Michael Thies's Blog – July 2014 Archive (1)

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Heritage - Reprint from SEMA 2014 http://www.sema.org/sema-news

HERITAGE

By Drew Hardin 

Photo Courtesy Petersen Archives

The Great California Street Rod Civil War

At the 1973 Street Rod Nationals (or so the story goes), rod builders Andy Brizio and Lil’ John Buttera got into a, shall we say, friendly discussion about which end of the Golden State produced the best street rods. Southern Californian Buttera ribbed Brizio, who was from South San Francisco, about how the Bay Area cars were “average” mechanically but were topped by outstanding paint jobs to make them seem more special. Brizio, in turn, said L.A. turned out trick show cars that couldn’t be driven very far. One thing led to another and (so the story goes) the discussion devolved into a “my new car will be better than your new car” challenge. At the 1973 Street Rod Nationals (or so the story goes), rod builders Andy Brizio and Lil’ John Buttera got into a, shall we say, friendly discussion about which end of the Golden State produced the best street rods. Southern Californian Buttera ribbed Brizio, who was from South San Francisco, about how the Bay Area…

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Added by Michael Thies on July 17, 2014 at 6:38pm — No Comments

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Judge Spotlight: Honoring the People Behind the Awards, by Mike Thies

Judge Spotlight: Honoring the People Behind the Awards, by Mike Thies

I believe my Blog provides an excellent platform to recognize the dedicated, long-term judges who support the car hobby and events throughout the country. Some have contributed decades of service while judging several major events every year. Their knowledge, fairness and willingness to share what they have learned help preserve the integrity of concours judging. I invite…

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Posted by Michael Thies on September 15, 2026 at 5:36am

A Bite of the Market -Collector Car Trends for the Next Six Months by Mike Thies

A Bite of the Market -Collector Car Trends for the Next Six Months by Mike Thies

As I am appraising vehicles, many folks ask me what the future holds. I tell here what I tell them. So often I am too close to the "real metal" to have much of a crystal ball and it's not my strength, anyway. However, when I stand back and do the research, sometimes a cloudy picture does come through. It seems to me that the last…

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Posted by Michael Thies on August 27, 2026 at 4:00am

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