The Ford Barn

billybronco1 · 06-20-2015, 07:01 AM

Old town parade about five miles long takes maybe 1 1/2 hours at a slow pace to complete. I never drove an antique car in the parade. My 1931 Coupe runs well and never has over heated but I'm concerned if its a 90 degree day how will she do at this stopped a lot slow pace without getting a lot of cooling air.

Also the cab will be very warm and my feet cooking. I took off the manifold heater for starters any other suggestions?

Thanks

Jacksonlll · 06-20-2015, 08:06 AM

Make sure your plugs are clean. They will probably fowl during the parade. If they do, pull over and clean them. No big deal and you will get a lot of help.
Bring a bottle of water along to pour on the carb. if it gets too hot, which it probably will. Just pour it on the bowl. Quick fix for a while.
I would turn the engine off when you get the chance. Would help a little.
Depends on which way the wind is blowing. If it's with you, look out!!! A nice head wind would be best.
Good luck.

marc hildebrant · 06-20-2015, 08:36 AM

Do not run with the spark lever up, i.e. retarded.

Wave a lot and use the horn often.

Marc

Kurt in NJ · 06-20-2015, 09:12 AM

My parade routine is simple, have been doing it for over 40 years, while waiting for the parade to start I clean the horn armature and back the adjustment 1 click out (adjusts the horn for best sound idling)
For a walking speed parade I fine adjust the speed with the spark advance, my cars base idle is about walking parade speed in first gear (modified cars this may not work) with 1/2 advance

under some conditions there may be a time a little clutch slipping and a higher engine speed is needed (5-10 seconds---sometimes I hav had carb icing, blipping the throttle cleared it

there is no need to worry about the lack of generator charging at idle during a parade unless you have non stock equipment using battery ---

Marshall V. Daut · 06-20-2015, 09:19 AM

If the day is hot and the cooling system is not first-rate, temporarily remove the front license plate so that the air flow through the radiator will increase. Most states require a front license plate be present, so put it on the front bumper until the parade is over.
Marshall

silversink · 06-20-2015, 09:20 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

DON"T FORGET THE CANDY......I did once and the kids were brutal

newshirt · 06-20-2015, 09:26 AM

1.5 hours of constant clutch work? Yikes! Do 50 squats a day in preparation. Parades are hard work!

Fullraceflathead · 06-20-2015, 06:55 PM

First gear in a AA 4 Speed Transmission is Ideal in a Parade.

mshmodela · 06-20-2015, 07:17 PM

I did a 1 hour 2 mile parade in 90F last year.. car ran well ran out of candy... pack water for you and your candy gunner mates... enjoy!

Mitch//pa · 06-20-2015, 07:35 PM

a 5 mile parade is pretty long... you might want to go 2 miles then exit stage left up a side street...

Fred K-OR · 06-20-2015, 07:43 PM

Rev up your engine once in awhile to get the fan to cool the engine a bit and to clear out stuff in the engine. Use you horn to scare the kids away from the candy in front of you.
A horn does it every time.

BlueSunoco · 06-20-2015, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

a 5 mile parade is pretty long... you might want to go 2 miles then exit stage left up a side street...

I thought so too. I'd be looking for a side street also.

Nobody has mentioned the tried and true method of 'Hook a rope to the rear end of the guy in front of you, and let him PULL you through' while you cruise in neutral with your engine off

Bruce Adams · 06-20-2015, 08:06 PM

Oil your horn armature felts and IF you throw candy be REAL SURE it they do not fall in the line of following cars since there are WAY to often occurrences of kids picking up candy in front of following vehicles. Hang patriotic decorations and flags on the car and consider the choice of red white & blue clothes.
Make sure your radiator is filled with coolant. No need to keep it below the baffle at 5 mph.
ENJOY !

Mitch//pa · 06-20-2015, 08:16 PM

did anyone ever participate in a parade where the kids threw the candy back at the cars?

oldmtdew1950 · 06-20-2015, 09:35 PM

Local car club will be in parade only if they are right after the cops ! They get to chase them in the parade !

Mike V. Florida · 06-20-2015, 09:50 PM

I run the car a little richer then normal as well as the above suggestions.

Dave Mellor NJ · 06-20-2015, 11:11 PM

Don't get in front of the fire trucks. The incessant sirens are terrible.

Mike V. Florida · 06-20-2015, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Mellor NJ

Don't get in front of the fire trucks. The incessant sirens are terrible.

Or behind horses.

40 Deluxe · 06-21-2015, 04:06 PM

Whenever the parade comes to a stop, kick it in neutral and pull the hand throttle down to run at 1000 RPM or so to get more airflow through the radiator to delay/prevent overheating problems.

Cool Hand Lurker · 06-21-2015, 04:26 PM

After being in a parade, although it was fun, I don't think I will do it again for one reason. All the clutch work. A parade simply does not go at a steady speed. Go, shift, stop, shift, race to catch up, shift, slow down, shift. Put in new throwout bearing.
I know, I know, Grouchy, Grouchy! But it took out a lot of the fun.
By the way, our town does not allow candy because of the cleanup afterward in addition to taffy on your shoes, carpet, bar floor, hands & knees, heels from being dragged back to the curb.... been there done that...

If I go in another one I will give a call to a farmer friend who has a donkey and get him to tow me with a rope. Just like they did back in the old days. That could get Best of Parade!

06-20-2015, 07:01 AM	#1
billybronco1 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: MA Posts: 570	Driving in July 4th parade tips Old town parade about five miles long takes maybe 1 1/2 hours at a slow pace to complete. I never drove an antique car in the parade. My 1931 Coupe runs well and never has over heated but I'm concerned if its a 90 degree day how will she do at this stopped a lot slow pace without getting a lot of cooling air. Also the cab will be very warm and my feet cooking. I took off the manifold heater for starters any other suggestions? Thanks

06-20-2015, 08:06 AM	#2
Jacksonlll Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Michigan-- Member of Oakleaf of MARC Posts: 1,686	Re: Driving in July 4th parade tips Make sure your plugs are clean. They will probably fowl during the parade. If they do, pull over and clean them. No big deal and you will get a lot of help. Bring a bottle of water along to pour on the carb. if it gets too hot, which it probably will. Just pour it on the bowl. Quick fix for a while. I would turn the engine off when you get the chance. Would help a little. Depends on which way the wind is blowing. If it's with you, look out!!! A nice head wind would be best. Good luck.

06-20-2015, 08:36 AM	#3
marc hildebrant Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Cape Cod Posts: 1,128	Re: Driving in July 4th parade tips Do not run with the spark lever up, i.e. retarded. Wave a lot and use the horn often. Marc

06-20-2015, 09:12 AM	#4
Kurt in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: on the Littlefield Posts: 6,159	Re: Driving in July 4th parade tips My parade routine is simple, have been doing it for over 40 years, while waiting for the parade to start I clean the horn armature and back the adjustment 1 click out (adjusts the horn for best sound idling) For a walking speed parade I fine adjust the speed with the spark advance, my cars base idle is about walking parade speed in first gear (modified cars this may not work) with 1/2 advance under some conditions there may be a time a little clutch slipping and a higher engine speed is needed (5-10 seconds---sometimes I hav had carb icing, blipping the throttle cleared it there is no need to worry about the lack of generator charging at idle during a parade unless you have non stock equipment using battery ---

06-20-2015, 09:19 AM	#5
Marshall V. Daut Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Davenport, Iowa Posts: 2,112	Re: Driving in July 4th parade tips If the day is hot and the cooling system is not first-rate, temporarily remove the front license plate so that the air flow through the radiator will increase. Most states require a front license plate be present, so put it on the front bumper until the parade is over. Marshall

06-20-2015, 09:20 AM	#6
silversink Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Dayton Oregon Posts: 318	Re: Driving in July 4th parade tips Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) DON"T FORGET THE CANDY......I did once and the kids were brutal __________________ Hotrods don't have valve covers

06-20-2015, 09:26 AM	#7
newshirt Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 868	Re: Driving in July 4th parade tips 1.5 hours of constant clutch work? Yikes! Do 50 squats a day in preparation. Parades are hard work! __________________ Ray White

06-20-2015, 06:55 PM	#8
Fullraceflathead Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Chillicothe, Missouri Posts: 1,176	Re: Driving in July 4th parade tips First gear in a AA 4 Speed Transmission is Ideal in a Parade. __________________ "If I asked people what they wanted they would have said faster horses." -Henry Ford "Primitive technology is not a design flaw" 1928 Ford Model A Roadster Pickup 1930 Gordon Smith Air Compressor 1941 Willy's Pickup 1960 Thunderbird-For Sale 1964 Buick Riviera 2x4 425 1965 Pontiac GTO, 455 Super Duty 2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10, V-10 Viper 1977 Charger Jet Boat,460 Ford,Jacuzzi Jet Front Engine Nostalgia Dragster,Supercharged 296 "Fullrace Flathead" Ford Engine Build up on DVD ask

06-20-2015, 07:17 PM	#9
mshmodela Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 2,763	Re: Driving in July 4th parade tips I did a 1 hour 2 mile parade in 90F last year.. car ran well ran out of candy... pack water for you and your candy gunner mates... enjoy! __________________ -Mike Late 31' Ford Model A Tudor, Miss Daisy I don't work on cars --I'm learning about my Model A. Cleveland, Ohio

06-20-2015, 07:35 PM	#10
Mitch//pa BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 11,454	Re: Driving in July 4th parade tips a 5 mile parade is pretty long... you might want to go 2 miles then exit stage left up a side street...

06-20-2015, 07:43 PM	#11
Fred K-OR Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Stayton, Oregon Posts: 3,806	Re: Driving in July 4th parade tips Rev up your engine once in awhile to get the fan to cool the engine a bit and to clear out stuff in the engine. Use you horn to scare the kids away from the candy in front of you. A horn does it every time. __________________ Fred Kroon 1929 Std Coupe 1929 Huckster

06-20-2015, 08:06 PM	#13
Bruce Adams Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Northport, NY Posts: 1,597	Re: Driving in July 4th parade tips Oil your horn armature felts and IF you throw candy be REAL SURE it they do not fall in the line of following cars since there are WAY to often occurrences of kids picking up candy in front of following vehicles. Hang patriotic decorations and flags on the car and consider the choice of red white & blue clothes. Make sure your radiator is filled with coolant. No need to keep it below the baffle at 5 mph. ENJOY !

06-20-2015, 08:16 PM	#14
Mitch//pa BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 11,454	Re: Driving in July 4th parade tips did anyone ever participate in a parade where the kids threw the candy back at the cars?

06-20-2015, 09:35 PM	#15
oldmtdew1950 Junior Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 4	Re: Driving in July 4th parade tips Local car club will be in parade only if they are right after the cops ! They get to chase them in the parade !

06-20-2015, 09:50 PM	#16
Mike V. Florida Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Florida Posts: 14,054	Re: Driving in July 4th parade tips I run the car a little richer then normal as well as the above suggestions. __________________ What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II

06-20-2015, 11:11 PM	#17
Dave Mellor NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 782	Re: Driving in July 4th parade tips Don't get in front of the fire trucks. The incessant sirens are terrible.

06-21-2015, 04:06 PM	#19
40 Deluxe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: now Kuna, Idaho Posts: 3,779	Re: Driving in July 4th parade tips Whenever the parade comes to a stop, kick it in neutral and pull the hand throttle down to run at 1000 RPM or so to get more airflow through the radiator to delay/prevent overheating problems.

06-21-2015, 04:26 PM	#20
Cool Hand Lurker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: So Minn Posts: 1,565	Re: Driving in July 4th parade tips After being in a parade, although it was fun, I don't think I will do it again for one reason. All the clutch work. A parade simply does not go at a steady speed. Go, shift, stop, shift, race to catch up, shift, slow down, shift. Put in new throwout bearing. I know, I know, Grouchy, Grouchy! But it took out a lot of the fun. By the way, our town does not allow candy because of the cleanup afterward in addition to taffy on your shoes, carpet, bar floor, hands & knees, heels from being dragged back to the curb.... been there done that... If I go in another one I will give a call to a farmer friend who has a donkey and get him to tow me with a rope. Just like they did back in the old days. That could get Best of Parade!