I spent a good deal of my time under the hood of cars when I was younger. Some of this was because I enjoyed it, some of it was because I just couldn’t afford to take the car in to the mechanic. From checking the oil to replacing the head gasket and the clutch…I somehow managed to fix it with dad’s help. The car I’m driving now…well you can’t even get to the engine. Honestly, it isn’t under the hood…and I’m pretty sure it isn’t in the trunk. Heck if I know where they put the darn thing.
The Sixth Annual Lonestar Roundup was held at the Travis County Expo center this weekend. They had acres of cars that came from the day (pre-1963) when you could pop the hood and identify the parts–spark plugs, carburetors, distributor caps, all there. The sounds…oh the sound….the deep throaty rumble that shakes your bones. The cars were beautifully restored mechanically and cosmetically by their owners. The paint jobs on the cars were amazing–beautifully polished to a glistening red, an insane joker painted on the hood, a rat painted in the engine compartment.
All this combined with perfect weather, good food (grilled alligator anyone?), great music, and even a wedding made for a memorable afternoon. The only thing we did wrong….didn’t allow for enough time. Next year, I’ll make sure I can spend all afternoon…and bring a hat.
Pictures from the event are at Tejas Photos. More information is available at www. lonestarroundup.com.
I wasn’t aware that the Roundup was going on, but that could explain why I saw yesterday what, from a distance, appeared to be one of my favorite vintage cars – a 1935 Auburn boattail speedster. When I pulled next to it at the stoplight, I realized it was either a kit car or a souped-up version of the original. It still brought back fond memories of the years I spent in the antique and classic car business.