Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)

[6DoF]

the floor really has zero heat issue from the exhaust most any cruising or driving around. but after 6hours of towin, she got too toasty. thinking to really do this right, i should do a heat shield under the floor, then carpet inside with the extra sound control mass. the carpet will have to be trimmed around my giant tunnel and engine dog house though.

the trans tunnel and engine dog house only need a little heat control, but sound control on them would go a long way. i have had really good luck with recording studio acoustic blankets at work on the manufacturing floor. i'm thinking i might see if the wife could cut one up and stitch on a nice edge welting to fit over/around them.

then it's wind and tire noise ... the doors probably need adjusted in at the top to tighten up the seals. the kick panels are however a big one. maybe foam in the void at the door hinges to help sounds and rain from coming up in. pretty sure i'll need a whole trim panel over everything but the vent hole. plus some sound control on the inside of the door itself ... i should have done that while it was all apart and on the bench :facepalm:

[6DoF]

got to looking last night and the drivers door is hanging way out a the top, seal isn't anywhere close. but everything kind of lines up well otherwise, where it lines up at the cowl is basically in as far as it can go ... i think I'm going to have to bend the window frame to get a better seal.

[6DoF]

**** Heads Up Warning! ****

To anyone with Hagerty insurance, heads up that you are probably not covered at all if towing anything!

*************************

so yeah, luckily nothing happened. BUT, got a rude awakening when i went to renew my insurance for the year. they tried to sell me on their towing coverage and talked about even if the classic is on a trailer it covers that trailer. well what about the tow vehicle? what if that tow vehicle is the classic and the tow'd is not, is the trailer still covered?

long story short, i switched my 93 Dodge W250 to Hagerty for the agreed value at a higher cost cuz they specifically told me i was fine to tow whatever. well my policy got re-written for a new setup so i could add the vintage airstream to Hagerty with an agreed value. saved me money but maybe that's when it changed? all those miles with the 55 towing last season, and the last 2 years with the 93 and my race trailer ... zero coverage!

i actually asked them specifically ... the '55 you cover, if i tow the 1970 airstream that you also cover, to a vintage airstream rally/parade (literally the most on-brand activity possible for Hagerty), am i covered? the answer was unequivocally NO from like 6 different people.

next day i got a call from someone else at Hagerty talking about my prior discussion. apparently someone escalated it and the underwriter agreed that could/should be covered. 'the 55 can tow the airstream' was specifically added to my policy. however, i asked for this in writing since so many different people told me it wasn't possible before, and i have yet to be able to get that.

[71'tahoe]

Originally Posted by 6DoF

**** Heads Up Warning! ****

To anyone with Hagerty insurance, heads up that you are probably not covered at all if towing anything!

*************************

so yeah, luckily nothing happened. BUT, got a rude awakening when i went to renew my insurance for the year. they tried to sell me on their towing coverage and talked about even if the classic is on a trailer it covers that trailer. well what about the tow vehicle? what if that tow vehicle is the classic and the tow'd is not, is the trailer still covered?

long story short, i switched my 93 Dodge W250 to Hagerty for the agreed value at a higher cost cuz they specifically told me i was fine to tow whatever. well my policy got re-written for a new setup so i could add the vintage airstream to Hagerty with an agreed value. saved me money but maybe that's when it changed? all those miles with the 55 towing last season, and the last 2 years with the 93 and my race trailer ... zero coverage!

i actually asked them specifically ... the '55 you cover, if i tow the 1970 airstream that you also cover, to a vintage airstream rally/parade (literally the most on-brand activity possible for Hagerty), am i covered? the answer was unequivocally NO from like 6 different people.

next day i got a call from someone else at Hagerty talking about my prior discussion. apparently someone escalated it and the underwriter agreed that could/should be covered. 'the 55 can tow the airstream' was specifically added to my policy. however, i asked for this in writing since so many different people told me it wasn't possible before, and i have yet to be able to get that.

That's crazy. I had to run regular insurance on my 67' C/20 because I use it for farm use and towing/hauling hay and other various trailers. I may have to talk to my agent to make sure even my regular insurance is covered and get it in writing since I was only told I was covered verbally on the phone.

[6DoF]

Originally Posted by 71'tahoe

That's crazy. I had to run regular insurance on my 67' C/20 because I use it for farm use and towing/hauling hay and other various trailers. I may have to talk to my agent to make sure even my regular insurance is covered and get it in writing since I was only told I was covered verbally on the phone.

i wouldn't be too worried about 'regular' insurance, that's kind of a basic use case. i switched the 93 Dodge back to Erie Insurance with the house and wife's Grand Cherokee. no agreed value so it might be a fight if they try and include gas versions in the value estimate, but at least there's coverage.

[6DoF]

jumped onto the '55 to try and get some things buttoned up for spring. first time on the lift in the new shop! just putting in on there and running it up a few inches so the hood clears my head is so nice.

but what an absolute mess from only 5500 miles with a 12v :james:

the OneGauge guys set me up with some wrong sensors to start with, the intake temp sensors were just basic coolant style probes and reading the intake metal more than the air. so swapping 3 of those out for actual intake air sensors. of course that requires a system flash and re-wiring them, along with drill n tap all those ports from 1/8" npt to M16.

the CAN signal from the OneGauge needs tied into the dakota digital dash so i can hopefully monitor EGT, fuel PSI, and boost in the dash all the time. will be super helpful to not have to have my phone on for that all the time. i also need to set up some alarms in the TORQUE app (or hopefully the dash) in case i'm watching maps when something happens.

in parallel i'm getting the charge cooler water temp sensors set up better too. adding an extended T fitting so they are no longer in the flow path blocking half the hose area is a big one. then adding a ground wire directly to them will hopefully make for some real readings. one wire sensors with no ground but the water in the lines get funny.

finally i want to swap the factory back glass in place of the slider. in this truck i found the slider really offers no added air, while it blocks a lot of my rear view. might just be a tall person issue, but i need every last bit of rear glass height to see and the slider frame takes too much.

[Jason 56]

Nothing like a little spring maintenance for the upcoming season. I just ordered exhaust cutouts for mine.

[6DoF]

some good news and some bad news on the gauges, but still moving forward. got all the sensor locations re-drilled and updated with the new sensors and wiring all cleaned up. stuff i don't mind doing, but stuff that takes WAY longer than ya always expect. the bad news is things aren't yet working 100% with the OneGauge, but they are looking into the custom program they sent me. cross your fingers they find something easy. a few sensors need scaled, a few aren't reading, and the CAD data isn't being read. on the dakota digital screen, hopefully we can get the boost and fuel psi working, but also A/F reading as my EGT. so like 12.8 would be 1280deg.

also swapped out the rear slider glass for the factory glass. looks better, way better rear viz too. the slider is great in Hank, but really make zero difference open vs closed in the 55.