Horsepower Heaven 'Tours' Mysterion Screenprint

On my way here I made a detour to the Fremont area of Seattle. How ironic it was that just last week I saw a pair of the district's landmarks on a television news piece. So it was that the map Jim Sorenson emailed me late last night made sense. His directions included the strange line turn left onto Evanston at which point you'll have a fifty foot high rocket in front of you and a thirteen foot high Lenin chasing you. Cool thing is, these two landmarks fit right into the funky little spot where Fremont crosses Fremont.

How you figure I got a purple VW Thing to go thru the shot?

It's a junk shop...an unbelieveable junk shop.

Down a long, shadowed alley is a small sign over a narrow, dilapidated door that reads Mysterion Screenprint. I knock, open it, yell hello and immediately realize I am on another planet. A world of bizarre characters, plastic and metal miniature replicas of wild and crazy vehicles, posters from a 1960's nightmare and amid it all an online friend I have actually met, Jim Sorenson.

From the 'half-a-hog on the floor ("been there since '92") to the Powerwave Mac clone minus it's case, dual 21" & 17" monitors along with what has to be the SCSI chain from hell, I am stopped in my tracks. Immediately Jim inserts a photo CD of AA/FA images from Irwindale circa 1969/70, and we do what we both do best, lovingly view oldtime drag pics.

The computer.

The hog.

I eventually drag him outside in search of something he rarely does...lunch. We find a neat little joint on the corner just up from the Fremont Bridge (over the Ship Canal that joins Lake Union to Elliott Bay). "That's Adobe over there" he says pointing to an unmarked building across the street. I loudly answer with "Oh the place that wants to charge me for their magazine". Jim nods and tells me that most of the people in here probably work there.

Adobe

One wonderful Philly later and we're back at the shop just as Ray McIntosh pops in. I'm introduced as 'that Horsepower Heaven guy' to which he surprisingly smiles and says that he'd been there. Cool. I hear of his nearly complete front motor dragster, a trailer loading story that I begged him for pictures of then i mention I hope to see him run the car at MRP in August.

I then get the shop tour on video, see how screenprinting is done, and view all the 'stuff'.

Jim does decals too.

Sleazy eh?

Famous people wearing Mysterion.

I want one.

Amazing old stuff.

Roth, Roth and more Roth, plus old, old Indy car model.

Coolest thing here was autographed RF poster.

Along with this original piece.

Ya, that's a shower stall FULL of models, note Winged Express on top.

My favorite spot in the place.

Jim's latest.

Then quicker than you can say Rat Fink, I bid a fond farewell and am back on I5 and onto Seatac.

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