(from the book) The year was 1978 and I was sitting in the back booth of
the Pizza Hut in Mulvane, Kansas, splitting a deep pan with my good
friend, Darryl Starbird. Our friendship was close, and I had always
respected his opinion on just about anything to do with the automobile,
and especially the "kustom" vehicle. Not only is Darryl a champ at
building kustom creations, he is also one of the top auto show producers
in the U.S. For some 21 years I had been in the shadow of this
high-energy, often unbelievable, man helping him build cars and produce
car shows-a schooling that isn't available in any six-month course or
college anywhere. I had cruised with him on the high roads, and crashed
with him on the low shoulders. Believe me, auto show producing is not
for the weak or conservative. But my interest was up, boosted by a
recent writeup on '49-'51 Mercs, and front cover spread of a chopped '51
Mercury, by Street Rodder magazine, which at the time was predominantly
a "pre-'48" street rod magazine. Someone shared an interest I felt I
might be the[...]"