After the Lone Star Round Up we drove the Chevy to California and left it with a friend and flew home. On Tuesday the 20th we flew back to pick up the car, spent the night with our friend who has some really cool old cars plus a bunch of other stuff. Cool old Jag 47 Cad seadanette Stutz Packard We even took in famous Venice Beach but she wouldn't buy a Bikini or let me buy a speedo A little wall art We were told that we should visit the Cold Spring Tavern on Route 154 just about 8 miles north of Santa Barbara. He was spot on. This is an old stage coach stop and now a Tavern and Restaurant and it is cool as ice. The inside is as neat as the outside. Best damn grilled cheese sandwich I have ever had, red bell peppers, green peppers and spices. OUTSTANDING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The history of this place. The obligatory car shot. I'll start the next post with my pics from Santa Maria. BB
We were fortunate to get a room at the Santa Maria Inn, (Thanks Johnny Ray Brock, hope Laura is doing good.) Here are a few cars that I liked. This car had what looks to be a removable Hard Top This was in the winners circle on Sunday. Nice car Brett. This one was next to it but I forgot the owners name. Imagine that a 55/56 Dodge Lancer with the correct wheel covers Extremely Tasty One of the many beautiful Mercs Caught Steve actually working the booth I sure would like to know what that grille started out as, maybe Caddy?? Just a nice clean Chebby The one and only world infamous GROUCHO 50 fraud's new ride from DRD57's shop The new format only allows 15 photo's Too be continued !!!!!!!!!!!! BB
After a quick stop at Hwy 99 Hot Rods in Tulare CA to top off the convertible motor with hydraulic oil which solved my top problem for now. We headed up to Fresno to visit Royal Shifter. WOW WHAT A PLACE!!!. Tiki's,tiki's and more tiki's and all kinds of cool retro stuff plus 2 of the nicest folks on the planet. All of them have received a name from Kelly, they only name I remember is SAM. Cool room and furnishing's The Tiki Room Maggie had to get into the picture in the Tiki Room The latest project, a 47 Merc The Shop Our host's Mark & Kelly and yours truly, forgot the Tiki's name One of the coolest mailboxes in the universe To be continued. BB
Now for the bad part. We left Fresno headed to Yosemite and made it as far as Oakhurst. At the stop light when it turned green I had no forward gears on the 200R4 transmission. Fortunately I had reverse and was able to back into a parking lot. Triple A to the rescue. Back to Hwy 99 Hot Rods, Don Dillard to the rescue. Don and his crew removing the transmission. We discovered a crack in the case so as long as we had it out it will be welded Dons brother Sam doing the welding thing. The tranny was delivered to Lloyds Transmission repair in Porterville Ca. at 5pm he had it apart and found the problems and parts will be at his place in the morning. So it looks like we spend another day in beautiful downtown Tulare California. To be continued BB
I don't know how those thumbnails got up there but they belong here in this post. After helping get the tranny out ( yeah I was a big help, supervising) we rented a car and took off on some sightseeing. We went up to Visalia to see our old buddy Frank Jones in his shop. Besides the shop Frank is a collector and restorer of Gas Station memorabilia. More of his stuff That brings us up to date, tomorrow hopefully the car will be back together and ready for us to make Atascadero on Friday. Watch for the next episode. BB
Good thing you're connected! Be safe and the world is relieved that " Speedos" didn't grace this thread! !!!! Posted using Full box of Crayons on the Kitchen Walls App!
I am also grateful that the Speedo thing got nixed. Thanks for sharing your adventures with us mere mortals. Later, Dick
Bob another trip. Yahoooo We all had so much fun going along with you to Alaska. This is another fun one. Sorry about the trouble with your car.
Bob, this trip makes me home sick. I'm originally from CA and your making your way north in the valley. I lived in Modesto for many years. They have a Grafitti night once a year as Lucas was born there and shot some of Graffiti there. You must cruise the main there. When you go to Yosemite, make sure you pass through Sonora, Jamestown and find the Hotel Ledger on old RT 49 in the Gold Country. You'll love it!!!
I returned home last week after a two week tour of the area from LA to San Francisco and then ending with a day at El Mirage. We were just a few days and a short distance from being in the same areas. I bet the yearly drag racing of the Chevy caused the transmission failure. You may have to back off of it this August. John
I always enjoy the visual tour following along with you & Maggie on your adventures,sorry about the transmission but thankfully you were able to have someone like Don Dillard come to the rescue. Hopefully we wont see any bandages on Maggie this year. HRP
Just when I thought there wouldn't be any more road trip reports from Bob, you up saved me from collapsing into a corner and whimpering for my mommy. Bob, as I've said before, you are da man! You and Maggie and your little Chebbie convert are the standards to which all of us car nuts should aspire. Hope to soon see you again down the road.
Bob and Maggie it was GREAT seeing you and catching up with you in Santa Maria. Good luck with the rest of your trip. Rob
its always great when someone does a thread on a road trip. especially visual! keep the updates coming
WOW! Great pics, Be safe and have a great trip. Some day I would like to do the same!! Best wishes, Mikey.
Bob, top bar looks like stock Chevy to me, but it could be '50's Buick cut down, bottom part could be kustom built, it does resemble stock Chevy... Sorry to hear about the tranny but when you put on as many miles as you do, it was bound to happen...hope by now you're back on the road...what's your ultimate destination (besides back home...???) R-
Roger, Atascadero this weekend then LA Roadster Show and from there BTT50'S in St. Paul and then home on about the 23rd. Hope to see you some time this summer, maybe HAMB drags. BB
Despite the hiccup it looks like a good trip. Safe travels!!! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Bob, keep having fun and enjoying the road trips. Appreciate your sharing the pics and problems. Your car has more miles than most all here on HAMB, so some occasional on the road fixes are part of the expectation. See you in Aug at Bonneville!
We'd planned on going to the BTT50's but couldn't find rooms anywhere near St. Paul...and we won't be at the drags... we're taking the Cadillacs and doing the Western Canada Power Cruise again in August...we had such a great time last year we decided to do it again this year...we'll end up in Spokane for the GoodGuy's event there...and then maybe back up into Canada to Jasper and do their Rocky Mountains all the way down to Montana and Glacier Nat'l Park and then maybe over to Yellowstone again...guess it depends on how much driving we want to do... So, good luck with your trip...we'll meet up somewhere again... R-
Roger: You should have called me, I have 150 rooms blocked at the Raddison which is about 1 mile from the fairgrounds. BB