Hupmobile takes first place

By Molly Heavner, mollyheavner@miconews.com

Ron Smith stands alongside his 1933 Hupmobile sedan and the awards that he has won at area shows. Smith bought the antique car from his mother in 2004 and said it has sentimental value to him and his family. (Photo by Molly Heavner / mollyheavner@miconews.com)

A Louisburg resident’s 1933 Hupmobile sedan was the people’s first choice at the Kansas City Art Institute’s Art of the Car Concours show June 28 in Kansas City, Mo.

Ron Smith’s antique car won the coveted award, beating out about 170 entrants, which included cars, motorcycles and a fire truck.

Smith said, out of the six car shows he has competed in, the Art of the Car Concours show was his favorite.

“It was the classiest car show I have been to where they had a good variety of cars — expensive and nice,” he said.

The show was the second-annual fund-raiser for the Kansas City Art Institute Scholarships Fund, bringing in more than $50,000 contributed by more than 3,000 spectators who paid a $10 admittance charge.

“It’s not uncommon for these car shows to benefit worthy causes,” Smith said. “It’s a fun and exciting way to help the community and to share camaraderie with other car enthusiasts. I’ve encountered some of the nicest and friendliest people at these events. It’s amazing to me the interest and knowledge that not only the car exhibitors have, but even the spectators. Everyone has a story.”

Commerce Bank, where Smith works as an information technology programmer in downtown Kansas City, Mo., was a sponsor of the event. Smith said he was not the only Commerce Bank employee competing in the show — his boss also participated.

“He had a response to my win, but I won’t repeat it because he is the president and CEO of Commerce Bank,” Smith said, as he laughed.

In addition to his win at the KCAI show, Smith’s Hupmobile has received five other awards, four from shows in Kansas.

Smith competed in Louisburg’s “Cruise the ‘Burg” car show in May and took second place. In the same month, he received best of show at the Miami County Law Enforcement Crime Prevention Car Show in Paola, received the Best Original award at the Rock-Roll-Rod-Ride Run show in Hays last August and won at the Good Guys Mid-Western Nationals Kansas Speedway show last September.

Regardless of the amount of trophies and plaques Smith collects, though, he said he doesn’t enter the shows for the recognition.

“I enter these shows really just for the fun of it and have only been doing so in the past year,” he said. “I like to visit with people about the Hupmobile and hear their stories on cars they own, would like to own or cars they remember from their pasts.”

Smith picked up the hobby of showing and collecting antique cars from his dad, and Smith decided to buy the Hupmobile from his mother in 2004, he said.

“It was previously owned by my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Louis A. Smith of Topeka, Kansas,” he said. “They purchased it directly from the original owner in the 1970s, and I am the third owner. The Hupmobile has immeasurable sentimental value to me and my family.”

Smith, who has been a member of the nearly 40-year-old international Hupmobile Club since November 2005, said the group provides members with information and resources about antique, historic and street rod cars. At the club’s annual car meet from June 29 through July 4 in Topeka, Smith said he had the opportunity to take a tour in his Hupmobile to a variety of places in and out of the city, including the state capitol, Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas and Allen Fieldhouse, among other stops.

“I learned more about Hupmobiles that week from the other members than I had known my entire life,” he said.

While the Hupmobile is the only car Smith said he has showed, he owns three other automobiles, including a couple of modern cars and one other classic 1972 Ford Mustang convertible with a 351 Cleveland engine that he’s owned since high school.

“(The Mustang) is not quite in car show form at this time, but one day I hope to have it restored,” he said.

Smith will put his Hupmobile to test once again at the sixth-annual Paola Heartland USA car show Saturday night at Paola’s Park Square, which features cars made before 1975.

“These shows give me an opportunity to enjoy seeing other great cars,” he said.