Art & Inspiration OG Art From Mike Takagi

I wore mine smooth out.

 

Mike's a recent friend of ours. When we moved to Central Oregon 1 1/2 years ago, John was driving the ACME Van around Bend. Apparently, Mike saw it and recognized it. We met Mike several years ago while vending at the Hot Rod Reunion in Bakersfield, CA. At that time we only had "dreams" of moving to Oregon. Back to the story--Mike tried to catch up with the van but with no luck. I received a message on my ACME Speed Shop Facebook Page that afternoon. We said, Come on over on Sunday. He did. It was the first hot rod at The Y Not Ranch. From then on we became friends. I was happy to hear Mike was going to be John's riding buddy for the Road Trip to the Round Up (April Fools Edition). We all stayed in Austin together at an Air BNB home. He's so much fun and easy to be with. And TALENTED!

 

Not to mention he is a dream boat ........

 

Lol!!!!

 

I remember that shirt, from my lurker days! Wish I would have grabbed one.

 

I asked Ryan the same thing, no idea.

 

Heyyyyy! I want one.


Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Lol, that's right...killer! Hahaha

 

Those shirts came out in 01 or 02? I have 2 or 3. Mike did an awesome job. And, Killer is still around, he moved ma to the East Coast, somewhere in the carolinas? I forget, He is active on Facebook tho

 

Wow... that's rad.


I remember that shirt - I was too broke to buy one. However I will always remember how we used to put together auctions and sell things in sticky posts to fund raise to keep the doors open. The spirit of it is still unmatched except maybe on gofundme. The only art I have ever sold in all of my 44 years was sold right here and I gave all my profits to keep this thing going.


From yarns spun by 40StudeDude on Friday Night Reads to a good GERM rant and everything in between. I’ve not only had more fun and entertainment here than anywhere else – I have also learned more about…well almost everything.


While sitting behind the keyboard and sifting through these pages I have met (virtually of course) more famous faces of the hobby and published artists and magazine editors and well known builders than any kid of any era ever before could have hoped for. And I never left Iowa the whole time.


You flipped the table over after diner when you started this place and you were years ahead of your time when you did it – even if by accident.



I remember stopping into the old JJ site when it was a vlog of sorts with pictures of cars from “across the pond” and a bunch of cuss words…most of which began with the letter “F”…. What made me stay was the (never finished) article about the 38 Ford build.


I only get a chance to poke my head in here on occasion these days but when I do I am always rewarded. Thanks Ryan…try not to burn the place down….lol.



~Bro

 

Well as some of you know Mike and I just got back from an epic 4900 mile drive in the Acme Van. We packed in a lot of adventure in 15 days on the road. One of my favorite stories was when a gal and her family came up to the van late one evening while we were filling up with gas and said "that's him", "thats the handsome man we saw earlier today at Arches National Monument". I thought she was pointing at me but no, she was pointing at Mike. She apparently thought he was a "very handsome man" and couldn't stop talking about him all day. Needless to say, that is now ONE of Mike's nick names.

 

Does that mean that you can call him, "El Guapo"?!

 

LOL...funny Johnny...funny!