Travel and experience with Board guys

[CCCC]

A recent long trip was interesting, primarily due to meeting some nice Board members who sold (and gave) me some needed parts. Before leaving the Seattle area for home, had made a nice trailer out of a 69 Chev 3/4 ton frame/bed - removed the axle shafts to avoid wear issues in the diff and made sealing caps for the outer ends. The trailer pulled like a dream. (except for a tire blowout in 118 degree heat near Needles, CA). After long miles got to Hotrodhenryj's place in Lake Havasu City, AZ and bought some goodies - and he threw in a hood and gas tank for good measure. He is knowledgeable and a nice fellow - good person to deal with. Next stop in PHX where I caved in a bought a 72 Longhorn with 402 Bb and 4 spd - looks pretty rough, but strong down the middle and NO RUST, so should be a good project. Then on to Las Cruces, NM to meet low'n slow and pick up some 4wd driveline components. Also a very nice guy, and he and his son helped me load the heavy stuff - in some high afternoon heat. He showed me the real version of that great pickup shown in his avatar (it is SWEET) and also gave me a bottle of cold agua and some nice new shop rags for later use. (I needed them after unloading all of those parts by myself). I can recommend both of these fellows as honest, fair and nice to deal with. Later this week will meet t korinek in Mesa, AZ and see about some parts there, and expect he will be just as good as these other guys. Seems like this Board is full of such critters, which is really nice to know.

[thirdstreettito]

Cool! I wish I had the money to drive a V8 across the country and buy goodies from people on here. If you dont mind, how much $$$ have yuo spent so far on this trip?...

[CCCC]

Chose to drive to family event near Seattle area instead of flying so we would have a BIG vehicle there and so I could do this trailer haul and the parts pickup for the return trip. The Longhorn deal came up after the planning. On the return trip, drove a little over 2,000 miles at about 19 mpg (Dodge Cummins), so with diesel avaraging about $4.75/gallon, the drive cost approx. $500 for fuel alone. But, could not have gotten to all those places on airplanes for anywhere near that, and driving is more enjoyable than bad time in airports and worse time on planes.

[Shyguy]

Thank you for sharing your experience on your road trip with fellow board members.

You are right about flying getting too be way too much trouble.

We flew over to Hawaii earlier this year and don't want to have to put up with what it takes to fly again for a long while.

Driving was not an option on that trip, but next year when we go out west for our son's wedding we will either drive or take the train.

Danny

[stllookn]

Wish I had known you were in the Seattle area...I would have loaded that trailer with some parts as well.

[Longhorn321]

I wanna see that longhorn! And I wanna see how you pulled a trailer full of parts and a longhorn with one vehicle!