The new Kansas City Automotive Museum puts KC on the classic car map

If you’re a regular here, you know that I’ve taken you to major automotive museums from California to Michigan. But in 28 years of living in Kansas City, I was never able to show you a public car museum that wasn’t in business to sell cars. That changes right now, with the opening of the Kansas City Automotive Museum in Olathe. This isn’t a huge museum, but it has some high-quality cars and interesting Kansas City automotive history. And as nice as this place is, it’s just a start. They’ll continue to refine and improve this location until they move into a larger facility sometime in the near future.

Thumbing our noses at danger during the 24th-Annual Toys for Tots Run at Rawhide Harley Davidson

Bikers and hot-rodders have always had a bit of a rough reputation. Poster children for dangerous miscreants, their presence in your neighborhood is likely to result in someone getting beat to death with a chain, or maybe an out of control jalopy mowing down a toddler's birthday party.

And yet, when they're not burning a swath of terror fueled by the blood of the innocent, events like the 24th-Annual Toys for Tots Run prove that they might not be that bad after all.

Time travel to the 1980s at the Olathe Bass Pro Shop PINK cruise

The PINK Cruise, sponsored by the Mustang Club of Greater Kansas City, got off to a rough start. It was scheduled for Saturday afternoon, but rain forced them to reschedule it for Sunday. And of course, when you have to change the date at the last second, it usually doesn’t help your turnout. The fact that the Chiefs were sort of playing on Sunday didn’t help either.

2012 Mid-America - Aces Chevelle/El Camino Show brought big blocks to the Great Mall

 

The Great Mall in Olathe has been the site of some pretty big car shows lately, and that tradition was continued over the weekend with the Mid-America - Aces Chevelle/El Camino Show, which filled the north parking lot with gleaming mid-sized Chevys.

I know the Chevelle contingent has been getting strong around town lately, because I see several of them whenever I hit a car show.  But it’s hard to realize just how strong until you see them all in one place.  It would be hard to assemble a bigger gathering of hood pins, stripes, and Chevy Rat motors.

The only thing better than attending the KCCA Vettes on the Plains Show is doing it in a new Grand Sport

Here’s something that I know you know, but I’m going to restate it anyway.  I love Corvettes.  The new ones are crazy fast, and easy to drive that way.  The old ones are packed full of character and style, and were all great performers in their day.  I love sitting down on the floor.  I love looking out over the hood.  I just can’t think of anything I don’t like about them.

Nearly 200 fine Fords occupy parking spots at the Bass Pro Shops in Olathe

Kansas City has a lot of great automotive traditions.  From our auto assembly plants to our local car racing, this cowtown keeps the wheels turning.

We also have several significant, long-running car shows here.  And for 28 years, one of those shows has been the Mustang and Ford Show, presented by the Mustang Club of Kansas City.  Held at the Bass Pro Shops in Olathe, this is the show where all the high-interest Blue Ovals, both old and new, gather each and every year.

Nice cars highlight the 2011 Olathe Police Foundation Car Show at the Great Mall

The Olathe Police Foundation has hosted their fundraising car show at the Great Mall of the great Planes in Olathe for the past couple of years, and it is fast becoming a destination for classic car owners and fans each August.

This year's edition was no exception, as a full lot-full of shiny cars and trucks glittered under sunny Saturday skies.

The word of the day was "Mustangs" at the All Ford Show at the Bass Pro Shops in Olathe

This weekend marked the 26th year of the Mustang Club of Greater Kansas City's All Ford Show, and as is the tradition at this event, there was a lot packed with shiny 'Stangs (and the occasional random other kind of Ford).

This year, the two-day event was held in the Bass Pro Shops parking lot in Olathe. Part of the proceeds went to the Wounded Warrior project.

Ford freak photographs Fords for All Ford Show at Olathe Ford

Back when I worked at Lakeside Speedway, there was a guy named Scot Shamet who delivered the winners trophies from the local trophy shop each week.

Now Scot was a certifiable Ford freak. He always showed up to the track in his primped and pampered Ranger pickup, and he was always decked out from head-to-toe with Blue Oval and NASCAR paraphernalia. He also had a distinct bias for anything Davey Allison, Yates Racing, or Jack Roush.

Big Car Show at the Great Mall of the Great Plains was an excellent way to begin the summer finale countdown

Nobody in their right mind could have spent Saturday anywhere but outdoors, and for the folks that love cars, The Great Mall of the Great Plains in Olathe, Kan., was a nice part of outdoors to spend it. This was what they called the "Big Car Show," and there were quite a few cool cars and trucks on hand to back up this claim.

This was a benefit for the Olathe Police Foundation, so there were some Olathe Police vehicles on hand, including a pretty official-looking ATV, a mobile command center, a motorcycle, and some police cars. There were even a couple of privately owned police cars on display.