July 8, 2006—It’s the Iola Old Car Show!

We jump on the bike for the short run of about 25 miles to the Iola Old Car show, one of the Midwest’s largest with over 1400 cars on display, over 1000 for sale, and more vendors than you can shake a stick at. Since we arrive in the motorcycle parking area early we get a short walk to the entry gates, as the cars are already stacked up what seems to be miles from the gates. The place is crawling with people; estimated attendance is 150,000 over the four day period and Saturday is the busiest.

We wind our way through the vendor area, with literally acres and acres of old car parts, new car parts and anything automobile related you could possibly think of for sale, and find an old car aisle for viewing. A highlight is the story behind this old VW bus. And note the original sticker on this T-bird.

We continue to wander aisle after aisle snapping pictures and saying “Remember when?” which we always seem to do when we attend one of these things. I even come across a ’69 Dodge Coronet which is in original condition and is the same color and style as one I owned when I had my first career job. I remember being proud that I qualified for the loan on my own as I had my first teaching contract guarantying me a salary of $6500/year.

We finally make it to the sections with the weird and unusual, the blue ribbon stuff and the show-topper GMC Futureliner. More of that in a minute. There is the little blue number that both cruises highways and waterways. There is the 1913 Tin Lizzie, the hand crank tow truck, the very original old Ford pickup, and what’s known as the ’63 Princess Grace Monaco T bird.

Scattered around this stuff is also the wacky decrepit truck with the old ’41 Harley in back and the twin Ford Fairlanes, one shrunken. Then we arrive at the timeless Shelby Mustang, the magnificent Cord, and the immaculate Auburn. An intriguing display trailer by Miller Welding woes us inside where we are surprised to view an OCC (Orange County Choppers) custom built Miller bike and trailer.

One of our last stops is the show’s most popular, the funky 1930’s Futureliner, with its dual front wheels. Built by GM as part of an exposition for the World’s Fair, it toured from 1936 to 1941 and was one of eight. Even though there are still parts of the car show we haven’t seen by this time, Marc’s bad knee is giving out and it’s time to mount up and ride ourselves. We fall in behind some other Wingers as we leave Iola on the back roads in search of some lunch.