A homecoming tradition that began in 1932, the Ramblin’ Reck Parade rolls on! Be there to root for your favorite contraption, fixed body, and classic car and see how many contraptions make it to the finish line.
Reck Club is honored to have Dr. William J. Wepfer, Chair of the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering as this year's Grand Marshall. The parade will be MC'd by Nolan Alexander a 4th year Business Administration student and member of the Ramblin' Reck Club.
History
One of Georgia Tech's longest standing Homecoming traditions, the parade began as an automobile road race created in 1929 by the Technique to determine which Tech student had the best old car. The race, which ran from Atlanta to Athens, was known as the "Old Ford Race" or the "Flying Flivver Race." However, after only a few years, it was considered too dangerous and the Ramblin' Reck Parade was conceived as a safer alternative.Entrants in the first Ramblin' Reck Parade in 1932 were judged on the costumes of the characters, originality of the act or stunt, and the decrepitude of the car. For many decades, the prize was a brass or gold-plated gaboon (spittoon). This was engraved with the name of the winner and kept on display in the trophy case at the Y.M.C.A.
The parade has three separate categories for entries: classic car, fixed body, and contraption. A classic car is any vehicle 25 years or older. Fixed body vehicle includes any vehicle employing a direct drive train (transmission directly propelling drive wheels), and lastly a contraption is any vehicle with indirect drive train other than that specified under the Fixed Body Category.
Photos from the Georgia Tech ArchivesJudges
