444 replies to this topic

[Phil Hackett]

Greg… how are you communicating with the chase car while driving? Hand signals, cell phones, walkie-talkies, **TEXTING**? How?

[Michael Rigsby]

Maybe when I get it home, Mike. Right now I am listening for every rattle and creak to try to detect any problems that are developing.

It's like carrying tools... if you have them, you won't need them.

The potential problems know I am listening for them and therefore stay on their best behavior. If I was drowning out the rattles and creaks with music, those sneaky problems would reach up and bite me!

 

Actually, I learned long ago to start worrying when the noises stopped... If the noise was there for awhile, it went into the "normal" basket in my head... when it stopped, that was panic time.

[Cheater]

Phil,

A cheap set of walkie-talkies I got at Fry's.

Posting from Alma, AR, a few beyond Ft. Smith. As I said, the late start due to the flat will probably keep us from making Little Rock before dark, so we'll probably stop in Conway or thereabouts.

[Jairus]

What good can come from Conway?

[Champion 507]

Getting to meet Greg, Geoff, and their Model A was a big highlight for me for 2014.

 

After getting their tire fixed, I met them back at the motel. It was easier to take the flat by itself to the tire store, rather than trying to drive the A through morning commute traffic. Geoff had already changed out the tires and this was the view of the car prior to Greg installing the repaired tire as the spare.

 

 

Here's Greg putting the final touches on the spare tire.

 

 

Geoff took a pic of our fearless leader and me saying our goodbyes.

 

 

This was my last view of them. Geoff is in the VW in front of me and you can barely see the roof of the A in front of him.

 

 

Even with the tire issue, I feel a good time was had by all.

[Cheater]

I agree 110% about the good time!

 

The flat tire slowed us down about two hours from when we had planned to leave, but we made it to Conway, AR, before snagging a cheap Super 8 right at exit 125. Did have to drive about 20 mins in the dark, which I've been largely avoiding doing on the trek.

 

Glad I thought to bring two 19-inch tubes with me. Wonder if I would have been able to find one in Tulsa had I not?

 

Need to look at the map, but hope we can make Nashville by Saturday night.

 

Car is running superb and I discovered a little trick I'll post in the next report that has really eased my mind about the engine noise I was hearing.

[The Number of]

What good can come from Conway?

 

An empty Greyhound Bus.

[Cheater]

I'll tell you what, we had the best meal of our trip so far at a restaurant in Conway. Yumm....

[SlowBeas]

When you reach Memphis, be sure to stop in and have some BBQ. You won't regret it. And be sure to say hi to my mother as you pass through town. I know she'd love to hear from you. 

[Cheater]

30 miles from Memphis now. Stopped to search up a cheap hotel about 20 miles past Memphis. We'll leave the Model A at the hotel and come back in to Memphis to eat. Makes for a shorter run to Nashville tomorrow.

[idare2bdul]

I admire your tenacity but I keep thinking this is why god invented small block Chevys.

 

Glad you are having fun!

[Pappy]

Greg will be so sick of riding in his Model A that he'll probably sell it as soon as he gets home.   

I heard a story about a guy who bought a Crosley in Cincinnati and when he got home to Cleveland he pushed it into Lake Erie he hated so bad.   

[Cheater]

Not a chance, Butch. This thing runs better the more I drive it and it does some things well that many Model As don't. It starts really well, it charges well, and it doesn't overheat. I'm keeping this one for a while.

 

Mike, if I'd wanted to go fast, I would have bought a fast car. LOL!

 

We've arrived at our hotel at exit 20 on I-40, i.e. 20 miles east of the state line.

 

Now the objective is to find just where we want to eat some BBQ for dinner...

[Champion 507]

BBQ and blues on Beale St. Ride the trolley, too!

[Cheater]

Since we're east of downtown Memphis, we're going to try the Central BBQ location on Summer Ave in east Memphis, just to shorten the drive. USA Today rated Central the no. 1 BBQ restaurant downtown. Hope the satellite is equally good.

 

I'm hankering for ribs tonight...

[MSwiss]

Oh, oh.

They knocked off the Rendezvous.

I like Memphis BBQ, but more for pulled pork and brisket, because they tend to do St. Louis ribs vs baby backs.

[Dennis David]

What's the difference?

[MSwiss]

Baby backs are a different cut.

I'm sure you could Google to get the exact difference, but typically they have a different texture and are more tender.

Plus, usually more expensive.

[MattD]

Regular spare ribs wrap under the pig around the belly. Babyback ribs are where they connect in the upper center of the back.  Babybacks are actually the bone that is part of pork chop. The whole slab is pulled off and the meat than becomes a boneless pork loin. No comparison to the tenderness of a babyback.

 

Thirty-three years as a meat cutter...

[Indiana Outlaw]

Beale St. is always a stop when I'm in Memphis. Rum Boogie Cafe, Silky O'Sullivans, and BB's of course. Best ribs in a place outside of town. if I recall correcrly, it's in Germantown.

[Cheater]

We ended up at Central BBQ's satellite location on Summer Ave and it was crammed when we arrived about 7:20 PM. About a fifteen minute wait...

 

The ribs were good, but to be honest, nowhere near as good as the ones I smoke at home.

[Michael Rigsby]

Though I am not a big rib eater by any means since I prefer a nice Texas style brisket, some of the best ribs I've ever had in the south were in your backyard, Greg, at Fox Brothers BBQ. Just happened to stumble across the place and wanted some BBQ, ordered the ribs and chicken, and I was impressed.

 

Glad you got the car straightened out. Now a question about the bent rim on the spare. Is it cheaper to find just a replacement rim and have it painted, or are there still people around that can straighten them?

[SlowBeas]

From a strictly "Memphis-style BBQ" perspective, the best in town would be Jim Neely's Interstate BBQ on the famous Highway 61, the same Blues Highway that has the Crossroads where, at a location further south in Mississippi, Robert Johnson allegedly made his deal with the devil. But that's another story for another day.

 

Neely's slow-cooks (read: "smokes") their ribs for about 18 hours before serving. The meat is tender, juicy, and worthy of being devoured without any sauce whatsoever. But if you don't use their private-stock sauces, you've missed the experience.

 

With the advent of the annual Memphis in May International BBQ Festival cookoff, numerous different styles have made their way onto the local culinary scene. However, Neely's has true Memphis flavor. There's something about that combination of sweet tomato sauce with a touch of vinegar, pepper, and beer that awaken my taste buds with the first bite. And the side dishes are incredibly tasty, too. Real soul food that sticks to the ribs.

 

Next trip through Memphis, include Neely's on your itinerary.

 

Drive carefully. On my next visit to Hotlanta, I want to see your new treasure!

[MSwiss]

I definitely heard of Neely's.

When I would hit Memphis, I would do Corky's when I got there, and Pig 'n Whistle when I was leaving.

One of the best meals I ever had was at a Corky's outside of Nashville.

A three "meat" combo with pulled pork, sliced brisket, and fantastic BBQ shrimp.

[Champion 507]

Model A wheel straightener:
 
Wheel Straightener