Event Coverage: 2013 KKOA Leadsled Spectacular Part 3

Event Coverage: 2013 KKOA Leadsled Spectacular Part 3

 


You missed the pinup contest… I could only stay a minute, too many cars to see, too many people stopping by my booth when I wasn’t there.


Greg Guise’s etching art

That’s it for this post, next up are a couple of shots from the drags.
See you at a show,
Royboy

Event Coverage: 2013 KKOA Leadsled Spectacular Part 2

Event Coverage: 2013 KKOA Leadsled Spectacular Part 2
A bit too much rain from Thursday night.
Thanks for driving down to hang out with us John.

McPhails’ 41 Buick

A couple of the McGregor’s shopping for an apron… don’t ask.

That’s it for this update, more tomorrow.
See you at a show,
Royboy

Event Coverage: 2013 KKOA Leadsled Spectacular Part 1

Event Coverage: 2013 KKOA Leadsled Spectacular Part 1

I didn’t shoot much in the park on Thursday, only a handful out at Bright Built Hot Rods at their Open House, here they are for ya!

I’ll be at the show all day Friday-Sunday so stop by the booth, buy something, say hi, shake hands any of that stuff!
See you at a show,
Royboy.

2013 KKOA Leadsled Spectacular Set Up Day

And so it begins…

It’s already here… The 2013 KKOA Leadsled Spectacular is finally here. Yes, I may be a bit over excited about it but lets look at why. 1600+ cars, an emphasis on traditional kustoms and hot rods, the drags, legendary builders, on site custom jobs being done by legends, my booth (okay so maybe that’s a 2nd tier item), it’s going to be a fantastic weekend.
The show technically starts today, this post from a couple of days ago will give you a rough schedule and some of the important locations on google maps to help you find your way there. So yesterday a bunch of the vendors showed up and claimed our spots in the park. A few early comers to the show were already there and hanging out, here’s a few photos of their rides.
Sonny’s 59 Chevrolet
This kustom 51 Merc was at a 1961 magazine feature.
1953 Mercury
Jack Walker’s 59 Chevrolet
See you at the show,
Travis

For all those coming to Salina, KS this weekend…

So if you’ve been following along with my stuff at all lately you know that this weekend is the 2013 KKOA Leadsled Spectacular in Salina, KS. Since Salina is basically my hometown, I figured I’d give everyone a bit of a list of some notable places in town. Click on the links to go to the location on google maps, if you are viewing this on your phone you should be able to then navigate to the location. First off, registration for the show is now at the Ramada Inn on West Crawford.

Thursday

Officially the show starts on Thursday, many early comers are at the park and hanging out on Thursday before the official festivities begin. Come out and enjoy the Open House at Bright Built Hot Rods that evening.
After the Open House head back to Oakdale Park to line up to take part in the Cruise on Santa Fe Ave from 7:30p to 8:30pm. If you just want to hang out and watch the cars instead of cruising just find yourself a place along Santa Fe between Walnut St. and Ash St.

Officially that’s it for Thursday.

Friday!

Again head back to Oakdale Park for the show opening up at 9 am (officially, but many show up well before that, I usually hit the park at 8am). We hang out all day at the show until it’s time to head up to the Run What Ya Brung Drags held right next to Dean Evans Stadium on Markley Road.  At 1pm on the stage in the park is the Pinup Contest. The drags officially start at 5, but I will try to leave the park for the drags around 4pm.

The drags are a blast. Last year there were some logistical issues with the layout, I hope that the city’s committee has it figured out this time. Its about an 1/8″ mile course, with flag men (or women) on each end of the track and it’s all about fun. Yes there are some true drag cars that come out, and to be honest I don’t agree with most of them being there but that’s a different discussion for a different day. If you want to make a pass or 12 in your ride, this is your chance to do it. If you just want to watch some fun drag racing action, come out and enjoy yourself.
Friday evening at 9:30pm at the Ramada Inn is the KKOA Tonite Show where the 2 2013 KKOA Hall of Fame Inductees are announced.
Also Friday evening at Calvins Customs on Santa Fe is a party open to all KKOA participants, to get your car into the party you must have the show registration displayed in your windshield and to get into the shop where there is typically free beer (to those 21 and over) and some good eats, you need to be wearing your show wrist band.

Saturday

Back to Oakdale Park for the biggest day of the show. The car counts and the crowds will be the biggest on Saturday. For those with kids coming along don’t forget that there is a really bitchin’ water park just east of Oakdale Park, this is a big show but sometimes you need something for the kids to do outside of the show, I understand. Also for the ladies, downtown Salina has a bunch of antique and unique shopping opportunities just a couple of blocks from the park.

Again at 1pm the Pinup Contest goes down, come and cheer on your favorite lovely lady.

All day Friday-Sunday an all star crew lead by Bill Hines will be chopping a top live in the park, its something to see for sure.
There is usually another major car mod going on in the park at the same time, the last couple of years it’s been a section job, stop by both spots and watch the cars get the kustom treatment all weekend long.

Saturday night at the historic Stiefel Theatre is the “One Night With Elvis” show. You can buy concert tickets at the registration booth or the T-Shirt booth.

Sunday

Sunday is usually a fraction of the cars that were at the show on Saturday, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a day to attend. Some of the best of the best kustoms around are all in the park on Sunday of the Leadsled Spectacular. Come hang out with kustom legends, see the awards ceremony and squeeze every last minute you can out of the KKOA weekend in Salina.

Good places to eat and drink in Salina.

Salina has a bunch of great places to eat.
BBQ:
Hickory Hut, routinely voted as one of the best in town.
Hog Wild Pit BBQ, technically a chain but a small one and VERY good for chain bbq.
(20 miles away in my hometown of Gypsum) Big D’s BBQ, this is some really good BBQ in a small town atmosphere that cannot be touched in the larger city. If you don’t mind a bit of a drive they are only open from 5-9pm on Saturday
Pizza:
There are 2 local pizza places fairly near to the show that both have great pie
Scheme (they do not accept plastic, so bring cash or a checkbook) you may want to make reservations, they do get busy.
And one a little farther from the show but still good stuff. Big Cheese Pizza
Burgers:
There’s a small KS chain called Spangles that has a great 50’s pop culture atmosphere and pretty good food for a fast food joint, two of them in town. One on South 9th St. and one on West Crawford.
One of 2 Salina institutions is Bogey’s, one of my personal favorites, if you want a great shake and a burger this is the place to go.
The other Salina institution for burgers in the Cozy Inn. You’ve probably heard about them, at some point in the weekend you need to go buy a sack (6 small sliders) they are pretty darn good, even if they stink so bad 🙂
Mexican:
I have 2 recommendations here, I can’t decide which is my favorite.
Cotijas, fairly new to town, and lots of authentic and some TexMex style, delicious every time I go
Lenore’s, been in town a long time and one of my favorite places to eat in Salina.
There are all of the normal chain restruants in Salina too but come on if you wanted to eat at a chain joint  you can go to any city in the country right?
 
Bars:
My all time favorite bar is the Paramount Bar just a block from Calvins Customs, the P has been in business since 1946 and it’s my favorite place to kick back and enjoy a drink, tell the girls that Travis sent ya and make sure you tip them well 🙂 enjoy the patio out back with the forecasted cool weather.
Another 2 blocks south is 111 Ultra Lounge, a nice little joint to enjoy some lively libations.
There’s also O’Malley’s in the Ramada Inn where a few of you are staying, decent bar, I don’t care for their food offerings but after a few you can’t tell that its not the best food ever
Out of the way a bit from where the show and hotels are is Speakeasy, nice bar with a patio and some decent food.
On the way to some of the south of town hotels is the Blind Pig, some basic bar food is available as well, and a nice patio.
I’m sure I’ve missed something. Please comment below if I have and I’ll try to find something for you. I’m damn proud at how the show has grown since coming to Salina and I hope to get more and more traditional kustom and hot rod folk to attend every year. Stop by the Royboy Productions booth and say hi, buy something if you want to, book a shoot if you can, above all safe travels and I’ll see you at the show.
Royboy

Vehicle Specific Galleries

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)

 Tri-Five Chevys (1955-1957 Chevrolets)

and Mercury (1949-1952 Mercs)

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.

I hope you enjoy them, see you at a show,

Travis

Mercury Kustoms

One of the most iconic kustom platforms has been the 49-51 Mercury since long before I was born.  The car just lends itself to a chopped top, a low stance and some skirts. While these are not required for a kool Merc they are seen on more Mercs today than not.

Continue reading “Mercury Kustoms”

Royboy’s Coverage of the 2011 Starliner and Garage Krawl Part 5-6

Part 5! With the fun of the Friday Garage Krawl in our memories, it was on to the main event of the Starliner show at the Kansas Aviation Museum. Before I go any further I want to say thanks to yblock292 for not only putting together the Garage Krawl but for hosting me for the weekend. I had an absolute blast hanging out and talking hotrods and kustoms with ya!

On to the show!

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

I was lucky enough to hang out with some of the Mulvane Marauders.
Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Jack’s 40 is just too cool!
Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Aaron of Fast AL’s Upholstery taking a shot of his car
Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum,Aaron Lawrence of Fast AL's Uphostery taking a pic of his own car...see I'm not the only one that does it.

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Butch and his 56 at the Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Gotcha again Twotallokie!
Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum, we've got to stop playing this game Travis...

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Zombie Speed Shop, it’s always good to see the truck…oh okay and you too.
Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

I think I need one of these!
Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

The boys from Iron Buffalo Hot Rods brought out their toys… but no bull this time…
Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

I love this ride and I need to do a feature on it for my site, I’d better get on that soon!
Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Part 6

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Hey Jimmy…about your wheels….
Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum
sorry, I just can’t help myself…

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Mick's Merc at the Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

My buddy Michael brought his awesome 40 Ford Truck out, I got to see it under construction, it’s awesome to see it finished.

Love this 40 at the Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Finkd (Jeff Myers) brought out his Stude pickup, I never get tired of seeing this ride.
Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Hot Rod Dan's 37 at the Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Doug Reed's Toad at the Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Hub Harness brought out his beautiful Buick, this is my favorite kustom. Sorry to anyone that might get their feelings hurt but I just love this ride.
Stray Kat Starliner at the Kansas Aviation Museum

Okay, back to the day job! Thanks for checking out the pics folks, remember if any of them look cool to you, you can buy downloads as cheaply as $2 and prints start for just a couple of bucks more. Every purchase helps put gas in the car to get to the next show, or buy more camera equipment to provide you all better coverage so please consider it!

See you at a show,

Travis