Folks Of Interest Wichita, Kansas / Kustom and Hot Rod Meca

1981 was the first year that I really started doing the car show thing. My third show was
the Kustom Kemps of America’s Lead Sled Spectacular in Wichita. We drove up early
Saturday morning and we were planning on spending the night at the host hotel but
because I was only 18, they would not let me check in to my room. Not knowing anyone
there, we just hung out in the parking lot at the hotel. We stayed as long as we could and
then drove the three hours back home. Even though it was only for one day we had a
blast! I had only seen one chopped Mercury before and it was at an indoor car show at
the Starbird show in Tulsa. This was the first time I got to see a Mercurys and kustoms in
motion. They are kool sitting still but when you get to experience them driving around town,
whoa, look out. Watching a Kustom a cruising is a whole different experience.

That weekend I was introduced to the important role that Wichita played in the Kustom
and Hot Rod history. Can you imagine how kool it would have been to see Dave Stucky
crusing Douglas in the Little Koffin. I love to hear the stories of those days.

My late 50’s experience didn’t really start until the early 80s. Kustoms like Hub Harness
’59 El Camino, Doug Reeds ’50 Olds “aka Toad” and Johnny Hammond’s timeless ’58 Chevy
Impala. I know that I’m leaving some of the kustoms that started it for me out but what
a list. These guys introduced me to kustoms and that kool Wichita Style. The Kool thing
is they are still kruzing the streets today.







If you look at the mild kustoms above they're all about the profile.

Wouldn’t it have been kool to live in Wichita when, Starbird, Cushenberrry, Stucky, Farner,
Eldon Titus and Carl Green were building some wild kustoms and kruzing the streets. Since
that day Wichita has not slowed down. Guys are still building them today and still doing their
part keeping the Kustom and Hot Rods alive in Wichita. I’ve been blessed over the years to
build relationships with a lot of koool people in the area and felt like Wichita should host a
Kustom and Hot Rod event. Like every other town in the USA they’re too many car shows
but I feel like they’re not enough kool ones. Wichita has a kool show in the Delano district
but other then that one, not another show for the Kustom and Hot Rod enthuists.

Stray Kat Kustoms will be hosting a show September 11& 12, 2009 at the Kansas Aviation
Museum. This is the perfect place to host the show because aviation is a big part of
Wichita and it is a kool back drop for the show. The building was built in the early ‘40s and
is a kool art deco structure. Please go to their web site below to checkout the museum.

www.kansasaviationmuseum.org







The show will begin on Friday (9/11/09) and we will be doing a Garage Krawl to visit some
kool Hot Rod and Kustom shops also some antique stores will be on the list. We will be
visiting some of the guys that are keeping Kustoms and Hot Rods a rolling.

Chris Carlson's Shop http://www.chaoticustoms.com/content/carshows.cfm

Devlins hot rod shop http://www.devlinrodandcustoms.com/gallery.html

Rex Rains toy box and if that wasn’t enough.

More later……

We will be visiting HAMB legend (yblock292) aka Jack Marineill’s shop. Friday evening Jack
will host our free feed. His place is very kool and is perfect place to host the Friday evening
hang out...

Saturday we will be at the Kansas Aviation Museum. This is the perfect place to host the
show because aviation is a big part of Wichita and it is a kool back drop for the show. The
building was built in the early ‘40s and is a kool art deco structure. Please go to their web
site below to checkout the museum. www.kansasaviationmuseum.org We will be
parking among the planes which will make a kool photo op.

The guys that I mentioned above influenced my foundation on what is kool and I’m very
thankful that I was exposed to this legendary Wichita style. Today we have guys in the
area that are building kool Kustoms and Hot Rods that are influencing the younger crowd.
I want to spot light some of the legendary builders and show them what they started
years ago is still alive today and make sure that Kool will never go out of style.

I’ll have more info concerning the show later this week.

Happy Trails,

Mick

 

Here we go , this will defiantly become a "Not To miss" show, they have a B-29 (I think) engine on a test stand they are going to fire off three times during the show.We get to park on the ramp around all the aircraft, the museum has really kool stuff inside also. Cook out Friday evening at my place.

 

I was too young also to be in on that era. It is pretty amazing. Everyone thinks California was the big Kahuna but lil ol Do Dah was a major player in the car scene. I do remeber what a big deal the Car Craft Dream rod was with my friends older brothers. I built lots of Starbird models back then. Little did I know they were built right in my own back yard. Pretty heady stuff looking back. Air capitol and Kustom Kapitol
I just got laid off so looks like I have time to make it down for the show. What great timing. Sounds like fun

 

Mick, Growing up 'down the road" from Wichita, it always was a thrill to see Kansas cars in the pages of Car Craft, R&C, Hot Rod etc.. I remember an indoor show hear in Enid I attended with my dad around 1963-64 at Convention Hall that was put on by the Payboys CC. There was a Chevy Fleetline that I had seen in some of the mags that had asymetric styling, was dark purple or blue, and was one of the coolest mild customs I had ever seen. I still have a soft spot for old GM fastbacks.

I wondered if anyone up north remembers this car. It sure fired up a 14 year old kid.

You have my money for the Wichita show. Should be a great time.

 

My first Starbird show was in 1976 (I think) My aunts boy friend took me to it and he
was head over heals in muscle cars. This was the time I saw Elden Titus kustom Buick
I had to just stop and check it out. My ride was trying to keep walking but I just
couldn't get away from it. It had so much going on it put me in a trance. I would have
not imagined that I would have been friends with a guy that owned such a kool kar......
This was the time for the Muscle car and for some reason I was into kustoms.



This is a picture that started it all for me....... Where is the car today?

Happy Trails,

Mick

 

I grew up in southeast Iowa...my "future" in cars was determined by the little books...unfortunately, Kansas, and especially Wichita was a looooooooo-ooooooong way from my home town...as was California...but seeing those Wichita-built cars let me know that not everything was in California and the cars were closer to my small home town than far off Cali was...those cars influenced my whole life-style.

Yes, I own a rod (now a tail-dragging '40's kustom)...but all my life all I've ever wanted to build and own is a KUSTOM...and I've owned several over the years.

I currently own two...one a radical not-so-HAMB-friendly '57 Chevy hardtop that is an old survivor kustom built in Milwaukee in 1964-'65 (and no, I won't put a pic of it on here...!!!) and my current ride -- a "sled"...a '55 Caddy Coop DeVille shown here after a 4 year build...



And if you want to see how it was built, clik on:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=329070&highlight=the+best+55+caddy+build

I'm looking forward to the "Starliner" event of yours, Mick...see ya then...!!!

R-

 

Looking forward to it and the cruise around town. The feed on Friday is going to be alot of fun. This area has alot of history with customs and drag racing.

 

Sounds like a blast to me!
Good time to renew my membership at the KAM!

 

We will be handing out "maps" at registration to all the kool places to go on Friday, including the Kansas Air Museum, party at my place Friday night will be a gas, not EVEN cleaning it up , be junk everywhere.

 

OK, Wichita has some legitimate bragging rights, but let's not forget a lot of those cool cars roll in from Ark City ... oh, yeah, and Mulvane, too, I guess. Anyway, after the Wichita show on the 11<SUP>th</SUP> and 12th, remember you still need to make the Last Run in Ark City during the last weekend of September.<O</O

 

For those of us who are old enough to remember these guys, thier cars and the buzz they all caused when they pulled into Sandy's, it was indeeed an experience of a lifetime. I can't wait to take the tour, this is going to be a blast!

On this same theme, may I add some more notable memories? For a lot of us, we also hung around the places where engines were built, Pappy Clines, Larry Ericson, Joe Cunningham, and Bob Morrison's Dyno shop. I had the chance to work with Joe when he was managing the Body Shop for Midway American, he was always after me to yank that 396 in my Chevelle and put in one of his famous 6 cylinders, said he could make a 6 that would shame that 396, I stupidly turned him down. LOL

I never tire listening to the stories about Ericson's experience in Arizona when he took his Chevelle named Joe Bananas down there, Larry got a one on one talk from the mob to either leave or take that name off his car. Not wanting to be the one holding a cement brick down in the bottom of a lake somewhere, he changed the name of that ol Chevelle. Many a night he spent "test driving" that funny car on K-15, drove our city's finest nuts with those pranks. Mike was there watching Larry many times.

Yes, those WERE the days.

Carrie

 

Ah yes Sandy's. Those were the days. A lot of my cruising happened in the late 70's. I moved back to Wichita after living in Minn since '73 when I graduated West High.
I was a rice rocket rider. We hung at Sandy's but it was Hardee's then. We used to go up on interstate 35 before it was done and race. Great place for it. Elevated. No place for cops to hide. Great times.

 

Haven't missed your show for many many years!!! Our kids were still in grade school when we started taking in the Last Run, we were spectators back then, now we are participants. My, my, how the cruise on Saturday night has changed, but we wouldn't miss it for the world.
See ya there in both our cars!!!

Carrie

 

LOL! We all know one Man's junk is another's treasure. Hope your neighbors won't mind when the rest of us come cruising in. We'll just add a whole lot of atmosphere now won't we?

Carrie

 

Mick, rock on, that is the same time and people that influenced me as well. I always loved watching the kustoms roll down the road, they look soo much better then just sitting there. And it is great to see these same cars on the road today. But I have a craving to see more cars being built. not late models, not street rods, KUSTOMS ! I want to see more wichita style kustoms. Some peak out once inawhile, but as for the really kool wichita style, I think it has slipped away a little. As a builder it is hard to find the right customers who want this style car. I have been very fortunate to have a few of those customers,Dennis Mcphail,Mike Shea, and now starting to pic up some out of state work from new jersey, cali. I have had to let a few projects go, to focus on the style car I want to build, which was very hard to do. nobody wants to be that guy. I am striving to bring back the wichita style. I can't wait to see all the neat stuff at this show, and hang with old friends. way to go mick!!! see you soon. jeff

 

Great Post! I grew up just south of Wichita...so the Wichita scene ha always meant alot to me. Here are some pictures I found that explain why Wichita is where its at.

 

...and more.

 

Thank God my neighborers are a long ways off, I'm on ten acres and have had over 200 cars out there before lots'o parking space!

 

Fabulous pictures from 1-Shot Slinger. For anyone who doesn't already know, the top three show the famous Lil' Coffin, or at least part of it, at an intermediate stage.

 

The Wichita look is my personal favorite style for '50s-60s cars. I think all of these fit the style. Some may be a little too mildly modified but they're all low, and all have custom touches.

 

the exota is in the first pic, it still exsist's today and is still owned by ron duberstien of winfield. it is painted what he calls tangerine but is really pink. with a pink tweed interior. can't drive it indoor show car only. maybe someone should clone it and make it a driver. I have always wanted to build a 59 buick, it's one on my list, that I am chipping away at.

 

The Exota is way kool.

I still have my &#8217;55 Chevy (Old high School car) and I was thinking about doing a semi
clone of that wild kustom.When I get home tonight, I&#8217;ll dig up my old pictures of the car
when it was at the Tulsa Starbird show. It was candy tangerine and wire wheels chrome
corvette rear end, the interior was full of velour button tuck. Ohh, the 70&#8217;s, you got love
it!! Did it ever hit the streets? Sure would have been kool to see it on the street instead
of the ISCA'ish car.

This is on the top of the list of favorite Kustoms from Wichita&#8230; One of the life goals, is
to own this car some day. I&#8217;ve always loved this sectioned &#8216;55 Buick. This is my favorite
Eldon Titus kustom of all time. The proportions of the section job is purrfect!

Pictures are from www.carnut.com













It was a Salina last year and if you wanted to find me I was hang&#8217;n out around it most of the day&#8230;

Happy Trails,

Mick

 

You got lucky, Mick. '81, I was stuck in Wisconsin living off my Classic and Custom issues a long way from CA or Wichita. After years of dreaming, drawing and building (MODEL cars), I finally got to see my first customs at the Mid Century Mercury Club show in Kenosha, WI about 82 or 83. Didn't get to see the Wichita clan until I got to the Hangin Dice shows in Ft. Smith mid 80's. When I was talking to Hub about his Buick at the Eureka Springs show this spring, it was amazing to me that he has had that car on the road and drives it to all the shows since he built it way back then.....and still looks as awesome as ever.

Gonna miss you at your show the 11th. Will you still be at the Branson show the following weekend? We are still planning on being there, but might be a few slight changes to the car....LOL. I was driving the Merc Tuesday and bounced one of the bubble skirts off and slid it face down along the curb, peeling the paint off. Back to the paint shop... Street driven customs RULE.

 

Sorry mick , it is exota, not exotica. and it looks peach in the pics but in person, more pink, i think. lets clone that bad boy, bring yours over right after i'm done with roy!

 

Hub's Buick has to be one of Gods favorites too.... He has driving her all over the
country and it is still show worthy. Another great example of what I'm talkig about.

Not making the Branson show, I'll be in Sprindale, Arkansas that weekend. One of
these days I'll get to see your Merc. I lost my skirt one year down town Bartleville
during lunch. The back side of the skirt came loose so I was drag'n it down the road.
Its hard to look kool when your drag'n parts off of your sled......

Happy Trails,

Mick

Sorry I'm just an Okie wanna be ......

I agree with ya, you can call it whatever ya want but Exota is pink. When I first
saw her she has a wild metal flaked / candy paint. It is what needs to be on
the car.

Happy Trails,

Mick

 

I'm glad I grew up in Wichita when I did. It will never happen again. I JUST WISH THE YOUNGER GUYS COULD HAVE BEEN THERE. They have no idea what it was like.

 

Doug, a lot of us younger guys may not have grown up then; but got to experience the custom 'revival'. Guys like you, Hub, Eldon, and alot of others still influence people, especially in this area.

I remember checking out your car when they shot some tv commercial footage I believe for one of the spectaculars. (Maybe it was the Merc/Duece Reunion?) Anyway it was over at the old drive-in restaurant off of Hydraulic and 47th. I was in my early teens at the time.

 

Your right Doug all I can do is dream about being there......

I have some friends that lived in Ark City telling me stories about how kool
it was in the late 50's early 60's. I just wish that I could remember the stories.
I guess their was an East side and a West side and you didn't dare cruise over
the line by yourself. And also somthing about you didn't mess with the Cowboys.

Sounds like it would make a good movie.

 

I was Kansas City in the early 60's and attended shows all around the midwest. The Wichita custom scene was definitely ahead of any place else in both style and volume.

Does anyone else have other photos of Daryl's mild custom '59 Buick? He built it when the car it was brand new (and then ordered an extra set of those fins for the Predicta)..

 

I hear stories my dad and his friends tell and it sounds like it was really cool to grow up in the day. All of the cruising and the hot cars that were on the scene and the car shows. Thats why I love the old cars! Great times were in Wichita.................