Sign Painters, Pin Stripers, Motor Sports Artists...

[VintageBuzz]

In a round-about way, all the signpainters have been replaced. Vinyl has made my life easier. But I miss pushin a brush on cars and trucks.
Buzz, you did a great job on your fity-five. I thought they were hand painted numbers, with some sort of air brush design.

Vinyl will never replace "pushin a brush!" ~VB


Kool stuff Buzz. Myself, Louie Allison, Stan Swank (Stans Sign Co.), Ron Avers, Joe Broxterman and sometimes Archie Johnston get together a couple times a year. There is a lot of automobile art and racing history when this bunch gets together. Two weeks ago, at a m/c show, Stan Swank provided some interesting canvas for us to pinstripe. We pinstriped female models! Anyone can view these pictures at http://pinheadlounge.com
What a shame that we can't view all of superstroke's fine work again until the end of August! ~VB

NOTE: Pinhead Lounge Pinstriping Archive - Update
Sorry Pinheads! The site went down at 10 to midnight on June 22, 2009.
Unfortunately Pinhead Lounge was a victim of its own popularity. I have to rewrite the site to optimize how it runs - so it'll be a while, but it'll be back online eventually. I really didn't see this coming, so hang in there. Fortunately, The data was mostly recovered, so when it comes back online, it'll be pretty much how we left it.
Rough ETA: End of August, 2009
Keep checking back!
-Rich


Some other sign artists from that era were Stan Swank (Stans Sign Co.), Ron Avers (Pete Stringers #20 ERA), Jim Billen, Jim Burds, John Hedberg (Hed Sign Co.), Sandy Hicks, Lloyd Markley, Jerry Albright, Mark Metayga, Monte Jumper, Ned Smiley, Gypsy, Rick Wasilkow and Louie Allison.
John Hedberg lettered cars such as Sam Sauer/Boots Texaco #28, Sam Sauers #60 Lakeside & Englewood, Wayne Stallsworths #1, Ed Mailos #9 Golden Chariot and Sam Sauers #42.
Monte lettered cars for John Witthar, Fritz Wilson, Alan Batt and Paul Garrison.
Ned Smiley raced and lettered cars mostly at Colorado National Speedway.


Randy Roach Richardson done a lot of it in north denver, also raced modifieds at lakeside famous ole 69 flathead powered 34 ford coupe, I seen his work as he done some was very good in my opinion Schafer1

[carc7]

A great word needs to be put in here about one of the best in the business, our fellow contributor, Bill Peratt. He lettered the #60 coupe that I stood on its rear bumper at Pueblo. It looked great, right up to turn three that night! I retain the hood from the car on my garage wall as a "trophy" of that night. But Bill's work is forever! Paul B.

[lakeside #29]

Another sign painter/pinstriper that did a lot of work in the Denver area was Mike Young. In his early days Mike would set up a booth and compete with Bart Manley at cars shows striping sunglasses, transistor radios, or anything people would asked to have striped. Mike enjoyed "Laying little lines down" on cars. He used to come in at Recreation Equipment and stripe new bikes in the showroom. Mike lettered cars for me, Terry Boyle, Chuck Kacin, Roger Avants, Tony Ratliff, Lynn Bybee, and many others. He lettered all types of cars. He also pinstriped a number of race cars and lots of hot rods and customs. Mike was a commercial artist and was art director at Denver's channel 4 KOA-TV (now KCNC-TV). While there he got acquanted with actor Burt Reynolds and was flow down to Burt's ranch in Florida a few times to do some of Burt's personal jobs. Mike is still striping cars, last I heard he attended the annual outdoor car show in St. Francis, Kansas to stripe cars.

A painter that did a lot of work at Englewood was Lou Paiz. He lettered truucks and did general sign work for a living. Lou did a large number of figure 8 cars. He did work for the Martinez race team and Gary Disher, whose driver was Junior Reeder, just to name a couple. Lou worked fast and was very fair priced. He was always in high demand.

Johnny Pugh was another painter that did work at Englewood. He did work for Ed Brunner and Chuck Kacin among others. He went on to do a number of drag cars on the west coast. If you attended Denver Public Schools or had kids in them in the late '70's the "Welcome" signs on the schoolhouse front doors was Johnny's work.

It would be remiss to not include Pete Brandenburg. Pete is a commercial artist and in addition to his long successful racing career in various types of cars, Pete has lettered so many race cars it's hard to count all of them. He did work for me, Kent Moore, Darrell Smith, and hundreds more. He inspired Kent's nephew Dale Moore to pursue a career as an artist.

Dale Moore went to art school and became a commercial artist. He has lettered cars for me, his brother Craig, and a number of other race cars. In addition to lettering cars Dale designs custom T-shirts. He has designed shirts for a number of race teams including supermod star and Indy racer Davey Hamilton and drag racing superstar Shirley Muldowny. He designed the CARC 60th Anniversary T-shirt. Most recently he has been doing custom paint jobs on Harley Davidsons.

This man is not known for being a sign painter but is one the best stripers I've seen. His name is Rody Kushnereit(sp). He used to show up for striping jobs in a custom painted '39 Chevy sedan delivery with a blown smallblock Chevy under the hood. He would drive this in all kinds of weather, including snow. He is a very talented guy and has done lots of rods and has done work for me.

Chris Ertler - "Professor Coupe"

[rapid30]

Over the years I have had some of the greatest sign painters from this area do the lettering on my racecars, My first car (best appearing car)was lettered and stripped by Archie"The Stroker" Johnston, who has also done some of my graphic(vinyl) in the later years. Archie also lettered many of the old Powder Puff cars for us at Lakeside. Rick "Superstroke also layed down some nice work for me and we also had best appearing car with some of Ricks work. Jim Burds, Jim Billen, Steve Pederson and Dale Moore have done some beautiful work for me as well.

I agree with Buzz, although I have had some great looking cars with the vinyl lettering, nothing will ever replace the beautiful hand lettering by these talented masters.
Thanks to all of them for the great work.
Bruce "rapid30" Rhoades

[Jeff Isenhart]

Many great pin stripers are mentioned here, but the one that I know real well and have great respect for is Rick Losh aka Superstroke and way back in the day also known as sweet peter the painter lol just had to add that. Rick and i go back some 50 years now and he has done all my cars and trucks in the past and hopefully will continue to do so in the future god willing. His talent is truly amazing and i have always received great comments from people who have seen his work on my vehicles. So keep up the good work Rick.

[VintageBuzz]

Originally Posted by superstroke from the old ARM site
Kool stuff Buzz. Myself, Louie Allison, Stan Swank (Stans Sign Co.), Ron Avers, Joe Broxterman and sometimes Archie Johnston get together a couple times a year. There is a lot of automobile art and racing history when this bunch gets together. Two weeks ago, at a m/c show, Stan Swank provided some interesting canvas for us to pinstripe. We pinstriped female models! Anyone can view these pictures at http://pinheadlounge.com
We can all once again view his very talented work by clicking here: Rick "superstroke" Losh (http://www.pinheadlounge.com/RickLosh). ~VB

[Jeff Isenhart]

For your information when you go to Ricks pinhead lounge site look at the the picture he posted look real close to the kid second from the left thats Rick oh soooo many years ago lol. Thats Mike Barney "Fife" to his right, then Jeff "the Cobra" Isenhart, Steve "Awful" Knafelc that put the beautiful # 38 into the wall at lakeside during hot laps and finally Dave "Andy the Panda" Dunning. The old neighborhood was quite the place back in them days never a dull moment always something going on, oh the stories we all have. We all had nick names hung on us by the older guys in the neighborhood back then,but for the love of god I cant remember what name they hung on Rick, must be old age setting in but I'm sure it was a good one.