Rambling Wreck

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The Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech is the name of the official mascot of the student body at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The Ramblin' Wreck is a 1930 Ford Model A Sports Coupe and it embodies the spirit, tradition, and passion of Tech. The Wreck is present at all major sporting events and student body functions. Its most noticeable role is leading the football team onto Historic Grant Field at Bobby Dodd Stadium, a duty which the Wreck has performed since 1961. The Ramblin' Wreck has been mechanically and financially maintained on campus by students in the Ramblin' Reck Club since the early 1970s.

Contents 1 History 1.1 1985 Changes 1.2 Other Changes 2 Specifics and Clarifications 2.1 The Driver 2.2 Reck or Wreck 3 Famous Incidents 4 False Wrecks 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

[edit] History

The first "mechanical mascot" at Georgia Tech was a 1914 Ford Model T owned by Dean Floyd Field. The student body nicknamed the vehicle Floyd's Flubber and there was even mention of the vehicle in The Technique as the "Ramblin' Reck" as early as 1927. The Model T was in poor condition and to the dismay of the student body it was discarded by Dean Field in 1928.

Dean Field started "an Old Ford Race" from Atlanta to Athens in 1929. The race was nicknamed the Flying Flivver Race and was quite shortlived.^[1] The Tech administration disliked the perilous race and reduced the race to a more peaceful and regulated parade of contraptions. The first Wreck parade was in 1932 and has been the centerpiece of Tech homecomings ever since.^[2]

Dean of Student Affairs Jim Dull began search for a new symbol for Georgia Tech. He wanted a classic Ford to represent the school. His search would take him throughout the state and country but no suitable vehicle was found. Finally in 1961, Dean Dull spotted a polished 1930 Ford Model A outside of his apartment located in Towers Dormitory. The owner was Captain Ted J. Johnson, a Delta Air Lines pilot. Johnson had restored the car with his son, Craig, as a father-son project while Craig attended Georgia Military Academy.^[3] Dull offered Ted $1,000 dollars for the car. Johnson, after great deliberation, agreed to take the money but would eventually return it so that the car would be remembered as a donation to Georgia Tech.^[4]

The official Ramblin' Wreck was not unveiled until September 30, 1961 at Grant Field in front of 43,501 Tech fans as it lead the team onto the field against Rice University. The team prevailed 24-0 and the Wreck became an instant success within the Tech family.^[5] The Wreck has lead the team onto the field every home game ever since.

The current color scheme was selected in 1974 by then athletic director and former head coach Bobby Dodd. The old wooden GTA shield was the first thing removed from the Wreck. He chose the old gold body paint from a Lincoln car paint catalogue. He also placed a GT emblem on the door, a Tech helmet on the rear quarter panel, and a 1952 version of the Yellow Jacket on the front quarter panel. During this time and until his retirement, Pete George maintained the Ramblin' Wreck at the Hapeville Ford Plant.^[4]

George would mastermind a major refurbishment of the Wreck in 1983 for Georgia Tech's centennial celebration. The car was completely disassembled, rebuilt, and repainted by 1985.

[edit] 1985 Changes

There were a few noticeable changes to the Ramblin' Wreck after the 1983 refurbishment. An aftermarket chrome stone guard was added to protect the grill.^[6] The emblems on the side were removed and replaced by a basic GT on the doors. The 1952 Yellow Jackets were repainted on to the front tire wells. The white horn was chromed over. The old tire cover was a shield with a football helmet wearing yellow jacket. This was replaced with a white generic naugahyde Ford tire cover. The biggest structural change was a support system attached to the car's frame. The support system runs the length of the running boards and allows the increased weight of cheerleaders or Reck Club members standing on the runningboards. The Old Model A tires were replaced with Model B whitewall tires.^[7]

[edit] Other Changes

The Wreck has had numerous mechanical and cosmetic repairs over the years since Pete George's initial full rebuild. Typically, the pin striping is repainted every two or three years and the decals are replaced within a similar timespan. The last total refurbishment was performed in 1999. The upholstery was redone in 2001 as well as the replacement of the electrical generator with a more efficient alternator.

[edit] Specifics and Clarifications

There are several lesser known details about the Wreck that are easily missed when it rambles down Techwood Drive. Specific physical details and the actual person behind the wheel are often missed or overlooked.

The Wreck is financially maintained through Reck Club appearances and fundraisers. There is no official source of funding from the Institute, Athletic Association, or Alumni Association. This gives the Wreck a unique level of independence that is atypical amongst college mascots.

The Wreck is distinguished by its old gold body and white soft top. The soft top has a chrome support strut, which features a brass classic Tech T and 1952 yellow jacket. The body also has two solid white runningboards, which run the length of the vehicle. The running boards support cheerleaders or the occasional Techies looking for a ride. The interior upholstery is gold and white striped pleather. The gear shifter knob is a white globe with the classic Tech T painted on it. There are two golden nylon pennants emblazoned with the words "To Hell With Georgia" and "Give 'Em Hell Tech" fastened to the front bumper.^[8]

[edit] The Driver

The Driver of the Ramblin' Wreck is an elected position within the Ramblin' Reck Club. This position is determined after every football season. It is a member of Ramblin' Reck Club who exemplifies excellent school spirit, knowledge of traditions and history, and mechanical prowess for working on the Wreck. The Driver of the Wreck was originally the Junior Class Representative until the early 1970s when the Reck Club took complete control of the Ramblin' Wreck's upkeep.

The Driver gets to add his own personal touch every year to the Wreck. The front license plate is chosen by the driver every year and the radiator cap is replaced yearly as well. The cap is typically a flying quail or a wreath.

[edit] Reck or Wreck

The name can be spelled either Ramblin' Wreck or Ramblin' Reck. The first references spelled the word "wreck" without a w to appear phonetic and also as an alliteration. The Ramblin' Reck Club has not changed its name since the first spelling while the school has adopted the modern spelling Ramblin' Wreck. The Reck Club still refers to the Ramblin' Wreck as the Reck while most other agencies refer to the Ramblin' Wreck as simply the Wreck.

[edit] Famous Incidents

There are several famous incidents involving the Ramblin' Wreck's history and most of these incidents involve the Wreck getting wrecked. A lot of the incidents are related to taking the Wreck to away games, which was a common practice until recent times.

In 1962, the Wreck was painted orange by students from the University of Tennessee. The Wreck was stored in an unlocked garage after the game and UT fans snuck in, tore the soft top apart, and painted the car in Tennessee orange.

After the 1968 victory over Auburn University, an angered Auburn fan shot the radiator with a rifle from his dormitory window.

The Wreck has also been stolen by University of Georgia fans twice.

A rule was instituted by Georgia Tech in the 1980's that the Wreck would only travel to friendly or neutral sites (e.g. 2004 Basketball Final Four, College World Series, bowl games, etc.). ^[7]

[edit] False Wrecks

• There are several vehicles that claim "Ramblin' Wreck status." The most famous of these Wrecks is a 1931 Ford Model A Roadster. This vehicle was refurbished along with the real Wreck in 1985 and auctioned for $250,000 by Pete George. Pete actually bought back the car and donated it to the Alumni Association, where it has served as the Alumni Association's mascot ever since. The car is distinguished by its spare tire locations on the driver's side and passenger's side runningboards. It also has a convertible top. The real Wreck's spare is behind the rumble seat and cannot remove its roof.^[9]
• There is a 1930 Ford Model A Sports Coupe shell in the Georgia Tech Hotel. This car has not worked since it has been on campus. The shell lacks a complete rear end and does not have the current Wreck's chrome stone guard.^[10]
• There are also several alumni owned vehicles that are painted to resemble the Wreck. All of these vehicles mimic the look and feel of the Wreck but are not the Ramblin' Wreck.
• Several B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators were designated the name Ramblin' Reck during service in World War II.^[11][12]
• The Chicago Brewing Company features an amber ale by the name of Ramblin' Reck Amber Ale.^[13]

[edit] See also

• Buzz - The other mascot for the Institute
• Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate - The rivalry between Tech and UGA
• Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets - The Athletics Teams of Georgia Tech
• Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech - The fight song of Georgia Tech

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• The Georgia Institute of Technology Traditions Page
• The Georgia Tech Alumni Association Traditions Page
• The Georgia Tech T-Book
• The Official Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Website
• The Ramblin' Reck Club