the Porsche a few days after it was fixed for the staggering sum of $ 3,500.00. About $1,000.00 less than the new green Buick.

Now, almost 50 years later, I hear they're going for upwards of $ 200.000.00 Oh, well, there’s hardly anything left over after 50 years that I still own, let alone a collectable like the 356 A except the painting I did of her a few years ago.

Paula? Last I heard she was seen hopping aboard a brand new 747-400 to Singapore with a guy named Howard.

Seriously, man, WHO KNEW?

Jack Pumphrey

inkyarts@comcast.net

One invention to surface during this time would become a fixture on millions of cars between 1913 and the early 1930’s. It came about due to the need of internal combustion engines to maintain a coolant water temperature of just below 212 degrees Fahrenheit, which was essential to the engines’ proper functioning and longevity.

One man, Harrison Hurlburt Boyce, had a simple solution for helping make sure that the engine stayed at the proper temperature. By 1913, Boyce had received a patent for his device and had partnered with George H. Townsend, who was the president of the Moto Meter Company of New York.

The Moto Meter Company began manufacturing “Boyce Moto Meters” by the thousands, and thanks to the numerous patents the company owned, Boyce meters soon dominated the market. This however did not take place without a fight. During the early 1910’s the company sued several competitors, including Stewart-Warner, for patent infringement. The Moto Meter Company successfully won these suits, and many of its competitors were forced to stop manufacturing their own products. Even those competitor companies that did make their own similar devices never even came close to really competing with the “Boyce Moto Meter”. By the early 1920’s, Boyce Moto meters were standard equipment on over 50 of America’s foremost automobiles, including Packard and Stutz.

As more and more manufactures put gauges on their dash boards, the need for the visible MotoMeter went away. This left an empty place on the hood that cried out for some kind of stylish decoration........the ornate & lavish Mascots were the answer. Some were an extention to the car's branding, others were a statement of the car's owner. My favorite is the "hunter" identifying the Pierce-Arrow automobile from the teens through the late 30s.

By 1927, ads for the “Boyce Moto Meter” boasted, “Today over 10,000,000 Boyce Moto Meters stand guard over motors throughout the civilized world.” The company employed over 1,800 people in six different countries. Despite the sheer numbers and popularity of the Boyce meters, sales of the items began to wane as more and more automobile manufacturers went to temperature gauges that were located on the dash.

Fortunately, George Townsend had the foresight to know what was coming and sold the Moto Meter Company for several million dollars in 1929 just before the Wall Street crash forced thousands of businesses around the country into bankruptcy.

Prints of the MotoMeter & Mascots are available for your private collector car garage on metal, acrylic, canvas and paper.

MIXED BAG OF ART

What does a 1950 Buick Special Convertible,
a Snowy White Yellow Eyed Owl,
a 1930 Cadillac V-16 Dual Cowl Phaeton
and a poster with 9 Porsche Sports
cars all have in common?

Why, just a typical working weekend for this artist from Las Cruces, New Mexico.

The 1950 Buick was a commission order up-loaded to our Fine Art America site
this morning with the goal to sell a few note cards, a metal print or, a framed print
or two to a Buick aficionado in the future.

The Yellow-eyed owl was a piece I did on speculation that there are bird lovers
“out there” that must have a large sofa-sized print for their T.V. room. I saw a
photograph taken by a professional in a national photog magazine which I used
as my model.

The two-tone green 1930 Cadillac V-16 is another job done on “spec” in hopes
of impressing lovers of vintage Cadillac’s and enticing them into buying a framed
paper print for their collection of Cadillac art.

The poster with the nine Porsche Sports Cars is because sales of Porsche art
is hot right now. We sold a 6-Porsche poster a few days ago and what the
hell, I figured another one with 50% more cars would “Fly-off-the-shelve”

Of the 1200 + images on our site, over 60% are pieces I’ve done “On-Spec”,
in other words, art I’ve done that I hope someone will like well enough to
buy. We are in a tough market competing with over 200,000 other artists
who’s trying to sell mainly to the same collectors. We have tried to narrow
the field by concentrating on automotive art and pen & ink art of everything!

Our new 16 page catalog is ready to ship and for those of you who requested
one, they are in the mail. To reserve yours send an e-mail to:
inkyarts@comcast.net

It’s been an active and diversified summer of interesting
assignments. We produced a couple of versions of a 1953 Buick
Special Estate Wagon for a customer from New York. Then, the
same customer commissioned a portrait of his Cessna 310
twin-turbo, along with 5 other cars in his collection as well as
his L-39 Czechoslovakia jet trainer.

Then, we did another series of MGs as a poster and a portfolio
with 10 signed and numbered prints in a string and button
portfolio available in October -November.

Speaking of portfolios, I’m working on a series of pre-1948 classic
Lincolns, Cadillac’s and Packard’s which will be available in time
for the gift-giving season in November. You may buy just the
Lincoln, Cadillac or Packard or a jumbo-portfolio of all three.
Details to follow or call me at 575-525-8298. Each portfolio will
be signed & numbered with a certificate of authenticity in limited
runs of only 100 sets. Watch for my ads in the CCCA Bulletin, Cadillac
Self-Starter, Oldsmobile Journey and the AACA Speedster newsletters

We’re also working on a 5 car group-portrait of Camaro’s for a
customer from Missouri.

A combination Classic Chris-Craft yacht and Corvette portrait is also
in the lineup.

And, a predominately mid-50’s/60’s car collector from Santa Fe has
ask for a nine car group portrait done up as an enhanced photo
collage.

A direct mail campaign in July is providing several orders from customers
we haven’t heard from for a long time, over 11 years ago in one instance.

So, as a result of a lot of reaching out and keeping our friends up to date
we are creating a lot of new images of art that represents “Life On The Move”

We hope your summer has been as busy as ours and as productive.

Jack and Sue Pumphrey
575-525-8298
inkyarts@comcast.net