Kenny Howard
Kenneth Howard (
September 7,
1929–
September 19,
1992), also known as
Dutch,
Von Dutch or
J.L. Bachs (
Joe Lunch Box), was a
motorcycle mechanic, eccentric,
artist, pinstriper,
metal fabricator, knifemaker, and
gunsmith. His father, Wally Howard, was a well-respected Los Angeles sign painter and by the age of ten, the young Kenny Howard was able to paint and letter at a professional level.
While attending
Compton High School, Von Dutch excelled in
track and field and was referred to as "the fastest man in LA." Von Dutch had an appreciation for music and was also an accomplished
flautist.
Von Dutch was a major influence in the customizing of vehicles in the
1950s to today. Some of his famous works include the flying eyeball and the custom
Kenford truck[
1], along with numerous custom motorcycles and many award-winning custom
cars. Among many custom car and motorcycle enthusiasts, he is thought of as one of the fathers of
Kustom Kulture.
According to an article in the
Orange County Weekly "He was quite a racist; didn't like anybody. He had all the trappings of being a neo-Nazi. He could not tolerate black people," said
Robert Williams, whose friendship with Dutch cooled over time, but never ended. "But I had some wonderful times with him. When you caught him in a good mood he was really wonderful to talk to. But he would slip into these loud violent periods that were just horrible."
Von Dutch's heirs started marketing his designs on clothing and accessories and now
energy drinks after his death.
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Hot rod
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Official Site*
Von Dutch unofficial website*
Von Dutch energy drink review
