Thriller Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 Well, the plan to drive three cars 1600 miles each to Allentown was thwarted after an hour. The Wildcat wouldn't start after a stop so got a ride home on a flat deck to the mechanic...which poses some luggage challenges. Four hours to get said flat deck after leaving the house two hours later than I'd wanted led to us getting to our hotel after midnight. Attempting to to switch brights off on the pace car resulted in a lack of headlights...we limped to the hotel. Hopefully no more night time driving will be required but I hope to get dimmer switch and headlight switch looked at. The Reatta has a bit of a bounce to the one headlight too...that got tiresome in my rear view mirror but we have kits and will address that in PA. Two years in a row that a car I started driving didn't get to the show...do I stop driving, limit myself to trailering, or just attend Buick-free...I guess a modern Buick would do. Sigh...grumble. Do be thought through after getting back home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 Good luck on getting back on track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 Sorry for the troubles. Hopefully the rest of the trip will be less eventful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted July 26, 2016 Author Share Posted July 26, 2016 Late start this morning owing to the late stop last night. It was going to be nip and tuck to make it to the hotel booked on Elyria, OH before dark. When the lead car missed the detour sign, it sealed that deal. We waited an hour for them to catch up after an exchange of texts...which they didn't receive until connecting to a wifi. Sigh. Of course it doesn't help that some folks never got to the cell provider to get international text package...which means this trip is getting more expensive. When I phoned I discovered they were 50 miles beyond us. Then they couldn't find the city I'd suggested to shoot for on the map. When they phoned us we had closed the gap to 20 miles. Of course they wanted to stop...again...you wouldn't think they were approaching sundown in a car without functioning headlights. We caught them and got a room in Elkhart, IN. So, we are about ten hours (one has to assume construction delays will kick in) from Allentown and want to be there before five. Happily the continental breakfast starts at five. Showers tonight and setting an alarm or two MAY actually get us on the road by six and to Allentown in time for the game...ideally without us being ready to kill each other. Depending when the game is done relative to sundown, we may be looking for help to get us and some of our stuff to the Best Western Lehigh Valley and leaving the Century there somewhere. Wednesday will be looking for a mechanic or GM dealer to take a look at things. I'm hoping it's just the dimmer switch AND that one is readily available. Otherwise it's going to be a long couple weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 Hang in there Derek and family... This was a courageous adventure, and at this point all you can do is sit back and enjoy the drive. Be safe, and see you in Allentown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 If there is an engine issue that you need a scanner,(1980-2010 MY) let me know and I can bring mine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 If you're coming anywhere near Macedonia, Ohio (we're right off the Ohio Turnpike on your way into PA) you're all very welcome to stop in for refreshments, tools, bathroom break, some time on the hoist, whatever you need. Even if it's after hours and you need an assist, please call on me! We're not leaving until Thursday at noon, so we'll be around. Harwood Motors 9100 Valley View Road Macedonia, OH 44056 440-565-5335 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted July 26, 2016 Author Share Posted July 26, 2016 Thanks guys. No scanner is necessary. We are ok so long as we don't drive in the dark. Of course I forgot that sunrise would be an issue this morning. Sigh. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted July 27, 2016 Author Share Posted July 27, 2016 We made it, but a bit late to get coordinated to get to the baseball game. We got in what may have been early enough, but congestion and construction conspired to keep us away so we got checked in and had a nice dinner. It turns out the issue with the wildcat was a poor positive battery cable. Replaced and is working well now apparently. It would have been nice had we figured that out a couple weeks ago. Oh well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted July 28, 2016 Author Share Posted July 28, 2016 (edited) So a new dimmer switch was procured. Small problem was that the plastic around one spade had melted. Problem solved in finding that Bill Stonefeberg had an "electrical toolkit" which enabled me to replace the end of the wire. New switch put in place and the pace car had lights again. Yay! All it cost was a bit of running around, about $10, and a promise of a drink for the man living in downtown Allentown this week. Next up...repairs / improvements for the Reatta. Edited July 28, 2016 by Thriller (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCReatta Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 16 minutes ago, Thriller said: So a new dimmer switch was procured. Small problem was that the plastic around one spade had melted. Problem solved in finding that Bill Stonefeberg had an "electrical toolkit" which enabled me to replace the end of the wire. New switch put in place and the pace car had lights again. Yay! All it cost was a bit of running around, about $10, and a promise of a drink for the man living in downtown Allentown this week. Next up...repairs / improvements for the Reatta. Paging Marck Barker? If you can meet me at the Fairfield tomorrow after the Reatta rendezvous I'll get you hooked up. Are y'all planning on attending the rendezvous? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted July 28, 2016 Author Share Posted July 28, 2016 I'll find you on site some time today and we can make a plan. I didn't plan on the Rendezvous in part since I wasn't aware of details ahead of time. We are off to Dorney Park tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 (edited) Another travel day, another late start. It started well by everyone getting up and getting to a 7:30 mass. We can now say we've gone to church in Bethlehem. Back to the hotel to change to travel clothes and breakfast and head toward the road. I got a chance to have a good chat with Buicknutty and his family, which extended breakfast time. I got back to the room and people were generally attached to electronics rather than having packed up the cars a bit. Other than getting away late, the day went generally well. After Lordstown, OH, we hit some extremely heavy rain. We stopped, fuelled, and had a bit of food before moving on - there was some more rain, but nothing as extreme. After checking into the neat looking Best Western in Port Clinton we went for a walk on the beach and got some ice cream. A short day day tomorrow to get us to the Chicago area and some tourist stuff. Then on to Wisconsin Dells for a couple nights and returning home. Edited August 2, 2016 by Thriller Found a spelling error (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithbrother Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Man Oh Man, all these stories would make for a good Buick movie, HUH? Dale in Indy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 Perhaps...growling at kids, sweating, praying nothing else goes wrong...not sure how entertaining the movie would be. By the way, did all y'all know that the official colour of the Ohio Turnpike would seem to be orange? It really throws Google Maps and GPS estimates out somewhat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Make sure you go to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Well worh the time. Also the Art Museum downtown is one of the top 3 Art museums in the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted August 2, 2016 Author Share Posted August 2, 2016 Thanks for the suggestions Bill, but we aren't sticking around here long enough. We we did visit the Chicago branch of Gateway Classic Cars. They've got a couple LeSabre convertibles and a really nice '65 Gran Sport convertible. It turns out the guy we spoke with is a BCA member so I worked on convincing him to bring his work in progress '55 Special to Brookfield next year. Tomorrow, Teresa and I will go to one of our local offices to take in a weekly webinar, then head to Wisconsin to spend a bunch of money on '29 parts on our way to hook back up with Suzanne and the boys in Wisconsin Dells. They are likely to stop at the Volo Auto Museum on the way. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted August 3, 2016 Author Share Posted August 3, 2016 I will ultimately need to get photos organized, but we did some divide and conquer today. While Teresa and I attended a webinar, Suzanne and the boys headed for the Volo Auto Museum. If it isn't a part of an organized tour next year it would be worth a side trip, so I'm told. According to Google Maps, it's about 1.5 hours from Brookfield avoiding toll roads. After the webinar, Teresa and I headed to visit BCA #346 in Whitewater, WI. 1929 parts were procured to be able to progress on my car. He has a model 55 in Ledo Green, which is the colour mine is supposed to be. We had a great conversation and learned a lot. We went for a ride. After turning around, he put me in the driver's seat and forced me to drive back to his place . It was later than intended when we left. After getting on the road the Reatta diagnostics mentioned low brake fluid. Stopping for fuel shortly thereafter leads me to believe a rear beake hose may need replacing. Now we are in Wisconsin Dells with apparently one mechanic and no GM dealer. This could get interesting. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjp69 Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 Great story so far Derek! Was nice meeting you and chatting in the bar at the Best Western! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted August 4, 2016 Author Share Posted August 4, 2016 I concur Chris. Steel brake line had rusted through on the Reatta which caused the issue. There's apparently one garage in Wisconsin Dells and they were able to make the repair. Life is good. A short trip to Fargo tomorrow and home on Friday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted August 5, 2016 Author Share Posted August 5, 2016 Happily, a relatively uneventful day leaving Wisconsin Dells after breakfast and getting to Fargo, ND in decent time. There was some very heavy rain in Wisconsin. Now just a short shot home tomorrow. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted August 5, 2016 Author Share Posted August 5, 2016 Made it home early this afternoon without incident. Picked up the Wildcat and the dogs. Now I need a nap. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted August 6, 2016 Share Posted August 6, 2016 Glad you made it home safely. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted August 6, 2016 Share Posted August 6, 2016 1 hour ago, Thriller said: Made it home early this afternoon without incident. Picked up the Wildcat and the dogs. Now I need a nap. +1 on the nap... my favorite part of the day lately! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted August 19, 2016 Author Share Posted August 19, 2016 I was chastised / reminded that I'd promised photos so here goes. Included in this set are the last time the three amigos were together, unloading and sunset in Elkhart, IN, and Lake Erie at Port Clinton, OH on the way home. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted August 19, 2016 Author Share Posted August 19, 2016 Here's some more...or not...I'm running up against the max total size for upload...is that per thread? Will it reset if I wait a bit? Sigh. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 If you back up one screen and then start a new post you get the 19 MB again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted August 20, 2016 Share Posted August 20, 2016 Looking forward to the rest of them Derek! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted August 20, 2016 Author Share Posted August 20, 2016 From the time Suzanne and the boys spent at the Volo Museum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted August 20, 2016 Author Share Posted August 20, 2016 More from the Volo Museum. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted August 20, 2016 Author Share Posted August 20, 2016 Visiting Tony Bult in Wisconsin. Low BCA number, and '29 expert extraordinaire. He took Teresa and I for a ride in his 29-55 and insisted I drive back to the house...only a little embarrassing. His car is the same chassis length as mine, but mine is an open car and my car is supposed to be the same colour as his - Ledo Green and Boise Green. He's a wealth of knowledge and I hope to be able to glean more from him in the future as work progresses on my '29. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted August 20, 2016 Author Share Posted August 20, 2016 Ghostbusters at the Volo. I have some photos from the mini-golf and go-carts in Wisconsin Dells, but I'm not sure how interesting that is...Suzanne did go for a ride. We also found a Famous Dave's for lunch there...good stuff. I think that's pretty much it. I thought we had some photos from Gateway Classic Cars Chicago showroom, but it doesn't seem to be so. There's no photos on our camera and Teresa says she didn't bring hers in. Oh well. I suppose Joseph likely has some on his phone. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted August 20, 2016 Author Share Posted August 20, 2016 Tunnel vision in Pennsylvania...this was a new experience for us flatlanders. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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