Sk8face has been kicking around the web for a long time. I became aware of it back in 2008. I had just sort of assumed the project had fizzled out, but they’ve been working on it steadily. Now they are turning to Kickstarter to fund post production. If you’re scratching your head, Sk8face is a video documentary on skateboard graphics. The list of interviews is impressive. They’ve posted something like 35 micro excerpts on the Sk8face web site as well, including one with our Smithsonian friend Betsy Gordon.

As a young kid in the mid 80s I thought Hot Wheels cars were cooler and fresher than the ones from Matchbox and Majorette (Mattel already introduced Hot Wheels in 1968, but little did I know). This crazy thing here looks like the first skateboard you would give your kid to make him say farewell to his kiddie toys and let him go out to play in the real world.  Still, I don’t think I would have been too happy with this as a kid, because we knew about Hot Wheels, but we also heard about Powell, Vision and Santa Cruz, so I guess you can’t fool a kid with crappy skateboards! More pics after the jump.

Look at the difference in size between the front and the back truck, this really gives it the look of a racing car. Both trucks seem to have the old school truck pattern, but I think the deck is pretty recent though:

It’s like France central over here… These pictures from Skateparks de Paris are about two years old. Doesn’t look like they update that often… but hey, it looks beautiful. Here in America, we like to hide our skateparks away from any foot traffic, preferably adjacent to an empty baseball field on the outskirts of town. My chapeau is off to whoever approved this.

Progress report on the Eugene, Oregon skatepark from the Register Guard.

Although it may look like outtakes from Macho Taildrop, Le Skate Moderne is a short clip about a two of skaters in rural France who live on a farm. There’s not a lot of actual information, instead it seems to concentrate cinematography. I can’t tell if the clothes are costumes or not, it seems a little like an affectation. Also, these guys seem to have a pretty good sized crew for being out in the middle of the country. All in all though, it’s very well made.

– Thanks to Bevilacqua for the tip.

Simon Woodstock with his ‘Sweet 16-wheeler’ in the Travel Lodge Pool at Lake Cunningham Skatepark during the Indy Truck 30 Year Rally. Lonnie Toft pioneered the 8-wheeler in the 70s and is still keeping the spirit alive with Toft designs..

[Photo: Bryce Kanights]

S&A reader Raddam sent some scouting photos of skateable spots in Instanbul, Turkey. He didn’t see a lot of transition there, but he did spot some worthy street spots.

Three Sims boards in different colorways? No, the middle one is a Speedent, copied from the Sims ‘New Wave’ team deck from 1981 by Bernie Tostenson. The legit Sims images are from (left) eBay Watch March 2010, and (right) February, 2011.

The Importers and Exporters Association of Taipei turned up some history of Speedent:

‘Charles Yeh, CEO of Speedent Corp, has been exporting Taiwan-made sporting goods world-wide since 1975. The first line that Yeh introduced to the international market was skateboards …’

Considering the original date of this early graphic (1981-1982) and Speedent’s origins in 1975, I’d say that Charles Yeh was a pioneer of crappy bootlegs!

Here’s an update from the North County, San Diego project we posted about in January.

Coming along. Sold our shirts that you helped track down for me, that got us a half a truck of crete and donations of a truck each by two separate town residents who now see how cool the project is. This snake run style of the park has 5 foot radius trannys and there are will be no freebie grinds handed out… Skates fast and lose legged and every trick is gonna be worked for. First session today was fun!

UPDATE: Swapped the bail pic for a make.

– Thanks to Ryan Moran for the photos

Dying Scene is reporting that Duane Peters went missing after being released from jail February 13th. Corey Parks is listed as the source:

PLEASE HELP US: @dpdisaster My son’s dad Duane Peters has been missing for the last two days. He was released from twin towers yesterday at 6:00 am and vanished. He is apparently NOT strung out on drugs of any kind, but in fact possibly suffering from some type of mental illness, dementia or schizophrenia, which would explain his recent behavior. He was released in a paper robe with no shoes, clothes, phone or money. His son Schuyler was waiting to pick him up and he literally mussed him by 5 minutes and he wondered down the street. We are all very worried, I have been in contact with his girlfriend and close friends and family NO ONE HAS SEEN HIM AT ALL. We have filed a missing persons report and Rob and I have been searching downtown around the mission and skid row with his photo all day. WE NEED HELP. Guys on skateboards and motorcycles cruising the streets, putting up flyers, PLEASE HELP US FIND DUANE!!! This is serious, something is wrong.

UPDATE: Eric VonArab reporsts via Facebook that Duane has been located in a hospital in L.A.. No other details known.

Photo above is a still from GVK’s Treasure Bowl episode.