Already collecting bugs, only 2 hours into the trip.
Clear weather as I rolled east for Springfield, MO.
Saturday morning I got to the show early so I could have plenty of time to see all of the cars roll in. This sedan was cleaaaaan.
Doug was kind enough to make some room for the Royboy shirts, posters and hats in his booth. Thanks Doug!
Right next door was the RJay’s Speed Shop booth.
I took a break from the show to head into the VFW where the show was held. This ham & cheese omelet came with hash browns & biscuits & gravy for $5. I was full.
So then it was back out to the show.
Bret’s 40 Ford.
More to come of it later
Anyone know what engine this is off of the top of their heads? I can’t put a name to that “face”
Here are some from the Vendors area
That’s it for this first post, more tomorrow or click on any of these photos to see the entire gallery.
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All Royboy photos on this site are available as prints up to poster sizes. Buying them not only makes your walls cooler it puts gas in the tank to get me to another car show or feature shoot. Please consider buying a print, if you can’t do that, I understand. Or just hit the Store page and buy something or make a donation!
On Memorial Day 2012 my father, my nephew Gannon and I went to Kanopolis Lake about 40 miles west of Salina, KS with the truck and trailer to pick up my 1951 Ford Custom 2 Door Sedan. I’m hoping to do as much of this car as possible myself, and I’m no mechanic. This will be a challenge but I hope to show a bunch of you that you can tackle these jobs involved in bringing an old car back to life if you break them down into small jobs.
From the outside the car looks to be all there. While it wont start and the previous owner said that he drove it from Salina to the lake home, he said it was missing on a couple of cylinders by the time that he got to the lake.
After a quick hose down I see that the weather stripping is not doing it’s job, so I pull back the carpet where the water had dripped to see what was underneath and I find a flattened out Folgers Coffee can as a floor patch. No biggie the floors can be replaced.
The paint looks decent for the most part, probably a 70’s era re-spray, the trunk was in the sun for 8 years so it’s rather oxidized and faded. After a year, I finally got a space cleaned out in my garage at home and I drug the car home so that I could start to tinker with her and see if I could bring the ol flathead back to life. The factory front grille was removed to go on my buddy Jack’s 51 Ford Kustom that he’s just finished with the help of Chaotic Customs, Fast A.L.’s Upholstery and others, and it will be replaced with a 54 Pontiac grille that I have.
Wanting to do things myself as much as possible but knowing when to call in an expert, I had a friend rebuild the factory carb, if I had done that myself it would be months before I did it. So now with a new carb and a freshly charged battery I try to start the old girl. No go. Not getting a drop of fuel out of the fuel pump even though the bowl on the pump is full. A trip to O’Reillys and a new fuel pump is on the way. So next up is to swap the fuel pump and try her again.
Once the car is running and I can take it for the occasional drive up and down the block it’s time to save up for a wiring harness. The 60 year old cloth covered wiring is in bad need of replacement. In the mean time I have a set of Ford Aerostar springs for the front which will bring the front end down about 3 inches and give the car a better ride quality, for the rear my buddy Jack has given me a set of blocks to get the altitude right.
Power washing the gunk off the bottom of the car
Another upgrade that I hope to do soon is installing a 77 Ford Maverick rear end, from everything that I’ve read it’s a near perfect fit and a much higher quality rear end with a better suited gear than the factory setup. The 3 speed with OD should mate well with the new rear gears. Before I can install that I need to get a lesson in how to rebuild brakes so I can finish the Maverick rear end before it goes under the car.
Although I’ve been to the AutoFest twice before (2011 and 2012) this was the first time I’d taken my car. Some of my friends were competing in the BBQ contest so we all rolled into town on Friday. I did not take part in the poker run but I saw quite a few cars that did. All of the photos are in the gallery here if you want to see them all.
The cars started showing up early! This was about 7am.
Open to all makes and models this show draws in a nice variety of cars.
My Galaxie
Visually a car show is much better when the hoods and trunks are all shut but since this show does have a couple of teams of judges that come through I understand how some people would rather leave their cars open for the judges.
Flame Jobs From 2006-2009
These are some the flames I’ve captured at car shows, this first post is 2006-2009, starting with the very first show of the Royboy Galleries all the way to the end of 2009.
Pinstripe flames
Body colored flames faded into off-color tips
full yellow flames
Another variation on the pinstriped flames
The color of these kinda set them in the 90’s to me, what do you think?
Crazy airbrush flames
Red House painted surf board
Long long flames (always gave me the idea that the vehicle was in motion)
There is a great story behind these flames, but Don tells it best so if you see him at a show, ask him.
Fadeaway yellow to red with body color flames on top.
Basic flames on a shoebox, I like the style where the tips cros each other.
White fade into yellow flamed Cadillac
Flames as an accent
Multi-color seaweed flames
Airbrushed “real-fire” style flames
I’ve dug this flamejob since I first saw it.
Another white fadeaway flame job
After an accident on the streets this one time “rat” was redone to this finished state.
Got wood?
All over flames
Embossed flames on the bottom side of the bed cover match the painted flames on the body
More RedHouse Custom Paint work
Fade-in flames
Classic white into yellow into orange with 2nd layer of body color flames
“Real-Fire” style airbrushed flames coming out of the engine compartment
Long narrow licks on this surfboard
Iconic, long narrow flames with white-yellow-orange fade.
The Yellow to Orange fade flames with the white outlines look great on this Ford pickup
More of the airbrush “real-fire” style
Looks racey doesn’t it?
Historic flames.
Short seaweed style
Body color flames with highlights and outline
Long narrow flames with a seaweed style repetition.
Hot Rod Dan’s flamed Ford
Jetter Flames
Outline Flames
Comment below and tell me your favorite style.
That’s it for part 1, next time we’ll do 2010-2011!
See you at a show,
Royboy
Don’t forget the Royboy Merch!!!! I have keychains, coozies, stickers & hats for sale. Every piece you buy gets me further down the road to bring more show coverage and podcasts to you. See you at a show, Royboy
PS: All Royboy photos on this site are available as prints up to poster sizes. Buying them not only makes your walls cooler it puts gas in the tank to get me to another car show or feature shoot. Please consider buying a print, if you can’t do that, I understand. IF you like this post, share it with your car friends using the social media sharing buttons below or just by sending them the link to this page. Every set of eyeballs on the site helps! Or just hit the Store page and buy something or make a donation!
A while back someone asked me if I had a way to search for a specific kind of car on my website. I don’t. It would take a tremendous effort to go back now and label each of the 36,000 images as to what the cars are. So I decided to try to find a work around. The solution for now is having Vehicle Specific Galleries. The goal here is to gather up images of similar cars so you can quickly and easily see many different ways that each body style can be done. The hope is that you might find inspiration in these photos and go build something of your own to enjoy.
Right now I just have 3 up: Ford Shoeboxes (1949-1951 Fords)
The last 2 are not 100% up to date, I try to go and add a few each night until I’m done but they have a good start.
I hope to have more in the near future but it does take a significant amount of time to collect these images together so bear with me. If there are any specific models that you would like to see collected as a gallery let me know by using the email form at the top of this blog or by commenting below.
Wow, talk about ruining all of the lines of the car by having everything open… I should have looked to see if the damn gas door was open too.
That’s it for what I saw at the Motor Mania show.
See you at a show, keep our friends in Oklahoma in your thoughts, prayers, mojo, good vibes, postive energy, whatever it is that you believe in. Those folks need any good stuff they can get.
For the 2nd time I made the long drive (okay it was only 30 miles) over to Abilene, KS for their MotorMania show. Most of the cars had their hoods and a few trunks open, which means I don’t really want to shoot photos of them. Here are a few shots of what I saw.
I love when I see an awesome car at a show and pass it on the way home, driving and not on a trailer. I understand that not all cars would be good drivers but would make kool show vehicles, for most, you should drive them if at all possible!!!
I know I share a lot of photos of The Toad, but its a fantastic car. Aaaaand Doug drives the Toad all the time.
I’ve seen the Weavers all over the region in this ride, never once saw it on a trailer.
Mickey’s Merc loves the open road.
The stuff legends are made of. Hammann’s 58 has been unchanged since ’76 and has been driven everywhere.
I think Jeb said he’s at about 230,000 miles on Nadine.
Alex Gambino drives the craaaap out of this car, just like all of the Beatniks that I’ve met.
Johnny Torres is a member of the Beatniks as wekk,
Driven from CA to Austin for the LSRU
Nick is no stranger to the backside of the windshield in this ride.
Ryno has put a ton of miles on the Unibody.
Driven from Amarillo, TX to Bartlesville, OK in the rain no less
Kevin’s 64 rolls wherever he wants to go.
The point of this is to say, look some of these are DAMN nice rides that most would think lead a pampered life, but their owners built them to drive. Get out there and drive your cars, get on the open road, enjoy the 2 lane blacktops the way that they were meant to be enjoyed. Inspire someone else to build something kool and come join ya!
From the first shows that I attended with my cameras I’ve always been attracted to pinstripes. From the long lines pulled down a scallop paint job to the fantastic scroll work done to accent so many cars across the hot rod and kustom world.
Here are some of my favorites from this year’s shows so far. If you are a pinstriper and I’m featuring some of your work below, let me know so I can give you credit and steer people to you for some lines on their ride.
These stripes over the patina’d paint make a statement.
This 60 Chevy had some great paint and some way kool lines.
Okay so this is metal cut to look like stripes, still super bitchin’. This was one of the awards at the 2013 Lonestar Roundup.
More of the same type for sale in the Acme Speed Shop booth at the LSRU
I’ve always loved the tasteful elegance of the lines on the Toad.
Here are some of the usual hooligans taking advantage of the heat in the back of TwoTall’s shop at the Stray Kat 500.
A Legend in his own mind. Ron Myers. Actually he’s an honest to God legend. The man has striped just about everything that you could imagine and I’m sure a few things that I shouldn’t.
A bunch of the pinstripers decided to decorate TwoTall’s shop door. I will steal this door.
Find a pinstriper at a show, buy some of their art, pay them to create art on your ride, support kustom kulture artists if you enjoy it’s existence!
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! ______________________________________________________________________________
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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