A picture tour of my last cruise

[RICH MUISE]

As mentioned in my previous post, I went to Colorado for a show in Green mountain falls. This is going to be an annual must do for me...the pics will show why.
First pic is the day before. The second pic is of my home away from home when I lived in Colorado. The town below is Cripple Creek, the historic mining town turned tourist/gambling town. Use to go up here 5 nights a week when I lived in Colorado Springs. Short of actually driving up to the top of Pikes Peak, this may be the best view of the Continental Divide anywhere. My guess is you can see 6-800 miles of it on the horizon. When I was stopped taking this pic, a county sherriff pulled up behind me, got out of the car and said, "you know that's illegal...... Well, it's not really, but it should be illegal to own a car that beautiful".  He asked me what I had in it, and I told him it was the dohc version of what you guys use to have in your Crown Vics. Kinda cool a cop wanting to see your engine.
I stayed in Cripple Creek that night, and the pic with the bug covered windshield was driving out the next morning headed for the show.
The last pic was actually at a small show in Albuquerque the weekend before.

[RICH MUISE]

The pics of the show. The cars completly circled the small lake. Mine and a '55 were the only mid 50's Fords there. The Merc. convertible project car is owned by Marty, A friend of Al's (57 dohc) that some of us got to meet and tour his collection a few years ago when some of the forumn members met at Al's in Black Forest. Aside from the Caddy bumper, this car started life as a 4 door sedan.
The 70 429 Torino is one of the most perfect cars I've ever seen. I don't imagine it gets driven.
These pics are obviously more about the area the show was in than the cars. I think it's just a perfect spot for a show...this was their 37th year if I remember correctly.

[RICH MUISE]

some more. The couple at my car is Jon and Sue Beauchamp, forum members (Hogwagon?), from Colorado Springs. Sue owns a 57 Ranchwagon and they were at the previously mentioned meeting at Al's a few years ago. I stop in at Jon's motorcycle shop near the Olympic center often when I'm in town. Their 57 project has been on hold due to property remodelling/building projects the past few years. Jon owns a beautiful black Mercury Mauauder with the same engine as mine. I hadn't talked to Jon before the show. They saw the car from a distance and Jon told Sue he thought it was my car and wondered if I was there.
The '70(?) Mini Cooper won best of show. Awesome little car. That's a 280 hp Honda engine in it.
If I ever win the lottery, I'm moving back to Colorado.
Also at the show, as a spectator was Les Chapel, the retired fireman from Colorado Springs, forum member (fdlc?) who has a beatiful 57 Custom 300. His car is down having a problem with the crate motor he got from Ford Racing. They're replacing the engine due to a piston slap. He had never been to this show, but is now planning on having his car there next year. Les and I got to spend a few hours. Good show, great location, and spent half the day with '57 friends...doesn't get any better.
Almost forgot...they googled the addresses of guys in contention for the long distance award and my 365 miles was 6 miles short of the winner from Kansas!
I have the number for a Colorado guy who is lookng to buy a '57. He told me he was a '57 Chevy guy for years, but recently saw a '57 Ford that got his attention and now he wants one. He told me he couldn't believe he was so unaware of them. I just asked him how many were at this show, and how many tri-five Chevies there were. Asked me to educate him a bit on '57 Fords, and after explaining the two different platforms, now I think he has changed his mind from the Fairlane he was looking at to a Custom, but may be open. I think he's looking to spend in the low 20's from what he told me he was looking at, but may be open to higher $ for the right car.

[canadian_ranchero]

looks like you had lots of fun,makes me want to get mine finished.did you check your fuel mileage?

[RICH MUISE]

I did not, but seemed to be about the same, maybe a little less with all the mountains I was climbing.  Here's something weird though...... I had mentioned before my car always runs with the check engine light on, but wasn't worried about it for now.  Well, after the first time I shut the car off once I climbed up the pass out of Colorado Springs on my way to Cripple Creek, the check engine never came back on until the next day after the show when I drove back down the pass and got down to the 5k+ altitude level. I can't remember the numbers, but I'm guessing the altitude was probably around 8K or so where I was driving. Seems weird...car runs better with less air available??

[canadian_ranchero]

have you had a chance to scan your car and get the computer codes?

[RICH MUISE]

I cleared and rescanned today...I'll post them in my build thread. Hopefully other guys will post pics of shows in their areas on this thread.