Attending the 22nd Annual KKOA Hall of Fame Spectacular reminded me of two days of the week back in my high school years, Monday morning and Friday night.Why's that, you ask? Well, on Monday morning we'd try to arrive in the school parking lot a little earlier than usual so we could check out the changes guys had made to their cars over the weekend--Alan's got new paint on his Merc, Warren threw some lowering blocks on his Ford, Neil put duals on his Chevy.
All you had to do July 25-28 in Lancaster, Ohio, was imagine the Fairfield County Fairgrounds was your high school parking lot and the other people were your buddies showing off their cars' latest custom mods. The biggest difference was you didn't have to abandon the show and go to class; you could stick around all day to examine bodywork and engine swaps, grab a Coke and a hot dog when you got hungry, and even do some bench racin' with the 15 KKOA Hall of Fame members who were on hand. Oh, yeah, and shop the vendors right there on the "lot" for all the gotta-have accessories, speed goodies, and clothing.
And Friday night? That's when you'd scrub the grease from under your fingernails, put on a clean shirt, and take your best girl to the dance after the ballgame. The KKOA Spectacular provided that, too, only you didn't have to sit through any ol' ballgame first!
Another thing is different, too; the customs these days are soooo much better than those jobs in the high school parking lot 40 years ago. Most of those on display in Lancaster were built to recall the styles of earlier times, but they are also capable of driving across the country, in comfort, not just to the next drive-in!
Ready to experience a little nostalgia for yourself? The KKOA Street Custom Spectacular will be back at the same time, same place, next year--July 24-27 in Lancaster, Ohio. For more information or a membership application, contact KKOA, Rt. 1 Box 1714, Cassville, MO 65625, phone (417) 847-2940 or E-mail kustomkemps@mo-net.com.