Customs What's Cadzilla doing at So-Cal Speed Shop?

Humm, for as many people who have been booted, boo'ed and bashed for not "fitting into the guidelines" this statement is off the mark. It's hit or miss if any OT subject is left for the masses, I've seen people booted for merely asking simple questions or other seemingly minor infractions TBD by the mood of the mod that day. Guideline seem to be applied on a whim. That's thier call.

IMNSHO, Cadzilla is a beautiful car in spite of Floyd Cotterpin's involvment and EVERYBODY has a right to an opinon. I like ZZ top, Billy is a real car guy and showman. I don't care what people who have never met me nor know anything about me think of me. It's my friends who know me that I care about. If you respect me and my opinion, I'll give it back in spades. Disrespect me and that's a different story.

Many here embrace others to have an opinion that does not mirror thiers but there are too many that are so immature that they feel the need to bash anyone who dares to be different even though that isn't that what we strive for?? I for one, like to be different, "normal" is for the talentless, lazy, uninspired and boring.

As you were....

 

What would be really cool is to see some photos of the repairs being done on this iconic car. Is it getting a full reprsay or are the SoCal boys gonna blend the candy? Would also love to know how many miles have been put on it since being built.

 

So, to recap:

Cadzilla's in the more than merely capable hands of the guys at So-Cal so they can repair the damage done to it by the Cargo Container Handling Monkeys. Once that's done the good Reverend Billy G will be happy and all will be right with the world.

In closing, Billy and Da Boys rock and Cadzilla is the car that customizers have seen in their heads forever. It's slick, it's cool but I prefer Billy's "Mambo" 36 Ford and "Copperhead" 49 Ford. They're cool and much more traditional.

 

With out Boyd, that car would NOT have been built, simple as that. I know, I was there - even lent a hand on a wrench a few times during the build. So why did you feel the need to disrespect the man?

And that goes for doing an Intro on here as well, you might just want to go here and do that http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44274 it would show a bit of respect to this forum and Ryan.

 

Greg- I DO like ZZ Top and you don't....but I hear what you are saying.

 

I like ZZTop. Cadzilla is o.k. but is NOT a traditional custom. Not fond of the wheel\tire selection nor the grill.

 

Well yes, Greg can have an opinion, no argument with that whatsoever.
But right off the git go he tells Jimmy to keep his pie hole closed. Then he goes on to a ridiculous statement about Billy Gibbons being an old guy with money who never bothered developing any skills!
I think the somewhat negative response to his post was well deserved and frankly I feel most displayed a more than fair amount of restraint, all things considered.

 

From GregCon profile:


"GregCon has not made any friends yet "

I dont think he will make many.

 

Cadzzilla has aged really well, it has a timeless quality about it. I've never been a fan of the tail lights, though over time my opinion of them has softened.

This shot really shows off the aesthetics that makes Cadzzilla an icon.

 

billy gibons & ZZtop got me into hot rodding when I was a teenager, I was into muscel cars but they got me into hot rods & earlier models . bash him if you will but he/they did more for the custom car movement threw songs & video's then they are given credit for and he is one of the best guitarist & still going strong at his age!
Billy has been involved with a friends bonniville cars for years and has a true passion for cars not just as go fast machines but as true art.
just because he preffers nice cars with out rot holes & rust doesn't make him a bad man.

 

Because he was involved in Cadzilla, does not make him a good person nor does it make him a great builder it only means that project had a great outcome. I did not like the way he handled many things and the way he disrespected some people (this opinion is NOT based on his show, it's based on friends of mine that had dealings with him). I'll not hijack this thread and turn it into a thread about him. Suffice it to say I give him kudos for a few things he had a hand in, but overall I believe he gets more credit than he deserved. Running a shop and hands on are not one and the same. I'm glad you had a positive experience, not everybody did.

 

Now now I didnt call you a name I implied that you have a vision problem, I think your way off the mark though Billy doesn't take credit for building the cars he buys, hell even Hetfield buys some and I hear he wrenches abit when he gets the chance . But I dont think that people that cant wrench should be banned from our hobby or even looked down on. Some us can handle a build start to finish some have to farm out parts of a build. I am sure there are a lot of shop owners on here that are fine with this. And I do think that your statement offends more than just Billy Gibbons

 

Ha, ha a vision problem.
During a divorce discussion/meeting my first wife would ask "why can't you see things from my point of view? " I replied, "I have tried, I just can't get my head that far up my ass"

 

It is too bad this has gone from 'why is Cadzilla at So Cal?" to take shots at BFG. If, you have been in this "car lifestyle" for any amout of years and have had the pleasure to be in California you would have 'bumped' into Billy as he walked the isles of LARS or a WCK show either by himself or with his friend or wife, he would stop if you said hello and you could easily talk him out of a autograph or picture. But I also saw the people that wanted a 'part' of him, or give him their newest song he needed to record, and he was just as polite. And I had the honor to be invited, well I drug along, to his house. There while Chick stripped three of his guitars, Billy made sure I had something to drink, fed me, we talked cars and when I said something stupid, about a car owned, yes had built, he corrected me without any extra comment. As we left, Billy walked with us in the rain as he wanted to show his truck with the surf board, but with the wet and as it was sitting out in the open it wouldn't start, still the gentleman he walked us to our car and thanked US for being there. A great man with great vision and really down to Earth when he is allowed to be.

 

We have to remember that usually these high dollar celebrity rides are built for promotional tax write offs instead of being built because the rich and famous like hot rods and customs. From my experience, when someone has that type of bank roll, they more or less drop a car at a shop and let them do what ever they want to it as long as they spend an bunch of money. I used to work for a shop like that where owners had $300,000 in an unfisihed '57 chevy and $80,000 in an unfinished 4dr 51 studebaker, just because they could,

Given that type of cheese, anybody here could turn out a few over the top show rides, with their own artistic expression. But thats not what it's all about to the big name high rollers. The same reasom Wal Mart stores are re modeled every 4 years, not because they need it but because the corporation makes an ass load off of the tax write offs they get from doing it.

 

One observation...notice how the front bumper is not on the same plane as the rockers? That's because Erickson designed it. He has that eye!

 

How do they fasten cars in containers so they don't move? I would make a steel skid longer and wider than the car and set it up to take the wheels off and bolt pieces to the hubs that bolt to the skid.

 

That's one amazing car! I enjoyed being able to see it in person.

 

I can always tell when it's summertime.....everybody gets too hot and starts nitpicking and arguing about *nothing*.....losing sight of the fact that we all share the same passion...who cares about the details anyhow? Let's get back to talkin' hot rods and kustoms guys

 

If I owned a car like that the last thing I'd do is ship it overseas unless I was moving there to live.

 

Hope we can do the same when we visit SoCal next week.

Such an interesting place to go to. Always was..... always will be!!!!

 

Good idea right there....

 

To all the nay sayers out there, you are entitled to your opinion. You need glasses, but you're opinion is noted.

Everything that was done, paid for, whatever, by Billy is top notch right down to the hauler they put them in. I've followed Billy for years now and this guy is as much (or more) of a car guy as you or I. So he pays to have his cars built... SO WHAT! He collaborates on every build, so in my opinion, he IS involved. If you worked as much as a guy like Billy does how would you get your car built? You'd pay someone to assemble your dream or you would go without.

Now as far as GregCon.... You're just an ASS!!! That's MY opinion.

 

i think that if you dont like people with big pocket books, and paying to build a car is bad. you should probably be forging your own nuts and bolts. machining your gears and all parts. that way you are not signing a check for an alternator. You posers.


in case you cant guess. im ok with checks and Cadzilla

 

Thank you so much for understanding the predicament that some of us find ourselves in.
Paul

 

i've got about 6 copies of that mag on my desk. i'm about to make a collage in a nice poster frame. one thing i don't re-call is any 'billet'. lots of hand crafted parts, including the WHEEL COVERS, but they're not billet...

 

Crap, I wish I'd never thrown away that issue or the poster. Same with Troy T's '50 Buick and '59 Chevy, those were my favs growing up. Hmph.

 

I see it like this. Having to hear people that would "Mother Fuck" every car that they didn't like while they walk around a car show just proves that not everybody grasps what the car hobby is all about. From a stock A to a tuner car to a low rider, they are all built in the eye of the owner/builder. Whether or not I like the car or agree with the thing is not the point. The point of this hobby is to appreciate the effort, the talent, skill or love that went into it. "Effort" could be a guy working a 9-5 raising a family or blasting our Texas Rock and Roll to earn money so he can enjoy building or being a part of creating something he and only he likes and writing a check from the hard earned cash.
Greg misses the point entirely.

 

Some people who have deep pockets don't have the time or the skill to build a car so they pay those who do to do it fior them. Isn't this why you work? I pay people to do what they do best and I get paid to do what I do best.Even though I could paint my house, I won't because I would rather be doing just about anything else. I dunno why it's a problem for somebody to pay somebody to do a job. As long as they give credit where credit is due, I'm ok with that. My friend did an OT 60s truck and it won ""best finish" and it showed up in a magizine with the owner proudly holding the trophy and claiming credit for the work. THAT is what pisses me off!

When I see a car I don't like, if I say anything I say "I can appreciate the talent, time and money but it isn't my style" Contrary to what customs and hot rods are supposed to be... individual... more than a few here will voice rude opinions about something and then say "because it's not like mine!" HUH?

Cadzilla ROCKS (no pun intended!) Loved it then and love it now. Is it true they used a low mileage car for the project?

 

Well said!!!!

I do not understand all the drama and cutting remarks that are prevalent today.

There use to be more "honor" & "respect" among people than there is currently. So it's no wonder people tend to "hack" on others and put themselves in the judgement throne.

Sadly, very often it goes beyond the dislike of a certain type of car, how it was build, who built or not, etc. etc ......

I remember my grandmother telling me "if you can't say something NICE about someone then don't say anything at all"....... somehow we've lost that "golden rule" in our world today.