Liz O'Neill

Liz O'Neill (Logistics/Photographer)

The Banana Car was built at the home of Liz O'Neill in Coopersburg Pennsylvania.

Liz has a beautiful 4 car workshop that wasn't being used for much other than storage and being the adventurous type with a heightened sense of the silly she agreed to our taking over her workshop to build a huge banana car.

As she told her family and friends what was going on they all said “Huh? Say that again. They’re building what in your garage?”

Liz has been such a huge booster of the Big Banana Car project we have asked her to join us for the entire trip.

Liz has become the official photographer of the big banana car build and, if we need anything knitted, she will spring into action with her blazing needles.

Being a natural born salesperson and a bit of an entrepreneur Liz now has her own website to sell her "Ankle Banks". Ankle Banks are a great way to keep money hidden under your sock and away from pick pockets. AnkleBank.com

Contact Details:
Email: liz18026@verizon.net
Website: anklebank.com

Stevi Stephens

Stevi Stephens (Expedition Coordinator)

Stevi grew up in a small town in Northeast Alabama.  As she grew older, she became aware that there is a whole wide world out there waiting for her and she became somewhat restless.

Stevi has always had an interest in meeting people from different backgrounds which spurred her to become a member of the couchsurfing community.  Through couchsurfing Stevi was afforded the opportunity to meet Steve and Liz when she hosted them, and the Big Banana Car for one night.  After sharing her desire for world travel, it became clear that she would be an excellent choice for the Big Banana Car Crew.  Lucky Gal!!!

Stevi's goal on this journey is to drink in as much culture, scenery and experiences as she can.  She has an interest in learning how we can use our curiosity of other cultures to foster a more respectful and understanding attitude of the other humans on this planet.

Stevi doesn't boast any spectacular skills, but she is eager to learn anything that someone is willing to teach.  She prides herself on being quite organized and as such is in charge of scheduling and accommodations.  If you are interested in having the Big Banana Car Crew in your neighborhood, give her a shout!

Contact Details:
Email: steviladonna@gmail.com

Steve Myers.

Videographer, web designer and all around useful guy.

Steve shot most of the video for the early stages of the movie in Michigan and also some in Ohio. He has been instrumental in getting the project off the ground and moving it forward.

He owns his own internet radio station at FlintTalkRadio.com along with many other websites.

Mark Steele.

Auto body expert and general automotive expert.

Mark has his own body shop in Bowling Green, Ohio. He has an astounding knowledge of all things automotive and the skills needed to repair and restore vintage automobiles.

The banana car project was started at Marks Bowling Green location and with his help progressed very quickly.

Glen Lewis.

Glen is not only a very skilled auto mechanic but he is someone who doesn't need much direction. Give him the basic outline of a job and he goes non stop, working quietly until suddenly you look over and it's finished.

Kelli and Rob.

Kelli and Rob deserve a big thank you. They have helped the Big Banana Car project in many ways from filming to junkyard trips to heavy lifting when swapping the engine.

Gene Toner (The Elder).

I needed some Fiero seats and had been driving past a house that had a couple of Fiero's in the yard. I stopped to enquire about them having no notion that the home owner was a huge car nut. We got chatting about the big banana car and Gene was hooked.

Gene Toner (The Younger).

Gene is a very skilled auto mechanic and sees solutions before I have even noticed the problem.

It's been fun having a pair of "Genes" working on the banana car.

Custom Services Company. Sandblasting

Glenn Singer and Leo Moyer of CustomServicesCompany sandblasted the very rusty F150 frame. It was an extremely hot day and we all remarked on how hardworking Glenn was. He had to wear a lot of protective clothing and must have been absolutely boiling as he crawled around, over and under the big banana car frame spraying every inch with a powerful blast of sand. The frame came out looking fantastic! Glenn not so much.

Glenn Singer
Custom Services Company Inc.
768 N. West End Blvd.
Quakertown,
PA
18951
Phone: (215) 536-5339
Fax: (215) 536-6923
QuipCal.com
QuipColor.com
CustomServicesCompany.com

Yerkes Auto.

I called in the experts to plum the brakes. The team from Yerkes Auto in Quakertown ran all the brake lines, hooked up the master cylinder and booster and bled the system to give me a strong brake pedal.

Yerkes Auto
1916 Quarry Road
Quakertown,
PA
18951
Phone: (610) 346-7098

Hoover Steel.

Ron buys a lot of his steel supplies at Hoover Steel in Schwenksville, PA and they provided him with some of his needs at no charge.

Hoover Steel
4841 Garges Road
Schwenksville,
PA
19473-2050
Phone: (610) 287-8855

C & B Iron.

Steve has bought a lot of the steel he used from C & B Iron in Quakertown

C&B Iron
100 Richlandtown Pike
Quakertown,
PA
18951-2500
Phone: (215) 536-7162

Broadway Speed Shop.

John and his crew did the "Specially Constructed Vehicle" inspection and the first Pennsylvania annual safety inspection.

Broadway Speedshop
1118 Broadway
Fountain Hill,
PA
18015-4111
Phone: (610) 865-1020

Mike Hinkle (The Formally Unknown Mechanic)

I had heard stories of a mechanic in the area that sounded too unlikely to believe. Tall tales of a "Mechanics" mechanic. A guy that other auto repair shop owners go to when they are stumped.

With some vague verbal directions whispered in a hushed voice I set out on a quest to find this man and enroll him in the Big Banana Car project. After a winding twisting journey through the roads of Pennsylvania I found myself standing before the gate to his kingdom. However, it was after 5pm on a Friday and he had gone home for the weekend.
With a tear in my eye I turned and left, vowing to return on Monday.

When I went back on Monday I outlined the big banana car build and trip and the particular needs I had and stood back as he pondered my request and I nervously awaited his decision.

"I'll help you" he said "on one condition. That I stay in the shadows with no publicity"
"Certainly" I said "Not a problem"
I presumed that he wanted to help but was embarrassed about working on a huge banana and didn't want his friends to find out but it turns out that, unlike me, he is just a very humble guy and simply wants to avoid the lime light.

I'm hoping he will reconsider his anonymity and will at some point agree to letting me release his name. (He now has)

Mike Hinkle - The Formally Unknown Mechanic
Whereabouts Unknown
Phone (616) UNK-NOWN

Tim Carver.

I have bought a lot of supplies from Keystone Automotive in Bethlehem PA and while I was there one day I casually asked if anyone knows of someone who would like to help out with the big banana car body work.
A few days later I received a call from Tim who has now spent quite a few hours filling and sanding, filling and sanding.

Matt Kelly and Lindsey Joy Delozier

We were working on the Big Banana Car outside the workshop and a little black car pulled in the driveway with strange writing all over it. The owner is Matt Kelly and he had driven it all across Canada and Russia and he listened to the details of our project with great enthusiasm. He and his girlfriend Lindsay stopped by the next day and helped get the car ready for paint.

JL Auto Body.

Jim Lacy and his team (Jim, Jim and Jim) did a really wonderful job of laying down the yellow base paint.

They were very nice to work with and Jim himself had an almost constant grin and kept shaking his head in mirth every few minutes.

JL Auto Body
825 Bethlehem Pike
Colmar,
PA
18915-9754
Phone: (215) 822-0988

Rick Willens (Airbrush Artist).

Rick writes: "I first saw the BBC (Big Banana Car) in a news article and thought, " This is something, I'd like to be a part of"...SO...I volunteered my airbrushing ability after contacting Steve and introduced him to Jim Lacey of J&L Auto Body to do the Base coating. I got my chance to "work my magic", and I Airbrushed the BBC to look, Just Like a REAL Banana. The Airbrushing took about 5 hours with Steve directing and Liz Filming and Jim mixing the colors. I think it looks GREAT.... What a thrill to see the BBC go through this transformation from just a dream.....to a BIG BANANA CAR!!!! I'm GLAD I was a Part of it! Bon Voyage!".

And I must say that Rick did an excellent job! The most common comment I have heard since he airbrushed it is "Wow, it really does look like a banana with the green fading"

Phone: (267) 312-3817

Keystone Automotive Bethlehem PA.

Most of the fibreglass and bodywork supplies came from Keystone and because I was in there so often they got to hear all about the Big Banana Car.
Cathy mentioned it to her boss and they very kindly offered to provide the banana yellow paint.

Keystone Automotive
3658 Route 378
Bethlehem,
PA.
18015
800-441-4200 parts
800-355-7246 paint

Melody Lakes Tire and Auto.

Liz has been getting her vehicles worked on at Melody Lakes Auto on 309 in Quakertown for many years and when they heard about the Big Banana Car they offered us four brand new tires.

Melody Lakes Tire and Auto
1113 North West End Boulevard
Quakertown,
PA
18951-4121
Phone: (215) 536-8511