Royboy Review: Gears And Gals Magazine

Two or three years ago a friend of mine was talking to me about another photographer that he wanted me to meet. He was really talking this guy up so when we finally crossed paths later that year I really felt like I kinda already knew Steve Giangreco. Our mutual friend Herb had filled me in on many of Steve’s kool projects but one that I didn’t know about was Gears and Gals Magazine. A year later I see the first issue of Gears and Gals and to be honest I was a bit jealous, I wanted to do a magazine! But this was far beyond what I was capable of at the time, and even today. Steve has put together a great publication in Gears and Gals.

Now on it’s 11 Issue, Gears and Gals is an indie publication that is largely the work of just a handful of people. The text is large, the photos are large, the ads are sparse. It’s a great magazine for just visually perusing or for sitting to read some great articles. I’ve supplied show coverage for the magazine in the past and I’m planning on doing so again in 2014.

If you like beautiful tasteful pinups and great hot rods, kustoms, trucks and drag machines,  you need to check this magazine out. The majority of the vehicles featured are from the Kansas City area as that’s where the magazine is based out of but the feature vehicles are starting to be shot from farther and farther away from the home base. Issue 11 for example features Chicago area’s Voodoo Larry’s  newly redone Voodoo Kreeper and the lovely Collette on the cover and as the feature story.

 

So now that I’ve told you a bit about the magazine, let me tell you about the experience that this magazine gives me. The paper is thick, the magazine feels substantial in my hands, almost like it’s made to be a collectable. Throwing it away would feel like a waste. Gears and Gals is printed right here in the midwest too, not outsourced to China like so many other magazines.  The photography is all well done, the articles are informative and well written. The layout of the magazine is straight ahead and simple with many full page photos featuring some of the many beautiful pinups that Gears and Gals regularly work with. When I was going through the magazine looking for faults the only glaring one was that it was that I wanted more. I don’t know if that’s a fault but it did leave me a touch less than satisfied, meaning that I will patiently be waiting for the next issue to show up. This magazine features many of the shows that I attend and a handful that I don’t make it to as well. There’s great event coverage, feature articles, personality features and more in Gears and Gals.

To summarize, yes the magazine is published by friends of mine, yes I will have articles in it in the future, and yes I’m recommending the magazine to you. First I wouldn’t be submitting articles to this mag if I didn’t believe it was a good product, and second this is as indie as it gets, no corporate politics, no big publishing company games, this is one small teams’ vision and effort going into making a great magazine that shows off some of the Midwestern car show scene. THAT’S something I can get behind. A subscription would make a great Christmas gift, even if you’re getting yourself a gift!

Head over to Gears and Gals on facebook and like their page, go to their site and pick up an issue or better yet subscribe!

See you at a show,

Royboy

20 copies remain! Order today to get yours!trucks 2014

 

Chaotic Customs Shop Visit 11-21-13

On my way to the Hot Rod Revolution (which was being cancelled as I shot these photos) I stopped by my friends’ Chaotic Customs in Mulvane, KS to see what they were up to. The shop was full of projects and folks working on them. Drew Carlson was nice enough to take a few minutes off of working on a project to show me around the shop and explain what they’d been up to recently since finishing the SEMA build on Mike’s 40 Ford Pickup. The photos below should all be captioned and explain what you’re seeing. I will try to stop in a couple of more times over the next few months for more updates on these projects.

 Jack
Jack’s 39 Ford Body, Drew Carlson hand fabbed the rear section and replaced all the rusty sections towards the bottom of the body all around.
 The factory antenna holes were patched up as well as some other holes in the body and of course some rusty spots.
The factory antenna holes were patched up as well as some other holes in the body and of course some rusty spots.
 Rear shot of the 39, new floors installed. Drew was working on the car as I got there, later in the day I stopped by Jack
Rear shot of the 39, new floors installed. Drew was working on the car as I got there, later in the day I stopped by Jack’s home shop where he was working on getting the frame painted so it could be reassembled and reunited with the body.
 About an inch was taken out of the meat above the window area of the roof on this pickup. More on it in a few weeks, lots of mods going on here.
About an inch was taken out of the meat above the window area of the roof on this pickup. More on it in a few weeks, lots of mods going on here.
 1940 Chevy Convertible with new floor pans, new suspension and new 4 bar setup in the back.
1940 Chevy Convertible with new floor pans, new suspension and new 4 bar setup in the back.
 The new floor pans in the 1940 Chevy Convertible
The new floor pans in the 1940 Chevy Convertible
 The 1940 Chevy
The 1940 Chevy’s new front suspension.
 A new roll pan for the 40 Chevy Convertible
A new roll pan for the 40 Chevy Convertible
 The owner of this Vette wanted to update the car a bit. Chaotic is exaggerating some of the factory lines a bit more like what a factory dream car might have been like. Vette purists will hate it but, I dig it big time.
The owner of this Vette wanted to update the car a bit. Chaotic is exaggerating some of the factory lines a bit more like what a factory dream car might have been like. Vette purists will hate it but, I dig it big time.
 The rear bumpers were sucked in to the body and reshaped to fit.
The rear bumpers were sucked in to the body and reshaped to fit.
 Here you can see the peak of the passenger side fender has been raised about an inch. The more aggressive big block hood will be added as well.
Here you can see the peak of the passenger side fender has been raised about an inch. The more aggressive big block hood will be added as well.
 Here you can see the difference in the front fenders. The raised peak adds style and aggressiveness that should have been there from the factory.
Here you can see the difference in the front fenders. The raised peak adds style and aggressiveness that should have been there from the factory.
 A recently completed project at Chaotic, back in for a checkup.
A recently completed project at Chaotic, back in for a checkup.
 Chaotic just finished up Mike
Chaotic just finished up Mike’s 40 Ford pickup for SEMA and is now prepping it for the show circuit, starting next week!
 A Mustang fastback in the shop for some major upgrades. EFI 302, 6 speed Tremec, Mustang II style front suspension, removed shock towers, smoothed and flamed inner fenders, are just some of the mods on this car. More photos in a couple of weeks.
A Mustang fastback in the shop for some major upgrades. EFI 302, 6 speed Tremec, Mustang II style front suspension, removed shock towers, smoothed and flamed inner fenders, are just some of the mods on this car. More photos in a couple of weeks.

 

See you at a show,

Royboy

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