Mikey's Pinstriping - About Mikey's sponsored by

Custom Pinstriping, Hand Pinstriping, Texas Pinstriping, Auto Pinstriping, Hot Rods, Customizing, Automotive Psychology, Car Therapy, Business Consulting

Custom Hand Painted Pinstriping and Other Cool Stuff

MiKEY'S PINSTRIPING

read Mikey's latest automotive mental prose - "A Good Car Day"

“What makes greatness is starting something that lives after you.”

— Ralph W. Sockman

from www.Forbes.com

Mikey's Pinstriping
TX
United States
mike@mikeyspinstriping.com

About Mikey's sponsored by

"Not Perfect...Real"

“The dark side shone bright early in this ones life. From complicated birth through psychological war midst bloodlines. No certainty when mental and physical tilts on imbalance. Guesswork occupied the dark side to conquer evermore. Life committed to surviving great failure only to rise up then fall. He learnt the dangerous hustle within the dark streets of business life to exist his way. Survival is what this life is. If you want to make it, you hustle more. A way most fear to tread. Fear of success among evils of business and life where character grows. This life begets the real thing. Owning a mind for ruthless independence exists only to see success despite. The lone-wolf learns to live harmoniously within the dark. It's how to beat the fail.”

clik to see some of Mikey's rides

I was born in Houston in 1957, the oldest of a bunch of siblings with 9 real, 2 steps and one-half. All of us are basically highly-functioning dysfunctional psychos. In a good way.

I grew up with pinstriping, flames, hot rods, bikes and custom cars. Our psycho rebel Dad contributed a great deal to the insanity.

I started striping and sign painting as a business (is that what this is?) in '79 after my last real job fizzled out in Dec '78. Once I realized that I could never work for idiots, I went on my own fulltime.

What I do is called Custom Pinstriping. People say it's art, but I think of myself as a reluctant artist. I'm no artist but everyone tells me I am so that's what I do.

I view life as an ongoing line from beginning to the end and if you want boring, it's gonna be a long and straight all the way. But if you want to live a unique and exciting life then your own lines of life should never be a boring straig

Through the years, and many rough times, (that's how it's done)I've survived by hustling my artisan skill at car shows, dealers, paint & body, hot rod and custom shops and private clients all over the USA.

I've applied my handiwork to every type of vehicle on land, sea and air, from Rolls-Royces to rusty clunkers and Million dollar rides to Aircraft and boats, houses and coffins to Lamborghinis (see video) and Harley's, Handicap scooters to Canes, anitques to junk and a few things I won't mention. If it has a surface I've striped it.

In the last 30+ years, I've traveled the back roads and highways wearing out nearly 100 vehicles in the process. Myself included.

I've done tens of thousands of vehicles for everyone from Celebrities and Sports figures to Politicians and Kingpins, Granny's and Kids, Millionaires to Foodstampers and everyone in-between.

My main source of income came from the car shows and other events where large crowds gather. I can no longer do them.

I was on the car show circuit since 1980 and I've entertained tens of thousands of onlookers by applying my artistic skill to all styles of cars, some worth upwards a million dollars.

I did this while painting stripes, telling jokes, poking fun while people look on in amazement. It has been an adventurous life perfoming at over 1000 shows throughout the USA and making many freinds along the way.

All this sounds glamorous and cool but it has been a life of enduring the rough roads. I know that how it's done in business if you want to eat. It was tough but instead of quitting I kept rockin' unlike the 99%'ers who give up on their dreams because all hell breaks lose.

I managed to survive economic recessions, idiots, getting out there hustling business even when there was nothing but despair. I've endured financial hardships and spilled my guts to make people happy and their rides look cool.

This may sound like bragging but from the depths of hell I've clawed my way to reach a point very few in this obscure business will ever see.

Although my main biz is pinstriping, I've had a few body shops, a sign company, a small publishing firm, bought and sold over 300 vehicles since the age of 14, been a business consultant, and business broker, among other ventures.

If you want to make a decent living and provide for the fam, that's what you do. I believe in trying new things. Many of those business were learning lessons, a few good, more bad.

I believe it is a good thing not to keep all your "eggs" in one basket. Meaning it's a good idea to have a back-up plan when it gets tough. And it will. If I wasn't making money striping, I made sure there were signs to paint or a car or two to sell so the kids stayed fed and clothed.

I'm not the sort of individual who waits for the ship to come to him. Instead, I prefer to "swim out to the ship among the sharks".

What I learned from the mean streets of life and the insanity of business has enabled me to go out there and "get it" when times were lean. I utilized those instincts for survival and providing for a family.

This off-beat thinking has enabled me to be without a job since 1978. Although I will admit, I shoulda got a job many times.

My attitude is that you never get to where you want by quitting. You can change direction but you keep burning rubber if you want to reach the good place in life.

As for the car shows, at times they very stressful due to unforeseen circumstances and never knowing what peoples' moods will be not counting economic downturns. Even so, I have always enjoyed the car shows but now due to Diabetic complications, I'm retiring from shows striping for private clients only.

I will admit it wasn't an easy trip. I've screwed up many times on the way to self-sustaining nirvana. There were struggles and frustrations but I believe you have to go through the BS before you reach a happy desitnation. And that is just a series of steps until your horizontal.

Along the way, I've probably pissed a few people off, but I've earned the trust of thousands of customers. If there's one thing I've learned along the way it is this - you may try, but you cannot make everyone happy. That is the trade-off for "doing it your way".

That's how I do it.

People have said the I have "Stripes with an Attitude" and they be right. My clients allow me do my thing on their rides. Whether it's a new vehicle, restored classic, hot rod, custom, bike, object, daily driver or high-dollar, my customers trust me to make that vehicle their own.

In other words I will get fairly close to a preference but as an artist he does it his way. I hate copying but if you persist it will be similar, not perfect. (see disclaimer at bottom of site)

If you want one of a kind, it doesn't come from a catalog

They know I'm un-conventional. I follow no rules and they trust my judgement and style. I believe that most people do not know what they want until you show it to them. So far that method has worked well.

As many of you lready know, I've slowed down a bit due to type 2 Diabetes & Peripheral Sensory Neuropathy in my lower extremeties and a few other un-mentionables. It is tuff but as long as I'm 6' above ground every morning, I'm doing better than most.

Life is like a Car...Gotta keep shifting gears and driving forward.

What is Mikey Doing Now...

A lot of people have asked that question lately. Things have changed for me professionally and personally in the last few years due to complications from Diabetes and Diabetic Neuropathy.

If you look at my front page, mikeys asylum, that tells a lot about what is going on now with the website. I still have to make a living and instead of bumming, I've been promoting other companies who want more exposure through targeted advertising, telling their stories. Basically promoting the businesses I believe in.

I like to keep my mind busy. Even wth physical limitations I'm not one to bitch about what I cannot do and I will not wait for the Feds to give me a handout. I did that gig growing up.

Yes I'm Still Striping. Although my physical/health issues prevent me from striping cars all day like I've done since the 1970's, I still stripe for private clients.

PSYCAROLOGY

My professional career and personal life has revolved around everything automotive. I've been researching and writing on the subject for decades.

My career has lead me to doing business with tens of thousands of car owners. That has taught me a lot about the Human Automotive Condition and has helped my business because of that. It's all psychological.

Although most of it was for my own personal interest, I am now doing this work as a profession. I want to spread the gospel about the Automotive Mentality most of us are born with and how it affects the way we live.

my other website www.carisms.com covers my views on the subject.

The focus is writing about cars, the psychology of cars and how we interact with them. I've always had a fascination about why we choose a certain style of car to drive over another. I've done extensive research for the last 30 years covering the Human-Car relationship and behavioral insights. This has lead me to this point in my career.

I'm helping companies benefit from this concept. Once you understand the customers' mentality and love they have for that vehicle then you can fully serve their needs in a personal way.

I'm pursuing that topic even further.

DISCLAIMER DISCLAIMER

Everything Mikey does and presents on this website is proprietary property of Mikey's Pinstriping, CarvanCo, Carvan Partners be that business ideas publications, music, graphics, vehicle design, pinstriping, art, writing, content publishing, advertising, marketing materials, sponsorships, concepts, etc, unless otherwise noted nothing is to be copied elctronically, by hand, paint, camera, or machine without the consent of the owner and his heirs.

As for Pinstriping your vehicle Mikey will not copy designs from other sources including, media, TV, video, magazines, Internet, pictures, artwork, graphics, others' artwork, designs or anything that is not from Mikey's portfolio or mind. It is difficult enough to come up with original art and when presented with unknown Mikey tends to get a bit of an attitude because he does not like to copy. If a client insists on copying a design expect a 100% increase in price. All concepts, content, publications on this website are copyright and trademark protected proprietary properties.
Advertisers, Partners: we make no promises as to the success of our promotions, ads, and sponsoship programs in monetary value, customer gain, business profits. No refunds on advertising. Mikey's Pinstriping and its affiliates assumes no responsibility for the unintended or otherwise actions, results of advertisers, partners, sponsors on this site.

Mikey's Pinstriping
TX
United States
mike@mikeyspinstriping.com