Road Trip

[spamtank]

Great news.

[eddiemech]

Door is fixed        Found a real gentleman nicknamed "Mr. Orangeman". (Don Humbolt) in Panama City who has a terrific classic car shop and some great guys who got it unstuck.     We had to jack it up a few times, different angles..... And pull very hard ..... But got it.    It seems the convertible wedge was loose and the door got hung up on it.....     So I'm very thankful, as sliding across the console every time I stopped for gas ( which is with some level of frequency) was getting old, and a little hard on the back.     The Orangeman how a 67 GTX that is very sweet.....pushing 1100 hp.   Many thanks to Don and his guys for helping me out

Got JOB....  Thanks for the ideas in Alabama....I'm headed to Montgomery area today and will look for the museum.    Unfortunately, my schedule is such that I will have to miss the other events you noted.....  Thanks!

And many thanks to everyone here who offered ideas and suggestions on fixing the door.   I very much appreciate all the support! 

Now on to Alabama, Mississippi and then to Austin Texas later this week.

Vt Mopar

[eddiemech]

I hope you didn't hit that bad weather down south today. It's tornado time! Back in '81, I took my AAR up into the Colorado Rockies, and couldn't get over 20 MPH on some of the grades, and over-heated a bunch of times.(thin air and rich mixture). Keep that in mind. If I do it again,(I plan to), I'm gonna think about after-market fuel injection, just so long as I can some-day put the carbs back on. Well, God bless, and take care!

[VTMopar]

Weather here was terrific  -  had the top down the whole day.     BUT - it is supposed to get nasty later this week..... so I'll keep an eye on the sky!     Thanks for the tip on the mountains and rich mixtures, etc.    I will keep it in mind as things play out.   

Sure was nice not having to crawl across the center counsel when I stopped for gas today    

AND I had dinner with a fellow member tonight near Montgomery AL....  It was nice of him to reach out and we had a nice visit.   Overall - I'm impressed with the very nice folks here in Alabama.... very friendly!   

VT Mopar

[RusTy/SE]

Doug, It was great being able to spend time with you. We could certainly have done worse than Beef Brisket at Jim N' Nicks. Your car is beautiful in person. Being the same color and stripe combination as my own will be one day had a mile wide smile plastered on me as you drove away. I look forward to the drive up to Vermont

Russ

[DoNotChallengeHer]

Doug, There is a weekend Mopar cruise in Kansas . Some of the guys on DC.com set it up. I will post up the link later , if you are interested. It looks like good time.

[VTMopar]

Well, I had a great.....and interesting day.    I stayed up near Montgomery AL and played one of the Capital Hill golf courses, part of the Robert Trent Jones Trail......   Very challenging and fun.     For those of you who haven't taken up golf, you are blessed....... It's a cursed sport.

But, when I went to leave the hotel and started up the Challenger, I had a significant tapping noise from the left side of the motor.......  So, I had visions of flatbed trailers and a busted road trip......among other things.   

When I started on this road trip with a 43 year old car, I told myself that I needed to be ready for problems and, to a degree, expect them -- and take them as part of the experience.    But......having just taken a day to get my door fixed, I wasn't really too happy about this as it certainly could have been pretty serious (plus the fact that this motor was just rebuilt!)

I called my hometown mechanic (Pete) and he suggested I pull the valve covers and see what that reveals.    Mind you, I'm not a gear head......but I'm always up for a challenge.   Obviously, taking them off is easy......     I then took some close up photos with my IPad and emailed them to Pete.   I then called him and we chatted and looked....and discovered a push rod had slipped out of its "socket".    So, he waled me through how to carefully loosen the 5 bolts that hold the assembly and explained how they all need to be seated.....and sometimes you feel like you need 3 hands as more than one can move as you losses the assembly....   

Well, it took me about 20 minutes, but I got the one back where it belonged and all the rest, got them spaced properly ( or so I think) and tighter the assembly down again.   Took a few more photos for Pete to see..... And when I started her up she was back to normal.    Success!   So MDs  are doing high tech medicine with imaging technology, and now were doing it with classic car motors!

I was running pretty late by then, so decided I would take time tomorrow to pull the spark plug, as Pete suggested it might have gotten a little fouled.    I also hit her hard a few times on the road today.....which should have cleaned it up a bit.   So, problem solved (at least for now).    We're not sure why that rod moved.....he thinks it was on startup......so will have to keep an eye on it....... 

I made it to Biloxi, Mississippi a while ago and will watch the weather over the next day or so......I don't want to get caught in any rough (like hail) weather.......

Donotchallengerher, thanks for the tip, but I'm heading south to Texas over the next few days, so Kansas isn't in my sights.       Hopefully tomorrow is a little more boring.....

Vt Mopar

[spamtank]

Maybe you can find a parking garage, if they are calling for hail.  That's would be a bummer.

Great story on the push rod fix.  And what a great way to let your inner gear head out.

This is a great thread.  I look forward to your updates.

[DoNotChallengeHer]

I think the Kansas cruise is in the beginging of May.

[VTMopar]

Well, I made it to my sister's house near Austin, Texas last night.    I spent the last 3 nights in Biloxi, Mississippi; the first by choice and the last 2 due to the large storm that swept across the country.    I was nervous about the possibility of hail and tornados.     So - as suggested by Spamtank, I found a good spot in a parking garage.   Of course, it just so happened to be connected to a casino.....  so I kept myself busy playing Texas Holdem and met some interesting folks in the process.    I was pretty lucky for a few hours at the blackjack table, so the casino covered all my expenses for my stay.....     

I'm glad I stayed over, as there was some bad weather and I heard a bunch of cars got damaged in southern Mississippi.   The drive yesterday was good, I crossed over into Galveston.... nice area.    When I pulled over for a couple of tacos near there, a guy named Ron stopped to look at the Challenger.   We chatted... he has a Cuda and Challenger and gave me some advice on where to go (and, perhaps more importantly -- where not to go) as I wander around Texas for a few days next week.     He said he's visited CC.com, but isn't a regular; I encouraged him to visit more often.   

A few years ago while in Florida I discovered a local Texas beer named "Shinerbock" that is made in Shiner Texas.    I plan on going and visiting the brewry next week.   Then I want to hit San Antonio, and the Texas Hill Country.    After that, will probably head north.... unless there are others here who have suggestions! 

So, this morning my brother-in-law took me over to a do it yourself car wash.....  After we finished, crank, crank, crank,....  wouldn't start.   

Oh boy!   NOT NOW

So - took off the aircleaner - getting fuel

Started with the ballast resister.....  then the voltage regulator.... fiinally the coil  ....

BANG......  popped right off

My brother-in-law said he was impressed with my problem solving skills, but then thought I might want to reverse the order next time so we didn't miss out on so much of the Masters

Thankfully ...   we figured it out.    I stopped at a parts store immediately to replace my spare.... they had 4 different brands and 3 were made in China.... so I choose the Mexican one.   

Well, now its time for a Shinerbock and sit down and watch all the hoopla around Tiger Woods at the Masters.   

Peace,
VT Mopar

Pic of Ferry Crossing into Galveston

[spamtank]

I was nervous about the possibility of hail and tornados.     So - as suggested by Spamtank, I found a good spot in a parking garage.

   

   Of course, it just so happened to be connected to a casino.....  so I kept myself busy playing Texas Holdem and met some interesting folks in the process.    I was pretty lucky for a few hours at the blackjack table, so the casino covered all my expenses for my stay..... 

   

Sounds like they wanted to keep you around long enough to win some of their money back.    I wonder if covering expenses like that are a business write-off for a casino?   That's a no-lose scenario for them. 

I'm glad I stayed over, as there was some bad weather and I heard a bunch of cars got damaged in southern Mississippi.   

It's great you have this flexibility in your schedule... 

 

[Mopar Thunder]

VT,

Your stories are great.  It is nice to see your having some good times.

[VTMopar]

Update:

I went to Shiner, Texas today to visit and tour a little local brewery that makes Shiner Bock - a beer I discovered a few years ago in Florida.   Shiner is a very small town just an hour southeast of San Antonio with a few thousand people.   It was settled in the 1800's by German and Cech immigrants (very similar to my home town in SW Minneosta - and I happen to be 1/2 German & Cech).   So, since I had the time, I drove out, went on the tour and tasted a few of one of my favorite brews.   A nice day.

What makes this day so special, however, is the fact that my daughter-in-law finished running the Boston Marathon about a half hour ealier than she had planned...... she said she just felt good -- so she finished in under 4 hours.    Had she been on her "normal" pace, it is quite likely that she might have been very close to the finish line when those bombs went off (as would have been my son and granddaughter).   I didn't know what was happening until my son called me after they were home.... they heard the bombs, but were several blocks away walking towards their car at the time.    Thank God.   

Life is often difficult -- but it is often very very good.   

Peace
VT Mopar

[dodj]

Update:

Life is often difficult -- but it is often very very good.   

Peace
VT Mopar

I like that line.

Keep posting when you can. I agree with Mopar Thunder, your stories are great!

[Chryco Psycho]

I am glad you are having fun & staying safe on the road trip , repairing the car is just part of the deal as you expected , you mayhave a weak lifter under the pushrod that dropped out , it can be swapped with a good strong magnet without removing the intake if needed .
 Keep up with the stories & updates !!