Bayonets At The Revolution

“A Revolution is an idea that has found its bayonet.” Napoleon said that. Who knows what that little bastard was talking about at the time, but on this Monday morning it makes sense to me. We started the Hot Rod Revolution with the idea that this small and secluded world of ours needed a car show with different priorities than most. Damn profitability. Damn geographics. Damn the seasons. Damn the rational thoughts of any “show promoter” on the far side of the Red River.

Really, we found our bayonet last year when we moved the show to Texas and added Will Muntz and Steve Wertheimer as partners. The Tardels and the Cochrans were particularly apt at celebrating a passion before we hooked up with those two. But, Steve and Will taught us how to do it in style while keeping the substance and innocence that makes the Hot Rod Revolution what it always as been.

This year, through added help from the U.S. Army as well as the fine folks at Camp Mabry and the Lonestar MVPA, we were able to sharpen those bayonets.

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Last year’s event produced incredible images from an amazing venue that pretty accurately portrayed the scene as it was. This year’s photography won’t give you as complete a picture. Photographs just don’t capture the ambience of Camp Mabry, the buildings that make up the base, the parade field, or the soldiers that use it.

At one point, I was standing on the deck of a large VietNam era gun support truck that was bordering the parade field. Some instinct I have deep inside made me shoulder up the demo 50-cal and target a great ’32 5w parked a few meters away. As I did so, the truck’s handler (an obvious war vet) asked me not to handle the weapon in queue with a Blackhawk helicopter flying low and fast above our heads.

How do you capture that with a photograph?

On another occasion, I was standing with a group of people huddled around Chris Andrew’s new coupe. It’s an incredible car that’s hard to take your eyes off of. We all did so when a uniformed soldier walked up to admire the car with us. A round of hand shakes and thank you’s had us all standing awkwardly at attention towards the soldier. All he wanted to do was check out the cars. All we wanted to do was make sure he knew how much we appreciated him.

Has that ever happened at a car show?

The day was full of little scenarios that played out like very much like that. It was this contrast of a very disciplined military essence against the rebellion of hot rodding. I say it was a “contrast,” but it never felt like we were mixing two disciplines that didn’t belong together. In fact, by the end of the day I don’t know that it was all that apparent to most of us that we were standing on the parade field of an active military base. It felt more and more like we were somewhere that we were supposed to be. That’s a testament to us as hot rodders and to the folks that allowed us to use Camp Mabry as the setting for the 2011 Hot Rod Revolution.

More than anything, I’m just really proud. Few times in life do you drop all cynicism, forget all the hassle, and fully comprehend the sights that you are seeing, the air you are breathing, and the time you are living. This weekend was one of those times. I can honestly say that the 2011 Hot Rod Revolution is the best we can do. I’ve never been prouder.

Of course, a Revolution like this takes a lot of help and I want to thank everyone that made it all possible.

Will, Keith, Steve… My three partners and three of my best pals. You guys means the world to me.

Blake and Cliff. Last minute, I needed some help parking cars on the parade field. Like always, my pals rescued me.

The ladies. Marcie, Mary, Gabloaf, Joyce, Bev… Ever year these gals run the merch tent and they do it better than anyone could ever hope for. They make the men.

Camp Mabry and the US Army. I don’t know that any of us have ever worked with an easier group running such a wonderful venue.

Jeff Hunt and The Texas Military Museum. One of the best experiences of the show was to take a break and browse the museum that is ran so well by one great guy – Jeff Hunt.

Thomas Hughes and the Lone Star MVPA. We called on these folks to line the perimeter of the show with vintage military vehicles and artifacts. They came out in force and made the show better.

Not Stock Photography. John Jackson has one hell of an eye. Want proof? Look below.

Austin Speed Shop. It’s weird putting all these guys under the umbrella of a business name, cuz they are all just pals to me. They threw a great party on Friday night and have supported us selflessly since day one.

Sid & Roy Drapal. They took home best of show… and damn well deserved it.

The Registered Hot Rodders. More than anyone, we do this show for you guys. And you repay us by bringing out the highest quality cars anyone could ever imagine. You fellas use the bayonet.

I gotta be forgetting someone. I’m still so damned gitty that I don’t think my head is working quite as clearly as it should be. I’m as thankful for this weekend as a fella could be and I can only hope you all realize that.

Thank you all.

I didn’t have much time for taking shots this weekend, but John Jackson did what he does… Here’s a selection: