Parade Car

Bruce Adams said:
OUCH
I was not thinking you all are thinking MEMORIAL DAY PARADES when Horn Beeping is inappropriate in my mind.
We are there to remember those who gave their lives, not celebrating July Fourth.
All my emails regarding Memorial Day Parades or when we accompany a member's funeral parade should have NO AHOOGAH's.
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I totally agree with you Bruce. I would never use my horn at our Annual Anzac Day Parade. As you say, we are there to honour our service Men & Woman who sacrificed and suffered for us to enjoy a better life. As a matter of fact I originaly refused to use my Model A for such a parade, not out of disrespect for our Service Personel but because I thought the cars would take the attention away from our Diggers.
That view changed when one year I was asked by a Digger if I would pick him up in the Model A and take him to the Parade and I havn't missed one since.
Having said that I'm sure that those who do choose to use their horn do not do so out of any disrespect for our Service men and Woman.
I guess it's just a personal choice.
 
The Hot Rod Grille said:
I've had a lot more fun driving my car in parades than I've ever had sitting in a chair at a car show.
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The most fun I've EVER had in my car were the times I drove vets in the parade.

One year, we had three fellows who were buddies since childhood. They all signed up for the war together. There were four, but one passed away a couple of years before. They needed a year break before going in the parade again.

My friend Bill and his friend Brad (both 84 years old at the time), got into the rumble seat. Bill was a combat engineer in the Army and landed at Normandy a few days after the invasion. Brad was in the Navy. He was in Tokyo harbor when the surrender was signed. Bill is on the passenger side. Brad is hidden by the roof.

Ken (85 years old) sat in the car with me. Ken was an airplane mechanic in the Navy, working on Corsairs and the like. Later in life he was a machinist, so we had a great time talking.

Bill is still with us, but Brad and Ken have gone.
 

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I'm probably the exception. I used to do local parades but gave it up because most times they were utter chaos and the people in charge didn't know what was going on. I would be placed behind Shriners doing figure eights in their motorized wheelchairs or the Horse Patrol trying to dodge something you shouldn't step in. It was fun while it lasted but I don't miss it. The A did great tho, no overheating.
 
Talk to the parade organizers to see if your Model As can be as close as possible to the front so you can keep moving. Overheating can be a problem for some cars on a hot day. Otherwise, lots of fun.
 
I did the 4th of July Parade this year and I had to run out near the end and add bottle of water. Turns out I had a small leak in the neck that I did not know about. As long as your cooling system is in good shape you will be fine.
 
I've lead more then 20 parades, it depends on the lead vehicle to set the pace. If you have several marching bands that slows things down, because they will perform several times. I've seen a few vehicles pull out of line due to various issues, but usually they perform well. The Rodeo parade has LOTS of horses, but a smart director will place them at the rear, not near the motorcycles and ATV's. Every parade I've been in had sirens, air horns, and the ooouuugaaa of the old cars. But it was never done out of disrespect.

Paul Shinn recently did a video on Youtube on prepping your A for a parade. It was not too lengthy and well done, imho.
 
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