On a cold, gray, windy afternoon in downtown Texarkana, vintage cars lined up next to the Arkansas Municipal Auditorium as part of Rock Comes Home!, a showcase featuring a series of events hearkening to Americana, in music, cars and culture. The weather wasn't the most optimum, causing a cancellation of some of the events, like hula hoops, but there was still rock n' roll, burgers and root beer floats and in the parking lot, a few lines of shiny vintage cars.
"The plan was for a lot of family activities," said Vicki Carr, executive director of Regional Music Heritage Center. "The weather put a bit of a damper on things, but we still had a car show and we still have classic rock n' roll."
Stephanie Rice, one of the performers set to appear at the evening's show, had been enlisted as one of the judges.
"Personally, I'm eying either the white Triumph or the Jeepster," she noted. "I got inside the Triumph and it is so low to the surface, I was able to touch the ground after sticking my arm out the window. And the Jeepster, I own a Jeep and I'm a fan."
Around a dozen cars were on display, both from local car enthusiasts and the Four States Auto Museum. After the judges, including Rice, Pat Cupp and Jimmie Allen made their deliberations, a bright red Chevy Nova took the recognition as the car most "rock n' roll" from the gathered vehicles.
Mike Mullins, a professional mechanic and vintage car hobbyist from De Queen, Ark., said it is the love for cars that drives an enthusiast to take on a hobby as technically and financially challenging as restoring vintage cars.
"I love cars," he said. "Older vehicles are much easier to work with. They don't have the electronics of modern cars that complicate things. Also, older cars are bigger, with more room to access everything."
When asked for advice for people considering classic car restoration as a hobby, Mullins said, "Be prepared to spend some money, from $25,000 to as much as $40,000, as an estimate. Now, some cars can offer good return for the money, but you really need to be in this for the love of the cars, for the art."