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Route 66 Revisited
Hot Rod Magazines Power Tour 2001 Hits the Highway
February, 2009
By Terry McGean
 |  Fans of the gearhead classic...  Fans of the gearhead classic Two-Lane Blacktop were digging this 55 when it swooped in for a lunchtime gas stop. The car even has a big-block with the same type of tunnel ram as the movie car. The owner admits that its not quite perfect yet, but claimed it would soon be spot-on. Check out the plexiglass sliding side curtains. |  Who says theres no vintage...  Who says theres no vintage tin left? We nearly got sideways on the interstate when we spied this little sedan in the weeds, thinking it was a 40. It turned out to be a 41, but still very saveable. Its somewhere along Route 40 in Missouri if youre interested. |  You see some unusual iron...  You see some unusual iron on the road with the Power Tour, like an 11-second Edsel, for instance. Owner Ralph Fleischman filled us in on the details, like the 460 Ford engine, the C6 trans, and the 9-inch rear. With 3.70:1 gears and a hit of nitrous, the 58 Ranger has gone 11.70s, though for Power Tour, Ralph switched to 3.25s. |  Some hot rodders claim that...  Some hot rodders claim that street rods are all show and no go. This 40 pickup proves em wrong by turning mid-11s at the drags while maintaining show-quality appearance. |  The crowds at the kickoff...  The crowds at the kickoff in Pontiac, Michigan, and the final destination in San Bernardino, California, were treated to a surprise appearance of Fords Forty-Nine concept car. This was the real (and only) fully functioning Forty-Nine, and spectators were able to get close enough to fog the flawless black finish with their heavy breathing. As a bonus, chief designer Richard Hutting of Valencia, California, even came out to San Berdoo to answer questions about the car. |  If youre ever in Albuquerque...  If youre ever in Albuquerque on a Wednesday night, check out the Ask Otto show on local cable access. Host and resident motorhead Otto Anderson takes calls, answers tech questions, and occasionally has guests, like members of the Hot Rod staff. Otto came out for a leg of the Tour in his recently completed 57, which runs an old Corvette fuelie set-up (shown) and a C4 Vette independent rear. |  As we approached an overpass...  As we approached an overpass in what seemed to be the middle of the desert, we were amazed to see a group of enthusiasts cheering the Tour. Turns out members of the Lake Havasu Over-The-Hill Gang had gathered to offer support. Some had been on the Tour previously, others vowed to be on it next year, and all were pumped about the whole deal. They even tipped us off to the cheap gas at the next exit. Thanks, guys! |  No, this isnt a scene...  No, this isnt a scene from an upcoming episode of Americas Most Felonious Car Chasesits typical of the Power Tour cruise nights, where local law enforcement admires the iron along with show spectators. Leon Biesiadecki of Ridgecrest, California, built the bucket to teach his wife about cars, and the couple now cruises the Econoline-powered Total Performance T regularly. |  Many of those whove...  Many of those whove endured multiple Tours recognize the value of space and comfort on the Long Haul. Steve Early may not have been thinking of Power Tour when he built this 56 Suburban, but it proved perfect for the trip. The GMC is heavily modified, with a 95 Chevy 1/2-ton front clip and 68 Chevy 1/2-ton coil-spring rear suspension. A 90s Corvette LT1, complete with EFI and a 4L60 overdrive trans, powers the yellow behemoth through a Ford 9-inch with 3.73:1 gears. |  Jack Trepanier of Rad Rides...  Jack Trepanier of Rad Rides By Troy wheels the recently revamped QuadraDeuce II down the Interstate. The car features C4 Corvette suspension with all-wheel drive adapted from a GMC Syclone/Typhoon truck. Power comes from a Lingenfelter-built Trick-Flow-equipped aluminum small-block through a 700-R4 trans. |  There were even some folks...  There were even some folks from the U.K. on the Tour, and no doubt they began to feel at home when they spotted this Mini in San Bernardinothat is until they looked inside and saw the small-block wedged in longitudinally. Tom and Mary Walton own the 61 Austin, built by Terry Stoker. The 65 Corvette 327 runs Edelbrock aluminum heads and puts the power to the rear wheels with a Powerglide and 9-inch axle. |  Despite the fact that Texan...  Despite the fact that Texan Pat Fleischman (the son of Ralph with the Edsel) is a former auto body guy now serving as a service rep for automotive-paint suppliers, he prefers the primer look for his 57 Ford Custom 300. He explained that the Fords suede finish is actually two-stage black without the clear, which should keep it looking good for some time. The Custom runs a T-Bird-spec 312 with dual carbs and a late-model Mustang T-5 five-speed manual trans. |  Spend the morning cruising...  Spend the morning cruising through the desert and the afternoon in bumper-to-bumper traffic and youll find out what your cooling system is made of. Steve Zaring of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, had never encountered overheating issues with his 61 Chrysler until he hit Albuquerque. No mattera little water from the drink cooler set the big-block Chrysler right again. Steves car had lots of neat custom (kustom?) touches like faux lakes pipes, dummy spots, and Moon bullets on the stock caps. |
The push to get cars off the trailers and onto the pavement is one we applaud and support with events like Americruise. But were not alone in this quest, as demonstrated by the guys over at Hot Rod magazine, who annually put on a gargantuan coast-to-coast cruise known as Power Tour, presented by Chevrolet. This 10-day trek traditionally left from Southern California and headed east to such destinations as Detroit, Nashville, and the Florida Gulf coast. This year, a new twist was incorporated, as the Tour began in Detroit (actually Pontiac) and headed back to SoCal, paralleling the famous Route 66 for much of the distance. We tagged along to see what all the hype was about, and were glad we did.
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