You need to come down to Dawsonville, Georgia in October. During the 4th weekend, we have the Moonshine Festival. This year will be our 44th Annual. Friday is a large cruise in at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame. That night is also our annual Induction Ceremony where we induct new members into the hall. Then Saturday Morning, about 170 moonshine era cars are parked around town square where the main part of the fest is. Then there is a parade of vintage race cars that ride through and then park in town. There is also something for the women, over 200 craft/food vendors have there booths on display uptown. Then take about a 1/4 mile walk down to the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame and Museum where there is a huge cruise-in (last year a record was set at over 500+ cars, they even had to park some on the side street last year) and a swap meet. This years Grand Marshall will be 1960 Nascar Champion Rex White (our previous grand marshalls have been Buddy Baker, Bobby Allison, Junior Johnson, Raymond Parks, Bill Elliott, David Pearson, Ray Fox, Russ Truelove, etc) They may even show up again. And what really got me excited about this year is that Dennis Gage from My Classic Car will be there with his TV show!! Hope to see you there! -Cody
Just to add a little to what cody{hot rod elvis} said you will see more 39/40 fords in one place around the cort house. in fact it is resereved for 39/40 only with the exception of some true haulers.. also you will see working stills. the trip boys and still hands also you will be able to buy books from the federal men who tried to catch them. and they did catch quite a few.. I bet if we asked cody {HRE} could arrange a HAMB group tour of the Thunder Road facultys.. Bobby.
cool thread. i just watched thunder road last night and was woundering how many of those "shine runners" were still out there
Hot Rod Elvis, Just to confirm the date......Will that be the 28th and 29th of October this year? Is there a link or flier or website for the Moonshine Festival? Would love to make it down for that event. Thanks for any further information....Don.
Popcorn Sutton, a friend of mine did this in photo shop . He must be famous cause we even know of him up here in Canada Eh
This car was impounded in 1959 for running shine. It was sold at public auction 10 years later, put in a barn until last year when I got it out.
Looks like the Bonnie and Clyde car. Did they run shine? lol. Any interesting features to the car (modifications for haulin'). Most folks don't understand that the vast majority of haulers never had tanks. Mason jars were the choice for most shine runners. I see it had '40 wheels....Don.
There's a group on Ford Barn that are talking about this event and meeting up. My question is there seems to be a "cruise in" and a "car show". Where do they park the regular car show cars on Saturday? on Sunday? Downtown? or at the Museum?? I might see ya there depending on how much vacation time I have left by the end of October. That area of GA really looks cool to cruz thru and around.
http://www.dawson.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=106&Itemid=166 October 22nd and 23rd 2011
It had a "tank" that had to be removed before it left the impound yard. It had a later model flathead. Can't find any info about the engine, just that it is later model. Still had 34 trans. I am going back 350/400, with 3 2's.
Mine's a post prohibition car but the guy I bought it from told me his uncle ran a lot of shine in it. Not sure how true that is but I recently did a title history search with the KY dmv with it, here's where it was back to 82 which is as far as their records showed. Has a KY 1978 registration sticker on it still but the dmv didnt' give me any info before 82. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=ky&aq=&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=42.174768,93.076172&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Kentucky&ll=37.420072,-82.838287&spn=0.165782,0.494385&t=h&z=12
Popcorn Sutton is a very colorful character. Check out the interview with him on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b5mW2QF6H4 He is the real deal!
Actually shine runners or any vehicle used to run contraband would be or are real plain jane lookin' cars. You want to blend in not attract attention to your self. Think sleeper, your grandmas grocery getter with a hot mill, sometime they didn't even have or don't have hot mills. I knew a guy back in the '70s that ran contraband from the Arizona/new mexico area to SE kansas once a month. He used a white '62 Comet more door with a 6 in it. Never once got stopped in the 7 or 8 years he had been doing it. Just food for thought when one of you fellas are building a period correct shine runner.
Just guessing... I suspect the best of the older runners became oval trackers. Or just parked out back when they got too expensive to fix. I'd also venture a bet that the shiners who stayed in busuness kept getting newer, faster and larger cars to haul more and to try and to keep a step ahead of the new police rigs. Gary
All of our cars are moonshine runners! Everytime I pull up to a pump I add 10%. Popcorn is my kind of guy. RIP
You're welcome sweetie This is a fact for I personally know someone who currently runs shine up to Ohio and Michigan and down to Florida in a late model grandma looking station wagon. No one would ever give him a second glance.
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