Think before you ink
Tattoos aren't for everyone -- including some people who have them
By Dan Vierria - The Sacramento Bee January 2, 2008
OK, so you considered the consequences, weighed the pros and cons, and you're still committed to the get-a-tattoo New Year's resolution. You're ready to be inked. Or are you?

"Wild Bill" Hill, owner of Wild Bill's Tattoo in Roseville, says he abides by this rule: "I never wanted to be responsible for someone not being able to get a job because of a tattoo they can't hide." Hill, who employs 10 full-time artists and accommodated around 5,000 clients last year, won't tattoo hands, faces or necks. About 10 years ago, he says, he changed his longtime practice of not tattooing women on their arms. Times change.

Bill says “Now you can’t walk into a happening night spot with out seeing pretty girls with full sleeves or large coverage of tattoos on them. Most the time they have more than the guys their with“.

Its human nature to do things when your young with out thinking about what the long term ramifications will be. Lets face it, we have all done things on the spur of the moment when we were young that we regretted.

Over the years so many people have walked into my studio in Roseville and asked me to cover a tattoo they hate on their hands or knuckles with flesh colored ink. Even if it sounds great it just doesn’t work. The only reliable method is to have it removed with a laser. Done properly can take many sessions and be quite expensive. Costing 10 to 20 times the price of the tattoo.

Wild Bill

Before needles perforate your epidermis, are you positive all the right questions have been asked, all the pertinent information has sunk in?

Sure, tattoos are acceptable today, but body art remains a polarizing form of self-expression. The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology reports that one-quarter of U.S. adults sport at least one tattoo. In the same study, 17 percent of those with tattoos were considering having them removed.

If your profession involves working with the public, give serious thought to where you're tattooed. If it can be seen while you're fully clothed, it may be a problem. Several law enforcement agencies, including the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department, have ordered officers to cover up tattoos while on duty. Displaying tats has resulted in public complaints and fears that deputies with tattoos weren't really deputies, but felons impersonating deputies.

Mostly, only the bad guys displayed tattoos in days gone by. Outlaw bikers, prison inmates and street gangs are only a portion of today's tattooed population. If you're certain you want skin art, the following primer will help guide you through the experience.

TV and tattoos
For the uninked, TV reality shows like "Miami Ink" and "LA Ink" drop the veil of mystery about what goes on inside a tattoo shop. Like all reality shows, it's not all real, but it's close enough. Watch and learn.

Ami James of "Miami Ink" and Kat Von D of "LA Ink" are two good reasons the tattoo has reached a higher level of acceptance. The popular shows air on TLC, a basic cable channel, along with the newest spinoff, "London Ink." All focus on tattoo artists working in busy shops.

When Kat Von D left "Miami Ink" to open her own shop in "LA Ink," the premiere episode in August drew 3 million viewers, the most for a TLC series-opener in four years. That episode also was TLC's highest-rated premiere ever among people ages 18-34.

Who ya gonna call?
Ami and Kat are booked for months, so who will do the honors? Judge tattoo artists by reputation or by seeing work you really like. Ask about the artist. Visit tattoo shops and go through the portfolios of each artist to find the style you seek. Check out shop Web sites for images, artist bios and prices. Ask artists questions and watch them work. You'll want to feel comfortable with somebody who is going to leave a lasting impression on your skin.

Best time of year
Tattoo artists are busiest in the spring, especially April and May. People like to be tattooed in spring so they can show new looks in summer. Winter is a slower time for artists, and some will be more willing to negotiate prices.

How long does it take?
At an "in-and-out" shop, you can drop in without an appointment for a simple, small tattoo that can be applied in short order. Shops that specialize in complex, detailed tattoos might want to discuss and plan the image with clients, sometimes over a couple of sessions before going under the needle. Modern Body artist Alfredo Matta says the midtown shop works with clients to design unique, personal tattoos.

"They tell us what they want and we design it," he says. "They're involved with the artist and the design. We're mostly appointment only." Kevin Leary, an artist at Royal Peacock Tattoo, also in midtown, says he's already spent 30 hours on a single tattoo. "I figure about another 10 hours before it's done," he says. A big, detailed tattoo, say over the entire back, can require sessions spread out over a year or more. Session payments are spread out, too, which brings us to …

How much does it cost?
Like getting an estimate from a home-remodeling contractor, the money you'll pay for a tattoo varies. A little tattoo, say a red heart, may cost $50 to $80, but large, detailed tattoos often exceed $1,000 and are done over several sessions. An entire-back tattoo done by a top professional and in great detail may run $3,000.

Wild Bill says. "Good tattoos aren't cheap, and cheap tattoos aren't good." A top tattoo artist can charge and get $125 to $150 an hour, sometimes more. Check the shop's Web site and sample some of the fee structures.

Big or small?
Generally, tattoo artists prefer to "go big" for more detail and impact (and money). On the other hand, the American Society for Dermatological Surgery recommends smaller tattoos "with two or three colors" because they're easier to remove and conceal.

No drinkin' and inkin'
Many tattoo shops have a "No Drunks" sign prominently displayed. People under the influence of alcohol and other mind-altering substances are prone to making poor decisions, including demanding a tattoo. Wayne's Tattoo Studio in San Bruno explains its policy like this on its Web site: "No drunks or druggies, and we prefer that people bathe regularly."

Is the tattoo trend fading?
Nothing points to a decline, but if there's one thing certain about pop culture, it's always evolving, seeking out fresh ingredients for its next entree. "It appears tattoos are still really popular," says Jesse Kavadlo, an assistant professor at Maryville University in St. Louis who lectures and writes about pop culture. "What might be waning is the stigma attached to it, as more and more people in power are getting tattoos."

Removing tattoos
Tattoos should be considered permanent, which is why the decision to be tattooed is so important. There are methods to fade, hide, sometimes obliterate tattoos, but they're costly, painful and time-consuming. Tattoo removal by laser – the most common treatment – depends on size and color scheme. The laser beam breaks the pigment into small particles that eventually fade away.

Cosmeticsurgery.com says that making a small, single-color tattoo disappear might take just two sessions at $100 per session. Larger, multicolored tats could cost you $500 per treatment, and may involve additional costs, depending on where the tattoo is located and whether you'll need anesthesia.

"Yellow is the most difficult color," says Dr. Roy Geronemus, director of the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York and spokesman for the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. "There's no wavelength of light that will be absorbed by the color. Green is more resistant, too."

Tattoos can also be removed with a scalpel and "sanded" off during a treatment called dermabrasion. A new, so-called removable ink called Freedom-2 is being introduced, but many artists are reluctant to create tattoo art that may be considered temporary.

"A tattoo is a commitment you make," says Matta of Modern Body. "Removing it is demeaning to the artist."


 

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Hey Wild Bill, What the Heck is That?
... A 1964 Amphicar

World-famous tattoo artist Wild Bill Hill, of Roseville CA, was far from home looking for a Nash Metropolitan when he found this rare, amphibious vehicle.Amphib Car

It was 1964 Amphicar. His initial thought: "That's even uglier than a Nash".

With no money in hand and a rather tight budget, he made a really low offer. The owner said, "I like your face; I think you'll give it a good home". The deal was done. It take several months of payments but Wild Bill was finally able to bring the “water car” home.

The Amphicar needed a complete restoration: stripping and repainting, upholstery, rebuilding the motor-transmission, new rubber seals.

It’s now completely sealed and water tight with no leaks anywhere. The car works great on land, in the lakes or rivers. It’s unquestionably Wild Bill’s favorite car and takes it out every chance he gets.

Wild Bill started collecting cars about 20 years ago with a Model T and now has a garage full of specialty cars, including a 1915 Ford Speedster (with a matching miniature go-cart), 1932 Ford Phaeton (with a matching go-cart), 1954 Porsche Spyder, 1959 Messerschmitt, 1959 Nash Metropolitan, 1966 shortened VW Bus, 1999 Chevy flat-bed car hauler, 2002 Panoz AIV Roadster, 2005 Panoz Esperante, 1966 H-D Shovelhead (with a matching miniature), a Bobber motorcycle and 3 mini-bikes.

Amphib car
This is number 137 out of just 3,000 Amphicars built in West Germany from 1961 to 1967. But just less than 200 are known to exist in this condition worldwide. It’s the only civilian amphibious passenger automobile ever to be mass produced.

The Amphicar is equipped with water tight doors that have double locks and seals to keep out the water, a rear mounted water cooled 4-cylinder Triumph Spitfire engine producing 43 horsepower, and twin nylon propellers.

A special two-part land-and-water transmission allows the wheels and propellers to be operated either independently or simultaneously. In the water, the front wheels act as rudders. It runs 32 mpg on the road and 1 1/2 gallons per hour on the water.

It weighs 2,292 lbs. with a top speed of 7 mph on water and 70 on land. Hence, it was dubbed the "Model 770".
Yes, it floats. Yes, Wild Bill takes it in the water all the time. Yes, it's great for fishing. Yes, you can still get parts. Yes, one sold at auction recently for $127,000. No, the wheels don't fold up. No, you can't water ski behind it. No, I would not take it in the ocean.

And, no, it's not for sale.

Wild Bill will be showing his 1964 Amphibious vehicle at this year’s Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show, May 1st at Half Moon Bay Airport.


Wild Bill's 1954 550 Porsche Spyder

1954 Porsche 550 SpyderBill Hill, known far and wide as Wild Bill, is one of the foremost tattoo artists in America.

He is also a world-class car collector.

Wild Bill will be showing his 1954 Porsche Spyder at this year’s Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show, Sunday, May 1 at Half Moon Bay Airport.

He’s been a longtime supporter and great friend to the Dream Machines and for that we are most grateful and honored.

Back to his car collection …

Porsche began offering the 550 Spyder to the public in 1954. These cars were equipped to legally drive on the street. They terrorized class racing and whipped up on plenty of cars with bigger engines on the track and the street. Porsche couldn’t sell enough of them.

It didn’t take long for the Spyder to take on legendary proportions, winning at LeMans in 1953 and again in 1955. James Dean owned one for only 9 days before that faithful day his life ended at Highway 41 while headed to a race in Salinas CA.

Wild Bill first spotted a Spyder 15 years ago at a show an asked the gentleman if he could try it on for size (being 6’ 6” was always a factor while shopping for cars). Much to his delight it fit.

It took 10 years to find one for sale. It was the day before Christmas. Hill hopped on a plane and headed to San Diego. After a lot of talking the car was mine. It had been sitting since 1985 so it needed a complete restoration –– stripping and repainting, and new upholstery for starters.

1954 Porsche 550 Spyder
1954 550 Porsche Spyder
Weight: 1,100 lbs (one of the lightest cars on the road)
Performance: 0-60 mph in 4.8 seconds; 1/4 Mile in12.2 seconds at 103 mph
Max speed: 150+
Layout: Rear engine, tube frame, wheelbase: 85", length: 146", height: 40”
Engine: Opposed Air Cooled Flat Four, Dyno-tested at 189 horsepower
Transmission: 4-Speed, Manual swing axle with close ratio short throw shifter

Rebuilding the 2,276 cc engine as a major undertaking. The work included adding a lightened chrome molly crankshaft, a lightened and balanced flywheel, ported and polished heads with competition lightweight high-lift rockers and lifters, a chrome molly high performance camshaft installing a high output electric fuel pump, Joe Hunt magneto, and dual polished Dellortos (with built in velocity stacks).

The oil runs through a high capacity aluminum oil pump and external oil cooler with an 9" electric fan attached. For safety, there’s a five-point racing harness, roll bar with a built in third break light. “It’s like driving a go-kart, so responsive and close to the ground,” said Hill. “I’ve been taking it auto-crossing every weekend and the way it holds the road going into corners is just incredible.”

Wild Bill, from Roseville, started collecting cars about 20 years ago with a 1915 Model T Speedster. He now has a garage full of specialty cars –– a 1964 Amphicar, 1932 Ford Phaeton, a 1959 Messerschmitt, a 1963 Amphicar, a 1966 Short VW Bus, a 1959 Nash Metro, a 1999 Chevy flat bed Car hauler, two Mini-Cars, 2007 Pontiac Solstice, 2010 Lincoln MKX, 2002 Panoz AIV Roadster, 2005 Panoz Esperante.

Check out Wild Bill’s collection by clicking on http://www.wild-bills.com/autoindex.htm.


 

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TATTOO ARTIST WILD BILL HILL’S
2002 PANOZ AIV ROADSTER

America’s First Aluminum Production Car


Ask the average person on the street if they've ever heard of a car company called Panoz and you probably won't get much of a response.

In the automotive world, however, the name Panoz is well-known and is synonymous with cycle-fendered Roadsters, the Esperante GTS racer and a amazing racing history.

Wild Bill Hill, a tattoo artist from Roseville, will be showing his rare 2002 Panoz Roadster at the Pacific Coat Dream Machines Show on Sunday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Half Moon Bay Airport.

In 1997, Panoz Motor Sports took to the Le Mans circuit. Determined to race on the track what they build for the street, the Cobra powered Panoz was the first front/mid engine entry in nearly thirty years. Their Esperante won the GTLM Cass at Le Mans in France in 2007.

Now, Panoz Motor Sports owns Road Atlanta, The Sebring Track and Mosport Park, all have premiere racing schools. Panoz also owns the American Le Mans Series.

The start of Panoz Auto Development actually began in Ireland. After moving to California, Danny Panoz went to work on the chassis, modifying it so that it could fit a V8 engine. In 1990 Panoz moved the company from California to a facility in Hoschton Georgia.

The Roadster went basically unchanged until 1996 when it received several major updates. Renamed the AIV (aluminum intensive vehicle) Roadster because of its new lightweight aluminum frame. Handling improved with a new independent rear suspension, and 13-inch brakes stopped the 2200 lb car in incredibly short distances. The power plant of the car was also changed to a newer and more powerful 4.6 liter engine from the SVT Cobra.

Each year the plant produces just about 80 hand-built, head-turning, high-performance cars.

Chassis: Aircraft Extruded Aluminum.
Layout: Front/Mid engine.
Body: Aircraft Aluminum, Carbon Fiber and Kevlar. Hand Assembled.
Horsepower: 365 BHP at 5800 RPM Torgue: 340 Lb-ft at 4800 RPM. Redline: 6900 RPM.
Performance: 0-60 MPH: 4.0 Sec. 0-100 mph: 9.7 Sec. Quarter Mile: 11.7 Sec at 106 mph
Engine: 280.8 CU. IN. Dual Overhead Cam. 32-valve, 90 Degree Aluminum Cobra Hemi V-8.
Transmission: Manual, Aluminum, Borg Warner, T-45, 5-Speed Manual.
Suspension: Polished Stainless Steel, Independent Double Wishbone Lotus Type.
Top speed: 160+ MPH. Braking: 0-60 MPH: 109 ft. Slalom speed: 76.0 MPH.
Skid pad: 97G Lateral acceleration: 0.97G 700 FT. (212M)

Wild Bill Hill started collecting cars about 18 years ago with a Model T and now has a garage full of specialty cars, including a 1915 Ford Speedster, 1932 Ford Phaeton, 1954 Porsche Spyder, 1959 Messerschmitt, 1963 Amphicar, 1966 shortened VW Bus, 1999 Chevy flat-bed car hauler, 2002 Panoz

AIV Roadster, 2005 Lincoln Aviator, 2005 Panoz Esperante GTLM, 2007 Pontiac Solstice, four Motorcycles, and three Minis. To check them out go to: Wild-Bills.com and click on Bill’s garage.

“ The first time I saw the Roadster it knocked my socks off. I knew I had to have it. It’s so responsive and very, very quick,” said Hill. “I love taking it to the track, the way it holds the road going into corners is just incredible.”

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The Press-Tribune Shootin' from the hip
Wild Bill's sidecar fourth at Infineon
By: Steven Blakesley,
Wednesday, June 29

Bill Hill, owner of Wild Bill Tattoo in Roseville, owns two Panoz racecars, a drag Volkswagen Bus, and a 1966 Harley that's one of the most photographed bikes in America. But Hill has found what he believes to be the most unique thing around: sidecar motorcycle racing. "I was up in Truckee at an uphill race on an old highway and there were some sidecars there," Hill said. "I thought they were spaceships."
The motorcycle looks like a bullet on the front, and pans out on the rear with two wheels supporting a platform that a passenger uses to lean into the corners. "It was the most bizarre sidecar I had ever seen, and I could relate to the guys. They are the outlaws of the motorcycle world."

Victor Bernasconi, rides shotgun for driver Rick Murray In the Wild Bill sidecar.

Wild Bill Tattoo sponsors the bike driven by Rick Murray of North Highlands, with Victor Bernasconi riding on the back. "There's nothing else like this," said Murray, who is the organizer of the Sidecar Racing Association West. "It's not a car or a motorcycle, and it's the only motor sport that involves two people."

Teams rely on the driver to drive the car, while the rider on the back leans into the corners. It takes agility, balance, and teamwork to be successful, with speeds reaching up to 200 miles per hour.

"With two people on the bike, you'd think it would be 50-50," Murray said. "But it's more 100-100. It's a 200 percent effort. When I go into a turn, I'm betting my life on my passenger."

The Superside America series, featuring riders from both the East and West Coasts, ran during last weekend's NASCAR Nextel Cup events at Infineon Raceway.

They raced immediately after the Sunday's NASCAR race. At least 30,000 fans stuck around to see a record 24-bikes compete in a 10-lap race. Murray and Bernasconi finished fourth after being a part of a three-wide duel for the third position all race.

"This event is the biggest thing to happen to sidecars in North America," Murray said. "We've established ourselves as a marketable commodity." During weekend practice sessions, crews from the NASCAR teams lined the walls on pit road to watch the bikes tame the 1.99-mile road course in Sonoma.
"It's just really coming together for these guys," Hill said. "Once it gets some exposure, its going to be nuts."
"When I first met Rick I told him 'I want my name on that bike,' " Hill continued. "It's one of the most unique and fascinating forms of racing and I wish I had the gonads to be able to do it."


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Custom-built 2005 Panoz Esperante gleams at Dream Machines
Local tattoo artist shows off his “baddest of bad cars”


Ask Wild Bill Hill why he bought himself a custom-built Panoz Esperante GTLM and he’ll look at you like you’re crazy. “It’s just the coolest car ever made, you kidding me?” he said.

The tattoo artist from Roseville started collecting cars about 10 years ago with a 1915 Model T and now has a garage full of specialty cars, including a 1915 Ford Speedster, 1932 Ford Phaeton,a 1954 Porshe Spyder a 1959 Messerschmitt. a 1963 Amphicar, a 1966 Short VW Bus, a 1969 Karmen Ghia, a 1999 Ford Car hauler, three Mini-Cars and a 2002 Panoz AIV Roadster.

But the Esperante, he says, is the cream of his collection.

It’s really responsive,” said Hill of his baby. “The way it goes into corners, it just holds the road. Just incredible.”

The aluminum/carbon fiber, hand-built, one-of-a-kind car can do zero to 60 in less than four seconds, is faster and more manageable than any production Porsche, Corvette or Viper, and weighs 1000 pounds less than the Ferarri.

Plus it is gorgeous.

“It’s pretty flashy,” said Hill. “When people see me driving this car, they sometimes just yell A four letter word.” He once had a policeman pull him over going 138 miles per hour, then just write him up for a missing front plate and let him go. “He really liked the car,” said Hill.


Few people have even heard of the small custom car factory in the woodlands of Hoschton, Georgia, run by Danny Panoz. Each year the plant produces just about 80 hand-built, head-turning, high-performance cars that make Porsches look like common minivans.

Hill first discovered Panoz cars a few years ago at a Ford dealership while buying an SUV. On the lot they had a yellow Panoz AIV Roadster that knocked his socks off. When their salesman came around with the paperwork for their Expedition, Hill said, “I like that car too. Wrap it up.”

When Danny Panoz heard that one of his customers was interested in his Esperante, he invited Hill down to Georgia for a stay at their chateau and a factory tour. For Hill, it was love at first sight.

“It was immediately apparent why they don’t mind flying people out to see the factory,” he said. “Anyone that saw the care that is put into each hand built car and witnessed how well these are put together would have to have one.”

Before long, Hill and Panoz were happily designing his one-of-a-kind custom car. They replaced the heavy electric convertible top with a lighter, removable convertible that would fit in the trunk, taking almost 300 pounds off the car, then they added three point roll bars so Hill could run his new baby on the racetrack. Finally, they sized up the driver’s seat to fit Hill’s impressive six feet six inches of height.

“They fitted that car to me. I have pictures of me in the bare frame,” said Hill. “Nobody else can drive it because the seat doesn’t move.”

Hill’s Esperante is made entirely out of aluminum and carbon fiber, both extremely strong and lightweight materials. The exterior has no paint, just shiny, polished aluminum, making the Esperante gleam like a silver bullet.

When it was completed, the entire team that worked on the car signed their name on a plate under the hood and broke out a bottle of fine champagne to celebrate.

Custom cars like the Esperante don’t come cheap. “Panoz is pronounced ‘pay-nose,’ like pay through the nose,” laughed Hill. “It is an expensive car, but it is so very worth it, there is nothing else like it on the road.”

Whether he’s on the racetrack or on the road, Hill says he doesn’t need anything else besides his Esperante.

“I’m not looking to buy any other car,” he said. “I’m done, and that says a lot ‘cause I’m pretty car crazy. This is just the baddest bad car there is.”

You can see Wild Bill Hill’s 2006 Panoz Esperante GTLM at the 2006 Pacific Coast Dream Machines at the Half Moon Bay Airport on Sunday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information visit www.wild-bills.com.


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