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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 25, 1980)
monday, february 25, 1CCO pegs 12 daily nebrcskan Auto-Ramais car heaven for automobile buffs By Jerry Fairbanks The first thing you notice about the cars at the Lincoln Auto-Rama is that they are clean. Their bodies glow like shellacked furniture and their windows have none of the smudges, fingerprints or road dirt that coats a car driven by a family of four. The up holstery and carpets are unfaded and without so much as ordinary house dust. The doors are opened to show there is no grease caked around the door latch and the metal is free of the small dents that accumulate when the door is slammed. Mirrors lie on the floor to display the clean and often chromed chassis, frame and drive chain. The engines are arrogantly clean. The block is usually chromed or jet black and the firewall mirrored to reflect every angle of large, spotless engine. The engines are big-part of the fantasy appeal of customized autos. They advertise that if one of these beasts were ever taken off its revolving pedestal and beyond its rope fence and shag carpet display, a driver could get behind the wheel and tear down a highway or dragstrip like the professionals. Real racers There were several real race cars at the Auto-Rama. A 1977 Camaro sponsored by Ideus Construction that races at Midwest Speedway had the same relation to the, mocked-up display cars that a bulldozer has to a 10-speed bicycle. The body was mostly for show, built of thin metal and painted only enough to prevent rust, and the interior was a sheet metal cocoon for one driver. The other true race cars were Formula One and Formula European, the low flattened sausages that are little more than a frame with four wheels for a monstrous engine and one skinny driver. These, too, are without the frippery of welded chain steering wheels and chrome wheels-prerequisites for custom cars. Favorite raw materials for customizing are the Model T, the Ford Mustang and vans. The Model T, Henry Ford's car for the common man, usually finds itself stripped of all but its curved passenger compartment and put on a frame that more than doubles its original length .Then an engine that could put a truck in the Daytona 500 is bolted on and the Model T basic black is forgotten in an orgy of metallic hues and stylized flame designs. The Ford Mustang was introduced as an American sports car and soon became the favorite for every quarter mile dirt track racer at every county fair. Customizes do little with its basic design and avoid more than slightly gaudy paint jobs. But the simple plastic upholstery is usually replaced with tucks and buttons that would look at home on the interior of a brass coffin. Vans decorated Vans are treated as though their interiors were rooms for the more avant-garde concepts of interior decorators. Shag carpeting on the floor, walls and ceilings covers a variety of couches and chairs. Tables are attached to the floor and hanging lights give the whole thing a harem-like glow. For purists, the Lincoln Classic Chevy Club and other nostalgic organizations and individuals have cleaned up antique cast-iron monsters to a show room quality. These are the ghosts of automobiles past, the beetle-shaped and fin-tailed jalopies of the Fifties. Trie Chevy Club added to the historical atmosphere by showing films of early Chevrolet commercials followed by a racing documentary . People walk along the aisles between these creations wearing denim jackets marked with the brand'names of auto parts and fuel additives. They are patrons in an art gallery. For despite the manufacturers booths selling everything from car wax to popcorn, to turquoise rings, the cars exist for their aesthetic value, not for transporta tion or sport. They are sculptures that may someday grace the likes of Sheldon and Josly n , 1 A 4 -Ji v'. ., ? Photo by Mark Billinptoy TTiis 1939 Mercury was one of two Mercuries that attracted attention at the Auto-Rama in Lincoln this weekend. Rounding up folks for rodeo 'world's toughest job' By Jill Denning Specials Editor Bringing the "world's toughest rodeo" to Lincoln can be the world's toughest job for the president of Pro Rodeo Productions. The rodeo, which was at Lincoln's Pershing Auditor-, ium last weekend, was in the planning stage a year ago. Everything from a marketing analysis of Lincoln to an advertising strategy for the area preceded the actual event. Dirt contracting bids were taken to get 1,000,500 pounds of dirt on the floor of Pershing. Steve Gander, Pro-Rodeo president, explained that he' was disappointed because the dirt used at Pershing was not in the best workable condition, but said next year the problem will be alleviated by mixing the dirt with one ton of sand. The dirt has caused problems before when, because of rain, it turned to what Gander called soup and more dirt had to brought in. The crews, at that time, completed lay ing the dirt just 10 minutes before the show began. Biggest fear Gander said his biggest fear is a snowstorm, which he said hasn't happened yet in 100 performances during the . last two years. But snow and production problem's don't match the personal problems, according to Gander and the riders. Gander said he is living in motels "260-some days of the year." His wife and 10-month-old daughter travel with him about half of the time and, he said, "My baby's been in 14 states, she's been on a plane, she's been on a boat; been on a bull and anybody with a cowboy hat she'll go to." John Wilson, who competed Saturday night in the saddle bronc event, said he did 12S rodeos last year and thinks traveling is the worst part of it. K-tel puts out more than records By Patti Wieser K-tel records and tapes, in themes ranging from coun try to disco, netted $166,995,000 in the 1979 fiscal year, according to the administrative assistant for K-tel in Minnetomka, Minn. The assistant, Marlene Outcalt, said in a telephone interview that the company, which started out as a busi ness selling Miracle Brush Products, expanded to include toys, oil and gas operations, real estate in the United States and Canada ancj records and tapes. The theory behind the company is to advertise a pro duct on television and send records on consignment to stores such as K Mart and Woolworth, she said. I if, arid came to the United Slates in 1968, is successful. Il supplies the entire United States and 21 foreign countries, she said. The average price of an album is between $4.99 and $5.99 and the songs are full versions by the original recording artists, she said. She said each record usually has a theme, such as disco, and is a compilation by many artists, who receive royal ties. They are "popular things in a grouping on one album," she said. She added that occasionally the company will produce an album by a single artist but the best sellers depend on what's "trendy." "We have done very well with disco. . . now it is stow ing down a little "Outcalt said. Continued on Pay 13 He explained that prize money doesn't meet the rising cost of gas and makes traveling tough. But Wilson said he enjoyed his profession because it "keeps (him) from working" and because he never gets hurt, although the bandages on his hands spoke for thenv selves. Love of sport Tony Wills of Antler, Okla. and Jim Barker of Biting, Texas, agreed that Injuries don't change their love of the sport, Barker, 17, said he has broken "about everything but one leg," but added, "If you like it you'll do it, That's what makes it fun." Ba,r jcr4 iS? l$m in hi8h scho1' "Id he just had traveled 2,000 miles in three days. He said he was in school in Texas Thursday morning, "With two world champions in my class, i don't get back " he8!? m,ke H Up when 1 et MBa.r.kesr,.who has been steer wrestling since he was 13, said, Ain never going to get rich at it." But he said he ajy-10 scconds a day and around -d were 20 pounds lighter andiding," ho W? ffff h.r.taTtMn? 10 rid?' though "Rwy bought I'd get hurt and they'd be out of a job," h Work pays off All the behind-the-scenes work seemed to pay off becau many member, of the audience said the IZ was see'ffof'Z?15"' H,ramie Aus,l' wid I'" amma know.. The animal, n,"x Continued on Page M
