57fordsforever.com

So...in about 30 -45 minutes we hit the road...cats and all heading to Shell Knob MO. We will be heading back in about a week to load up more stuff and make the trip again. From Port Angeles WA to Shell Knob is about 2000 miles...and with cats on board...it will e a non-stop trip outside of fuel.

On my trip out here though...I was able to see Alvin again...the Retractable is looking much better that hen I saw it around Thanksgiving. As before...seeing him was great...hated to get back on the road...but when I did...I was able to stop and see Thomas. Another guy that was hard to leave...Thomas not only has a wealth of knowledge about our '57's...he has a huge collection of parts for them and many other parts for many other cars. His sweet ride is a beauty as well. I had picked up a front valance for Terry at Alvin's, and when I arrived it was a little late...okay...pretty late. Bed time was in order pretty quick. But when the sun rose, I was able to see Terry's project. It is coming along nicely and will be a beaut when finished. Again, like Thomas and Alvin...he was a great guy to spend time with...and hard to tear myself away from.

So...for those who can get out and run the roads...I highly recommend making trips to see forum members. It has been fun for me...starting with Richard...and ending...with who knows whom!

I'll be checking in around Wednesday at the latest...maybe Tuesday.   :burnout:    :006:

I enjoyed our visit immensely.  Thanks for bringing the valance.  It's still in it's shipping crate as I'm not ready for it, yet!

I too, have been on the road.  I made a quick trip to Norfolk to move a sister in law back home.  We left on Friday 28 August and returned home on Saturday, 5 September. Four days on the road each way and 1 day to pack and load.  We didn't have time for anything.  I wanted to stop and see John, KY Blue Oval, but was too rushed.  John had a part for me and shipped it USPS the day we left Norfolk and it was waiting for me the day before we made it back home. 

THAT is a run! Not sure which was more taxing...the drive time or the pack and load time! Bet you wanted to sleep for a full rotation of the clock once back home!   :sleepy5:

I did get my normal night's rest, 6 1/2 to 7  1/2 hours a night.  I've done this for quite some time. 

I don't envy your move.  I hate packing but don't mind the loading or the drive.  My regret about going cross country was that I didn't have time to meet forum members. 

Same here...packing is annoying...and very tedious!!! Loading and unloading,, and even unpacking...much quicker. The drive is okay as long as you aren't in a hurry.
Meeting forum members has been a blast. Want to get over to the eastern side once I get settled and see some of them...and their toys.   :003: (Joe said he'd give me a ride in that sweet purchase of his! Oh Yea!!!)

Okay...leg one is complete. We got back home Wednesday night around 10:15 PDT. Next chapter...build the deck (picked up the wood today)...repair damages in the house from all the cats...paint exterior trim and rehang a couple of sections of gutter. While I am doing that, Cindy will finish the packing, cleaning and sorting of what she wants to take and what she wants to pass on to others via Goodwill. SHE says she wants to be out of here by a week from this coming Sunday. We shall see. At that point, the house will be listed for sale. Around here, (Port Angeles WA) houses are selling nearly as fast as one can place a sign in the front yard. Hope to be rid of it fast!
This will be her last part of the move, when I leave Shell Knob to return here, I will come alone, to pick up the shop stuff and take it out. Hopefully that doesn't take more than a week, then back out with that load. (Stopping to see Terry and pick up a rotisserie in Idaho.) After that trip I will leave the 24' box trailer.
Then back to grab the boat. WHEW!!! At that time I think I will also have Bob bring his Class A out with a trailer and a car. Need to get him and that motor-home out there before snow begins to fly in Montana.
After that, back here one more time to load remaining cars on to a car transporter, and take one myself on my last trailer, and then make (I hope) the last trip!
Strangely...this is all cheaper than having Bekins or someone else make the move. They want tons of folding paper for loading and unloading their trucks, not to mention the actual drive! THIS...is my final move! Stay tuned!

Wow, Hugh..you're making me tired just reading about it. At least you'll have the winter to rest. I assume you also checked the cost of those moving pods where you load and unload them. I checked out (google satelite) Shell Knob.....that's a beautiful area your moving to!

I did check out the pods. Would have maybe worked for the household stuff, but still was a chunk of change. One wasn't big enough, yet two would have been more than we needed. Kind of a damned if you do damned if you don't thing for us.

Yep...Shell Knob is a small little village, 10 miles north from the house, and Berryville AR is 10 miles south from the house. Berryville is the bigger of the two, has about 5-6k people, Shell Knob only having about 1100 I believe. Nice and quiet in our area. Lots of room to park '57's should we have a bunch of folks show up!  :003:

There are 3 very large lakes in the area around us too...Table Rock being the one closest to the house. Fishing and cars...yea...that's the ticket!

Wow, you have much more stamina than I do! In the next 2 or 3 weeks, we will be moving from the suburbs of Vancouver BC Canada, and moving to an 8 acre property we recently purchased about an hour south of Halifax Nova Scotia, about 6000 kilometers 1 way( approx. 4000 miles). But we are planning to do it all in one trip, I couldn`t imagine criss crossing the country TWICE in one year, let alone 3 or 4 times! We have 5 vehicles to move, I will be pulling my race car in the 24 foot enclosed trailer, with my F350 Dually, so that takes care of 2 vehicles, and my wife will be following (or leading) in her daily driver, so that leaves my Ford Ranger daily driver, and the 59 Meteor. Looking to ship the 59 in an enclosed transporter, and the Ranger either by train or transport trailer. At first we thought that we would ship her car, along with the Ranger and 59, but open transport for the Ranger and her Toyota would be about $2000. each, I doubt we would spend 1/2 that on gas, driving the Toyota, plus I thought it might be nice having a second vehicle in case something on the truck or trailer went awry, not to mention a Toyota Corolla is a bit easier to go thru the drive thrus in than over 50 feet of wide hipped truck and trailer. Plus we could each listen to our own musical tastes in our own vehicles. My sister in law offered to drive my Ranger out, if I flew her back to the West Coast afterwards, but that didn`t work out any cheaper. But the thought of doing this long of a trip back to back makes my skin crawl. Plus my F350 has a V10 gas engine, and averages 8 to 8 1/2 MPG towing, at 60 MPH on level ground, so I won`t be looking forward to getting THAT Visa bill! We are using a POD for shipping some of our furniture and my tools and tires, but for much of it, it made more sense to get rid of much of our old furniture, and buy new stuff once we get there, rather than pay a similar amount to move our old stuff. I did look into renting a U Haul box truck, and an open car trailer, but that was $9000.00 ONE WAY, pus fuel! Funny the cost to use the same U Haul truck and trailer the same distance, but from East to West instead, was about 1/3 the price. Plus after looking over the cars trailers on the U Haul lot, I had serious concerns of a trouble free moving experience. According the Google Maps, look like we can expect about  60 hours of driving enjoyment during the one way trip.My hats off to all those long haul truck drivers, I doubt that I would last very long at that job.

I don't know the price of fuel in the cold north but I found fuel on my trip price from $1.96 to $2.70.  I never averaged what I paid but will say I tried to buy at $2.30 or less.  I nearly cried when having to pay for $40 of fuel at $2.70!

Yea...this is nuts. The cars (most of them) are going on a transporter. I finagled a deal for 600 for running, 650 for non-running cars. Plus I am taking up the entire truck. Two stops...my place here to pick them up...my place there to unload them. So that is an advantage.
U-Haul trailers certainly do take abuse...so you're right about that unlikely trouble free part. My truck is an F-350 diesel, we averaged around 12.5 mpg with the 24' box loaded with her Explorer and all the boxes we could get in it. Probably around 12,000 lbs. Next trip is with the '50 Dodge p/u and all the rest of the house plus the garage stuff and my riding mower. Then comes the shop and all the work benches, a Coats tire machine, and 2 roll-around tool boxes plus air compressors, sand blaster and other miscellaneous "stuff".

Like you we are not taking furniture other than my 90 year old desk and 140 year old leather couch that I have had for almost 45 years. We can buy furniture there at a place that buys out resort furniture every 3 years for literally nickles on the dollar. ($200 for a couch that brand new was $1200)
Nova Scotia...I thought about that move once years ago. Back before internet, read up on it. Sounded like a nice place. Might have to put that on the list of places to drive a certain Courier when finished!
After the shop stuff have to take the boat out, then one final trip with a car and the last trailer. Hopefully before the snow flies, if not, then I'll go down to San Diego, then Phoenix then over to Texas and up through San Antonio then over to AR and then up to the house. Free places to eat and sleep! LOL!!!

Terry...yea...I had to pay $2.67 fr diesel in Port Angeles! I 'bout cried! I was paying $1.94 at the station next to my new place in Shell Knob!

Quote from: mustang6984 on 2020-09-08 18:39
.....Meeting forum members has been a blast. Want to get over to the eastern side once I get settled and see some of them...and their toys.   :003: (Joe said he'd give me a ride in that sweet purchase of his! Oh Yea!!!)

Just make sure it's during the summer months..... :003:

Hugh I know you will be happy when it is all done.  My move from TN to AL was only 250 miles.  I was working for EWTN in AL, the wife was in TN getting the house packed up.  Every Friday afternoon I'd hit the road to TN.  Load the truck with garage stuff, drive back down and unload on Sunday.  This went on for two months!  But I only had four vehicles to move so on final move day I had the 24ft box truck with a car trailer and two friends and the wife following.  That was a couple of days ago (1995)....couldn't even think of trying to do it now!

Joe...oh heck yea! I have heard about east coast winters! LOL!!!

FBB...your move sounds like ours when we moved from Olympia to Port Angeles 15 years ago.

Okay...here we go...again!
It is Saturday evening about 7:20 here in WA state. Tomorrow we will hit the road headed towards Shell Knob MO (about 30 miles or so west of Branson MO and 10 miles from Berryville AR. (our place is 1/2 way between Shell Knob and Berryville...10 miles from each.)
We were going to leave this afternoon, but Alvin suggested we wait one more day due to up to a foot of angel's dandruff in some parts of Montana on I-90. Sections of the hiway even wound up being closed today because of it. Given the weight of the trailer now (probably well over it's "suggested" carrying weight  ::) ) we decided to take his suggestion and hold off one more day as weather should begin to become more pleasant tomorrow.
Once we arrive, we will unload the trailer and then I will head back with it and begin loading my shop into it along with stuff still here at the house in the garage...along with my buddy Bob's small amount of stuff. After that trip the trailer will stay in Shell Knob, but I will be headed back to meet the car hauler guy and grab my flatbed and one car. The boat...will probably have to wait until spring.
House will be listed for sale Sunday evening...if any of ya know anyone moving to Port Angeles... :003:

So...here we go! I'll be on the road by 8 Sunday morning West Coast time.  :burnout:

Have a safe trip Hugh and good luck with the white, lumpy rain.  :002:

Be careful Hugh, that white stuff can be tricky!  Great part is the roads clean fairly quickly (except in the mountains) and just leave a mess.

No, that is not a "fade to white" paint job on my black truck!

Thanks guys...I am hoping Alvin was correct in his info shared with me...the weather forecast he saw for the area was that the weather would be clearing out about a day ahead of me...so hopefully I'll not encounter any of that "white lumpy rain"...
And one of the good things about I-90 in Montana is that being a primary thoroughfare for commerce, they tend to try and keep it clean as fast as possible. Slow and easy will be the mantra I suppose.
I'll try to post updates as we progress along the way.

Off we go!!!   :003:

Be safe!!! Even down here in Texas, around Amarillo anyway, they have the highways prepped with that pre-freeze stuff they lay down. Been in the 30's at night for a while.

I hope you have a safe and uneventful trip! Be safe.

Snow forecast here for tonight thru Wednesday! 18* tomorrow.

Well we made it as far as Ellensburg WA. Not great progress...but there are these large hills called the Cascades...
Took some time to get used to the truck with this much weight on it as well. Once we got off the Olympic and Cascade mountains, things seemed to be okay.
So real progress traveling probably won't come until tomorrow afternoon after we get out of W. Montana. Most of today's speed was at 45-55 mph. On flats 60-65 was comfortable. No snow other than at the top of White Pass on HWY 12, and that was so minimal it barely rates a mention. The good weather of Sunday in Port Angeles seems to be cleaning things out ahead of us as it moves east!   :003:

Okay...here I go again. Leaving Shell Knob in a couple of hours heading west. Hope to be done and BACK on the road to Shell Knob by the 29th or 30th...and last trip!
Going low though...couple of reasons...one...have to go pick up bob in AZ, and most importantly...I have zero interest in being shoved off the road due to unfriendly weather conditions in Montana or elsewhere.

I will try to keep a posting going on my progress.

Be careful Hugh!! You're going to be going thru some Covid hot spots, like Amarillo, and all of New Mexico. We've had 497 deaths in Amarillo so far, so we're having to be super careful at our age. I'd really like to sit down with you again over dinner, and this time, able to take you for a ride in the '57 but as mentioned previously, I'm going to have to pass on asking you to stop and let Sasha romp for a while. Sorry about that, buddy. This really sucks.....but I've got to make the wife and cousin's safety priority.
Who is Bob? I vaguely remember something about a house in Arizona, but my memory.........

Hugh, got to thinking, with that BS I said yesterday in mind, it does not apply if you need assistance in my area. I'll PM you my phone numbers. I can be to the OK border in less than 2 hrs, and the NM border about an hour. Call me if you need help, tools, a ride, etc.

My wife and I have become very concerned about having people come into our house as well.  It's been reported that Boise has the highest positivity rate in the nation. Having said that, if you are coming through Boise, I will meet you outside the house and like Rich, offer assistance should you need it. 

Hugh, should you still want the rotisserie and have room/time to haul it, I can meet you at the intersection of I84 and Hi way 95.  It's pretty much a straight shot south to Las Vegas.

Don't forget, I still have your "electrical" shop manual for the 69's.  If you can't make here, pm me your address in Shell Knob and I'll mail it to you!

That's an awesome offer guys!  :thumbsup:

Okay...the poop hit the roundy-round. No idea where (and no one can ever answer the question "where" they get it with any intelligence though I can say it was in Missouri. Doc stated as much when we narrowed down time frames and incubation periods) but I got the COVID...heavy! My life wasn't in any danger...but my life sure sucked eggs for a few days prior to entering the hospital and after arriving.
I arrived in Port Angeles WA on the 23rd, and was in hospital the 24th. Was released This past Monday.
I am still on oxygen and may be until end of April.
My days seem to be improving, though by 5 p.m. I am tired.
Rich...I already have your numbers...both of them.
Bob is my friend who my wife and I have adopted and are taking with us to Missouri because his kids will never step up to the bar to take care of him as he grows older. IF he ever gets older...he wore out 2 work crews in Bisbee AZ that were in their mid 30's to late 40's! He is 9 years and 11 month older than I...(he won't admit to the 10 year thing.) LOL!!! He is 77.
He is now taking care of me ironically. But I am gaining more functionality with each day.
I did stop at Terry's house in the rain, and grabbed the rotisserie and the manual to complete my collection for the '69 Mustang! Thanks a ton for those manuals, Terry! Will make that job MUCH easier trust me!
Driving my 2014 F-350 I was never in danger of needing any road assistance...but thanks everyone. (I LOVE my "new" F-350!!!)
I was NEVER in doubt that should I need help on the road from any part of the country where any of you live, from CA to MA I'd get it.
My wife has it also...but the version she has is known by doctors as the "I have a really crappy cold" version. Go figure!  ???

So...now I have to hire a crew to do what I was gonna do...because all I can do is sit on a stool and direct traffic. But bottom line, I'll be home probably by end of January or close, we will only drive 6-8 hours per day...so what would normally be a 3-3 1/2 day trip...will probably be 8 days. It is what it is I guess.

Poor Sasha is so confused...and she HATES the oxygen machine...I think she sees it as the reason I am sick. Poor girl, LOL!!!

I will snoop around and see what I can find to answer some more questions tomorrow. And when I go back on the road, I may have a hard time getting on the 'net...I couldn't get on in any hotel/motel I stayed in, though I am taking my computer to a friend's house tomorrow, he has a magic wall and the secret wrist snap that allows him to throw the laptop just so...and make the needed attitude adjustments!  :003: He has an idea what is going on. We shall see.
Glad to be back and a special "shout out" to Alvin who has checked in on me several times once he figured out something was a little off bubble! Thanks Buddy!

OH...one more tidbit of interest...I left Missouri at 228.5 pounds,  massive drop of weight between March and September of 2020 totaling 30 pounds...on my own with no controlled diet. (my doc in Branson has just left me to my own regimen..and shakes his head when I come to see him.
When they checked me into the hospital on Christmas Eve...7 days after hitting the road...I was at 214 pounds! Not the way I would recommend losing the weight, though I would be willing to split the difference and keep 7 0f it off. I told my wife I was sending Sasha and Bob in before I get out the truck so she doesn't shoot the stranger coming in her door with his own service weapon!!!  LOL!!!   :071:

Hugh it is really great to hear from you again and that you are on the road to recovering!  My brother just went through what you and your wife did.  He lost 30 lbs during the month of November with the covid.  His wife had it also and like your wife her case was "just a cold".  He is 72, his wife is 73 and a 2 1/2 year cancer survivor.

We as many have been laying relatively low.  Car guy funerals seam to be the "social" events that rule our lives now.  Seams like there is one a week, thankfully, or not, none have been covid related.  No advice I can give except when you start feeling frisky be careful!  Going at it hard will be costly, ask my brother....

Thanks. Yea...there will be no "frisky"...my goal is to be done with this sooner rather than later due to stupidity. when the doc says I can be a little more active that is when I will be.
I'll need t hire a crew back home to unload as well....and there the shop will sit until doc says otherwise.
I have books to read and when he says I can there is a river near me and maybe I can sit and fish AND read! LOL!!! I started buying books years ago with an eye toward reading in retirement...and my wife is a gigantic James Patterson fan...so easy will most assuredly be the rule of the day...along with walks to try and keep some of this weight off, ad the doc said she wanted my to walk to help with lung capacity regeneration.

Welcome back Hugh. glad to hear you're gonna be okay.

I'm glad you're out of the hospital and have a bright future.   

When I found out you had a 69 Mustang and didn't have the manuals, it was a no brainer as to where the manuals needed to be.  I was hoping they could be of use to someone.  Lord knows I hadn't used them for almost 30 years!

You have a great attitude about the doctor's orders.  I'm in the 8th week of an 18 week recovery from shoulder surgery. 

Take care of yourself and be safe my friend!

Hugh, so glad you are recovering and it will take a while from what I have seen in others. I don't know what precautions you take when traveling but one of my fears is gas pumps, I always wear gloves..

Good to hear from you Hugh. It's been a rough road for you, but thanks for posting all the info, and glad your wife (Cindy??) got the easy version. Is your Wash. house on the market?

Thanks guys.

House is sold...poor gal who bought it has been very understanding and extended closing until 25th due to my issues. I am really hoping to be out of here in about 10 days. Need to hire a crew and get it loaded and cars trailered and everything shipped.

Remember Hugh, needing a helping hand is only half bad. We are all glad to know that YOU ARE STILL HERE, to need the shipping service at all !

UPDATE...I know I haven't been around much since I got out of the hospital,, but i am doing well. Baby step improvements.

So...today begins the last couple of legs. I have packers and loaders coming to the house to finish the garage/shed/yard stuff. They should be done by close of day tomorrow if not before.
I am calling for the truck I am loading the shop into to be delivered to the shop on Wednesday. Hope to see all of that loaded and ready for pick-up by Sunday...Monday at the latest.
Car haulers will set up for that chore for Wednesday, maybe Tuesday. When the car haulers leave...so do I. Let's see if this set of plans can be executed without anymore annoyances. I am ready to go home!  :burnout:

Hugh is back on the road.  He stopped in Boise at 830 last evening.  He wanted to make distance before stopping for a rest and was planning to drive a few more hours.  I wasn't able  meet him as my wife is very afraid of the corona virus and asked me not to go.  He wanted to do a quick post before sleeping.  Perhaps he didn't have internet service when he stopped.  I hope all is well Hugh!   

Stopped in Ogden for the night.(day) Was too beat to open up the lap top. Heading out in about an hour, looking to get as close as possible to Amarillo...maybe further. No issues with truck or trailer. Not able to drive quite as long as I would like yet...had to take a couple of naps in rest stops to make it this far.
Weather has been decent, occasional snow "sprinkles" but mostly dry with rain now and then as well. Will post more when I stop again for the night.
:burnout:

If you stop in Amarillo and have time for a chat, give me a call.........we can bump elbows.

 I talked to Hugh earlier yesterday for a while. He was140 miles west of Laramie, Wy. at the time and wasn't sure which way he was going to go after Cheyenne. He's trying to beat the truck with all his toys to Shell Knob. Not sure if he's coming thru Amarillo. I think if I were him, I would have not come this far south, but just dropped down to I70 in Denver and taken that all the way to Kansas City.

At 2 pm, Hugh was in Garden City, Kansas. Doing fine. I asked when he expected to be home, but I forgot what he told me. I went out looking for his truckload of classics that was suppose to be in my area on I 40, but missed it. I was at a spot before Amarillo a half hour before he COULD have gotten there, and stayed an hour after he should have been there. I think he must have stopped somewhere between his last given time/location and Amarillo.

Okay...update...
I got home around 4:30 this morning. (Monday). No problems other than loss of my canoe paddles somewhere in rural Oklahoma. Apparently the bungee cords gave way and the paddles by now have a new home.
Truck arrived this afternoon around 1:00 p.m. Apparently HE had issues of his own...lost a u-joint...so guess you didn't miss him Rich...he was laid up. This trip has had more curses than the other ones did!

I'll be here abut 10 days, then head back for one LAST time, to get my boat and a few miscellaneous items. Then...done! I picked up a custom built 428 which I think will look real sweet in between the frame rails of a Courier! It needs a new block and a re-build, but that's fine.

This week I will try to catch up on all Joe's pics and Dave's pics, among other things. Trailers with my shop will be here on Thursday, and gone by Monday afternoon. I plan on sitting upon my backside for a couple of days and rest. That is when I will catch up on pics.

After all this a nice long vacation and rest is well deserved.

AMEN!  :003:

I'm glad to hear that you made it safely.  Was there any damage to the toys the trucker brought in?
 

Nope...everything arrived in the same shape it left. Sadly...no elves jumped on board and painted or body-worked anything. LOL!!!

SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE IN THE HOME STRETCH HUGH!   :blob6:

Yep...last trip coming up...thankfully. I'll be happy to be done as you might imagine!

Hugh, how many miles each way from your old home in Washington to MO? Have you kept a total of the miles back and forth? My coast to coast trip across Canada was about 4000 miles, or 6000 kilometers one way. We typically only drove 6 to 8 hours per day, since I was towing pretty heavy, and we wanted to do almost all the trip during daylight hours, don`t want to run into a moose in the dark! The trip gave me a whole new respect for long haul truck drivers!

It is about 2100 miles one way. After this trip I will have made 4 of them. That is just for the move. Altogether since I bought the apartment building, I have made over 14 of these trips. I bought a 2014 F-350 with 119k miles on July 30th of 2020...it now has over 148k on it. Will be well over 150k by the time I return with the boat. Oh...and it will need new front tires then as well.  I already replaced the back ones after the first trip in September.   :006:

Hugh, you told me the other day you were going to go after your boat in about 10 days or so and come by here and see me. You may want to rethink this,, winter has hit us with a vengeance. Yesterday afternoon at Park City where you leave  I-90 to come to my place they had a wreck involving 18 , 18 wheelers and I don't know how many cars and pickups.  Lots of snow and ice and temps for the next 9 days will be right a 0.   Not telling you what to do but maybe you should fish from shore for a while and let the boat stay where it is for another couple weeks.  Take care, Alvin

UGH! Only problem is that I need to be out of where I have some other stuff stored by last day of Feb. Might have to go the long annoying way and just deal with the expense...40 to Barstow and then over to and up I-5. Unless things are better in Salt lake, then I could do the dinky roads to there and up that way.

I will check closer when I get to Wed and Thurs to see what conditions things are. I just want to end this move...sooner rather than later.

If you are coming my way, I'll buy lunch!

Well...from the files of "Best laid plans of mice and men" comes this update...
Seems I cannot get in to see my doctor here in MO until the 17th...so given the meds I have/had...and the need to see which ones i should have renewed...I shall not be leaving until then ( in the afternoon) at the earliest. That extra week plus will of course determine the route I take. If Alvin says to stay away from Wyoming/Montana...then I will be taking a southern route and heading to Barstow probably...then up I-5 to Oly and 101 to Port Angeles.

Thankfully...this is the last trip!   :003:

Don't assume the southern route will be clearer. We had a cold front move in, and they are expecting overnight lows in the minuses by end of the week, with snow and ice on Saturday. Make sure you check the Flagstaff area........they get hit hard and often.

Oh yea...I know. I am overwhelmingly familiar with all of the east/west routes...sadly. But 40 will be cleaner long before 90 0r 80. And going 70 is a waste of time because it dies out way too early. My only sure route to avoid any annoyances would be to go 10...but then I would have to go through L.A. County...and that for me is more annoying than snow.

Hugh, If you are forced to use the 10 you could take the 10 to the 15 to the 138/14 over to the 5 to avoid LA. Or the 15 to Barstow and 58 to the 5.

Thanks...I'll remember that.  :006: :003:

With any luck, Hugh and I will be having dinner together tonight. He's figuring Amarillo by early evening.

Hugh and Sasha have come and gone. He got into town last night at about 7 and came to the house so Sasha could run and play with our dogs while we went to dinner. The Texas Roadhouse had an hour and 45-minute wait, so I took him to a burger joint in the old rt66 historical district that has been there since the year I was born......1946. Hugh was going to drive on, possibly to Alburquerque.
If I remember correctly, I think Hugh was the second forum member to take a drive in my car.

Thats good news, hopefully the rest of the trip goes well.

Yeah, he said something about maybe heading up thru Utah instead of going all the way west on I40 to Barstow.

I only made it as far as Tucumcari (sp) before running out of steam. And then on top of that, the motel's WI-FI was out on vacation due to a storm a few days earlier!  >:(

But now I am in Ogden UT. Drive was great...no snow on the roads or ice. Temps varied from 25 to 42...during the day time! Next stop will be in Tri-cities for the night tomorrow, and dinner with a buddy there. Then off Tuesday morning for a short drive of 5 hours to Port Angeles. dinner Wed night with my son and his lady. Hope to get wheel bearings on the trailer packed Wed or Thursday and be back on the road to MO by Friday. Hopefully Alvin will have cleaned I-90 off by then and I can come that way!   :003:  If not I'll go back the way I came I guess. Sasha would like that...she and Rich's dogs are buddies!   :snoopy2:

Arrived in Port Angeles around 7 Monday night. I had stopped in Olympia first to spend some time with a friend before finishing out the trip.
Had clean and clear roads until...white Pass in WA coming over from Tri-Cities to the west side of the state. From about 6 miles on either side of the peak there was serious snow, not so serious for another 7-8 miles on either side. And 18-wheeler driver probably is still having flashbacks tonight of his early morning drive down the east side of the pass. Had it not been for the fact that he flipped his trailer at a "scenic viewpoint" turn out, he would have lost it over the side and down about 10,000 feet. No sign of his tractor by the time I went by, but another tractor/trailer rig was there unloading his trailer and a tow truck was prepping to pull the wrong sided trailer back u on to it's wheels. How's that saying go...first you say it, then you do it? I'm guessing he did.

Anyhow...here for the balance of the week, then back on the road Sunday.

Well...final leg of this moving project. Head out tomorrow for Shell Knob with boat and the last bit of stuff. Going to the Tri-Cities on my first leg...have a couple of stops to make early then off to Pasco. Whether I go to I-90 from there or back the way I came on I-40 depends on what I hear from Alvin tomorrow.

I will be glad to be done with this moving thing! Now I have to begin the process of trying to find and place everything! Might be as aggravating as the move it's self!

Hugh, I am not sure what to tell you. We had another blast yesterday, caused a bunch of accidents. This morning I-90 west of us is suppose to be slippery.  Weather man  says in 40's and 50's the rest of week, which I like.  I think you would be ok coming  this way but thats got to be your call, Take care, Alvin

After our chat today I think I will go back the way I came...via I-40. I have had so many problems with this move I think avoiding potential for more is a wise move. Just means you can't sell the retractable until I get up there and grab my hood and get a ride in that babe after shooting some pics of it!  :003:

That must be a white knuckle trip, having to deal with winter conditions, especially thru the Snoqualmie Pass in Eastern Washington. I have never had the joy(?) of encountering snow while towing a trailer, but I imagine it would not be much fun. Weather conditions thru the Rocky Mountains was a big concern when we did our move last October, from near Vancouver British Columbia Canada, to Nova Scotia, luckily we beat the snow by a couple of weeks. We did hit frost during the mornings for the 3 days it took us to get across Ontario, but other than that, we dodged a bullet on our trip. Hopefully Hugh can complete his final trek without incident. I know our haul was a fair bit further, but I certainly would be in no rush to have done that move more than once, at least back to back to back! Safe travels.

I took White Pass to avoid the traffic and weather of Snoqualmie. And it paid off. The road was clear and dry all the way over, in spite of having been closed a couple of days earlier. If everything else is the same as when I came out the roads should be clean as a whistle the rest of the way.
This will be the 4th and last trip of this excursion...and I'll be happy to have it behind me. Time to get moving on the house details that need to be done between now and October. I will start them soon...or as much a I can anyhow waiting to get my full lung capacity back from the dratted COVID garbage.

Hugh, you made the right call. No new snow, but blowing snow. The wind between Bozeman pass and Big Timber is rated at 45 to 50 with some 70mph gust.   Also a friend of mine from Rapid City SD. told me they got a bunch of snow yesterday.

UGH! Glad to have missed that "fun!" Hope to be up your way to see you and that beautiful retractable and shoot pics of it  around late April early May. OH...and grab that hood you have been saving for me for almost 2 years now! LOL!!!

Where are you today?  till west of the divide?

At the time you posted that inquiry...I was still in Pasco dealing with tarp issues on my load. I had one disintegrate on the road while en-route to Pasco.
I stopped for the night in Ogden at about 2:00 a.m. Off to bed in a few. Heading to Amarillo from here...then to Conway AR next day to possibly meet up with my wife at our oldest son's pizza place for dinner. Then she and I will head back to Shell Knob Thursday morning. If she can't come down then I'll skip Conway and just go home Wednesday from Amarillo.

As always.....call if you need anything.

I will call you later today with a progress report. Won't be in to Amarillo until late late late tonight.

Hugh should be in Amarillo for lunch! He had a wiring issue with his boat trailer in Utah and spent most of yesterday morning rewiring. When he called mid-afternoon, he was 11 hours out from Amarillo.

Last I heard from Hugh was about 4 pm as he was crossing over into Texas on I40, which is about an hour from Amarillo. He was going to go straight thru to Clinton, Ok, and pull over for the night. He couldn't log onto the internet last night from NM, maybe having the same problem tonight.?

Nope...just got to this part now.

I am indeed i Clinton OK. Good thing I stopped here. Seems the ring used to pull the boat OUT of the water...lost it's 2 nuts...and the ring pulled out whilst I was motoring down the road. Boat has slid 1/3 of the way off the trailer.  bawl  So...now I have to figure out how to get it back UP where it belongs...then strap it in with one of my trailer straps. Geeze! I just cannot have one EASY trip!!!
I'll deal with it tomorrow after I get up though. I need sleep! And  shower! And a shave! Only 355 more miles to go...5 hours and 41 minutes!!!  :blob10:

How do you load it on the trailer normally? Winch on the truck? There is an Ace Hardware on Gary Blvd there in Clinton if you need cable, hardware, come-a-long etc. If not a tow truck maybe could rig up something?

Normally the now no longer mounted ring is clipped with a hook and then a hand-cranked winch pulls it on to the boat trailer. With that ring out, I either have to unload all the stuff in the boat and put it back in with new nuts/washers. or find another way to get it back up onto the trailer then secure it for the remaining portion of the trip. A come-along will do the trick, I just hate to buy ANOTHER one...I have 3-4 at home now. But that would be better than unloading the stuff in the boat and then re-loading. So...that will probably be the ticket. I can also use the come-along to secure it along with some trailer straps which I happen to have with me.
Fun stuff!

It's a 3 hour drive, but if you need an extra pair of hands, or need me to bring something, call me in the AM. That Gary Blvd I mentioned, btw, is the I40 business loop. I'm going to bed

I think I can get it. I am pretty sure the come-along will handle the pull. The rollers are all free and loose...so that will make it easier.
Luckily I had so many ropes tied on it to keep the tarp over the stuff inside the boat, that it didn't come off! THAT would have been a mess of ungodly proportions! Every curse possible has hit me on this move I think!
Thanks for the offer...hopefully I won't need to take advantage of it!

I am off to the shower, then bed myself! I am going to dream about sitting IN the boat...reeling in fish!  :)

Hugh, after all these years, and keeping up with your move, I realize I am not the only guy born under the wrong star.

LOL!!! Sometimes it can sure feel like it!

 :003: FINALLY!!! The epic cross country move has come to an end! Four trips, at 4200 miles each round trip for the first three, about 5400 miles for the last one. I bought my pick-up on July 30th, the same day I signed papers on my house. The truck had 119+k on it, now there is 155+k on the odometer!

I arrived in Shell Knob MO around 8 p.m. local time! My poor boat trailer was barely up to the task, and will need some serious work done to it. I was not aware of just how bad off it was. But it survived the horrid road conditions that are standard with driving across New Mexico. However, I only have $500 invested in the boat and trailer combined, (traded a '69 Mustang shell and 302 motor I had paid $500 for) so no big deal. It's a 21 footer with seating for 6 and a 100 horse Evinrude that purrs.

Unloading all the stuff inside it and the truck will come tomorrow. Then next week I need to catch up on paper work re: apartment building and taxes. Oh Boy! UGH! Maybe...I should take another cross countr...nah...I'll just get a LOT of chocolate chip cookies and do the paper work!  :003: Then comes increasing the size of the lean-to's so I can get cars and other things under them before hail season starts.

So...the saga is over...for now. I will be heading to Montana at some point to see Alvin and pick up my hood...and shoot some pics of that so BEAUTIFUL retractable! Also need to squeeze in a trip to MI for Courier parts...and my 50th high school reunion is this August. So...more miles yet for 2021. But they will be fun miles!   :burnout:

congratulations Hugh ! You made it !

As a European I cannot even imagine such a move and then with all your gear and car projects...several cross country trips like that. I wouldn't be able to move 20 miles out of town, if I had to move all of my junk with me.
last year 2020 I didn't even drive 2000 miles, ALL of my cars combined.

so - well, you are probably a seasoned driver by now... :003:

It was a challenge in many ways...patience for sure!

I hope your new house has a neat porch, so you can put up your feet high and enjoy that easy chair for a while !
My porch faces the property, so I can look at my cars when feet are up.  :003:

I do have a nice front porch. And deep too...so we can sit out there and watch thunder and lightening storms in the distance! Going to add another to the back of the house during the remodel as well. Come and visit...we'll be sure to have plenty of food!  :006:

As has been said....time to pull up a chair on that porch, pop the top of an adult beverage and take several deep breaths and marvel at what you have accomplished!  As we and God know you have had your share of trials and tribulations during this journey and surely deserve a day of rest!

Sounds like a great idea to me! Anyone care to come over and join me on said porch? I have adult beverages to share with all!   :icon_super:

I'll be there in a few...... :occasion14:

Excellent!  :006:

I was at a neat car show this morning when I got a call from Rich! Almost didn't answer it but I saw Amarillo so... he was "around the corner" my wife and I headed back home. Spent a few hours chatting, looking at our cars, great time was had by all! So cool to meet somebody you feel like you know. Loved his car! He headed east towards James Potter in Ocean Springs. Hugh, I think a '57 Ford gathering in Branson would be awesome!

Bet you had a good time with him too! His car is a rolling piece of art work!

The night I stopped and had dinner with him, as we were coming back to the car a couple of guys were standing at the corner checking it out. They were really enamored with it. We stood around  and talked with them and the wife of one of them for about 10-15 minutes. When we had arrived at a steak house earlier (our fist destination for dinner that was packed to the point of a 45 minute wait) a couple of girls in their 20's were admiring it as well and asked me what kind of car it was. they were quite impressed with it as well. Sweet ride to be sure! Glad you were able to meet up with him. Amarillo is kind of a "must stop and see Rich" thing with me now when I travel through. Kind of the same when going through Billings Montana...gotta stop and visit for a bit with Alvin. And if one is going through Boise...then seeing Terry is always a thought, although with the COVID garbage his wife has asked he and I to hold off until it has passed.
All three guys I have met, and they are fun to sit and talk cars and life with as well.

I think it would be a blast to get a bunch of '57's together and show up at a car show one weekend. Do a little parade to the show site and let people see what best looking 57's built that year REALLY look like!   :003:   :burnout:

Great to hear that Rich is on his way ! looking forward to his report and pics !

From what I saw on the weather channel the pan handle of Texas was getting some bad weather, hope he is alright..

Quote from: hiball3985 on 2021-03-14 08:04
From what I saw on the weather channel the pan handle of Texas was getting some bad weather, hope he is alright..

He's not there to enjoy it....he has made it to Louisiana on his way to Florida.  :burnout:

Quote from: mustang6984 on 2021-03-14 09:37
He's not there to enjoy it....he has made it to Louisiana on his way to Florida.  :burnout:

OK, good he got out of town early..

Well...here I go again! My son is moving out to the Branson area...so...dad is off to help. He has a '68 Mustang that needs to be transported along with his tool box and engine and...well you get the idea.
So leaving Wednesday morning...should be in Billings to see Alvin and FINALLY get the hood I am buying from him Friday. Been trying to pick that up for a couple of years now.
Providing all the places I stop for the night have functional wi-fi (that has been a challenge more than a few times) I'll post progress posts. Off to bed now...finally.  :006:

Well...Almost 3:00 a.m. in metropolitan Plankinton S.D. on I-90. Heading to bed...then  in the morning off to Billings.  :burnout:

Enjoying the many miles of rolling prairie?  See if you can get a count of the number of charging stations out there......

Speaking of lots of nothing.....when coming from the far eastern end of the Grand Canyon heading to the Petrified Forrest on the back roads through AZ  I happened to see a "dust ball" moving from east to west in the distance.  As we traveled along it drew closer and we did meet at an intersection.  Turns out it was a school bus, had one kid in it.  No idea where it came from or where it was headed because there was NOTHING out there as far as the eye could see!  Didn't see any charging stations.

Sorry to hijack your trip, just reminded me of the vastness of this wonderful country we live in!

Vast......yes definitely, and it takes some long trips in the midwest/central plains areas to realize that. Many parts of the country you can't see very far because of trees, rolling hills, etc., but get out in the plains like I was last weekend and it really hits you.
Be safe Hugh.

I talked with Hugh last night, I told him I don't think mother nature wants him to move. They are forcasting snow again, with some areas worst than others. Woke up to all white this morning, I guess he will run into it between Rapid City SD. and Wyo. line. I don't think it will amount to much they say some of the bridge decks are icy. If all goes well I will be seeing him here at my place tomarrow morning.

I woke up to 34 degree weather this morning. I'll be heading out in about 30 minutes. I think Alvin is right. She also doesn't want me to get that hood he sold me...I've been trying to pick that up since fall of '19...couldn't haul it in my Explorer...then when I bought the truck I was beginning the move...so...one way or another...I'm getting it this time! LOL!!!   :003: Mother Nature needs to calm down!

There are a lot of charging stations at Capital Mall in Olympia...probably in Seattle too. Haven't seen any along the trip...but since I don't stop except for fuel and motels...probably won't.

Always Rich... 8)

Made it to Pasco WA. Left Alvin's place around noon after having breakfast and visiting for a bit. Last leg of the trip out will be tomorrow. Should make Port Angeles before dinner. Having breakfast here in Pasco with a buddy, then lunch in Olympia with another.
When I left Alvin's place I enjoyed the first part of the trip with no head wind! HOORAH! Fuel economy towing the trailer had been between 9.5 and 11.5 mpg. YUCK! Today...no wind...mpg's were between 12.5 and 14! Much better. Hills sort of kept it down for a bit.
Off to bed then back on the road tomorrow.  :burnout:

Made it to Sequim WA last night. Got in about 7 or so. BUT...discovered there were not ANY motel/hotel rooms in Sequim or PORT Angeles or the new casino hotel 6 miles east of Sequim to be had! So...I had dinner with my son and his lady, then went to the place my ship had been before I moved to MO...and parked my trailer. My son has a couple of garages there so that was where the trailer was going to be any how.
We have a room for the rest of our stay, but this is where Sasha and I laid our heads last night!   :003:

Sleeping in the trailer sure beats sleeping in the truck.  :003:

Reminds me of the weekend I move from Va. Beach to Covington, TN.  The Navy movers had already packed up our stuff, closed on the house and was heading west with the truck full of plants, "survival gear", tools and a trailer on behind with the 48 1/2 ton on it.  The wife was driving the 36, the oldest daughter was driving the other daily driver.  Goal was to stay in TN that evening.  Got to Bristol and hit the motel we stayed in while on "house hunting" trips.  Full!  No other hotels had rooms.  Forgot......it was race weekend......

The clerk was great, she said she would call around while we got some supper.  She did say we could sleep in the vehicles and use the staff bathroom.  Got back and she said that she had a cancellation and we could have the room even though there were folks on a waiting list.  Guess she felt sorry us.

Yes it does! Was cold that night...very cold...and those packing blankets kept me toasty warm!

I was hoping for cancellations too...but Murphy was with me apparently...no one had squat. Interesting is the fact that the casino had just opened a new hotel with over 200 more rooms...and still there was nothing!

Well we are back on the road today...heading to Missouri. Gonna be a caravan...my son towing his '68 Mustang (packed full with parts for it) on a tow dolly, his girlfriend driving his car and I will be hauling my 24' box trailer with his Bronco in it and all the rest of their "stuff'. Hope to be home by Sunday...going as far as the Tri-Cities tonight in WA...then on to Billings tomorrow. Off on a fun run! LOL!!! I'll be in touch.
Oh...and I know I have said this before...but this is the last trip. Has to be this time...no one/nothing left here...all the family will now be in Missouri...other than the daughter and her family...and they are in Sacramento.
Fill-in time later tonight.   :burnout:

Hugh, not trying to break your bubble but, the weatherman says high winds, rain with some snow starting this evening. I guess it is to last into Sat. so be carefull on the passes.  I would like to think it won't amount to much but who knows.  The more I get to know you I realize I am not the only guy that was born under the wrong star. Take care

Oh..weather is the least of my problems right now.
My son was towing the '68 Mustang behind his truck with a tow-dolly last night and it lost 4 lugs off the left rear wheel in Randle WA. Luckily no one hurt, no damage to the car other than the lost lugs, but it happened at around 11:00 p.m. and we were supposed to make Pasco for the night.
So after an hour plus calling around finally found a tow truck and had it towed to Packwood. I had him wait with the car for the truck, his girlfriend and the kids (one in my truck that had been with him) and Bob in his truck came ahead to Pasco with me. I was the only one who can drive well at night visually...so sending them anywhere alone was not an option. With the back end of my white car trailer as their target they were able to follow me alright.
He finally arrived probably around 5:00 a.m. after we got here about 3:30. (I know...long way away, but I have a buddy here with a shop and tools, and issues with Bob's truck are giving me concern...so...a little preventive maintenance is in order before we continue.)
So around noon today I will head back over with him and recover the '68 and get it here and then Saturday start toward Missouri...again!
This issue of challenges is getting to be old...real old! Yea...that star seems to have had a long reach!   :angryfire: :013: :cussing:

Wow Hugh, it seems like it just never ends for you. I would have to have a 5th in the glove box just to keep me going.  Good luck hope to see you tomarrow if not it won't be the end of the world. Just stay safe and keep everyone lined out.  Take care.

I'm with Alvin.... a 5th just makes sense   :iamwithstupid:

After the day we had, might make that a couple of 5th's! But I think we have a handle on the issue. Got it back to Pasco just about 15 minutes ago. (11:50 PDT). Still have a couple of small things to deal with on it. BUT...as we were leaving today to go retrieve the '68 Pony...noticed the BRAND NEW tire on the left rear of the twin trailer tires is flat! SHEESH!  >:(
So...tomorrow a.m. early...off to O'Reillys to get the proper studs for the axle...put them in and the Pony will be good. THEN...air up the trailer tire, drive to a tire shop, have the flat fixed...THEN perhaps we can continue this sojourn east!
Not sure at this point how far we will go tomorrow, but Billings is only 8 hours from here...so...there is that possibility. If not...then one day this summer Bob and I will take a car holiday, and I will take him to a couple of places I have seen in my travels that I know he would like, and we will take in Alvin's place as well so the two of them can meet, and Bob can see Alvin's collection. He would like it I know. And I know he and Alvin would become fast friends.

I am ready for this last trip to be done though! Both my son and his lady need to be at work on Wednesday...so we need some smooth sailing from here on. Also I need to show her where her new store is that she will be working in. Hugh Jr. knows where his is. And they both need a day to sit on my front porch and just diffuse! (any of the forum is welcome to join us...we have PLENTY of adult beverages!  :occasion14: We even have plenty of chips and  :happy1: Might bring some chairs though...we're   touch short on those at the moment.   :003:

I am not sure about the rest of you guys, but as I read about the travels and trials of our friend Hugh its about like watching a soap opera.

I was thinking it feels more like I am living in a horror film...

Alvin, Agreed...........the good thing about it all is how well he's handled each and every situation.

Well...we got on the road from Pasco about 2:30 this afternoon after using my friend Bob Kiddy's shop, tools and son to get the Mustang to see things our way.  :001:
After that pretty much uneventful...thankfully! Hugh Jr is towing the Mustang behind his '93 Ranger with a 4.0 V-6/5-speed...and doesn't have much acceleration when in the mountains...and said he hasn't used 5th gear since we left Port Angeles for the most part...so his fuel economy is ugly. But other than that it is towing well enough. I figure once we get clear of the mountains and out onto the mostly flat highway of Montana and beyond he'll get the 5th gear to exercise a bit. I too have been challenged for fuel economy for the same reason. But generally (from previous experience) I see high 13's to low 14's miles/gallons once I am out of the mountains.
Traveling with kids (4) is also a bit different than with just Sasha or my wife...more stops...so we only made it as far as Stone Creek after leaving Bob's. Sadly this means no stopping at Alvin's on the way back, as both Hugh Jr and his lady are to be at work on Wednesday...and we will probably not make it to Shell Knob until early to late evening Tuesday. Oh well..best laid plans of mice and men eh?
We stopped for the night around 2:40...it is now 3:25...so I am off to bed in a few...we will be back on the road around 11:a.m. And the silver lining here? this is definitely the last trip from WA to MO...nothing left in WA now to move!
Night all!   :006: (or is that morning...?)

And the hits just keep on coming. About 60 miles west of Billings I lost the right front tire on the trailer. Two and a half hours an $285.00 later I was back on the road. In Billings now, tomorrow up and over to Discount Tire for a new tire so I'll have a spare.
Had a touch of weather, rain and then some snow as we topped a small peak.
Off tomorrow for a long drive, followed by a shorter one on Tuesday hopefully. I will be so glad when this trip is done...other than the 3 week Christmas/New Year visit to the hospital...it has been the most exasperating trip to be sure.

Your on the downhill now (literally), so just keep Missouri in the crosshairs.  It's a pain when its happening, but it definitely has given y'all some family memories.

James

True...memories that will I suppose in time be humorous...but right now...annoying living it to be sure! I need to get my fishing pole out when I get home and sit a spell!   :006:

Well...Murphy struck early today...and with his fist this time.
My son and the family took off about 9 heading east on I-90...I went to Discount Tire and got my new spare. He made it about 75 miles or so and going around the curve ahead of MP-519 his rear u-joint in the drive-line let go...and that was where the tow-truck picked him up...100 feet from the MP-519 sign. I got there about 45 minutes after.
We were towed to Sheridan, to a Firestone shop. They put a new u-joint in, tried to re-balance it and couldn't true it up. Took it back apart, and upon serious scrutiny found a crack in it. So...now it has to go to a drive-line shop which will take the thing apart, fix the crack, grind it smooth again and then re-balance it there. Prediction is with some luck...we will be on the road around 1 or 2 in the afternoon. At this point we are looking at arrival in Shell Knob around dinner time Wednesday...assuming Murphy isn't paying attention when we leave town.
At the saga continues...on and on and o----(where is that Southern Comfort bottle?   :dontknow: )

Hugh you have the makings of a terror movie going here!

Don't I though? Sheesh!  :-\

Well, I've always heard that Murphy was an optimist.  :002:

I think we lost him!!! We managed to make the entire distance between Sheridan Wyoming and Murdo S. Dakota with no stops other than a loose strap holding a tarp down...and gas stops!  :003:

Let's see how Wednesday goes...with any luck we'll be home by 11:00 p.m. long day...but should be a final day!

Ya' know...for a guy who has been dead for over 150 years...Murphy has sure been a thorn in my side for the last week!
Apparently whilst we slept...he caught up with us. As we took off this morning my son's truck just got weaker and weaker as we went along. Finally got to where he could barely top a hill. So we sidetracked to Pierre S. Dakota and discovered that every shop in town was booked out until next Monday or Tuesday...including the local Ford dealer.
Finally found one that said he "might" be able to get to it tomorrow...no promises. Dropped the truck off there around 10:30 a.m. and went to get a motel. Got one, but couldn't get into the rooms until around 1:30...but they let the kids into the pool so that was fine. Sasha and I napped in the truck and grass outside.
Hugh Jr and I were headed to Walmart around 2:00 and the shop called and told us the truck was ready. We had already paid for the rooms and moved into them. Of course. So we will just leave tomorrow morning since there is no way we could make it home tonight, and the rooms aren't refundable.
The issue? *&%$#@! One of the spark plug wires had slipped down on the exhaust manifold where it wasn't easily seen, burned through...and well...you can figure out the rest. Could have been worse, we were thinking a collapsing muffler or possibly cat...although the rotten egg smell wasn't present so I was thinking muffler.

Try again tomorrow...on the EIGHTH day of what should have been a 3-3 1/2 day trip maximum!  >:( There is a liquor store nearby...getting awfully tempting...

Okay...5:15 a.m. Central Time...heading out in 45 minutes...hopefully for the last leg of this never ending trip. I am desirous of making my next update from my desk in Shell Knob MO this evening!
My buddy Bob arrived yesterday in between spring storms...so that is good. May we join him tonight? Stay tuned!   :004:

Good luck and be safe on the road today!

This is beginning to sound like "A Never Ending Trip".  I hope things go well for the rest of the trip home!

Ah...home sweet home!  :006: Trouble free...and his truck was able to take hills like he wasn't even towing anything...and on the flat and some small hills he was able to use 5th gear! We got in about 10:45 p.m. after leaving at 6:40 a.m.! HOORAH!

The trip is done! The next time I activate this thread...I hope it is for a trip to see some member's car(s)! Now...comes the fun of unloading once he finds a place! Oh...and I still have to finish renovations on my apartments that are empty so I can get them rented out. But after the last 8 days...that'll be a cake walk!

Glad you made it home safely w/o further problems.

Good morning Hugh,  it sure is boring here on the site now that you are home.

LOL!!! Yea...well...for me...having dealt with it...boring is okay! Although there is still plenty here to keep me busy.  :006:

Welcome home Bud!

Thank you sir! Good to be home! Had dinner on the deck last night with my wife...we sat and ate and just enjoyed the sunset and quiet.
Think my next road trip needs to be east...maybe as far as the Atlantic Ocean area...maybe to some historical place...HHHHHhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmm...some place where one might get a look at a slick red coupe that I could shoot pics of! Maybe even get a ride in!  :006: I am past ready for a road trip of fun and entertainment...done with required trips! LOL!!!

Come on dowm.   :064:

Okay...back on the road...but this one is a bit of pleasure and a bit of parts acquisition.
Heading to Milwaukee WI to see a friend and his wife whom I haven't seen in 41 years.
Then off to Adrian MI to see Gary and pick up his old Courier which has a couple of parts that would cost me more to have made than to drive up and get his car. After a dinner for his generosity, off to...
Farmington Hills MI to see my cousin and his wife...haven't seen them since '06.
Departing there will take me to Louisville KY where I will meet up with John Brissette and pick up interior door trim and a door for the passenger side of my Courier.
Following that visit, I will be heading back home.

As part of the trip I get to see some nice '57 Fords to boot! I will keep all informed...and take pics of their cars from my perspective...and post them when I return to my abode!  :burnout:

have a safe trip, Hugh !!!

Thanks G...since I'll be traveling alone...things will probably go smoothly. My wife says the only time I have issues on my travels is when someone goes with me! LOL!!!  :005:

OK, I'm jealous...you're going to see two of the best project cars going! Have a safe trip, Hugh.

Hugh you going up and around or down under and up to get to Gary's?  The drive up from Milwaukee to the UP and down is well worth the extra time and miles.  Absolutely beautiful drive in both WI and MI.  That and the Mackinac Bridge is a sight to behold!

He braved Chicago.

I did indeed brave the Windy City! Wasn't too bad actually...Seattle...Salt Lake...Portland...San Diego...Dallas and of course L.A. are either comparable or worse...especially Seattle and L.A.!
Did not really have the time to do the scenic version...but next time I head that way I will. Plan to take my wife on a road trip in that direction at some point, and then we'll definitely do the slow scenic version. I have heard other speak of the bridge in glowing terms as well...so it is on my list!

***********************

Pictures...do NOT do Gary's car justice! Not sure which was sweeter...the eye candy or the ear candy! One nice piece of art! Lovely car in every aspect!

Quiet night tonight again in the Farmington Hills area west of Detroit. They really got hammered here a couple of nights ago with wind storms and will be days if not weeks cleaning up from Mother Nature's little temper tantrum. Found a place open last night though where my cousin and I could get a bite and a brew. So the trip up from Gary's wasn't a wash.
Now today heading to Louisville Kentucky at a quiet pace to see John Brissette (KY Blue Oval) and his car and pick up some things...a door and door trim. I'll see him on Saturday, then head back to Shell Knob later that day and be in my own bed that night. Hopefully weather remains well behaved...looking to do a bit of sight-seeing in Louisville later today...as I have never been there before.

Leaving the motel in a bit to head over to see the eye candy of KYBlueOval and pick up a door and some trim. Then back to Missouri.
Discovered yesterday that when I lost the tire in Illinois that it also apparently peeled the license plate off the trailer. So somewhere in rural Illinois is a plate with no home. Something else to deal with when I get back home. Better than some of the past aggravations though.

I've been looking for a plate to use at the auto-scan toll plazas... would you mind?
:002:

Sounds like a great trip, enjoy.

And maybe he'll give you a peek at what's under the covers next to the Ranchero. I'd love to see his project also. Hugh and John............2 members I've got to shake hands with!

Rich...........Under the covers there is a '63 Studebaker Avanti, that I've owned 49 years. Not stock.Not a restored car. The other is a '33 Ford 3 Window coupe. A real Henry Ford car. Chopped , channeled, BBC (Yes a Chebby Motor),Hi-Boy.
John

Quote from: Rancher on 2021-07-10 08:31
I've been looking for a plate to use at the auto-scan toll plazas... would you mind?
:002:

Sounds like a great trip, enjoy.

LOL!!! Yea...sure...go for it. Be quick though...Going in either Monday or Tuesday to replace it. Amazing how many cops never even noticed there wasn't one on the trailer...or just didn't care.

Didn't get to see much of the '33...it was up in the air. But the Avanti was below it. Looks like it was just rolled off the assembly line! Oh so sweet!

So...my trip was for the most part uneventful outside of the tire that also cost me the license plate. Was able to see two more members cars...Gary's is rolling art work! A little more to go and it will be getting plenty of road time! I need to go back after he is done so I can beg a ride from him!   :003:
********************************
John's car is still a long way from done, but the current state was a huge plus for me. Things he has done were answers to questions I had that I hadn't even asked yet. For instance the cowl drain system he put in eliminates the sure to rot out AGAIN rubber hose. His wiring harness ideas mirror what I was thinking of doing, so he basically verified that I was thinking straight (not something I am often accused of!) He also gave me ideas for preserving my never to be seen interiors of the rockers and he has a pretty snazzy left rear taillight that mimics the '56 Chev. Not sure if I will do same...but something to think about. His Ranchero will be a gorgeous piece of art as well when he is done...and is on my list of cars to see again when done. And of course beg the ride as well!
********************************
Having ridden in Rich's car as well as having seen it...I sort of feel after seeing these three cars and Alvin's two that I am oh so inadequate!  :P I have no intention of being nearly as deep into the customizing as either of the first three...and I know I've not the patience to go down the road Alvin did.
So as I told John today, mine will be basically hot rods, (the white Courier was a race car before I got it) I will do my best to make them as fine as possible, but mods to the level of his and Rich's and Gary's won't be on the table. But it will be a nice car. I just won't EVER park it at a show near any of their cars! LOL!!!
Alvin's cars are unbelievable in the fine detail to originality...and a quick look over at either of them shows the amount of work that went into finding all the parts needed to make them museum worthy vehicles. I also told John today that after having ridden in Rich's car, seen John's future, Gary's car almost complete and Alvin's cars...I realize how much I have missed in my automotive education over the 40+ years I was away from the hobby. I feel pretty ignorant at this point.
Listening to Gary talk about his processes, about motors, suspensions...well, it was like being in a classroom or watching/listening to a tutorial on '57 assembly and modifications. Mind boggling, yet very understandable. Thanks Gary...expect phone calls or e-mails when I am able to start back into mine, as I need help clarifying some of the things you laid on me!
Likewise being able to crawl under and walk around John's car and listen to how, why and where mods were made was like being in yet another classroom. Little things that make so much sense, yet are not in some cases quickly apparent, or things that will never see the light of day, yet make the car so much easier to trouble shoot should the need arise. Like the sliding fuse panel...UNDER the passenger seat!  :039: Another pathway of e-mails and phone calls as I move forward.

So...I not only picked up the parts I went in search of from both...but I receives some great ideas and mental assistance for my project. Thanks both of you! And anyone who finds themselves anywhere near Adrian MI or Louisville KY...take the time to stop by and see these guys! You will be glad you did!
One last bit of info...I drove through places I have never driven before. Illinois, Michigan (flown into both but no driving) Indiana and Kentucky. I tried to stay as much as possible off the big hiways until heading home time. The rural parts of these states are full of beauty...farm lands, some spectacular homes that have more than a few years behind them and really nice sunsets! Drive the back roads as much as you can find the time to do it. Well worth the effort!
***********************************
Next trip for me...heading west again...GULP...first stop will be 1930artdeco and see where he is on his project. That trip will commence around the 9th-10th of August.   :burnout:

Okay...here we go!  :burnout: Looks like departure date will  be Friday GULP the 13th of August! (WHY did I not see this coming...ugh!) I am going from Shell Knob MO to Walnut Grove to see 19030aredeco (Mike) and pick up some stuff.
From there I go to L.A. to see Abe and also pick up some stuff...plus I am going to try and do a drive-by of my grandparents old apartment bldg they owned over by Griffith Park. Also hope to see a friend I haven't see for 52 years.
Then from there off to San Diego to do the reunion thing and go to dinner with a couple of friends who were not from my school.
From there I go to Phoenix and have lunch with a buddy who is on the home stretch to retirement from Phoenix P.D. next May. (which will trigger another drive...all on Route 66...anyone wanna come along? It is an open invite to come! Just have to want to have fun...only requirement. It is his gig, he has it all planned out...we just follow him!  :002: )
After that to Bisbee AZ to pick up my friend Bob who will then join me on the balance of the trip which will see us head to Las Cruces to pick up a bunch of parts for '57 & '58 Fords from a member there who doesn't post much, but reads everything we all say or post!  :003: He has stuff he wants to get rid of, but not mess with selling. So to save it from the scrap yard, I am picking it up and bringing it with me...and will make it available to others for everyone's favorite price...shipping cost only! Thanks to Lannie Bryant in Las Cruces!  :006:  (see Rich's post under http://57fordsforever.com/smf/index.php?board=17.0 and the heading "Free Parts".)
From Lannie's Bob and I head to Billings Montana and visit Alvin and shoot some pics of his newly finished
retractable before he puts it on the market.

Should be no problem...right? Easy trip? Taking the F-350 and Bob's small but hefty 10' utility trailer with me. Here we go!   :burnout:

Hugh I sure hope I have the retractable back from the transmission shop by then, as of today that dosen't look to good. I do have your 2 interior door window moldings here so won't be a total loss. If there is one thing I have learned from this retractable restoration is keep the tools handy and a 1/5 of Black Velvet on the workbench.

Make mine Southern Comfort!  :003:

We won't be at your place until probably 23rd or 24th of August.

Have a safe trip Hugh !
Sounds like a lot of fun and a looong , looooooooooong drive...... :003:

Hoping it is all fun...and no drama! And yea...it will be a long one...about 5500 miles by the time I get back...maybe a touch more.

Be safe........I envy your trips. We're birds of a feather when it comes to that.........except for the lack of resources($) on my part, lol. I just saw your post from last month, don't know how I missed it until this morning. Thanks for the compliments on my car, and yes I'd love to see John's and Gary's cars/projects. I don't think it'll ever happen with Gary, but maybe John since his son lives in Texas and he comes this way occasionally. John and I did get to shake hands briefly 8 or so years ago.
and Hugh............speaking of pics, lol...........

So...if I am on the road...it must be story time right?

Yea...so...I was making excellent time having left Shell Knob MO around 6:20 after fueling up. Got as far as Shawnee OK and stopped for fuel around 11:40 p.m...planning on going as far as the west side of Amarillo maybe a bit further. Noticed one of the trailer tires was a bit low on air ( I have Bob's 10' utility trailer with me to haul back the load from my trip of various '57 parts).
So I fueled up...rolled over to the FREE air station (when was the last time any of us saw free air?!?!?!) and as I was taking off the cap...noticed the tire was missing a substantial amount of tread...yea...here we go again right? Nope...not gonna have another blowout on the highway at 70 mph.
So...decided to get a room. SHEESH! What a chore...one place had no vacancies...2 others were not going to allow Sasha.
Finally found one that would...and the gal was checking me in...her computer crashed! After about 30 minutes, and waking up her boss to come down and deal with it...I got a room.
Good news...there is a Discount Tire here...so I will head over tomorrow and probably replace both tires...since they are of unknown age. Both have ample tread...but I know they have been on that trailer for at least 7-8 years...maybe longer. Not interested in any more road drama...so...yea...both will be staying in Shawnee OK.

On another note...I think now I know why the guy that was riding my butt as I entered OK backed off suddenly....I bet that is where the slab of rubber came off the tire.
when he passed me...he did so pretty quickly...being dark out I have n0 idea if he was giving me any hand signals or not... :006:

Off to bed I go...further updates tomorrow. Hopefully uneventful ones. Oh and Rich...never really thought about pics on these trips...but I do have the camera with me...so I'll see what I can come up with.

pics, pics pics ! we need pics Hugh. blurry pics, dark pics, any pics are good pics. you are driving cross country and god only knows the scenery and sights you come across. A lot of people would envy you for that, including me... :003:....so, any pic is a good pic !
Sasha in front of a car, Sasha in front of oil pumps, Sasha in front of desert, woods, mountains, seaside, you name it, old cars, old buildings, cheap restaurants? we take them all.  :002:

Hungry for pics eh? Guess I'll have to try harder. I have shot some on previous trips...but none lately...seems lately I am always in a hurry, or have someone with me...which means stopping on the side of the road to shoot something is generally not gonna happen...since no one else ever likes to stop when I do.
But i will try...promise.

FYI...on my profile there is a link to my photo website that much of my stuff is posted on...if anyone is interested... :002:

http://hugh-carino.pixels.com/  <<<click here

Greetings all from Flagstaff AZ. Left Shawnee OK around noon truck time (that is Central time and is what I am leaving the truck clock on.) Arrived here around 1:15 Pacific Coast time. No issues today other than ever present delays brought on by road work. Worst was in Albuquerque...took 40 minutes to crawl 5 miles.   :cussing:
Should be in Walnut Grove tomorrow (Sunday) late afternoon.

Please post video of matted pedal and the shift into overdrive as flashing red and blue lights fade away in mirror. lol

LOL!!! That would be a great video!   :burnout:

Hugh give me a heads up when you are near me.  I'm right west of DTLA. 
There was a great Pomona Swap today.  But it quite a headache to get in.  Someone got a smoking deal on a 57 Victoria 2 door hardtop.  All complete ready to drive home.  I didn't even get pics of the car as I was oogooling  the interior it was sold. 
There was also this 2dr easing for the sale price about 20k but the Victoria left me comparing all the other cars to it.

We drove the 41 Cadillac out from LA and back.  It went well no hiccups.  Just need to grease the suspension and speedo cable.

Looking forward to seeing you will switch the cars around today so the 57 is out of the garage.

NICE looking rides! The wagon looks pretty charming too...

So as Abe and Mike know...the curse of Murphy has struck again.  Made it as far as Kingman AZ before giving up and getting off the road. One of the computers in my F-350 is giving me attitude...causing all srots of comfort issues as well as performance issues. (turning on the heater at about a setting of 86 or 96 when it is 95 outside!  :angry5: Also demanding traction assist be serviced...shutting off the tach and speedometer...changing my readings on my trip meter...just being a pain. So off tomorrow morning to see if someone has correct hammer to beat it with.
WHY can't I have a quiet trip? But then...I never have issues when driving a car with no computers! Updates as they are available.

Okay...because Rich and G asked...and because I am such a nice guy...(  :003: )...here is how I spent my afternoon in Kingman AZ waiting for my room to be available...

The first one is for Gunther...
The third one I shot in '04 when I was here with Mustangs Across America. Never liked the one I got all that much...so re-shot it today...

And a couple of more...
First one I have no idea what it is...but it looked interesting so...I shot it.
Second and third ones are planes in the desert alongside Kingman Airport that are being "stored"  until they are dismantled. According to some history I read on the subject...10's of 1,000's of war planes from WWII were brought here and cut up for scrap after the war. Now a lot of what is dismantled here are the old airliners. Wanna buy a plane cheap?  :041:

There you go , Hugh !
Thats the kind of random, but very interesting pics ! thank you !
Sasha looks great watching your truck while youre waiting for electronic deveices from you know where. Hope she won't get bored in 2 or three months.. :003: :002:

with all the pandemic restrictions, there must be literally thousands of planes getting dropped off.

Yeah!! Great to see the pics, Hugh.
OK, I need to do better taking and posting myself. On my recent trip, I did 4 car shows and a big cruise....took 3 pics total.
I went to Arizona twice annually until 5 years ago, but it's been 35 years since I went thru Kingman, so thanks for posting. Being Monday, I guess you get to find out how long before you can get repair parts. Be careful out there my friend, Covid is spiking all over, including Amarillo.

between the pandemic and the grounding of the 737 MAX the logistics airport in Victorville was packed. The other side not shown in the picture is all UPS and FedEx.

Hugh?? Any luck at the Ford dealer?

Under advice from another member...I did not go to a Ford dealer. Since my truck has had the DEF system removed, there was doubt a dealer would even work on it.
So the advice was to find a tuner that specialized in diesel engines...specifically trucks and possibly Fords.. I did find a guy ad he is a specialist with Ford, having worked for them for 10 years on diesels.He found 4 codes...but the issue then became fixing it. As he said...anywhere from 4 hours to TWO weeks. I like Kingman well enough...but NOT two weeks worth. Plus...I have a 50th reunion to go to!
So I hopped in it and rove its to my daughter's in N. Sacramento. As he said...if the worst was sporadic air conditioning and dinging bells...I could live with that' Yea...well...that isn't what happened. About 100 miles form her place (Turlock) i started getting low oil pressure indicators, battery dead indicators, oil too hot indicators, coolant too hot indicators, check engine light and dropped gauges, along with loss of speedometer and water temp gauges. Even the cruise control got into the act as did the radio display. I pulled over and sat in a parking lot for a bit to think and let it just idle.
I got out and checked the serpentine belt to see if it was coming apart, but it is not...looks like brand new. So...after about 10 minutes I went to an ARCO station, filled my water bottles and everything was "normal" other than the check engine light was still on. I made it to her neighborhood fine but as I was driving through it...everything came back again. So...tomorrow back to a tuner shop. I really believe it is probably the ABS system.since that was the first one to start giving me grief...and the guy in Kingman said the way these things are wired...if one in a set goes belly up...it makes the others in it's line act up as well. There are four in this set. I need to be in SD by Wednesday...no later than Thursday. I will NOT miss my 50th reunion!

I must have done something wrong in my past that is just now coming around to haunt me!
My truck spent the entire day today in a diesel tuner shop being worked on. The guy has begun the process of tracing down all of the computer wire harness lines. There are according to him dozens of "splices" in the system, and he has to find each one...check it for value and then move on to the next.
So far I am $260 poorer...and still not driving it. He is going to need at last one more day.  :-\

So...I am effectively out of time to wait around hoping to get it done in time to make my 50th reunion. Tomorrow I rent a car, and leave for SD, do the reunion and other things planned for that town, then head back to Sacramento hopefully to collect my truck, grab my stuff from Mike (1930deco) and  an engine/tranny for Abe that he bought from a guy up this way, then head ton Abe's place, then down to Bisbee to collect Bob. Then up to Billings to see Alvin then home! Probably going to miss a car show on Saturday the 27th that I was going to take the Saleen to...but oh well.

Crossing my fingers that I hear from this fellow on Thursday or Friday that my truck is ready!

" dozens of splices " ? I'm assuming this was a used truck purchase. Good luck and hope you get it back on the road soon to finish your trip.

Sounds like you pissed off a personal friend of Satan's. Good luck with that, and have a great time at the reunion.

Yes...it was a used truck. And the DEF system was removed by a previous owner. The ones I saw all looked really clean...but it only takes one. The other option is that somehow a virus got into the computers...but he isn't thinking that.

I'm going with Rich's train of thought... :angry4:

Hugh, you need a grille bra on your truck. I hear they keep the viruses away.... :002: :003:

Yea...but I like it when my truck goes nekkid...makes the other trucks which are not so well endowed jealous   :naughty:

Quote from: hiball3985 on 2021-08-19 08:51
" dozens of splices " ? I'm assuming this was a used truck purchase. Good luck and hope you get it back on the road soon to finish your trip.

So today when I went in to let him know of my plans, I asked about the splices. He said they are factory splices where wires come in or leave the two "party line" wires to go to the various computers in the truck...which number according to him somewhere around 12 - 14. He said these can over time deteriorate...although not often. Just sometimes they do, and others may go forever and never suffer any issues. I of course got one that is suffering issues...damn Murphy!

The spices are factory, I didn't know they did those kind of things these days.. I'll stick with my old non computer cars..

Yea...makes one really appreciate the older cars!

Quote from: mustang6984 on 2021-08-20 00:40
So today when I went in to let him know of my plans, I asked about the splices. He said they are factory splices where wires come in or leave the two "party line" wires to go to the various computers in the truck...which number according to him somewhere around 12 - 14. He said these can over time deteriorate...although not often. Just sometimes they do, and others may go forever and never suffer any issues. I of course got one that is suffering issues...damn Murphy!

Murphy was an optimist. 😉

LOL!!! Seems to be more and more true eh?

So I keep meaning to ask...WHAT part of Oklahoma are you in? Have I driven by you a few times and not known it?

And...the truck is FIXED! That's the good news. The bad is the bill...$1600 smackers! He finally tracked down the bad splice, cut a wire to put in place of the one that was corrupted and then took it for a serious test drive. Nothing acted up! So...leaving early Monday a.m. and heading back to collect the truck, then drop back down to mike's place and pick up my stuff and a motor/transmission combo for Abe...then the next day down to Abe's place in L.A. and drop his motor off, grab some things he has and start off toward Bisbee the following day.

Oh...and the reunion was tonight...great times...got to see a buddy of mine I haven't seen for over 40 years...he is always on the road with his traveling band...The Association...remember them? He runs the touring band and has for the last 30 years or so...went to work playing drums for them 36 years ago. not bad for what originally was supposed to be a short term 6 month gig!  :burnout:
And saw another buddy I hadn't seen for almost 40 years as well. He lives in Central Oregon. Was good to see both of them. Some didn't make it due to unforeseen happenings at the last minute. so maybe in 5 years...
My cousin and I are going to dinner tomorrow night...some place quiet...we didn't get to speak much, since she helps assemble this collection every 5 years.

you gotta be kidding Hugh.....
The Association was one of my favorite bands in the late 1980s... Windy... I listened to it all the time

Never my Love, this is just awesome...way cool !
To me, this is just a superb part of the 60s sound....among many others.
That organ/electric piano playing at the end is so beautiful, it makes me want to cry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzgpB9xpyT8

Quote from: djfordmanjack on 2021-08-21 05:48
you gotta be kidding Hugh.....
The Association was one of my favorite bands in the late 1980s... Windy... I listened to it all the time

Never my Love, this is just awesome...way cool !
To me, this is just a superb part of the 60s sound....among many others.
That organ/electric piano playing at the end is so beautiful, it makes me want to cry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzgpB9xpyT8

X2!

X2 They played around Los Angeles area and I remember them well, just great music..
I saw them play several times at the Ice House in Glendale.

Bruce said they are heading back out on tour again in September...didn't ask him the itinerary but I imagine japan will be somewhere on the list of places. They are still really hot over there. Told him he needs to come to Branson for a gig and he said they hadn't been there for about 20 years...and that it was time to come back. so...when they do he'll let me know, and I'll post it up and let everyone know.
And I'll tell him to book an Austria tour too for Gunther...I'll tell him you're waiting G... :006:

Hugh
Good to hear the truck is sorted out and you got to the reunion.  Have a safe trip!

I get it, Windy was an ode to the supercharged 312.
:icon_kidra:

But NML, was that a serenade to Custom or Fairlane?
:love7:

Well...back on the road in about 90 minutes or so...northbound to Sacramento to retrieve my truck in the morning. Let's hope for a boring rest of the trip! I'll keep all posted as I motor onward!  :burnout:

dang no pics but Hugh just left a little bit ago, it was great to meet him. I sent him off with some parts, He was nice enough to pick up a tiny Morris engine and tranny from up north. It happened to be right by Mikes 390 engines near Concord,Ca.

Good luck..........NSRA show in Albuquerque this weekend if you're in the neighborhood...............not sure if dogs are allowed??

Some how I missed the date Hugh was going to be in LA I already had another commitment so I missed him. Good luck on the rest of your trip and hope no further problems with the truck.

I'll be way past there by the weekend. Home by Thursday night...Friday lunch at the latest.

Abe has been holding out on us...he has a couple of really nice rides in his garage...tell 'em about those Abe!

Ditto for Mike...he has a super little ride in his pl;ace as well...these guys have been keeping secrets! LOL!!!

Leaving Bisbee in about 15...heading for Las Cruces!

great to see you guys networking and Hugh picking up and delivering parts as he goes. That makes a true enthusiast !

I'll bring you some too when I come over G!   :006:  :003:

hiball...the truck is running like a Swiss watch! I'll catch you next time out. Family first biddy!

Hugh called last night. He was putting up in Alamagordo, for the night and is expecting to be passing thru Amarillo by mid-late afternoon. Not sure if he is going thru Carrizozo to I40 @Santa Rosa, or thru Ruidoso, Roswell, and Clovis and into Amarillo that way. About the same distance, both trucking routes, but thru Carrizozo is a much prettier drive. Either way, I do in the '57 two or three times a year as a favorite car show is in Ruidoso.
I'll be meeting up with him for a short visit.

Ah...Home Sweet Home! Arrived home around 3:20 this morning local time and hit the sack. Saw Rich in Amarillo and was able to let Bob see his car. Never saw a drop of rain from the day I left until I got back. So that was good. The truck continues to run like a Swiss watch since the fellow in Sacramento beat some sense into it. (there are 14 computers in that thing!)
Did not see Alvin as his car is still giving him transmission grief...so that will be a trip for another day perhaps in a couple of months!
Now I get to head to the apartment building and figure out where my new water leak is...popped up while I was gone. Murphy is sure a pain for someone who has been dead for over 150 years!
Oh...and just a reminder...I brought back a BUNCH of stuff from Lannie in New Mexico...and it is free for the shipping cost. There is a list on the site that Rich posted under http://57fordsforever.com/smf/index.php?board=17.0 and then look for "Free Parts".

"Never saw a drop of rain from the day I left until I got back."
My last two weekend roadtrips have been plagued with rain. I'll do a post on my weekend in hell later, as soon as I figure out if all this stuff really happened to me, or I slipped into the twilight zone. My 4 1/2 hour trip home from the NSRA in Alburquerque turned into 10 hours!!
Glad you made it home ok, apparently when we shook hands Thursday, you passed your bad luck onto me.

OOPs! Sorry... :-[

It is time for the road again. Leave this afternoon to drop my wife off at the airport in Springfield. She is off for 10 days in Sacramento.
I meanwhile will be sticking to the black ribbons of the American Midwest and now...for the first time ever...heading to the East! (Furthest I have been in the past is Michigan and also the Florida/Georgia areas)
Going to Billings area to see Alvin...my friend Bob is flying into Billings and we will then go to lunch with Alvin, and Bob can finally see the collection of cars that Alvin has. This has been on our list of things for Bob some time. He has heard me speak of the cars so much, he wanted to see them!
Then we turn 180 degrees and head to Connecticut to see forum member Louis Champeau who has a pair of bumpers for my Fairlane. It is actually cheaper to go get them and buy them from him than to pay to have ONE of mine chromed in today's world! Plus we both (Bob and I) get to see a few parts of the country we have never seen before. The camera/tripod are going along...so pics will be taken!
Only rule? I MUST be back at the Springfield airport by 10:00 p.m. on the 24th to pick up Cindy...yea...not missing that plane!!!

So...off an running in about 2 hours! Let the official summer traveling begin!!!
(OH...P.S.: Not taking the pick-up this time, we just had a new motor put in the /14 Explorer...so that is the road trip car this time.)

Greetings from O'Neill Nebraska. Spending the night here...(2:30 a.m. now) and will hit Billings about 11 tomorrow night. No problems...new motor pulling down a solid 24+ mpg at 67-70 mph.  :burnout:

Well...made it to Billings about 10:00 p.m. local time. Will be here until Sunday. My friend Bob flies in Sat. evening around 9:40.
We'll see Alvin on Sunday then head east.
Appears we will be stopping in NY state for a bit somewhere, Alvin sold his 312 to oldgasser. He is going to come down from Ontario and snatch it.

Spent a great day with Alvin. We went to lunch together with his wife Rosie keeping us in line.  :003:
We then took the Retractable out for a drive, and I was the one doing the driving! First time since '76 I have driven a '57! Gosh...it brought back such great memories! Alvin did a beautiful job on the restoration! Sweet ride in all aspects!
The we took his '31 Plymouth for a stretch of the legs as well...and another first for me, I drove that as well...I have ever driven a car from that era! That little buggy scoots!
Great day Alvin! Thanks!

On an annoying note...Bob called from Phoenix. His plane from there to Dallas was broke down. So by the time they could get him to Dallas he missed his flight to Billings. So...he will arrive around 11 a.m. on Sunday. For someone who has been dead over 150 years...that guy Murphy and his "laws" sure seems to have a heavy presence!

So, tomorrow Alvin and I will set the cars up for a shoot...and that will be the Stadel Christmas card this year. Then Bob and I will depart for Connecticut.  :burnout:

Greetings from Wall Drug SD!  :006:
Well...in spite of Murphy's best efforts...Bob finally made it to Billings! More importantly...so did his luggage!
We set up the cars outside Alvin's shop...and took a pic of all 4 of us along with Elvira (the ruling party in the Stadel home) and Sasha. Then I shot one of just Alvin and Rosie along Elvira for their Christmas card pic for '23. I'll post the pic of the 4 of us later in the thread. Also got some shots of Alvin's shop to share as well.
After the photo shoot we went inside and had a nice lunch of BBQ burgers and brats! There also a salad of crab and pasta and a green salad. Yes...a fine spread! Thanks Rosie! She also sent us off with banana bread and cookies!  :003: Even Sasha got a burger pattie!
Later Alvin said about 5:15 the wind and sprinkles that we had to work around for the photos had blown it's self out and sunny skies were back with calmness. Murphy apparently sent his best regards while we were trying to take care of business.

Well...we have made it Wisconsin Dells. Good day of travel, although we seem to spend too much time in the restaurants when we stop for food. So that'll be trimmed tomorrow. Still 16 hours of travel, so I'll probably also take the speed up a notch or two closer to the posted speed limits of 70-75. Been cruisin' along at 68 and pulling down 22-24+ mpg.
Also...some truck through a LARGE rock and it bounced once...and then smacked the top of the windshield just to the left of the rear view mirror. Wife's car...she was NOT amused when I told her.
Other than that...no issues. Still movin' along. Also looks like we'll run up the road a bit and spend some time with Cobra Joe too before heading back.  :burnout:

That's a great trip you're doing.

Having fun to be sure. Hope the next time I do it, I'll be riding around in a coral pink and white Fairlane 500 from the 50's!

We made it to Newton Falls OH. Driving in Chicago is like hitting your head against a wall...only feels good when you done!
The construction was bad enough...but at 2 in the afternoon it was like 5 o'clock rush hour!
And some of those people drive like they have nothing above their shoulders. More than an hour to get through the city!
Then there are the toll roads! Nearly $30 into them so far...and not done yet.  >:(
We should be in Milford though by 5 or so. (I'll call tomorrow from the road Joe...) Weather has been pretty decent for the trip. So that is no issue. The crack from yesterday's rock encounter is moving east to west on the windshield...so that is a good thing.
Sasha is happy when we hit rest stops!  :003: She is handling this well...great traveler.

Chicago rush hour traffic is 24/7.  I have found nothing worth driving through Chicago!  If travel requires going to the other side of Chicago, I go via Des Moines.

Safe travels.

Having driven through there twice, I would tend to agree. Not knowing the area...I had no idea how to go around it. I need to plan my trip out better next time I head to that area to be sure!

Chicago sucks....
Looks like possible rain here tomorrow Hugh, pretty much through Monday. WTF?

Spent the evening with James and Linda. Great visit. Saw Linda's '63 Galaxie convertible! OH MY! Red with a white lid! So nice! Took pics as well, and when I get back home I will put them up.
Picked up the bumpers and some other items Louis had to sell. Full set of bumpers along with the guards. My Fairlane will look so sweet!
Toll roads can really be annoying! We spent over $25 on them! YIKES!
Heading back Thursday toward Branson. We were going to run up and see Cobra Joe...but Murphy has reared his ugly head and is sending in a nasty weather front, so no go this time. DRATS!

Greetings from Dayton Ohio! Arrived here about30 minutes ago. Only about 9:45 hours to go and we will be back home.
Rain chased us out of CT. and into Ohio. Still drizzling a bit even here in Dayton. I can only imagine how tall my lawn is after 11 days since it was last mowed. UGH!
The engine in the car is really running well...pulling  pretty consistent 20's in the mpg world even at 70-73 mph. Pulled the dipstick earlier today and oil still looks like brand new. She'll be due for an oil change when we get home though.
Should have pics up by Sunday evening.

Well...tied up to the home hitching post about 2 hours ago. Showed Bob around the property and the changes. He had no idea about the new road leading to the house, new floor, new driveway, new pad for the new shop, the new lean-to going in behind the current shop, the removal of dangerous trees near the house, the new handrails on the ramp to the deck or the new paint job on the deck. Also no idea about the wife's rock garden, or the moving of his car and my wife's RX-7 to covered storage in the back of the house, or that the house has been recently leveled.
That'll teach him to leave home for 11 months! :003:
The last leg of the drive was very uneventful. Clear skies and dry, temps eventually into the 92 degree range. Car ran quite well overall...the engine light went back out, but then came back later this evening. I'll get it looked at this next week. (I suspect oxygen sensor...over 200k on the car.)
Average for the trip is probably around 22 mpg. I am happy with that. Around 68 mph I got 24-25...around 70 -73 gave the 22 - 19.5 reading.
Tomorrow, clean the car, (BUGS!) and vacuum Sasha hair out of it. Then mow my lawn! Pick up wife around 10:45 tomorrow night. Sunday mow my son's lawn. I will endeavor to load and post pics before bedtime Sunday. :006:

Okay...pics. I got more of Alvin's because he still has a shop. Louis has pared down his car world. So...

And then...

And pics of Bob and I with Louis.
Linda, Louis' wife is camera shy, but she shot the pics for us.  Two really great people. We went to dinner with them after pics and picking up the bumpers and other items that he had for me.

I spent 2 days with Alvin as Bob didn't fly in to Billings until the 2nd day. Alvin let me take both the Retractable and the '3 Plymouth out for drives. Needless to say, I was in 7th Heaven! first time I have driven a '57 since 1976! First time EVER driving a bonafide street rod! Life was very good!
Rosie fed us BBQ hamburgers and a couple of different salads plus dessert! Oh the lady can cook and bake!!!

We had planned to go up and see Cobra Joe...but Mother Nature got rude while we were in Connecticut, so we left the next morning for home, just ahead of a storm which followed us for a few 100 miles.

Hugh, about 4 months ago when you said you were going to drive up and see me, I thought this is good. Then when you told me you were going to Conn. from here to pick up your bumpers I thought you are NUTS, all those extra miles.  It was great seeing and visiting with you again. As for the diving the RHT and the 31, that ear to ear smile told me you were having a blast. The same for me. I think that was the 1st time I have rode shot gun in my cars. Because they won't let me drive anymore, it was the 1st time since last Oct. that they were on the highway. I had so much fun that yesterday being such a very nice day I rode shot gun again as I had Rose take the wheel, her first time. Thanks again Hugh, it was great.

Very impressive collection, Alvin. Wow, Hugh FINALLY posted some pics, lol.!
Hugh, if I had known you hadn't driven a '57 for so many years, I would have let you have a spin in mine.

Quote from: alvin stadel on 2023-06-26 09:16Hugh, about 4 months ago when you said you were going to drive up and see me, I thought this is good. Then when you told me you were going to Conn. from here to pick up your bumpers I thought you are NUTS, all those extra miles.  It was great seeing and visiting with you again. As for the diving the RHT and the 31, that ear to ear smile told me you were having a blast. The same for me. I think that was the 1st time I have rode shot gun in my cars. Because they won't let me drive anymore, it was the 1st time since last Oct. that they were on the highway. I had so much fun that yesterday being such a very nice day I rode shot gun again as I had Rose take the wheel, her first time. Thanks again Hugh, it was great.

I was glad to drive them both. But I was also happy to get you out on the road in the Retractable! Doing that...was just as much of a pleasure as me driving it...not to mention the '31!
My pleasure!

Quote from: RICH MUISE on 2023-06-26 09:48Very impressive collection, Alvin. Wow, Hugh FINALLY posted some pics, lol.!
Hugh, if I had known you hadn't driven a '57 for so many years, I would have let you have a spin in mine.

Well...next time maybe we will trade seats !My oldest son is soon to be living in Texas...the Frisco area...as his company is moving him there to begin opening pizza joints in the area around Dallas.  :006:

Thanks Hugh for posting all those great pictures from Alvins.

 :006:

Here's a pic of when Hugh picked me up in Amarillo on his way to pick up a continental kit from our new forum friend in Lubbock. Sorry, can't remember his name.......Cortney?

Quote from: RICH MUISE on 2023-06-28 08:33Here's a pic of when Hugh picked me up in Amarillo on his way to pick up a continental kit from our new forum friend in Lubbock. Sorry, can't remember his name.......Cortney?

Courtney...yep. That was a good day and a fine stretch of the legs eh? His car is gonna be one sweet and sexy ride when done!

We need Courtney to share some pictures of that ride!  Looks like he has a nice car.

He did, Bill.
https://57fordsforever.com/smf/index.php?topic=9385.0

Rich I have no idea how I missed that thread??????  Thanks for the link!  Must be some of those abused brain cells got confused......

Okay...back on the road...all alone this time. Sasha is staying at home.
Emergency road trip. Friend of my son is moving from CA to MO. Left early Wed morning, made it almost as far as Kingman and his thermostat closed up and that was the end of the trip. Will take a few days to get into a shop for repairs, and he has a limited amount of cash. Not enough to pay for a room for several days and repairs and finish the trip. He has a cat...which is why Sasha is guarding the home front whilst I am on the road. She is pouting! LOL!!!
So hooked up the car trailer and left around 10:30 MO time heading west. Stopped for the night in Henryetta OK. Will be stopping in OKC for a bit tomorrow for two tires on the front of the trailer (knew they needed replacing but didn't have any reason to rush getting it done.)
Cheaper for me to go get him and then come back than wait around hoping to get it fixed and out to MO before running out of funds. Not to mention time...one waiting for him in Springfield at the O'Reilly's home office...so need to get this done.
Let's hope there are no more surprises! (which is why stopping to get those tires!!!)   :003:

You've got my number if you need anything.

I do. Thanks!
Made it to Kingman AZ at 4:30 this morning. Heading back out in about an hour. Hope to have everyone home by dinner time Saturday. Tag team driving.
Lots of construction only one spot that was really bad...about a 20-25 minute back-up. \And then there was the poor gal in OKC who lost the front bumper cover off her car when I was changing lanes. Looked in the mirror, no one there, started to change and now there was. Left fender of the trailer hooked and ripped that thing off like peeling a banana. No one hurt, but a touch unnerving.
Hoping for a more boring drive back!

Probably the construction slow down was the one I lost 1/2 hour at least last Saturday coming back from Norman......just west of OKC on I40?
Sorry to hear of your mishap.

Well...made it back to Amarillo (2:00 a.m. so no call to Rich...sorry buddy...and leaving early so we can get back to Carr Lane by dinner time!) with no incidents. Well...sorta. When I put the winch in the box on the tongue of the trailer, I put a piece of flat steel on top of and underneath the floor section where the winch was to sit. Strength.
OOPs! Should have also put one under the front of the box as well. Seems the torque from the winch is pretty strong (12,000 lb. pull.)
We couldn't get the car into neutral, so I just decided to winch it up with the car in park. No problem...it started up...until the torque to move it caused the front of the box to pull off the mounting bolts. So when I get home, I'll be cutting some plate and bolting down the front of the box in the same fashion I did the back under the winch mounting holes.
Strangely enough...maybe some of you have heard of this, I had not...if there is no electrical power going through the car's system...the transmission will NOT disengage from park. I messed with his battery cables a bit (they need serious cleaning) and we got just enough power to make the interior lights come on, and he was able to pull it into neutral. So that made things easier and up and on to the trailer we went. Learn something new every day eh? (Subaru...Rich...are you familiar with this issue?)
Other than that...nice quiet albeit long drive.  :burnout:

I think/thought most vehicles have a manual override to elevate this problem.  Just depress it and pull it into neutral.  The problem is they are somewhat hidden/disguised. 

I think on many cars, there is a small hole in the console near the shifter that you insert a tool to depress or disengage something.?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fayeJXj2njA

Dunno...it was hot...and we were on a time schedule...so got it into neutral and loaded it and hit the road. Home now...got here about 9:45 CT.
Uneventful return trip thankfully...tomorrow unload the car and put in a thermostat and see if that fixes the problem. Pretty sure it will.

Did you get to look at it yet?

Yea...and I am not doing it. The thing is down below the engine under the exhaust manifold (which has to be removed). Not interested. Took it to a shop that said they can fix it. We'll see...took 3 shops to find one that would touch the car. Said they might be able to get after it tomorrow. (Tuesday) We will find out.
(I suspect there may be more damage...even with a jump-box couldn't get it to turn over. I suspect he may have also friend the motor when it got hot.)

What year and model is the Subaru? If it needs a new engine, let me know, and I'll give you the info on where I got my 4.6. Good company.

2010 Impreza WRX. Not sure he wants to mess with a new engine. For the amount of money that would cost he can get another car. Bob has a Pontiac in premium shape that he would sell hum for $3200. But I'll tell him.

Engine World in California. Guaranteed to be under 50k miles for import engines. After you order, they pull the engine from their huge warehouses, clean it, and do a video taped compression check which is emailed to you for viewing and for your approval to release for shipping. Wouldn't hurt to check prices, but you're right.is a 13 year old car worth the labor? My Subi has 180ish k miles, still runs great, but if I ever needed an engine, I'd check with them first.
Shipping to Texas was under 400.

Engine is junk. Passed on the info on the shop in CA. He has already called and left a request for a call-back. We'll see.  :006:

forgot to add........    www.engineworld.com

Got it...I'll pass that on to him as well. Thanks.

Well...my son is getting his first away from the building, away from town vacation in over 2 years! So...when he get here in about 30 minutes, we are leaving for Warsaw MO...near Lake Truman. We are going to go fishing for a few days and see if we can have some fun and fill the freezer as well.
Since I KNOW we will catch fish...I'll post pics!

Ugly hot yesterday. No boats available for a decent price to rent. We are changing tactics today. Maybe more luck. Wish us well!  :006: