Through the Lens: Lonestar Rod and Kustom Round Up Hold 15th Annual Car Show

This show car’s hood is bend up on both sides to display the engine.

Spectators mill around in the background of the Lonestar Round Up, glossy cars lined up in a row with care.

Advertisements for another upcoming car show are fastened under the windshield wipers of a display car, trademark fluffy dice dangling from the rearview mirror.

Lonestar Round Up wasn’t just a car show: booths of all kinds were present, selling a wide variety of goods.

A beautiful painting with a rustic frame leans against a stand amongst other paintings. Many artists took advantage of the Lonestar crowds to promote and sell their works.

People stand around, scrutinizing a glossy black and white vehicle. People of all ages joined together to enjoy the wide variety of cars present.

Even in the parking lot unique cars congregated. Although there were a lot of rare and old cars inside of the exposition, spectators drove their own unique cars as part of the fun.

Token fluffy dice dangle from the rearview mirror of this classic white car.

A shock of pink: kooky cars of all colors were present, some with designs and decals.

Friends Jacques Tixier and JB Kingston relax next to their showpieces. Although Kingston isn’t a mechanic like Tixier, they share a love of cars. They’ve held a fast friendship ever since they met years ago in the junkyard where Tixier often finds his car parts.

Jacques Tixier proudly stands next to “Rat City,” a truck that he built himself from spare pieces from the junkyard in which he lived. Tixier has led an exciting life: sleeping in school buses, scavenging parts in junkyards and gambling here and there, he’s sold cars all over the world. Although “Rat City” took just over a year to build, Tixier says that it’s since been featured in eight magazines.

When Tixier built this car, he included some personalized pieces. This steering wheel made from dice is meant to represent Tixier’s lifestyle as a professional gambler. Even though his career revolves around money and the making of money, Tixier insists that cash isn’t important to him. “I never stress about money,” he says. “Why worry? Just spend it as you need it. Happiness is yours.”

The name “Rat City” was inspired by the junkyard from which maker Tixier found the parts for this vehicle. The rats playing poker is a reference to Tixier’s career as a professional gambler.

Jacques Tixier wanted to establish his car as a rebel vehicle. The words “never take me alive Copper” painted on the car’s left headlight certainly gets the message across.

Tixier poses next to “Rat City,” a car he built from scraps in a junkyard. Amazingly, Tixier says that “every part came from the ground.” The car is being sold for $17,000 as a customized vehicle, but Tixier reveals that it cost him just $11 to build it.  

Billy Kingston and Chris Carnahan smile and stand next to a car they built for Kingston’s mom, Kelly. Although the car took six months to build, there wasn’t a lot of planning involved, says Kingston. “It was a drunken moment, and it just went from there,” he says.

Peeling red paint on rusting metal, this car, built by Kingston and Carnahan features rustic accents.

“The King of Junk:” JB Kingston’s car decal plays on his last name, loudly advertising for his junk-hauling business.

Decals like this one add a personal flair to the cars featured at the Lonestar Round Up.

JB Kingston’s hand-built car sits next to that of Tixier. Tixier’s working on a new car right now, one that will be more driveable than “Rat City” is. “We’re always building on something,” Kingston jokes.

Jacques Tixier gazes at the camera, leaning up against “Rat City,” a car he built himself. Tixier’s work has been feature in many magazines and sold all over. “It’s magic,” he shrugs.