Gov. Bryant will be 'Cruisin the Coast' this weekend - WLOX.com - The News for South Mississippi

Gov. Bryant will be 'Cruisin the Coast' this weekend

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By Bert Case - bio | email

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JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -

Governor Phil Bryant drove his 1955 Chevrolet Nomad to the Mississippi Gulf Coast Friday to participate in 'Cruisin the Coast.'  

The event brings people from all over the United States to the Mississippi Gulf Coast every year to ride up and down U. S. Highway 90 in their old cars and trucks.

We caught up with the governor when we spotted him driving the rare automobile past WLBT on his way to the coast.  

He had security ahead of him and was on his way to pick up the First Lady in Florence.

"I have had it since I was 16. I bought it for $450.00 dollars, from the guy I worked for" said Bryant. "I wouldn't sell it for anything. I am going to let my children fight over it. A big day in the estate sale."  

"This thing to me is just priceless" the governor added. "It was my high school car and I wouldn't sell it for anything in the world. I do all the mechanical work. My dad was a mechanic, so he taught us how to do that. So I have done all the mechanical work, rebuilt the motor, ah just about everything on it, that has been done, I have done it.

And the governor is also a Beach Boys fan.

"Yeah, we have gotta cruise down and see the Beach Boys" said Bryant. "Everything is just great. I am going to take my favorite girl and put her in the car and we are gonna cruise down to see the Beach Boys, it just doesn't get much better than that."

Bryant constantly works on the vehicle. He is the son of a diesel mechanic who taught him how to work on cars.  

He has rebuilt the 265 cubic-inch V-8 engine in the Nomad, and recently took the radiator out to replace the cowling around the fan. It even has the original vacuum operated windshield wipers and original orange bolts on the engine.  

All he will say about the value of the Nomad, is priceless.

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