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TR2/3/3A We made it -TR3 first trip

TexasKnucklehead

Jedi Knight
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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
 

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Geo Hahn

Yoda
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Congratulations on a successful maiden voyage. As I have said before: In my TR4 I just 'arrive', but in my TR3 I feel like I've 'cheated death again'.

BTW -- your wife sounds like a real brick.
 

sail

Darth Vader
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Congrats, I've been following your progress and glad for you that it peaked in what sounds like a very memorable trip. And you made it! :triumphant:
 

mgedit

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Congratulation on your adventure. Still just over 100 miles on mine, but it is great fun, and it is amazing how much attention it attracts (and stories it inspires) no matter were one stops. Cheers, Mike
 

DNK

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Wow! a great break down cruise and memories to boot
Congrats on the project and the trip!!

Jerry- We don't do snow in our part of the Palmetto State.
Anytime your in the area
 

Gordon_Dedrick

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LOVE the photo of the carport! A great wife like yours and mine sure makes the voyage easier doesn't it? Congratulations on an adventurous first trip. Enjoy
 

poolboy

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The TRip might be over but those memories will last a lifetime..Thanks for telling us about it.
 

M_Pied_Lourd

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Awesome Jerry, great story.

Cheers
Tush
 

DornTRoriginal

Jedi Hopeful
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Congratulations! Great story from the start to the end! You are an inspiration to all of who wanna be doing what you have done!
 

Tinkerman

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Major accomplishment, MAJOR congratulations. I'm still trying to get mine on the road. Getting close, though.

Again congratulations!

Dick
 

Lukens

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Jerry, forgive me if you've already answered this. What was your optimum cruising speed? Maximum?

Russ
 

NutmegCT

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Jerry - tho' I didn't do my recent 7000 trip in my TR, I sure had a great time. (see blog below)

Do you have photos along the route? with a daily narrative?

Thanks.
Tom
 
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TexasKnucklehead

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Russ,

I have the HVDA Toyota 5-speed conversion in the TR3. Generally, I shift into 5th at about 50/60mph. I found the speedometer to be off; showing 60 was actually 66 according to the GPS. I found myself between 70 and 80mph with the tach between 3,500 and 4,000rpm (I don't know how far off the tach might be). I actually had to hold myself back from going over 80, but the noise levels after 50 become obvious. The noise at 50, with the windows on and top up is like rain or light tapping of the top across the frame. It is possible to speak and be heard by the passenger at 50. At 60, you no longer can hear the tapping due to the wind noise. You would have to scream to be heard by the passenger. At 70, you can't hear the engine nor your passenger. You always hear the cars and trucks that you pass, or pass you and often can tell what type of tires they are running. Street tires/radials are much quieter. I was not passed very often, and was often in the passing lane.

I didn't go much over 80, but I'm sure the car would. I filled up (the 12gal tank) in Baton Rouge, La and drove to my house in Spring, Tx -298 miles and had a little less than 1/4 tank when I got here. I drove whatever speed I could to avoid traffic, but usually about 75mph. According to my math, that's 30mpg.

I hope this answers your question. My wife is eager for another TRip.
 
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TexasKnucklehead

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Tom, that is a great trip you took. It is presented well and I loved reading the whole blog. I missed the chance to meet Mickey (and JP), but it's funny because I also had some hard starting problems and loss of power. After I got back home, I found the points wiper had worn to the point it made contact to the tops of the cam lobes only.

My wife started a hand written blog, but we have done nothing with it.

I will post a picture just as the fog was clearing off the windshield (and camera lens) leaving Cumberland Furnace on the way back to Texas. My brother-in-laws driveway is about a mile long and unpaved. There is a very short section paved, where the creek runs across the road. The camera lens was still covered in fog for those pictures. The scenery was awesome. The GPS took us onto a "secondary road" which was paved and had a stripe painted down the center. A mile or two later, and we turned onto a smaller road. Technically it was paved, but it was not wide enough for a stripe down the center. Those 30 miles or so were the favorite of all. If we weren't in such a hurry, I'd have driven all the way on those kind of roads.
 

Lukens

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While I admire you Jerry, I can't say I envy you. I drove my first TR3 all winter, in Ohio, in 1967, with no side curtains. I was 25 then. Even though my current TR3 is very roadworthy, I seldom top 70 mph. I avoid the intimidation of the interstaes when possible. I find 60 -65 very comfortable in every respect. I guess I've grown old. :concern:
 

CJD

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I took my Yorkie on an 8k mile road trip in a convertible with side pipes once. Till the day she died, 10 years later, she would not get in that car again. Hope you tell your wife how special she is in enjoying the adventure with you! Not that I'm relating your wife to a Yorkie, just that it takes a special person to enjoy that kind of hardship...
 
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TexasKnucklehead

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Lukens, looking at your profile I see you have not made any friends yet. And you are only 14 years older than I am. -By the same measuring device, I have not made any friends yet either, but I am envious of you. I much prefer the slower roads as I pictured. But given the time constraints, and knowing my father would not wait to turn 90 years old, I had to take interstates to make it in time. I am grateful for a wife who not only tolerates my weird behavior, but enjoys it with me. Some time ago my best friend was a 90lb lab mix. He loved riding in my pick-up truck. His head was almost always sticking out the window, with slobber blowing down the side of the truck. He and I drove to Seattle twice, and once to Pa. After a ride around the block in the TR6, he refused to get in it again. -Not that I'm comparing anyone to my dog...

We did have a great trip. Perhaps our expectations were not very high.
 
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