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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- When it comes to color, no one can touch "Junior. The famous auto painter (full name Hershel Conway), who is being honored at the California Hot Rod Reunion, Oct. 6-8, Bakersfield, has been called the "Picasso of the Parking Lot" and the "Raphael of the Road" by none other than Sports Illustrated. As the youngest member of the staff at the legendary Barris Kustom shop in Lynwood, Calif. in the mid- 1950s, he was tagged by George Barris with the nickname "Junior" and it stuck. He worked on many of the era's most famous custom cars and his own customized '50 Ford was featured on numerous magazine covers. Striking it big on his own, he has operated Junior's House of Color for more than 40 years. He's painted such legendary race cars as two Corvettes for the late "Big John" Mazmanian, dragsters for Adams and Rasmussen, Dean Lowe's street roadster, and the Stone, Woods and Cook Mustang. When the custom car craze began to fade in the late '60s, Junior transferred his know- how and craftsmanship to paintwork on Porsches, Ferraris and other high- end models for customers such as Steve McQueen, Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno. Occasionally he's given the opportunity to return to his roots and in 1994 he painted Joe MacPherson's Chrisman-built "Infinity Flyer" named America's Most Beautiful Roadster at the Grand National Roadster Show. To Junior, perfection is more than a word: it's a way of life. 1. How does it feel to be named an Honoree at the 15th annual California Hot Rod Reunion? Junior Conway: I was shocked and surprised to be honored like this. It's amazing to me that people remember so many of the famous cars I was involved with. When you're doing the work you have no idea that 20 or 30 years down the road those cars will be part of hot rodding history. There were a lot of great race car painters out there like George Cerny Jr., Joe Andersen and Bill Carter and its gratifying to receive this honor. 3. Are you surprised that people remember your work? Conway: As I said before, when you're doing the work you're never looking ahead. When I was a kid working at Barris' I think I knew that the Ala Kart was so far ahead that it would be remembered. But, I painted "Chili" Catallo's '32 coupe and never dreamed that it would be a part of history as "The Little Deuce Coupe" from the Beach Boys album. 3. What are some of your fondest memories from your career? Conway: I think seeing your work appear on the cover of magazines is a big thrill. When I started winning "Best Paint" awards in major car shows, that was a thrill. It's just like in racing. Winning motivates you and makes you want to do something better and better. You have to be teased by winning once in a while. When I painted "Big John" Mazmanian's Corvette, it was one of the best looking race cars out there and people like Dean Lowe (Winternationals and show-winning '29 roadster pickup) and John Rasmussen brought me their race cars to paint. Tony Nancy (1997 CHRR Honoree) introduced me to Steve McQueen and he had me re-paint his Ferrari that he had painted by someone else and wasn't happy with. So when you start doing work on that caliber of car for that caliber of people it makes you focus on being the best you can be. 4. What does the Reunion mean to you? Conway: What amazed me about the Reunions, both here and in Kentucky is the enthusiasm shown by the participants and spectators alike. People are doing what they do for the pure love of it and doing it from the heart. It's great seeing people like Ed Pink, Art Chrisman and John Rasmussen that I knew in the early days still enthusiastically part of all this. It's amazing to see cars that you never dreamed still existed on display and in the Cacklefest that are being so beautifully restored. It takes me back to the days when the unique appearance of each car at the drags was as much a part of it as the performance 5. Do you still follow drag racing? What do you think of today's drivers? Conway: I try to go to the Winternationals and Auto Club Finals with my grandson. The performance levels are beyond belief. And now it's a professional sport that we never dreamed it would become back in the days when two or three guys with decent jobs could team up and build a Top Fuel car. But, I really admire someone like John Force who can manage everything it takes to race at his level and make it all work.
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