Going Nuts at Knotts!

Presented by the Association of Handcrafted Automobiles, the 25th annual Fun Under The Sun show, more commonly referred to as the Knott's Berry Farm show (due to the location of the event being on the grounds of the famed Southern California amusement park), blew away previous participant records by nearly 50 percent!

Over the past 2 1/2 decades, the A.H.A. has sponsored and hosted the event, which has grown to become what many feel is the largest kit/replicar show West of the Mississippi. And you don't become the biggest without being the best, too!

With what started out with a few like-minded hobbyists gathering at a builder's shop in 1979 then moved across the street from Knott's Berry Farm in 1980. The show has steadily grown over the years (they added a manufacturer's row in 1983) and, nowadays, manufacturers come from across the country (as well as Canada and Australia) to showcase their wares. Builders and owners display their latest projects, too, showing what they've been up to during the previous winter months. That simple combination still works today, and the Fun/Sun show has become a great representation of what is happening in the ever-growing replicar industry. The weather is usually picture-perfect during the spring in SoCal, and the 2004 event was no exception. Mid-80s and not a cloud in the sky greeted the early arrivals Saturday morning (the show is held over a 2-day weekend) who staked out their spots in their respective parking areas (the A.H.A. groups similar cars together to make it easier for the judges).

What the A.H.A. wasn't prepared for was nearly 100 more cars than what they had from the previous year, so extra time was needed to complete the judging. There were 40 different types of cars represented and, of the over 300 cars registered, a third of them were Cobras (and this doesn't account for the 11 Daytona Coupes at the show, either). In fact, four different manufacturers of Daytona Coupes had booth space to display their rides at the show (talk about your convenient one-stop shopping!). And with the country's economy on a seemingly upward trend, even more people are interested in owning a replicar.

With 2004 being the 50th anniversary of the Porsche Speedster, there was also a concerted effort to have the most amount of Porsche kits ever assembled in one place and, with 57 356s and 550s attending, the group felt confident they set a record this year (a similar feat would be tried at the Carlisle meet in Pennsylvania a few weeks after Knotts--we'll see who comes away with the mark!).

Of course one of the best things you can do with your kit is drive it, and several groups traveled cross country in their respective rides to be at this show. Ken Smith, president of the Chicagoland Replicar Association, along with a couple of other members of the club rolled down Route 66 (okay, so it was mostly Highway 40) to mak e the show. Along the way, one member, David Hartman, who was driving his GT-40 replicar, hit a bump in the road, which unclasped his clamshell engine cover. At around 70 mph, the wind caught the open bonnet and ripped it completely off the car, much to David's surprise! Undeterred, David duct taped the huge piece back on the car and continued westward to Knotts. Now that's a dedicated kit car owner!

When all was said and done, the A.H.A. does a good job at providing an event that gives replicar enthusiasts a time and a place to rub elbows with like-minded individuals. It's not the trophies (though they're nice to look at on the fireplace mantle) that draws people to an event like this--it's the camaraderie and the friendships they've developed over the years with other builder/owners that make the show as successful as it's been. And that's what should help keep the event going for another 25 years!

To learn more about the Association of Handcrafted Automobiles, jump on the computer and check out their Web site at www.replicarclub.com.