Robert Street

None of the commercial haulers monitor sites like ours for transport business you have to call them as there are many transporters out there. Just had a car hauled from Miami to here in (enclosed hauler) about 4 days from the first contact so they can be quick in some cases. robert

I also have also used triple A when in a jamb like when blew a rear truck tire with loaded trailer down on I-85 in NC headed to Charlotte. Don’t need them with trailer tires since they are easier to change with ramps and battery impact wrenches Robert

John: Baldwin built some impressive Camaros back in the day as there were two around here! Both 427 cars but I never knew or cared what they left the factory with. Also remember the famous Yenko conversions out in Chamberburg. I believe I showed against one of them or a COPO in 36B out at the Tennessee Grand National a few years ago. The values of them are unreal today. A fellow 409 guy actually worked on the building the 427's at Yenko back in the day and has built a 427 clone Yenko that he nostalgia races. Robert

Yes, Bob somewhat correct generally the GCVW will indicate the manufacturer's combined trailer weight and weight of passengers or equipment in the vehicle. I recently got rid of my F350 Powerstroke to get into the new higher horsepower 2017 GMC Duramax(the ones with the hood scoop) and the numbers on it are 25,300 GCVW. Conventional tow rating is 17,200 per the truck VIN(SRW) so that would leave 8,100 for GVW for the truck and passengers. I haven't scaled my truck axles but am quite certain when on the interstate I am less then 8,100 combined. I am towing an aluminum 24 ATC rated 10,000 and have scaled it with my 61 Impala, spare tires and equipment and it is 9,200 combined so I am good to go. Interesting the axles on the trailer are somewhat even when level 4,700 front 4,500 rear with close to 1,000# tongue weight on the jackstand. The next axle capacity combination under 10,000 is about 7,200 +/- and is probably where a 20 foot trailer needs to be to haul Gary's truck. I agree with John 20 feet might be too much inconvience with that truck. One item on the escape door. 99% of the time the escape door is centered by the builder over the axles and isn't correct for most applications. ATC did blueprint drawings of my 61 in the trailer noting location of the car door and escape door which I'll admit looks funny as it is quite a few inches forward of center but I can literally open the car door to max and step out. I have hauled other makes and surprising all work the same. One last item for consideration as I do tow to some long distance national meets. I have a TPMS system on the trailer tires with temperature and pressures reporting to the screen in the truck. It is interesting to watch tire pressures and temperatures rise on a hot interstate at 75 MPH. My 2 cents for Gary is it sounds like he isn't towing far to national shows such as Auburn or Ocala/Mobile so if not in allot of mountains towing with a gas 2500 or 3500 should be adequate although I hated my gas trucks as they were all gutless in hills and had elevated transmission and oil and water temperatures. I am not a fan of using an Expedition for towing 7,500 plus pounds unless around town. They are fine for towing 25 foot Grady Whites around though. Robert

Correct but a state like Maryland can and does enforce own laws and is costly I have learned. Yes, the tow vehicle is usually first checked! Robert

Yep Ed just bought in Boca Raton a couple of month's ago for the reasons given above. Robert

I have just obtained a copy of the revised 2018 Maryland DOT book and it isn't specifically mentioned (medical card) in the 2018 edition as was in previous years. The old reference was if towing a 10,001# or over non commercial trailer a physical card was needed but not subject to random as CDL. Interesting our car trailers still aren't specifically exempted in Maryland from commercial but they have added utility trailers classification as exempt? I wonder if that is where we are as in the federal we are clearly exempt as "car trailers not for hire personal use only". Oh, an interesting reading in the 2018 book is a section on towing GVW trailer weights with various classes of vehicles and saw "3/4 ton" mentioned. I am one ton but are they limiting the towing ability in MD on 3/4 vehicles now? Ask your friends in DOT that 3/4 ton question and I will ask mine also. oh, and ask about the card if over 10,000 # trailer GVW. Yes, when I was working for the county we had the dreaded random testing for CDL's. Robert

bluefishgary: Interesting comments from a fellow MD resident. Yes your trailer is classed as an RV thus is exempt in the Maryland commercial book. Your RV is exempt from stopping at the scales unless the power unit or the trailer has commercial logos. My friend's big fine was that the motor home power unit was addressed to his business thus he was no longer exempt thus a pretty big fine. I am not sure how the MD DOT decided to stop him except I always suspect they ran the tag and knew they had found a commercial unit. You must have a medical card in Maryland if towing 10,001 plus pounds no matter what the GCVW but since you are probably classed as RV probably exempt. Yes I agree about your over length example as in that case you are exceeding Maryland OAL and that is a healthy fine also. A friend is a long time drag strip owner very close to a Maryland scale even though his racing facility is in Delaware. Yes, he is frustrated by some of the racer's experiences that have to go into the scale or have been stopped after running the scale but his advantage is that his busy times are Sunday's or Saturday night when the scales are usually closed. Some of the racers have big corporate sponsors and that is a gray area as the business most of the time are writing off the sponsorship as a business expense but the individual racer usually doesn't reap any of the revenue as it goes into the race car and they don't file an expense report on the racing activity just like John or I don't expense our trips to a national show. To summarize I am not commercial and the GCVW is just under 26,000 but I have been random stopped a few times. And yes I have had my license clipped to a "book" and returned after getting to the scale house inspection area. Yes we are legally required to stop as our trucks without trailer are well over 10,000 GVW but I have heard that isn't enforced but I have stopped at a scale with truck only and was green lighted. Robert

I agree with all and have spent much time trying to figure out why I have had so much scale issues in my home state. Since my trailer is one of those previously mentioned 9,990 models and only 11 pounds under the 10,001 that puts me in class A non CDL in Maryland as well as California I do have a medical card and have previously been asked for it when stopped. I don't intend to get A non-CDL yet! I have done my homework and have discovered the Maryland issue. Yes, as John stated Maryland is the only state I have towed in the requires a rig such as ours to go into the scales as we are all certainly over 10,000 GCVW. The main reason for this is for the visual inspection process as unfortunately there have been a couple significant towed accidents here that caused loss of life thus creating the legislature to go beyond the 26,000# federal requirements(which they can). A "half ton" pickup and "landscaper" trailer will always be over 10,000 GCVW and they get some legendary fines for the usual safety items ignored. It was this type of vehicle that caused a very serious accident on the Bay Bridge(not I95) The Maryland Commercial book does NOT exempt our privately owned trucks or car trailers but in the fine print there is a statement that the section that Federal exemptions are in has been adopted by Maryland legislation. The Maryland commercial book is the book that the scale house members train on as it has been shown to me previously. I have met with our area state senator and delegate on this when I discovered it to have the book changed but it never has been. I have received calls from MD DOT headquarters confirming that I am exempt if the truck and trailer are owned by me with my matching address on file with my class C driving license. Thus I carry the Federal and Maryland motor carrier books with me AND my luggage on the back seat. A friend of mine tows with a motor home and a triple trailer like the one pictured and he is licensed in Delaware and the vehicles are licensed in Delaware. He has never been stopped previously in Maryland but this spring was stopped near the Bay Bridge by a mobile Maryland DOT not on I95 and received a $1,500 fine for NOT being DOT licensed. The reason was the motor home address was his business address and the trailer and his non CDL license were his home. Thus he was deemed driving a not registered commercial rig in Maryland. Due to Delaware taxes his best option was to obtain an A CDL license and register the motor home with the federal DOT! Summary: Make sure your stuff is correct while traveling through Maryland! Odds are that you will get stopped even by a mobile unit or on I95 they occasionally set up a weekend only temporary scale house at the stadium lot on I95 and pull all units in for "inspection". Ed my photos were Ford but like you. I am now GMC with the new Duramax. Much more power and better fuel economy. Robert

Ed having been stopped at several scales in Maryland and even run down by the Maryland DOT! I have learned one hard lesson. It doesn't make any difference what the "stickers" are on the side of the truck or trailer they always go for the truck GAVW door plate and the trailer manufacturer GAVW plate and go from there to determine if CDL territory. Then there is the fun stuff of taking a pad of paper out and adding the tires capacity to ensure the total is over the trailer manufacturer sticker. I could go on but this is a family show. I am at 25,000 GCVW so all I need is a medical card due to the trailer. Robert

Dave Check the output of the battery to check the CCA's I had a recent issue with one of mine that just "clicked" and the battery charger was indicating fully charged. Did a CCA test and it was about 20 as I recall. Robert

great event I was only able to come up Saturday am and had to leave right after the show. Well done. Spring meet? 95 degrees. Robert

Thanks Terry I have put some time into the details of this one and I just noticed I cut out part of the right tag in the photo indicating a national AACA award. I am honored also to have the car nominated for 2018 Good Guys Muscle Car of the year. I'll see you at Gettysburg! Robert

I did receive my Antique Battery as anticipated after the "new" company contacted me. Was packed very well and first impression of the battery was looked great since they were making a big effort to minimize the previous back orders. I did check it's performanence and compared it to my other batteries test data I keep. It is a bunch more CCA than my other 5 plus year old antique batteries although very close to advertized CCA's but I don't particularly concern myself with that as most batteries seem to be a few percent under CCA when delivered. I did put it in the 62 SS as that is the one that is hardest to start!! I'll have the 61 SS at Gettysburg but it starts very well. Here is a photo of the happy 62 with it's new Antique battery Reading the paperwork that came with the battery they are scheduled to be at Hershey RSA 8-13 They also have a slight change in the charging of the battery from previous but not sure of the significance of the charging rate amperage change. Robert

Good news. A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by Antique Battery Company because I had a battery on order with the "old" company that had not been shipped by the previous owner and the new folks asked if I still needed the battery. Of course the answer was yes and was informed that they are focusing on back orders. I received an email from UPS yesterday that my battery should be delivered Friday. My 62 Impala SS will be happy and my 61 Impala SS will be happy as it won't have to give up it's battery each time the 62 is shown. Robert

Well, since they have about 500 cars coming that probably means 499 trailers. They are reserve parking at host the registered trailers and will park them with a system so we can get in and out of them and pull the trailers out. For those coming up the day of show they have reserved spaces for registered trailers. This will be good I hope Robert

Since I am coming up from Maryland for the day I am glad they have a trailer parking system robert

my local regional paper had a paragraph this morning about Indy and half of the article was Danica Patrick not finishing her farewell tour race. Yes similiar to the Hersey event and don't forget those that go to Carlisle as I haven't been there in years but hear summaries of much lower attendance is than a few years ago. I see it in my own family as my daughter and her husband have no interest in my cars so I might as well start "thinning the herd" now! I am going to start with selling the red 62 then then on to one the 61's. Robert

Just bought a place in Florida and probably will do my own transport of cars for awhile. Too bad you’re doing western hauls. A friend here does Midwest and Michigan and has the same comments as you!! Robert

Great photos Annie and Joel of a historic location. Where any old race engines on display? Robert

interesting here is it's brother that is now complete but no current finished pictures. Two owners of an unusual ordered 350HP car with AC, power windows,speed warning, bolt on wheels. Robert

Mark, I am registered and bringing the blue 61 SS Robert

You can order one from Antique battery that could be a massive gamble unfortunately but another battery company I have recently read about is getting back in the battery antique market supposedly. Another option is Penn makes a smooth top battery with a 6 hole vent system that the body decals could be removed and if found the correct old delco tops modified to fit the individual holes. This will pass the 2018 judging rules I believe. I don't have access to the Penn part number as my parts distributor found it for me. I also have heard the same battery is private labeled for Toyota dealers if you have one nearby. I believe the Toyota's that would use that aftermaket battery have the posts oriented like you need. Robert

I am signing a new house contract in West Palm tomorrow am and hope to be a resident in next year. I meet all criteria and have my own tow equipment BUT I don't have a clue about prewar stuff. Guess I'll have to keep showing my two 61's and 62 409's. Guess I'll see you at the Grand National? Robert

Thanks for the photos I couldn’t attend due to family commitments but with the rains I don’t feel as bummed out. Good to see some familiar Charlotte vehicles! Robert