Kansas City MINI Enthusiasts

Saw an article about this in the paper today, it's at the Westwood City Hall in Westwood, just off Shawnee Mission Parkway and Rainbow from 1-4.

Steph, this would be a perfect place to show off BB, she'd be one of the larger cars there!

Anybody want to go? I love these tiny little cars!

Minidave wrote:Saw an article about this in the paper today, it's at the Westwood City Hall in Westwood, just off Shawnee Mission Parkway and Rainbow from 1-4.

Steph, this would be a perfect place to show off BB, she'd be one of the larger cars there!

Anybody want to go? I love these tiny little cars!

I've got a little more info on this show to share.

There is no charge to enter the show, however donating a buck or two to help defray the expense of the city hall attendant would be appreciated. The city hall will be open for restroom access.

While MINIs technically don't qualify as MicroCars or MiniCars, I was welcomed a couple of years ago at this show. If the weather holds, I think John will bring Moxie but I wouldn't hesitate to drop by in a MINI either. The parking lot is a nice location for a show.

So what does qualify as a MicroCar or MiniCar? I've seen two different definitions, one that the car must be 1000cc or less, the other that it must be 10 feet long or less. I'm glad the local group isn't hung up on the rules.

Where exactly is this place?? I might take my Mini to it.

Counterfit_Mini wrote:Where exactly is this place?? I might take my Mini to it.

4700 Rainbow Blvd, Westwood, KS. The city hall faces Rainbow, the parking lot is on the backside.

I'm planning to come by and take a look. (It's just down the street for me). Convenience is not the reason, though. I've become a microNut.

Just got back from the show and errands and I've got to say that was the best show I've been to in a long time! Two years ago there weren't that many cars and certainly not a lot of spectators. I would guess hundreds of folks came to the show today and the number of cars was still growing when I left. I don't know if the popularity/interest in small cars is increasing with gas prices or if the article in the Star helped or what but it sure was good to see that many people and cars.

I did remember my camera but left it's battery safely tucked in the charger, at home. If anyone has pics to share, it will certainly get me off the hook with the hubby who missed the show today.

There was a beautiful pale blue Classic at the show and the owner was a really nice fella. He bought the car in Australia and it's never been restored or re-painted, nor does it need to be. The condition was very nice and he has fun stories about his buying experience. I hope he will join us here!

A couple stopped me while I was car-gazing to ask if I had a Mini (sporting MotoringChix attire today--dead giveaway). The gentleman had owned Classics in the 70s and had kept the maintenance manual all these years. It's not a Haynes or Bentley manual, but the real deal manufacturers manual. He wanted to give it to a Mini owner and now it has a new home. If any of you Classic owners want to take a look at it, just holler. It's quite a piece of Mini memorabilia and even has some great shop notes taped inside the cover. Better than Christmas...

The Smart cars were out in full force today. They've found each other, kinda like MINI owners. I suspect they wave. One Smart had "Maxwell" for their vanity plate. Ha!

I ran into Minidave and dimini at the show--both are a wealth of knowledge on many unusual car makes. Then I ran into rojocohete and esmter. More amazing knowledge from those two! Then I saw Terry (terryandmaggie) and his beautiful Corvette. Terry says "Hi!" and says he still drops by the site once in awhile. It was super great to see him!

I stopped by Costco on the way home and have now installed the Davester/Bentley mod to my MINI. It was sure easier than the Joey mod directions.

ragtopday wrote:...I stopped by Costco on the way home and have now installed the Davester/Bentley mod to my MINI. It was sure easier than the Joey mod directions.

What is the Davester/Bentley mod

Does it have anything to do with sunglasses????????

Davester wrote:Does it have anything to do with sunglasses????????

NO!

I got an industrial, rubber-backed entry mat to line the back of my MINI. It's not as fancy as Bentley's, more along the lines of Dave's, and I put a split in it so I can use it with just one seat down or with both. It's the best $20 I've spent on my MINI. I had no idea until yesterday that a 3 x 5 was the perfect size for the back of a MINI.

now the sunglass mod - that was a sight to see


and the entry mat mod is a great mod to have, saving the backs of my seats from lots of scrapes and mars.

I think the Microcar show was a blast, too. Great variety of cars and well attended. I think my favorite of the day was the Heinkel, but, there were so many cool little automotive nuggets, it's hard to judge.

Yes, the Morris Mini MkII was sweet (he got it in Australia? It doesn't have the Aussie quarter windows). There was also a rare Wolseley Hornet cabriolet. Such a cool little mini variant with its petite, yet stately "Rolls Royce" inspired grille. Maybe MINIdave will post some pix.

I'd like to see some pictures from the show. Sorry I didn't make it I'm having more technical difficulties with my Mini.

I took about 45 pics but I have to resize them first, they're all way too big........

the strangest looking one was definitely the Heinkel - so odd!

my faves were the red Prinz, the yellow fiat 600 and the gorgeous green Morris Minor.

and maybe the BRG bug eye sprite that inspired ours!

I took a bunch of pics that also need to be resized - i'll post some tonight.

Finally got my pics resized tonight, so here we go...........unfortunately my battery died before I could get a lot of shots I wanted, like when the line of 6 or 8 Smart cars all came rolling in!

Victoria engine

Victoria front

Victoria badge

Victoria Infor sheet

Victoria

Heinkel Emblem

Heinkel

BMW 700

BMW 700 rear

Citroen 2CV

Berkely

Berkely Engine

Bugeye

Metropolitan

Nash rear

Sad Subaru 360

Prinz emblem

NSU Prinz

Mini Moke

Karman Ghia

Isetta Cabrio

Honda 600

Fiat 600 Multipla

Multipla interior

Wolsley Cabrio

Whizzer engine in a Western Auto Bicycle

Triumph Herald convertible

Green Isetta

I love the Citroen. They were popular when I was stationed in Germany. The nickname for them was the duck. I think I can run faster than they can drive.

Dang. I missed a good show.

Sorry I missed the show. The Citroen 2CV has always been one of my favorites, too. Perhaps that "duck" nickname came from the nickname I always remember "deux chevaux" - literally, "two horses." Which is about how much power they have.

There were 3,872,583 of them made before the last one rolled off in 1988 in Portugal. It was quite an innovative car in many ways, including the fact that the springs and shocks are shared on each side, front-to-back, through the rocker panels. The French never want to do anything the same way everyone else does. They are a nation that idolizes engineers.

They are still raced in England. When I was in Paris a few years ago there were still quite a few of them on the streets.

Here's one I thought was a hoot:

2cv and classic minis have been my two favorites for the past 20 years. I thought I read that 2cv's were made up 'til the 90's? Hey, even it's Portugal, late 80's, that's a long run for a vehicle that looks like pre-WWII Soviet machinery.

Thanks for the pix, Dave.