ok so hopefully without getting to boring I will share my experience and knowledge about the hot rod power tour. imagine taking one of the biggest shows you will attend ( EST OF 1500+ LONGHAULERS) and moving it on a daily basis across the country. in between hundred's of others who can't due the whole tour drop in and out. It was very cool tooling along in my Chevrolet tokin on a number and digging on the radio along I 20 when around 6 other cars join in to head to texas, slowly a few more jump in and before you know it we got us a convoy. ok seriously I for one no longer follow the exact route that hot rod lays out always but see what I want to do along the way and justr make sure to hit the venue and stamp my timecard daily which is a requirement to be a long hauler . I left Hollywood fl on wed and about 4 hrs from home blew the fuel pump just as I was passing the don garlits museum in Ocala fl. luckily I know the area ,and called a pep boys who had the parts and the mechanic recoginized my wagon from where I live as he used to work at the local pep boys where my friend works. 2 hrs later i'm back on the road and make it to ga . Thursday I make it to alexander city Alabama to visit the Wellborn Museum. a very cool car collection in an old chevy dealership but the guy loves mopar .many hemi cars around including a boss 429 reported to be the lowest mileage one around , chevelles, gto's, the challenger from vanishing point with supposedly as filmed dirt on car. next was onto Leeds Al to the Barber vintage museum. Even if bikes don't thrill you the presentation and collection are amazing. Getting closer to texas and make it there on fri morning. I stop at The Gas Monkey Garage and learn about an event they are having on sunday. Then I go up the street a few minutes and arrive at Dallas Strokers Chopper Shop another neat place with incredible paint jobs on motorcycles. From there it was onto Fort Worth. I like the history of the old west so I had to see the Cattle drive, roseo, wild west show, and Billy Bob's Honty Tonk . sat was the beginning of the power tour so it was a quick trip to the university of texas at Arlington for the 1st day. Sunday morning and we are on our way to Texarkana. moday and we are on the way to little rock ar. I follow the route about half way and then anyone who wanted was invited to Street and Performance in Mena Ar. so we detour for a free lunch and tour of the shop. very impressive operation in person. they make a tremendous amount of stuff for your hot rod from brackets to polished intakes etc. I leave there and head to Hot Springs Ar for a quick trip up to the observation tower and check out the springs . gotta get to the venue so i'm on the way. I forgot to say that as you stop at your hotel every night is a mini bench racing session in the parking lot or sometimes even helping someone fix a wounded car. Tuesday and we hit Memphis Tn the home of rock and roll ,I couldn't resist stopping at Sun Studios . I also went by the Lorraine hotel where Martin L King was shot as I can remember seeing this on TV when I was a little kid. Made it to the graceland parking lot to see the closed sign come out. Wednesday and we head to Hoover Al.on the way I decide to stop at the Tupelo Auto Museum another incredible collection of cars .As I go to leave the museum the doors open and there is a canvas painting of a 59 chevy grille which looked so cool I now have one in my den. As I go to leave the museum and head to hoover the weirdest thing happens, the brakes go to the floor luckily I had been going slow and tried to stop early so I looked and coasted thru the intersection down the street into a parking lot and up a slight hill so it slowed enough to throw it into park. a busted front shock took out he braided s.s brake hose. call AAA tow it to a shop and luckily we find the only hose in the town that fits or it was an overnight delivery. back on the road and make the venue just in time for everyone to be pulling away. okay so Thursday is beautiful up the lookout mountain parkway to Chattanooga Tn and all is well. Coker tire had a street party and it was great . they also have an incredible collection of vehicles. Friday and we Long and I do mean Long haul to charlotte. I forgot that on sunday we went back to Gas Monkey Garage and got autographs and stuff and got to check out the shop in full. Magnaflow exhausts arranged for the trip to gas monkey and a few other neat things including meeting Rutledge wood from topgear and his nascar stuff. they also had Bryan Fuller unveil a bike at the Barber Vintage Museum. Well Saturday after the Long Hauler ceremony I went to the Nascar Hall Of Fame . Nice place to visit.then I headed to the Dragon . Robbinsville NC is where you find the dragon but I found the neatest little mom and pop hotel . she even gave me a carport to park the wagon. Sunday I woke up and did the tail of the dragon which starts in NC but ends in Tn . there is another scenic byway which I wanted to do for a while called the cherahola skyway. made it to the top of the mountain pulled over to let a bunch of bikers pass and blew the power steering hose, so I finished the skyway did a lillte bit of the dragon and headed to moonshiner's 28. this another scenic road which was used heavily back in the days to run shine. neat road with the river running along side it fun even without power steering in my boat. To me the highlight of Moonshiners 28 was driving under the waterfall. Then onto Summit Racing in Mcdonough GA for some new toys.Monday and a straight run home to Hollywood fl
Thanks. We went under that waterfall in a grey and silver 87 Chevy van. Looked almost as cool as your wagon...... ..... Or maybe not! Son listened to your story. Wants to know how a shock on a 59 Chevy broke a brake hose and why you don't have a dual master. Also wondered why you don't have an emergency brake. Man he's ridin your #@& about this. You got some splainin to do Lucy!
t top of the shock snapped and with the airbags the shocks are located on the side of the lower control arm to a bracket on the frame I do have a dual master so I had a small amount of brakes
Forgot about the airbags. Most Chevys of this era including my 55 have the shock inside the spring. Wouldn't, shouldn't the rear brakes still worked? And what about those Kool tires? Where and how expensive are those? If it's a secret send a message. Please!
That is a great picture! Sounds like you had a great time, I will have to put Power Tour on my bucket list for one of these days!
