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Tarafied1's PowerTour blog

Nice! Craig, you probably dont have the time right now, but it would be cool in the article if you wrote about how you came up with the idea to do the Power Tour and what you did to get the car ready, etc. I'm looking forward to reading about the trip as I would love to do one, eventually.
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Thanks Rick,
I'm packing today but threw some thoughts together...
Most of you probably know my Mustang story, and may have even read how I got into Mustangs. Here are the links if you haven’t read that stuff…
http://www.stangfix.com/testforum/index.php/topic,2363.0.html
http://www.stangfix.com/testforum/index.php/topic,5961.0.html
Like most people, I’m not rich and this Mustang thing is my hobby. It is more than that however. I’m a gearhead, a car nut and have corrupted my family. I blame my parents. I used to take family vacations when I was young. My mom and dad would drive across the country in a 69 Torino and we would camp for two weeks during the plant shut down. My mom was the perfect navigator and my parents loved taken the road less traveled. I have been to all but 3 of the lower 48 states both on vacations and later in life, for work. Even when I travel for work I wander the highways to see where it goes when I'm not working. I’ve been on almost all what’s left of route 66 (although not as one trip). I have camped in the Rockies and mountains of Utah and driven some wicked 4x4 trails.
Now that I have a family, I have tried to do the same for my kids. My boys have seen things many don’t see anymore from an airplane. But for a few years my wife and kids sacrificed having a big vacation so that I could get the Mustang done. We still camp, but haven’t had that big family vacation.
I have read Hot Rod magazine since I could read. My dad kept issues dating back the 50’s when he was a kid, stacked in the garage. I would spend a lot of time reading those old issues. In more recent times I have dreamed of doing the Power tour but either the car wasn’t ready or I didn’t have the funds or both. Last year the Power tour went through Eastern KY, and I thought that was the closest it may ever come. I made plans to hook up with the tour in Somerset. It’s near my dad’s house and I have cruise on the Somer nites cruise there many times. During the day they were supposed to be coming in, a tornado went through our area and hail and bad storms so I reluctantly chose not to risk damage to the car.
In October, at the Nostalgia Nationals at Beach Bend Raceway, I hooked up with some guys and gal working the Specter booth. I was telling them how bummed I was and they told me of the ordeal they had (they were on that power tour). They have a Mustang and it was not in gear when parked. It began to roll toward another car, one of them tried to stop it and was pinned when it hit the other car! Anyway, they told me then to watch Hot Rod’s website. They couldn’t tell me but they knew the route already.
Now my wife is a typical wife, when we met she didn’t give a hoot about cars as long as she could get from point A to point B. When we met, I had at least 3 classic Mustangs (the one I have now and several others). I also had my DD 85 GT 5.0 5 speed and a 94 Ranger. Both manual shift. She had a Olds Cutlass that threw a rod when we were dating so she ended up driving my Ranger but first I taught her to drive a stick in the GT. She has been in love with Fox body Mustangs since. She had a little issue with the breast cancer and now is passionate about the cause. When Ford made the Warrior in Pink Mustangs, she thought that was great. She now wants an 07 Shelby GT and wants me to paint the stripes pink and make a Warrior in Pink Shelby.
Anyway, back to the point… both her and I have enjoyed “road trips� and our Honeymoon was a 10 day road trip all over Colorado and some off-road. Since the Mustang has been finished (and she was a big part of it getting finished), we have both talked about taking that great road trip on the back roads. When Hot Rod announced the route and it was going right through were we live, she was more excited than I was. She has been planning since November (when Hot Rod posted the route).
Still being frugal we took all my Mustang funds and any vacation funds and allocated them for the trip. She even used most of my award points to get all but 2 hotel nights for free (more gas money!). The car has been very reliable, we drive it a lot to cruise nights and just to go out on a “date� You see when we met I was a single dad with a 3 year old so we didn’t get the normal dating stuff. Now this trip, we planned as a whole family vacation. I worried how I would fit all our stuff and four of us in the car for over a week on the road. Dave happened upon the POS coupe and an idea hatched. I could make a trailer! Dave agreed to donate the shell, and Ryan even donated some trunk hinges. It was a great idea. I bought a Mustang hitch on ebay. As time grew closer, the boys began to get other ideas. My youngest was invited to Summer camp which is during the same time and he decided he would rather do that even though he was torn. My older son hatched a plan to spend the summer with his cousin (last year his cousin spent the summer with us). Well, now I will miss them on the tour but this is a great opportunity for my wife and I (and we don’t need the trailer). But don’t think I won’t still build it cuz this won’t be that last road trip!
So we leave tomorrow morning. We will stay in St Louis and then Friday head up to Iowa. They are having a cruise in for the VETS to raise funds to send WWII vets to Washington to see the war memorials. We will attend that Friday night and Saturday is the official kick off of the HRPT. I’ll bring my computer and post up some stuff as we go. I hear we may get to go on the speedway in Newton! Chip Foose will be there and who knows what all will happen.
 
as far as getting the car ready... I did the normal stuff. Changed the oil and filter, flushed and filled the radiator with 15% Antifreeze, water wetter and distilled water. Top off the brake fluid. Greased the the suspension and repacked the wheel bearings, changed the rear gear lube. Cleaned and waxed the car and put rain-x on the windshield. I did lower the seat pan for comfort and added a mechanical fan and drilled holes in the cowl to let out the underhood heat. I made a trip to Bowling Green yesterday in 91 degree heat sitting at RR crossings and traffic lights with no issues! My aluminum radiator will be waiting for me when I return but I think I'll be okay with the changes I made. Thanks all for the input in the other threads. Now I gotta go pack!
 
I'll be reading along.....its something I'd love to do too.

Hope ya packed duct tape..... :lol Its essential
 
yep! here is my list:
spare keys
tire plug kit
duct tape
electrical wire and tape
brake fluid
oil
trans fluid
jumper cables/jump box
air pump
zip ties
wiper blades (new)
jug of water
rags
light bulbs
Fire extinguisher
sharpie
hand cleaner/towels
first-aid kit
Documentation for the PT (Registration Information/copies, Hotel Information with addresses and confirmation numbers, maps/direction to each hotels and venue)
Documentation for vehicle (Insurance, Registration)
Money and credit cards
Clothes (Don't over-pack) Long Pants, Short Pants, Shirts, Underware, Socks, Shoes/Sandels, Light Jacket, belt, Hat, shower kit,
Spare tire (full size and I made sure it fit)
Folding Chairs (one per person)
Cooler
Sun Glasses
Sun screen
Cleaning supplies
Camera (extra battery and memory sticks)
Umbrella (larger golf type, non-metal handel)
Cell phone (don't forget the charger)
computer and charger, cable to download pics
Redneck Creaper (Card-board to lay on the ground just in case)
GPS in my Blackberry
ipod and cable for radio
 
and tools:
TOOLS
pliers
knife
phillips and regular screwdrivers
socket set
hex key wrenches
hammer
vise grips
breaker bar
flash light
wire cutter/crimper
 
I don't see a credit card (you can trust us if you also provide the number) or the AAA card.
 
"Fast68back" said:
Craig, snap some pics when you get all this in the car......
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I think I got it all...
index.php
 
Man....that new sound system will blend right in.

Now.......if I can get this sent to some stereo company about the car they have chosen....... :lol :lol
 
sorry wrong car :lol
You FB guys forget the coupes have TRUNK space!
every thing is in the trunk, tools and stuff like that... my jumpbox doubles as an air pump too. Jack and tools in a "jack bag" behind the spare
luggage will go in the back seat.
index.php

index.php

index.php
 
"AzPete" said:
Man....that new sound system will blend right in.

Now.......if I can get this sent to some stereo company about the car they have chosen....... :lol :lol
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thanks Pete, I knew I could count on you! Maybe I'll get some more freebies if they see that ratStang
 
i noticed in your other thread that the tour ends in mobile @ the USS Alabama. make sure you take some time & go through the WWII submarine they have there (things get put in perspective very quickly sitting next to a battleship!). also some cool planes there including the SR-71 blackbird.
 
You'd have more room in that trunk if ya got rid of that big round thin and that red top square thing. :vic :beat
 
"SELLERSRODSHOP" said:
i noticed in your other thread that the tour ends in mobile @ the USS Alabama. make sure you take some time & go through the WWII submarine they have there (things get put in perspective very quickly sitting next to a battleship!). also some cool planes there including the SR-71 blackbird.
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+1, my son and I toured them all a couple years ago when we took a road trip from Texas to Florida.
 
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