Road Trip Through The Americas

[Barabbas]

My $.02 worth---Stay off I-5 in Washington it'll just shake your old Plym to death.  Take a Ferry to Bainbridge Island or Kingston; I personally miss the Ferries as much I as I miss the mountains and salt water.  Take the 101 down Hood Canal; very pretty and twisty drive and continue on the 101 thru Oregon

[James_Douglas]

He guys,

 

Last time I talked with Billy he was rebuilding the engine.  He did not call and tell me he was headed out and I have not visited the forum in a while!

 

Let me know when you hit San Francisco. Wednesday after lunch I will have a secure garage a few blocks from my place that you can park the car for a few days off the street if you want to hang out in SF for a few days.  I have a bed and a couch you guys are welcome to and I will call around and see if anyone is going to be out of town and I can barrow their place...

 

Best, James

[Jeff Balazs]

Hey Guy's;

Love that photo with the Buffalo. Very cool trip so far.

I gotta do something like this once I get my truck all sorted out.

Thanks for sharing and have a fun time.

Jeff

[mrwrstory]

I drove the Oregon recently and had no problems with gas attendants.  Most are cool with you pumping your own gas if you just give'm a chance to take the nozzle from the pump.

I also endorse the idea of driving down the coast.  If you're close to Garibaldi, OR (about 80 miles South of Seaside, just above Tillamook) when it's time to stop for the night, there's a nearly new Comfort Inn at the South end of town.  Modest price, virtually next door to an outdoor Rail Road Museum, great photo op, and there are several options for dinner two doors over.

Also hope you got the message from Paul Flaming about Avenue of the Giants 45 miles South of Eureka.  A worthwhile drive.

Edited September 21, 2013 by mrwrstory

[pflaming]

Don and Billy: Since no one else is going to drive the Sur with us, I am going to do as Bill Story is doing, i.e., meet you guys near Hearst Castle. We can motor on down to Pismo from there. I will get a free pass to see the Pismo Dunes from my brother etc., or whatever we decide to do.

 

I'm going to reserve my trip to Big Sur for my Suburban for then I can take my wife and two grand kids along.

 

I'm fine tuning the truck and I've got my week cleared from Tuesday on.

 

Paul 

[Plymouthy Adams]

^{Oh no...PP going to give up his morning trip to the Geritol Bar down the street.... If you're edged 'cause I'm weazin all your grindage, just chill. ... Squeeze the juice!}

[48Dodger]

I am stunned at how much ground you guys are making! I was hoping I had more time to plan an ambush with a vintage cop car...lol.

I don't care where you are when you stop in Cali, DC and Billie.....I'll be there.

 

 

48D

[BigDaddyO]

The Museum of Flight in Seattle is worth visiting if you are still there and have a whole day to spend.

[TodFitch]

. . . Also hope you got the message from Paul Flaming about Avenue of the Giants 45 miles South of Eureka.  A worthwhile drive.

Private enterprise, so it costs a little, but the drive through tree near Leggett is worth doing at least once. http://www.drivethrutree.com

 

That is just a little south of the Avenue of the Giants which I agree is a worthwhile drive.

 

[mrwrstory]

The Museum of Flight in Seattle is worth visiting if you are still there and have a whole day to spend.

Ditto!!!!! and from there, it's on the West side of Seatac Airport, you can go further West a few miles to the Southworth-Fauntleroy Ferry for a short ride to Hwy 160 & 3 which goes South to the 101

[rumble48]

geez...  I think you folks are going to drive right past me before I can get the plymouth started.....  course it does take a while to start....

 

great road trip!

[pflaming]

You guys probably have good reasons to head to San Diego. However, everything south of Santa Barbara is concrete, slow traffic, and aggressive drivers.

 

I would turn east at Moro Bay and head for Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Moab in Utah, the Rocky mountains, and then to St Louis.

 

But then, that's just me. Looking forward to meeting you guys at the coast. Will put the truck on a hoist tomorrow for a final check and then I'm ready to roll.

 

pflaming  

[Don Coatney]

Day 13

 

Drove about 50 miles today. Renton WA to Manchester WA. Spent the morning in Seattle being tourists. Road the ferris wheel and stuff. Ferried over to Bremerton and will spend a couple of nights staying with the sister of one of my Army buddies who died in Vietnam. Lonny and Kathy Ince were the best of hosts feeding us with a great seafood fest.

 

Here is the link to todays pictures.

 

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/DonCoatney/library/#/user/DonCoatney/library/Billy%20Austin/day%2013?sort=3&page=1&_suid=137986755168408362126193760724

 

Billy and I both had an opportunity to display our player panio expertise. I think I was a lot better than Billy.

 

 

 

 

 

[Don Coatney]

A few more photos

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Young Ed]

Don any story as to why Darth and a stormtrooper were standing guard over these tables??

 

[TodFitch]

Ditto!!!!! and from there, it's on the West side of Seatac Airport, you can go further West a few miles to the Southworth-Fauntleroy Ferry for a short ride to Hwy 160 & 3 which goes South to the 101

Boeing has a pretty interesting factory tour in Everett.

 

And the Spruce Goose is in a museum not too far from Portland.

[Frank Elder]

Are the brakes stock on this car? Mine are, and I would be afraid of fade coming down the mountain passes....maybe because I have yet to try.....

[Dodgeb4ya]

I have driven over the Snoqualmie and Stevens Cascade mountain passes many times with stock 1948-54 Plymouth and Dodge cars. I also drove my 4 ton Dodge over and down Snoqualmie pass. I always had total confidence in the brakes on all of these old Mopars. They work very well once seated in 100%.

Bob

[TodFitch]

Are the brakes stock on this car? Mine are, and I would be afraid of fade coming down the mountain passes....maybe because I have yet to try.....

If the grade is too steep for engine compression to keep you going slow enough in direct, then downshift to 2nd. Standard operating procedure in cars for eons. In my '33 the grade has to be really, really steep before I need 2nd to keep my speed in line. Most of the "braking" is simply taking my foot off the accelerator.

 

In fact, lack of engine braking was one reason my Dad didn't get a car with an automatic transmission until after the turn of the millennium: His experience with cars from the motor pool that had automatic transmissions way back when (1950s, early '60s) convinced him that they weren't safe on mountain roads as they had very little compression braking from the engine. The wide spread adoption of fade resistant disc brakes did not change is mind about the need for engine braking.

[Frank Elder]

Thanks Bob.

[Frank Elder]

Tod, I have fluid drive would engine braking be as efficent?

[greg g]

I believe fluid drives offer pretty decent compression braking.  As long as one of the impellers is turning, it will be directing fluid against the other causing drag.  May not be as effective as a dry system but still works effectively.

[Don Coatney]

Engine braking works great if used. Use of the Georgia overdrive while desending mountain roads coupled with riding the breaks all the way down the hill will cause the brakes to fade.

 

At least that is what Billy tells me.

[Don Coatney]

Day 15

 

Day 14 was the first day we did not drive anywhere. Spent the day lounging and resting up at some friends house in Port Orchard, Washington.

 

Today we drove from Port Orchard to Portland, Oregon. Total miles to date 5145

 

Biggest treat today was to raid the garage of forum member Dodge b4ya AKA Bob, AKA Rob.

 

Bob offered us his shop, lift, and tools to service Billys car. Adjusted the brakes for the second time on this trip, changed the oil for the second time on this trip, adjusted the timing for the third time on this trip, topped off the differential for the second time on this trip, correctly adjusted the over-center spring for the first time  on this  car, lubed the chassis for the second time on this trip, used Bobs exhaust gas sensor in the radiator to prove that the head gasket was not blown. Probabld did more but I forget what it was. It was really great to finally meet Bob face to face. We had a lot of laughs and talked about all you forum members behind your backs.

 

Links to todays pictures.

 

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/DonCoatney/library/#/user/DonCoatney/library/Billy%20Austin/day%2015?sort=3&page=1&_suid=137999881700406739286133758812

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TodFitch]

I was wondering about on the trip servicing. . . I've setup a service chart based on all the myriad items listed in my "operators manual" (owners manual was a later thing) and basically 2,000 miles is a pretty major service interval that includes things like tire rotation, oil change, lubricating the suspension, etc. A lot easier if you have access to something other than a hotel parking lot.