Wild Bill | Hot Rod Cowgirl

Portland Roadster Show 2012….Part Two

23 Mar 2012 23 Comments

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Award, Holton Secret Lab, Hot Rods, Photography Tags: Award, Custom Cars, Ford F-100, Holton Secret Lab, Hot Rod Cowgirl, Hot Rods, Lifestyles, Photography, Wild Bill

The Portland Roadster Show opened to the public last Friday at noon and ran until 7:00 Sunday night. It draws around 40,000 through the gate each day and with 500 custom, restored, classic and beautiful cars…there are some incredible cars to see and drool over…it is a fun show as we have gone enough that we know some of the people and that makes it special to us.

I love seeing the new cars that come to the show with the various modifications and the creative touches…however it is hard to leave our display as Wild Bill is always in demand to talk to about either restoring someones car or building a dream car or doing a frame off restoration on a car that has been in the family for years, so each night when we leave for the hotel we walk a different route so that we can see more of the cars.

Before I show you some of those I want to show you the 1956 F-100 that we took and also a few more pictures of the 1972 Bronco…they both won Best of Class in their classes which was awesome for the owners and awesome for us too:) It is fun for us when the owners tag along with us to show their cars as we have a chance to know them more as friends and share some laughs and memories plus we get to share in their joy when they win!

1956 F-100

The Roadster Show was the F-100’s first show debut…Wild Bill was still putting the last bolts into the hood after we got it unloaded…it is that fresh of a build….in fact it is back in our shop today as we have to finish the wiring yet. It was a show stopper as the color is incredible…the silver looks like chrome in person under the lights…and we used a blend of colors in the blue FORD on the tailgate that makes it pop out.

I love how the motor reflects into the firewall…and the glow of the unusual color as it shines like a jewel. Winning Best of Class was the icing on the cake for Stan and Marie…we were thrilled to see Stan float up to the stage to accept his award. He was here today in the shop to see WB and he is still floating:)

We had a perfect amount of space to display both vehicles in a good way…and parking at a slant was good too as it was not the usual line of parked cars…I like different:)

Look at the color of the Bronco, it is a custom color…in person it is even prettier and has incredible depth…almost like it is 3D…winning Best of Class two years in a row is very cool:)

Lots of colors and various styles of cars…

I love this car…very rare…and the color is gorgeously incredible!

And this car was in your face…outrageous and my hubby loved it.

And then we found this one that emanates “Bad To The Bone.”

I love the paint and the flames…and the look:)

“Quit taking my picture Cowgirl…Grrrrr”…he really doesn’t mean it:)

I took a picture of this very cool Chev. Pick Up as the color on it is British Racing Green. We are considering painting “Jagged” this color as he is a

1928 Dodge Coupe with a V-12 British Jag motor in him, compliments of Wild Bill. Until we saw this color, we were leaning towards black. Now we are re-considering…what do you think?

This morning when we woke up, “Hello Winter…sorry to tell ya but Spring is here…so vamoose!”

Have a Fantastic Friday wherever you are…I took a bunch of cool pictures coming home from Portland…so stay tuned:)

And yes I’m still a Cowgirl…just have a bit of Hot Rod too:)

Hot Rod Cowgirl Heads To The Portland Roadster Show 2012…Part One

20 Mar 2012 23 Comments

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Award, Holton Secret Lab, Hot Rods, Photography, Wild Bill Tags: Award, Custom Cars, Holton Secret Lab, Hot Rod Cowgirl, Photography, Weather, Wild Bill

Hello my fellow bloggers and friends:) I am finally able to update you on the last week at the Portland Roadster Show.

We left last Wednesday morning for Portland, Oregon…which is over 200 miles from our front door step.

This is about half way into the trip to Portland…we are now in the Columbia River Gorge…as you can see the terrain is vastly different from what I usually photograph.

The Gorge is beautiful and scenic but you usually have weather of some sort…we had snow off and on as well as mist from The Dalles on…only once did the trailer slip a bit….and HRC prayed a lot!

Setting up at the Expo Center last Thursday morning…the Portland Show invites us to put our car trailer into our display as they like the trailer and people like walking through it…WB and his buddy Jack are rolling out the awning…WB is on the ladder trying to tear some tape off with his teeth…ding dong now quit that!

Here is a small view of the inside of the trailer once the car is unloaded.

And here is what I got to do….not fun! Cleaning and scrubbing the tires of both vehicles that we took once they were unloaded. My fingers are still cracked and split as I had to use my fingers tips to get into the deep places in the tread on the Bronco…I was thankful that my Sister Blah Blah other wise known as T, helped me do the Bronco tires before they left for home…the party poopers!

I kept my smile and as you can see the part of the tire that is done is shiny clean and black while the part not done is dirty and blah…it makes the car when the tires are detailed out…the differnce between winning or not.

Here WB is helping me with the second vehicle tires and wheels…lots to do and get ready once you do get to the show. See my entry…the saddle? I thought I would show the original car seat:) Hee-hee wink wink:)

My hubby Wild Bill built this 1972 Bronco…it is custom and beautiful. We bought the Bronco back in 1993 for WB to build and have fun with:) And he did for several years when he had time…if you look close there are no door latches…he built the tauna cover that is open in this picture…of course he louvered the tail gate and did an amazing job. I could go on and on about the various customizing he did to the Bronco…

See the ladder bar suspension under it….WB designed and made them….WB is very innovative and creative….he is an artist of restoration with customizing, building and creating. We sold the Bronco a few years ago…which was hard for us to do as it had been part of our family for 16 years. It won Best of Class last year at the Portland Show…the first show for the Bronco…note the flames on the rear end housing:)

This is just one row of the 500 plus cars that were displayed at the roadster show…it is a huge show to attend and the vehicles are pristine…perfection…incredible!

Stay tuned tomorrow for Part Two…and the rest of the story:)

Thank you MJ for the awards:):):) I have missed all of you!!!

Happy 36th Valentines Day Wild Bill!

16 Feb 2012 13 Comments

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Holton Secret Lab, Hot Rods, Life, Lifestyles, Photography, Wild Bill Tags: Hot Rod Cowgirl, Hot Rods, Life, Photography, Wild Bill

Happy Valentines Day Wild Bill! I know this is past due but we were business busy yesterday:)

“It’s amazing how you can speak right to my heart
Without saying a word, you can light up the dark
Try as I may, I could never explain
What I hear when you don’t say a thing”

“The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There’s a truth in your eyes sayin’ you’ll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you’ll catch me if ever I fall
You say it best when you say nothing at all”

“When You Say Nothing At All” By Alison Krauss

The day we met was the beginning of a life long love affair…36 years ago today!

In front of the kitchen window…summer 1980…married four years:)

We raised three kid between us…the boys and I doing Thanksgiving dishes about 1984 in the old kitchen of this house and looking out the same kitchen window.

Now we have several grandkids…we started having kids when we were 10 years old…or maybe this year we will celebrate our 75th birthday….either way we were young!

This picture was taken in 1964 up at the mountain cattle ranch and this is what my parents gave to me…the commitment of marriage and love…respect and honor. Mom was a city girl raised in a good life…Dad was rough and tough…he also was raised in a good life here…he was a cowboy and had survived some serious health issues…and he loved my Mom with every breath he took and she him. I thought of my parents as “John Wayne and The Lady.”

I remember writing stories about my parents before I was in school…I was an only child and for some reason writing was natural to me. I am rusty now…I gave up writing after loosing both my parents within a year of each other…I felt like I was 80 years old…the innocense of life disappeared…I have not written since 1998 until now this year…lucky you:)

I asked my Mom once in High School how she could stand my Dad as at times he was not a fun person to be with…don’t get me wrong…he was a great Dad and husband…but he was human. She smiled and told me this gem of wisdom…she said and I quote, “MJ, you make two lists…one has the bad points and one has the good points…as long as the good out weighs the bad, then things are ok…nothing is ever perfect but if you have more good than bad all is ok…”

Hot Rod Cowgirl in 1970 on her colt Stormy…waiting to meet Wild Bill.

I love how you love me Wild Bill!

No matter how tough…

Or rough….

I am with you always WB with lots of love and faith.

We will laugh and goof every day I promise…as much as we can!

Even when we are on TV:)

And when our Hot Rod over heats…we will tensely smile.

I will be quiet for a minute or two…then I will nervously laugh and smile:)

Or when we are providing vehicles for a catalog fashion shoot…a rather famous one.

I will smile because I am with you WB:)

I love you WB…I love our life together:)

Happy 36th Valentines Day!

Yep it’s true he is a Hot Rod Cowboy and I am a Hot Rod Cowgirl…we were made for each other:)

I love you forever WB…I will stand with you and always find a way to smile…cuz I love you:)

Happy Forever Day…36 years to the day that we met:)

Starting 2012 Off With A Bang!

05 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Clouds, Ranch Life, Weather, Winter Tags: Hot Rod Cowgirl, Lifestyles, Target Practice, Wild Bill

We started 2012 off with a bang with some target practice behind our barn. I would love to have an indoor target practice range as New Years day was a bit cold with a brisk breeze fluttering about.

Beginning with the cast of characters….hmmm…what one shall I shoot with first? The last month we have had several country crimes close to where we live due to drugs and various robberies. We have had a neighborhood watch out in our small canyon now for six years…believe me when you drive around out here to look at the country we see you and we write your license number down…then we send it to the County Sheriff and he checks you out. In this day and age, drugs and crime have become a common thing for all of us no matter where we live.

I aim to be a good shot…while I feel very good about being able to shoot good I also feel sad that I have to even worry.

Wild Bill is an excellent shooter…scary good.

This is serious stuff….grrrrrr…I shoot my gun in order to protect myself or Wild Bill and unfortunately I will do it if I have to. Yes we have several alarm systems out here…we have various ways of knowing everything we need to know. Life has changed country folks in the last ten years with the growing drug crimes and addictions. With our actively involved neighborhood watch program; we all keep watch for each other with the sheriff’s help.

Okay moving on to other ranch happenings…Tucker was being optimistic by practicing her sunshine girl pose…wishing and hoping for that sun to come out soon…today would be nice!

One of our barn Lions made a rare appearance for me to catch a good photo.

Actually they both came out to see us….are they not cool? They are huge too!

“For I am ‘King of the Jungle’,
I am a mighty lion.
I am the one who rules the roost,
so don’t even bother trying.”

A winter view looking down the canyon…

“I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape – the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn’t show.”

Winter skies above…

“All through the long winter, I dream of my garden. On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth. I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar.”

“You’re Still The One That Makes Me Laugh…Happy Anniversary Baby!

18 Oct 2011 3 Comments

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Heritage, Ranch History Tags: Hot Rod Cowgirl, Wild Bill

You’re still the one that makes me laugh…still the one that’s my better half…we’re still having fun and you’re still the one!. Last weekend we were able to get away to celebrate our wedding anniversary.

The day we were married on October 15, 1976…we were so in love.

And we are still are today….35 years and counting:)

Remember that song “Still The One” by Orleans? Yep…that’s us! Sing along with me if you have the song or can find the tune.

“We’ve been together since way back when….but I want you to know that after all these years you’re still the one I want to whisperin my ear…”

“You’re still the one I want to talk to in bed….still the one who turns my head…we’re still having fun, and you’re still the one!”

“You’re still the one…that makes me laugh….still the one…that’s my better half…we’re still having fun, and you’re still the one…”

“That makes me strong…still the one I want to take along…we’re still having fun and you’re still the one.”

“Changing, our love is going gold…even though we grow old, it grows new…”

“You’re still the one…that I love to touch…still the one…and I can’t get enough…we’re still having fun, and you’re still the one!”

“You’re still the one…who can scratch my itch…still the one…

And I wouldn’t switch…we’re still having fun and you’re still the one!”

“You’re still the one that makes me shout…still the one that I dream about.”

“We’re still having fun, and you’re still the one…”

“You’re still the one, yeah still the one!”

“We’re still having fun, and you’re still the one!”

‘You’re still the one…”

“I love ya Wild Bill.”

Check out http://www.holtonsecretlab.com

Our new web site is up and going! I have another blog about our business Holton Secret Lab.

Hot Rod Cowgirl Heads To Holton Secret Lab’s…Hot Rod Shop For The Day!

13 Oct 2011 Leave a comment

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Holton Secret Lab, Hot Rods, Ranch Life, www.holtonsecretlab.com Tags: Holton Secret Lab, Hot Rods, Wild Bill

Hot Rod Cowgirl heads to Holton Secret Lab’s Hot Rod Shop for the day as we had our house fumigated a few weeks ago…we do this every couple of years to get rid of spiders and various country bugs…and we have to vacate the house for a few hours…that means Ms. Minnie Mouse who is the Queenie of my house and myself move out for the day to the Burb and the Lab.

Minnie is 16 and a half years old….but acts like she is 7 years old…she is the sweetest girl!

Sadie Sue becomes our hang out place for a while….Minnie even has her own cat TV video that I can play for her in the Burb.

Ok well Ms. Minnie is not happy…do not blame her…but…we have to get those darn Juniper Canyon bugs out of our house. I promise we will watch your video Minnie:)

Off we go to the “Lab”…which is not that far from the house.

“Hey Leonard…what’ cha doing?”

This is a typical “Lab” picture…here we have two vehicle bodies on the rotisserie…a 1935 Dodge on this end and a 1954 Willy’s on the other end.

“Well…what do we have here?”

“Hmmmm….son Greg and Troy in the trunk…almost sounds like a game?”

Wild Bill says “Ok so what are you guys doing?”

“Hey It Is The Troy In The Trunk Game.”

” Troy” now realizes that “Hot Rod Cowgirl” “is taking pictures”..he is stuck and can not get out fast enough!

Serious panic time…”Does my butt look big???”

“No Flame…only when you ride a horse:)”

One of the cool things on the wall at Holton Secret Lab…with a cowboy flavor.

Typical “Lab” decor.

Can we all say together “Zoom Zoom.”

Always different various jobs going on at HSL.

Side shot of “Jagged” and son Greg working on the frame for the 1948 Ford that you see above.

This is the Media Blast Room…which we call the holodeck room…we grew up with Star Trek soooo…we often media blast the cars that we work on to take the old paint and body work off so that we can find the rust and places we need to repair and re-build…this is a rare 1969 Mustang on the rotisserie….stripped to bare metal. We use plastic media which is better than sand as it does not pit the metal or cause it to rust.