Chad Hiltz�s new custom creation

I had another wonderful visit last week from my friend Peter, and one of our road trips brought us right by customizer extraordinaire Chad Hiltz�s shop. Of course, we had to stop in.

While there, we had the great pleasure of meeting Chad�s lovely partner Mandy, and their visiting friend Donnie Brown. The visit did not disappoint, as Chad rolled out his latest creation.

Peter (left) and Donnie check out Chad's art

Wow, his new custom was striking, with its bold, low-down look, and prominent pipes, sound and looks calling to attention! He�s certainly followed up his �Bat Out of Hell� with a worthy heir.

Chad has new creations also in the works, so we will have to continue dropping in for some more optical stimulation �

Bravo Chad!

So-Cal Belly Tank Lakester

Prismacolor pencils on white archival stock 9"x 4"
� Paul Chenard 2008

Gary Grant Collection

The American hot rod scene developed very quickly after WWII. G.I.�s with speed on their minds picked up surplus WW2 fighter belly fuel tanks, and build hot rods around them.

One of the best known is the So-Cal Speed Shop �Lakester�, built by Alex Xydias. It was built using a P-38 belly tank, with a flat-head v-8 stuffed in the back.

In 1951, at the Bonneville Salt Flats, the So-Cal team ran the racer at 145.395 mph, a new record for their class.

'32 Ford

Vector-based digital illustration � Paul Chenard 2000

One of my few completely digital illustrations, done in Adobe Illustrator on a Mac.

It's available on a t-shirt under car-evolutioncars at www.cafepress.com/car-evolutioncars