HRPT Pre Departure Thoughts

The Mustang is about as ready as it can possibly be for a trip of this magnitude.  I've worked quite a bit longer and harder than I expected for many weeks to get to this point.  It's had many points of being exceptionally frustrating that have left me feeling that this isn't all worth the effort.  I'm so spent right now, fixing a break down on the side of the road would push me over the edge.  

I've found that I don't really enjoy the process of working on the car as I once did.  I enjoyed taking something old and restoring it to work like new.  I've done much if not all of that with the exception of paint.  What I do more now is evolve things I've already restored and replaced.  When parts that aren't that old fail or fail to do the job, it isn't that enjoyable to replace them again.  At that point, it is less of a restoration and more just work and I already have plenty of work I can be doing.

I've contemplated selling the Mustang for a while now as I don't drive it near as I should.  However, it seems such a shame to sell it after all the hard work and not really getting to enjoy driving it as I thought I would when the restoration is done.  That is part of the reason for the trip.  My son is now 21 and will be moving out and my daughter is not far behind.  When they move out, no one will want to drive around in it with me and the opportunity to do such a trip with someone is largely gone.

I've wanted to do Hot Rod Power Tour for years but the only year it was close was when my mom was dying of cancer so it was not possible.  Rather than wait for it to come back here again, I decided that I need to make this happen if I want it to happen.  Even one year more and it might not be possible.  That prompted me to do all the work I have done.

I'm still rather hesitant to make the trip.  It's a ton of miles.  I don't want us to be miserable due to heat or break down on the side of the road with no life lines.  However, I'd much rather be able to say I restored the car and we drove it across 10 states in 10 days as part of the HRPT so I'm doing it.  I hope it is a great trip that we will remember years from now.