Kit Car

AHA's 27th Fun In The Sun Car Show

AKA Knott's 27th annual Fun In The Sun car show.

By Eric Geisert

Just like when you were a kid waiting for the Christmas holidays, the annual Fun In The Sun event organized by the Association of Handcrafted Automobiles (AHA) offers the same heightened level of excitement. The show, held in a portion of the parking lot across the street from the renowned Knott's Berry Farm amusement park in Buena Park, California, has come a long way since its modest debut in a dirt field 27 years ago.

As with the kit industry, the Knott's show (as it has become known) has changed over the years to reflect what is current and up-to-date. Nearly every company that has had an impact on what kits are being sold and driven in the United States has displayed their vehicles and products here, easily making the AHA show one of the most important to attend.

Throughout its history, the threat of rain has always loomed over the heads of both spectators and participants, and after last year's deluge really dampened the spirits of those who attended, the hope for steady sunshine over the weekend this year was high. Mother Nature obliged, offering only a brief shower in the middle of the night between the two show days.

The car count was down slightly, but 200 kits and replicars made their way into their respective places and categories for the festivities. This year also included more than 50 different vendor booths, from chassis and body manufacturers to wheel makers and wiring experts. The largest number of participants for one type of vehicle, of course, belongs to the Cobra camp, which numbered nearly half of all the entries. That fact owes a lot to the design's popularity, but also the well-organized efforts of one manufacturer, Factory Five Racing and its associated group of car owners, who brought 79 FFR roadsters (and a few coupes) to the show. We can't help but imagine what the show would look like if each manufacturer did similar promotions with their customers--it'd easily make the show the largest in the country.

The rest of the field, populated by Porsches (though less so than last year), Lambos, Ferraris, Mercedes, and a handful of special interest vehicles, offered many other views of the wide-based kit and replicar scene. In a nod to its long history, the AHA also set aside a '70s Corral area where owners of kits originally manufactured in that decade could display their cars. The location became an impromptu Kellison reunion when a handful of various models showed up with examples of the late kit builder's vision.

There were also plenty of evening events. The AHA provides Knott's Berry Farm's world-famous chicken dinners, but two other companies organized special happenings, too. West Coast Performance provided an evening at a local slick-track facility (think go-carts on polished concrete floors). The aforementioned Factory Five Racing picked a hamburger stand 25 miles away in Huntington Beach as a spot for any FFR owner to meet at and kick more tires. The result was spectacular, as any gathering of that many Cobra roadsters always looks and sounds impressive. We can only hope more of these ents-within-an-event spring up at more shows--it's a great way to break up the monotony of hanging around a parking lot or fairground for a couple of days.

What was obvious to many who attended was the higher build quality level across the board. From construction to finished paint, all the cars at Knott's this year were very well built. Interior designs were laid out well, and engine compartments were meticulously thought out. The overall attention to detail would make any kit or replicar fan proud.

Kits and replicars have always been the outlet for creative craftsmanship, and this year the AHA decided to honor that effort with the first annual Extreme Handcrafted Award. Darren Freidman from West Coast Performance was this year's recipient for his over-the-top silver Cobra roadster with tribal flames. Another car that won many admiring glances (as well as the AHA's Vice President's Award) was W. Stewart's green entry, a Stewart. The car is self-titled since the owner hand-fabricated the entire car himself, truly a remarkable effort. The Good Manufacturing Award was presented to dune buggy and off-road legend Bruce Meyers of Meyers Manx fame. The trophy no one wants to compete for--the Hard Luck Trophy--was capably won by Thunder Ranch's Tom McBurnie, who, in a caravan of trucks and trailers on the way to the show, had one of them flip on the freeway. The consummate professional, McBurnie didn't alter his plans to attend the Knott's event.

The 27th AHA Fun In The Sun came to a close on Sunday afternoon after some 75-plus awards were handed out. For those who grumbled about how many Cobras showed up, perhaps they should be comforted that more than 100 non-Cobras also attended.

Judging what happens at shows such as Knott's--who shows up with what--is a great way to gauge how the kit and replicar industry is doing as a whole. Another way? What was the largest class of cars in competition outside any of the Cobra classes? The answer is telling--the Under Construction class, which had 13 entries, clearly shows folks are out there building their own personal dream cars!