Hot Rods Bought a wagon, let's drive it home

Just hit a high lope and let'er run

 

I had hoped to at least make Nashville last night but I started getting tired and pulled Tink over in Franklin, KY (just south of Bowling Green, in car terms). I tried sleeping in the back but it was just too dang hard, so I climbed back up to the front seat and passed out. I turned 35 last Thursday and have reached the point where I'm still young enough to try stupid things like sleeping in the seat of a car but old enough to sure be stiff in the morning!!! It doesn't help that I'm 6'3" 275. Regardless, I'm not tired anymore so it's time to start rolling.

Tink is running good, save for a couple small things: she's got the notorious sbc w/headers hot start problem which almost left me to chill out awhile after fueling up last night. And the transmission is being a little finicky. I won't go into details so as not to curse us. We are still rolling and that's what matters.

Time to fill up and ride!

 

Yep, I can relate. Nothing like "living on the edge"!
That's a sharp car, really dig the interior. It's beyond cool. You should be getting close to halfway home by now and I'm hoping the rest of the ride goes smoothly. Thanks for letting us tag along.

 

Great story and a really neat car! Just need one more matching wheel cover for the drivers rear...

When I was stationed overseas years ago, I built an OT '72 Pontiac Lemans with a 455, switch-pitch TH400 and a Ford 9". Didn't even have a hundred miles on it when I had it shipped back to the States; picked it up in Louisiana and drove it to Oklahoma. Alternator conked out along the way, but managed to make it to my duty station with a few jump-starts. Like you, I slept in the car when I got tired and just enjoyed the adventure.

 

I had a ride like that once. I would dare suggest that this ride you are on now is more memorable than the Disney trip.

I left OC, CA in a vintage Tbird after replacing the rear chunk in a parking deck. As I hit the desert at night, in April and discovered the heater didn't work. Man was I cold. I bypassed the heater control valve with a deep socket and regulated the heat in the car with the only window that would roll up and down. The car ran great at speed and only later once I was home in Georgia did I realize just how loose the front end was. Had I hit any serious bumps I'd have lost it. Enjoy that ride!!

 

Today is it, are you going to make it?

 

Good morning Music City!

 

I see you're in my old home state this morning. Except I was born and raised on the other end of the state.
I love doing stuff like this. In my opinion this wagon's cooler than a tri-five Chevy any day.

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A little over 10 hrs and you should be home, Keep on Truckin!....or "Wagin" in your case...

 

Years ago, our family was on vacation. We were visiting my wife's brother that lived in CO (we live in IL). While we were there, I went with my bil as he went truck shopping. I was looking at the car for sale ads, and I stumbled across a 69 Plymouth Fury III convert, it was cheap, but it was also the end of Aug in CO.
Without expecting much, because of the price, my wife and I went and looked at the convert and we were both surprised by how nice the car was. We somehow convinced ourselves that the convert would be a great souvenir of our vacation, so we bought it! Upon reaching my bil's home, I replaced the leaking gas line, changed the oil & filter, and did a few quick checks. The next morning, we left CO heading for home (1100 miles), me driving the convert, and the wife & kids in our car.
I soon discovered the heat didn't work (it was about 40 that morning), the wipers didn't work ( a light rain), the radio didn't work, and that the points were floating at about 60 mph! We found a parts store where I managed to change the points and get them set close enough the car actually ran pretty well. Fortunately the rain had stopped, but it was a very cold ride home. We did make it without any farther issues. One thing is for sure, you get to know a car pretty well when you drive it 1100 miles in a day and a half.
An interesting side note, my wife and I went to CO on vacation this summer, but before she would go, I had to promise her I wouldn't buy a car as a souvenir. That was over 25 years ago, apparently, the experience didn't hold the same fond memories for her as it did for me....Gene

 

Gene- Cool story man and what a good souvenir! I was born and raised in Colorado.

I've got the other hubcap in the back. It kept coming off on Dennis so I thought it best best to just let her ride instead of spin.

Checked fluids this morning and added a quart of atf. Other than that, she's just purring down the road. I stopped to get a bite and fill up and hopefully the starter's not too hot when I get back.

Google maps says 8 hours 28 minutes to home. It'll take me a bit longer as I'm only running about 63 mph but, pending disaster, I should make it just fine in time to sleep in my own bed tonight!

 

Wishing you all the luck ya need Cowboy! Keep on rollin'

 

Go west, young man...

 

Pretty uneventful cruising. Good for me, bad for your entertainment. I stopped to get fuel on the far side of Little Rock and came across a car show that was just wrapping up in the parking lot next to BassPro. Most stuff was OT, but I took a couple pics for you guys. I got a pic of the supposed "oldest car in Arkansas"...1902 Oldsmobile.

 

Totally in love with the '57 sport sedan hardtop.
A very very rare model and one of the prettiest 4 doors to venture down the highway.


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I like the T also.......Ya should be gettin close now.

 

Glad to see you're almost home
And uneventful
We had fun cruising that wagon around Columbus during Goodguys while Dennis was passed out haha

 

Ya know that Olds is special, it's got 2 cry baby dolls.

 

And he carries his trophies around with him too.


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Now that Olds is what you need for a road trip.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

There's no place like home.

1175 miles in 31 hours. I'm going to bed. Thanks for tagging along.

 

Thanks for taking us, glad all went well.

 

Glad to hear you made it home safely. I never had a doubt that Chevy would make it with no problems!! A few years ago we made a trip to South Dakoda(from Ohio) to buy a 50 Merc with no drive train. We had to gas up in some little berg and the guy at the station told us about a 53 Chevy coupe that ran and a 55 Chevy pickup that didn't, ended up we bought both, rented a U-Haul dolly and pulled the pickup home with the 53. What a trip, the late model F-150 pulling the trailor with the Merc broke down 3 times, the 53 blew a tire and we had to put in a new set of points and clean the plugs, that was it! To be fair, the clutch was slipping a little by the time we got home. Don't know if I would have the stones to try another run like that again but looking back it was a hell of a bunch of fun.

 

What a adventure from a family vacation to a lonley drive home. At least you had us hambers. But it was nice of you to keep the update with photos of leting is tag along. Good thread and good thing your back safe. Especialy before the wife get pissed off lol.

 

Victory!

 

Ah, well-deserved rest for you and the wagon.

 

And the best part is that this morning when I woke my little girl up the very first thing she said was, "Daddy, can we go see your new car named Tinkerbell?" So out to the garage we went, bed head hair and pajamas, to let her "drive" and snap a quick pic.

Immediate plans for the wagon include:
1) seat belts
2) fix the speedo
3) AC -it's bloody hot in TX and I plan to drive this a lot
4) fan shroud

Longer term plans:
1) overdrive -again, I plan on driving this car a bunch so I think a 2004-r would make things Much more enjoyable. Plus, the turbo 350 that's in it now is a little wonky

2) tighten up steering. It'd be nice to stay with the original front suspension and the car has dropped uprights and disc brakes already but at interstate speeds there were a couple of hairy moments. If I can't get it to where I want it a new front suspension from Chassis Engineering might happen.

3) reshape the foam in the front bench seat. Maybe it's the 1175 miles I just drove but my tailbone is killing me! The middle (front to back) of the seat is super springy/spungy but it's quite a bit more firm towards the back which ends up putting pressure on your tailbone. I'm sure it sounds like I'm whining, but I anticipate many more road trips in the car over the years.

Overall, I'm really stoked to have the wagon and I can't thank UPSRodder Dennis enough for building a pretty solid car and being super chill about working with an out of state buyer.

 

knew you would make it home with no problems. Ohio guys know how to build cars!

 

Great trip!!! And to have your daughter waiting to see it is priceless! Congrats.