It’s rare that a 2nd year show has a big turnout in this area, lots of shows go years and years before building up a following. Not so with The Chill in the Wichita, KS area.
In it’s second year The Chill has gone from a very bike heavy show with some cars here and there to a really great car/bike show.
Held at the Kansas Pavillion in the Wichita suburb of Park City, KS this show had something for everyone. The first building you enter was all about bikes; from new Indians to stretched out rockets to old board track racers, every type of bike build you can imagine was on display.
Two other buildings on site were filled with cars with some nice surprises thrown in that I hadn’t seen at other shows in the area, there was even a new to me vendor selling custom coffins with one that was scaled down version of a kustom Merc. Going through the enclosed corridor from building #1 to #2, one of the first cars I saw was a bright yellow Ferrari, within a 100ft was an over the top “art car” with all manner of craziness bolted/welded on. Neither of those two are really in my wheelhouse so I cautiously made my way into building #2.
The caution was quickly replaced by a big smile when I ran into some old friends and some favorite familiar rides. The McGregor Boy Hot Rod Shop had a killer display setup with the hoodless moredoor Caddy, unibody Ford pickup, radical rat and some sick bikes. After geeking out over their twin engined Triumph drag bike, I made my way over to building #3.
Open the door and BANG there’s a face full of funny cars, Connie Kalitta’s Bounty Hunter Mustang and Jungle Jim’s fliptop Camaro were beautifully detailed and just plain cool to check out. Around the corner and it’s Ron Pinkston’s jaw dropping flamed out Merc with the killer paint extending into the engine compartment, and under the car. Suicide doors, front flip hood, frenched headlight, perfect chop, this car has all of the cool tricks.
The rest of the room was full of kool too, Zombie Speed Shop’s sweet International Pickup, Redhouse Custom Paint’s booth with a very cool hood mural being airbrushed, and a whole bunch of 1/4 milers made me walk in circles for the better part of the afternoon. I can’t wait to see what the 3rd installment of The Chill has in store for us.
See you at a show,
Travis – Royboy Productions