444 replies to this topic

[Cheater]

Greg, love the signage on the car. Whose idea was that?

The idea was mine, but I was going to do it on the windows in white shoe polish, like the class designations at a lot of drag strips. Since Jairus works at a sign shop, he surprised me with the professional vinylsignage. It's getting lots of attention as we travel.
 

I think you should have given him a few more drinks and then tried it.

Jairus is already a mod at some level (I'd have to check to know what) and as I told him, if he is willing to help admin Slotblog, he'll get the permissions needed to do so.

He would not have been able to surreptitiously make it happen though, as entry to the admin control panel takes two separate log-ins, the so-called two-factor log-in.
 

I wonder if they are on the road again?

Oh, ye of little faith! We got on the roll at about 12:15, after a great story I'll relate in today's trip report. Stopped in Burns and it's not as small as you inferred, Jairus. Got a decent hotel at a decent price, too. And they have a liquor store! LOL!

Hope to exit Oregon tomorrow, but not because it isn't a beautiful place. It is, however, a bit too windy and rainy to suit me...

[Champion 507]

Hope tomorrow is better and the water pump stays sealed up for the rest of the trip.

Also hope you get some good rest and good food.

[Jairus]

Greg,

You are in the high desert. Wind this time of year is normal.

All the way to the border now is sprinkled with little towns so the longest stretch is behind you.

[Cheater]

Jairus, please don't try to distract me with facts, OK? LOL!

BTW, I thought about calling you but no bars on the phone in Burns...

[SlotStox#53]

Definitely turning into an adventure early on, Greg!
 
Here's to a happy trouble-free adventure the rest of the way.
 
On a side note dealing with modern cars/traffic/drivers... Had experience driving a 1950s Daimler Consort that my father owned whilst hiring out cars for weddings. Gorgeous car to drive with chassis rails that wouldn't look out of place on a battleship!!! Old brakes, a pre-selector transmission, and dealing with impatient drivers in modern cars that cut right in front and expecting you to brake in time wasn't fun at all.
 
Although whizzing through the transmission with its straight-six engine startled many as to how spritely it ran off the line.
 
Could go on about the experience of snapping off a head bolt when refitting the rebuilt cylinder head on but I'm still too traumatized to this day to talk about it.
 
Instead here's a generic picture of said automobile.
 

 
Georgia or Bust!!!

[Jairus]

Let me guess: You are staying at Days Inn?

If I remember right there is a nice A&W close by where you can get a root beer float.

[Cheater]

Amazing... how did you know that, J?

[Jairus]

You're still in my backyard, dude.

[Cheater]

LOL... I am pedaling as fast as I can to get away though...

[DPmax]

Enjoying the trip reports.

Don't forget that one day's "road wiggle" is the next day's loose nuts and bolts!

[Cheater]

Max,

Glad to hear you're liking my drivel...

What's really happening is "tramlining", where the car moves with imperfections in the road surface. I suspect a proper alignment will take care of most of it, though it also could be wear in front end components. The tires don't seem to be wearing unevenly, so the alignment shouldn't be that far off.

In any case, it's not so bad that I need to address the problem before I get the car back to Georgia. It just makes the it a little bit more "nervous" to drive than I would prefer.

[Clif]

From yesterdays update :

The challenges we have faced were not unexpected and really, add "flavor" to the overall experience. I am, however, ready for a trouble-free day where we can make decent mileages so we can at least be home by Christmas! LOL!

 
They don't call it an adventure for nought. Be safe, be well, and enjoy! Rest easy that you do have a back-up plan.

[Cheater]

Make that back-up plans, plural.

And to have the Model A Ford community as a safety net is very comforting. It has bailed me once already...

[MSwiss]

You should poke around seeing about that front end alignment.

I remember trying to drive my first car, a '64 Olds, without an alignment, after a run in with a huge rock/driveway marker, pushed out on to the street, as a prank.

To quote a recent article about the new Alfa Romeo 4C, it was like "walking a pack of wild dogs through a butcher shop".

[Cheater]

Might do that in a few days.

Right now the priorities are getting more south and getting some miles behind us.

[MSwiss]

Are you planning to avoid the mountains?

[Jairus]

The next leg of the journey is through the mountains Mike, via old Hwy 20/22. While the elevation does get pretty high, the grade is easy. Even if it does wind around a bit. It also goes through a few little towns featuring very old junkyards.  

I am guessing they will make Boise before dark.

[Cheater]

That was a great route suggestion, Jairus!

The grades were moderate and the A pulled all but one of them in top gear, and I had to go down to second for less than a minute near the crest for that climb.

A quick points adjustment did take care of the misfiring problem experienced yesterday. Have had to cinch up the water pump packing a couple of times but that problem seems now to be under control.

Made about 115 miles on roughly 7-3/4 gallons gas, so we're thinking the OR pump jockies didn't get the tank full yesterday on two occasions causing us to run out twice.

Will definitely make Boise before dark. We should do better than 200 miles today, our best mileage day so far.

[Pablo]

Now I see the wisdom of your road trip plan vs trailering it home - by the time you reach Atlanta, you'll know every single mechanical glitch that needs attention.

Reminds me of my old sportfishing boat engine room training lesson on plumbing while in the shipyard - "Test that fitting If it's going to break, let's break it right here, right now".

[Jairus]

Greg just called and they successfully reached Mountain Home, ID. After dinner he will post a report.

But he said it was "a good day"!
 

[Clif]

Great news!

Thanks for the update, Jairus.

[MattD]

Not much aligment on  a Model A, about 1/8 inch toe and no camber or caster adjustments are possible. Remember this is a straight axle with king pins, no adjustment is possible to camber or caster.  

A piece of string is about all you need to set the toe.   

[Cheater]

Matt,

I do know this and when I referenced the alignment, I meant the toe setting.

My experience is that the toe setting being off can lead to the sort of tramlining I am experiencing with the Model A.

The problem is almost unnoticeable on smooth interstate pavement, so I am not going to bother messing with it.

Unfortunately, both OR and ID either have a lot of striated texture to their paving or utilize grooved concrete. We're out of OR now and should exit ID tomorrow, so it shouldn't be as bothersome going forward.

[Cheater]

After dinner he will post a report.

I'm going to punt on the report tonight. I'm beat and ate too much at dinner...

It'll be a better narrative if I wait until in the morning, I think. At least I'll be a bit more coherent then. LOL!

[Champion 507]

Driving a Model A is a lot of work, especially with what you've been through!

 

How's the water pump now?