This show was absolutely the best car show I have ever been too!When we arrived to Salina, my wife , kid and I hooked up with Mitch Capps and his wife to go out to eat. We had a good time catching up (Mitch and I have known each other a few years). After dinner, we decided to see if the "drags" were going since it rained earlier. When we got out to the old air strip, the cars were running like crazy! It was awesome to see old sleds, rods, gassers and more all running against each other. yep..it was "run what ya brung" , so there was muscle cars and pro streets as well as a rail too.My daughter had never been to the drags with me, so she went and was right there with me and Mitch where they were burning the meats up before lining up. i can't exactly explain how the drags were....but i can tell you this.... a few hundred people, a few hundred cars and the smell of nitro and rubber in the air! :D
After the drags we went to the hotel where i took some pics of cars in the lot. i kid you not....every place you went there was more than 10 old cars, gas stations, hotels, restaurants, streets driving....EVERY WHERE.
Saturday rolled around and my wife dropped me off at the show which was held outside in a park with lots of trees. The model area was under a tent with aluminum framing and had very nice looking benches/tables to put the models on. Model Cars Magazine representative , Allen Schmerczech? (sorry i don't know how to spell your name buddy) was taking photos of model cars.I walked around with Ellis Kendrick a good friend of mine from the KC Slammers and took pictures of cars i liked (warning , some had billet lol) there was over 700 cars. All cars were hot rods, kustoms and anything you can think of that was old school..it was awesome!I met Gene Winfield and when i told him about "how i was supposed to be his ride" , he laughed and we got a picture together, it was great!
I met George Barris and shook his hand and he asked me where i came from, i said "Omaha, NE" and he replied" well that's a long way" etc etc... He said "hey would you like to come back here and get a photo?"....i said SURE! But before that, John D'agostino asked me to take one of him and George together with my camera....so i did and then John took my camera and took a pic of me with George! What a cool couple of guys!
I met Eldon Titus which i had previously spoke with on another message board about going and let me tell you, he is one of the most laid back cool guys i met! We talked a little about how he is trying to get his "Vibrasonic" project turned into a resin kit...so be looking for it! We got a picture together by his car and later on, i ran into Jerry G. , from the Coffin Corner and we had a good chat, then he told me he was the one that built the Skeleton by Elden's car and i took pics of that. We discussed about getting into the car to see how it felt and i said "Hey Eldon, can i get in your car" and he said "yeah you can probably get into it, but you might not get out" .... wahaha!!! He was NOT kidding!
Wes Campbell was there with his two beautiful mostly scratch built models. This guy can build some amazing stuff out of aluminum and plastic. He spends over a year on a model, but it's full of details that he makes at home and his engine actually has working parts, very cool!
Mad Fabricator's Society Bob Bleed was there with Austin Speed Shop. i ran into him at the model tent and said "aren't you from the MFS? , and he said yep, i said "i knew it was you! , Bob, my name is Bob etc etc....he had a SWEET '55 chevy with scallops and laced roof
Steve Kohler, Dave Neighbors, Eddie Fickel and Terry Andrews were there for Star Models....one of the only two vendors that showed up. Steve said he did good, so i am sure he will come to the next one.
There was several bands there, some comedy also.They held an auto art auction in which some very cool one-off pieces sold for good money to donate to MADD.There was guys pin striping in a tent, guys pin striping other tents...they had a garage with some guys by Winfield's booth , chopping the top for an audience.John Milner was there and a "better than the real one" replica of his yellow '32 Coupe. Mitch and I were leaving the hotel and just happened to get behind it at a stop sign , so i took a pic of it through his windshield...."who can say they were behind MILNER at a stop sign? LOL! way cool!
Mark Moriarty had his car there, wow is all i can say!The El Matador was there and so much of a breath taker it is! damn! I am sure i forgot to mention some names....but wow, what a day! Towards the awards, i watched Mitch Capps get an award for "best clone" for his Cadster. At that point i had heat stroke and could not stand to be there any longer , went back to the hotel and without describing it....did what a person does when they get sick.I didn't win anything, but i sure a great time and got personal compliments from George Barris on my 60 Desoto , 55 Nomad and 64 Marauder! That was super cool to me!If you didn't know it, or think about it.....i was right in the middle of what could be a once in a life time chance for me.... All of these great all time kustomizers and cool modelers on the same day! omg...i will never forget it!
I did get this puppy done in time for the KKOA show. I got personal compliment from George Barris and that was better than a trophy in my book! The build was fun and certainly stands out since you don't see many of these built up anymore. I started with an unbuilt kit from the USA Oldies series, molded in white and the box had NO bar codes....so I think it was the first issue. I lowered it about 4-5 inches in scale, added T170 tires from Modelhaus, AMT '65 Buick wire wheels, Machined lake pipes that have opening dumps! by Bob Dudek. She is painted in Kandy Organic Green by Black Gold over the top of Silver Metallic by Dupli Color. Did I mention i SHAVED the body? WOW....collectors must be happy!
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