 Pontiacs Phoenix Center...  Pontiacs Phoenix Center was crammed with hot rods and displays. |
 This was just a small portion...  This was just a small portion of the rods that turned out for the party. |
 Downtown Pontiac, Michigan...  Downtown Pontiac, Michigan had more Hot Rod Power Tour hot rods on hand than it knew what to do with, lined up for as far as the eye could see... |
 The grand prize of the event,...  The grand prize of the event, to be awarded in San Bernadino, is this 1966 Chevy Nova II, built by expert wrenches at GM Performance and breathed on even more by California Street Rods. |
 The giveaway car features...  The giveaway car features a new Chevy 350 Ram Jet engine and many other mods. |
 Chevrolet's display included...  Chevrolet's display included this really sweet shoebox with a sizzlin' flame job. |
 All Power Tour participants...  All Power Tour participants also have the opportunity to win this Chevy crate motor. |
 Hot rods and Power Tour participants...  Hot rods and Power Tour participants gathered under this wall relief representing Pontiacs namesake Indian tribe. |
 A few Power Tour participants...  A few Power Tour participants still had some last-minute thrashing to do... |
 Wanna drop a Hemi in your...  Wanna drop a Hemi in your PT Cruiser? Check out the web address on the windshield. We'll keep you posted on this and other PT mods on Hotrod.com. Also, a whole passel of PTs will be joining us on the Tour--stay tuned for more photos and video. |
 Mopar's new/old Hemi crate...  Mopar's new/old Hemi crate will run you about $13K, but it's worth it to a hard-core hot rodder. |
 Ford's new T-bird swooped...  Ford's new T-bird swooped in for the day. |
 Tony Caprio's wheel-standing...  Tony Caprio's wheel-standing Texas Bandit had an ususual load of iron in the bed. |
 Look for more on Ford's Forty...  Look for more on Ford's Forty Nine, a hyper-smooth concept inspired by an earlier era of cars, on Hotrod.com, and in Hot Rod magazine and TV. |
 The only running version of...  The only running version of the Ford Forty Nine in existence is powered by a polished Thunderbird engine. |
 What would a Power Tour party...  What would a Power Tour party be without a rumble? The ever-popular portable chassis dyno stayed busy--and loud--all day long. |
 Hey--even the parking garage...  Hey--even the parking garage was lit up for the Power Tour! |
 Dupli-Color has a new color-shift...  Dupli-Color has a new color-shift spray paint for jazzing up trim parts. |
 Baer stopped a lot of folks...  Baer stopped a lot of folks in their tracks with its new high-performance discs. |
 Edelbrock had a lot more on...  Edelbrock had a lot more on display than just its aluminum heads. |
 Down on power? Need a booster...  Down on power? Need a booster (rocket)? What else would you expect at the Power Tour? |
 Be Cool lived up to its name...  Be Cool lived up to its name with some super-efficient radiators--just the thing for the Long Haul. |
 MSD's Todd Ryden (right) sparked...  MSD's Todd Ryden (right) sparked interest with hi-po ignition components. |
 YearOne's F-body body mod...  YearOne's F-body body mod is just the thing for... |
 ...carrying stuff on the Long...  ...carrying stuff on the Long Haul. |
 Currie's rearends fit right...  Currie's rearends fit right in with this GT350. |
 Comp Cams had some serious...  Comp Cams had some serious Chevys on hand. |
 Painless Wiring kept things...  Painless Wiring kept things simple on its sedan-delivery showcase rod. |
 If youd rather have...  If youd rather have a V10 in your rod, check out Mopars Viper crate motor. |
 On bended knee, Cliff Greenough...  On bended knee, Cliff Greenough proposed to his girlfriend Bonnie Bertram right on stage in front of the whole Power Tour kick-off party. Is that your final answer...? |
 Is that a nice ring or what,...  Is that a nice ring or what, Bonnie? |
We knew it would be big this year, but nobody expected this many rods. Least of all the city fathers in Pontiac, Michigan, who had blocked off almost the entire downtown area for the kick-off of the 7th Annual Hot Rod Power Tour. Despite their best-laid plans, we still had to beg them to cordon off even more streets to make room. The cars just kept a comin', a river of rods all flowing unstoppably into an awesome sea of big engines, fat meats, and loud pipes. Maybe it was all just too much hot iron for one little town to handle, and too much fun as well, but hey--too much is just about right when it comes to hot rodding, right?And we're just getting started, man.
Who would have thought seven years ago that the Power Tour would grow from a few dozen cars roaring down the turnpike into a massive flood of street machines? Like the Mississippi overflowing its banks, theres no way for us to funnel all these roiling rods into one upload. So bookmark these web pages as we keep pumping out as many photos and videos as possible over the next 10 days on our cross-country convoy to San Bernadino, California.
And what would a Power Tour be without some sponsors and all the cool stuff they show? Chevrolet has been our biggest supporter right from the start, and no wonder, considering how many hot rodders use Bow Tie blocks and other speed equipment. As the event has grown tremendously in size, so has the number of sponsors. One of the highlights of the Midway, though, had nothing to do with hot rod products. Taking center stage before the driver's meeting was long-time Power Tour long-hauler Cliff Greenough of Anaheim, California, who proposed to his girlfriend Bonnie Bertram in front of the entire assemblage of hot rodders (she accepted, by the way).
Dont forget to click on the filmstrip icon under the lead photo to see a video download. And check back for the following days updates.
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