The Devil is in the details.....

I’ve seen enough old cars to last anyone a lifetime. Yes my curiosity and unbridled obsession with automobiles has evolved past the basic appreciation into a weird neurotic hybrid of love and hate. I really don’t need to see the whole car at this point I’ve created my own game of “what personal touch” has this builder/owner done to their car. Its proven quite fun and pointing out the details is always a touching notion to the guy who had to lay awake in bed for weeks debating if this part or piece would work and if it would even be noticed. Recently Austin own Mark Ford added this fog light to his amazingly simple yet perfect deuce supported HEMI motivated Model A. At first glance it’s just a fog light but take note of the hand formed and hammered bracket the angle of the light matching the grill shell and Marks namesake factory etched in the housing and its soon apparent this wasn’t a basic add on for function. No sir this was well thought out and would go unnoticed unless you positioned yourself within eye shot of this basic illuminator; clean design and flawless layout is a complicated art.

The Blues

Lately I’ve been taking some inventory of places here in Austin that I’ve haunted since I’ve moved here in 2009. The alarming trend is that my favorite venues, bars, and restaurants seem to either be disappearing or moving. Now I don’t want to sound like I can’t accommodate change but one of my favorite musical venues has moved after the last SXSW.  Antone’s was one of 5^th streets last musical strongholds against the ever present threat of “bottle service” and Sports bars which have been launching covert attacks on the west side. No Antone’s place was all about the music and only time will tell if the new Eastside location will have such a regal presence as the downtown location once did.  

Roundup

I’m a pretty lucky guy…I live in one of the greatest cities in the world and it also happens to be ground zero for all things hot rod and kustom. I was going through some old photos and ran across some old LSRU pictures tonight.  One thing I do enjoy is watching cars go from barely legal (if at all) to fully blown pieces of rolling art. The little five window model A pictured here is a prime example of what persistence and dedication can accomplish. You can see where it is now here http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=275112&highlight=dreddybear and where it came from.

Go East youngman!

 

I’m a total sucker for East Austin; admittedly it’s something I wouldn’t argue even If I wanted to. Buy hey what’s not to like?  So this year during SXSW I spent the majority of my time bouncing between my regular haunts absorbing as much music as possible and enjoying my own “backyard”. After about the thirty seventh past one of the East 6th venues while attending the festival I noticed the “showrooms” painted façade had been eclipsed by shrubbery and it was hardly noticeable behind the unruly flora. So I dug out this old shot I took a few years after The Eastside Showroom had the wall painted because quit frankly I forgot what it looked like.

The Spoke

 

I know I’ve said it before but I really don’t do neon justice when I shoot it in black and white. Regardless what it does allow you to do is appreciate the design and creativity without being distracted by all the pretty lights. The Broken Spoke is and always will be an Austin landmark. Unfortunately South Lamar is turning into “condo canyon” but the Spoke will remain and hopefully retain some of that old Austin style.  If anything the neon will be a glowing reminder to all the California transplants some things can’t be nudged out.

Nailed

 

 

This looks fun, way too fun.

Uptown

Mark Kellers 1931 Ford RPU

Marble Falls, TX