Kopper Kart: Road To Detroit
Detroit's 56th Annual Autorama
Road to Detroit
It was a long haul for the builders before their arrival at the landmark occasion to Detroit’s 56th Annual Autorama, America’s Greatest Hot Rod Show.
As the final weeks came to a close in the shop the builders responsible for recreating this piece of Kustom history (Vic, Mark, Ron, John, Daran and Ed) were still doing major work on the Kopper Kart. There was nothing that would keep the truck from being driven, but significant things like weather-strip around the doors and windows (windows that were still not installed in the doors) and all of the external trim, bumpers and interior inside the cab and the bed. There was one week left and everything and everyone came together. The final pieces of trim were installed, the steering components were greased, the clutch adjusted, the truck was lowered down off the wheel dollies, the grill and all of the headlight and parking light pieces were installed and then … time stood still!
All the months of work in the shop, just sixteen months since the truck was received from John Maurice, only six months since Lead East when the truck was in primer with basically no filler work started, all the wild weekends filled with friends becoming better friends, sarcasm filled conversations, and old body filler dust on the floor mixed with metal shavings, blood and beer. It all stopped for a few seconds (a few seconds that seemed like a lifetime). In silence the team stood in front of the truck in complete awe at the way the truck looked, as we all saw it for the first time as a finished product.
… Time stood still! …
The word to describe the moment was not describable. But “WOW!” came from one of us and at a time where earlier in the project someone would have said something to spoil the moment, but this time the whole team just stopped and continued to stare at the truck. The cameras came out, we all knew there was lots of work to be done and a serious deadline to keep, but we had to take pictures, Right Then! Right Now! The truck had come alive!
The truck was scheduled to go to the pinstriper on Friday. The trailer was ready, but the truck was still waiting for some final finishing up. A few more hours and the underwire dash wiring was complete, the seat installed, headlights working, the interior door panels on and the remainder of the side trim installed. Finally 7pm, Vic fired up the truck to bring it out of the shop and drove it down the driveway to the trailer. This was the first time the truck drove under its own power and actually driving it to the trailer instead of pushing it gave the team a huge sense of accomplishment. Not soon enough the truck was loaded on the trailer and on the road to start the 2 hour drive to Alan Johnson’s shop for a long 3 day marathon of pinstriping.
The trip to Alan’s just added to the memories of this build, missing a turn to go north took them through Trenton, NJ causing a slight delay, but with the snow storm that was on its way any delay was a bad one. After an eye-opening skid at 50 mph in the tow vehicle with over 8,000 pounds on the trailer and a show truck behind, they arrived at Alan’s shop with an inch or two of snow on the ground and more in the forecast. Vic would not allow the truck to be pushed. The Kart got winched out of the trailer and Vic drove the snow covered beast into Alan’s shop. Once in the shop, towels came out and everyone chipped in to dry the truck and introductions were made to the team.
Alan had every reference photo of the original Kopper Kart ready and waiting so that he could work his magic. After the exchange of some social conversations the team left the Kart in the hands of the talented Alan Johnson and Bill Riedel. On Sunday they stopped in to visit with the Kart, but the real treat was Tuesday, the day they came to pick up the Klone to leave for Detroit. The Kopper Kart was just amazing!
Road to Detroit continues
Vic and Daran followed Lou and Kurt from Stillwater Garage (owners of a great restoration shop) out to Detroit. Lou had made the trip to Detroit several times and shared stories along the way at gas stops, making the trip most enjoyable for Daran and Vic. Once in Ohio, temps’ drop making the snow storm around them turn to ice forcing them to exit to find a hotel for the night. Lou’s stories continued over dinner warning Vic and Daran about the long wait to get into Cobo Hall.
They arrived in Detroit early afternoon the Wednesday before the show. They worked their way in line to get in to Cobo by inching their way along a two mile stretch of city road for four hours. Cobo Hall was immense and they were there unloading the Kopper Kart. Vic drove it over to the sign-in area, already cameras were flashing. Once they got things squared away with the display area they could relax. But the crowds kept gathering, cameras kept flashing, the truck was a hit. There would be no relaxing.
It has been nearly a decade since the beginning of Vic Collin’s creation of the Kopper Kart Klone. Between the public’s memories of the original and the exposure the Klone has received, it was clearly evident the crowd wanted to see up close and personal a piece of history that was rekindled by this amazing truck
Vic, Mark, John, Daran, Ron and Ed all stood without having to utter a single word to each other. Each understood the pride that they all felt in their accomplishment. The Kart represented a dream in which they all shared together, a time that will never be forgotten between them. They united their talents and melded together to be one masterful force. The recreation of the Kart is a gift to each of them that only these builders can truly understand the relationship among them. The Kopper Kart Klone is a piece of history that they each will take home and keep in their soul forever!
The weekend came to a close and the experience of Cobo Hall and the trip to Detroit was sealed with a kiss when they were honored to walk across the stage with not only other great builders of the early years where it all had started, but were honored to accept an award for their build. The Kopper Kart Klone took 3rd place in Radical Truck.
Continues
