Matthew Harris of Dagmar Customs

Meet Matthew Harris, owner of Dagmar Customs.  He specializes in building custom hot rods and restoring classic automobiles.  With all the metal fabrication that Matthew does in the process, his shop is filled with all sorts of really cool looking machinery.  All that equipment served as the backdrop for today’s portrait.

Matthew and some very heavy equipment

Matthew and his 1951 Mercury

Hand-built running boards and fender for a classic fire truck restoration

Luis Loyola

Today, I visited my friend, Luis Loyola.  He is the owner of Loyola Auto Interiors in El Segundo and a serious car guy.  I met him years ago while surfing El Porto where he is a regular.

For today’s 365, I stopped by his shop and took a photograph of him and his trusty sidekick, Charlie – a talking African Grey parrot.  He says all sorts of funny things.  When Luis is ready to head off to lunch, Charlie often says, “Taco Time”, which is the name of a nearby quick service Mexican restaurant.  When Luis grabs his keys to head home for the day, Charlie will say, “Bye.  Tomorrow.”

I’m sure that as the year progresses, you’ll be seeing more pictures of some of Luis’ classic cars, but these will have to do for now.  Bye.  Tomorrow!

Luis Loyola in front of his latest project car

Charlie, an African Grey Parrot

Charlie performing for the camera

Tyler Hatzikian in His Model A Roadster

A couple weeks ago, I was noodling around the parking lot after a surf.  Tyler was down in his Model A Roadster checking out the surf.  He decided it was worth a go-out so before he drove back to get his board, he did this and basically made everyone want to build their own AV8.

Tyler Hatzikian's Model A (click for larger image)