2001 Hot Rod Virtual Power Tour - Day Ten, May 12

To get an idea of just how...        read full caption To get an idea of just how many Tourers made the Long Haul, that line stretches all way to the left end of the building in the rear. Check back with us to see video interviews we did while these hardy travelers were waiting for their certificate.

Not surprisingly—especially...        read full caption Not surprisingly—especially for folks on the Power Tour—wagons are becoming an increasingly popular platform for performance projects, as noted in a recent issue of Hot Rod magazine.

Yet another cover car for...        read full caption Yet another cover car for Hot Rod magazine showed up for the party.

Universal Technical Institute’s...        read full caption Universal Technical Institute’s Yugo was a lighthearted effort to show that just about any car can make the Long Haul.

Some of the Power Tour rods...        read full caption Some of the Power Tour rods hit the wall in San Bernardino.

Cinema Vehicles, a company...        read full caption Cinema Vehicles, a company that provides vehicles to the movie industry, put Eleanor, Marilyn and Wilma on display (from "Gone in 60 Seconds," Marilyn Monroe, and "The Flintsones")

Drawings for all sorts of...        read full caption Drawings for all sorts of prizes included this Route 66 sign (and no, we didn’t steal it from some old section of the highway).

Father-and-son, Kent and Mark...        read full caption Father-and-son, Kent and Mark Wiley of Denver, Colorado won a complete stereo system in the Long Hauler’s prize drawing. Now, the hardest part is to figure out how to find room in their Rodster to carry this stuff back home, because

the Wiley family really...        read full caption the Wiley family really cleaned up. Mark’s daughter Kari also won the Matco tool chest, chock full of everything a hot rodder might need. And don’t worry whether she’ll know what to do with it--she helped her Dad quite a bit in getting his Rodster ready for the Power Tour, so the tools will surely be put to good use on future projects. (Like next year’s Tour, right?)

GM’s John Moss provided...        read full caption GM’s John Moss provided tremendous support for this year’s tour, including some primo prizes.

After holding the prize drawing...        read full caption After holding the prize drawing for the Chevy II Nova, Joe Sebergandio (left) of Emap Events did his best to locate winner Kevin Chevalier of Plainview, Minnesota, but apparently he had already headed down the road. He was the lucky winner of the 7th Annual Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour 2001 giveaway car built by GM Performance Parts, and California Street Rods. This 1966 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova is outfitted with a 350 RAM Jet motor, 4L60 Auto Trans with overdrive, Budnik Fontana Wheels with BFGoodrich Tires, and a slew of additional high performance products. When asked later what he thought about the car, Ken only had one thing to say, "Thank you Chevrolet and emapusa, now I can really put my brother in his place!" (his brother also has a Chevy II Nova).

San Bernardino really opened...        read full caption San Bernardino really opened up the city to the Power Tour, with no problems finding a parking place for all the Long Haulers and spectator cars.

This bearded hot rodder from...        read full caption This bearded hot rodder from Great Britain won the Chevy engine prize from GM Performance Parts, which promised to ship it across the Atlantic. In a veddy British accent, he said, "This is what we call in England ’a right proper result.;" We’d say that comment applies to the entire Hot Rod Power Tour.

So many of the Long Haul gang liked staying over a second day in San Bernardino, we were beginning to think they didn't want the Power Tour to end. Well, maybe only a few felt that way, but judging from all the folks we interviewed at the finale, (check back for streaming videos to be uploaded in the next couple of weeks), this year's Tour was a standout success. Of course, everybody was hoping to win some big prizes, too (see photos and captions at right for details).

The comments we heard about the Power Tour experience were universally positive, even when Long Haulers encountered mechanical or other travel problems, because their fellow Tourers were right there to lend a hand. Many said that despite being an event for and about hot rods, it's the people they meet on the way that made it somethin' special. Their common bit of advice to other potential Power Tour participants? "Just do it," encouraged one couple. "You won't get this kind of chance very many times in life, and you need to experience it." Our sentiments exactly.

As sort of a retrospective of all the hot iron and cool paint jobs we saw on the Power Tour, we've put together some sidebars with a large collection photos. Check'em out by clicking on the links below -you might get some great ideas to use on your rod project (and maybe bring it on the Long Haul in 2002). Hope to see ya' next year!