Cross-country cruising better with friends
The experience of a road trip is something special. Good friends, long routes and classic cars, especially, make for lasting memories and insane fun.
Pals Charlie Muckleroy and Bennett Montas know this full well. The two men experienced it firsthand just this past week as the gearheads participated in the 21st annual Hot Rod Power Tour.
The tour involves a massive caravan that kicked off its weeklong journey June 6 in Madison, Wisconsin. Both auto enthusiasts joined this traveling car show, which proceeded down to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after already having driven some 900 miles from their hometown of Nacogdoches, Texas.
“I had been itching to get out on the open road,” Muckleroy said during a tour stop at Heidts Automotive in Lake Zurich.
When Montas shared a similar sentiment, the Texans jumped to load up their classic cruisers and head north.
Muckleroy was joined by his wife, Mildred, in their simply stunning 1955 Chevrolet pickup truck. He has owned it for more than 40 years. The vehicle initially served as his rough and ready daily driver.
“I bought it for $400,” Muckleroy said. “I used it on a farm for running errands.”
The pickup was all original except for a repaint. Today, the Chevy's dusty workdays are long over. Muckleroy has overhauled the vehicle four separate times before it arrived at its current showstopping condition.
The truck rides on a custom chassis and is powered by a late-model LS1 V-8 engine. An air-ride suspension keeps cruising smooth and allows for a road-hugging stance. Four-wheel disc brakes were installed and the body was painted in arresting Corvette Torch Red.
“This is by far the longest trip we've taken,” Muckleroy said. “It's pretty special to participate and see all the old cars traveling together on the roads.”
Since leaving the Lone Star state, the Muckleroys have been followed by Bennett and Rhonda Montas, piloting their sweet and classy 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air coupe. The couple's love for the vintage car, and Chevy, runs deep.
“We dated in a 1969 Corvette,” Montas said. However, when an opportunity arose to purchase some property, the couple made the tough choice to sell it. The iconic sports car was gone, but not for good. Recently, the Montases tracked down the 'Vette and bought it back, nearly 30 years after it left.
Montas' passion for Bel Airs came from his father. “When I was a kid, he bought one new,” he said.
The enthusiast purchased his teal and white coupe last fall. While it had been restored, he added such things as the custom wheels and installed an automatic transmission. Participating in a Power Tour has been a longtime goal.
“I caught the tail end of one in Dallas a few years back,” Montas said. “I always wanted to start and finish one.”
Both couples will have that chance today as the tour wraps up. All told, the four friends will have driven over 4,000 miles when they arrive back home in Texas.
“There's so much to see in this country,” Montas said. “There's always the thrill of coming across unexpected roadside finds.”