Dixie Fried 10

A long distance car show is great motivation to finish some projects and Dixie Fried 10 was no exception.You can spend weeks tightening up a car before a long trip but sometimes it still lets you down. The drive up started off great. Light traffic, 75 mph and a tail wind. And then after an hour and a half, Dallas's car gradually lost power. After it cooled, she was good for another 10 minutes or so and then again slowly gave out. Heat seemed the culprit. Limited to a road side work shop, we decided to change the one thing on the motor that wasn't new. The coil. For some reason, this bought us another half hour or so of cruising and then back to it's old ways. We eventually determined we had a fuel issue and dissected the fuel system front to back. We took the fuel pump apart and found some dirt but it appeared mechanically sound. Well, fuck it. We put it back together and took turns flogging it at 2:00 am on a country road in north Florida while the rest of our crew watched, partying in the hotel parking lot. This friends is car clubbing. Every ones mood was uncharacteristically high and I think we knew, somehow, that this was where it was at. After the cleaning and reassembly, the car ran flawlessly but the decision to garner an electric fuel pump in the morning, just in case, was made. So after a good nights sleep we all headed off to the local NAPA. This was a real parts store. The kind that knows what plug fits an early small block without the use of a computer, much less a catalog. It was refreshing to see and took us all back a little. Off we go, fuel pump in hand.


About a half an hour later and that fuel pump would become priceless. The same problem was back. Nate made a 15 minute roadside repair, and that would take the car all the way to Dixie Fried and then back to the land of sunshine.

Atlanta offered it's usual amenities including a visit to the famous Clermont Lounge, where you really might see your grandma naked and H.I.V. is air born. Nate seemed to make a few friends there and seems to have found a home away from home. Time for sleep. Tomorrow we Dixie Fry.




Dixie Fried is a low key show that is really all about hanging out with friends and surrounding yourself with Hot Rod and Kustom culture. We knew bringing our own shade and refreshments was key to a good time and our preparation payed off. The concrete picnic went into the night and a good time was had by all. Thanks to the Atlanta Road Kings for another great show. It's great to be around all the cars, people and music, but I think the high point might have been flat-footing Dallas's car at 2 am over the blind hills of a pitch black north Florida country road. Next up...... Billetproof Drags.