I was in a second hand store awhile back and picked up 3 pinstriped panels that are signed by Jim Bradley and the 4th by Weber. Has anybody heard of him? I did a google search and found that he died of a heart attack at age 50 and that he was mentioned in a couple of pin striping "how to" books. Here are some pictures of the panels that I bought. The yellow one is 6"x12" and the other 2 are 18"x24". They are dated 1965. The 4th is by somebody named Weber and it is also 18"x24".
I don't think that is a date on that but rather a number.Could be he was a member of the PINHEADS and that was his number.I have a member's list around somewhere;I'll have to check the name.Really nice looking work but it doesn't look like 60's era. It looks like there were 2 other signatures on the 3rd panel.I can't magnify them enough;can you tell me who they are? I don't recall anyone named Weber;could it possibly be Reber? There is a Russ Reber on the east coast who is a striper.
The other names on the 3rd panel are: Jim #65 Jim Real Ralph #23 The name on the 4th panel is Weber #30.
Jim Bradley! I've got a tail gate with is signature on it. The striping very much had a Tommy the Greek influence. My current RPU was first built in the bay area in the '70's. At some point someone had it striped by Jim Bradley. I had never heard of him, and couldn't find anyone who had. I repainted the car in '07, and replaced the tail gate, but I have the original in my garage rafters. Something told me to save it.
As of 2022 Jim Bradley is still kicking and stripping vehicles/boats...in Yuba City,CA....that other artist is Dale Weber. Think their from a PinHead party??? Late 80's mid 90's. Attended a couple meets and recognized that work!!! Bad ass artistic talent!!! It was a honor watching these guys stripe...Jim and another friend Gary Berg of Thousand Oaks,CA came by and gold leafed my tool box one afternoon, quess they were bored?? Met all those guys in early 90's and still are my friends!!! Good score on those panels!!!
Nice detective work guys. Good to hear that Mr. Bradley is still at it. How come I never find any cool stuff like this in the second hand stores?
Here is an update to the original question. Awhile back I attended my 50th high school reunion. Was sitting at a table with a girl, Dulce, that was in my sophomore geometry class., cute, cheer leader, sat behind me. Constantly dropping my pencil At the reunions they have a contest as to who owns the oldest car, with a prize of a bottle of wine. Well it was known that Dulce owned a 32 Ford, and was always the winner of the contest. Somehow the conversation got around to who her husband was and she told my his name was Jim Bradley. I asked, is he a pinstriper she said yes he was. Wow, just blew my mind. Told her I had 3 of his pinstripe panels that I'd picked up in a second hand store. At the time she said he wasn't really going to shows too much anymore but was pinstriping out of his garage if I wanted to bring my car, 34 coupe at the time, and have him stripe it.
Another highly respected "Artist" was Carl DelGrasso(sp?) from the Pacheco/Walnut Creek area of NorCal in the early '70s. Did beautiful work! Lost track of him, but later heard he had moved to the Vacaville, CA area.
......Wow! Great story. So have you stayed in touch with Dulce since the reunion? I would have been over there the next day, if not to get the '34 striped, then for sure to get to meet Mr. Bradley.
Unfortunately no. I talked to her on the phone a couple times and sent pics of the panels that I had. At the time she was surprised that I had found them in the second had store. Still have no idea how they ended up where they did.
He most certainly is. I used to bug him when I was trying to learn to stripe. Still in Yuba and still in the same shop.
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