Shop Visit: Big Creek Restoration

On my way up to the Hot Rod Hill Climb (coverage here) I stopped in Ellis, KS at Big Creek Restoration for a shop visit.

 

Continue reading “Shop Visit: Big Creek Restoration”

Shop Visit: Hot Rod Garage

There are a lot of talented builders out there, there are a ton of great shops I get to visit. Hot Rod Garage of Sand Springs, OK stands out as one of the best of that group. Last Friday on my way to Tulsa I stopped and hung out at the HRG for about an hour looking at some of the projects they have going on.

This is one of the most meticulous shops I’ve ever seen. Every car is built right and every car is an example of how to do whatever it is that you’re doing. I was floored at the craftsmanship when I got to see it up close. Father and Son owners the Smith’s were out in the shop getting dirty when I showed up. Their office chairs empty, their hands dirty, building cars. That says a lot to me.

Jim and his son Jason Smith started HRG 17 years ago and have grown to be one of the best around.

 Goodguys 2013 Truck of the Year, QuikSilver
Goodguys 2013 Truck of the Year, QuikSilver
 When I showed up, Owner Jim Smith was working on TIG
When I showed up, Owner Jim Smith was working on TIG’ing up some exhaust pieces for this ride. There’s a lot of stuff to fit in the frame, but it’s all tucked up and nice so that the car looks good even when you’re laying on the ground next to it.
 Another project is this flattie powered sedan. There are some great Vintage go-fast pieces on this one.
Another project is this flattie powered sedan. There are some great Vintage go-fast pieces on this one.
 Another project is this flattie powered sedan. There are some great Vintage go-fast pieces on this one.
Another project is this flattie powered sedan. There are some great Vintage go-fast pieces on this one.
 Jason Smith
Jason Smith’s personal project gets some love on the weekends and evenings. This Falcon is being prepped to road race. The 3 window body in the background goes on the frame show earlier.

 Ready for the customer to pick up! this historic racer has been at HRG getting restored to it
Ready for the customer to pick up! this historic racer has been at HRG getting restored to it’s former glory. It is BEAUTIFUL!
 In the owner
In the owner’s family since it was a year old this ol trifive is now sitting on an Art Morrison Chassis and has a 600 hp Caddy LS8 under the hood. Pictured next to is a new shop dog that just wandered into the shop earlier in the day.
 This Hemi powered Jeep Rubicon is being transformed to mimic a show vehicle from SEMA a couple of years ago. It is mean and going to get meaner.
This Hemi powered Jeep Rubicon is being transformed to mimic a show vehicle from SEMA a couple of years ago. It is mean and going to get meaner.
 The attention to detail on this 57 floored me. The engine is clean and not too flashy, showing that it means business. All hoses and lines are cleanly routed and look like GM designed the engine for this car.
The attention to detail on this 57 floored me. The engine is clean and not too flashy, showing that it means business. All hoses and lines are cleanly routed and look like GM designed the engine for this car.
 Another great looking power plant in the Hot Rod Garage bays.
Another great looking power plant in the Hot Rod Garage bays.
 Jim Smith
Jim Smith’s personal panel. I love this ride.
 Everywhere that you look the shop is clean and organized. and great art hangs on every wall.
Everywhere that you look the shop is clean and organized. and great art hangs on every wall.

 

See you at a show,

Royboy

 

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Shop Visit: Chaotic Customs

Between Christmas and New Year’s I was on a road trip and had a little time to stop by and see my friends at Chaotic Customs in Mulvane, KS. They’ve done some work on one of my cars and a couple for my dad and I wanted to drop off some Christmas candy from my family to the Chaotic crew.
Here are some cell phone photos from that visit.

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The 2014 SEMA build is Karma’s Mustang. The top has been chopped and numerous other changes are underway.
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The 2014 SEMA build is Karma’s Mustang. The top has been chopped and numerous other changes are underway.
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Jack’s 39 Ford is in the shop for some new floors and rust repair. The chassis sports a ton of parts that Jack got from RJay’s Speed Shop.
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This hot rod is getting the full treatment with a whole bunch of custom treatments, stay tuned for more on it.
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Chaotic’s Chris Carlson showing the newly chopped removable hard top on this kustom Mercury
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Another project is this ’59 Chevy.
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The crew at Chaotic is really doing a kool job on this Stingray Vette. Adding a bit of muscle to the front fenders, sucking the bumpers into the body a bit for a more streamlined look, re-shaping the wheel wells again to show a bit of a bulge on the body. Almost like the way the designers may have envisioned the car before the bean counters took over. I can’t wait to see this one all finished up.

Thanks to my friends at Chaotic for opening up the doors to my dad and I and taking the time to show us all of the projects in the shop. I’m sure the big tray of candy had nothing to do with that :). I have upcoming shop visits planned for 3 new shops in the next few months, stay up to date by subscribing in the top right hand corner of the page.

See you at a show,

Royboy

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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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

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

Heading to the Lonestar Roundup!

The trip started off a bit weird. My Galaxie was at Chaotic Customs to get some TLC, so yesterday I needed a ride from home almost 2 hours south to my buddy Jack’s house where I was crashing for the night. Once we arrived and unloaded all of my boxes of shirts, hats, posters, video camera, clothes…where’s my camera bag? It’s still on the couch at home. Damn.

I laughingly explained to Jack that I would get the car and drive home, get my camera & then begin my trip again, fully prepped. Jack told me “phooey!” (not an exact quote) “Take my truck and go get your bag.” As he handed me the keys, I headed out the door, filled his truck up with gas and headed back north. 2:30am I was back at Jack’s and heading to bed.

The next morning we went over to Chaotic and picked up my car.


After some hanging out it was time to head south. After leaving Mulvane I headed to Arkansas City, KS to see Jeff Myers and see a new project in his shop. Then it was off to Oklahoma! The day was a bit long due to snow, sleet and rain all through Oklahoma. Add to that a malfunctioning cell phone and I had a few moments of less than happy thoughts.

After a rainy drive I finally got to Atlas Speed & Custom in Denison, TX. After hanging out a bit it was off to the hotel. More on the trip tomorrow!

See you at a show,
Travis

Ryno Built Shop Visit 2-3-13

So, on Monday of this week I told you about my weekend, traveling to the Joplin area to shoot Ryno’s 61 Ford pickup, and then off to Aaron’s Fast AL’s Upholstery on the way home for a bit of a visit. Yesterday I shared some photos of the visit to Fast AL’s, here are some of the time spent at Ryno Built.

At first I wasn’t sure if Ryno had some secrets he wasn’t telling but no this is just the lace used to get all of the kool lacework in the paint job of the truck…
Some of the lace used to create the awesome paint on Ryno's 61 Ford Unibody Pickup. Feature coming soon!

Some TrueSpoke Supremes on a 1931 Studebaker President Sedan, info on the build can be found here.

With the frame nearing completion, the Stude body has been placed so the floor supports can be build and some other items fabbed.

Looks to be the beginnings of a healthy ride.

Floor supports in place.

A 4 door Stude is not your normal idea of a hot rod, but this is not your normal hot rod shop.

Next time I’ll get a bunch more photos of the wagon that is being built for Mrs. Ryno. For now for info on the 60 Chevrolet Kingswood Wagon that Ryno is building for his wife, click here.

For more info on Ryno Built you can contact him on Facebook. Hire him to build you something safe, kool and fast. For the last visit to Ryno Built click here.

See you at a show,

Travis