Volunteered to pull a parade float!
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Buckingham, IA
You'll enjoy it, Lisa. We might have to go to CR this spring to see the parade. I have done a few parades in the past. The biggest problem is trying to maintain the distance from the float ahead of you. Sometimes the middle of the parade looks like an accordion.
Rick, do you have pics of the plug for the front hubs? I would like to put a switch on that circuit so it would be easier to disconnect when I want to.
Rick, do you have pics of the plug for the front hubs? I would like to put a switch on that circuit so it would be easier to disconnect when I want to.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,243
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From: AZ
The oldest continually operating brewery in the world is in Plzen, Czechoslovakia where they make Pilsner Urquell...opened in 1295 (almost 200 years before Columbus sailed the ocean blue)...mmmmm Pilsner Urquell! I love parades...you will have a ball Lisa!
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Smokin
Joined: Jun 2006
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One thing to think about is doing a TC lock-up switch. Depending on how long the parade is, that slow with a constant load or even idling in gear can really heat up the tranny temps. Or if you can coast, pop it into neutral.
Good luck, it's a lot of fun! If you think you have people looking at your truck now, wait till you roll around in the parade, it's fun when people yell out from the side of the street!!
Good luck, it's a lot of fun! If you think you have people looking at your truck now, wait till you roll around in the parade, it's fun when people yell out from the side of the street!!
Hopefully by that time I'll have new tires and wheels and finally get her detailed!
Well maybe I'll see you guys there. We'll be the Western Fraternal Life float, I guess it's going to be a big mushroom (I know, terribly original..I'm not part of the float design planning committee lol).
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 576
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From: Oneida, NY
i towed a float in the Boxing Hall Of Fame Parade and they decorated my 24' 18ton deckover trailer like it was a frickin master piece. the funny thing is that it was a jazz band and i had my windows up with a **** eatin grin cause i knew the crowd was listening to my stacks and couldn't hear the band well! needless to say they didn't ask me again!
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Smokin
Joined: Jun 2006
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Pictures
Ok, as promised, here are some picures of the truck and the float. I don't have any pictures of the truck IN the parade, unfortunately I was busy driving. But, I might have some at a later date.
During the parade, I heard all of these responses:
"WHOA what a big truck"
"Look at the size of that truck"
"Yep, that's a diesel!"
"That's a beautiful truck"
"That's a big truck for a girl" (heard that several times)
"Wow what a pretty truck"
and my favorite:
"Hey mommy look a Tonka Truck"
Here is the whole enchilada:
The float. For those of you who might be wondering, that brown thing is a mushroom. This was the Houby Days Parade, a Houby is a mushroom.
The truck next to a big lineup of Corvettes:
We were the first float to go through the parade route. We ended up getting #2 award for best float.
Just before the parade started:
Thought this was cool and worth mentioning. THAT is a Tatra, and is a Czechoslovakian car, this particular Tatra was made in 1969. Its property of the Czech museum and according to the guy driving it, is one of only six Tatras in the United States.
During the parade, I heard all of these responses:
"WHOA what a big truck"
"Look at the size of that truck"
"Yep, that's a diesel!"
"That's a beautiful truck"
"That's a big truck for a girl" (heard that several times)
"Wow what a pretty truck"
and my favorite:
"Hey mommy look a Tonka Truck"
Here is the whole enchilada:
The float. For those of you who might be wondering, that brown thing is a mushroom. This was the Houby Days Parade, a Houby is a mushroom.
The truck next to a big lineup of Corvettes:
We were the first float to go through the parade route. We ended up getting #2 award for best float.
Just before the parade started:
Thought this was cool and worth mentioning. THAT is a Tatra, and is a Czechoslovakian car, this particular Tatra was made in 1969. Its property of the Czech museum and according to the guy driving it, is one of only six Tatras in the United States.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Kamloops, BC
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Smokin
Joined: Jun 2006
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Thanks guys! Yeah it was fun.
I feel lucky. They designed the whole float based on the color of my truck. (red, and yellow).
I gotta be honest, I was really nervous at first. I was pulling a trailer I was unfamilar with...and I had older folks and really little kids in the back of the float. I was under a little bit of pressure to make the "perfect" speed to keep everyone happy. Also along the parade route, little kids kept running in front of the truck to grab candy that was being thrown. A tad unnerving to say the least. But all in all, I had a blast and was fun to show the truck off.
Also, learned the breaker box in my truck still works. lol.
hahah...not this time, would've been old people and children and paper flowers flying everywhere. But with no float attached, I would LOVE to try to smoke one of those Vettes. Most of those Vettes were stock, there was one stingray that would've easily left me in the dust, I could tell just by listening to it.
I gotta be honest, I was really nervous at first. I was pulling a trailer I was unfamilar with...and I had older folks and really little kids in the back of the float. I was under a little bit of pressure to make the "perfect" speed to keep everyone happy. Also along the parade route, little kids kept running in front of the truck to grab candy that was being thrown. A tad unnerving to say the least. But all in all, I had a blast and was fun to show the truck off.
Also, learned the breaker box in my truck still works. lol.
hahah...not this time, would've been old people and children and paper flowers flying everywhere. But with no float attached, I would LOVE to try to smoke one of those Vettes. Most of those Vettes were stock, there was one stingray that would've easily left me in the dust, I could tell just by listening to it.
