The fun thing about networking with shops is that they already have a lot of connections. When we arrived in Salina a couple weeks back to work with Calvin Customs, we were greeted by a beautiful Studebaker Commander restomod. As Doug, the owner, pulled up and positioned his car nicely along the edge of the park, we were enamored with the old bullet-nose coupe. After all, it’s not every day you see one of these classics out and about - and especially not looking like this.

I’ve found that one of the best ways to really find out why certain vehicles resonate with their owners is to let them walk you around the car. What starts as your typical, “I got the car back in...” usually turns into, “did you know...” After chatting with Doug for a few minutes, he began pointing out some of his favorite things about the car. The tail lights are original and were actually in the packaging, inside the old car when it was found and purchased, and they each weigh more than a Coke bottle. The iconic bullet-nose design was modeled after airplanes from World War 2 and the designers at Studebaker were convinced it was “the next big thing.” The custom intake has the Calvin Customs logo printed on it, in reverse, so that spectators can see who did the work when the car is on display at shows.

Overall, even though we were actually there to work with the Tubester, this beautiful restomod nearly stole the show. Two completely different builds, each with their own styles and strengths, coming from the same talented shop. I seriously can’t say enough good things about the team at Calvin Customs.

Gear: Sony A7RIII, Sigma MC-11, Canon 85mm f1.8, Canon 135mm f2, Tiffen CPL

Post Processing: Adobe Camera Raw & Adobe Photoshop

One of my favorite things about being part of a photography group is that I'm constantly looking for group outings and activities to keep us busy. Sometimes we meet up for something simple, like a quick shoot on a local friends car. Other times we look for events to shoot, knowing it gives us an opportunity to grow our skills when working in distracting and difficult environments. In this particular situation, I reached out to a fairly local shop to see if they'd give us a couple hours with one of their newly revamped builds. They said yes and the rest is history.

Calvin Customs & Hot Rod Repair is a hidden gem in small town Kansas. If you're in the hot rod or custom scene, you've likely heard of them. If not, you will. This small town team is knocking out the kind of work few would expect from our neck of the woods.. and if they can't do it, they collaborate with those who can. Like Mickey Harris, the man who brought this incredible vision to life.

The Seven Deadly Sins is the kind of artistic creation that's more than meets the eye. Each piece is so frighteningly detailed and impressively drawn that it'll stick with you long after the Tubester is gone. (My personal favorite of the pieces is, without a doubt, gluttony. What's your's?)

Gear: Sony A7RIII, Sony 24-105 G, Tiffen CPL, Manfrotto Tripod

Post Processing: Adobe Camera Raw & Adobe Photoshop

The Commander

The Tubester