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Lonestar Rod & Kustom Round UpNot your dad’s rod run, or maybe it was! From the August, 2011 issue of Street Rodder By Brian Brennan | Photography by Gerry Burger
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It’s always fun to celebrate a milestone and this year’s Round Up in Austin, Texas, did just that with its 10th annual event. What started as a gathering on a football field of hot rodders, artists, and musicians who thoroughly enjoy “old-style” hot rods and customs has broadened. The event focus is wide in scope, making it more than a car gathering. It’s also a celebration of music and enjoying today’s interpretation of a lifestyle from a former era. The Round Up is hosted by the Kontinentals Car Club of Austin, and they clearly have the feel to organize a first-rate gathering—it’s different and you better be ready for a change. It is the ancillary happenings that make this event unique in the world of rod runs. Fellow club member Steve Wertheimer owns The Continental Club located on South Congress; (known for its live music since 1957. Steve took over in 1987 and restored the club to its ’50s atmosphere and now during the Round Up it serves as one of the focal points for nighttime entertainment and local cruising). As with any cruise night there’s the expected and then there’s the unexpected! To say there are some oddities cruising up and down South Congress would be an understatement. It’s a badge of pride that the citizenry wish to “Keep Austin Weird,” or so say the bumper stickers and airport T-shirts. Mark Gustafson (left) was... Mark Gustafson (left) was our Garage Crawl organizer, group leader, and all around cat-wrangler. Rick Love (right) of Vintage Air was my chauffeur as we drove up from San Antonio and then onto the “Crawl” in his ’39 Ford—the A/C worked just fine. The Round Up has clearly mastered the mix of multiple happenings brought together to banner one event. The Travis County Expo Center in Austin provides ample area for thousands of cars and trucks built in rod or custom fashion to be displayed but it also provides for the “other” side of this car event. Should you find yourself wanting to attend it’s best to understand the fun truly begins on Thursday at noon at Reggie’s then off to Bill’s for the Thunderbolts Thirsty Thursday. Thursday night is Texas-style barbecue. Get ready to be handed a piece of wax paper and then loaded with some of the best barbecue you will ever have—I know I’ve eaten my way through a lot of great barbecue. But it doesn’t stop there. Friday morning is the Garage Crawl hosted by Mark Gustafson. He is a local hot rodder and firefighter with enough connections to have the Travis County constable issue an escort for the 100-plus rods making the “Crawl.” Starting bright and early on Friday at the Cracker Barrel, Gustafson ushered this collection of rods on a tightly knit tour of four garages owned by Tony Adsley, Jim Green, Lee Wood, all starting at the host’s garage. The last stop is the Dell’s Children’s Hospital where the kids were able to get up close and really enjoy the color and sounds of all of these hot rods. Friday is a full day between the “Crawl” and then onto the expo center for the official opening of the event. You have to like any event that opens its doors at 10 a.m. (Magazine guys appreciate late starts—just ask Kev Elliott of Rod & Custom!) There’s the usual collection of swap meets, cruising the grounds, a Cacklefest, lots of show-and-tell, lifestyle gatherings, and live music, but of particular excitement and interest were the mini-bike races. (Plenty of horsepower, loads of testosterone, and the residual effects of still thinking your body possesses the reflexes of a 20-year-old as well as the healing power! Great fun.) Also fun is Friday night and the live music along South Congress. Directly across from The Continental Club, an open spot (San Jose Hotel’s parking lot) was the headquarters for several bands to entertain throughout the evening. At one point there was the unmistakable guitar riff that I associate with surf music—ah, literally music to my ears. That led to the parking of my backside on a nearby wall all the while taking in the evening’s sights and sounds. The office portion of Gustafson’s... The office portion of Gustafson’s garage is part hot rod shrine, part lounge, and all car guy hangout. If you believe you will be attending a modern day rod run you are correct—but not what you think as lawn chairs, trailers, and power parking need not apply. What was born of tradition has developed into a modern day interpretation of that old-time feelin’, something we may have seen prior to the early ’60s. Many of the ladies dress in bright polka dot dresses and skirts, display hairdos from a by-gone era, and in keeping with today’s culture display tattoos that I would freely give Senior Tech Editor Ron Ceridono’s paycheck to see where they end! Saturday afternoon’s music with a keynote performance by Jimmie Vaughan (four-time Grammy winner and nominated again for Best Traditional Blues Album for his first new album in nine years, Plays Blues, Ballads & Favorites) entertained on the grounds. He is no stranger to cars with a real love for customs as you will find parked in his garage a green ’61 Caddy, ’63 Riv, ’61 Buick Invicta, and a ’54 Ford. One wall in Gustafson’s garage... One wall in Gustafson’s garage is dedicated (literally) to the myriad of music albums that play honor to our world of hot rods. From here it was pinstripers, hair care (period haircuts for the guys and styling for the ladies—both hair and makeup), and appropriate clothing was available. That night there was plenty going at the Austin Speed Shop. Doors opened at 7 p.m. and your day’s Round Up wristbands got you in until there was no more room—and such is the case. Get there early and be ready to enjoy an evening’s worth of music (The Jade Idol, D.I., and Bob Bleed’s band) and hot rod talk. The shop was cleared out (well, as much as possible) and room was made for a good ol’ hell raisin’ evenin’ of fun. Sunday morning the event at the expo center is non-existent but should you feel in the mood for some fun then you can meet at Jo’s Coffee on South Congress, and enjoy a cruise to Hill Country and to a classic burger joint on the water at Ski Shores. To put the exclamation point on the weekend then you should stop at Mercury Charlie for his Hot Rods and Honeys gathering. This year it featured Junior Brown and the master of the chop himself Gene Winfield. The double-wide garage provides... The double-wide garage provides ample room for future projects and plenty of memorabilia from years of living the life of a hot rodder. Should you find yourself “jonesin’” for something different then you might want to try the Round Up. Next year’s date is April 13-15 and registration begins after January 1, 2012; visit www.lonestarroundup.com
to get all the info. From Green’s office overhead you get a pretty good look at the car barn floor and all this going on; there is a great deal more to the right that is out of the picture. (Go to www.streetrodder.com
and view a video of the entire car barn.) On the other hand R&C Tech Editor Kev Elliott (bent over assuming the position) and shooter extraordinaire Tim Sutton (providing watchful if not useful assistance) looked on as their “roadster pickup” had developed a “slight” gas leak. Elliott being the resourceful rodder had all under control in a matter of minutes—the two of them even made it back to the coast. Skip Bodet of San Antonio brought what was originally his dad’s ’56 T-bird purchased new and always a performance machine. Kept in the family it will always be what was intended—a really fast highway runner. If you don’t think Model A coupes are outstanding material for hot rods then you are just blind! Ryan Cochran with his five-window sports a shiny frame and flat black body, early Ford wires wrapped with ribbed rubber in front, and bias-ply in back. Oh yes, powered by the obligatory Flathead making this an excellent example of an A/V-8. That old-time feeling is all there with Steve Ernst’s Deuce highboy roadster outfitted with a ’57 Chevy 383, ’39 trans, and quick-change. Again, the Model A highboy coupe shows off its talent as a hot rod via Steve Young’s SBC-powered coupe sporting wide whites, black steelies, spider caps, and trim rings. Oh, did we mention the speeding ticket in the windshield; apparently the coupe is quick too.  Tony Adsley was our host for...  Tony Adsley was our host for the second stop on the Garage Crawl.  One of his beauties is this...  One of his beauties is this ’58 Impala equipped with a Tri-power topped 348.  He says one of (if not the)...  He says one of (if not the) his favorites is his ’57 Chevy featuring a full complement of late-model accessories under the otherwise stock-appearing sheetmetal with shaved door handles.  In another annex to Tony’s...  In another annex to Tony’s garage are a pair of ’39s, the obligatory Deuce highboy roadster in “magazine” red, and a, oh yes, that’s a Ferrari.  The last stop was the Dell...  The last stop was the Dell Children’s Hospital where the Garage Crawl parked and allowed the kids to come out and walk around the cars and get up close to something that they might not normally have the ability to do.  Jim Green was the third garage...  Jim Green was the third garage stop at his newly constructed “car barn.”  From Green’s office overhead...  From Green’s office overhead you get a pretty good look at the car barn floor and all this going on; there is a great deal more to the right that is out of the picture. (Go to www.streetrodder.com and view a video of the entire car barn.)  My wheels during the Garage...  My wheels during the Garage Crawl came via Rick Love’s ’39 Ford coupe that he has owned since the days of Travis, Crockett, and the Alamo.  Lee Wood opened up his garage...  Lee Wood opened up his garage for our last stop before the Dell Children’s Hospital. Gassers are the rage and couple that with the venerable Tri-Five Chevy and you have instant success. Danny Graham Lumberton, TX, has his ’55 running five-spokes, no front bumper, radius rear wheelwells, and an A-arm front suspension. Next step is the straight axle!  You gotta love it—never have...  You gotta love it—never have a mechanical problem when there’s a camera around—it will bite you every time. Turned out Love was just a bit too motherly and all was fine with the coupe.  A ’57 Bel Air sits in one...  A ’57 Bel Air sits in one corner of Wood’s garage.  On the other hand R&C Tech...  On the other hand R&C Tech Editor Kev Elliott (bent over assuming the position) and shooter extraordinaire Tim Sutton (providing watchful if not useful assistance) looked on as their “roadster pickup” had developed a “slight” gas leak. Elliott being the resourceful rodder had all under control in a matter of minutes—the two of them even made it back to the coast.  You never know who you will...  You never know who you will see—Mercury Charlie (left) and Gene Winfield (right) in front of The Continental Club early Friday evening. Winfield had just finished a tour that included Detroit and then a trip to Canada before arriving in Austin.  Grammy award-winning Jimmie...  Grammy award-winning Jimmie Vaughan provided plenty of entertainment late Friday afternoon.  Ken Varholla of Universal...  Ken Varholla of Universal City, TX, and a member of the San Antonio Rodders was on hand with his ’54 Merc custom.  Traditional hot rod tricks...  Traditional hot rod tricks work well on this ’39 Chevrolet. Whitewalls wrap around red steelies, while matte orange and a red grille complete the cruiser.  Skip Bodet of San Antonio...  Skip Bodet of San Antonio brought what was originally his dad’s ’56 T-bird purchased new and always a performance machine. Kept in the family it will always be what was intended—a really fast highway runner.  A Model A–hammered highboy...  A Model A–hammered highboy coupe belonging to Mark Ford who’s a member of the Kontinentals Car Club poses a distinctively hot rod appearance. The Hemi is equipped with an EELCO intake supporting six-twos .  If your emotions move you...  If your emotions move you toward a ’34 highboy coupe then this satin gold-hued hot rod belonging to David Manning of Granbury, TX, and a member of the Outlaws Car Club, has your attention. Couple the accent color on the frame, wide whites mounted to chromed wheels, and the combo is most definitely an attention grabber.  Don Smith from Mansfield,...  Don Smith from Mansfield, TX, and a member of the Arlington Area Street Rods brought out his ’32 Ford Cabrio complete with bobbed-fenders, a custom louvered hood, drilled I-beam, and Hemi for power. Note frame notch for cutouts—nice work.  Gary Palmer of Garland, TX,...  Gary Palmer of Garland, TX, drove in with his Model A highboy five-window with muscular SBC, pie-cut slicks, ’50 Pontiac taillights, and drilled visor, I-beam, and radius rods.  Larry Shoaf from Lexington,...  Larry Shoaf from Lexington, NC, was on hand with his unusual ’27 Chrysler roadster (former SR feature car) that is tastefully done.  Who says you can’t drive ’em—Jeff...  Who says you can’t drive ’em—Jeff Divey from Idaho Falls, ID, was on hand with his traditionally flavored ’32 Ford highboy roadster dressed neatly in black.  Pickups are most definitely...  Pickups are most definitely the rage and Ray Crabtree, hailing from Houston, with his Deuce riding on Halibrands has all the earmarks of a traditional hot rod.  If you don’t think Model A...  If you don’t think Model A coupes are outstanding material for hot rods then you are just blind! Ryan Cochran with his five-window sports a shiny frame and flat black body, early Ford wires wrapped with ribbed rubber in front, and bias-ply in back. Oh yes, powered by the obligatory Flathead making this an excellent example of an A/V-8.  Larry Scheel of Garland, TX,...  Larry Scheel of Garland, TX, drove up in his Fordillac touring. Back in the day easy performance was gained by taking the lighter-weight Ford and dropping in the larger cubic-inch Caddy.  That old-time feeling is all...  That old-time feeling is all there with Steve Ernst’s Deuce highboy roadster outfitted with a ’57 Chevy 383, ’39 trans, and quick-change.  Again, the Model A highboy...  Again, the Model A highboy coupe shows off its talent as a hot rod via Steve Young’s SBC-powered coupe sporting wide whites, black steelies, spider caps, and trim rings. Oh, did we mention the speeding ticket in the windshield; apparently the coupe is quick too.  Possibly as fine an example...  Possibly as fine an example of a Deuce highboy is Floyd Williams’ roadster from Dripping Springs, TX. The SBC is Hilborn injected but the old mechanical workings are updated with electronics. Williams tells us this is “one hell of a running hot rod” that was built by Dave Lane of Fastlane.  The nighttime cruise action...  The nighttime cruise action went on into the “wee hours” and why not? The weather was a beautiful springtime evening.  There is just something about...  There is just something about this American five-spoke-equipped ’40 sitting in suede that screams “hot rod.” Running sans hood gives even more ’tude.  You like customs? Then the...  You like customs? Then the Round Up was the place as proven by Mike Shea’s full-custom ’50 Ford sprayed in gold and mildly scalloped in white.  More on the custom front is...  More on the custom front is the ’40 Merc from McAlester, OK, owned by Buck Wilson. The dashboard came via a ’59 Chevy passenger car.  Need a haircut or a hairstyle?...  Need a haircut or a hairstyle? No problem. It was all there for those wanting hair, make up, or fashion appointments throughout Friday and Saturday.  Another long hauler was the...  Another long hauler was the ’51 Ford ’vert from Pine, AZ, belonging to Butch Tucker a member of the Arizona Street Rods. There’s lots of sheetmetal and paintwork on this custom.  Another out of towner is Bryan...  Another out of towner is Bryan McCann (Deluxe Speed Shop) of Denver who rolled up with his Model A rpu replete with a disguised SBC sporting homemade Olds valve covers.  Gassers are the rage and couple...  Gassers are the rage and couple that with the venerable Tri-Five Chevy and you have instant success. Danny Graham Lumberton, TX, has his ’55 running five-spokes, no front bumper, radius rear wheelwells, and an A-arm front suspension. Next step is the straight axle!  More gasser mania is this...  More gasser mania is this ’55 Bel Air we viewed on South Congress during Friday night’s cruising. This Tri-Five did have a straight axle and fenderwell headers.
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Lonestar Round Up
The '10 Lonestar Round Up actually begins with a barbecue on Thursday evening, and then it slows to...
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