West Hollywood, California 1970’s I must admit I have always been a retro nostalgist. I perpetually think prior eras were far more interesting than the current. However, I avoid many of the fashion trends of such eras. Even though it may be cool, it’s hard to emulate the 1970’s Country Rock Desperado look when you are built like an out of shape tight end. But I still let my mind drift in and out of imaginary scenarios. This picture is really intriguing. Look at all those Dumpers! I don’t have an exact date on this image other than “Early 70s”. But all those whips clearly function as archaeological indicators. And you can see the Whiskey A Go Go in the rear occupying some legendary real estate. This was Sunset Blvd when Dumpers and glittered call girls owned the night. What were my parents doing when this was taken? What were your parents doing when this was taken? I think that gas station is still there. It seems like a world away from the LA I know. But it really was not all that different. Nevertheless, culture and society were markedly different at this time. Our rational mind can tell us its no better or worse, and that we must simply optimize the here and now. But I can’t lie. The aesthetic grandeur and free wheeling openness of that time leave me with more than just a little curiosity.

West Hollywood, California 1970’s

I must admit I have always been a retro nostalgist. I perpetually think prior eras were far more interesting than the current. However, I avoid many of the fashion trends of such eras. Even though it may be cool, it’s hard to emulate the 1970’s Country Rock Desperado look when you are built like an out of shape tight end. But I still let my mind drift in and out of imaginary scenarios.

This picture is really intriguing. Look at all those Dumpers! I don’t have an exact date on this image other than “Early 70s”. But all those whips clearly function as archaeological indicators. And you can see the Whiskey A Go Go in the rear occupying some legendary real estate. This was Sunset Blvd when Dumpers and glittered call girls owned the night. What were my parents doing when this was taken? What were your parents doing when this was taken? I think that gas station is still there. It seems like a world away from the LA I know. But it really was not all that different. Nevertheless, culture and society were markedly different at this time. Our rational mind can tell us its no better or worse, and that we must simply optimize the here and now. But I can’t lie. The aesthetic grandeur and free wheeling openness of that time leave me with more than just a little curiosity.

1 week ago

Body Dumper Icon: Fred Dryer

This is the ultimate example of mid 80’s hard ass Dumper pushing. “Hot Pursuit Part 1” was the name of this episode from the television show Hunter. “Hot Pursuit” is a sick title, but those Dumper peel outs brah….  game over. Fred Dryer was a pro football player who became a Hollywood stick man. Although he never made it big in the feature film ranks, his mark on network prime time lives on forever. I used to watch this show when I was young. It was a staple of my evening youth. I had as much admiration for Hunter busting punks as I did for Bill Cosby’s humor.

It’s very important to take notes on this clip. Sick Dumper peel outs with hubcaps flying off first come to mind. But don’t underestimate the cinematic strength of Hunter putting the gumball siren on the hood. Just as monster as the gum ball placement is the BD chassis sway. Watch the frames drop 2 feet when they start swerving, all that loose sheet metal flopping back and forth. This is what dreams are made of. Even though this was the mid 80’s there are still so many texbook BDs in circulation.  Watch all those pedestrians do Dumper swerves as Hunter closes in. Priceless. I think it’s fitting that he is driving the best BD on screen: Sinister smooshed era pony with a green finish only known to exist in hell. Monster.

1 month ago

Body Dumper Track for Week of June 21, 2010

This week’s Body Dumper anthem is “Love On My Brain” by Jim Ford. It was on his 1969 album “Harlan County”. I love this song, It sounds strikingly similar to Van Morrison and that may not be an accident. The question is: Who influenced (ripped off) who? That does not matter when you are driving with an angel faced squirrel and this one comes on.

It’s a tremendous jam for sunny day, freedom fighting, late 1960’s Dumper drives. The kind of song that would accompany your ride to Woodstock or the food Co-Op.  People with the purest intentions doing drugs for the right reasons. It’s a beautiful song. Enjoy this one. If you’re interested in reading more about Jim Ford, I suggest an awesome blog post on Los Angeles based Aquarium Drunkard:

http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/2008/07/31/jim-ford-harlan-county-1969/

1 month ago
San Diego, California Nathan Beale with a sick Caddy shot for us. This one is very similar to the one seen in the Bowie movie “The Man Who Fell to Earth.” You have to tread lightly with a Dumper in cherry condition like this. It can easily be mistaken for a classic car. But there came a point roughly after 1967, when classic car was no longer an option. After that you simply drove a Dumper. The only question became how clean it was. There’s something to be said for a Dumper found solo on the edge of a parking lot. It’s really the most comfortable place for a Dumper, smothered in solitude. Empty parking lots have a really great effect when used as the backdrop for a Dumper shot. However, there is nothing better than finding one parked on a country road all by it’s lonesome. Those are the million dollar Dumper shots. We would all be blessed to get some desolate country road Dumper pics. This one seems like it’s Grandma’s Dumper. She’s whipping on the 163 in San Diego, chiefing menthol cigarettes with the AC on, windows up. Grandma’s not the bean bag ashtray type though. She is far more refined. There are long, measured puffs off her grits while always keeping her eyes on the road. There’s a long crooked ash just waiting to fall on her flower patterned blouse. But it never does. She leans over and always finds the ashtray. Grandma makes it home just in time for a stiff Manhattan and the A side of her favorite Frank record.

San Diego, California

Nathan Beale with a sick Caddy shot for us. This one is very similar to the one seen in the Bowie movie “The Man Who Fell to Earth.” You have to tread lightly with a Dumper in cherry condition like this. It can easily be mistaken for a classic car. But there came a point roughly after 1967, when classic car was no longer an option. After that you simply drove a Dumper. The only question became how clean it was.

There’s something to be said for a Dumper found solo on the edge of a parking lot. It’s really the most comfortable place for a Dumper, smothered in solitude. Empty parking lots have a really great effect when used as the backdrop for a Dumper shot. However, there is nothing better than finding one parked on a country road all by it’s lonesome. Those are the million dollar Dumper shots. We would all be blessed to get some desolate country road Dumper pics.

This one seems like it’s Grandma’s Dumper. She’s whipping on the 163 in San Diego, chiefing menthol cigarettes with the AC on, windows up. Grandma’s not the bean bag ashtray type though. She is far more refined. There are long, measured puffs off her grits while always keeping her eyes on the road. There’s a long crooked ash just waiting to fall on her flower patterned blouse. But it never does. She leans over and always finds the ashtray. Grandma makes it home just in time for a stiff Manhattan and the A side of her favorite Frank record.

1 month ago
Canoga Park, California Topanga Canyon Blvd. Call me back! This will be the first picture used in the Body Dumper postcard series. We will be printing them next week and they should be available in the retail shop soon. Just joking. Although, this certainly could and should be a postcard. Danny has been getting so monster in June that he has earned street team member of the month honors. It’s not even close. So before you start sending the hate mail and camping outside my apartment….just forget it. This was a groovy shot taken on Topanga, just the other side of the mountains in the San Fernando valley. I think Danny was on his way to see his grandma. Awww! Timeless would not be an adequate description of this submission. What’s even sicker is the Dumper seen just the other side of the whip in question. A legendary 2 for 1 was missed. It almost tricks me in to believing this picture was not taken recently. I’m taken right back to an Elk’s Lodge parking lot in 1976. A red faced, whiskey nosed salesman is getting pickled before he meets his mistress at a Ventura Boulevard motel. A few bouts of degenerative disease laughing with his cronies and he is off. It’s  not a scenario that reflects moral inspiration. But mid 70’s Dumper drives for a motel Side Pork(SP) were far from uncommon.

Canoga Park, California

Topanga Canyon Blvd. Call me back! This will be the first picture used in the Body Dumper postcard series. We will be printing them next week and they should be available in the retail shop soon. Just joking. Although, this certainly could and should be a postcard. Danny has been getting so monster in June that he has earned street team member of the month honors. It’s not even close. So before you start sending the hate mail and camping outside my apartment….just forget it. This was a groovy shot taken on Topanga, just the other side of the mountains in the San Fernando valley. I think Danny was on his way to see his grandma. Awww!

Timeless would not be an adequate description of this submission. What’s even sicker is the Dumper seen just the other side of the whip in question. A legendary 2 for 1 was missed. It almost tricks me in to believing this picture was not taken recently. I’m taken right back to an Elk’s Lodge parking lot in 1976. A red faced, whiskey nosed salesman is getting pickled before he meets his mistress at a Ventura Boulevard motel. A few bouts of degenerative disease laughing with his cronies and he is off. It’s  not a scenario that reflects moral inspiration. But mid 70’s Dumper drives for a motel Side Pork(SP) were far from uncommon.

1 month ago

San Diego, California

Mark Murino has been making calls backs. Literally. He’s also been smashing it with proper BD photo journalism. So much in fact, that guys selling elastic waist-band leather jackets(EWBLJs), out of their trunks in Chula Vista are getting nervous. But those guys always smash it. Mark was able to get monster with a sick 2 for 1 Dumper special here. It’s some of his earliest work, but I think it’s just the beginning. He has made the schematic shift in his brain to recognize the true essence of sheet metal and big trunks. He is one of many. However, it’s the unique Dumper enthusiasm he provides that makes his submissions priceless.

These Dumpers are pressed together like two lovers. It’s believed they belong to the same owner. We see a real sick smooshed era rust bucket stuffed with garbage in the back seat. No doubt there is a copy of an old Union Tribune in there. Maybe this is bro’s beater. His luxury whip sits quietly in front. It offers a more stoic and measured side of his character. A date with a dame perhaps. Or slow drives to Von’s fully utilize its skill set. Either way a Dumper arsenal is pretty stick man.

It’s important to acknowledge that the 2 for 1 Dumper sighting is rare. I have only ever seen one. And I certainly have received no others. Another example of how Mark struck gold. One Dumper is special. But when you have 2 like that it’s a different type of Dumper Chi. Your destiny is already manifesting monster Dumper encounters. It’s intense to think about what the future may bring.



1 month ago

Body Dumper Track for Week of June 14, 2010

You better put a jock strap on for this one. It may be too much for some of you. “Sweet Morning Light” by Weed is our BD anthem for this week. It’s from their only release, a self titled album in 1971. This song seemed to follow Danny’s most recent submission quite nicely. It’s an acknowledgment of the mornings ability to inspire. It’s absolutely savage. Weed features the legendary Ken Hensley on guitar, vocals, and organ. Hensley achieved recognition with Uriah Heep in the 1970’s as a first class headbanger. But this is by far his heaviest work. This song features incredibly monster organ grooves. But impossible to overlook are the face melting leads. Which are so sick, they leave you stumbling towards a toilet. The bass certainly does not help while on your way to the bathroom either. This one is mainstay in my rock n’ roll fantasy catalog. I assume all of you will find it monster.

1 month ago
Would You Like to Join The bodydumpers.com Street Team? I thought you would. We can never have too many pictures of BDs. So anytime you have a sick rendezvous with a Dumper, please capture an image for us. All efforts are tremendously appreciated. I must say we do prefer pictures which avoid license plate numbers. If it’s possible we would love to know your name, where the Dumper was seen, and any background info that lead you to that encounter. Perhaps you were looking for your town’s best buffet eatery. Or maybe you needed the bathroom so bad a diaper became essential. Whatever the case, please keep us in your hearts and minds. Send all Body Dumper submissions to bodydumpers@gmail.com.

Would You Like to Join The bodydumpers.com Street Team?

I thought you would. We can never have too many pictures of BDs. So anytime you have a sick rendezvous with a Dumper, please capture an image for us. All efforts are tremendously appreciated. I must say we do prefer pictures which avoid license plate numbers. If it’s possible we would love to know your name, where the Dumper was seen, and any background info that lead you to that encounter. Perhaps you were looking for your town’s best buffet eatery. Or maybe you needed the bathroom so bad a diaper became essential. Whatever the case, please keep us in your hearts and minds. Send all Body Dumper submissions to bodydumpers@gmail.com.

1 month ago
Los Angeles, California Once the bodydumpers.com coffee table book comes out, this one will just say “God’s Dumper” at the top of the page. Call me back. Again, we get Danny’s best effort: A proper monster sick elevado Dumper. Danny has really been breaking hearts lately with all of his treasured finds.This submission is a lesson in Body Dumper destiny. You could drive thousands of miles and never find another one like this. I suppose you might find a comparable Dumper. But you could never replicate that warm ambient light tickling finite portions of the sheet metal. It’s a once in a lifetime thing. How could you ever know a routine drive to work would lead to the discovery of such a heavyweight BD? If there is a God, this certainly would be his Dumper of choice. I think that’s clearly indicated by the ambient glow in the distance. We see what might be a stripped finish longing for a new paint job. There are areas near the wheels where restoration efforts may have lost steam. The sweet morning light has not quite climbed all of her sheet metal. This creates an unbelievable effect on the lower portion of our front view. The wheels still trapped in the depths of foul play. They are black holes leading us back to the scene of the crime. It’s simply unreal. The collective neglect of this Dumper is accented nicely by the sagging upholstery inside. We bare witness to a divine encounter. But much like Richard Dreyfuss in “Close Encounters”, only Danny really knows what this was like.

Los Angeles, California

Once the bodydumpers.com coffee table book comes out, this one will just say “God’s Dumper” at the top of the page. Call me back. Again, we get Danny’s best effort: A proper monster sick elevado Dumper. Danny has really been breaking hearts lately with all of his treasured finds.This submission is a lesson in Body Dumper destiny. You could drive thousands of miles and never find another one like this. I suppose you might find a comparable Dumper. But you could never replicate that warm ambient light tickling finite portions of the sheet metal. It’s a once in a lifetime thing. How could you ever know a routine drive to work would lead to the discovery of such a heavyweight BD?

If there is a God, this certainly would be his Dumper of choice. I think that’s clearly indicated by the ambient glow in the distance. We see what might be a stripped finish longing for a new paint job. There are areas near the wheels where restoration efforts may have lost steam. The sweet morning light has not quite climbed all of her sheet metal. This creates an unbelievable effect on the lower portion of our front view. The wheels still trapped in the depths of foul play. They are black holes leading us back to the scene of the crime. It’s simply unreal. The collective neglect of this Dumper is accented nicely by the sagging upholstery inside. We bare witness to a divine encounter. But much like Richard Dreyfuss in “Close Encounters”, only Danny really knows what this was like.

1 month ago
Seattle, Washington If images from bodydumpers.com are ever featured in the MOMA, it will be because of Ed Smith. My tired commentary about perving strange in my Civic, or finding the perfect cheeseburger will only go so far. If I ever reach that dream of staying in bed and eating Wendy’s for a living, it’s owed to our devoted street team.  Thanks to Ed, I am starting to believe it can happen. Without the efforts of BD fans, this would just be another dead end blog. It seems like we have an Early 1960’s Oldsmobile here. It may be a convertible. Most importantly, the trunk looks like it goes on forever….evoking images of salt flats in Utah or a Midwestern cornfield dusted with snow. Truly a masterful image which requires more imagination than photographic undersatnding. It’s the slightly abstract approach that takes us beyond fear and deep in to fascination. A grainy view of the front seat reveals a solemn silhouette of the wheel and upper dash. The creep factor reengages us as we drift further from the nebulous warm blanket of her white trunk. We start to piece together Body Dumper scenarios of a time long past. The routes, passengers, and intentions of this Body Dumper are plenty mysterious. This leads some of us to imagine a dark country road, The Everly Brothers playing softly, and a driver with some “impure” intentions.

Seattle, Washington

If images from bodydumpers.com are ever featured in the MOMA, it will be because of Ed Smith. My tired commentary about perving strange in my Civic, or finding the perfect cheeseburger will only go so far. If I ever reach that dream of staying in bed and eating Wendy’s for a living, it’s owed to our devoted street team.  Thanks to Ed, I am starting to believe it can happen. Without the efforts of BD fans, this would just be another dead end blog.

It seems like we have an Early 1960’s Oldsmobile here. It may be a convertible. Most importantly, the trunk looks like it goes on forever….evoking images of salt flats in Utah or a Midwestern cornfield dusted with snow. Truly a masterful image which requires more imagination than photographic undersatnding. It’s the slightly abstract approach that takes us beyond fear and deep in to fascination.

A grainy view of the front seat reveals a solemn silhouette of the wheel and upper dash. The creep factor reengages us as we drift further from the nebulous warm blanket of her white trunk. We start to piece together Body Dumper scenarios of a time long past. The routes, passengers, and intentions of this Body Dumper are plenty mysterious. This leads some of us to imagine a dark country road, The Everly Brothers playing softly, and a driver with some “impure” intentions.

1 month ago

Body Dumper Track for the Week of June 7, 2010

As a celebration of K-Mur’s efforts, I have posted “Sound and Vision” by David Bowie. Originally released in 1977 on the “Low” Album, this one represents the golden era of the Body Dumper. Huge sedans and roller skates were as common as mother’s milk. Bowie had embraced weird haircuts, making esoteric movies, and finally was able to kick his coke habit. As a result, we have one of the greatest songs ever written.

1 month ago

San Diego, California

Eligible for Dumper of the year? Maybe. Kristen “K-Mur” Murino has provided some sick photo journalism from a place least expected: San Diego’s Fashion Valley Mall. Let me say first that I see a ton of Ford Falcons. They are a popular and seemingly accessible BD in Los Angeles. It’s as if they are sold on every used car lot. But rarely do we see a Falcon with such panache and vibrance. And I suppose no BD has exemplified nationalism quite like this one.

The paint job is really not of this world. I am not sure how you create a blue like that. But something tells me it’s not professionally done. This must be the blue David Bowie speaks of in the song “Sound and Vision.” An electric blue so intense, we lose sight of any potential foul play adventures. Color is one one thing. But when you add the thick, sloppy brush strokes of a second grader, you are making a statement. Texture would not adequately describe the result on the sheet metal. We simply feel what we see and ask no further questions.

We may have a dual citizenship Dumper on our hands as well. International foul play certainly sounds sexier than just being a local creep. Or maybe I have it all wrong and this is just a classic car enthusiast. Good thing I am here to scrutinize. The Italian flag hangs proudly on the front seat. In the back seat we have the American flag displayed with equal pride. This is a unique touch unseen in any other BD submission. Ground breaking stuff from K-Mur. In total, the flags amidst that deep blue paint job, provide an authentic and remarkable image. We are privy to a color interplay not often found in the world of Body Dumpers.

I don’t think Fashion Valley is the right venue for a car like this. I am lead to believe Ocean Beach, or Venice would make a much comfier home for this one. But once again, we see BD destiny choosing us and not the other way around. K-Mur simply went to purchase summer tank tops or something of the like. And what did she get? A gift.

1 month ago
Chicago, Illinois Here is a monster effort from Joe Jags. It appears a brief vacation offered Joe more than just relaxation. First off, we have no hubcaps here. I am not sure if this wheel design is meant to be “capless”. But it further makes this Dumper seem untrustworthy. The textbook tire with no hubcap generally resembles more of a black hole than these. But they get the job done nonetheless. Joe had the presence of mind to get my favorite 3/4 angle on her. It really brings to life all of those corners. I believe this is a late 60’s model. Clearly predating the smooshed era aesthetic. That square grill and Chevy emblem add to the allure of the metallic green finish. Like the final brush stroke of a tormented painter’s masterpiece, these accents give us ominous suggestions of a BD not yet finished with its work.

Chicago, Illinois

Here is a monster effort from Joe Jags. It appears a brief vacation offered Joe more than just relaxation. First off, we have no hubcaps here. I am not sure if this wheel design is meant to be “capless”. But it further makes this Dumper seem untrustworthy. The textbook tire with no hubcap generally resembles more of a black hole than these. But they get the job done nonetheless.

Joe had the presence of mind to get my favorite 3/4 angle on her. It really brings to life all of those corners. I believe this is a late 60’s model. Clearly predating the smooshed era aesthetic. That square grill and Chevy emblem add to the allure of the metallic green finish. Like the final brush stroke of a tormented painter’s masterpiece, these accents give us ominous suggestions of a BD not yet finished with its work.

1 month ago
Ypsilanti, Michigan Cah cah cah cah call back, call me back. Once again, I am back in the epicenter of call me back culture. A cross country road trip with Luda lead me back to southeast Michigan.  The mayonnaise and Body Dumper hunting have not stopped. I was looking for a Verizon store to repair my delinquent status when I spotted this Plymouth with Tennesse plates. This is a regular occurrence for me so I was was not in a rush.  Ypsilanti is legendary for its tales of foul play. From the likes of John Norman Collins to bizarre university dorm room murders, “Ypsi” has left an indelible finger print on the genre of creepy shit. It’s a truly unique town that houses a world class university, but also brilliantly blends in rural ghetto. Clearly, it’s one of a kind. A solo Plymouth in an Auto Zone parking lot does not really inspire confidence. The Body Dumper always looks best with the back drop of an empty parking lot. It’s as if nothing else can sustain the foul play aura of such a whip. People know to move their cars away from a textbook  navy Plymouth BD. The Tennessee plates also raise questions. Did the owner of this BD know how Body Dumper friendly a place like Ypsilanti is? Makes you wonder. In any case, big trunks and sheet metal are making monster appearances in the land of the call me back.

Ypsilanti, Michigan

Cah cah cah cah call back, call me back. Once again, I am back in the epicenter of call me back culture. A cross country road trip with Luda lead me back to southeast Michigan.  The mayonnaise and Body Dumper hunting have not stopped. I was looking for a Verizon store to repair my delinquent status when I spotted this Plymouth with Tennesse plates. This is a regular occurrence for me so I was was not in a rush. 

Ypsilanti is legendary for its tales of foul play. From the likes of John Norman Collins to bizarre university dorm room murders, “Ypsi” has left an indelible finger print on the genre of creepy shit. It’s a truly unique town that houses a world class university, but also brilliantly blends in rural ghetto. Clearly, it’s one of a kind.

A solo Plymouth in an Auto Zone parking lot does not really inspire confidence. The Body Dumper always looks best with the back drop of an empty parking lot. It’s as if nothing else can sustain the foul play aura of such a whip. People know to move their cars away from a textbook  navy Plymouth BD. The Tennessee plates also raise questions. Did the owner of this BD know how Body Dumper friendly a place like Ypsilanti is? Makes you wonder. In any case, big trunks and sheet metal are making monster appearances in the land of the call me back.

1 month ago

Body Dumper Track for Week of May 24, 2010

I bet you can’t keep yourself from dancing to this one. It’s just that good. Unreal jam from Mdnight Star called “The Midas Touch”. It was released in 1986, which is the very end of legitimate Body Dumper time line. New cars were much smaller at this point. Fuel economy was a major concern and safety concerns had become paramount. But your Cuttys and Lincolns still had those big trunks. The roller rink parking lot could still see a mid 70’s sedan crawling through.

This is the era of Magic vs. Larry, the golden age of the NBA. When players hated their opponents and fans echoed that hatred in the stands. The era when “Karate Kid” had worked its way into every home in America. A time when unapologetic happiness was still marketable. Give this one a few listens. It gets better and better.

2 months ago