Driving a P-15 in a parade. Will it overheat?

[central52]

Has anyone driven their P-15 in a local holiday parade? I'm curious as to whether or not by going slow the car might overheat. And is keeping it in low gear for an extended time all right for the car? Ed P.

[Plymouthy Adams]

if your car's cooling system is up to snuff..should not be a problem...as for first gear..it is the exceeding of the engine rpm in this range that is the danger...puttering along..should be ok..if you are stop and go..the clutch will probably get a tad warm...

[Lou Earle]

I have driven several vehicles in parades- 31 A 48 Plymouth's etc-no problems and did it on July 4 here at 99 degrees.

The Plymouth is almost impossible to overheat I have put a piece of cardboard in front of radiator covering over 1/2 radiator and run car a 60 mph in summer 90 degree+ to get it very hot fro cleaning out old carbon and it still would not get over 195 on new gage. And in parade on July 4 never up to 190.

I do increase the idle speed some before a parade just makes driving in first all day easier Also after parade I run mine about 10 miles at over 45 to blow out the carbon etc.

Lou

[Dennis Hemingway]

I drive my 48 P15 in 2 parades a year with no problems. I have the stock running gear the stock cooling system. The only problem I have is my knee and leg hurting from using the clutch in the long stop & go travel.

Dennis

[Norm's Coupe]

As others have mentioned, there will be more wear on the clutch than anything else. That's why I will never drive in a parade, you're constantly on the clutch.

[Rodger S-11]

Hola and Ah Ho Ho Ho Ed

As you may see, the other driver's are in two locations of Georgia and Barsto, Calif ( and really warm spot in July ). I looked at your profile to see if you are here or there. My msn.com has an glitch in it for that area came up blank. Here in Colo Spgs it is also an worry free parade route ( at over 6500 feet of alt ).

There is an HD Cooling fan that all MoPars ( aka six's & eight's ) used until the start of the Corperate engines of 1958/59. It was an stock option or an OEM item it if your car had the correct set up. If you want on, just unbolt what you have and bolt the other one on.

Rodger & Gabby

COS

[Young Ed]

Norm have there been parades down your driveway

Our ply club was invited to be in a parade as a whole but the town got flooded and everything was canceled.

[Norm's Coupe]

Norm have there been parades down your driveway

Our ply club was invited to be in a parade as a whole but the town got flooded and everything was canceled.

No parades in my driveway. That way I conserve the clutch. Have been asked though to participate in them but refuse. Also have refused to participate in caravans with other old cars. Refuse those too, because a caravan is an accident waiting to happen.

[Plymouthy Adams]

gee Norm..next thing you will be telling us that all your drinking cups have sipping lids..what happened to that "if its your time nothing will stop it" go enter a parade..hoot your horn and pass a little gas (through the carb) the kiddies want to see your car and leave sticky little paw prints on the door handle and glass.

[Young Ed]

A few times at the fri night cruise I go to I've offered to let little kids climb in and sit on the seat of my coupe or truck. Apparently that is rather uncommon because the parents are usually shocked! The kids love it though.

[Norm's Coupe]

gee Norm..next thing you will be telling us that all your drinking cups have sipping lids..what happened to that "if its your time nothing will stop it" go enter a parade..hoot your horn and pass a little gas (through the carb) the kiddies want to see your car and leave sticky little paw prints on the door handle and glass.

Tim, the part about caravaning is true. The old company that I worked for from the 60's through the 80's gave all the salesmen new leased cars each year to use. We had on average of 150 salesmen spread out between the east coast and Kansas. All cars were picked up in the home office in Cleveland, OH, then the salesmen drove them back home. In the early 70's we had to tell them not to caravan home, simply because they had too many accidents on the way home doing that each year trying to keep up with each other.

The kiddies see my car all the time riding down the street or in a parking lot. Don't need to enter a parade for that. As for hooting the horn. Don't do that on my modern cars. Don't remember the last time I blew the horn, even by accident.

[Young Ed]

Kids hopping in without asking or being offered to enter is not cool. Even if the car is for sale its still not theirs to just jump into.

[Captain Neon]

I used to do twenty parades each summer. I never overheated, but I do remember a few that she got close. The clutch was usu. my biggest headache. While Southern Minnesota is flat, there are a few places near Rochester that have a few hills. Climbing a hill at 5 mph caused the most problems with getting warm and burning the clutch. I'm not opposed to doing parades again, but I would have to feel pretty strongly about the group asking. When I decided to stop doing parades after an eye-opening experience running for office in Minnesota, I was approached and asked if I would do parades for pay. Expecting such a request, I had it all calculated how much my time and expenses were for parades. They were expecting me to do parades for $25 a pop. When I showed them the estimate of $250 for my time and expenses, they stopped asking. I told them it was more if I had to drive more than 50 miles from my house. I was accused of burning bridges and being unreasonable. I told them they were ungrateful, and that was a very fair price. It would have been more if the requestor wasn't a buddy. $500 if a stranger wanted to hire me and my car.

[BobT-47P15]

I've driven the convert in a few Christmas parades, usually carrying the Grand Marshall. Never has overheated. Just the part about my leg getting

a bit tired holding down the clutch. Just let it idle when we came to a stop.

Honked the a-oogah horn a lot as the folks get a kick out of it. Tossed out

some candy, too.

The one thing I did (since I work in an insurance office) was to increase my

insurance coverage prior to the parade. Especially since I had one or more

passengers sitting up on the boot area. One year I had both the local Police Chief and Fire Chief riding there. The other possible problem could be that

if your foot slipped off the brake or clutch, the car might possibly hit someone. Then, I went back an decreased coverage to my normal levels.

[Rodney Bullock]

I have done many many parades over the years. The 1940 never overheated , in fact The first parade I did with the plymouth cleaned the clutch disc of all the residue that was on it. My car had been sitting 9 years before I got it restored and going. It heated everything up real good and from that time on it ran very well. The Studebaker(41) is better in parades because first gear is very different than a mopar 1st gear, you can have much better range before going to second and you can nearly come to a complete stop before needing the clutch. I do parades with a group and never thought about charging money however recently these municipalities have been giving our club donations for our partisipation lately(because of gas prices)

[Don Coatney]

The only problem I have is my knee and leg hurting from using the clutch in the long stop & go travel.

Dennis

Dennis;

You can buy replacement knees. I bought Lisa a pair of them. Thought that would suffice for all gift giving occasions for several years. Boy was I wrong:D

As others have mentioned' date=' there will be more wear on the clutch than anything else. That's why I will never drive in a parade, you're constantly on the clutch.[/quote']

Norm;

Not sure why you are woried about replacing or wearing out your clutch:confused: Exactly how level is your driveway? Would triple A bill you for a towing (or pushing) charge if your clutch happened to fail on one of the many trips you drive your car to the end of your driveway and back? My guess is that one of your block watch neighbors would call triple A for you before you had a chance to even open your car door and start the long trek back to the house to call Fort Wayne Clutch and seek warrenty repairs. If you had a cell phone you could win the phone race with your block watch neighbors. :D

Norm have there been parades down your driveway

Ed;

Glad you responded first but I had to add some stuff to the driveway trips:cool:

parades in my driveway. Have been asked though to participate in them but refuse.

So Norm;

How many cars parade in your driveway?

[Norm's Coupe]

Norm;

Not sure why you are woried about replacing or wearing out your clutch:confused: Exactly how level is your driveway? Would triple A bill you for a towing (or pushing) charge if your clutch happened to fail on one of the many trips you drive your car to the end of your driveway and back? My guess is that one of your block watch neighbors would call triple A for you before you had a chance to even open your car door and start the long trek back to the house to call Fort Wayne Clutch and seek warrenty repairs. If you had a cell phone you could win the phone race with your block watch neighbors. :D

Don, I don't live on flat ground and yes have a nice size hill from the front of the house to the street in the driveway.

I also have very good neighbors. They just get their pickup and we hook a chain to the coupe if it breaks down. So, don't need Triple A, or a cell phone.

The only time I broke down in the coupe was when the electric fuel pump died and started flooding the engine out. Got all the way home, then died in the street in front of my next door neighbors house. He saw I was having trouble and came out to help. Said if I had a chain he would pull it in with his truck. I got the chain, then he got his truck and pulled me into my driveway. He has also helped me push the coupe in and out of the garage when the engine was out. If we see a neighbor in need around here, we always help if we can.

P.S. Have never tried it but.......... If I was to roll out of the driveway from the front of my house, then go east (down hill), I could probably go at least two blocks and be traveling at about 15 TO 20 mph without the engine running, before coming to a stop.

[Dennis_MN]

Has anyone driven their P-15 in a local holiday parade? I'm curious as to whether or not by going slow the car might overheat. And is keeping it in low gear for an extended time all right for the car? Ed P.

My pilothouse is a great parade driver with its "grannie gear"

Note the fellow behind me has blocked his radiator with a sign. He had to stop and remove it 1/2 way through the 2 mile route. No problems with my truck.

Dennis

[central52]

Thanks guys for all that information. To Roger's query of where I live, it's Hamden, Connecticut. And the parade route on Memorial day is about 2 miles long, all level going. Temperature usually in the 70s, sometimes cooler, rarely in the 80s. Ed P.

[Plymouthy Adams]

drive it like you stole it..damn the torpedos..full speed ahead..get me Adm. Halsey on the phone..get me somebody while I waiting..anybody..

enjoy the parade..they can be fun..have done a couple..long ago...in the Tiger..they are noted for overheating..temp was in high 90's..but I no longer have the stock pump and fan on that engine..idle along all day...never heats up..

[Captain Neon]

Rodney-

The fee that I was talking about was not in regards to the organisation/community holding the parade. The cars getting paid by the parade organisation to just roll through the parade ended over 30 years ago. I was talking about the group that I had been advertising at parades from 2002-06. I was a member of their leadership team, but decided that it was in my own best interest to resign from the organisation. They contacted me after leaving asking if I would reconsider my resignation (absolutely not!), and then asked if they could hire me to continue advertising their group. The $250 just barely covered my out of pocket expenses and my time. Parades involve a lot waiting around, travel time, etc. $25 didn't even cover the cost of a tank of gas much less the wear and tear, etc. involved in being in a parade. I enjoyed it when I just did a few parades a year and I was enthusiastic about the group I was advertising, but when it became apparent that the effort was not appreciated, the expenses more than I could continue to bear, and a shift in priorities and principles in the group I chose to leave. Since I didn't agree with the group, they wanted to hire me as a contractor and the price they offered was an insult. They wanted me to work for free and cover most of the out of pocket expenses. How would you react if your boss asked you to work for free every weekend?

[steveplym]

My P-15 always does great in parades. Never overheated. Grandpa drove it in 2-3 parades a year from 1980 to 2000 a never had any overheating trouble.

They can be hard on clutches, but usually the leg cramps are worth the fun you have.

Old car caravans are great. Been driving with our club to several shows in caravans. Nashville, Tn, Memphis, and Evansville are always destinations where we like to travel together. Can help each other out if trouble arises and it's a lot of fun. Always neat to see people pulling up beside you on the interstate to look at your car.

I figure if a wreck happens that is what insurance is for. Don't want to wreck the car, but don't want to miss out on the fun either.

[Captain Neon]

I've only been in a few short caravans. I'd love to try another one this spring. The only complaint I have ever had was when the tour leader forgot that some old cars cruise around 45 mph. I ended up being the leader of the slow cars when the muscle cars all left us behind on the Interstate. Those little handheld 2-way radios and cell phones make caravans much safer and fun.

[Rodney Bullock]

I would do parades at a drop of a hat. They just thought that they should pitch in because we would do some parades that would last all day. The worst parades I have done was when they would have so many acts in the parade, I remember having 10 bands in front of us and a zidaco horse team. This is what you have to watch out for, a 2 mile parade that last 3 hours.