Texas Road Warriors: Charlotte, don't you cry

[MrEarl]

yea yea, I just happened to hear "Debby" mentioned on the weather channel. I never said I was the brightest crayon in the box. Also heard that it is going to be a nice humid 101 degrees here in Athens Ga Friday. Only 200 mile from Shalotte.... hope every body has clothes pins and ice packs for them fuel lines.

[buick5563]

..... hope every body has clothes pins and ice packs for them fuel lines.

That's funny.

[old-tank]

Only 450 miles to the east side of Baton Rouge. 102*...just as hot as home or northern LA. ]Surprisingly the AC is handling it well (insulation does wonders),-.
At the first pit stop the generator was not charging until I revved it up, so I thought it fixed itself (yeah right...); anyhow it was completely dead at the lunch stop. Why do I always change the voltage regulator first?...it NEVER solves a problem. Changing to my grubby old backup generator solved the problem. The generator that I just had rebuilt lasted exactly 200 miles. Time to send a nasty-gram!
Driving east we had a northwest wind so the 17mpg was welcome.
Somewhere in GA tomorrow.
Willie

[NCReatta]

who the heck is Debby?

I had the same question.. but I get it now.

I was wondering why everyone was being so hateful to this poor Debby lady...

[buick5563]

Shoot, I wish she would come to Texas.
I'm taking off in a few hours.

[Bill Stoneberg]

We made 611 miles to Merdian Ms. in time for Dinner. 5 + hours just to get out of Texas through lots of little towns. Found a bar and grill that served cold beer and deep fried green beans. Had to try them.
100 + degrees from about 10 am - 6 pm or so across Texax, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Today no cooler I am sure.

[Pete Phillips]

I am driving near the Tennessee/N. Carolina border today and weather is delightful, compared to the 100+ degrees I left yesterday in Texas and Arkansas (and car's A/C quit almost immediately). Unable to drive my '54 Special because the uphosltery shop still has the front seat after two months.
Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

[MrEarl]

I am driving near the Tennessee/N. Carolina border today and weather is delightful, compared to the 100+ degrees I left yesterday in Texas and Arkansas (and car's A/C quit almost immediately). Unable to drive my '54 Special because the uphosltery shop still has the front seat after two months.
Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

and you couldn't find a five gallon bucket anywhere??? So what are you driving?

[buick5563]

We made it to Slidell, La.
578 miles. Two extremely white-knuckle moments in Lake Charles and Baton Rouge bridges. Stop-and-go traffic. First time traveling with a GPS and true-reading temp gauge. Stopped in traffic, had to turn off AC. Temp gauge climbed to 230*. No boilover, but car sputtered up both bridges with the electric fuel pump clattering to push enough fuel.
Gee Mike, why the hot, southern route? Well, I needed to pick up my spare (freshly-rebuilt) starter and generator south of me.... Got there, and the dude had accidentally given my generator to somebody else. So I'm traveling without a spare. Unfortunately, there was wicked squealing at the end of the day. Don't know what was going on, but something is failing.
Also, blowing buttloads of oil out the back again...
Two good things:
My clock started working AND I am getting 17 mpg before adding THIS (that I found through the Pure Gas app on the iPhone):

[old-tank]

Another 450 miles to Lagrange, GA and cool 80*, but still a lot of hot driving. The only issue was this morning when the transmission was chattering on acceleration. Checked the fluid and it was marginally low, but not low enough to cause problems; added a little and let it idle until warm and so far has been behaving. You didn't think I was going to turn around did you? Gas mileage is down after losing my tail wind and the added hills. Nothing like sitting behind that big ol' steering wheel and letting stroke on down the road.
Willie

[wildcat465]

Sitting here waiting for you guys, cold beer here.

[NTX5467]

Sitting here waiting for you guys, cold beer here.

And GPS coordinates on that "cold beer here"??? I'm sure some would key that in if they had it!

Y'all have fun up there, y'a hear!

NTX5467

[Booreatta]

Left St. Louis this morning and was making great time until we ran across a terrible wreck on 40 west of Knoxville. Big truck, little car. Truck on its side on top of little car. Was in a traffic jam and lost one and half hours. Hope nobody was hurt but it looked really bad. Drove on till dark in the hills and put it to bed for the nite. Will arive Charlotte Wednesday sometime.
Keep the brew cold
Chuck Kerls

[1957buickjim]

Hey Guys, save some cold beer for me! Right now, stopping for the night in Charleston, WV. Looks like I have a lot of quite hilly terrain to traverse tomorrow morning to get to Concord. Pushed it 8 hrs straight, but started to chug going up the inclines (slowed down to 30 mph on the freeway with pedal pushed to the metal). Safe travels to you Texas Road Warriors. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow and popping a few cold ones.

[buick5563]

Dudes,
ZERO VAPOR LOCK TODAY!!!!!
Thanks to Caballero Dan for the Pure Gas website. I downloaded the app and my dad has the job of figuring out how to get to it. The last joint we filled up was in Georgia at a BP station off the beaten path. Guy came out, started filling it up for me and asked how the Nailhead was running... WHAT? I said "Good, but I'm blowing oil out like crazy". "Rope seal, huh?"
Who is this guy?
We made it to just north of Atlanta. We'll be there before noon tomorrow.
Wet lunch anybody?
Oh yeah, one of y'all needs to bring or locate a generator for Willie and I to share on the way home. Very jumpy gauge and squealing belt. That generator guy who gave away my fresh spare is on my poop-list.
Dad and I just got a couple of Negra Modelos with Cuban sammiches for dinner.
See y'all mañana amigos...

[buick5563]

Best speedo ever BTW.
Only took me 12 years to make it into the 21st century.

[old-tank]

Missed a turn and ended up in Fayetteville, NC...actually detoured to see friends. Tranny was a little low again; added some STP this time. Will pull my torque tube plug to see if that is where it is going. Looking at late morning for arrival. I talked to Lamar and he should be bringing a generator.
Willie

[1957buickjim]

Guys,

I have a spare Gennie as well, loading down my trunk...should be able to hook you up hopefully. I have lots of mountains to go through. Hope Old Bessie can weather the heat and the elevation..Safe travels. I should be there around the same time, give or take an hour hopefully.

[Pete Phillips]

A couple photos of what is here already...
Pete

[buick5563]

I posted this on 57BuickJim's Me and my Buick thread. Forgive the redundancy, but he has proven himself an honorary TRW.
He drove his car from Michigan and got his Senior award!
Way to go Jim!

[1957buickjim]

Thanks Mike! Thank is truly an honor to be part of the TRW crew...I hope this includes my chief wrench and sidekick Bob as well!!

[old-tank]

Thanks Mike! Thank is truly an honor to be part of the TRW crew...I hope this includes my chief wrench and sidekick Bob as well!!

It certainly does include Bob. It was a pleasure to meet both of you and again congrats on the DRIVEN Gold Senior! Time to head west where it is cooler.
Willie

[old-tank]

It is finally a little cooler in Tuscaloosa AL after a brief rain (470 miles). Found some 2.86 gas in South Carolina...dang that was some sorry stuff; vapor lock even with the electric fuel pump at 65 mph. Fresh fuel after 120 miles solved the problem. (I need that iphone app... and an iphone and...)
Willie

[Pete Phillips]

I made it to West Memphis, Arkansas this evening, where it is definitely cooler but still hot! Thanks to all who worked to put on the National Meet!
Pete Phillips

[38Buick 80C]

Thank you Pete. As you know I attended both Plano meets ('96 and '04) and thoroughly enjoyed both of them and used many of the the things I learned from them to apply to this meet! So I owe the Texas members many thanks and greatly appreciate the tremendous turn out from our Texas Road Warriors!!!