My bags were packed and I was ready. I was anxious to get behind the wheel of the 2005 PPG / STREET RODDER Road Tour coupe. The 10th anniversary Road Tour is going to be a good one. Why was I on a plane to Albuquerque, New Mexico? No, I was not headed to yet another new National Street Rod Association event. Assembly on this year's 1936 Ford coupe had been completed a week earlier at Hot Rods by Dean in Phoenix, Arizona. The car was then taken to our offices in Placentia, California, for a photo shoot.
I was flying into Albuquerque to meet STREET RODDER publisher Del Austin and associate publisher Brian Gingrich, who drove the coupe to New Mexico to turn over the keys to me. I guess it was a modern version of the Pony Express. Traveling with Del and Brian was video producer Jon Yamaoka. Jon was along to film the coupe for the 2005 10th anniversary Road Tour DVD. I met everyone at Tony Kos' Mild to Wild shop near downtown Albuquerque. The coupe had been looked over and it was time for me to get into my new office and head east on I-40. The J.B. Donaldson-bodied '36 Ford looked fantastic. Painted PPG burgundy, it sat just right on the Total Cost Involved chassis with altitude adjustments provided by Air Ride Technologies.
It had been over three years since I did the tour in a closed car. I had learned to love the roadsters and all the pain-in-the-butt things that go along with a car with no windows. Two hours down the road, all those fond memories went out the window as the clouds turned black around Santa Rosa, New Mexico, and the sky opened up. I then realized the beauty of a closed car. If you want wind in your hair, just roll the windows down.
With my sights set on Amarillo, Texas, for the evening, I started to get comfortable with my new ride. I arrived in Amarillo at dusk. The five-hour cruise from Albuquerque was long enough for me to get familiar with my new surroundings inside the '36.
At dawn in Amarillo I headed out to make the daylong trip across I-40 to Oklahoma City. It was then northeast on I-44 to my destination of Springfield, Missouri, the home of the National Street Rod Association's Mid-America Nationals. Just past Tulsa, I made a brief visit to the National Rod and Custom Car Hall of Fame. Darryl Starbird's vision has grown over the past 12 years to become a fantastic display of vehicles, memorabilia, and information about the history of rods and customs in America. I had visited back in 1996 and was surprised to see how large the hall had become. All too quickly it was time to leave and go on to Springfield.
The Mid-America Nationals, which has been held on Memorial Day weekend for the last few years, has become the fastest growing event on the National Street Rod Association schedule. This year's registration again topped 2,000 vehicles. For the fourth consecutive event this summer, the weather cooperated, making it a great weekend in Springfield.
On Sunday afternoon after the awards, it was time to pack up and move on. My home in Ohio was 750 miles away. This distance was too great to accomplish with a 3:30 p.m. departure, but I was able to get to Effingham, Illinois, by nightfall on Sunday evening. It was a fun drive as I listened to the NASCAR race from Charlotte and also listened to the rumbling of the Roush Performance engine under the hood of the '36. I must admit that with over 400 hp at my disposal and the excitement of the race on the radio, I did turn a few "hot laps" that afternoon.
I arrived at home in Youngstown, Ohio, mid-afternoon on Memorial Day. The maiden voyage of our 10th anniversary Road Tour car had been successful--the folks at Hot Rods by Dean had done a good job. A quick going-over showed that everything was fine on the coupe. That was good news, since in two days I had to head to York, Pennsylvania, and the National Street Rod Association Nationals East.The trip to York was the shortest for me on the summer schedule. With Mary Ann riding shotgun, the five-hour trip across the Pennsylvania Turnpike went by quickly. The weekend at the Nationals East was filled with everything that York has become known for: huge crowds, great East Coast rods, and a little rain. By Sunday afternoon it was time to roll, yet again. This time the destination was home, and by dark I rolled into my driveway. I actually have two weeks before the next event. It is one of my favorites: the Rocky Mountain Nationals in Pueblo.
The maiden voyage of the 2005 PPG / STREET RODDER Road Tour had gone very smoothly. With lots of horses under the hood, a roof over my head, and a great-looking street rod, the 10th anniversary tour is sure to be both fun and exciting. Follow all of our adventures in the pages of STREET RODDER and get updates at www.streetrodder-web.com.
It's going to be a great summer.
This was the scene at Mild...
This was the scene at Mild to Wild Classics in Albuquerque, NM. Author Jerry Dixey (second from left) flew in to get behind the wheel of the '36 coupe and drive to the Mid-America Nationals in Springfield, MO. STREET RODDER publisher Del Austin (fourth from left) drove the rod in from Los Angeles. The Mild to Wild Classics crew who went over the car included (left to right): Eric Kos, owner Tony Kos Sr., Jerry Spear, and Tony Kos Jr.
It did not take long for Jerry...
It did not take long for Jerry to appreciate the fact that his new "office" had a roof and windows. Somewhere in the rainy distance on I-40 lies Amarillo, TX.
The rain continued the next...
The rain continued the next day as Jerry crossed into Oklahoma. The skies finally cleared around Oklahoma City.
Just past Tulsa and only 15...
Just past Tulsa and only 15 minutes off of I-44 is the National Rod and Custom Car Hall of Fame. Custom car icon Darryl Starbird has brought together over 50 custom vehicles that represent the work of the finest craftsmen in our hobby.
One of the most recent additions...
One of the most recent additions to the museum is a replica of Starbird's famous Big T that Monogram used as the prototype for one of the most famous hot rod models of all time. Chad Vogele of Predator Performance in Dubois, PA, recreated this 2005 version for the huge Tulsa car show.
The Ozark Empire Fair facility...
The Ozark Empire Fair facility was the site of National Street Rod Association Mid-America Street Rod Nationals. Held each year on Memorial Day weekend, this event has become the fastest growing run on the summer schedule.
Sunny blue skies were the...
Sunny blue skies were the perfect backdrop for the trip north on I-44 toward St. Louis on Sunday. The Air Ride Technologies suspension helped to smooth out the rather bumpy Missouri highways.
This stop has become an annual...
This stop has become an annual event for Jerry on the Road Tour. At noon on Memorial Day, this beautiful mural in Plain City, OH, west of Columbus, is the perfect place for an appropriate photo.
After a brief two-day stop...
After a brief two-day stop at home in Ohio, it was time to head east toward York, PA, the home of the Nationals East. There are four sets of tunnels through the mountains on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
The National Street Rod Association...
The National Street Rod Association Nationals East is held in York in the first weekend of June each year. This event is over 30 years old and has grown to be the largest regional event on the schedule.
York is one of the oldest...
York is one of the oldest cities in the U.S. At one time it was actually the capital of the country. Vintage architecture is everywhere you look.