LAST RUN, PART ONE.
I wanted to make a road run to, and up, the East Coast. Originally my plan had been to make this run the year following my run up the West Coast from Old Mexico to Canada. Then my pancreas went to hell in a hand basket and laid me up for 13 months. And there was 18 months added for recuperating. This delay, coupled with a surprise from Medicare concerning payment for intravenous feeding, seemed to doom this trip from ever happening. But Medicare changed their minds after lots of discussion. Hasty plans were made in mid-April as I prepared my flathead powered '34 Ford roadster for the projected 11,000 to 12,000 mile run. Due to my age (71) and state of health this would be my final long run.
Wednesday, May 13, 2003. Local forecasts for weather east and southeast of Denver were looking up. I had planned on leaving a couple of weeks earlier, but we had a tad bit of snow....like 37" on the level in my driveway the night before I planned on leaving! No way to start a trip in an open roadster. Besides, I may be nuts, but I'm not insane! No one starts a road run in an old roadster with chains and studded snow tires. So I postponed the date of departure. Decided Saturday, May 17, would be the day. I was ready and anxious to get on the road.
Initial plans were to go to Key West, Florida. Then head up the East Coast to either Boston or St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, and load the '34 on a ferry to Nova Scotia. Then tour Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and due west across New Brunswick into Quebec. Then southwesterly through Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont before heading home. This Nova Scotia/Canada part would add a good 2200 miles or so to the run. I wanted to meet as many Flathead Forum members as possible along the way. It would be fun meeting Flathead Forum members I've talked with over the years and see their projects and cars. This would mean zigzagging back and forth in most of the states. I had posted my proposed trip on the Flathead Ford Forum and asked members to e-mail me if they could meet me along the way. I had lots more replies than I had anticipated. And, as we all know, plans see to have a way of changing.
Late Friday afternoon on May 16, the roadster was ready and loaded except for the usual last minute things. Every corner and cranny was loaded with tools, spare parts, and a minimum amount of luggage. Spare parts included a newly rebuilt pair of truck water pumps, a 6V voltage regulator, spare generator brushes, a stock fuel pump, a complete crab style distributor with a cap, rotor and two condensors. I also packed a spare starter spring, a Bendix starter drive with another spare spring, Champion H-10 plugs, two gallons of distilled water (to drink of ???), a can of BG radiator stop leak, and two quarts of 40wt oil. These were in addition to my usual stash of spare parts for the Mallory distributor, two 6V coils, four condensors, a cap, and three rotors. Other miscellaneous items included the usual array of tools, a Volt-Ohm meter, two fire extinguishers, a three cell flashlight, and a Uni-Syn. And yeah, I always carry a first aid kit to repair my body (I'm a klutz of sorts). For cold weather I carried my old Navy blanket I use to direct heat from the heater, a heavy sweatshirt, a hooded jacket, a quilted Winter Denver Timing Association jacket, ear muffs, and a fleece lined denim shirt. The roadster was packed to the brim. Least it was sitting lower in the back than I had ever seen. The only thing I forgot was a half dozen large trash bags...something I'd regret early in the run. I was as ready as I would ever be.
Saturday morning. Gave up trying to sleep about 4AM. No way could I sleep. Just too excited. Got up and loaded the last minute things...like my medications and drinking water in a cooler, camera, spare film, spare glasses, and my shaving kit. I was ready for my last long run.
Said my good-byes to my wife and tapped the garage door opener. The pre-dawn temperature was a cool 58 degrees and I put on my Winter Denver Roadster jacket and lined gloves. They would feel good running topless in the early morning chill. Hit the starter button on the 6V side (I run both a 6V and a 12V battery). It cranked over about two turns and fired. As I fed the choke in, the exhaust note sweetened. It sounded as anxious as I was...or so I thought. It's dumb how I often feel cars are part human. I fastened the seat belt as I checked out the oil pressure gauge. It showed 70+ psi at a fast idle. I let the 40wt oil circulate a minute or so before I backed out of the garage and headed out the driveway on my final run. How sweet it is !!!!
By the time I drove the mile and half to the freeway, the two head temperature gauges were at their normal 150 degree mark. When it's cool, the 160 degree thermostats don't reach their operating temperature quickly. I turned on the heater and felt the warm air on my legs and feet. Felt good. As I turned onto the approach ramp to the freeway, I wound the flathead out in second gear before I shifted it into high gear. I kept the speedometer at 55-60 mph while in Denver...I sure didn't need to start this with a citation for "Above and beyond the call of the speed limit". Once I cleared Denver metro on I-70, I tried to keep it about 65 mph. But it kept creeping up to the 75-80mph range. Acted like it wanted to hurry and get down to sea level and feel the increase in hp. I like to run it around 60 mph for the most part. I don't get blown out of the open rod. Besides, it probably upsets a radar cop when a hot rod is at, or under, the speed limit. Stayed on I-70 until I got to Limon, CO. A ritual I had started about 20 years ago on road runs was to have biscuits and gravy at a truck stop in Limon. Did so this run. Lots of stares at the roadster while I was inside scarfing down breakfast. I was too anxious to get down the road to enjoy a couple of extra cups of coffee.
Went back into the parking lot and cranked up the hopped up flathead mill. Took a two lane US highway towards Kit Carson, CO. Then crossed the Kansas state line and into Dodge City, KS. Great roadster weather the entire day. Stopped for the night just barely west of Wichita, KS. It had been an uneventful day without a hint of trouble. The side roads are a lot slower than the interstates, but I prefer them because of all the towns I pass through and the reduced highway noises. There is a lot of farm/ranch "yard art" along these roads...not to mention all of the bone yards (wrecking yards) with old cars. I'm always amazed at the number of hulks from the thirties, forties, and fifties in thest backroad wrecking yards. Lots of neat stuff.
Sunday May 18. I met jmarlett in Wichita, KS. Jim is the director of the zoo. We met for breakfast before piling into my heap and going to his place. I got to see his "under construction" dragster. Naturally, it'll be flathead powered. Then we went on a short tour through his zoo. Some very unusual animals and birds. I would have like to have spent more time with Jim, but I had a lot of miles to cover and many other members to meet. This would cause most meetings throughout the run to be short. Sorry about that. After saying good-bye, I headed east staying on two land state roads. The roadster seemed ready and eager for the open road, but then it always seems that way (think it might get that from me?).
That night I stayed in Pittsburg, KS. It's located in the southeast corner of the state. Kansaskeith lives in Cherokee which is only a few miles from Pittsburg. I had met Keith and his wife, Deanne, last year on my way to the Falcon Nats. Super nice people. Keith had weakened and returned to the work force, so we could only meet for breakfast Monday morning. Deanne couldn't make it. Too bad. Keith stopped at my motel and we took the roadster to breakfast. Enjoyed seeing Keith again. He's extremely talented...does it all...paint, upholstery, and even repairs his hydraulic tops, clocks, and tube radios! He's got a super '50 black convertible he's done all of it himself. But he said he hasn't progressed much on his '55 convertible because he picked up a metal lathe and is having a ball making things and learning how to use it.
Headed northeasterly towards Sullivan, MO. Used side roads until I was well east of Springfield, MO. Jumped on I-44 and stayed on its bumpiness until I got to Sullivan. I had stopped several times along the way to call Arrowsmith. Each time the phone was busy. Tried three or four times when I reached Sullivan with the same results. I burned some time washing off the daily accumulation of kamikaze bugs. Finally gave up trying to reach Ken and stopped at a local truck stop to grab a mid-afternoon lunch/dinner before I continued on. It was the same place I had met Arrowsmith last year. The waitress had barely brought my food when Ken and his son walked in. Seems his son spotted my heap when they passed by and told him "...look at the old car". Ken said he knew it was me the minute he saw it. Told him I'd been trying to reach him, but his phone was always busy. He said the computer was still on from when he'd used it earlier in the day. We visited about an hour before I packed it in and pointed the roadster towards St. Louis, MO..........rumble seat