THE BEST KKOA show that I've been to!!!

Couldn't have said it better, myself, Roger. A great show if you like Kustoms and Rods, and tradition, and history and Legends, and friendly people, good music, etc... I've already booked a room for next year.

 

Cruiser 49...if you are such an "expert" on history, why don't you know WHY the KKOA is called as such?
It's because when ***us (backed by Starbird, I believe) first started promoting Custom Cars, when customs pretty much were'nt allowed into any regular car shows, in the early 80's, George Barris wouldn't let him use the name "Kustoms of America". Barris owned the rights to the name, but wasn't interested in trying to promote the building of REAL customs anymore. I guess he wasn't going to make enough money off of them. Too busy building (subcontracting, actually) rediculous "movie cars", to fool around with silly "Kustoms".
***us, single handedly, brought customs back, maybe with the help of Pat Ganahl and his "merc issue" of Street Rodder mag. So what if he added a goofy beatnik expression to the club's name, just to keep it kinda like the old KOA name. And yes...Kemp was used in the little pages, several times, so someone was using it!
That is history. I was there.

 

Why I'm in love with KKOA.

I'm 43 years old and needless to say, I was not around the car scene in 1962. If it wasn't for ***us, I would still be playing around with Cl***ic Chevy Club Int. Going to the first KKOA show, I was only 18 years old. I drove up to Wichita to find out what a "K"ustom show was all about. I was driving a '57 Nomad that I thought was a custom. It might have been a custom but it was not a Kustom. Seeing all of the Chopped Mercs and all of the other lower'd sleds it was love at first site. I sold the Nomad with in the year and started working toward a 50's Kustom.

Yes it was the Kustoms that caught my eye, but it was the people at the show that sold me. The first Leadsled Spectacular had a special bunch of guys that welcomed me in and were willing to answer my questions. Guys at other shows were to busy to give me the time of day. KKOA events are not just about the sleds, it is about the family and building relationships. That weekend I met Gary Mundy, Hub Harness and Jerry ***us. Three guys that built my Kustom car foundation. If is wasn't for these guys, I would still be chasing the bad side of car shows, trying to win the almighty trophy.

Since that day I've had the opportunity to meet all of my kustom idols. The kool thing is some of them even know my name. If KKOA was not around this would not have happened.

The 26th Spectacular almost doubled in size. Yes I said double!!! Last years they had 340 particiapants and this year it was 660. This is the reason I didn't take any pictures. Not because there were too many cars. I was to busy visiting with all of my Kustom Family and ran out of time.

Great Job Jerry & Devona ***us!! Kustoms are a live.

One of ***us catch lines:

"Where were you in 1962?"

Mine:

"Where were you in 2006?"

Street Rod shows are great and they serve a purpose within our hobby. But, IF your into KUSTOMS as much as I am, you'll attend a Kustom Kemps of America event and see what I'm talking about.

Did I mention that last weekend was a kick *** show!!!!!!!

Happy Trails,

Mick

 

So what is it that you think caused the show to double in size? I was a member of KKOA for a few years and it seemed to be falling apart at the seams. I haven't renewed my membership or even been to a show since prolly 2001. I hope it continues to grow and hopefully it will stay withing driving distance of OKC.

 

My opinion Why it doubled:

The Kustom car scene is growing along with traditional Hot Rods.

Salina, Kansas is a centralized location. When it was in Ohio it made it tough for everyone to drive across country to attend.

I was told that he is looking into a long term contract with the city. I would guess that Salina loves it, so I see it staying put.

The 25th Leadsled show was one of the koolest that I've been to in along time. I brought six other guys with me this year and it looks like others guys were talking it up as well.


Happy Trails,

Mick

 

So, where are the pics?

 

If get the CD in the mail today, I'll have them on line tonight or tomorrow.

 

http://photos.yahoo.com/pharaohchris

Here's my pics from the show.

I actually thought the attendance was down this year (talked to several who thought so), but the quality was better.

 

Here's mine...after all, how many red billet laden '32 Fords can one look at all weekend? Matter of fact, how many '32 Fords can one look at without shaking your head and swearing you will never go to another NSRA show...I don't think there was one '32 Ford at Salina this year (if there was, I sure didn't see it!).

Kustom cars are about individuality...NOT following a crowd...(hmmm OK, Mercs are a crowd favorite (sorry, Mick)...but there's not one that looks like the next one. Not one that's built just exactly like the other one next to it...my kustom is not like any other '57 Chevy...never was, never will be....I am an individual...I do not follow.

I'd agree with Mick...trad hot rods are in...kustoms are back in favor because "what goes around, comes around."

Hey, what happened to Cruiser49...he too scared to answer his critics now or is he hiding out behind his "real traditional kustom"?

R-

 

Well, I am excited about this. I hate to see a good thing dwindle away. I really loved Dennison,Tx and Mick's show. I have never attended the Spectacular but will for sure next year. I will have a car of some fashion on the road by then.

 

Heck, put a tamer engine in the Fly and drive it! ;-)

 

I'm a street rodder at heart but I love customs, been a member of KKOA since 83. I've never been to a Spectacular but go to Gettysburg every year and I know Blain Kauffman, KKOAs VP and Gettysburg event director, since the early 80s, a super guy with a big heart and love for kustoms.
I would love to go to Salina, maybe someday I can. My car started as a street rod but with all the body mods its more of a custom, I got the best of both worlds.

 

That's a B-I-G sled...and good looking Terraplane, too...now all you need to complete the look is a full set of wide whitewalled tires...you've already got the hubcaps and skirts...but to shove the rest of the car back into the late 50's...add them wide whites...!!!! You'll fit in with the best of them...

PS, Salina is ONLY 17 hours from Pittsburg...

R-

 

Blain and his crew does a heck of a job with the show. I've always wanted to go, sad to say, it looks like I'll never make it there. For years Gettysburg was the biggest show and I'm thrilled to see that KKOA is drawing those kind of numbers in the Mid-West.

That is one real kool sled, like Roger said, just add wide whites and you have a 50's style Kustom. Keep up the good work.....

Great Idea!!

Hey Root, wouldn't that be KOOL to see the Drag-n-fly street worthy.

Good point Roger,

Not Following the crowd is a big part of what makes Kustoms Kool.

Happy Trails,

Mick

 

At last this post will be worthy!!

Below you'll see some kool pictures from Doug Reeds camera. The first set is a picture of Arthol Harness wild Model A..........

Happy Trails,

Mick

 

more......... Checkout the brackets on the sedan

 

Last bunch for awhile........

 

I will respond to all posts about my opinion of the image of the KKOA. First off I'm no expert of anything, I'm just a very acute student of traditional customs of the 50's in California. The KKOA puts on cool shows there's no question about that. "So what if he (Jerry ***us) added a goofy beatnik expression to the club's name". Chopolds quote. I have no problem with Jerry naming his club anything he wants. My point, is the expression Kemp was never used on the streets of California in the 50's or any other time as Jerry says, Jerry says, the term was in the Rod & Customs little pages which is true. Look in the March 1958 issue on page 29, this is were the word started in a cartoon by Carl Kohler. The hero of the cartoon series was "Kemper Klubkoop" Chopolds says, Kemp was a beatnik term, if this is true this would explain alot. Jerry ***us didn't bring back customs all by himself. Pat Ganahl's excellent and cool Merc issue had a lot do do with it and Rich and Penny Pichette of the West Coast Kustoms had a big part in the custom come back. So, Jerry ***us, Pat Ganahl, Rich & Penny Pichette were in the mix when it all started. Many others jumped on the the band wagon after it got started. Questions for Chopolds, where were you in the late 40's,50's and early 60's? Did you ever go to Bill Hines shop or the Barris shop? Did Barris Kustoms cruise your high school? Please read my other re****als on this subject.

Cruiser 49

 

Well, 40StudeDude of Stray Kat Kustoms (cool name) I also graduated in '61 from San Pedro High School in California. Distorting custom history never helps those who will follow us in the custom car following. I just wish Jerry would tell the truth about the word Kemp and not p*** it off as the term we used in the 50's for our rides. You can ask many old time car guys if they called there rides Kemps and they will all say no. The term used in Southern California that was widely used was a "Short". Everything you say in your first paragraph is way cool and I agree with it.
I went to Jerry's first show in Solvang, CA the rides were excellent, the location can't be beat. The KKOA reps weren't very friendly, except for the cool rides the show was boring. The location saved the show by the great shopping in the Danish town of Solvang. I was a nice try for a first show in California and hopefully will get better. Yes, I know that the WKC and the KKOA support each other. Because the WCK supports the KKOA doesn't by all means in ply that all the members of the WCK support the KKOA. Some do, most don't. OK, lets try this again lets change filling his pockets to filling his over blown ego. OK, now you can take shots at my ego. What is a kustom? a custom is all the cars you mention in your forth paragraph. I love white walls and have had them on all my rides. I'm a traditional kustom guy, I wasn't given the nick name of "Cruiser" for nothing. I don't think Jerry's so called "New Concept Customs" are customs in the traditional way. A good example is the PT Cruiser, what a joke! is it a cutom because it has flames no way man!!!!!!! The general term custom can mean many things as the dictionary says, but we're not talking about the dictionary version. Various cars can be custom build rides and be one off rides or limited edition rides, but they are not traditional Kustoms and belong at open car shows and not at traditional car events. The Voodoo Spider is a nice custom build show car, but its not a traditional Kustom and shouldn't win best Kustom at a Kustom event. Please take a look at what I think is a Kustom, Find a December 2001 Rod & Custom magazine and take a look at the 1941 Ford traditional custom. The '41 Ford was awarded top three Kustoms five years in a roll at the West Coast Kustoms event. The '41 was invited to the invitational only show in Fresno, CA by Backie Gejeian in 2002. The '41 was picked as one of the "Top 100" cars of 2001. Be sure to look at who owned and built the car. Take a look at www.HotRodHotLine.com May 2006 page 8 for my '49 Cadillac Sedanette picked as one of the top five mild Kustoms a the 2006 West Coast Kustoms event. The picture to the left of the Caddy is my friends '49 Chevy and under the Caddy picture is my friends '51 Merc. You should know may now I know what a real custom is!!!!!!! Take a look at TrendSetter magazine Vol 25, No 2 - June 2005 interesting reading. California at***ude not at all, Im just a straight shooter and many people can't handle it. California and Colorodo kustoms are pretty much the same don't you think? "If you ever have one" (kustom) Mick quote. Well, Mick let me count them, I'll get back to you when I run out of fingers and toes!!!!!!!!!!!! Take a look at the Cruiser 49 biography on HAMB. Look up 32 Flathead on the HAMB he can tell you about me and my Kustoms. > I'm a West Coast Kustoms member and very proud of it.

Stay Kool Drive a Kustom

Cruiser 49

 

"Hey, what happened to Cruiser49...he too scared to answer his critics now or is he hiding out behind his "real traditional kustom"? Posted quote by 40StudeDude

Well, here I am StudeDude take your best shot or is the quote the best your have. Please take a look at the posts, I put up about my KKOA post. Remember StudeDude "Soaring with Eagles isn't for everyone".

Cruiser 49

 

This Is Tech Week, Please Stay On Topic!

 

CRUIZER 49 YOU ARE ON THE WRONG DAMN BOARD !! Turn around in your piss yellow street machine looking sedanette and keep cruizing in cali, cause your kind isn't much liked in the midwest states where we do have to cruze to a show. and you are right most people can't handle you! and your straight foreward view on things, mick (who's a good friend ) was just speaking the gospel when you chummed in. I do own a kustom ,know what they are when I see one ,and build Kustoms for a living. If you would get out of cali you would understand micks excitement a little more cause it is a different world out here, and yes I know what it's like out there as I have DRIVEN my cars out there for the last 6 years, and my 48 stude pu may have square headlights but its running a 303 olds unrebuilt , no air,no power steering, bias whites like it is suppose to be, NOT radials, and I have driven it out there to cali and BACK twice! so man the xrts! up or shut up . cruize that bad cad somewhere and see what the rest of the world is like and you too would get wood after going to a KKOA show in kansas !!!!

 

What's with the giant font? It gives me a headache.

 

Thanks for some of the kind words.

I don't know why you are making an issue who saved what and who supports what... I really don't care. My reason for the post was to wake up the Mid-west and I guess in some cases the left and right coast. I want everyone to know that the KKOA Leadsled Specatular is back and if you were not there, than you missed one hell of a show. I consider myself very lucky with a lot of kool friends and if you knew me you would understand that if I was too busy to take pictures then it must have been something else.

***us is a good friend of mine and I've had the opportunity to build a good relationship the whole family. If it wasn't for ***us I would npot be involved in this great hobby and I would be stuck playing golf somewhere. That would ****!!!! You can say what you want about Jerry: What ya like, second guess him, call them greedy or whatever, but You cannot question his p***ion for kustoms. Obvious you don't know Jerry. If you disagree?? Start your own post and watch it die.... Everyone is tired of it and I'll have no part of it.

I don't consider myself as Kool'r than anybody else. Just as JK, I wear white shirts in the summer at Car shows..... I consider myself more like a Kustom Nerd that gets off on seeing real kustoms.

So Take a deep breath and give it another shot.

Hey Guys did I mention what a great show Salina was this year.

Happy Trails my friend,

Mick

 

hey Cruiser, I know that you sent me a pm, and I'm in the process answering your questions. So hang'n in there............

 

Your ride looks real cool. Get another set of wheels with white walls. You'll be living in a perfect car world, one day run black walls and no skirts (hot rod) then change to white walls and skirts wow a custom. This could be alot of fun changing the looks of your ride when you fell the need.

Cruiser 49

 

Cruiser...........no offense..........but, your giant color font is blurred on my screen...........just a little FYI........simple is better.

Thanks,
Chris Nelson
Kansas

 

I'm new to Hamb and if I'm on the wrong board so sorry. Mick seems to be a cool guy. I didn't slam Mick at all, we just had a difference of opinion and everyone even you are en***led to one. Opinions are like ***holes everyone has one and has the right to use it, after all this isn't a communist state. Personal attacks like yours on my charter and my '49 Caddy is just a plain cheap shot by you. I see the mini picture of your high boy sedan in the O'Skool style and it looks cool. There is no need for cheap shots O.K.. I know the Mid West quit well I lived in Dayton, Ohio for awhile. I have cruised across across country long before you could drive. I think Mick's opinion of the KKOA events is way cool and he has a right to say it. But, having said that, I also have a right to my opinion. Funkd please read my other posts. I just came back from Japan visiting friends who are into the car scene there. *Don't take things so serious*.
Stay cool and drive the hell out of you ride

Cruiser 49

 

Hey Chris,

Thanks for FYI didn't know it was coming out that way. I guess it depends on what version of windows your using. I'll scale it down........

Thanks

Cruiser 49

 

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