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| Roy Powell works on the wiring harness of this pickup which is being rebuilt at his shop, Roy Keith Classics of Hot Springs. Powell was recognized by the car club Counts of the Cobblestone at the club’s car show recently as the Man of the Year for his Lifetime Achievement in the field of hot rod construction. Two of the vehicles which were worked on at Powell’s shot won Best in Show and Best Interior prizes, respectively at the car show as well. Curt Nettinga/Hot Springs Star |
Powell receives lifetime achievement award
HOT SPRINGS – A lifetime affinity for things automotive was noted and rewarded recently when Roy Powell of Hot Springs was presented the prestigious Man of the Year Award at the ‘Counts of the Cobblestone’ Car Show in Rapid City.
The show marked the 50th year of existence for the ‘Counts of the Cobblestone’ car club as well.
The inscription on the trophy presented to Powell fits the nationally known auto upholstery expert to a ‘T.’
“For your sustained contributions to the Automotive hobby in Western South Dakota” it reads.
Powell owns and operates Roy Keith Classics.
“I think I joined the Counts in 1980,” Powell recalled recently, sitting in his comfortable shop in Hot Springs. “I was in the midst of my first build, a 1960 Ford pickup during my senior year in high school when I joined.”
Twenty-eight years and hundreds of cars, pickups and other custom builds and rebuilds later, Powell was recognized by his peers (and customers) for his work in the field.
“The Counts really influenced my life,” he said. “Because of them, my direction turned more toward the hot rods that were on display in Rapid.”
Powell got started working in his parent’s shop – Auto Trim – in Rapid City when he was younger.
“I remember climbing in the back seat of a ’65 Mustang convertible Dad was working on to help remove bolts,” Powell said.
Lyle (Slim) and Helen Powell are still in the Rapid City area and were at the car show.
Adding to the festivities at the awards ceremony is the fact that two of the top awards at the car show went to vehicles which came through the Roy Keith Classics’ door.
“It was really a good show for us,” Powell said. “A black 1957 Chevy owned by Pat Berry of Rapid City won the prize for Best Interior and a 1932 Ford Coupe, owned by Dave Spelleto of Watford, N.D. was selected as the Best in Show.”
The Spelleto car’s interior was also done at Roy Keith Classics.
At the 2008 show, Powell said that 18 of the cars on display had come through his Hot Springs shop. “We normally have 12 to 15 cars that we have worked on at the show,” he said. “Last year I think we had 27, then 18 this year.”
Many of those cars were selected Best in Class as well.
In the time he has been in the business, Powell said that many of the cars he has worked on have been selected as Best Interior. And, as is fitting someone with a hand in a large number of awards, word of mouth advertising is paying off for the upholstery expert.
“No doubt that my business has profited greatly from the referrals that I get from other Counts members and from other people I have done work for. I think it makes an impression when you go to a show and see the same person’s or shop’s name as having done the interiors.”
Powell said that his strongest sales tool, however, is his shop’s web site, roykeithclassics.com.
“We have photos of all of the projects we have done and what it is we are working on at the present time,” Powell said. “We post photos of the steps of a job, so the customer can just check the site every few days to see how his hot rod is progressing.”
Powell works with his brother Brian at the shop and also contracts with another person to do work.
“We have had a commercial booth at the show for many years, but it wasn’t until I was really pushing the web site to folks that I learned just how many people were already going to the site. We have a guestbook, but people were just looking and not signing in.”
Powell said he really enjoys the path that his life has taken with the rebuilding of hot rods and his association with the Counts of the Cobblestone.
“It’s nice to see all the different vehicles we have worked on,” he said. “I have worked to insure that no two interiors are exactly alike, but that’s getting tougher. But with the new seats and other interior elements coming out, I hope to be seeing more happy customer’s faces for years to come.”