Norm's Archives

When i was a kid if you wanted to skate it you had to build it.
The hard work of the weeks spent stealing wood from building sites and making your own ramp payed off in the first roll. Norm was no different, these are his photo's.

This was the old Moorooka Skate Shed bowl. We all loved this ramp but not as much as the termites did!

I wish more people would build there own ramps. The bad kink in the transition or the buckled flat bottom added to the skate.

Kids are spoilt with there architect designed skateparks.

Do You Sleep On The Roof?

Nothing says 'Great Outdoors Man' better than a cheque shirt.

Rad Mag

Back in the 80's you could tell a lot about what kind of skater a kid was by the mags he would read. What were you? Thrasher, Transworld, Skateboarder, maybe even Slam or Skating Life.
As for me i was all about Rad Mag. A cheap crappy mag out of England. I bet no one remembers it?? I think it went on to become Sidewalk Surfer. Those pommy gits couldn't skate for shit, but they made up for it in the ads.

I Heart Work Today

My 'favourite' boss at work was going through the companys rule book to find some clause about getting rid of mobile phones in the workshop. Not for me or any of the other guys, but for one guy who might get a phone call from his wife maybe once every other day. Somehow the 30 second phone call annoys the boss. Fair enough they hate each other in a - you fuck me over i fuck you over sort of way.
I couldn't give a shit either way, my life would be better off without a phone but thats not my problem.
Apparantly when talking to head office, theres a rule that legally they only have to give us a 10minute break for smoko, not the 15 we've been taking. So now starting tomorrow we have to start 5 minutes earlier to make up for the extra time we've been having at smoko. Its all really laughable.
All the time and effort spent to fuck one guy over might have been better used to find someone to fix the TIG welder so we don't have to lay down shit welds day in day out, instead of constantly fobbing the problem off to the too hard basket.
Anyways boring rant over.

Wintersun

This will be the last year the Wintersun car show will be in Qld. Next year the show is moving to Port Marquarie.

Apparantly the government and bussiness' won't support the show financially but are happy to reap all the profits in a low season. Anyways some would say good ridence to shit. Not me i love Elvis.

Butt Head

Check how the split wishbone is connected to the chassis. He obviously has a lot of faith in his butt welds!

Warning Disturbing Image

OMG! what a commotion!
Got woken up early this morning to a phone call from a distressed mate telling me his Thunderbird was getting broken into by a organised criminal gang of topless thieves.
Like anyone would be he was a bit scattered and didn't know what to do so i told him to call the cops and then his mechanic to repair any damage and hold tight till i could arrive.
Needless to say i was absolutely sickened by the sight that i arrived to. The picture tells the full story and yep i'm sure your angered at this sight as much as i was.
I mean who the fuck puts billet wheels on a Thunderbird!!! That's just fuckin' disturbing!!!
"Officer cuff that man, i'll handle these ladies with an old fashioned citizens arrest."

Dinosaurs Need Love Too

This is a rare shot of Dave actually working and not watching Teradactile porn.

Smash Em' Up Derby

The calm before the storm. My money was on the Drop Bear but he got stuck to another car and couldn't break free.

They had to stop to put a fire out.

My girlfriend is giving up her job as a tattooist to become a full time smash em' up derby driver. She doesn't have a drivers licence yet so she'll probably be really good.

With insurance killing everything for everyone you gotta wonder how long they'll be around for.

Bieber Fever

I've come down with Bieber fever, I wouldn't mind so much but i could do without the suspicious rash.
So anyways i whipped this sketch up and entered it into the Ipswich show art competition. It's probably my best sketch ever.
My life used to be empty until 2 weeks ago when i found out who this kid was. Now i tell you one time Justin "your my baby baby baby ooohh"

Vintage Speedway

Went to the Ipswich show with the little lady on the weekend and where lucky enough to be entertained by some vintage speedway cars in between rides in the dodge em' cars.

I Gotta Buy A Better Camera

Sunday morning at the coast. I like the full custom FJ. Understated enough to be a good parts chaser.

No Fat Chicks

You know i feel like i'm the last to find out. I've been made to look the fool and i'm a little embarrassed.
Apparently its common knowledge to all and sundry that hot single babes sit around in there underwear talking on C.b. radio's. Mostly looking for love, some just looking for a good time.
And i always thought it was just a bunch of redneck fuckwits???

Happy Labor Day

It wouldn't be working class zeroes if i didn't say something about Labor day holiday and what it should mean to most.
Well i wrote this big spiel about the rich getting richer and the working masses getting screwed by big business, banks and most importantly the government who time and time again fails to stand up for us in favour of filling there pockets. But then i deleted it all in favour of simply saying that it doesn't matter if your the rich the poor the boss the worker the unemployed or self employed or just happy to be employed, Labor Day is simply a day to remember the working men and women who fought there battles with only a small hope of success to make this country great and paved the way for our lifestyle of today. There struggles became your success and should never be forgotten.
Understand? No? Fuck it lets go fishing!!!

Unite

I may never have your riches or own a fancy yacht
And I know you hired those snitches with the pay i should have got

I'll never afford the food or the holidays you enjoy
My life is more subdued with the pleasures i employ

You said you wanted more even though the blood was shed
But the working mans no whore and won't roll over in his bed

Unlike the scabs i payed my fee and tryed to get ahead
And when i die they'll remember me and know i never hung my head.

Do You Smell Smoke?

He must have a hot ass. And not in a gay way.

Enlarge This Instead

Just a post to push the post below off the top.
Wouldn't you rather look at old photos than my handsome mug?? Don't know anything about the cars or who took the photo sorry. Just thought it was cool.

The End

Alright i'm over it your over it, i've got a broken nose but except for a little bump and scar that will probably go away you'd never know it.

Vantastic

Every school had one. That big ginger kid who was always the school bully.
The kind of kid that had pretend friends. They'd pretend to be his friend so they wouldn't get bullied.
At my school he was a year older and took great pride in messing with my shit because i didn't play footy at lunch and wore Gilligan's shoes. You know those old canvas Vans shoes they wore on the t.v show Gilligans Island. Lame i know.
Anyways ol' ginger was chasing me up some stairs one lunch time when i saw a carrot sitting on the step just ahead of me. I picked that little orange fucker up, turned around, took aim and pegged it as hard as i possibly could just in time for him to look up and watch it explode on his face. It still makes me laugh out loud today, all these years later.
The look of surprise on that dumb fuckers face was priceless, and he topped it off with a little girlie moan that still has me in stitches.
If i hadn't seen it with my own eyes i wouldn't have believed a carrot could explode like that. Literally a hundred pieces.
Anyways i heard he was a rent-a-cop after we finished school and then became a fully fledged cop a few years after that. I guess they'll give anyone a gun these days. Its funny how the school bullies always end up cops.
Anyways what does this have with Neil Diekmans FJ? Well apparently you can have a heavily modified yet safe and meticulously looked after car continuously registered for over 35 years with no problems until a cop "just doing his job" decides to camp out at the end of your street every morning giving you defect notices.
Last i heard he was thinking about a harassment claim. Not sure what became of it all but he's still driving it. Oh and the car still looks the same all these years later.

Gone Fishing

Yeah i know the blogs been lacking a bit lately. It took me a little while to get over the smack in the face and catching up with all the things i couldn't do when out of action.
It really knocked me around a bit, but i've found time to get back into the garage and things will be back to normal soon.
The car above?? Seems like a cheap hotrod to build.