TexasKnucklehead
Jedi Knight
Offline
We made it. 8 days, 3,400 miles, 10 states, and D.C. in 1 new 1959 TR3.
We drove the TR3 from Spring, Tx to Portage, Pa and back -via Cumberland Furnace, Tenn. Stopped in D.C. to see our daughter. Stayed over night twice at the only B&B in Cumberland Furnace with covered parking (pic attached) -my wife's only brother's place. Celebrated my father's 90th birthday and got to visit with all 5 of my brothers and all 5 of my sisters as well as my parents. Pulling into the hotel in Pa, it was 28 degrees. The car died in the driveway and we drifted down the hill into the lot, coasted into the first open parking spot, and I turned off the lights and ignition as if it were still running. We laughed, unloaded and slept well. The next day I dealt with a sticking float valve, but I never figured why it will not idle after we get off a freeway, and it's warm, but the air is cold. I had to tap the starter with a pipe this morning in New Orleans after all types of recharging the battery proved useless. We stopped to see the man who gave me the TR3 in Bay St Louis. When the rain started to turn to snow in West Virginia, I looked over at my wife. She was wearing her heavy coat and gloves. Her cashmere scarf was wrapped around her face. Her noise canceling headphones were connected to her phone, holding her hat in place, and she was playing 'words with friends'. The heater was up the whole way, and my side curtains were on -and every unused scrap of fabric was stuffed into each place cold air was entering. She looked up and I pointed to the snow in the rain. I was thinking of how it probably was about to get worse... black ice, slush, and colder temperatures as we pressed farther north. And Prudence looked closely until she saw the snow and exclaimed 'how exciting'. I realized her attitude was better than mine, and grabbed onto it. We had a great trip. No matter where we stopped, we heard stories about previous TRs. By my own definition, I can't say we didn't "break down", but we made it. A jump here, a jump there, a walk to buy some carb cleaner, a little tinkering, a little worrying and wondering about the weather, but we made it. I have a few more bugs to sort out, but we can get there from here.
I want to take a second and say thank-you to everyone on the forum. I had 2 cell numbers in my phone of members who live along the way that brought much comfort, even if I didn't have to call them. I want to say thanks to everyone who has commented to my efforts on so many topics. I want to specifically thank Randall. From my steering box (which I think my TR3 worm gear works almost as well as the TR6 rack) to the generator to... all sorts of things. Thanks to Geo for the help with the side-curtains... I could go on, but know that I use the search feature and have found help from so many that I can't thank you all individually. But, Thanks. My trip would not have been as successful without the forum.
Jerry
We drove the TR3 from Spring, Tx to Portage, Pa and back -via Cumberland Furnace, Tenn. Stopped in D.C. to see our daughter. Stayed over night twice at the only B&B in Cumberland Furnace with covered parking (pic attached) -my wife's only brother's place. Celebrated my father's 90th birthday and got to visit with all 5 of my brothers and all 5 of my sisters as well as my parents. Pulling into the hotel in Pa, it was 28 degrees. The car died in the driveway and we drifted down the hill into the lot, coasted into the first open parking spot, and I turned off the lights and ignition as if it were still running. We laughed, unloaded and slept well. The next day I dealt with a sticking float valve, but I never figured why it will not idle after we get off a freeway, and it's warm, but the air is cold. I had to tap the starter with a pipe this morning in New Orleans after all types of recharging the battery proved useless. We stopped to see the man who gave me the TR3 in Bay St Louis. When the rain started to turn to snow in West Virginia, I looked over at my wife. She was wearing her heavy coat and gloves. Her cashmere scarf was wrapped around her face. Her noise canceling headphones were connected to her phone, holding her hat in place, and she was playing 'words with friends'. The heater was up the whole way, and my side curtains were on -and every unused scrap of fabric was stuffed into each place cold air was entering. She looked up and I pointed to the snow in the rain. I was thinking of how it probably was about to get worse... black ice, slush, and colder temperatures as we pressed farther north. And Prudence looked closely until she saw the snow and exclaimed 'how exciting'. I realized her attitude was better than mine, and grabbed onto it. We had a great trip. No matter where we stopped, we heard stories about previous TRs. By my own definition, I can't say we didn't "break down", but we made it. A jump here, a jump there, a walk to buy some carb cleaner, a little tinkering, a little worrying and wondering about the weather, but we made it. I have a few more bugs to sort out, but we can get there from here.
I want to take a second and say thank-you to everyone on the forum. I had 2 cell numbers in my phone of members who live along the way that brought much comfort, even if I didn't have to call them. I want to say thanks to everyone who has commented to my efforts on so many topics. I want to specifically thank Randall. From my steering box (which I think my TR3 worm gear works almost as well as the TR6 rack) to the generator to... all sorts of things. Thanks to Geo for the help with the side-curtains... I could go on, but know that I use the search feature and have found help from so many that I can't thank you all individually. But, Thanks. My trip would not have been as successful without the forum.
Jerry