2014 Hot Rod Power Tour - Wisconsin Dells, Friday, June 13

[Tom Veale]

A good friend of mine and I are planning on driving to the Wisconsin Dells for the arrival of the 2014 Hot Rod Power Tour on Friday the 13th of June. (Weather Permitting!) I'll be driving my '33 FFR Hot Rod (#007 w/~10K miles) and my friend will be driving #2611 Challenge Series car (probably in excess of 10K miles).

http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=11692&d=1347113314

Hope to see some other FFR cars there!

Best regards,
Tom

[rsipp]

The prospect of participating in tours and distance cruises with a large number of other cars is an aspect of building a 33 that appeals most to me.

The market has obviously voted and declared these cars a success with well over 600 build starts. I am sure they will be showing up more and more often at the major events perhaps even with several examples at the same event.

For those with finished cars, have you detected any negative public reaction because it is a "kit car"? Does the typical event participant or spectator recognize your car as a FF right away? Has the local Street Rod Club approved your membership application?

If these cars keep coming out of the shops at the rate they are, maybe we'll just be able to run our own "Power Tour." While I am not that familiar with the Roadster community it would seem that with their numbers all of these questions are history.

What do you guys think?

I need to sell an airplane to get started.

Dick Sipp

[Tom Veale]

Hi Dick,

As with anything, there are always snobs. Wine snobs, Motorcycle snobs, Golf Club snobs, etc. So yes, there's a group that think that a hot rod has to be made of steel and be ancient, difficult to drive, a bucket of rust to repair before one even builds a hot rod and, did I mention, difficult to drive! :)

Most of the time when I've driven to a Cruise Night I get quite a few other car people coming around to see it. They'll say something like, "I've read about these and always wanted to see one up close." When they look at the front suspension and what is visible of the frame, they get the idea that this isn't some bit of automotive antiquity with a big motor stuffed in it but a real driver that happens to look like an antique. It's also not a Plymouth Prowler! It's also not a dune buggy powered by an air cooled VW engine. All the misconceptions seem to go away when they look at how complete the car is and find out how competent it is on the road, road course or strip. There aren't a lot of steel cars that weight in at the FFR '33s weight and have the room in the cockpit for full size humans.

I parked right next to a steel '33 Ford and the guy and I talked for quite some time. His first comment was, "How come my '33 is so much taller than yours?" :) The FFR '33 is such a handsome car in its many configurations people just seem to like it right away (kit car or not) (steel or not).

Hope this helps,
Tom in WI

[rsipp]

Certainly does help and what I was hoping to hear. Adding to your list, if we build them right to be reliable we should be able to proudly point to a high mileage odometer reading or be at an event many miles from home with no trailer in sight. Kudos to those of you driving the wheels off these great cars.

Dick

[Tom Veale]

As of this AM, NOAA shows clear and cool for Friday AM.

http://graphical.weather.gov/sectors/conus.php?element=Wx

My buddy Terry is more exposed to weather than I am, so a clear day will get him motivated. We're coming from different points on the compass but drive time is about the same. (maybe two + hours plus some stops along the way)

Here's my route:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Elkhart+Lake,+WI,+USA/Chula+Vista+Resort,+2501+River+Rd,+Wisconsin+Dells ,+WI+53965/@43.5931529,-89.4772513,9z/data=!4m24!4m23!1m15!1m1!1s0x88037cb5a5ffe38b:0x82 6009cf0fe6917b!2m2!1d-88.0178729!2d43.8333269!3m4!1m2!1d-88.7164186!2d43.807832!3s0x8803f8ced1b79e9b:0x8565 d001d1073350!3m4!1m2!1d-89.3468269!2d43.7783114!3s0x8806d4c61ec6323f:0x14b 7c7df72311be3!1m5!1m1!1s0x88074602707cf859:0x6db4d fd36f18a91a!2m2!1d-89.785949!2d43.666595!3e0

Here's Terry's route:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Burlington,+WI/Chula+Vista+Resort,+2501+River+Rd,+Wisconsin+Dells ,+WI+53965/@43.1380137,-89.5939703,9z/data=!4m24!4m23!1m15!1m1!1s0x880578281a189569:0x9d 6b84c44216a313!2m2!1d-88.2762026!2d42.6780726!3m4!1m2!1d-88.9663972!2d42.9818463!3s0x88066fb1524432ed:0x863 4269957f1a8de!3m4!1m2!1d-89.5027484!2d43.0585805!3s0x8807aef81c27ecc9:0xaf5 41b65c8c47956!1m5!1m1!1s0x88074602707cf859:0x6db4d fd36f18a91a!2m2!1d-89.785949!2d43.666595!3e0

I attended just once before, when HRPT came to Kenosha, WI some years ago. It was the first year for the '33 Hot Rod and my first chance to look one over and sit in it. Shortly after that I started pursuing getting one for myself. Now, with nearly 10K miles on mine, it will be fun to head to another show.

Best regards, Tom

[rsipp]

We've driven the Midland, MI to Oshkosh, WI trip many times. It's more fun now with a Focus ST daily driver, but I can't wait to make the trip in a FF 33. The planning continues.

Best
Dick

[Tom Veale]

Hi Dick, If you're in the 'neighborhood' again this summer for the Fly-In, drop me a note.

TV

[Tom Veale]

Here's some photos from the HRPT in the Wisconsin Dells:

Three Tour Veterans!
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=30095&d=1402761365

007 Hanging out with his new best friend:
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=30093&d=1402761273

Enie Meanie Minie Mo.........
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=30092&d=1402761239

Chuck M getting some advice from my grandson on how to make his car go faster.....
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=30091&d=1402761217

[Tom Veale]

Two more of the FFR display/tour cars:
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=30088&d=1402755682

Good friend Terry W. drove his Challenge Series car (#2611SP) over for the day to hang out. I put ~7000 miles on the Pumpkin Racer before I sold it to Terry and he's now logged nearly 9000 more miles on it including track time in Wisconsin, Illinois, Florida and other spots.
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=30087&d=1402755681

A couple more HRPT cars arrived late morning:
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=30086&d=1402755679

The entire FFR rig and cars on display:
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=30084&d=1402755675

Spectacular weather was enjoyed by all.

Best regards, Tom

[Dave Smith]

Thanks for the GREAT pictures Tom!!! The Power Tour is an amazing event and Im proud of the guys for making the 1000+ mile long haul across the middle of the country!

[Tom Veale]

Hi Dave, Thanks to you and the FFR group for a great day. It's a huge undertaking for the individual tour drivers, but FFR's commitment is also impressive as a company. Scott was welcoming and friendly to all. The FFR truck looked great and the display had most of what FFR builds (minus the GTM and 818). Both the 818 and the GTM would have been welcome sights there and would have attracted lots of attention, too.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting a chance to put faces with names, meeting several people from these forums.

Best regards, Tom