Spritz By Fritz

Detroit Autorama 60 Years And Counting!

2012-02-29T18:14:00.004-06:00

To me Detroit is the show to do, the place to be, the big top! And like a dumb ass I didn't take any pics. I wandered around with my coke and salted pretzel looking at all the great stuff, saying hello to guys and shops i only get to see at shows and just got so caught up in chatting & looking that I plumb forgot to snap off some pics. once the show got going, and it was PACKED folks! I was busy at my booth with the "Roswell Rod" and that was that. I am sure that every car web site has a ton of pics for ya to scroll through anyway. and I promise to be on my toes for the next few shows that the Roswell is a feature at. My Wife Carrol did have it in her mind to be smart enough to get some pics of the art work & stripping i do in the both before people bought it and I never saw it again so at least I can share those pics. a few pieces did get paid for and left before we got pics but we did get some shots of the 5 gallon gas can with "drink refreshing BURP cola" painted on t and a Mountain dew can with a rat fink. I ran out of stuff to paint on so I was digging in the trash cans pulling out empty soda cans and painting little monsters on them for 5 bucks a piece. we sold everyone of 'em!

Get out in the garage and build something.
what have you guys been up to?
FRITZ

Kansas City World of Wheels

2012-02-29T17:48:00.012-06:00

It's not often I get to do the ISCA world of wheels show in my own back yard, I am usually off at a differant show in another state, but this year The "Roswell Rod" was a feature car at the Kansas City show. My wife Carrol & I set up with the Roswell and my panhead the "Margarita Chiquita" to vend our DVD's and other trinkets. K.C. is a real car town! The midwest has it going on for customs & hot rods, more than SOCAL, one of the big reasons I moved out this way from NYC.
I snapped a few pics of stuff that I liked, and figured I'd post them for you guys to see also.

I have a soft spot for 28-29 Ford pick ups, even though there isn't a bunch of room in them, they just catch my interest.

I always stop off at the bike section, I usually see a bunch of stupid looking Evo's, but a few bikes stood out.
The green swing arm Harley caught my eye cause it sports a vintage "Crazy Frank" rear fender.
The black & white Pan, well, thats something I'd ride to work everyday
The '42 Knuckle is a real deal barn find from the area, I dont know about you, but every time I get to go inside a barn I find bird shit and empty beer cans!

Fiberglass Tools & Mr. Sparkle

2012-02-05T10:13:00.005-06:00

I have been getting a bunch of e-mails from you guys asking where you can get a "fiberglass roller" like I use in my "how to build a fiberglass body at home" DVD. Well to make it easy on everyone, I found a supplier and will have the fiberglass rollers and resin brushes for sale in my web site store!
So in the next week or so check out the store for details!

I mentioned in my last blog entry about Johnny Sparkle coming out to Kansas City to get his model T sedan, well I found the photo I took of Mr Sparkle standing next to his now freshly painted blue Hot Rod and figured I'd post it.

Back From New Orleans

2012-02-02T19:39:00.003-06:00

The New Orleans world of wheels show was a blast. Lots of good people and great cars. One thing I did while I was there is something I usually don't do, go out into the show and stripe cars. I met a couple of great guys that just couldn't get enough of my work, I painted a set of gear shift knobs and sold a monster on a bowling pin to Joe Credibi, and I did a Rat Fink on his buddy's son's Chevy truck. Johnny Sparkle came to Kansas City and picked up his model T sedan that I painted freeing up my garage. I have been cleaning and putting stuff away but need to get a paint job done for my dad's FXLR Harley, then I plan on bringing the Baja Bandeeto back in, and making some headway on the new show rod.

New Orleans 2012

2012-01-27T09:22:00.004-06:00

My first time in the crescent city and I must say I do love it! I wasn't here 24 hours and I was in a bar Called "Dino's" named after Dean Martin, then we walked around with a Hurricane in hand as Carrol and I stumbled into Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville bar where I got a little shitfaced singing along with Captain Leo to Buffett Tunes! OH yah! I am here for the Auto-Rama World of Wheels show with the "Roswell Rod" and my chopped panhead! Being a bit of a geek, I may sneak out and slip into the Comic Con convention that just happens to be going on the same weekend in the exhibition hall next door. It looks like it is going to be a great show, lots of neat stuff bein set up. I have seen a lot of friends that I meet "on the road" at shows all over the country that are here! Bob Larivee and his crew put on the best shows in the world! Stop on by say "Hello" and see the show. We have a show special on our DVD's if you are interested, get a deal and save on shipping. You'll have enough left over for a Hurricane or two
Then get back out in the garage and build something!
I wanna see your stuff at the show next year!
Fritz

It's Here!

2012-01-09T20:06:00.004-06:00

Thats right Finally after a long wait, including the time it took for my arm to heal, I have in my hot little grabbers the New DVD "Chop a Model A top at home". It's a 2 disc set, of a tad over 4 hours of cutting & grinding action! Dig that crazy disc art man! For you guy's that pre ordered this DVD it will be in the mail this week, so sit by the mail box with a club and wait for the mail man. If he aint got it, work him over 'cause he probably swiped your copy. If you are a lazy sod and didn't get yer's yet, go to my web site and scope things out.
Get out in that garage and build something.
(unless you are watching this DVD that is)
Fritz

A New Year!

2012-01-06T12:14:00.003-06:00

I'm glad that's all over, December is a full month for me with 3 birthdays, Christmas, and New Years. Here we are in 2012 so let's see what kind of trouble we can get into this year, shall we? I am in the last stretch of the paint work on Johnny Sparkle's Model T Ford. I painted the small pieces and the doors off the car, and now I just have to give the body a wet sand, paint, and clear. In the next two weeks I have to detail my Panhead Chopper and the Roswell Rod, and fix all the lights on my trailer, so I can go out on the road to do the winter show car circuit! You can check my website for dates but off the top of my head I'll see you in New Orleans, Kansas City, Detroit and San Antonio. There are a few other shows that are not in contract yet so we will see what the future holds there.

I don't remember if I ever posted a pic of it or not but, a while back I picked up a 1977 Super Glide basket case out of a junk yard here in Missouri. I have been messing with it a little here and there. I hit the summer swap meets looking for pieces that are missing, and in between projects I have gotten into it a bit. I welded in a lower fat bob gas tank mount, and test fit a set of 3 gallon tanks on the frame.

When I am in different cities for car shows I hit the museums and used book stores, or in between paint coats at home, I look around on Amazon for used books and out of print cool stuff. Off my book shelf is a good read for the all out gear head road tripper "Cannonball!" by Brock Yates. Yes, I know you all have seen the movie but the inside scoop, and behind the scenes craziness that made that movie great is all in the pages of this book. There were points where I just could not put it down! Back in the 70's Brock worked in NYC at I believe "Car & Driver" magazine. To make a statement against the then new 55 mile an hour speed limit that was country wide, this cross country race was born. Get from New York to Los Angeles as fast as you can! Yes, a couple of guys really did dress up like priest's! And yes, there really was an ambulance called Trans - Con! In today's day and age, it wouldn't be hard to maintain a speed of 80 MPH plus in most midwest states to make a good time, but back then it would have been instant jail time. There are a few of us that get together with our vintage cars and do the cross country trek just for shits & giggles. It is a good time I must admit.

Get out in the garage and build something!
(unless your reading while paint cures or something)
Fritz

The Poo Heap & 303 Special

2011-12-19T20:39:00.002-06:00

So I was at another junk yard over the weekend with my boss/friend Jason Rock to pick up a donor car for a big project we are doing for our friend Greaser Mike. We needed so many parts to save his 51' Chevy hard top from falling apart, we decided to get a good solid donor body to start with, and seeing as how it just happened to be sitting on top of a 51' Chevy convertible frame with an extra heavy "X" member in it, we took that also. We'll set up the frame with a small block V-8 with an automatic trans, and mustang 2 front suspension etc. etc. you know the drill, all modern but looking like it could have been a factory build. I'll keep you guy's updated as things get along.

Something I spied stuck in the trees a few months earlier, in the same junk yard, that I thought was cool, was the old "303 Special" a Stude stock car! Who knows when it was on the track last! I get off on finds like this, and wish I could take them all home and make yard art or a garage guys garden around them. I love the old hand painted lettering and numbers, the plumbing pipe push bars, all reminiscent of a time in America when tracks were still around and the average guy could bang out a car to have fun on the summer weekends.

So what have you guy's been up to?
Get back out in the garage and build something!
Fritz

New DVD! Chop a Model "A" Top at Home.

2011-12-14T12:10:00.007-06:00

It's here! The third in the series now. After cutting my arm I am back in the garage with my camera, sharing tips and tricks so all of you can do this crazy stuff at home too. The most popular custom trick of all time has to be the "Top Chop" And the most popular car to Chop has to be the Model "A" Ford. Work alongside me in my garage as I Chop a 1930 Ford coupe 2 1/4 inches, fill the roof opening with an old Chevy station wagon donor panel, and show you every step of the way how I did it, all at home, with basic tools. Window garnish moldings, the windshield frame, nothing is left out, every step is covered in this 2 DVD set! Over 4 hours long it is $25.

Get your copy here

Climbing Out of the Rabbit Hole

2011-12-04T11:03:00.004-06:00

OK Gang this is our last installment of Alex in Wonderland. I like unusual art in unusual places, cool stuff with cool stuff painted on it. The big stuff Alex has in his back yard and outside on the walls of his garage is just that. His car is an art project in itself a 1967 Chevy station wagon painted in flying tiger colors with a P-51 Mustang on the roof, and yes, he really does drive it around, knowing full well that he is being gawked at, and that the prop is spinning at max RPM on the mustang. His tool shed is also packed to the rafters with things that fly, yup, that also includes a life size superman figure. The actual aircraft along the fence is a Republic Vietnam era shooting star, or falling star, I don't remember. The yellow wing hanging off the garage wall is hand painted with the airplane that the wing is actually from. Driving by on the street you'd never know that this wonderland of aviation history and counter culture gasoline burners was even there! Remember, this all didn't just happen over night, this is a lifetime of appreciation for a time when America wasn't all PC and made in China.
Like I always say, "You cant buy cool, You earn it!"
Now, get out in the garage and build something.
Fritz

As promised, more on "Alex in wonderland"!

2011-11-27T19:19:00.003-06:00

Now every crack and crevice has something cool in it, but the big spaces have "AWESOME" in them! The radical Panhead chopper along the wall Alex built back in the late 60's for himself still sports the very same handmade parts and metal flake paint it did the day he finished it. It's a time capsule, It is so cool it's frozen! The other bike is a bone stock 1952 Panhead, Alex did nothing to it, it's all factory stock except the red paint job. The American Picker guys would bust a mental nut in the "Wonderland". My personal fav. is the 1957 Chevy convertible, 283 4 barrel V-8, automatic trans, and factory continental kit. Now sit down so you don't fall over, true story here gang, Alex bought this out of the local swap & trade paper back in 1969 from a guy that collected Edsels for $250.00 bucks and drove it home! It is stone factory stock & unrestored. The only non factory thing on this car is the Earl Schielb paint job! Alex has a plank of plywood across the trunk and uses it as a work bench to build model airplanes!!!! I know it kills me also, LOL. Sitting inside the Chevy is a mannequin with a full flight suite too, its just so crazy it all seems normal.
"Get out in the garage and build something"
(just not on the trunk of a vintage American car)
Fritz

I Return to the city of my Birth, ..... Or a Day with Alex in Wonderland!

2011-11-20T20:30:00.007-06:00

Every year I try to head back to the east cost at least once to remind myself why I moved out to Kustom City Missouri. It's great to catch up with my folks and friends, Al "The Chines kid" - "Pepe" - Gary "The Local Brush" - "Poncho Bill" - "Greaser Mike" and Alex "In Wonderland"
Yeah yeah, New York City was Great. The traffic sucks, the Pizza was great, the traffic sucks, you get the idea.

I wanted to pick out Alex cause he has such a crazy collection of stuff. For this post I am gonna stick with the aircraft stuff. Which is why I call him the "crazy airplane guy". This isn't some little batch of stuff that cropped up over night. Alex has got to be in his 60's now and he has been collecting aviation memorabilia and airplane parts since he was a kid. The pics you see are from his one car garage, I'll get the the wacky stuff in his yard in another post. The model ships, planes, engines are too many to list and too many to even see the walls or the ceiling! ITS JUST CRAZY MAN! WW 1 - WW 2 - Korea - Vietnam - and private aircraft are all represented here, even a small Gemini NASA space cap still with parachutes hangs from the rafters. It's really just an amazing little winged wonderland indeed. This is just a teaser, the over the top stuff will follow
"Get out in the garage and build something."
Fritz

Viewer Mail

2011-11-04T10:06:00.007-05:00

Does this stuff really come from outer space? Nah it comes from small garages across America and garages in other countries also. Its great when I get an e-mail from you guys and I love that I can share it on this blog. I really dig your ideas, suggestions, and seeing the crazy stuff you have going on. Mark here has Taken a VW Karmann Ghia and trans formed it into whats going to be a hip little space aged show car!

"Hey Fritz, I got your DVD (Build a Fiberglass body at home) while I was gone and watched it today on my day off! I just wanted to let you know that you solved so many problems for me with your help! THANK YOU! You also gave me the confidence to continue with my own project. Unfortunately I have already started my Dub-N-Aire in metal, but have ideas for the next couple projects! The only thing I am curious about is when lifting the ring, how did you figure out the geometry? Also, how much of a “throw” did the screw jack have on the "Rosewell Rod"? Did you do the same with the "Baja Bandeeto"?
Anyway – hope your hand/arm gets better soon!
If I was closer, I’d be over to help ya!"
Mark Gosson
Medford, OR

To Answer Mark's question. I bought an electric screw motor from "Autoloc" they list the length that the screw shaft travels. I first made carboard templets from old beer & pizza boxes to figure the shape of the hinge & area I wanted to be in. then moved on to a 1/4 inch plywood template that I bolted up to a makeshift hinge & screw shaft assembly on the car and touched the wires from the screw motor to a car battery to see how everything would travel. a hit or miss operation but it works. the further away from the pivot point you mount the screw motor shaft on the hinge the less travel you will get. Geezz I hope that all sounds right and makes sense to you guys!?!?!?!
Thanks for asking Mark, My arm is healing up but i'll have a wicked nasty looking scar.
but just ask Capt. Kirk, hot green alien chicks dig scars!

Bee's gotta buzz, birds gotta fly, I gotta sand!

2011-10-28T19:26:00.002-05:00

I can't take it anymore! Life with my forearm in a splint just don't get it. After 6 weeks I have been sneaking out to the garage to work on whatever i can get the few moving fingers I have on! The big project on the table is the infamous "Johnny Sparkle" Model T - Ford sedan. I popped my splint off and started doing the body work on his home made dash. Its a lucky thing I am right handed or this really would be a tough job to accomplish. Most of the work is done on the sedan except the finish work on the 2 doors, and the rough in work on the dash, then it should be just a sand and paint deal!

Other little projects I have been plugging away on were a bunch of bowling pins I painted 3 weeks into my life in a splint.
The "Wingteam" pin is for a fellow high school mate Adam.

Carrol & I have finished the editing on the "How to Chop a Model A at home" DVD so it should not be too long before we can offer it up on my web site store! Sorry that the blog posts have been in low gear gang. I'm doing my best and hope to at least kick it up into second as soon as I build up the RPM'S
Keep them wrenches clanking guys!
FRITZ

Can't keep a good Man down.

2011-10-03T18:59:00.004-05:00

Well if ya didn't notice i haven't been blogging as much as usual, i guess the pic says it all. i had a 5 inch graphite metal cutting disc explode and cut my forearm to the bone, severing 4 tendons and rendering my arm a bit useless for the next foreseeable 4 months. So, i bum around the garage making a list of things i can do with one hand. "Art" jumped to the top of the list, as I am right handed, and still have full use of the righty. So i painted up a few bowling pins in candy colors, and have been taking pre orders on them. If some one would like something special on one just shoot me an e-mail. Things haven't stopped they just slowed down a bit. I did finish filming my new dvd "Chop a model A ford top at home", so be on the look out for it at my online store in the next month or 2. Thats all I got for now, get out to your garage and build something. I'm out here with a bum arm! What's your excuses?

Back By Popular Demand!

2011-09-11T10:22:00.006-05:00

The Spritz By Fritz Offical Shop Shirt. Five years ago these were the first shirts we printed. When they sold out we moved on to other designs and merchandise, it was supposed ot be a one time thing. After so many car shows, and so many people asking "You got any of those slobbering monster shirts?", we decided to make a limited run, and give the people what they wanted. So here they are, get 'em while they last. I don't know if I will be printing any more.

You know you want it. A slobbering monster dumping the clutch at 9 grand and his nitro breathing bubble top bomb. We made a limited run of these so when they are gone they are gone man. Available in Men's size S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL, Ladies S, and Youth S.

Viewer Mail

2011-08-22T22:01:00.006-05:00

So, a while back I got an e-mail from Chris Morris,
He bought both my DVD's "How to Paint Your Motorcycle at Home" & "Build a Fiberglass Body at Home", along with his e-mail he sent some pics of the gas tank he painted for his Chopper! A great job I think! I'm gonna attach his e-mail just for giggles.
If any of you guys out there bought one of my DVD's and built or painted something I'd love to see it, maybe it will make it onto the blog (I only have so much space though)
FRITZ

"I now have both your videos. I have to say that they are both fantastic. Thanks so very much for putting them out there. Thanks also for the primer recommendation from a couple of months ago. I have been using U-Pol Reface with decent results. It's just a bear to get thru a gun as it needs a 2.5 tip. So, I may go shopping again. We'll see.
By any chance, do you have any painter type friends in the NYC/North NJ area that you could put me in touch with to help me out with striping and lettering? It's what I struggle with the most. Any help would be appreciated. Take a look at my site. Let me know what you think. I feel it's pretty obvious that I need help in the striping area. I am also attaching a pic of my latest tank. Let me know what you think.
Thanks in advance. Let me know when the next vid is coming out and what it will be."

- Christopher Morris

P.S. for Pin striping guys that I know of in the NY, NJ area look up these guys

Gary "The Local Brush" Merrick Long Island
Alex in wonderland Wantagh Long Island
Johnny Ace Suffolk Long Island
Joe Sullpy Northern NJ (around the GW bridge)
Allen Johnson NJ

Voo Doo Chili!!

2011-08-07T18:15:00.008-05:00

Back in 1996 a few guys were working on choppers in the lower east side of New York City. A bunch of no names building choppers in an era of pink softails with billet parts galore. Paul Cox, Indian Larry, myself (Fritz Schenck) and Steg Von Heintz out of Psycho Cycles. Kind of a Chopper artists community if you will. One of the most famous bikes to come out of the shop was Indian Larry's "Voodoo Chili".
After a hard life in the streets of NYC Larry broke the bike down and built it up again into the "Grease Monkey". Ah but what became of the old tank & frame? No one knew. Well it was around, in hiding, out of the light, in good hands. I wasn't going to post or say a word about this bike, but with current events in the east coast chopper world, and my own life, I figured what the hell! Now if you are one of the few that know who owns what's left of "Voodoo Chili" keep yer trap shut, I promised not to tell, consider yourself one of the inner circle, and you should do the same. Let's just say its kinda "in the family". I gotta say its kind of odd to "restore" a paint job I did so many years ago, I don't know if it just makes me feel old, or like I have made it in the industry. It's also odd to restore a paint job that I did for a friend that has passed on. Another bike that resurfaced was my own ride a purple FLST called the "Skirt Chaser" still in the paint job I laid out years ago. it looks a little different then when I built it, but this fella e-mails me and wants me to "authenticate" that the bike was built by me and was in fact mine.

Funny how things turn out, and my body shop teacher said I'd never make it in the auto body field, LOL.

Larry burning the chili

Voo Doo Chili back in the day

Voo Doo Chili in my spare bedroom today.

Clearly visible are the war wounds of the lower east side of NYC

The name says it all

Ratfink hand painted by Andrea a friend of Larry's

seat post tube painted by Andrea

My old soft tail "Skirt Chaser" sporting a lot of billet I would never put on it.

It was featured in "Iron Horse" magazine if you have a copy you can see it with its original rear fender, headlight etc. etc.

How Cool is that?

2011-08-04T01:08:00.004-05:00

Now I have only lived in the Kansas City area for the last 3 years, and I still don't know my way around, and I sure don't know a bunch about the history of the area. While out and about for my day job, I was sent to get some rear axle parts for a job in the shop, and the rear end shop I went to seems to be located on what was once the grounds of an old Ford motor company plant! I love old history, and I really dig when you can find it still hanging around in the forms of old signs, bill boards on the sides of buildings, and foot prints in cement type of things. These smoke stacks have the "FORD" laid out in them in brick, and can still be seen from the highway. How cool is that? The fella in the rear end shop told me that the plant was built in 1912, and he had no idea when it was shut down. Imagine how many of those old T's & A's that were built there are still around, or built into "Hot Rods"! Crazy huh?

Going to the Church of Rusted Souls

2011-07-24T08:23:00.009-05:00

Up at 4:00 am and on the road by 5:00 am to go 4 1/2 hours (each way) to the Missouri / Arkansas border. Jack Walker, Jason Rock and myself hit a nice little junk yard, with 10,000 cars! Mostly late 60's & 70's stuff but a few cool 50's cars that we all like. I thought I'd post a few pics, as we all love a good rusting hulk with a tree growing out of the engine bay photo. Being July, the tics were out and the weeds and trees made it hard to get a good photo of the over all landscape but I snapped a few for your viewing pleasure. Most of the stuff is kinda picked over, but we all did manage to get a few things to make it a fun trip. Jack and I always say "Going to a junkyard is like going to church for a car guy". I am sure we'll make it back in the winter when it's not 106 degrees and you can see the junk past the trees. What did we get? Jack got what was left of a 59' Impala roof trim, I got an oil can for a 51 chevy 6 cyl for my friend Greaser Mike, and a 56' Olds dash with A/C vents for me, Jason got some back window trim for a customers car.
Enjoy the pics.
Fritz

Movin' on up like George and Weezy . . .

2011-07-15T20:41:00.005-05:00

Well I parted ways with the body shop I was working at and its just fine by me. Doing body work with a drop light and having no torches to work with? What the Hell man? I've seen people care more about building a shit house! I moved on over to the best Restoration, Hot Rod & Custom shop in the area and was working full time in 45 minutes, I didn't even skip a beat! The work these guys put out is top notch, and no one in the area can touch them!

I was in full swing finishing a floor pan job in a 1969 Camaro and hanging a full quarter panel with wheel tubs. After getting just so far on the Camaro's time card I was moved on over to a 1941 Ford pick up truck that was an old show rod at some time in the 70's. I'll be putting in a lot of time on the passenger side door and moving steel around so I can get a nice door gap.

It's a breath of fresh air to work in this place, I have much respect for the guys running it, and hope that this old dog will pick up a few new tricks.

Stay tuned for some quality work & pics here in the future
Fritz

Driving the Roswell Rod

2011-07-12T17:00:00.002-05:00

So ya wanna see the "Roswell Rod" run & drive !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yah, That's right, not bad for a kid from Long Island, Huh.

Model A Chop Top update and New at SBF!

2011-06-29T16:07:00.006-05:00

I know I missed a week and wanted to keep you cats in the loop so I'll post a little somethin' somethin' for ya.
Been doing a lot of "not in the garage" work these days but I have gotten back into the model A and have been doing mud work on the roof. Not to much to tell other then ya put plastic on, and sand it off, then repeat! It's coming along.

Also check out my web site! Ol Greaser Mike has updated my online store with lots of new Spritz by Fritz stuff and a new much easier to use check out and shopping cart!

By popular demand we now put out the first Spritz By Fritz printed catalog full of all the groovy new stuff.
Send a $3 money order for your copy and get yer $3 back on your first order from the catalog.
Send to: Spritz By Fritz PO BOX 1306, Belton, MO 64012

Hey gang, check out my new merch for sale!

2011-06-29T08:09:00.008-05:00

There are a few new items in my online webstore, and even more to come in the following days. Click HERE to visit the store!

New Men's Spritz By Fritz T-shirts

New Stickers

New Resin Shift Knobs

A little off the top!

2011-06-11T19:07:00.006-05:00

Since English Don's "Babylon Taxi" is all done and he's having fun at Laconia NH. I am back to work on the 1930 Model A Ford top chop. I got all the welding done on the top, the door tops are back in place with new door hinge pins etc. I am in the process of cutting the interior garnish moldings and will move onto the windshield frame after that. I'll have to remember to take my camera to the day job and snap pics of the progress of the '63 Chevy station wagon for you guys also. I am dying to get back to work on the "Baja Bandeeto" but i will have to finish up a few paying gigs in my home garage first. I have been filming this top chop from the start and will make a DVD set on how it is all done and every thing I did so you guys at home can see it all from start to finish! Keep an eye out for that new DVD trailer here on my blog. Thanks for stopping by, now get back out in the garage and build something!

1969 Chevelle Convertible is on its way Home.

2011-06-05T08:24:00.006-05:00

The 1969 Chevelle Rag Top is all done and on its way home. The Customer of the shop I work at only wanted the rear clip done so that's why it looks like I only did half the car, inner & outer wheel tubs, quarter's, trunk floor and all the braces. I have been bouncing around between this car a '72 Chevelle SS big block and the '63 Chevy station wagon. The SS was just about ready for the paint booth till we ran into a problem hanging the front end sheet metal and found the right side frame horn was bent down an inch. I didn't take the car apart so I had to find that out all by my lonesome. Lucky me! I'll snap some more pics If i remember to bring the camera to work. Now get back out to your garage and start working!!!!!

Babylon Taxi 2

2011-05-30T11:10:00.010-05:00

A long, long time ago, before Cable TV shows & the Internet, way back in the 1900's guys would just build cool hot rods & choppers for the pure love of it! No one was trying to be famous like they do today. No matter what or where we all came from, the one common thread that ran through all of us was the thrill of the build and the love of the project! The lower east side of New York City was ground zero for choppers as the rest of the country was blinded by the pink & turquoise colors of the PC softail yuppie invasion. There was no OCC, no biker build off, no hipster white nights, just a rag tag group of black sheep doing their own thing. Sure we all didn't see eye to eye then, we all had our own point of view, but that one thin thread is what helped pave the way, we are all a bit older & wiser now. English Don ran S-D cycles up in hell's kitchen, and some other unknowns worked at psycho cycles in alphabet city. Steg Von Heintz, Indian Larry, Paul Cox, and my self Fritz Schenck. Little did we all know that some 15 plus years later what a magical time that was back then.

I could go on and on the stories are endless the experiences priceless, maybe another day.
My time at "Iron Horse Magazine" is how I came to know all these crazies and I am damn glad for it. As time went on we all went our own ways and did our own thing. Then "Iron horse Magazine" again kind of brought some of us all back together. English Don has some medical issues and may or may not have so much time left on this earth and wanted to have one "last ride" a long story short, he was trying to get a bike built, a copy of his famed "Babylon Taxi" that appeared in "Iron Horse Magazine" issue 134 June 1995.

Friends new & old came together to donate parts, cash, or just lend a hand to help make it all happen for their friend Don. My friend Todd Ingram put me in touch with my old Friends that I had lost touch with many years ago and I offered to do what I do best, copy the old paint job onto the new bike. The "Babylon Taxi 2" got painted black with yellow checks and the name laid out in gold leaf. Don & Steg built the "Babylon Taxi 2" in Seattle Washington loaded it & Steg's "Maxine" in an old Ford pick up truck, and drove out to Kansas City to pick up the painted tin. I'll tell ya it was like time had not passed at all. Kind of weird and kind of normal, if you know what I mean. it was good to talk about the old times, how we missed Larry, and some of the crazy shit that happened and why, like how Larry's bike "Voodoo Chili" got its name (that's a story for another blog post for another day). 24 hours later the visit was over and I was sad to see them leave, it was too short a stay but they had to make it to Indianapolis by that night fall so the push was on.

Here's a few pics of the visit and the finished painted tank & fender.
Safe travels Steg & Don, I hope to see you both again.
Fritz

Steg Von Heintz, English Don, Fritz

Gold Leaf on New tank

Fritz, Steg & Don in the garage catching up on life and sharing stories

English Don

Steg video tapes Don for Don's movie "The Last Ride"

Fritz polishing out the finished tin.

English Don on his first "Babylon Taxi" from "Iron Horse Magazine" June 1995 issue#134

English Don's Babylon Taxi 2

2011-05-19T15:37:00.003-05:00

Gas tank modified by Steg, Paint by Me (just re doing what once was) and the dream By Don!

1969 CHEVELLE CONVERTIBLE continued

2011-05-09T20:50:00.006-05:00

I was away at the Spring Carlisle PA swap meet for a few days, got a few parts for my custom 57 chevy and a real nice 54 Pontiac center grill bar, I'm thinking that would look nice in that 50 Merc I saved from the junk yard! Meanwhile back at the day job, I got back to metal work on that '69 Chevelle rag top. Here's a few pics of what I have been up to. Replacing the floor support under the trunk floor, the trunk pans, inner & outer wheel tub work, and quarter panel skin, same as the other side but in these pics you can see more of the work & patience it takes to go through a car. For this week, I have my Folks visiting so I took the week off work to spend time with them and work with my Pops putting electric in my new out building. 'Till next time.......Fritz

1969 CHEVELLE CONVERTIBLE

2011-04-25T19:42:00.006-05:00

Another report from the day job, gang!

While I wait for parts and other things for the '63 Chevy station wagon, I started rebuilding the rear end of this '69 Chevelle drop top. You can see in the pics that its getting a new trunk floor, inner & outer wheel tubs, and quarter panel skins. I had to splice the wheel tubs together, due to the fact that coupes & rag tops are different in that regard. The convert tub is flatter on top while the coupe is not. Keep checking back as I do try my best to update the blog often.

- Fritz

Another soul saved from the crusher!

2011-04-16T15:28:00.000-05:00

I picked up a 1950 Merc 2 door sedan! I ponied up for this one, its all there, garnish trim seats etc. just missing the flat head & trans. Usually I'd turn around and sell something like this but I just may keep her! Crazy how stuff is still hiding out there in the tall weeds of forgotten America.

- Fritz

63 Chevy Station Wagon

2011-03-21T13:56:00.002-05:00

Here is an update on that 63 Chevy station wagon i have been building at the day job. I got the new floor pans all welding and fit nice. Installed a set of lower quarter panel patches and had to hand fab the patches for the spare tire tub area (no re-pops are available) there was some bad rot int the cross support just in front of the tail gate jamb that had to be taken care of so I cut the rear seat pan out to get at it and fabed up some scrap steel to repair it all. as soon as we get the new seat pan patches into the shop I'll finish that all off to. a next side project are those fender skirts for the wagon. I did some reshaping work on the fender then cut & chopped up the skirts to get them to fit onto the car, looks pretty cool! stay tuned for more updates on all the crazy stuff I do.

- FRITZ

Pre-order now! Build A Fiberglass Body At Home 2 DVD Set!

2011-03-02T12:40:00.004-06:00

Exciting news at Spritz By Fritz! We have been busy getting our new DVD out:

"Build A Fiberglass Body At Home"

It's a two DVD set of almost four hours for only $25!

It is out at the printer now, and since so many of you have asked for it, and have been waiting patiently, we are now taking pre orders and offering free shipping in the US until the end of March when we expect delivery to us.

Email us find out how to pre order Spritzbyfritz@aol.com or visit our store here.

I take you step by step as he builds his own creation from nothing and you can too! No expensive tools or big fancy shop, just me working away in my two car garage at home. Learn how to make your own one of kind professional quality show car body. There wont be another one anywhere like it. I start with a handbuilt chassis made from junk parts and box steel and use a motor & parts from the junkyard. You will see it all come together from a plaster buck, laying down fiberglass, attaching the body to the frame, even making a ring for the bubble, my signature feature taken from the days when show cars were "show" cars. You will be amazed what you can do. With a few simple ingredients you can create a masterpiece. As always, I show how anyone can do this, at home, with a lot of hard work, and with this DVD a lot of know how.

- FRITZ

Chop Top

2011-01-31T22:52:00.001-06:00

My wife and I are deep in the middle of editing our new DVD "build fiberglass bodies at home" but I wanted to give you a sneak peek at what I'll be filming next in the garage. This here is a real nice 1930 Ford coupe, My friend Jerry bought it at a garage sale in Kansas, Yup I'm not kidding he got it at a freaking garage sale. He's going to build a hot rod out of it and wants me to fill the roof and chop the top a few inches. So, after the fiberglass bodies DVD is done and for sale on me web site store (some time around the end of March) be on the look out for "how to chop a Model a Ford at home"

Keep those mig welders buzzing and the night lights burning guys

- Fritz

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

2011-01-19T10:43:00.000-06:00

Hey gang, I'm getting ready to hit the bricks again. Here are some of the dates where you can stop by and say hi and check out the Roswell Rod.

See us with the "Roswell Rod" at the

50th World of Wheels in
Pittsburgh, PA
January 21-23

The car will then be going on to the following locations:

52nd World of Wheels
Indianapolis, IN
February 11-13

51st O'Reilly Parts Autorama
Dallas, TX
February 18-21

49tth O'Reilly Parts World Of Wheels
St. Paul, MN
February 25-27

We will be with the car again

49th O'Reilly Parts World Of Wheels
Chicago, IL
March 4-6

...and speaking of my DVD series

2011-01-06T16:30:00.001-06:00

IRON HORSE MAGAZINE REVIEWS MY DVD

2011-01-06T16:25:00.002-06:00

Big Nick wrote up this killer review of my dvd for issue 134 of Iron Horse Magazine. Available now.

The Daily Grind

2010-12-27T17:53:00.002-06:00

I have been putting some time in at a Classic car body shop here in Kansas City. It keep me on my toes! I'm working on a 1963 Chevy station wagon doing a lot of rot repair that might scare off most guys but after spending most of my life in the rusty north east fixing this stuff and cutting out a floor pan is a bag of shells.

I deleted the A/C stuff off the fire wall and made up new panels with factory looking ribs so it will have that Mod smooth look. I braced up the body before I cut the floor out just to be on the safe side. there was no way the one piece floor was going in as "One piece" so I took it apart and put it in a piece at a time. You can see the cross braces in place. I'll have the pans welded in soon.

More Progress!

2010-12-27T17:46:00.000-06:00

I finished filming my next dvd, "HOW TO BUILD FIBERGLASS BODIES AT HOME" this week! I still need to sit down and edit 9 hours of film but it will be avabile in a few months.

The "Baja Bandeeto" is going to be one hot show rod. I am using a yellow tinted bubble for this car between that & the crazy paint it will burn your eyes out!

Steering Committee

2010-12-02T09:01:00.000-06:00

I got a little work done setting up the crazy steering linkage on the Bandeeto last night. I'm trying to get it as close to the inner body as I can so my foot wont hit the shaft when I hit the gas pedal.

Back in the garage

2010-10-27T09:56:00.003-05:00

Its been a while since I last posted, I guess I just got side tracked with life.

My wife Carrol's Surgery went well, The Cancer did not spread and she is going through a few chemo treatments to make sure they have gotten & killed all the little SOB's She is doing well!

I did a few bike paint jobs, did some rot repair of my neighbors pick up truck, Bought five 1959 chevy El Camino's (I don't know why I did that) but I did get my new show rod the "Baja Bandeeto" back into the garage.

I have the body off and am gluing front body mounts in under the nose with fiberglass. I'll do another set up where the split wishbones meet the body then I can move onto working on all the things that make a car a CAR! (Steering pedals, etc.)

In other news Famed Magazine (C.K. Deluxe & 'Ol Skool Rodz) cool guy Alan Mayes was kind enough to include me in his new book "HOT RODS" My clone of Ed "Big Daddy" Roth's "Outlaw" made the pages as well as my restoration on Roth's "Mega Cycle" an Honer indeed! You can get a copy of the book online at Amazon.com It would make a great stocking stuffer ya know!

My first DVD is done with great fan fare ;) "How to paint your motorcycle at home" or anything else for that matter. 3 1/2 hours of me painting 2 sets of motorcycle tins. you'll see candy paint, fogs, gold leaf work, etc! Watch your favorite magazines for a review. It isn't just motorcycles all the info is the same no matter what you happen to be banging on kids! You can check out what the guys over at Sideburns magazine by clicking here.

Thanks for reading and I'll see ya around the paint booth!

- Fritz

Some good news, some bad

2010-07-10T10:50:00.006-05:00

Well I guess the good news is we have made some great progress on the "Baja Bandeetoo." The body is in fiberglass, off it plaster buck and ready for some serious work.

We had Tom Strongman from the "Kansas City Star" Newspaper stop by to interview me and check out my latest project & the "Roswell Rod" We ploped the body back on her frame for a photo Op and I figured I would share these spy pics with everyone!

My Panhead Chopper is in the latest Issue of Car Kulture Deluxe Magazine! be sure to stop at the news stand and pic up a copy and check it out!

Also in magazine news (we don't have a copy yet) but we hear that Cody Wents (thats Daryl Starbirds grandson) custom pick up truck is in the new issue of classic trucks magazine! I had gone to Daryl Starbirds place to Help Cody lay out the graphic art work on his way cool little chevy pick up So from he tells us Him and I are in the pages!

Now the bad news is On June 23rd we found out that My Wife Carrol has breast Cancer. She is still going through some tests and such but it will be a few miles of bad dirt road we have to travel together the next few months. Keep your fingers crossed and keep a welding torch lit for us. lets hope They get this on the first shot! So far they think they can go after one lump then some radiation and be done with it. She wants me to keep building in the garage during all this, Thats why she's the best!

I've been keeping my hands busy keeps my mind from thinking bad things.

SO........here are some pics to enjoy, I hope everyone is building something fun!

- FRITZ

Bubble Top Update!

2010-06-16T10:43:00.008-05:00

I didn't get to work on the Bubble top as much as I would have liked, Been bailing out my basement twice in the last week. We have had nothing but flooding rain here in Kansas City for a while. I did get in some plaster time and have a little something to update. I bulked up the nose and added my 58 Ford hood trim & got more done on the tail area. I got the drivers side body line pretty good, I love the way that fender just hangs over the M/T slick!

Remember Kids, Keep America beautiful, Restore an old car!

- FRITZ

Henry High Rise and Me!

2010-06-09T10:42:00.000-05:00

All I can say is WOW! I never thought I'd see the day when I would wind up in a Dave Bell cartoon in the back of "Street Rodder" magazine. (Aug/2010) A real True Honor! I used to get busted by my parents all the time 'cause in junior high school, I'd sit in science class and draw those rad little rides! I remember a 57' Chevy Nomad with a straight front axle, with boxes hanging out the back, I think it was in the letters to the editor section. that was a big favorite. They tell me you have really made it in the scene when Dave pens yer face! Thanks Mr Bell. you have truly made me a Happy Camper!

- FRITZ

All new bubble top show rod!

2010-06-02T10:35:00.005-05:00

Thats right kids, I teamed up with super famous illustrator Jimmy Smith. I am building one of his fantastic drawings that caught my eye. Its a radical show rod with a VW drive line, super bell axle out front, a '50 Merc steering box, and a bunch of other cast off junkyard parts. Its being built in the timeless Ed Roth tradition of plaster spit wads & hand rolled fiberglass! We'll keep you posted as the plaster hardens! now get back out to the garage and build something!

- FRITZ

Bikes I've been painting

2010-03-31T10:27:00.002-05:00

Spring is in the air and Motorcycle guys always seem to find me to spritz some candy and drag some lines on their Motorcycle tin! I figured I'd share a few of the bike I Just finished. The Triumph stuff is for a Flat track race bike for my good friend Greaser Mike in New York City. I know, I know. No one Paints a race bike that nice 'cause they get trashed but look at it like this win or lose you look COOL!

The other is an old set of Sportster tin My Dad had laying around I figured it would make a nice set of display tin at the local Harley dealer.

If you have a bike and you'd like it tricked out, I do stuff by mail!

Hope everyone is doing well and getting ready for a safe & fun spring & summer

See ya!
- Fritz

We Won the House of Kolor Paint Award!

2010-01-12T10:08:00.000-06:00

Hey go figure! I won the House Of Kolor Prestigious Painter award! Thats 2 years in a row! Last year for the "Astrosled" and this year for the "Roswell Rod" I just wanted to share, now get back in the garage and build something!

- FRITZ

Astrosled

Roswell Rod

Top Chop

2009-12-03T09:31:00.000-06:00

I did this chop for my friend Gary "The Local Brush" Kupfer in 2003 when I still lived in Long Island NY. Gary painted most of the Baldwin Motion cars, lots of show car art, pinstriping, lettering, etc. an all around auto artist. I have known him since I'm 15 (geez I've gotten old, lol) My wife made yet another youtbue video out of an old stack of photos I took at the time. Just thought I'd share
Happy Holidays.