Schwinn Lemon Peelers & Gas-Engine Dreams: Where It All Started
Welcome
If you need to get a hold of me for some custom hand-painted pinstriping in the Phoenix Metro Area or if you just want to talk shop about old bikes and hot rods you can reach me at 602-397-7134 or shoot me an email over at Tony@astripe.com and you can check out all my work at astripe.com anytime.
I wanted to start a new series here called In the Garage where I talk about the stuff that really got me into this whole world of automotive art and custom culture because before I was pinstriping lowriders and motorcycles for folks all over Arizona I was just a kid in South Phoenix with a lot of energy and a love for anything with wheels. It all really started with a bicycle and a few bucks I earned working over the summer and looking back on it now I can see how those days in the 70s shaped everything I do today at Tony’s Pinstriping.
The $35 Find on Broadway
Growing up on the south side of Phoenix in the 1970s was a different time man and we spent pretty much every waking second outside getting into something or another. I remember one summer I was working real hard doing whatever odd jobs I could find to earn some cash because I had my heart set on getting a real ride and back then a Schwinn was the king of the road for any kid. I eventually saved up exactly $35 which felt like a million bucks at the time and I was just waiting for the right thing to come along.
I was out with my grandmother one afternoon and we were driving down Broadway Road right there in South Phoenix and I was looking out the window like I always did just scanning the front yards and the storefronts for anything cool. I just happened to get a glance of a bicycle sitting out front of a place where they were selling some stuff and I knew immediately what it was. It was a Schwinn Lemon Peeler. Now if you don't know the Lemon Peeler was the yellow version of the Schwinn Krate series and it was about as close to a chopper as a kid could get with the "knee-action" front end and that big banana seat.
I asked my grandmother to turn around and stop the car right then and there and I hopped out to talk to the guy. He wanted $35 for it which was every single cent I had in my pocket from working all summer long but I didn't even hesitate. I pulled out that cash and gave it to him right on the spot. I didn't even want to put it in the trunk I just told my grandma I’d meet her back at the house and I rode that Lemon Peeler all the way back to her place through the Phoenix heat and I don’t think I ever felt taller than I did on that bike.
Riding to Tower Plaza
Once I had that bike my whole world opened up because now I had some serious mobility. Me and my buddies were always looking for the next thing to build or race and back then the place to go was Tower Plaza. Now some people remember Tower Plaza as being over on 40th Street and Thomas and let me tell you that was a heck of a ride from the south side on a bicycle with a 16-inch front wheel but when you're a kid in the 70s you didn't think twice about it. We’d pedal for miles just to get to the hobby shops and the stores over there.
The main reason we made those treks was to pick up model cars but not just the plastic ones you glue together. We were obsessed with the gas engine Cox brand cars. These things were the real deal with little internal combustion engines that ran on nitromethane fuel and they were loud and smelly and fast as heck. I’d save up my money again and ride that Lemon Peeler over to Tower Plaza to pick up a new Cox car or some fuel or parts and then pedal all the way back home with the box tucked under my arm or strapped to the sissy bar.
Gas Engine Dreams and Racing
When I’d get back to my grandmother’s place me and my buddy would get right to work. We didn't have fancy remote controls back then most of these Cox cars were tether cars or they ran on a guide wire. We’d set them up and prime those little .049 engines and when they’d scream to life it was the best sound in the world. The smell of that nitro fuel is something I can still smell today if I close my eyes and it’s probably why I ended up spending my life around garages and custom shops.
We’d race them right there in the driveway or out on the street and we were constantly tinkering with them to make them go faster or look cooler. Even then I was looking at the lines of the cars and thinking about how to make them stand out. It was a great time of riding bicycles and building model cars and just having fun with friends in the neighborhood without a care in the world except for when the street lights came on.
The Evel Knievel Ramps
You couldn't be a kid in the 70s and not be obsessed with Evel Knievel. He was everywhere and every single one of us thought we could be the next world-famous daredevil. We’d find whatever scrap plywood or 2x4s we could lay our hands on and we’d build these ramps in the middle of the street or in a dirt lot. We’d line up our bikes: my Lemon Peeler right in the middle of the pack: and we’d try to jump over whatever we could find. We’d start with a couple of bricks and then we’d keep adding more and more until someone eventually crashed and burned.
I remember trying to do the whole Evel Knievel jump thing and that knee-action front end on the Schwinn actually helped a bit with the landings though I’m sure it wasn't designed for what we were putting it through. We’d spend hours just jumping and crashing and fixing our bikes just to do it all over again the next day. That's really where I learned that if you want something to stay nice you gotta take care of it but you also gotta use it for what it was built for.
From Bicycles to Pinstriping
It’s funny how those early days of messing with bikes and gas-powered models led me straight into what I do now. I eventually moved up from bicycles to cars and motorcycles and I started learning from my dad Leo Perez in his shop. He taught me the basics of fabrication and painting but I was always drawn to those fine lines and the way a little bit of paint could change the whole look of a ride.
By the time I was 14 I already had my own customers and was working on street rods and lowriders right here in Phoenix. I’ve been doing this for over 35 years now and whether I’m pinstriping a classic hot rod or a brand new motorcycle I still think back to that $35 Lemon Peeler on Broadway and the excitement of making something my own. If you want to see how that journey continued you can read more about me on my About Page or check out some of the Hot Rods I've worked on lately.
Wear the Art
If you love the custom culture and the lines that started it all you can grab one of my pinstriping art tees and wear a little of that style wherever you go.
Get In Touch
If you have a project in mind whether it’s a bicycle you're restoring or a classic car that needs that final touch of hand-painted pinstriping I’m your guy. I offer mobile service in some cases and I always provide a consultation to make sure the design and colors are exactly what you're looking for. I use only the highest quality paints so your investment lasts as long as your ride does.
You can find me in the area of 75th Ave. and Union Hills in the Phoenix Metro Area but remember I can come to you if the job is right. Give me a call or send a text to 602-397-7134 or you can email Tony@astripe.com for more info. Don't forget to visit astripe.com to see my full portfolio of pinstriping, lettering, and airbrushing.
Thanks for taking a trip down memory lane with me and I hope to see you in the garage soon!
Tony Pinstriper
Tony’s Pinstriping
602-397-7134
astripe.com
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