Aahhh.
Full moon and a thick fog layer.
Perfect night to go for a drive in the roadster pickup.
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| chief - 1929 ford roadster pickup |
The main post office down on Midway is open late,
so there was a purpose to the drive,
not just a random gas burn.
This was the first time I had actually driven it since last weeks bit as a school bus.
At first it was a little poppy,
but after warming up it ran pretty good,
especially after sitting in the parking lot.
The heat kinda radiated through all the steel.
I should spring for some new spark plug wires though.
The drive home was too short.
The flathead purred away on the windy road home.
About 2 blocks from the house,
I decided what the hay...
I'd put 1.5 gallons in the tank,
why not really burn some fuel.
Detour time!
The fog has a way of amplifying the roar of the exhaust,
which just makes winding up to shift that much better.
On the way up 2nd gear...
Bam!
Actually - just silence...
Ahh hell.
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| stubborn |
My supposed quick pass through Ocean Beach,
and now I'm sitting in the red zone with a dead car,
at the farthest point away from home!
Getting stuck is part of the deal with these old rigs.
Just not right now.
The wife was finishing up the bacon white sauce pasta dinner,
I had no tools,
and the truck bed was full of shiny chrome parts.
Chit.
Holey effin Chit.
Okay,
take a breath.
The beach fog is thick now,
and the street lamp has that spooky effect.
The walkers I was blasting by earlier are now passing by,
like zombies in the foggy mist.
Dang there's alot of action in this part of OB!
Chit
Okay snap out of it.
Let's figure this out,
I know this car like the back of my hand.
Better even.
The lights work and the fuel pump is on,
so there's power.
Let's check the coil wire.
Yep,
sparks mean power.
Popped the distributor cap,
flicked the points,
nothing.
Chit.
Must be that dang condenser I swapped out.
It is kinda hot.
I try to wiggle the nuts with my bare hands,
there's a little flicker but the car doesn't start.
Crapola.
Oh please 6-volt battery(s) don't die on me now!
Well I'm only a few miles from the house.
What a nice night for an unplanned walk!
Better hide that box of chrome under these rags.
I'll call the wife and tell her what's up.
Nothin'.
By the time I reach her,
I'm only a couple miles away,
but she's gonna come to my rescue.
Thanks hun!
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| hot rod repair kit |
Back home I assemble a quick repair kit.
(Note that I only bring a 5/16" box-end wrench!)
My mind is racing at every possibility.
I can't rope tow it with the van,
too sketchy.
Dang if I can't get it running,
gotta use AAA.
Ouch that would hurt wasting a tow for barely 3 miles!
No, I want to save that for a real road trip!
Should I stick with that old Mallory ignition system?
Maybe go with a stock distributor with the pertronix.
Yeah.
Then I'd have to go 12 volt.
How about ripping the flathead out and putting in a 283!
Okay now I really need to get the car home.
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| dago shelby cruiser |
When I saw the full moon earlier before the drive,
I thought,
"wow what a nice night for a bike ride!"
Jinx!
Funny how that works.
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| OB bike ride |
Riding to OB on the Dago Shelby cruiser really cleared my head.
Something about riding around in prewar stuff at night,
cars or bikes,
like a time warp.
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| trouble shoot light |
Back at the car.
Why are all these fingerprints all over the windshield?
Friggin zombies.
At least we had picked up that chrome box.
Ok let's get this done.
I'm glad I put that work light in the firewall!
That's telling how many times I've gotten stuck.
I try starting it and it starts!
Only for a second though then nothing.
Okay let's swap these condensers out.
Hmm,
the main bolt attaching the coil wire/bar to the housing is unusually loose!
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| mallory ignition system - ford flathead |
What?
That was it!?
We're outta here!
After all that suspense,
the drive home was about as sweet as could be.
Back in your cage, Chief!
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| home sweet home |
Now I need a beer!
TP
