Beatniks Koolsville

Garage Magazine Number Six ran a featured story on the Beatniks CC.

James Hetfield's 1936 Ford 5-Window Coupe

Dennis McPhail's 1960 Ford Fairlane of Wellington, Kansas. Restyled by Hooligan Hot Rods and Jeff Myers the build was completed in 2010.

James Hetfield's 1937 Lincoln Zephyr - "Voodoo Priest"of Downey, California, was built by Rick Dore at RD Kustoms in 2012.

Brad Masterson's 1951 Chevrolet Fleetline, of Lynwood, California was completed in 2007.

Gary Fioto's 1955 Ford - The Beatnik

Mario Colalillo's 1959 Cadillac - WildCad.

Roger Trawick's 1962 Buick Electra, the Electracutioner, of Yorba Linda, California. Roger is a member of the Beatniks car club, and his Buick was restyled by fellow Beatniks member David Hitchinson. The build was completed in 2015.

The Beatniks of Koolsville car club was founded by Jack Rudy, Steve Bonge and a few other friends in 1992. According to an article about the club in Garage Magazine Number Six, the members wanted to form a club that stood out in the crowd and reflected their way of life. They officially donned the royal purple club color at the 1992 Paso Robles Memorial Day Car Show. Jack Rudy created the logo, complete with the "Kolsville" native city in his own patented style. "I always liked the Beatniks from the late Fifties," Jack told Garage Magazine. "They were all about being cool and we just thought that would be a great thing to base a car club on." From the beginning, the club was populated by some heavyweight talents in the Low Brow art scene. Being an artist was not mandatory though. What was required, to be a member in good standing, was a car. A good car. You also had to be heavily tattooed and you had to live and look like a true Beatnik. According to Von Franco, the members like to live live like the original Beats; "No rules. We live the way we want to." A bohemian lifestyle, as the bohemian lives moment to moment, without a care in the world.

Past and Present Members

Alex Gambino
Brad Masterson
Dave Hitch
Dennis McPhail
Gary "Chopit" Fioto
Jack Rudy
James Hetfield
Jeff Myers
Mario Colalillo
Rick Dore
Roger Trawick
Steve Bonge
Von Franco

Club Cars

Dennis McPhail's 1960 Ford Fairlane
Roger Trawick's 1962 Buick Electra - The Electracutioner