Hot Rods and Kustom Cars
AutoFest Part 3Maybe next year I can get everyone to shut their hoods during the awards so that I can get better photos…
See you at a show,
Travis
I’m kinda digging the stock lines here.
See you at a show,
Travis
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.
Biggun
That’s it for part 1
See you at a show,
Travis
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!
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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)
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
Part 2!!!
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!
See you at a show,
Travis
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.
Clint Rowe, outlining my new old school paint at the Starbird Devlin show.
Fresh lines on Bill’s Sledsel
Here’s a different take on stripes, these done by Fast AL’s Upholstery in Shawn Mundy’s 34 Ford Pickup.
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!
See you at a show,
Travis
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.
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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
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Thanks for following along in my adventures, see you at a show,
Travis
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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.
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That’s it for Saturday’s photos. Sunday photos tomorrow!
See you at a show,
Travis
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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.
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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
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
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That’s it for this post, see you at a show,
Travis
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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
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Next up Saturday in the rain!
See you at a show,
Travis
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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.
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.
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See you at a show,
Travis
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
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
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
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
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
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
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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.
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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
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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).
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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
