From humble beginnings with a few rattle cans but plenty of enthusiasm, emerged a highly talented scooter painter…
When we are young, life is one big roller coaster of learning, but, like anything, we have to start at the beginning. The problem at that age is that until you attempt to do something, you don’t know how good you are at any chosen subject. When it comes to painting, there’s no doubt that you need to have some natural artistic ability, but even then, that doesn’t mean you can become a Picasso or Van Gogh overnight. If anything, the art of painting takes years to perfect, even with natural talent, so to start, the results are somewhat basic.
Rich Galloway was born and bred in Barnsley, and in a town steeped in scooter ownership, there was no question that he would be exposed to it. Before long, he joined the ranks with a modest scooter purchase, and it didn’t take long for him to alter the scooter’s appearance. It was basic, to say the least, just a few rattle cans to change the colour, but something he got great enjoyment from. He soon realised that to progress further, he needed more professional equipment, so he invested in a proper spray-gun setup.
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Now able to spray faster and better, his scooter took on a chameleon-like aura; in his own words, “I was changing its colour every week.” Locally, scooter owners could not help but notice the change in appearance and began asking if he could paint theirs. Not as frequent, of course, but as demand grew, so did the idea of turning it into a business, eventually becoming Hobnob race paints.
The 4am alarm call
There are plenty of scooter characters based in Yorkshire, and none more so than the late, great Simon Cuerdon. A member of the Armed Forces SC, he had a hilarious, infectious nature that profoundly affected all who met him. None more so than Rich, who built up a good friendship with him, even if, at times, Simon tested his patience. Rich recalls that he had a habit of turning up with wild ideas at 4am in the morning. We’d tell him his ideas were terrible and that we were trying to sleep. He’d simply reply, “I’ll bring Hobnobs.” That, unsurprisingly, worked every time, and that is where the name of the business came from.
Having been involved in the scene for over 40 years, Rich has developed an understanding of the different types of problems scooter bodywork throws up. It may be a long time since he was riding around on a PK50, which, incidentally, he drove all the way to the Redcar rally, even if it took a whole day to do so. It was this kind of apprenticeship that pays off years later, and when customers contact him, he knows what their scooter means to them because he has experienced it himself. It’s this understanding that allows him to immerse himself in their thinking about what they want in terms of the design. He explained, “Sometimes customers turn up with a folder full of drawings and designs”. That is fine, but it means he is governed by the parameters of what they are asking for. Many now give a brief description, meaning he has creative freedom, allowing not only more artistic expression but also a unique design in the process. Achieving something different in scooter customisation these days is difficult, but the free rein certainly helps.
Team work
In past times, it has always been the Vespa or Lambretta that Rich has painted, and he isn’t bothered which ‘team’, as he calls them, you are in. Yes, the Lambretta is easier to work on with all its removable panels compared to the large shell of the Vespa, but both are welcomed with open arms. However, other scooters, such as the Royal Alloy and other modern-day scooters, have begun to creep into the equation. It’s not an issue as far as Rich is concerned, and if it needs painting, it can be anything, one time, even some huge bricks for Lego Land.
With ‘race paint’ in the name of the business, it’s easy to work out the type of customer he mainly attracts, and the Lambretta does tend to be the most popular. However, rather than just graphics painted over a base, he specialises in deep flakes, which are far more time-consuming but allow for a much deeper finish. Sometimes the work can be very intense, laying down several layers of clear coat, flattening them back before adding graphics, then clear-coating again. Not only is the paint more durable, but it also makes everything stand out. This is important with blockwork graphics because sometimes they can be a bit dull and flat-looking, whereas this method lifts them and makes them look bold.
Juggler
Rich reckons it takes about two weeks to paint a scooter completely, but it doesn’t always work out that way. A job may be in a state of repair, and he prefers to do the preparation rather than have it brought in already done. Meanwhile, another machine may be having several layers of clear coat added. In other words, he is working on several machines at once, just at different stages, juggling the workload around. All this equates to approximately a six-week turnaround time from start to finish, which, in terms of the painting process, is in fact quite quick.
One note: these timescales are for those who have already booked a machine for the work to be done. Rich will never turn a customer away, but if someone turns up without having booked a slot, then it may be a while before it gets started, meaning the six-week timescale won’t start until he can begin working on it. In a way that shows the demand for his work, he is so busy that if you want the best, you may have to wait a little longer. Judging by the work that comes out of his unit, it’s not an issue, and patience is a virtue when building a custom scooter.
The go-to man
The painters we have covered over the last few editions all have their own unique style and trademark work. That doesn’t mean they can’t throw their hand to anything asked of them, but they build up a customer base for the specific style they are known for. Rich definitely fits into the street-racer category, as shown here. Does it bother him that’s what he is known for? Probably not, because as long as there is enough work coming in to pay the bills, that is what matters most.
“…rather than just graphics painted over a base, he specialises in deep flakes, which are far more time-consuming but allow for a much deeper finish.”
It is also worth remembering that painting at this level takes a lot of skill and dedication to produce it week in, week out. Doing what he is best at allows him to adhere to the time scale, which is what customers want. Going out of the comfort zone can make jobs take longer and throw timing out of the window, which doesn’t help anyone. Rich Galloway is certainly one of the go-to people for the street racer style, and long may it remain that way.
Words: Stuart Owen
Images: Rich Galloway
