Crash, Fire on Day 4 Power Tour 2024

Crash, Fire! We had a parking lot collision, Speedycop's Glitchy VW bus suffered a wreck and massive damage and a 1923 Model T caught fire on the engine dyno! Leaving Louisville, Kentucky was harder than we thought on Day 4 of the Hot Rod Power Tour.

Waffle House seemed like a great place to get a late start leaving Louisville, Kentucky on the way to Hebron, Ohio but we were wrong. A collision backing up simultaneously cost us a dent in the quarter panel of our 1985 Chevy Monte Carlo SS. We decided it was a no fault accident after swapping info. But before we could get down the road, we heard that Speedycop's custom slammed and chopped in half orange Glitchy VW bus was rear ended by a dump truck and pushed into the back of a station wagon. Oh my! We are glad all were reportedly unharmed. Sad to hear about that VW, it was a sight to behold!

Drive on!
Onward to HRPT Day 4 stop at National Trail Raceway in Hebron, Ohio. We would be pushed to make it because of our late start. Despite some traffic snarls, we arrived before 4 pm and interviewed several Power Tour participants and learned about their vehicles, including a 1970 Dodge Super Bee, 1923 Ford Model T, 1966 Chrysler LeBaron, and a 1951 Henry J.

That's not fast, but...

We were surprised to spot the 1923 Model T, wheeled by a teenager, on the MuleTown Mobile Dyno and jetted over to watch. What a show it became! The straight 6 Chevy engine churned out 69 horsepower and lit up into a small fireball as oil and gas burned after the vintage hot rod backfired. (Note: never throw water on an oil fire.) All were safe after some cooler heads used a fire extinguisher. The Model T was rolled to a safe spot to cool down.

The Hebron, Ohio stop seemed to end too soon. We were hot and ready for some Taco Bell and a Mtn Dew Baja Blast Zero to end the day and laugh about the Waffle House dent in the Monte Carlo. 

Drop a comment if you see something interesting or have a fact about what you on our Power Tour journey. 

Thanks for watching! 

Jody Potter

Junkyard Life: The Story Beneath the Rust

Watch more Junkyard Life at the Power Tour.

Your views, and likes help us. If you got time, hit play on more of our videos – Thank You!


Do you have a great story, a junkyard or a junky yard?
Send us details and we’re on the way!  
Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com

2023 Hot Rod Power Tour: Day 5

The road goes on forever but... the 1,000-mile, five-city, 2023 Hot Rod Power Tour ends in Bristol, Tennessee. Our 1985 Monte Carlo SS with 80k miles, original paint (worn out clear coat), handled the mountains and curves between Concord, North Carolina and Bristol like a champ. Our traveling crew, including a 1966 Impala All-Wheel-Drive, 2001 Trans Am WS6, and a 1966 GTO, left the final hotel early. We lagged behind knowing we were taking a chance missing out on the metal HRPT Long Haul signs that all Long Haulers earn after completing all five stops. Jody Potter managed driving duties, Jeff Beasley grudgingly edited all five days of video clips from the passenger seat. Only a day-or-so behind schedule. Lol

We followed the official route and navigated winding mountain roads. Unfortunately we arrived at Bristol around 1:30 pm and our parking spot was less than optimal. Beasley and Potter trekked more than a mile to grab a metal sign and wait for the Tremec transmission kit giveaway.

We didn't win the transmission but we did learn:

• You can live on ham and salami
• People in air conditioned cars don't mind cutting in line
•  Car people are nice, friendly, and willing to help one another
•  Beasley deserves a raise 
•  Next year will be even better! 

Jody Potter

– Junkyard Life: The Story Beneath the Rust

Watch more Junkyard Life If you got time, we need your help hiring a cheap camera holder and dog food. Your views, and likes help us. Thanks!

2023 Hot Rod Power Tour: Day 4

A hotel room that smelled like socks and some high-quality H20 led us to Concord, North Carolina and a prime gold parking spot for Junkyard Life's daily sack lunch of ham and salami. We packed our cooler and chairs back into the 1985 Monte Carlo SS's trunk and headed towards the loud hot rods making hot laps down the 1/4-mile zMAX Dragway. Instead of four-wide racing, two-lane racing was the order of the day. Some racers were hammering hard on their shifters and go-pedal, others were avoiding failure in the drivetrain with less than violent launches.

After we got good and warmed up we asked "4 Questions" including "Pro Tips" to several owners and HRPT participants in the parking areas. Their answers and enthusiasm varies but some are off the charts! Hellcat-powered 1970 Challenger, 1985 MCSS, 1961 Willys Sedan Delivery Parkway Conversion, 1966 Chevy Impala All-Wheel-Drive, 1967 Chevrolet Impala 5-speed.

Jody Potter

– Junkyard Life: The Story Beneath the Rust


Watch more Junkyard Life If you got time, we need your help hiring a cheap camera holder and dog food. Your views, and likes help us. Thanks!

Buy a Junkyard Life T-SHIRT


Do you have a car story, junkyard or a junky yard?
Send us details and we’re on the way! 
Email Jody Potter at: junkyardbull@gmail.com

2023 Hot Rod Power Tour: Day 3

Monster potholes along dirt backroads couldn’t stop Junkyard Life from Rockingham, North Carolina - the next stop, Day 3, on the 2023 Hot Rod Power Tour. A side stop to Bunky’s Meat Market then a jaunt to Darlington. Our 1985 Chevy Monte Carlo SS didn’t fail us even though the potholes claimed our battery tie down. Thousands of unique vehicles, including an AMC Matador, and 1962 AMC Ambassador, provided great conversations and Power Tour Pro Tips. A trip to the auto cross earned us helmet time and a ride along in a new Camaro ZL1. The 24 second trip around the course was enough to flip my stomach. It was a blast!

Jody Potter

– Junkyard Life: The Story Beneath the Rust

(Apologies for some audio wind noise, it gets better with each day)

Watch more Junkyard Life If you got time, we need your help hiring a cheap camera holder and dog food. Your views, and likes help us. Thanks!

Buy a Junkyard Life T-SHIRT


Do you have a car story, junkyard or a junky yard?
Send us details and we’re on the way! 
Email Jody Potter at: junkyardbull@gmail.com

2023 Hot Rod Power Tour: Day 2, junkyard jaunt

Junkyard Life tackles day 2 of the 2023 Hot Rod Power Tour. An early morning stop at Temple Auto Parts in Batesburg, South Carolina had us sidestepping rattlesnakes, and watching out for wild foxes. This junkyard tour revealed more than 4,500 vehicles from the 1940s and up. About 80 percent of the yard is older, classic era cars and trucks, according to owner Russell Temple.

Back on the Power Tour route and venue, in Columbia, South Carolina, we covered miles of ground looking at thousands of hot rods from all over the country and made time for fantastic parking lot sandwich meat. Yum!

We closed the day with a hotel parking lot tour after watching some impromptu burnouts from our room.

James, first-time Hot Rod Power Tour participant, from West Virginia told us about his scary encounter with a deer. A deer crossed the path of his 1999 Corvette that was traveling at a highway speed. The Corvette’s windshield was destroyed. The deer collided with the passenger side A-pillar. His passenger was hit by the hind end of the deer. And... pulled a tick off his shoulder. A quick trip to the doc, for the body blow from the deer, passenger was ok. A new windshield was ordered and to be delivered in the parking lot the next day. The tour marches on!

Full videos on Temple’s Auto links below.

TEMPLE'S AUTO 3-PART JUNKYARD TOUR:

• PART 1
• PART 2
• PART 3
  
  

Jody Potter
– Junkyard Life: The Story Beneath the Rust

(Apologies for some audio wind noise, it gets better with each day)

Watch more Junkyard Life If you got time, we need your help hiring a cheap camera holder and dog food. Your views, and likes help us. Thanks!

Buy a Junkyard Life T-SHIRT


Do you have a car story, junkyard or a junky yard?
Send us details and we’re on the way! 
Email Jody Potter at: junkyardbull@gmail.com

2023 Hot Rod Power Tour: Day 1

Junkyard Life sets out on a five city tour, known as the 2023 Hot Rod Power Tour. Jody Potter and Jeff Beasley load up the 1985 Monte Carlo SS and meet the crew at Jack’s in Pell City before launching into a weeklong adventure on the back roads of America. First stop, Atlanta Motor Speedway. Keep watching for more Junkyard Life. Stay tuned for Day 2!

Jody Potter
– Junkyard Life: The Story Beneath the Rust


Watch more Junkyard Life If you got time, we need your help hiring a cheap camera holder and dog food. Your views, and likes help us. Thanks!

Buy a Junkyard Life T-SHIRT


Do you have a car story, junkyard or a junky yard?
Send us details and we’re on the way! 
Email Jody Potter at: junkyardbull@gmail.com

Road Trip 2019: PART 1 - Three guys, four junkyards, seven racetracks and Power Tour

Shotgun! Junkyard Life set off on the mother-of-all round-trip, road trips during this year's 25th Hot Rod Power Tour. We crammed our gear into the much-too small for eight days on the road, heavily-modified, 1966 Chevrolet Impala. It's an LS-powered, All-Wheel-Drive beast. We planned to beat on the high-mile junkyard engine during high-speed blast at race tracks and on the backroads to junkyards. while trying to avoid speeding tickets between our destinations. Odds were good that we could at least get lost in the pack with thousands of fellow Hot Rod Power Tour participants should we get caught with our foot acting stupid.

Georgia on my mind
  Our first stop was H.L. Hodges Auto Parts in Monroe, Georgia. The yard is run by three sisters who are planning to close the business by the end of 2019. The sisters, Harreitte Hodges, Terri Hodges and Holly Couch, took over the business when their brother, Hugh Lamar Hodges, passed away 10 years ago. 
  Family-owned for many decades but the strain of maintaining a salvage yard and other careers has taken a toll. Many of the cars have been sold off or scrapped. Before the year is out the rest will be scrapped as well. We found plenty of cars and trucks worth saving. We plan to go back, before it's too late!

Lots of old iron at H.L Hodges in Monroe, Georgia.

Load'em up
  We hit the road again with Concord, North Carolina as the next destination. The weather forecast was great for ducks. We hit rain right off the bat but that didn't deter us. The 25th anniversary of the Hot Rod Power Tour awaited us at Lowes Motor Speedway. 
  Check-in, goodie bags then we grabbed dinner after a 700 mile day of driving. 13 hours spent riding and climbing in-and-out of the 1966 Impala that would be our home for many more hours during the next week.

Part 2: We head to Martinsville, Virginia.

Jody Potter
— Junkyard Life: The Story Beneath the Rust

Behind the scenes of a "Roadkill" show episode at the 2019 Hot Rod Power Tour

Roadkilling it! Junkyard Life buckled into a modified, all-wheel-drive 1966 Chevy Impala and ran into some greasy-handed celebrities on this year’s 25th edition of the Hot Rod Power Tour. 
  During our 2,500-mile road trip we stumbled across the Roadkill crew in the parking lot outside Bristol Motor Speedway. A small film crew wearing black Roadkill t-shirts, armed with camera gear and umbrellas, fought a big downpour as they hustled around a minivan wearing Tennessee plates. Their sights were set on a toasty-looking 1972 Ford Maverick. 
  We gravitated toward that car, which was covered in all shades of ugly. A State of California automobile title was on the dash of the Maverick, tucked inside a plastic sleeve with “paid cash $2800” scribbled in black ink. 

A 1972 Ford Maverick was Roadkill's beater brought to kick-off their daily title-swap plan during the 2019 Hot Rod Power Tour.

Who wants it?
  The four-door Maverick would soon be part of a new episode of David Freiburger and Mike Finnegan’s latest Roadkill storyline. Their goal was to trade titles and drive a different car every day that they were a part of the Hot Rod Power Tour. They reached out on social media for Roadkill fans to bring a ratty car and their title to the Hot Rod Power Tour. Would-be traders also needed to bring lots of nerve if they were willing to trade their vehicle for whatever junk Roadkill would be driving and trading that day. The deals and ownership would be final.

A State of California title sat on the dash of the Maverick. "Paid cash $2800" and "RK 87" scribbled in black ink on the title's plastic sleeve.

Look over there!
  As luck would have it, we were parked near the Maverick, taking shelter from the rain under a tent beside the Junkyard Life, all-wheel-drive 1966 Chevy Impala. It was close enough to jump up and watch the fun when the cameras began rolling.

David Freiburger, left, and Mike Finnegan work on a segment for a Roadkill episode at Bristol Motor Speedway during the 2019 Hot Rod Power Tour. Cameras, light poles, fans and rain washed asphalt surrounded the duo.

Lights, camera, action! And repeat that, louder
  Freiburger and Finnegan made quick work of their hot rod hi-jinx while loud exhaust rumbled past and fans and gawkers gathered around the spectacle. At one point Freiburger climbed up onto the hood and sat on the roof of the Maverick while Finnegan attempted a headstand on the driver’s side fender. It was all in fun to accentuate the craziness of their proposition. The crowd was loved it. 

Freiburger and Finnegan laugh it up with the next owner of the 1972 Ford Maverick.

Trade time
  A fellow with a long beard showed up holding the keys to his 1979 Jeep J10 4x4 truck. The first “victim” of the even swap shenanigans had arrived. 
  I asked the Jeep owner if he thought the J10 would make it to the end of the Hot Rod Power Tour road trip.
  “I dunno, we’ll see?” 
  The look on his face seemed a bit unsure but he was decked out in a Finnegan Speed & Marine baseball cap and Roadkill t-shirt. He wouldn’t trade them a bum steer, would he?

Roadkill stars chatting up the first title trader in Bristol, Tennessee.

Good fun
  During and after, the short, 30-minutes-or-so of filming, Freiburger and Finnegan posed for photos and signed autographs for fans young and old. They were friendly and charmed the crowd. All the while staying focused on the job at hand and smiling despite interruptions while they worked on scenes for the first trade segment. 
  Easy work for the guys who put the "fun" in malfunction and have perfected the genre of junkyard engineering fueled by wild ideas during the last seven years and counting.  
  The duo tries to keep the Roadkill ideas fresh while negotiating self-inflicted automotive nightmares that many gear heads have experienced. They build dream cars from the scrap heap and create cheapo solutions while burning rubber in the name of automotive fun. 

Junkyard Life meets Roadkill. Jody Potter jumps at the chance to meet Freiburger and Finnegan. 

Trade details

• Trade 1: Bristol Motor Speedway - 1972 Ford Maverick for 1979 Jeep J10 4x4 truck.

• Trade 2: Kentucky Speedway - 1979 Jeep J10 4x4 truck for 1987 Pontiac Fiero "Guy Fiero" or also known as the Baja Fiero.

• Trade 3: Lucas Oil Raceway Indianapolis, IN - 1987 Pontiac Fiero "Guy Fiero"  for 1963 Plymouth Belvedere.

• Trade 4: War Memorial Coliseum in Ft Wayne, IN - 1963 Plymouth Belvedere for Fox Body Mustang notchback. 

Swapping titles
  The Roadkill guys managed to pull off four trades during their title-swapping road trip. When they landed at the final stop of the 2019 Hot Rod Power Tour in Norwalk, Ohio they held the keys to a Fox Body Mustang. They spun the tires on the Mustang even after limping it to the track on less than all cylinders. 
  “We ended up giving the Fox back to the guy we got it from,” said Freiburger. “So he got the Plymouth AND his Mustang back!”
  Call it a goodwill gesture or part of the Roadkill master plan. They avoided the cost of avoid hauling a car home by giving the Fox Body back to the guy who traded it for the ’63 Plymouth (we spotted it on a rollback). That earns huge respect from fans and adds to the number of people willing to trade, should their be a next time. 

More roads ahead
  For those two people who don’t know about Roadkill. It's a streaming MotorTrend Channel show, that brings in tons of viewers. Before it went subscription-based, the first 82 free episodes have earned more than 40 million views on YouTube of as of June 2019. New Roadkill episodes, produced after October 1, 2018, became available on the MotorTrendOnDemand subscription service. 
  Freiburger and Finnegan continue to grow their brand of old school know-how and junkyard projects in the modern age via smart phones, computers and smart TVs. Ironic, yes? The success is unquestionable.  

Jody Potter
— Junkyard Life: The Story Beneath the Rust
   

Junkyard Life crew crammed into a modified all-wheel-drive 1966 Chevy Impala to become a long hauler on the 25th Hot Rod Power Tour.

Freiburger and Finnegan chat with the first "victim" of the Roadkill title swap.

A 1979 Jeep J10 4x4 made the cut as the first trade. The ’72 Ford Maverick found a new owner (bearded man).

Bristol Motor Speedway, the home of short-track NASCAR racing, was the backdrop for Day 3 of the 2019 HRPT.

Freiburger (flip flops) and Finnegan (flat bill cap) at it again in their standard Roadkill black t-shirts.

Do you have a classic or muscle car barn find? Send us details and we’re on the way!  Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com

>>> WATCH MORE JUNKYARD LIFE ON YOUTUBE <<<

One-owner 1973 Pontiac Grand Prix makes third Hot Rod Power Tour

Hold tight. In 1972, soon after USMC veteran Tony Parnell was discharged from the service he began searching for a new car. Parnell put $50 down on a new Ford Grand Torino. But after a drive in his buddy’s white 1973 Pontiac Grand Prix, Parnell retrieve his deposit at the Ford dealership and plunked it down on a Golden Olive 1973 Grand Prix of his own. Equipped with a 400-V8, turbo 400 automatic transmission, black cloth interior and black vinyl top. The car was a testament to the over-the-top styling of the 1970’s and the long hood/short (for the time) deck lid that was the brainchild of John Z. DeLorean.

Parnell and his wife, Pam, enjoyed the sights and sounds of the 2018 Hot Rod Power Tour behind the wheel of the 1973 Pontiac Grand Prix that they have owned since the car was new. The mid-sized GM colonnade is still a sight to behold 45 years after it was delivered. Parnell proudly touts his original ownership. Holding the keys tightly on a Grand Prix that still wears almost all of its original equipment, right down to the pinstripe on the long hood. Tires and wear items have been replaced during the car’s 100k miles but you would be hard pressed to find a more original 1973 era car in more original condition.

Take a look and listen to Parnell’s story that he shared at the Hoover, Alabama stop of the 2018 Hot Rod Power Tour. This was Tony and his wife Pam’s third HRPT.

Jody Potter
— Junkyard Life

Do you have a great classic or muscle car barn find story? Send us details and we’re on the way!  Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com & Ron Kidd at Kidd403@bellsouth.net

Last-minute build, getting ready for Hot Rod Power Tour

Thrash time! With the Hot Rod Power Tour, just two weeks away we all have a long list of things to check, fix, and build before we go on the week-long trip. With an estimated 5,000 participants already registered there is a lot of work being done in a short time. We at JYL are no different. Our 1972 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser is still in the shop with a bad transmission and the all-wheel-drive 1966 Impala is just now finishing upgrades. Our editor-in-chief, Jody Potter, seems to be the only one who thinks he’s ready to make the trip (editors note: Doubtful!). 
  With so much still to do, we went to our friend Mike Ellison’s shop, Musclecar Outfitters, in Dodge City, Alabama for help to get our group ready. This is where the story gets good, at least for the reader. We walked in looking for help only to find the shop truck that is our back up parts and recovery rig still taken apart and sitting in the rear of the shop. This truck, a 1968 C-10 assembled from parts of a half dozen 1967-1972 Chevy C10 trucks, has made the last 10 Power Tours. We had to ask, what happen to the truck? 

Mike Ellison working to get ready the 1968 C10 for the 2018 Hot Rod Power Tour.

Q&A

Junkyard Life: Mike, the truck was running great just a few months ago what happen to it ?
Musclecar Outfitters: We had some down time so we decided to upgrade the truck with a ton of new parts that had been sitting in the parts room for months. 
JYL: What upgrades are you making to the shop truck?
MCO: We built a new motor with a Sniper fuel injection, new Sniper fuel system, new exhaust, rims, and full interior. The rest we just left the same. 

Holley Sniper fuel injection installed.

JYL: Why wait until now to pull the truck in to the build bay?
MCO: Customers come first. When the dates for the tour were announced we had a huge rush of customer’s cars to get ready before we could start back on the truck. Plus, with the added new projects the truck just got pushed back. 
JYL: We would love to help get the truck ready. It’s just not the same without the shop truck with us. 
MCO: We are currently working on the truck starting at 5 am until we open and then back to it whatever time we finish our customers cars at night. There is 6 weeks of work to put into the truck in just a few hours a day with only two build weeks left. The truck hasn’t missed a Power Tour in 10 years and it will make this one also.  

More to come
Stay tuned to see how the truck makes the trip and what it took to finish it.  This is one project Junkyard Life is ready to take on and help however Mike lets us.

Keith Lively
— Junkyard Life

Ellison’s 1968 Chevy C-10 has seen several different looks and seems to be undergoing engine/parts swaps all the time.

Do you have a great classic or muscle car barn find story? Send us details and we’re on the way!  Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com & Ron Kidd at Kidd403@bellsouth.net