Americruise is billed as "The Ultimate Rodder's Vacation," and for its first 10 years, it was considered a street rodder's haven, even though we all knew that 90 percent of their cars were really kit and component cars. This year, in its 11th renewal, the Mid-America portion of the event welcomed kit cars, specifically Cobras, into the extravaganza with the first-ever Cobra Tour, a two-day cruise through Nebraska, culminating in a display at the full Mid-Americruise show in Lincoln.
Nearly two-dozen Snakes made their way to and across the Cornhusker State, beginning with a gathering at Shell Valley Companies (SVC) in Platte Center. Hosted by SVC leader Rich Anderson, a handful of Cobra owners toured the SVC shop and checked out various Cobras, Cheetahs, A-bone Fords, and a '52 Jaguar C-type, all in assorted stages of construction. After a breakfast meeting attended by the local Commodores Business organization, the five Snakes and an SVC Cheetah started the Cobra Tour with a 63-mile trek to MidStates Classic Cars and Parts in Hooper.
Greeted by MidStates' head Bob Kallio, the participants were treated to a tour of the facility. Another half-dozen Cobras met the original party there, and following a lunch at a local eatery and Cobra rides for the locals (including a 93-year-old woman who saw and rode in her FIRST Cobra), the 11 Cobras and 1 Cheetah headed for the state capital, Lincoln, by way of Raymond. In Raymond, some 70 miles into the 80-mile leg, the contingent stopped at James Arthur Vineyards for some gorgeous countryside and grape juice-true, no one drank wine; we all stopped for water or juice. Then it was on to Lincoln to prepare for the next day's show.
Before meeting at the show, the group was treated to a tour of the brand-new Smith Collection Museum, a 50-year work-and-joy collection of owner "Speedy" Bill Smith. The two-hour tour, conducted by "Speedy" Bill himself, introduced the dozen Snakers to the 100,000-sq-ft facility, three floors of automotive history, dozens of original and famous race cars, 200 professionally restored and exotic racing engines, 500 pedal cars, thousands of Model T Ford accessories, one-of-a-kind items, Speedway Motors' '23 T-buckets and '32 Ford kits, and fascinating memorabilia for car lovers and the general public to enjoy.
Then it was on to the show grounds, where nearly two-dozen Cobras made their way to the Cobras-Only Corral, sponsored by Heidt's Hot Rod Shop, to join with more than 1,000 vehicles for the show and cruise. At the show, KIT CAR Editor Mike Blake awarded the magazine's Car of the Show trophy to Larchwood, Iowa's Gerry Phillips and his Candy Apple Red MidStates Cobra, complete with ghost flames and ghost checkerboard (see the feature that follows).
Next year, the Cobra Tour will begin at Shell Valley, July 17, 2004, and wind up in Springfield, Missouri, to meet up with the Americruise tour July 19. The Cruise will travel 250 miles a day en route to Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, arriving there July 23, for a two-day show. Stay tuned to KIT CAR for more information, or contact Rich Anderson at Shell Valley (information below).
Americruise East, part of Americruise 2004, is open to any street rod or custom vehicle which is of pre-'65 vintage, Cobras, and classic pre-'73 trucks. The beauty of Americruise is the making of new friends and taking part in a once-in-a lifetime ramble across the Midwest and eastern part of the United States. Half of the fun will be just getting there.
See you at Cobra Tour 2 and Americruise 12. It is an awesome way to enjoy and show off your Snake (or other kit).