Me, Phil (67ImpWagn), and RevJake went to a metal working and fabrication seminar put on by the living legend Gene Winfield. It was all I expected and more, worth every cent. The class was Sat and Sun, we showed up on Friday night and helped suicide door a merc as a bonus. Gene is a mad man with more stamina than a 20 year old, he was on the go all day long from 8:00am to 10:00pm all 3 days.
There were two merc's there, we chopped the 4dr and did suicide doors and flush skirts on the already chopped coupe.
Some of the tools and the Blister Gene made in Alluminum. He gas welded the Alluminum, then proceeded to pound a blister out across the middle of the weld. We saw welding, annealing, and metal forming in this demonstration. I was lucky enough to win the blister in a raffle at the end of the class.
the extra bonus was a personal Sunday night tour of the Chaporral museum. I'll post some pictures from there later. I touched a 10million dollar racecar. He wouldn't let me get in it though.
Just curious, what did that seminar cost? PS: Thats a cool photo Gene welding in his short sleeves with the well used body hammer ready.
Man thats awesome! I wish I would have known about it, I'd have been there for sure. Will he be doing another one?
i really want to make it to one of these. isnt the one thats held at his shop happening soon? anybody have the date? -scott noteboom
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=371577&d=1193840798 Windfields penis in tapping you on the back of your head.
No, he was talking about his date with Ashley when he gets to SEMA, the cover girl on this months OSR. I don't think he was interested in me that way.
Wow, it still seems like I should be waking up from that dream. I chopped a top with Gene Winfield.That is gonna be a tough weekend to beat. I don't know how he works the way he does. 12 to 14 hours a day at age 80! He ran a sawsall with a blade that kicked so hard it would make a young man cry. I know my wrist would hurt from all that cutting.He then welded all post with a torch without ever getting inside the car. Just lean through the window and weld the backside. Hammer and dolly everthing with a big hammer and then show us how to lead it all in while saying "never ever breath these vapors in", they will kill you. Of course Gene never had a mask of any sort on during this process. We learned how to make window channel that goes around roll down glass. Shrinking and stretching metal. How to make your own tools and too many other things to list in 1 post. What else can I say. Best weekend ever. Gene may be the coolest guy alive. No,scratch that, he IS the coolest guy alive. Me ,Tyler and Jake will be talking about this one forever and we all agreed it was well worth the money and hope to attend another one in the future. That is if Gene will alow that many THEM guys in the same room again. I gotta say it one more time. Yeah we hung with Gene Winfield all weekend and chopped the top on a Merc.
I was blessed just to spend 10 minutes chatting with him at the Mooneyes show in Yokohama......you guys must be just TINGLING. He's a frikkin TOP BLOKE!
Yeah this guy is true inspiration....met him on a private party in paso together with art himsel,blackie and other interesting folks....considerd im a baby in this whole scene....once they got going talking the old times i wished they would go on for days. real artists !
Wow, lefty in the house. Rev Jake was talking to him about a painting and Fade seminar. that would be cool.
Hav'nt posted pics in along time. If this works I'll get some more up. Here is Gene showing us an easy way to make window channel.
HAMBERS TP,Smittyshotrods,Flt blk,Revrend Jake(in the cool saftyglasses) all marking the top to be cut. A few of Gene in action and the blister after a quick roughed in shape.
Hey Tyler, I am the Chaparral guy. I really enjoyed showing you guys around the Gallery Sunday night. I have been talking to Jack about next years event. We are planning on getting some suppliers ( tools, equipment, and abrasives ) involved and hope to have more demonstrations and some good doorprises and samples to give away. Ron
<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" width="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">I will be at the next one in Midland for sure. I'm still kickin my own butt for not showing up this year! </TD></TR><TR UNSELECTABLE="on" hb_tag="1"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on"> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
It's really hard to top what's already been stated. I was a last minute entry, but fortunate to be one. I called on Friday to confirm my spot and tell them I was on my way from Tulsa. Jack who was sponsoring the event, told me if we made it to Midland in time to stop on by, Gene was intructing how to suicide a merc. Just for the record, Gene HATES suicide doors. But we arrived in time to learn even more before the weekend was in full swing. I stopped in DFW to hook up w/ Tyler and Phil. They made the executive decision to take one car. That trip alone was awesome. We saw alot of cotton, alot of creepy huge windmills, a car turned over ON the interstate with no foreseeable reason of it's being upside down, a roadside building fire, and cotton, and creepy huge windmills. Gene told us most would leave with about 40%, some 90%, and some neither. I hope to retain close to 90. The morning started with theory but quickly went to hands on. Tyler caught alot with his camera. I took alot, but am not savvy enough to downsize. Tig welding was fun. Aluminum is difficult and humbling, but still fun. I have already ordered some of the tools we used at the seminar. Ron(diceman), THANK YOU for the tour. Those cars are truly amazing. The Winfield Weekend was BITCHIN! I WILL be back next year, Lord willin'. Reverend Jake
I'll be seriously talking with our local kustom and hot rodders about having Gene come to Tulsa. I believe we have the appropriate facility for another metalurgy class. I figure we have the facilities for a fade/paint class too. I've always known Winfield for the "Winfield fade," and I'd like to learn more about that as well. I'll keep you posted if this flourishes. Reverend Jake
I have to say that the metal class was way more than I thought it would be and I loved every minute of it. I think the hands on aspect of it makes it much more personal and enjoyable as opposed to just sitting there and listening and watching. I certainly plan to attend again. I really liked talking with Ron Low and Tommy Harms ( hope I have their names right). These guys are super nice and a wealth of information, I learned alot from both of them as well during this class. The Chaparral Tour was awesome! Thanks Ron. It was good to see Jake, TP. Phil and Tyler. I think some of the other guys there were HAMBers too. Wow we got Lefty's attention, that is Miami Vice cool!
A couple more pictures form the Chaparral Tour! I really dig these cars they just speak to me somehow.
Theres one picture that looks like Gene is working on three pipes, whats going on there ?. It looks like to me some homemade sheet metal bending thing. I don't know
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