Quality and quantity at the 39th Annual Show and Shine at the Ag Hall

One of the better car shows of the year was held on Saturday when the Genuine Chevy/GMC Truck Club of Kansas City hosted the 39th Annual Show and Shine at the Agricultural Hall of Fame in Bonner Springs.  You can tell that this is one of those shows that people go that extra step to make sure their cars are perfect.

The Ag Hall of Fame is actually a really picturesque place to hold an event like this.  The show field is surrounded by vintage-looking small town buildings, a big pond with lily pads lines one end of the field, and a miniature train clicks its way around the perimeter taking kids for rides.  And there were close to 100 cars and trucks, so you can bet that there were some cool ones to choose from. 

For example, normally 1961 isn't my favorite year for Oldsmobile.  I've never been crazy about the way they rounded off the rear end, but still put fins on the bottom of the quarter panels.  That being said, my favorite car there was probably a white '61 Starfire convertible.  What a pretty example of this model.  That stainless steel trim down the side was cool, and that all-leather interior with space-aged instrument panel was perfect.  The Starfire really was like a GM concept car that you could buy.

Another standout was a 1931 Cadillac V12 roadster.  These big old Classics are looking better to me all the time.  This one was maroon with rich black leather and black painted fenders.  The little details like the machine-turned dashboard inlay and the flying goddess hood ornament just amplify the class this car has.  You could spend a lot of time studying something like this.

Sitting right next to the opulent Caddy was, well, something much different, but still interesting.  It was a 1981 Chevy Luv pickup, and for all I know, it was the nicest one left on the planet earth.  Luvs were basically Isuzu pickups rebadged as Chevys, and most of them didn't last beyond their fifth birthday.  You've got to appreciate it when someone goes to the trouble of taking care of a vehicle like this this well.

Of course, since the Chevy/GMC Truck Club hosts this event, there were lots of those trucks in attendance.  As you went into the show, the club trucks dominated the entrance road.  None of them were judged, though, because many of their owners served as show judges.

This show is one of those must-attend events in Kansas City each year.  And there's a good reason for that.  The quality and quantity of cars never disappoints.  See for yourself in the slideshow below.

Or, for a nicer version of this slideshow, click this link.