Coming up June 8th in Springfield, MO it’s the Queen City Riot!
Follow on facebook for show info
See you at the show,
Travis
Upcoming Event: Queen City Riot
Guest Blog: Dan’s Hot Rod Photo goes to Vintage Torque Fest
Guest Blog! Dan’s Hot Rod Photo goes to Detroit!
Guest Blog!
My buddy Dan Podobinski is a photographer based out of Indiana, he attends a lot of the same type of shows that I do. Since I can’t be everywhere at once, Dan was nice enough to share some of his images from the 2013 Vintage Torque Fest with all of you through the blog here. Okay class now all together say “Thank You Dan!” You may have seen some of his work recently in Car Kulture Deluxe Magazine, or on the HAMB. You need to go follow his page on Facebook here and buy some prints of his great photographs! And now on with the show!
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The modern “car show” has, in many ways, become stale. The large, corporate run shows lack any real feel. Power parking, lawn chairs and crybaby dolls have become the norm.
The independent, regional hot rod shows that have sprung up in the last decade or so turn that trend on its ear and Vintage Torque Fest is at the front of the pack. Show creator and master promoter John Wells has managed to take what started as a vehicle to raise money for the charity organization that he and his wife Kim created (www.HelpingHannahsHeart.org) and turn it into a full blown festival of all things hot rod related.
There is more action packed into this two day event than one could ever expect to find at a large, corporate event. Aside from hundreds of traditional hot rods and customs we find a near constant stream of live music from rockabilly, surf and garage bands. There is, of course, the obligatory pinup contest, though this one is much classier than many I have seen. Speed freaks can get their groove on watching vintage jalopies race around the dirt oval and hot rodders even have the opportunity to take their pride and joy out for a few hot laps. Unfortunately, heavy rains kept track action at bay this year save for a few folks who stuck around the day after the show to get some seat time. This didn’t stop some guys however, as impromptu mini bike races sprung up on a far end of the fairgrounds, followed in short order by the big boys racing vintage flat track motorcycles around the makeshift circuit. As I said, nonstop action!
The excitement reaches a fever pitch with the charity art auction. Culture artists from around the world contribute themed pieces each year to be sold off to the highest bidder. The work is stunning and is worthy of display in any gallery. Besides the art in the auction, there are the numerous artists and vendors selling all types of hot rod and lifestyle merchandise.
If this sounds like it is right up your alley then I encourage you to first check out www.HelpingHannahsHeart.org and see what this organization is all about. Then, look up www.VintageTorqueFest.com and see what you are missing and, finally, make plans to be in Dubuque, Iowa this time next year and catch the nonstop action that is Vintage Torque Fest.
Event Coverage: 2013 Stray Kat 500 Part 6
Stray Kat 500 Coverage
Part 1 | Part 2| Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Full Gallery
Jerry and Cynthia’s 1936 Ford (I just shot a feature on it for a magazine, this is one incredible ride!)
Good to finally meet ya Dick!
StrayKatKustoms’ Merc
Harry & Louise are road warriors
This was a new-to-me kustom
StrayKatKustoms’ new daily driver, his own old 60 Chevy
Dan Greenburg shooting Shawn Mundy’s wild pickup
Doc Parson’s T (I have another version of this that I’m working on)
Dr. Dave out for a cruise 
JD grabbing a snapshot.
Jennifer James of 232 Studios capturing the Toad
That darned Duke got nabbed
Krobe being Krobe
Hiya Dan Greenburg!
Fast AL’s Upholstery’s award
Awards!
Uh what?
Congrats Kevin!
A pair of kats.
My Galaxie (she needs to come down 2 more inches I’m thinking)
Headed home
Great clouds, with this strange fireball in the sky behind them.
The Sun finally came out 50 miles from home
Part 1 | Part 2| Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Full Gallery
Thanks for following along in my adventures, see you at a show,
Travis
Event Coverage: Stray Kat 500 Part 5
Stray Kat 500 Coverage
Part 1 | Part 2| Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Full Gallery
Laid out bug
This has been for sale for a long time, the price is right at $12,500, wish I had it.
See ya Neal, thanks for hanging out with us!
One hot shoebox. Wocka wocka
Glad to see ya, hopefully next time I can see the hubby as well.
The other Monkey-mobile
The man of honor doing his thang
A bunch of stripers decided to spruce up TwoTall’s door.
Nice Merc
Aaron of Fast AL’s Upholstery and W.L. Martin (local long time kustomizer)
Fresh art
Exactly
Mickey’s other ride, soon to be the daily driver.
Part 1 | Part 2| Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Full Gallery
That’s it for Saturday’s photos. Sunday photos tomorrow!
See you at a show,
Travis
Event Coverage: 2013 Stray Kat 500 Part 4
Stray Kat 500 Coverage
Part 1 | Part 2| Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Full Gallery
Love this Merc.
Dr. Dave’s Merc and Bret’s pickup
A barn find, I sure hope he leaves it exactly like it is.
Jeb and Clint brought these two out to play. I believe that Jeb said his “Nadine” (seen on the left) has about 240,000 miles on her.
StrayKatKustoms (Mickey) and 49Toad (Doug Reed) having a talk while walking down the middle of the street.
Pinup Contest Time! Jennifer James of 232 Studios did a great job getting 12 lovely ladies lined up for the Miss Kitty Title. Click on the images to see them all in my galleries, I’ll only show a couple here due to the 20 image limit per post.
Then it was off to the warmth of the VFW so we could honor Ron Myers with the Inspiration Award. Thanks Ron for your decades (and I mean a crapload of them) of time and effort into striping everything that you can get lines on.
Mickey and Mr. C saying some words about our favorite curmudgeon.
He’s trying to look like he doesn’t want out of the spotlight.
A whole bunch of kool kats shipped this panel back and forth across the country to get a chance to pull some lines in honor of Ron. This piece is kool!
Enough mushy stuff back to the steel!
I just shot this for an article in a magazine, Jerry’s 36 is too kool.
Part 1 | Part 2| Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Full Gallery
Event Coverage: 2013 Stray Kat 500 Part 3
Stray Kat 500 Coverage
Part 1 | Part 2| Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Full Gallery
Saturday Morning!
Neal stopping to say hi to Duke on the way in.
Dick’s Chevy looking good (another version of this one will be up tonight)
The Toad looking right at home in the moisture.
Nice looking shoebox rolling down the street.
Krobe’s Chevy (another photo with an updated version on the way)
Daddyo54 and Sam drove the 58 (formerly McPhail’s) up from Denison, TX.
Doc Parsons and his lovely lady pulling into the show.
Sweet Nadine
This is the raw photo:
This is the edited version:
Raw:
Edit:
Jeff Myers’ 63 Galaxie Boxtop Kustom
Hot Rod Dan and LP
Harry & Louise rolled in her killer Chevy Kustom
This one was new to me, and took home an award on Sunday
Just right
Ryno’s Unibody Ford
Part 1 | Part 2| Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Full Gallery
That’s it for this post, see you at a show,
Travis
Event Coverage: 2013 Stray Kat 500 Part 2
Stray Kat 500 Coverage
Part 1 | Part 2| Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Full Gallery
Later on Friday we went to TwoTall Okie’s shop and Rod’s shop in Dewey for the feed. Thanks to all involved for a chance to hang out and for the free food!
Ron Myers hanging with Mike and Jerry at TwoTalls
Doc’s T, Jerry’s 36 and Krobe’s Coupe hanging out in front of the shop.
Dick’s Chevy looked great!
Mike’s Chevy Truck
Kevin’s 64 Galaxie
Here’s an example of some of the editing that I sometimes do. Let me know if you’d like one of these photographs with something extra done to it. Here’s the original
And here’s the edited version
Bill’s 63 Galaxie Convertible
Krobe’s Coupe and Aaron of Fast A.L.’s Upholstery’s Ford.
Dustin’s Merc
Part 1 | Part 2| Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Full Gallery
Next up Saturday in the rain!
See you at a show,
Travis
Event Coverage: 2013 Stray Kat 500 Part 1
Stray Kat 500 Coverage
Part 1 | Part 2| Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Full Gallery
While the weather wasn’t wonderful, it takes more than that to ruin the Stray Kat 500. The trip started off for my dad and I on Thursday afternoon. My Galaxie was still at Chaotic Customs after getting a long standing vibration issue fixed so the first leg of the trip was riding shotgun in my Dad’s 57 Chevy Wagon on the way to CC in Mulvane, KS.
After the stop at Chaotic we rolled down to Premier Body & Paint in Arkansas City, KS to see what Jeff Myers was up to, then it was off to Dewey, OK the home of the Stray Kat 500! After paralleling the rain for a couple of hours we were headed right into it. Sorry about the blurry shot.
The next morning at the hotel I noticed my Galaxie had a familiar friend hanging out next to her. Doc Parson’s incredible T.
Friday morning we went to the host hotel of the SK500, no I wasn’t staying there due to them messing up my reservations but that’s a whole different story. Here’s my Galaxie with Bill Moore’s convertible and much lower 63… I have some work to do on mine now I guess 🙂
This kustom Lincoln was one of my favorites from the show. Driven from Amarillo to Dewey a trip of over 400 miles with a good portion in the rain, this car was one of many that hit the 500 for the firs time.
I can’t hit a show without running into a member of the Spiwak family, and that’s a good thing.
The Stears are also at nearly every event that I attend, and most of them in this road warrior Ford.
I love this 40.
And my family friend Robert’s brand new to his family 40.
The flames and louvered hood just work on this Ford.
Mickey (straykatkustoms) Merc is always a sight for sore eyes. Love this car.
From the engine to the stance and the insert with matching tonneau, this truck was puuuuuurfect (as Stray Kat Kustoms would say).
The Mundy family brought a couple of killer rides to the show, this one a freshly finished 58 Pontiac wagon.
Can’t have a Stray Kat event without Mongo.
There were lots of kool pickups at the event.
Some old friends showed up while I was out back scoping the parking lot.
Kool oozes from the parking lots of all of the Bartlesville area hotels on Stray Kat 500 weekend.
Dustin had his decklid off to add more louvers (he’s a louver addict), so Mongo thought it would turn Dustin’s Merc into a handy couch. Perfect!
Remember what I said about the parking lots? I rest my case.
That’s it for this first post, next up a couple of shot from the Friday evening hang out/free feed at TwoTall Okie’s shop. Click on any of these photos to see the entire gallery. If you’d like one as a print, just use the “Buy” button there and I will go through the photo and touch it up to look it’s best before it’s printed and shipped to you.
Part 1 | Part 2| Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Full Gallery
See you at a show,
Travis
Coming up: Pete and Jake’s Open House!
A couple of years ago I made my first trip to the Pete And Jake’s complex in Peculiar, MO. What an interesting place! Add to that a kool car show and a ton of pinstripers doing their thing and all of the proceeds going to charity… It’s a must attend event! Here are some photos.
For more info on this year’s event go here. I hope to be able to make it but the day job may have to take priority.
See you at a show,
Travis
Some old trucks
Some are very rare,some were free if they were just drug off the farm they were rotting on. All of them have a story, and I wish they could speak so that we could hear them.
Limited Edition Poster #2 is now shipping!
As promised the pre-ordered Limited Edition Poster #2 copies went out today! There will be a handfull more delivered at the Stray Kat 500 in Dewey, OK this weekend as well. The rest… well they can be yours!
Only 50 copies of this 11×17 poster will ever be produced, they are hand numbered and autographed (like that last part means anything 😉 ). There are still a handful of Poster #1 available but they may be gone by the end of the weekend so order before Friday for your best shot at getting one.
See you at a show,
Travis
Event Coverage: Chaotic Customs Open House Part 2
Another of Jack’s recently finished 51 Ford.
Jim’s Olds is coming together nicely after sitting for a long time.
The Stears’ Ford all the way from Kansas City
Don’s Buick again 🙂
The Mistretta Family rides in style.
One of the many full on kustom builds going on at Chaotic Customs. This started life as a 1953 Chevrolet, it’s being transformed into an Old after a chop and swapping on an Olds front clip.
I love Stella’s new look.
See you at a show,
Travis
Event Coverage: Chaotic Customs Open House
April 27, 2013
Chaotic Customs
246 Industrial Ave.
Mulvane, KS
For the 2nd year in a row I attended the Chaotic Customs Open House on Saturday April 27th. Here are some of the photos of the cars that showed up. A good time was easy to have with this many kool people. You need to make it next year.
Jack’s 40 Ford
Jack’s 40 Ford
Chris and Karma Carlson’s 1960 Pontiac “Stella”
Some new wall art in the shop.
Jack’s 51 Ford is done!
Mike’s 40 Ford Pickup is chopped, channeled, sectioned, lengthened, just about every ‘ed you can do to a vehicle. and it’s still a long way from done. Look for it’s debut at SEMA this year.
Don’s beautiful Buick
The 34 Ford that Chaotic took to SEMA and displayed at Barrett-Jackson in the last year.
Zombie Speed Shop’s International
More tomorrow!
See you at a show,
Travis
Thanks!
Thanks to all of you that subscribe to this blog (buttons on the right side of the blog to do so), or that follow at on twitter.com/royboyprods on instagram.com/royboyprods on facebook.com/royboyproductions and to you folks on the HAMB.
Thanks to all of you we have hit and surpassed 8,000,000 views on the http://royboyproductions.smugmug.com
Yesterday we hit 2,700 fans on the fb page, the twitter page is growing every day as well as the Instagram feed.
This all means very little in the grand scheme of things except that you enjoy the free car show coverage and daily free car photos. For that I am grateful!
Thanks again! Here are some recent Instagram photos for ya.
See you at a show,
Travis
Preview: Stray Kat 500 Next Week!!!!
So I’ve talked a few times about the Stray Kat 500 coming up next weekend in Dewey, OK. And here’s another time 🙂 Just some photos from last year with a bit of extra editing. Click on any of these to see the entire show gallery.
What do you think, do you like Doc’s T in B&W?
What about color?
What about a bit of both?
Kind of an over used effect but I like it on this one.
Micheal’s 40 Ford looks kool no matter what.
Rick’s Model A (the star of the newest Royboy shirt)
See you at a show,
Travis
Book Review: "Grandpa’s Hotrod"
Book Review: “Grandpa’s Hotrod” by Jay Danniel Sweet
Last Christmas I found out just how difficult it is to find a book that’s both good for kids
and hot rod based. I looked and looked and came up with just a handful of choices,
most of which were not that good. Now I can add a good book to that list.
“Grandpa’s Hotrod” is a story of a young man who finds his grandfather’s deuce
roadster and as young men have a habit of doing, he talks his grandpa into making it
run again. It’s a short story so I won’t spoil any more of it, but as car folk we all know
it. The passion for hot rods is largely passed down from generation to generation, this
book is a wonderful tool for doing just that. Read it to your kids or grand kids, then
let them find the hot rod in your “barn” and help you bring it back to life. Even if that
involves you pretending to fix something that isn’t really broken.
The illustrative breakdown of the hotrod and all of its modifications can be a fun tool to
teach a youngster about the differences in the cars over the years and can be a great
stepping off point for fun conversations about what they might do to a Hotrod of their
own.
The illustrations were also done by the author as well as the publishing. This book is
as home grown an effort as you can get. The kind of home grown DIY effort that you
should support, in hopes that there are more books to follow.
To order a copy for yourself go to grandpashotrod.com
See you at a show,
Travis
Event Coverage: 2013 STP400 at Kansas Speedway
A few months ago I made a new twitter friend. As luck would have it for me that friend has a pretty freaking cool job. As part of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series #20 Matt Kenseth team he invited me to come see the action at the STP400 at the Kansas Speedway from a new point of view. Of course I jumped at the chance to see the race from the pits. To keep people from bugging him for passes I’ll not mention his name.
Here’s what I saw in slideshow format. To see the gallery just click here.
Enjoy!
Thanks man for the opportunity to be in the pits and see you guys win a fantastic victory.
See you at a show,
Travis
Event Coverage: 2013 H.A.M.B.B.Q. Photos!
Due to a scheduling conflict I was not able to make the run part of the 2013 H.A.M.B.B.Q. But I was able to capture a few images of a couple of the cars and scenes available while waiting for the group to get to the final stop. Thanks again NoSurf and family for putting on a kool event and hosting us all!
That’s it for now, I have some more that I will add to the gallery later.
See you at a show,
Travis
Week in Review & A Look Ahead 4-20-13
It’s been an interesting week in U.S. history, the Boston Marathon Bombing, the fertilizer plant in West, TX and the apprehension of the Boston Marathon bomber (and killing of his brother/fellow bomber). My heart goes out to the families and friends of all of those that suffered this week due to these two events.
On with the blog:
Monday
On Monday I finished up my coverage from the 2013 Lonestar Roundup. Monday’s post was some of the more artful edits from the show. If you missed the coverage you can see the entire gallery here. Or you can follow along the coverage on the blog in these posts. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Art
Tuesday
On Tuesday I looked ahead at an event going on today (Saturday April 20, 2013). The H.A.M.B.B.Q.
Wednesday
Wednesday was a look in the ol way back machine, okay, not so far back, just a few years. But it was a look back at the Kansas City GearGrinder show.
Thursday
Thursday we took a look at one of the big 2 shows happening in the Midwest on the first weekend of May. The Vintage Torque Fest. I was able to make the first two years of this show and shared some slideshows of those events. Have a look if you can be in Dubuque, IA the first weekend of May, you wont be disappointed.
Friday
Friday was the official announcement of the Limited Edition Poster #2! I’m excited to offer this as a pre-sale for a discounted price (I cover the shipping on the pre-orders). So get your order in now! I still have 14 copies of poster #1 but I bet those will be gone by the end of the Stray Kat 500 so don’t wait!
Saturday
Today I’ll be heading out to aforementioned H.A.M.B.B.Q. , then I’ll head to Chaotic Customs to test drive my Galaxie as they help me fight a vibration issue. Then it’s off to Winfield, KS for the 20th Anniversary party for my friends tattoo and piercing shop Skinsations in Arkansas City, KS. It will be a long busy day.
Sunday
Tomorrow its up super early to get to the Kansas Speedway super early because I will spend the day hanging out with the pit crew for the #20 car driven by Matt Kenseth! Congrats Matt & crew on the new track record and pole position qualifying effort!
Next weekend
Next weekend I’ll be hitting the Chaotic Customs Open House in Mulvane, KS. From 10-2 this will be a kool event/car show.
See you at a show,
Travis
Limited Edition Poster #2
Awhile back I released Limited Edition Poster #1, and now it’s time for #2! Wait, that didn’t sound right… you know what I mean, the second one… whatever!
As with the last time, there will be a pre-sale period. In fact, anyone who purchased Poster #1 has already received an email with an offer to get Poster #2 and have the same number as the first time. Again11x17 size and 50 copies only, never to be printed again, get it or miss it.
This photo was taken last year at the Stray Kat 500 in Dewey, OK. The 500 is where you should be the first weekend of each May, its the koolest, most laid back event around.
Order today to get yours! See you at a show, Travis
Upcoming Show! Vintage Torque Fest!
The first weekend of May is a busy one in the world of Midwest hot rods & kustoms. In addition to the Stray Kat 500 in Dewey, OK is the Vintage Torque Fest held in Dubuque, IA. I was lucky enough to attend the first two Vintage Torque Fests and man oh man did I have a blast.
What you need to know about VTF:
- all of the proceeds go to charity, a good one www.helpinghannahsheart.org
- traditional hot rod & kustom car show, other kinds of cars are welcomed but must park in their own areas, the main show area will be pre-65 hot rods & kustoms, no billet, no digital, for a full listing of the requirements click here.
- One of my favorite notes on that page is “Stuffed animals, cry baby dolls, rubber rats, fake food drive in trays, skeletons in passenger seats are not for Vintage Torque Fest.”
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- Music to include:
The Afterdarks
The Alder Kings
Captain Stab Tuggo
Concrete Rivals
Death By Rodeo
Delilah DeWylde & The Lost Boys
The Heroine
Hot Rod Hucksters
Krank Daddies
LÁssassins
Labretta Suede & Motel 6
Babe Miller and His 10-4′s
Misery Jackals
Muddy Udders
Royal Rhytmaires
Surf Zombies
3 On The Tree
The Von Ehrics
Dale Watson
Here are some of my photos from the first 2 shows:
2010
2011
So, if you can make it to the Vintage Torque Fest you’d better go, you’ll probably be sorry you missed it. If anyone has a time machine that I can borrow I would like to hit both shows that weekend.
See you at a show,
Travis
A Look Back At The KC Geargrinder
A few years ago I heard of a new show in the Kansas City area and I decided to head up to check it out. The Kansas City Geargrinder. It was a kool show at a great venue called Knuckleheads, which is a fantastic live music joint in KCMO.
I haven’t been back to the show since due to weather and a conflicting schedule. I hope the show comes back and is bigger and better than ever. Here’s a slideshow from that show, click on any of the photos to go to the full gallery.
See you at a show,
Travis
Upcoming Event: HAMBBQ
For the last few years I’ve been attending a great small event called the H.A.M.B.B.Q. it’s put on by a friend that happens to be on the H.A.M.B. if you don’t know what that is, go over and have a look. It’s the message board for the Jalopy Journal a site dedicated to traditional hot rods & kustoms.
This year’s event info is here.
This post is not so much to invite you, although if you are a H.A.M.B. member and in the area come on out, as it is to hopefully inspire you to get some fellow hot rod and/or kustom folks together to go on a run, actually drive your cars and end up some place kool.
Here are a couple of slide shows from the last couple of H.A.M.B.B.Q. runs!
2012
2011
Get out and do something kool with your rides and your friends and make some new friends,
See you at a show,
Travis
Auto Art from the Lonestar Roundup
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Art
In this post I’m going to share some of the more artful edits from my Lonestar Roundup trip, tomorrow we’re on to a new topic. 🙂
All of these are available as prints or high resolution downloads if you click on them and then use the “buy” button.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Art
Hopefully you like them, if you do, pick up a print for yourself by clicking on any of them then using the “buy” button on that site to get prints from 4×6 on up to poster sized!
See you at a show,
Travis
Event Coverage: Final post of the 2013 Lonestar Roundup coverage!
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Art
I’m nearing the end of the coverage, after this or maybe the next post will just be some more artsy ones that I do.
Saturday we were treated to some good old fashioned vintage cackling. Here’s the restored Scorpian V from 1964
And an earlier version of the Scorpion
Gambino’s F You 54
Look at all those people…
I’m kinda digging that grille opening
Bleed’s ride
Love those gauges
The party at the Poodle Dog Lounge was a lot of fun.
The 635 mile drive home was long but a good day, the big block averaged 18.8 mpg and I was able to run fairly fast even with this wicked vibration. (hopefully that will be fixed before the Stray Kat 500).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Art
That’s it! Finally made it through the gallery. There are a bunch more photos on the site if you want to click any of these images and go have a look. As always if there’s one you’d like you can buy a print or high resolution digital copy. The money goes to help get me and the cameras to another show to bring you more coverage.
I hope someone out there was encouraged to go build something kool and show it off. You’ll meet a whole awesome group of people and your life will be kooler for it.
See you at a show,
Travis