Hasta La Ideas

How a breed of obsessive mechanics and craftsmen are turning out vintage-inspired modern automobiles

The resurgence of handcrafted objects has spread from fashion to electronics to spirits—you can listen to vinyl LPs while wearing reissued Levi’s 1947 501s and sipping small-batch local bourbon in almost any city in America—but bespoke craft has largely eluded the auto industry. Sure, you can’t throw a rock in a mall parking lot without hitting a retro-inspired muscle car, and some manufacturers have made bolt-on aftermarket “customization” as easy as assembling an IKEA bookshelf, but theoretically, something can only be so unique when it’s being mass-produced for global distribution. On the other hand, vintage models give rise to safety concerns and lack the power of modern technology.

Thankfully, there is an emerging middle ground between the unique excitement of a vintage machine and the reliability of a modern one. More commonly seen in motorcycles that automobiles, a few small companies have emerged in the last few years to fill the gap. These 21st-century coachbuilders offer a product that is custom-built for each owner, a one-of-a-kind piece of drivable art for those who appreciate obsessive craftsmanship.

You’ve probably heard of the DeLorean Motor Company, maker of the legendary DMC-12. The original DMC folded in 1982, but a new DeLorean Motor Company was started in Texas in 1995 to support the 6,000 or so owners of the original cars. The new DeLorean has reached beyond just a parts clearinghouse—for around $60,000 they will build you a brand new deadstock DMC-12. You can keep it stock of course, but DeLorean will happily install satellite radio, iPod interfaces, GPS and Bluetooth for an additional cost. They also offer upgrades to the performance of the engine and suspension, which we’d recommend—the original DMC-12 managed a 0-60 time of about 10.5 seconds, just a bit slower than the 1991 Toyota Corolla. For those of you eager to drive the true car of the future, starting in 2013, customers will be able to order an all-electric version of the DMC-12. A perfect match for your Nike Mags.

If your tastes are more performance-based, and you already own a Porsche 911 in need of some modification, Singer Vehicle Design (SVD) has a proposition for you. Using Cosworth engines and new composite bodies from Aria, Singer re-imagines a customer’s existing 911 into a machine that looks iconic and actually outperforms its modern brethren. SVD collaborates directly with artisans, craftsmen and small manufacturers in Southern California to custom-build each car to the owner’s specifications and intended use.

The classic air-cooled engines can run from a sprightly 300hp touring model all the way up to a 4.0L, 400HP track monster. The interiors are refinished in new leather upholstery and beautifully minimal dashes that match the mechanical excellence under the hood. Bespoke quality comes at a cost, of course—SVD’s recreations will run from $190,000 to more than $300,000, and you still need to supply the original 964-body 911. And while Porsche purists might raise an eyebrow at a modern 911 that looks like it was built in 1971, you’ll be looking at them in your (hand-crafted) rear-view mirror.

By far the most intense of this new breed of bespoke auto craftsmen, ICON began as a Toyota LandCruiser restoration company that quickly shifted into an obsession with building more perfect versions of classic 4 x 4s like the Jeep CJ and Toyota FJ. In fact, ICON’s FJ44 is high on Cool Hunting’s list of vehicles we’d want during the Apocalypse.

The most exciting truck to come from ICON is their newest, the ICON Bronco, a faithful, if burly, reinterpretation of the cult-favorite 1966-77 Ford Broncos. ICON owner Jonathan Ward worked directly with Ford’s rockstar designer Camilo Pardo and Nike and Frog Design to re-imagine one of Ford’s most classic sport utility vehicles.

Utilizing an all-new reproduction Bronco bodyshell from Ford supplier Dynacorn, the ICON Bronco has the handsome good looks of the original, without being cloyingly retro. Under the hood, the Bronco is powered by Ford’s new 5.0L V8 that is currently in the 2012 Mustang GT, doubling the original’s 205HP. Other modern upgrades include a Parrot in-dash stereo running Android, military-grade LED lighting throughout, and a heavy-duty winch hidden in the front bumper. Everywhere you look you find obsessively rebuilt parts, like door lock knobs machined from solid aluminum instead of cheap plastic. About the only complaint we have is the loss of the original gauge design, but we’re nostalgic that way. For an exhaustive look at the making of the ICON Bronco, head over to Car Domain.

These newly reengineered vintage vehicles from DeLorean, Singer Vehicle Design and ICON are an obsessive, loving homage to the halcyon days of automobile production, and offer today’s independent driver exciting alternatives to the status quo of another all-wheel-drive supercar or mass-produced rockhopper. While none of these options come cheap, the amount of skill and labor that goes into making each one can justify the cost as buying more than just another car. Now that Ford is licensing full-body reproductions of their 1960s and ’70s Mustangs, we can only hope that this trend will continue to thrive.

Exclusive hand-crafted blade from Oklahoman steel master

There is a deep-rooted bond between human beings and blades, born from our mysterious history roaming the cave systems of France and the jungles in southeast Asia. The knife is one of our simplest tools, but is still extremely important. When one feels a properly made blade with perfectly balanced steel at their fingertips, the recognition is instantaneous. We recently got to check out the Sodbuster pocket knife, hand-crafted by Gene Wiseman exclusively for
Kaufmann Mercantile. Not only does this knife exude quality, its functional design is intended to wear through the ages.

Wiseman, who spent a large part of his life working steel for horseshoes, took his first foray into knife-making several years ago. His years of experience on small-batch production runs paid off, sharpening his extreme attention to detail. Wiseman makes his blades one by one in a trailer-sized space in the woods of Oklahoma, along the Arkansas border. Each knife takes two days to finish and everything is crafted by hand, down to the pins holding the knife together.

The Sodbuster pocket knife will get you through a tough situation, but with a blade sporting an unprecedented level of elegance. The hard canvas micarta handle stands up to anything while offering a perfect balance of traction and texture, and, along with a 2 3/4 inch D-2 tool-grade steel blade, makes for a knife that feels wonderful in your hand and isn’t too bulky in the pocket. The knife is fixed together with a brass washer and a steel pivot pin, whose contrasting metals enhance the rugged look and overall appeal.

The G.Wiseman Sodbuster is available exclusively from
Kaufmann Mercantile for $330.

A delicious day in the life and land of Nudo’s collaborative community

Since we covered Nudo’s “adopt-an-olive-tree” program a few years back, we’ve been repeatedly impressed by their commitment to bridging the gap between consumers and their food. With a global community of adoptive tree “parents” as well as a localized community of collaborative growers, the Nudo family goes far beyond their fields and presses. It’s a close community as well, with owners traveling to visit their trees and help with the harvest. The farm-to-table connection results in an olive oil that bears the innovative personality of those involved. On a recent visit to Le Marche as the brand’s guest, we met the trees, farmers, and olive millers who define Nudo Italia.

Beginning our day of immersion we left Casal Dei Fichi—our residence for the visit—early for the olive groves. Driving through Le Marche, it’s easy to become hypnotized by the textures of the trees and vines that decorate the landscape like massive bolts of corduroy. We arrived at Rosalio, the Nudo groves, where we picked and raked olives from the branches, which were collected and gathered on nets that ran down the hillside. When asked whether olives could be eaten straight from the tree, Nudo’s founder Jason Gibb explained that fresh olives are extremely bitter and even peppery (I tried one anyway. He was right.). He then told a story about a tree that grew by a cove, its olives falling into the sea. Washed in the seawater over time, the olives were found and enjoyed by a passerby—the reported discovery of brining. Gibb’s story fits with the Rosalio vibe, which is itself a kind of Italian fairy tale.

Leaving the groves by mid-morning, we arrived at the Corradini olive press to make lemon olive oil. Our freshly harvested olives were separated from their twigs and leaves, washed and sent into a basin where three granite wheels pulverized the fruit. Lemons were tossed whole into the mash, which let off a citrus scent of the infusion at work. After an extended cold mixing and going through a series of centrifugal presses, the oil was finally extracted and bottled, ready to be consumed after sitting for a month. This modern pressing process minimizes the olive paste’s exposure to air ensuring optimal freshness and the brightest possible flavor.

Gibb explained that the press charges by weight, so many farmers harvest later in the year when the olives are lighter, having begun to desiccate on the tree. He also notes that older growers prefer the traditional nylon press, which is more of an open-air process that results in an oil that goes rancid more quickly. Tasting oils produced in both the new and old ways I found the difference to be remarkable—olives pressed in the traditional manner had a much more basic, even blurry flavor. Nudo harvests their olives when they are just becoming ripe, paying a higher price to produce a better product.

Lunch came courtesy of Nudo collaborator Paolo Beretta and his wife Paola. The two run an “agriturismo” in Cossignano called Fiorano, where they grow olives for oil and grapes for wine production. Beretta worked most of his career as a dentist—a detail that’s evident in his impeccably maintained groves, vines and wine production facilities. Paola prepared our lunch alongside her mother, who were the keepers of a transcendental stuffed olive recipe that they were kind enough to share with us (see below).

Their “Olive Ascolane” was a delightful appetizer alongside the Fiorano wine. The olives were stuffed, then battered and fried in a mix of the family’s extra virgin olive oil and sunflower oil. The fleshy “tenera ascolana” olives are favored in this rustic dish, which is named for the town of Ascoli Piceno. The piping hot morsels were filled with mortadella and parmesan cheese, as well as minced turkey, beef, and pork.

Our route to dinner in the charming village of Loro Piceno was met with a pleasant interruption at Peppe Cotto, the local butcher. The unrestrained character of Piceno serenaded us with a pigskin trumpet—which complimented his bowtie, also made of pigskin—as he served up vino cotto, or cooked wine, with a wheel of sausage on the rim of the glass.

Before leaving, he found time to give a live performance of a composition that was written on a sheet of dried skin. His fat sculptures were truly mesmerizing, decorating the display case with familiar characters and animals. Of all his eccentric performances, it was the puppet show enacted with the carcass of a chicken that left us reeling on the way out the door.

Visiting this community made the experience of tasting Nudo’s product even more special. As a region with a blossoming agriturismo business, it’s a definite destination to add to any foodie’s vacation wish list. In the mean time, to get a taste for yourself, check out Paola’s mother’s recipe for “Olive Ascolane” after the jump.

Photography by Josh Rubin and Masiar Pasquali

Olive ascolane

Ingredients for 4

“Tenera ascolana” olives

Pork—200g/7oz

Turkey breast—200g/7oz

Beef—200g/7oz

Mortadella—100g/3.5oz

Parmesan—80g/2.8oz

Eggs—4

White wine—1 glass

Nutmeg—to taste

Salt—to taste

Pepper—to taste

Bread crumbs—as required

Flour—as required

Extra virgin olive oil—as required

Sunflower oil—as required

Brown the chopped meat in a pan with a little oil, add salt and pepper and drizzle with white wine. Cover as soon as the wine has boiled away and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Place the cooked meat in an oven dish with the finely chopped Mortadella, the grated Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, a whole egg and a yolk. Mince finely with a chopping knife or with the mixer until smooth and thick. Stone the olives by cutting off the flesh in a spiral—start at the top of the olive and try to cut the flesh off in one piece. Take a piece of meat about the size of the original olive in your hand, roll into a ball and spiral the flesh of one olive around it. Then dip the ball first in the flour, then the beaten eggs and finally the bread crumbs. Do this for all the olives. Heat up the extra virgin olive and sunflower oils until boiling and deep fry the balls until golden brown. Serve hot or warm as a nice starter.

The only bottle of Remy Martin’s most advanced cognac in the U.S. up for the bidding

The landscape has changed when it comes to the exclusivity of luxury brands, and with a label like Rémy Martin, it’s easy to become distracted by the hype that rap moguls and film directors shower on the venerable cognac. While the brand caters to an impressive range of clientele, from Charles de Gaulle to Jay-Z, in the end it’s the spirit itself that matters. In anticipation of the auction of the three-liter “Le Jeroboam” bottle valued at $26,000, we sat down with the cellar master herself to discuss what makes Louis XIII so special.

Pierrette Trichet is the fourth cellar master in the history of the company, and the first woman to hold the position. With a background in biology and biochemistry, the young Trichet began in the Rémy Martin laboratory, over time learning the difficult task of putting words to aromas. Trichet defines the art of cognac-making as a human science, and recognizes that her well-trained nose is capable of much more than even the most advanced scientific equipment. Creating the blends based on her distinct tastes, she does so with the full confidence of the company, which will occasionally give her blind taste-tests to make sure her palate remains on-point. Louis XIII is the masterful upshot of her unique ability. The special blend is comprised of 1,200 individual eaux-de-vie that are first aged anywhere from 40-100 years and then added to a tiercon that will house the mix for another hundred years—which means Trichet will never taste the matured blend she is currently making.

Up for auction is a crystal decanter numbered 13—a nod to Louis XIII—out of the 100 that were made. The only bottle currently available in the U.S., it’s an enlarged version of the brand’s classic shape, which was made to replicate a metal gourd found by Rémy Martin’s grandson at the site of a 16th-century battlefield. Inside the bottle’s limousin oak coffret is a wine master’s pipette to simulate the tasting experience, four custom crystal glasses by furniture designer Cristophe Pillet, a book illustrating the Louis XIII legacy and an invitation for the buyer and four guests to attend a tasting at the house of Rémy Martin.

Benefits from the auction go to the Ruby Peck Foundation for Children’s Education. The auction begins on 25 November 2011, and can be accessed via the auction site .

Checking in with the “nose” behind the Italian label’s first perfume

As anyone who’s sought a signature scent knows, selecting the right one is much harder than it seems. From the balance of notes and allusions to something that stands out from the crowd, perfume bears the burden of channeling the most poetic aspect of personal style. Imagine then the task of coming up with Bottega Veneta’s first scent.

That was the job put to Michel Almairac, the famous perfumer behind Bottega Veneta Parfum. His solution elegantly marries the heritage of the label with the history of perfumery itself by inventing a leather smell based on the tanneries in Grasse, France—the world’s perfume capital since the 18th century that’s also home to many tanneries, due to the abundance of water. The scent evokes this essence of Grasse as well as the luxurious aroma of well-tanned leather, an important distinction Almairac made from poorly-tanned leather that can “smell like a goat.”

This particular leather scent (which now solely belongs to Bottega) is the big innovation, but we also learned a new bit of perfume vocabulary when we had the chance to meet Almairac in Paris recently. Chypre, based on the smell of Cyprus, defines the structure of a scent that pairs citrus with florals and more woodsy base-notes. After consulting with Bottega’s Creative Director Tomas Maier (no outside tests were done), this chypre takes form with Italian bergamot, Indian patchouli, Indian Sambac jasmine and Brazilian pink peppercorns.

The result of this “weaving of scent,” inspired by the brand’s level of craftsmanship, as Michel puts it, “smells like Bottega Veneta.” It has a remarkable consistency that, for those of us who have been wearing it for a few weeks now, has elicited many compliments. This strength comes from the kind of absolute elegance for which Maier is known.

Comparing the art of making perfume to cooking, Almairac describes how it’s the little details that make the difference when it comes to blending ingredients that compliment each other perfectly, creating a sense of mystery by combining new things. While he explained that sometimes you can’t oversimplify and need to add more, that was not the case with this perfume. The other key factor comes from new methods of extraction and manufacturing scents, as well as artisanal, quality ingredients, including handmade bases—resulting in what is the most expensive perfume Almairac has made in terms of ingredients.

Having such a success on their first outing, Bottega Veneta seems poised to create more scents in the future. It’s easy to imagine a less floral version for men from this base, and Almairac confirmed there’s “room for a family.” For now, we have to be content with this perfume, which is now available at stores in a gorgeous Murano glass bottle. The line sells from Bottega’s newly-revamped site, starting at $65 for a 30-milliliter bottle.

Contributions by Ami Kealoha and Evan Orensten