bluemiata90
Jedi Trainee
Offline
I'll try an make this as short as possible and I hope it makes you smile. I was visiting my daughter in Southern Ill. and as always, I picked up the local car classifieds. I find a 61 TR3A for sale in a small town about 250 miles from Chicago.
The fact that I'm in the middle of a body off restoration of another TR3, didn't stop me from giving the seller a call. As would happen, he made me an offer I couldn't refuse and I purchased the TR3. Now began the process of trailering it back up to Chicago. I rent a Uhaul trailer and worry over, "will it fit". I install a hitch on my sons jeep and worry over, "will it be able to trailer the car hauler 500 miles without incident", Etc Etc.
We get up early and travel the 250 miles without incident. The TR3 fits (very tight). We get it back to Chicago (total trip time about 8 hours). Start to remove it from the trailer and it won't start. O.K. a little starter fluid will do the trick, spray the starter fluid into the carbs and it starts right up. Worry about it falling off the ramps when removing it from the trailer. It comes off without any problems. My son and I are standing there listening to it run and smiling. All that worrying for nothing. WAIT, smoke coming from the engine compartment, quickly open the hood, the one carb is blowing out flames.
The fact that I'm a firefighter, you'd think I would have worried about it catching on fire. No extingisher available. Bottles of Pepsi from the cooler saved the day. After it cooled down, it started right up and ran great. I guess the starter fluid started the leaky carb on fire. Little to no damage, but a very exciting ending to long day. Hope you enjoyed the story.
The fact that I'm in the middle of a body off restoration of another TR3, didn't stop me from giving the seller a call. As would happen, he made me an offer I couldn't refuse and I purchased the TR3. Now began the process of trailering it back up to Chicago. I rent a Uhaul trailer and worry over, "will it fit". I install a hitch on my sons jeep and worry over, "will it be able to trailer the car hauler 500 miles without incident", Etc Etc.
We get up early and travel the 250 miles without incident. The TR3 fits (very tight). We get it back to Chicago (total trip time about 8 hours). Start to remove it from the trailer and it won't start. O.K. a little starter fluid will do the trick, spray the starter fluid into the carbs and it starts right up. Worry about it falling off the ramps when removing it from the trailer. It comes off without any problems. My son and I are standing there listening to it run and smiling. All that worrying for nothing. WAIT, smoke coming from the engine compartment, quickly open the hood, the one carb is blowing out flames.
The fact that I'm a firefighter, you'd think I would have worried about it catching on fire. No extingisher available. Bottles of Pepsi from the cooler saved the day. After it cooled down, it started right up and ran great. I guess the starter fluid started the leaky carb on fire. Little to no damage, but a very exciting ending to long day. Hope you enjoyed the story.
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smilie in place of the real @
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