Projects Road trip to Lead Ain't Dead via RT-666 and RT-66

At the moment. all signs point to "I am the idiot".

Home safe, with 2 more problems since my last post.

At the Willcox, AZ fuel stop (87 miles from home) the AC belt was making funny noises. Lifted the hood, it was about ready to come off the compressor clutch pulley. Turns out it was a 17mm wide belt, should have a 15mm wide belt. Fortunately, the AC belt does not drive any other accessories - cut it off and came the rest of the home with the windows wide open (thankful for wing windows).

When I got home, I heard Marian say the dreaded: "Russ, I smell gas". The in-line, quarter sized fuel pressure gauge had internally hemorrhaged, the gauge face was full of gas, and a steady drip <sigh>.

Going to take Marian out for supper.

Later, I will transfer the pictures from my cell phone. Will start a new thread about mechanical carnage and roadside hacks.

 

Sounds like you had a great time, glad you made it home safely. Hurry up with the pics

 

This picture shows the true spirit of the Kool Kats. Instant help. And several more standing by ready to help (The Volvo is a small car, we could only fit 3 folks under it).


I really appreciated this award - BUT, the biggest award is all the friends that I made.

Russ

 

Kool to hear ya made it home ok. You had a trip with some good memories that you’ll be able to talk about for years. I can’t wait for your next thread. I enjoyed seeing ya again and amazed that you drove so far to visit Okieland.


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

OOPS, photo credit to guthriesmith - Thanks, Jeff

 

Glad to hear you made it home safe. Thanks for taking us along on the roadtrip and great getting to spend some time with you in Dewey.

 

Glad to see ya made it home safely...

 

It was really good to meet you, it's as much about the journey as the destination in my mind. You have a considerate, Kool ride that gets you back home a true testimony to banger power.
Look forward to seeing your photos.
Your turn to buy lunch the next time.


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Thanks, it was a great visit and meeting Archie and Dale Lewis made my day.

I'm sucking on a cup of coffee and transferring pictures from the cell phone to this computer - Pictures to follow.

 

Finally have access to a few pictures. If you read between the lines, I one of those people who "Don't do well walking and chewing gum". I did NOT take pictures while driving. The Volvo drives like an old time sports car - it is quite stable on the straight road - HOW EVER - in you are not paying attention, it wants to go where you are looking...

The copper mine at Morenci, AZ. The best part of old RT-666 is 94 delightful miles from Clifton, AZ to Alpine AZ (More twists and turns than a constipated rattlesnake). There were 6 vehicles going my way in those 94 miles. 3 saw me in their mirror and pulled over to let me fly by. I saw 3 in my mirror and pulled over to let them fly by. I was not driving hard, BUT, well over my age bracket...

I-40 - no pictures, Ya seen one interstate, ya seen them all. (Throwaway line - could not resist).

Moriarity (west of Albuquerque, NM - not our moderator) winduptoy's A at the Lewis Museum. Words are in my reply to winduptoy above.
Deck lid of the A.

Left the museum much too soon, there was snow storm headed south and I was "highly motivated" to be east of it.

 

Pictures of the wiper problems will be in an (extensive) roadside repairs and other screw-ups thread in a couple of days.

It was raining on and off. I skipped much of the RT-66 side trips. Growing up in a declining mill city (North Adams, MA) - sometimes looking at rundown towns is a bit depressing.

I had to get a picture of the Volvo in Shamrock, TX. Drove to the nearest convenience store, got gas and hot coffee - pushed on down the road.

Friday, there was a convoy of 8 Kustoms to the Starbird Museum.




Lots of Lead Ain't Dead pix in other threads...

 

I didn’t make it to Lead aint dead this year, as an old Ford friend was having his estate auction that day.
But I really enjoyed this thread, spreading out over several days and several states! Looking forward to another thread, next year! Maybe?






Bones

 

The return.

Not much to say or show, I've driven it several times since 1979 - some observations.

Texas panhandle - See a grain elevator, drive a while, see 2 grain elevators....


Rest area sign - not much of a revelation to a long term Arizona resident...

The wide open spaces and distances still amaze me. Left Clovis, NM, headed toward Las Cruces, NM. Google Maps displayed: "BARE LEFT IN 102 MILES".

Still smiling...

Russ

 

I just noticed I forgot to put the door handle back on the award. I'll get it in the mail... Lol!

 

Thanks, no rush.

 

Sports cars generally go where they're pointed...try it in an altered wheelbase car, which goes where it wants to...

I take lots of pics while driving. Might be the end of me, but it's worth it.

 

It's a Kustom award.....doesn't need no stinkin' door handle! LOL

 

Mick, forget mailing the door handle.

I'll grab some stick some black vinyl from the wife's Cricut supplies and apply it to over the door handle holes (from the back side). HOW KOOL IS THAT, I shaved the koolest trophy I ever won.

 

I wanna see the rest of the car that little door came off of! THAT would be Kool!

 

The clowns are still using it!