Car show creates camaraderie

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Jul 13, 2008 by Angela Deines

By Angela Deines

SPECIAL TO THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Not too long along Topekan Israel Perez would travel all across the Midwest to attend custom car and van shows.

But the high price of gas has kept him closer to home lately.

So Perez was happy that Saturday's 2008 Mid-America Custom Car, Truck & Bike Nationals was held at the Kansas Expocentre. Just like he has at other shows since the early 1980s, he drove his flaming orange 1975 Ford "Chop Top" van to Saturday's indoor event.

"Having two kids in college at the same time, that's been more of a pinch on us going to shows than the gas prices," Perez said.

Perez said he and his wife, Alice, have decided together since they were married in 1982 whether they are going to attend any of several custom van shows held across the Midwest each year.

"If we both can't go, we don't go," Perez said.

Alice said she enjoys the camaraderie and sense of family among those who attend.

"It's his hobby, so I go with him," she said. "I enjoy being together there with him."

The Perezes said their children attended the van shows when they were younger, and there were always child-related activities for them. Ronald Ruiz,, a co-promoter of Saturday's event, said with two children himself, he wanted to make families feel kids were welcome at the show by not charging an admission fee for children 10 and younger.

"And you also incorporate things for the kids," he said. "We want people to know it is family friendly."

Although Ruiz has been organizing the annual Fiesta Mexicana car show since the mid-1990s, he and co-promoter Steven Alley planned Saturday's show because of a need for such an event in the capital city.

"I saw a lack of places and events here where people can see custom vehicles that they don't normally get to see," he said.

Bill Johnson, of Topeka, said his 1957 baby blue Chevrolet station wagon is one such vehicle people seem to naturally gravitate to because of its uniqueness, including its striking blue color and third seat.

"They're amazed at the third seat," he said. "They don't expect to see the third seat in the old wagons."

Johnson said he got the station wagon in Newton in 2004, originally to drive during local cruise nights, but has taken it to nearly 50 car shows in the past four years. He said the car's unique blue color is a big draw because it is nostalgic of the 1950s.

"Everybody likes it because it's from the '50s," he said. "They just like the originality of the car."

Angela Deines is a freelance writer in Topeka. She can be reached

at amdeines@aol.com.