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07-20-2024, 08:37 AM | #1 |
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Nampa Idaho
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Them ol Chevy 6 bangers were a good Motor
June 21 1955. Sam Gray, David Rutford and Fred Hallberg begin their cruise down the Mississippi river from Saint Paul Minnesota on a homemade raft. The raft was built of barrels and planks. Power for the propeller was provided by a 1939 Chevrolet they had paid $ 15 for. the car had 172,000 miles on it. The rear wheels of the car ran against another set of wheels which turned the propeller. The car's steering wheel turned the raft's rudder.
In Saint Louis Missouri the men had a delay as the Chevy's valves needed to be ground. Outside of Memphis Tennessee a bearing on the propeller shaft burned out but the men were able to repair it with tools borrowed from a barge crew. The men ran low on food as they discovered a stowaway was eating their food. The stowaway was a rat. The men tried fishing for food but caught nothing the entire trip. Other problems encountered included mosquitoes, driftwood in the river and backwash from passing barges. On July 25 1955 the trio reached New Orleans. They planned to drive the Chevrolet back to Minnesota. Epilogue. The three men made it back to Saint Paul driving the Chevrolet in 49 hours. The car used five gallons of oil for the return drive.
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07-20-2024, 09:56 AM | #2 |
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: Northern Calif.
Posts: 3,660
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Re: Them ol Chevy 6 bangers were a good Motor
"The men tried fishing for food but caught nothing the entire trip."
Been there, done that! |
07-20-2024, 12:33 PM | #3 |
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Searcy, Ark. USA
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Re: Them ol Chevy 6 bangers were a good Motor
What an adventure!
5 gallons of oil? She was pretty much used up.
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Boog 69 Chevy stepside, 358/T350, 4.11 posi, 4.5/4 drop, rallys, poboy driver primer is finer 91 Chevy sportside, Tahoe, Yukon & GMC Crewcab All GM..'nuff said. I stand for the flag and kneel at the cross |
07-20-2024, 12:51 PM | #4 |
Proprietor of Dale's Corner
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Vacaville , CA
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Re: Them ol Chevy 6 bangers were a good Motor
Very creative, I was expecting it to sink. Cool story.
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"Some Days Chickens And Some Days Feathers" Dale XNGH ECV Sam Brannan 1004 R.I.P. 67ChevyRedneck R.I.P. Grumpy Old Man |
07-20-2024, 04:03 PM | #5 |
laying low
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Searcy, Ark. USA
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Re: Them ol Chevy 6 bangers were a good Motor
Your classic Huckelberry.
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Boog 69 Chevy stepside, 358/T350, 4.11 posi, 4.5/4 drop, rallys, poboy driver primer is finer 91 Chevy sportside, Tahoe, Yukon & GMC Crewcab All GM..'nuff said. I stand for the flag and kneel at the cross |
07-21-2024, 08:27 PM | #6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Cypress, TX
Posts: 3,649
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Re: Them ol Chevy 6 bangers were a good Motor
Fantastic. I want to build a pontoon structure to put my 1969 Chevy onto, and drive around on the lakes and rivers.
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07-22-2024, 02:19 AM | #7 |
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Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Elkhart, Texas
Posts: 1,658
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Re: Them ol Chevy 6 bangers were a good Motor
Load up some boards and barrels on your '69 and come to my house.. We'll whip up a barge while you'll learn to weld.. Together, we'll ply the Neches River all the way to the Gulf of Mexico..
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07-22-2024, 11:20 AM | #8 |
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Ark City, Kansas
Posts: 3,327
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Re: Them ol Chevy 6 bangers were a good Motor
I think I can hear Patsy Cline singing "Crazy" in the background..........
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Yesterday, 10:31 PM | #9 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Cypress, TX
Posts: 3,649
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Re: Them ol Chevy 6 bangers were a good Motor
It's CCR singing Proud Mary keep on burnin', Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river!
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Today, 12:23 AM | #10 |
Who Changed This?
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Simi Valley, CA
Posts: 10,334
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Re: Them ol Chevy 6 bangers were a good Motor
When I was really young (in the '50s) I remember that my dad drove a '51 or so Chevy. We were as poor as you can believe. I remember seeing Speedol brand non-detergent oil in a 2 gallon can in the trunk of his car, because it burned so much oil that he had to add it to the engine before he left for work, and before he left for home...18 miles each way. That thing smoked like a locomotive.
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~Steven '70 Chevy 3/4T Longhorn CST 402/400/3.56 Custom Camper Simi Valley, CA |
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