3rd-Annual Man Cave Party and Auto Show in Kansas City

Last weekend, I was able to make a quick stop in Kansas City, so of course I had to stop at a car show along the way. This time it was the 3rd-Annual Man Cave Party and Auto Show, which was held at the Wyandotte County Fairgrounds. There was a threat of rain throughout the day, which likely had an impact on the show car count. But with live music from the Good Sam Club Band and Dead Man’s Hand, several food vendors, and bounce houses for the kids, everyone seemed to be having a great time. Here are a few notable cars.

This ’76 Ford Econoline van is a fixture at truck shows and van meets around Kansas City. It’s easy to see why someone would want to show it off, because it really is spectacular. It obviously has a Pirates of the Caribbean theme, and the workmanship is really amazing. Outside, you can see the movie-inspired, hand-painted murals applied to laser-straight paint and bodywork. But it is even more impressive on the inside, with a very nice (and very ‘70s) ship hull motif made from finely crafted wood. This van is completely over-the-top, but somehow you can’t not like it. The quality of the work is what really sets this one apart.

I’m not a Mercury Cougar expert, but I’m guessing this is about a 1974 model. This is a nice looking car, finished in Dark Copper and sitting on a set of Lincoln road wheels. The interior is just Broughamtastic, with two-tone pillowed and button-tufted seats, a fake wood-trimmed steering wheel, and even puffy vinyl accents on the dashboard. It’s like something that a rich playboy bad guy would have driven on an episode of Charlie’s Angels. This car is unapologetically 1970s, and somehow, that makes it better.

You really never can go wrong with a first-generation Camaro, and this ’68 ragtop had a lot going for it. It’s Ermine White with a Tuxedo Black standard interior, and it features a four-speed transmission with a Hurst T-handle shifter. The emblems and ice cube tray hood vents indicate that this is an SS car, but the hidden headlight grille suggests that it also had the RS appearance package. These cars have always been, are now, and forever will be popular. There were always people hovering over this thing, taking pictures, and generally admiring Chevrolet’s first pony car.

Here’s a ’56 Ford Victoria two-door hardtop. It’s not a Crown Victoria, because as you can clearly see, it does not have the chrome B-pillar that wraps the top like a tiara. It’s finished in the very refreshing ‘50s color combination of Diamond Blue and Colonial White. It has sort of a mild custom thing going with its full (and uncorked) Lakes Pipes and plain vinyl interior. The red part on that fancy antenna looks like it should light up, but alas, it does not. This car wasn’t perfect, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s a nice car that someone can use to take to an event like this, out for ice cream, or maybe just a nice weekend drive. This is a car that you could have fun with.

I enjoyed checking out the cars and seeing a few familiar faces at the Man Cave Party and Auto Show over the weekend. Unfortunately, I did not have my camera with me, so I had to take all the pictures with my cell phone. Sorry. Anyway, you can look at all 85 of them in the slideshow below, or click this link for a nicer version.