This is Ralph’s Cutlass when he bought it like 15 years ago. He didn’t know it at the time, but the reason he came into possession of that car was so he could hop it up and experience Power Tour number twenty! Monkey!
I met Ralph in the early 90s while we both worked at a Dallas, TX ad agency. We had a good time running around the Big D doing this and that. You know, guns, cars, billiards, booze, etc. I moved away for some shitty job and sadly, as the years went by our friendship faded a bit. We knew where to find each other, and all, but as our lives rolled out before us, I think it’s safe to say we focused on other things.
That all change last year when I asked him if he’d be interested in hooking up with Jim and me in Arlington as the 2013 Hot Rod Power Tour kicked off. He made the trip from Austin and we had a good time catching up on Power Tour Eve. It was good to see him and he was tickled by the awesomeness/silliness of the Hemi Duster.
He joined us for the driver’s meeting the next morning where he was able to soak up the unique experience of a Power Tour launch. If there’s a man who isn’t moved by a thousand or so cool cars embarking on a fairly epic journey, I don’t have much interest in meeting him. Ralph, of course, is not that man. I do believe he was fairly giddy about the whole thing. I know I was. Jim, however, is a mystery.
Ralph followed the live blog as Jim and I meandered through the South on our Journey to Concord, NC. Somewhere along the way he must have decided that being an observer was simply not enough. A plan was hatched to prepare his 1972 Olds Cutlass for Power Tour 2014.
Ralph is an energetic guy. He’s the kind of guy who manages to pull off whatever nonsense he sets his mind to and I’m confident he and the Olds will be lined up and ready roll in North Carolina next June.
