When I was a young kid in the late 70s, I loved only a few magazines: Mad, Cracked, Mini Bike and CarToons. Cartoons was the perfect combination for me: Funny car-related stories and cartoon illustrations together in one magazine, and often included ... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
That's weird! I was just thinking about him yesterday, as I was going through some business cards and I found Dave's card! I had the pleasure of hanging out with him for an entire afternoon, several years ago at a small (maybe thirty cars) local show. I wish I had known him years earlier, as it turns out he lived right in my neighborhood... Great guy!
RIP Dave....He is one of the very reasons I got into drawing cars, he and George Trosley with his "How To" series. Dave's work was amazing to look at as each image he created had a life all it's own. Often he added a few hidden details to keep your eyes entertained. I only wish I'd had a chance to meet Dave.....
Sad to hear that he is no longer with us. Besides the publications mentioned, One of the ad campaigns that he did the artwork for is still burned memory; Jackman wheels. Love all of his artwork.
I had been looking for a Stinkray model. None to be found in 2002ish. I found his website and sent him an email and asked if he had any. Sounds like a reach? He replied with his phone number and said to call him! I did and he could not have been nicer. He did not have any Stinkrays but had a lot of Zzzzzz28's. $20 each and he would sign them on the box or on the cellophane. I said I would buy 3. I sent him a check and the models were at my door the next day! He mailed them out before I sent the check. I still have one, as I bought the others for gifts. I made and still have several of his models from the early 70's. What a cool Dude!
Dave Deal had the coolest style!!! His proportions were outstanding. They were "cartoony", but with perfect emphasis on the main styling features of the car. He inspired a host of talented young guys who still mimic his style. Dave Deal and Pete Millar made a great team back in the day!
Deal was the coolest! I had a Baja Humbug in my crib when I was a baby. I thought it was really neat, but I bashed it to bits anyway. Deal came by WB in his (Hollywood Graham? Hupmobile?) anyway it was dark green... he was doing some freelance for WB, but Jon Fisher and I were taking up most of his time that day! Really nice guy- and I've gotten a lot out of his art.
What made Deal's art (for me) were all the little details and in-jokes he used - like huge tires with white letters that spelled out "HI BLOTATION" or "GOOD BOOT". I got the shortened VW bus model for Xmas one year. The motor was a smaller scale than the rest of the kit, like 1/32 to 1/24 or something, and there was a magnifying glass included so you could check it out. LOL
CarToons was THE magazine for me in the day! Loved the drawings, and I tried really hard to mimic the style, as a young cartoonist. Came sorta-close, but not nearly what Deal was famous for. I did editorial cartoons for a local paper while I was still in high school in the '70s. He is one guy in the car world that I wished I had been able to meet. His art is incomparable. Elegant in its simplicity and detail.
I loved his work as a kid, wish I kept more of my old magazines. I guess it was Dave's idea to draw the eyes in the windshields of the Pixar cars as opposed to using the headlights as eyes?
Just back from the local model shop and I see they have repoped many of the old Deals Wheels kits, I wish the would rerelease the funny cars.
He was/is one of my all time heros! I think you can still see some of his influence in my work. I never met or talked to him, but he's sorely missed!
Definitely an inspiration to many, myself included. I had the green dune buggy model, prophetic really, haha....
Neat story, so even though he's no longer with us, his inspiration/ideas will continue on through others' work. His work was always very recognizable even when used in an advertizement. A style all his own, Cat
Dave Deal lived not far from me, too, when I lived in Escondido, CA. I met him through a mutual friend, Bruce Meyers, the guy who originally made the fiberglass VW Dune Buggy (Meyers Manx). I had occasion to visit with Dave at his home a few times, sometimes for business, sometimes for pleasure. Many may not know that Dave was a very accomplished writer, I don't know where you would find it nowadays, but I'll never give up my signed copy of "The Day Leviathan Died", along with my signed posters that he did for a French Dune Buggy gathering, Scat, and a few others. They are prized pieces of my collection. One story I have to tell.... I have a set of wheels on my 13 second 1957 VW Bug, called "Raders"... I drove up to Dave's house one day to pick up some artwork he was doing for the magazine I was working for, and I drove the VW instead of the commuter car. Dave saw me drive up, and remarked "Nice Raders"...I asked him how he knew what they were, (they were relatively uncommon before they got repopped by about 3 different manufacturers) and he said he had designed a wheel for the Rader Corp., right before they went out of business...I asked what became of the wheel, and he said he still had it in his back room... so we started searching for it, and we found it, it was the pre-67, 5 on 205 VW wheel, shaped somewhat like an Iron Cross (think Schneider Racing Cams). I asked him what he intended to do with it, AND HE GAVE IT TO ME !!! Since then, I published a photo of the wheel in the magazine I used to work for, and the next thing you know, some German guys were making that wheel, without Dave's permission, or blessing, or anything, I mean, it wasn't just a copy, it was a CLONE. I, or course, came unglued, but there was really nothing I could do, I didn't have the money to fight an International copyright infringement suit, and Dave didn't want to, although he was quite hurt by the ripoff. I gave that prototype wheel to a friend of mine in San Diego, who, with Dave's blessing before he passed away, is making the wheel, called the "RDW" which stands for "Real Deal Wheel" It was an honor to know him.
The 40 Ford drawing reminds me of one a fellow in HS had......Painted lime green, hopped up flathead, chrome reversed, white walls, raked slightly.......Really cool! Mr Deal's drawing(s) capture the essence of the era......
Weez is correct- It was the Bill Peet Disney short "Susie" from 1952 that gave us the idea for eyes in the windshield... Opened up the whole car front as the 'face'.
Dave Deal art rocks, never met him but talked to him on the phone several times, He was a great guy. I have the full size deals wheels 57 chevy