Any helpful tips for parade driving?

SteveM

Senior Member
I should be in the parade on Monday.

Was wondering if any of you more experienced folks have any tips for driving in a parade?

I was thinking that insulating the gas line might be a good idea, given how much time we will be spending slow or stopped.

Steve
1931 Deluxe Coupe
 
Run it a little rich rather than a little lean. Same with timimg, a little retarded rather then a little advanced.

I've run in parades here in south florida with temps in the 90's and routes 2-3 miles long without overheating.
 
i do alot of parades . my thing is i do not keep it in gear / clutch in when it stops . i dont like to sit on the throw-out brg all the time . long delays , i shut it off . just my thing ! ................ steve
 
Wave at the old ladies and the kids. Blow the horn occasionally, or toot your wolf whistle. If it is the Memorial Day parade, and you are a veteran, wear your veterans cap.
 
DON'T THROW CANDY!!! Just aaooogh at every kid ... positive reinforcement as you wean them 'em off the sugar. This will give your Surgen General warm fuzzies. It will also keep potential Model A drivers (down the road) from diving under your Goodyears.
 
Don't speed! :D

On a more serious note, keep an eye on what's going on. A Model A in my club was so busy waving at the people that he ran into the back of my cabriolet. It was so slow that his front bumper just sprung into my full back bumper like bumper cars and didn't do any damage, but I was a bit annoyed that he wasn't paying attention and was running into other cars. He felt bad about it and I blew it off.
 
Used to cool down the Tractor with a Fast idle . My A runs cool at idle but if I hot rod it it throws out water.
 
I'll be bringing a small cooler with plenty of bottled water for me and my passengers. One of the ice packs in the cooler is one of those things that you keep in the freezer as an ice pack for injuries, just in case.

There will be a couple of umbrellas for the rumble seat drivers if the sun gets too hot.

I'll have flags for everyone.

Steve
 
Here in california the memorial day parade that our club participates in was canceled. I did find another parade but they wanted a $150.00 entry fee. so I passed. I will honor our Veterans my own way this year.
 
Here in california the memorial day parade that our club participates in was canceled. I did find another parade but they wanted a $150.00 entry fee. so I passed. I will honor our Veterans my own way this year.

Ouch!

I guess I can see that the parades cost money (extra police, cleanup, etc) so if your city is in dire straights that might make sense. But I agree with you and Steve that it's worthwhile to take the time to honor those who served (and not just because I'm a vet :) )

Was the second, fee-charging parade some sort of privately organized affair?
 
Boy oh boy, a $150 entrance fee. What are they thinking? Don't they realize that your car is the attraction?
Maybe it's their way of saying "we don't want you."
Rog
 
Be aware of your surroundings. Don't get paradeitis. Thru no candy and watch out for kids and photogs running everywhere. Stay toward the center of the road and away from the kids and dogs on the curbs. Take plenty of sun lotion. Water for you, your pax and your house. Here is a goodie: if you don't have a heatshield over your muffler, freeze some water bottles and let you pax put her barefeet on the bottles= cooling big time. Check the other cars around you for dribling.
Clem Clement
 
Besides, watching a parade is lot more fun than being in one.

I've sat for 9 parades in my town and driven in three. The most fun I ever had was when I had three WWII vets in the car. The guys in the rumble seat were 84 years old and got in by themselves. The fellow in the car was 86.

One of the guys in the rumble seat was an Army combat engineer that landed at Normady a couple of days after the invasion and fought at the battle of St. Lo in France. The other was on a ship in the Navy, and the fellow inside was a Navy mechanic / machinist who repaired airplanes.

They were all school buddies that enlisted together.

I've NEVER had a better time at a parade in my life!

Steve
 

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