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18 | December 13, 2018 | Malibu surfside news sound off<br />
malibusurfsidenews.com<br />
Ride of the Week<br />
Ken Hower and his 1948 Stylemaster<br />
Fireball Tim Lawrence<br />
Contributing Columnist<br />
Malibu resident<br />
Going to car shows<br />
in SoCal is a<br />
unique experience<br />
in many ways, but one of<br />
the things I enjoy most is<br />
the unexpected.<br />
There’s always a car<br />
show unicorn that invariably<br />
appears and wows the<br />
crowd. But it doesn’t have<br />
to be a huge show.<br />
Last month, I headed up<br />
PCH to the Murphy Museum<br />
for a Chevy show. It<br />
was small, at about 15 cars,<br />
because of the overwhelming<br />
fire activities that were<br />
still going on. Those who<br />
did come just did so to get<br />
a break from the smoke<br />
and clear their heads. For<br />
me, I had gone about two<br />
weeks without seeing anyone<br />
smile, so it felt good to<br />
see people recovering and<br />
trying to make the most of<br />
their days.<br />
While there, I met Ken<br />
Hower. Normally a printer<br />
repair technician, Hower<br />
has been on workers’<br />
compensation for the last<br />
17 months while trying to<br />
recover from a hand injury.<br />
So, a car show was just the<br />
thing.<br />
Hower brought in an<br />
amazing and super rare<br />
1948 Chevrolet Stylemaster<br />
sedan delivery wagon.<br />
Ken Hower is looking to rehome his 1948 Chevrolet Stylemaster sedan delivery wagon, which he fixed up since<br />
snatching it up less than a year ago. Fireball Tim Lawrence/22nd Century Media<br />
It is a stunning piece of<br />
Chevy history, customized<br />
in a beautiful dark aqua<br />
and silver leaf.<br />
“Well, these cars were<br />
built on a car chassis as<br />
opposed to a truck chassis,”<br />
Hower explains. “They<br />
were used as work vehicles<br />
mostly in and around town<br />
for making deliveries, etc.<br />
You know, the local grocery<br />
store, the hardware store<br />
... that kind of thing. This<br />
is why they only have a<br />
12-gallon gas tank and [are]<br />
not meant for long trips.”<br />
The car is unusual and<br />
rare because it came as<br />
a Stylemaster. Hower<br />
explained that as all the<br />
pretty chrome and stainless<br />
appointments.<br />
“Most sedan delivery<br />
wagons were ‘plain<br />
Janes,’“ he adds.<br />
Hower has owned this<br />
SDW for less than a year<br />
and has done most of the<br />
mechanical work, fixing a<br />
cracked block and more.<br />
“This car runs like a top<br />
now,” he said. “ ... I actually<br />
got this car in a horse<br />
trade, so [I am] looking<br />
for a new home for it now<br />
as I have too many cars! It<br />
all sounds good, owning<br />
multiple classic cars like<br />
this but, truthfully, it’s hard<br />
to keep up on seven cars.”<br />
According to Hower, he<br />
never saw himself owning<br />
this genre of car (known<br />
as a Bomb.) But having<br />
had this one for a while, he<br />
gained a new perspective.<br />
“I saw similar cars<br />
around in clubs and while<br />
I appreciated all their time<br />
and effort, was never on<br />
my radar,” he said. “When<br />
I drive it around town, it<br />
turns some heads for sure<br />
and attracts lots of attention.”<br />
The paint and silver-leaf<br />
striping makes the car a<br />
show winner.<br />
But, let’s let Hower<br />
explain: “The paint, silver<br />
leaf, striping, and airbrushing<br />
really works. The paint<br />
is a stock GM Color from<br />
1992 called Dark Teal Blue<br />
Metallic. There’s a small<br />
metal flake in it that really<br />
glitters. Depending on the<br />
light, it goes from a very<br />
deep blue all the way to a<br />
really gorgeous blue green.<br />
A guy named Mike from<br />
the San Bernardino area<br />
did the silver striping, but<br />
that’s about all I know as I<br />
found a receipt for it in the<br />
glovebox. Folks ask all the<br />
time who did it ... and do I<br />
have his number.”<br />
Hower basically cruises<br />
around to shows and fun<br />
events in hopes that his<br />
wheels will catch the eye<br />
of their next owner. But<br />
you’d have to be a very<br />
unique individual to own<br />
this one. It’s the epitome of<br />
“car culture.”<br />
And finally, Hower’s<br />
best story goes like this.<br />
“So, I go to the gas station<br />
and fill her up with gas<br />
and fill some air in the rear<br />
bags ([the car] has manual<br />
fill rear airbags),” he said.<br />
“Then I get ready to put<br />
the air in and actually start<br />
and the end on the fill line<br />
blows apart. The rear end<br />
drops down to about 2<br />
inches from the asphalt. I<br />
look around and I find the<br />
parts, but can’t get the ferule<br />
back on correctly. So, [I<br />
had] no choice but to drive<br />
the car back across town<br />
with the butt dragging. Had<br />
to cruise and try not to hit<br />
any bumps or potholes. Was<br />
the weirdest ride I ever had<br />
and I was cracking up the<br />
whole way blasting ‘Low<br />
Rider’ by War.”<br />
And what does Ken love<br />
about driving in Malibu?<br />
“It’s the epitome of the<br />
SoCal lifestyle,” Hower<br />
said. “When I take my ’62<br />
Vette or the ’68 Camaro<br />
convertible out and head<br />
south to Malibu ... the<br />
drive from Mugu Rock to<br />
Sunset just couldn’t be any<br />
better. Thought about moving<br />
once ... but then I woke<br />
up and realized ... it really<br />
couldn’t get any better than<br />
this.”<br />
Gratitude goes a long<br />
way to making your life<br />
a complete package. Ken<br />
gets this and lives the car<br />
lifestyle. Hopefully, he can<br />
find someone who loves<br />
this car as much as he<br />
does. Have a great week,<br />
folks!<br />
Want to be featured in Ride of<br />
the Week? Send Fireball an<br />
email at askfireball@fireball<br />
tim.com.
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