Hot Rods See the USA...in a Hemi-Powered Model A.

Bitchin car, awesome pics, this has been a great thread to follow! Hope to see another for next year. Good luck on the rest of the trip brotha, hammerdown!!

 

Brian, this has been an amazing trip to follow, with great pictures and even better narrative. Thank you for reminding me of the joy to be found in the simple task of cruising some two-lane in a rod you built yourself. Tim

 

Dude! Just read through your thread. I saw your ride on saturday on the salt. Man, its one of my favorite rides! Just a perfect coupe! I snapped some pics too. This is quite a road trip.

 

Day 14 & 15

Monday was my 14th day on the road, and the end of the second week. I spent most of the day in the pits helping Ed and the rest of the crew repair a broken main leaf on the front spring. We tried several things...but in the end I made a 4-bolt clamp to hold the spring pack together, and a couple of the guys found someone with a drill press so they could drill a hole into each end of the spring and bolt the main leaf and second leaf together. Problem solved....but it took nearly all day with the limited resources available out on the salt.

After Ed decided it was going to be too late to make a run that day, I headed over to the Hop Up party at the bend in the road. Had some good hot dogs and free beer, and bullshitted with some of the guys there. Morty always does it up right.

Hit the sack early and got up early the next morning (today) to head out to the salt and help Ed get ready to make a run. Fired the Donovan in the pits, and it sounded healthy. It ran everyone out from under the tent with the nitro fumes. Finished prepping the car and pushed it out to the long course starting line around 10:30 am.

I got to drive the push truck again, and the salt's surface was starting to get pretty loose up at the start. I had the pedal on the floor in the push truck as I tried to get Ed the best start possible. The truck was fishtailing pretty hard, but I kept pushing and as the car came off the pushtruck it fishtailed a little and got underway. As we rushed down the return row, we heard on the radio, "Car 299...245 at the quarter mile........Car 299.....spin."

This year, the SCTA didn't do the black stripes down the courses....and instead put up flags that you're supposed to stay between during a run. Ed lost track of where he was without the line there, and got off course. As he was trying to get back on course, he nailed one of the batteries for the timers and it sent him into a spin....at nearly 250 mph.

He was fine, but the car was a little banged up. The spring repair fortunately had held up just fine. But rather than repairing the car and taking a chance on there being some hidden damage, he decided he was going to load it back in the trailer and just hang out for the rest of the week.

So after all of that, I decided it was time for me to start heading home. I hopped in the Model A, and took off towards Salt Lake City. Sat in some stop and go traffic in SLC and Provo, and made it to Grand Junction, CO for the night.

A few miles out of Fruita, CO I hit a BIG raccoon. Missed him with the front, but got him with the left rear. Poor guy probably didn't live through that one.

I'm hoping to put in a long day tomorrow, and make it all the way back to Dallas.

-Brian


Hop Up Party





After the spin.



Heading out.



Outside Price, UT



Near Green River, UT

 

Man! Your My Hero!!!!!

 

great train shot!

 

I was hoping to see you at the Drags this weekend, but thats not on the itinerary huh?
Thanks for the ride-along.

 

It's sad to hear that your road trip will be coming to an end soon, it's been awesome following you on this thread. By the way, with all of those awesome shots you've taken of your coupe along the way. You should put together a 2011 Calendar called "Seeing the U.S.A. in a Hemi Powered Model A" I'm sure you could sell a few of them, I know I'd buy one!

 

Sounds like you had a full day for sure !! And a spin at 245 plus mph !! Ed must have a pair of iron balls !!! >>>>.

 

Brian,
you have had a hell of a trip. I am envious like most guys on here! You know how to live man! Drop by anytime your in the neighborhood again

 

x 2..............


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you should check this guys out while your in Grand Junction

www.kustomcoachwerks.com

yes they work on Vw's but they do some really neat stuff

 

I beg you don't drive home!! Forest Gump kept running you should just keep driving, I am sure there is a movie deal there somewhere.....Thanks for the ride along, this has been an amazing trip.

 

Great thread, Thanks for taking the time to post.

 

Safe travels on your last leg Brian. I am sure even though your trip was as rad as it was you'll be looking forward to your own bed tonight.

 

Thank you so much for the travelogue, It's been great hangin' you for the last couple of weeks! I've done most of the trip your on right now four times in my car, and the sights you've been photographing have reminded me of how much I love the travel aspect of doing the hot rod thing. I'm sure you know this now, but don't let this be your last long trip in your hot rod! Hell, another great one to plan for is Highway 1 up the west coast, done that a couple of times too. Life always seems so much cooler when your seeing new sights through a fold out or split windshield, right?

 

Outstanding trip in a really special car. Thanks for letting us travel with you.

 

Wholy cow, its only been 14 days!!!! What an adventure in that short time!!!

 

Awesome. Next year, if ya need a passenger, I'm game!

 

Brian, It be sad when your road trip is over, but you've had one hell of a time which after all thats what its all about!Great pictures as ever,I'm sure some them will be screen savers and wall papers by now!

Nick.

 

Well, hang in there.

 

Thanks for the great pics, and stories, Great job
hate to see it end, what a window to the hot rod world

 

Excellent thread and pictures I would love to do this,

wicked

James

 

Man this trip of yours is the best vacation you could have, you your hot rod and the open road. Love the pictures.

 

Well... what time next summer do you want to go?

 

safe travels and see ya back in dallas

 

As early as I can to get out of this Heat!!!

 

Thanks Brain for the SHOW! Priceless

 

Reminds me of the western belt we bought Brian when he was about 5 and the guy put Brain instead of Brian.
Anyway, I talked to him early this morn and he made it home. Said he had a great time and met lots of nice folks on his trip.

 

Day 16 - Conclusion


Waking in up in Grand Junction, I got out of bed and tried to both mentally and physically prepare myself for the last leg of my two week long road trip. I wanted to leave as early as possible, but that ended up being about 7:30am. In order to be back in Dallas tonight, that meant I was going to be travelling a route that was 975 miles long...in one day....in a chopped Model A coupe.

I filled the gas tank, checked the fluid levels, and took off. I'd decided to go down 50 to Gunnison, CO. Originally my plan was to go through Durango, but in the interest of time I changed the route to go through Montrose to Gunnison. Next time I go to Bonneville I'll go through Durango.

The road from Montrose to Gunnison is just plain bitchin'....Some of the best scenery I'd seen yet. The Blue Mesa Reservoir outside Gunnison is absolutely beautiful, and the climb through the hills and through Cimarron was really fun. I wish I could describe how the Hemi sounds in 3rd gear under load climbing up a mountain road....it's like music.

Once in Gunnison, I got gas and headed out again. Rather than continue onto Pueblo, I got off of 50 and went down 114 to Saguache. The first 20 miles or so of 114 is a really curvy, winding 2-lane road with no shoulder, a creek on one side and mountains on the other. Absolutely bitchin'....probably the most amazing drive on the whole trip. There were guys gearing up to go fly-fishing as I drove by...looked like fun.

After I got through the curvy stuff, I caught up to a '63 or so Thunderbird Sport Roadster that was touring the Colorado countryside as well. Ended up having to stop and wait for a while for road contruction, as there was loose gravel and fresh oil for a few miles just before the Continental Divide. Which brings me to another point...I reached the highest elevation encountered on my trip as 114 crossed the North Pass over the Continental Divide.

10,149 ft elevation.....with 4 Stromberg 97s. The carbs weren't exactly happy, but the motor didn't skip a beat. I even had to pull the last couple of miles up the pass in 1st gear at about 5mph behind a line of three semi-trucks....no problem.

I went down through Saguache and hit 285 to Monte Vista, where I stopped and had some enchiladas with green chile. Back on the road, I kept on moving through Alamosa to Walsenburg, where I picked up I-25 back to Raton, NM. Got gas in Raton, and set out for Texas on 87.

I was rolling into Clayton when I met a city cop, and saw the lights come on. I pulled over and the officer came up to my window to tell me that I was going 66 in a 45. I explained that I was just trying to get home for the night and had missed the sign where the speed limit dropped (all true), and I would've slowed down had I seen the sign. He chuckled a little when he asked where I was coming from and I said "Seattle." After he ran my license and insurance he gave me a warning and sent me on my way. Thank god that these days, most police officers like hot rods.

Took off from Clayton and crossed the Texas state line in Texline somewhere around 6:30pm. Got gas again in Dalhart, and drove down to Hartley when I started to hear an unfamilar noise. At first I thought it was wind noise from the cross wind that had picked up south of Dalhart, but after a couple of miles I realized it was the distinct sound a wheel bearing makes when it's on the way out.

I was about 15 miles from Dumas on 87 when I figured I better pull over and check it out. Got out of the car and put my hand on the driver's side hub and it was warm, but not hot...put my hand on the passenger side hub and it was HOT. Got out the tools, jacked up the pass. side and pulled the hub. Outer wheel bearing was nearly dry. If I would have waited 5 or 10 more miles, it would have siezed...and I would have been fucked.

Of course, I didn't have any wheel bearing grease packed in the trunk...but I did have some 85w140 gear oil that I'd bought to top off the steering box. I soaked the outer bearing in it, squirted some into the hub, filled the dust cap full of oil, and slapped it back together. Drove the remaining 15 miles to Dumas with no problem, and bought some grease at the O'Reilly's to repack the bearing. Got it all back together and I was back on the road. Word to the wise: Always grease your wheel bearings before a long trip whether you think they need it or not.

Hit Amarillo just after dark, and was in Childress by 11:30. Made one last stop in Wichita Falls, and got back on the highway heading towards Dallas. The last stretch of driving was pretty difficult. I was exhausted, and it was proving to be pretty hard to stay alert and awake. I never dozed off, but I was feeling like a zombie by the time I got off of of 287 and onto hwy 114.

I finally arrived at the shop at 3:30am in the morning, safe and sound.


The best I can figure, I drove just shy of 5,000 miles all together. The car ran really good the whole way, and from what I can tell, I didn't lose one nut or bolt on the entire trip. I got an average of about 13 mpg. The only road side repairs I had to make were replacing one inner tube, adjusting the steering box, repairing the clutch master cylinder, and re-packing one wheel bearing. I got pulled over twice, and got a verbal warning both times. I traveled through 9 states, and got as close as about 90 miles from Canada.

This trip has been one of the most amazing things I've ever done in my entire life. I didn't know if I'd make it 5 miles or 5,000 miles when I left the shop 16 days ago, but I left my reservations behind and just went for it. I saw lots of things that I'll never forget, met lots of new people, and had a lot of fun. It was physically trying at times, mentally and emotionally trying at others...but I wouldn't change one thing about any of it if I were doing it all over again.

I'd like to thank Eric Carter aka E.C. for helping me rebuild the Hemi after my broken valve problem this time last year...he did one hell of a job machining the motor, and I most definitely put it to the test over the last couple of weeks.

Anyway, if you are out there reading this and have been putting off taking your hot rod or custom out on the road, please take my advice. Just pack what you can in the trunk and get out and do it...drive it like you know how to fix it...and you'll never regret it.

Thanks for following along with me...with a little luck, this won't be the last long trip I take in a hot rod.

-Brian



Near Cimarron, CO



Blue Mesa Reservoir, CO



Near the Continental Divide - Hwy 114, CO



New Mexico State Line - Raton Pass, NM



Texas State Line - Texline, TX



15 miles from Dumas, TX



Dumas, TX



Bug guts - Wichita Falls, TX



Dallas, TX