This is an art blog, but of late I’ve been sharing some things from the “the early years,” sometimes including art, as you’ll see below. This early career is so far back in the past, even our kids hardly know. It’s all part of the fun new book, Our Lives Together, The Early Years. The following is an excerpt.

Samples of my student work. Today such work would probably be done by computer. But this was a long time before that. As with all these, click for larger view.

I studied technical illustration at Los Angeles Trade Tech. It was a two-year program, six hours a day in the same class, with academics in the morning if you wanted the Associate of Arts degree . . . which I did.

It all started on a momentary whim, the last day of summer after high school, when all my friends were leaving for college. Our high school drafting class had visited this school, so I drove into L.A. and signed up–just like that. (I remember my MG broke down on the way and I showed up with grease all over my hands.)

I did the full two-year program. My attendance got spotty toward the end, but my work was judged superior so I finished well.

As I was to find out in time, the education was more interesting than any job I ever got in the field. I think I was too young to get the good jobs; but it did give a foundation that prepared me for other occupations, related, or not so much.

Me (in sweater) with designer (far right) and builder of the prototype of the Daytona Coupe. Only six were made. It was designed to beat Ferrari on the track (which it did). All are collectors items now, one even selling for a whopping $7.25 million. (Click to enlarge.)

After graduation I answered an ad and got a job as a draftsman, which was close enough to what I could do. Racing legend Carol Shelby had been modifying Ford parts to soup up engines for the Cobra. Detroit wanted blueprints. I drew them.

When I got all those done, I moved over from engineering to work for automotive designer Pete Brock. Pete made large, sweeping freehand drawings for a new model Cobra, the Daytona Coupe.  I did the tight, mechanical renditions to build the prototype.

Those are my drawings on the two pages, of which there were many more. Moving my drawing table out to the shop, I worked with another to create the “buck,” a form out of plywood, traced and cut out from my drawings, for the aluminium overlay.

I remember doing that the day Kennedy was shot. What I didn’t remember was anybody taking pictures. Imagine my surprise when I did an Internet search for the Daytona Coupe and found pictures of myself. (Click on the photo . . . yes, that’s me, age 20.)

Just for fun, here’s a YouTube of the car on the track.

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One More (for the road)

I found this “Classic Jag” among the paraphernalia my parents had. It’s a 7th grade art project, experimenting with glazed tile. Interesting how things circle around: Anne’s father had a car business. He sold Jaguars, now the make I drive. Go figure.

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Our Lives Together, Available Now

These stories and many more are in the book. Full of black and white photos, many classic and candid, 140 pages. Great entertainment and inspiration.

For a taste of other topics, and for ordering info click here.
or
Available now on Amazon here.