Wednesday, September 23, 2009


Home Again

I left KC this morning at 7 AM, arriving home at 4:30. It was a good drive, Just a tad over 500 miles. The total trip home from Kerrville was 1550 miles. The drive there was 1405, so a total of 2955, just shy of 3000 miles. I need to add up the gallons of gas used. Just did that.....178 gallons. That avg's 17 mpg, days like today really takes the mpg down, (not so good at 80 to 85 mph!!) I35 is such a boring ride I had a hard time not speeding. Check the picture of the GPS! I passed a Walgreen warehouse truck to day, always a good sight to see...means more merchandise coming to make more sales! (see Pic) It seems good to be home, I am tired tonight. It was a great time, so many friends, new and old, neat cars, great scenery, good times!

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

photos






Found gas cheap in MO......$2.16
a tunnel somewhere in Arkansas,
Pete & Jakes and Magnum Axle Co too bad they were closed, I have been there several times but always fun to see again.

I was going to pick up a couple of parts, but the big brown truck can bring them to me

Monday/Tuesday

I got to Hot Springs Village about 2 PM.after a 500+ mile trip. They live in a beautiful gated community, right on a golf course.There is 30,000 lots there and only about 7,000 built, full of trees, big lots, cannot hardly see any homes because of the trees...nice!! He took me over to an area of metal buildings, full of project cars being built by other guys that live there. It is their "private toy box". Nice place. I had a great time there, a fantastic meal last night, and many hours of talking about Walgreen memories. He has been my friend for 40 years, my boss for many of those years. He retired 22 years ago, beat me out a long time ago.
I woke up to a flat tire, I feel I got the screw in my tire from the u-turn I made on his street by a new construction home, the head of the screw was not even scratched up, so it was not in there long.
We took the tire for a patch and then I left at about 11 AM for Kansas City. I arrived here at 7PM, got a room (at LaQuinta) and found a great little tavern for dinner. I drove 485 miles today. I stopped at Pete & Jakes, got there after closing so just took a picture and drove on.
Monday I drove by Hope, AR, home of Bill Clinton....I did not stop or take a picture there!
It has been two great days. I will leave in the morning for the final 500 miles.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

photos




Saturday/Sunday

Saturday was a great day, weather was beautiful. One hundred Deuces were there. They were from Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, and of course Texas and Minnesota. The day was spent in the parking lot visiting with the Deuce owners and checking out their rides. Many many nice cars.
Saturday night was the banquet and awards. A great meal, roast beef, chicken, fish, salad, veggies, pasta dishes, and some awesome desserts.
At the awards I came out pretty well. I won "Long Distance" and "Hard Luck". I was a little embarrassed to get the "hard luck" trophy. They all felt my Alternator failure, wiper motor failure in the 300 miles of rain, losing two bolts from the header collector and then burning out the gasket was enough to earn the award. I also won a door prize of two 6-packs of Dr Pepper pop in glass bottles. It is special Pepper, made with Cane sugar and only made in Dublin, TX! Many Texans were jealous that I won that.
Sunday morning at 8AM, six of us drove out to Jeff's home to view his "Deuce Stuff". He has three 4 doors, a 3window, 5window, a tudor, about 15 sets of fenders, several hoop tops and sides, running boards, bumpers, over a dozen grille shells and inserts and a bunch of other parts......wow!
Charlie decided to stay in Kerrville later to visit his friend, he offered me to go ahead to his home and stay there, make myself at home, I also had a offer from Paul Fort and his dad to spend the night at their place in Weathersford. I thought about both offers but decided to go to plan B and drive towards Arkansas and spend the night at the LaQuinta in Tyler, TX instead. Didn't make sense to drive northwest and then in the morning drive back east towards AR. I left about noon and arrived in Tyler at 6PM. Tomorrows trip will be only four hours now.
I offered to make two trophies for next years event. I picked Best coupe and ladies pick. I already have them all planned, I will make them as soon as I get home so I won't forget!! The offer was the least I could do after taking home five awards in three years, time for some giving back.
I will attach a few photos of some of the cars there.

Friday, September 18, 2009

still more




more photos





Made it ti Kerrville!!






Got up at 4:40 AM, left town at 5:30....traveled with 6 other deuces and had a great trip. I listened to Sirius "Outlaw Country" to Jerry Jeff Walker singing "Pissing in the wind" and many other great old songs. It was a beautiful drive her. Johnson City, home of LBJ, passed by Lay Bird Johnson's park, Lukenbach, (we'll stop there Sunday for a beer)passed many neat old buildings/stores. Check the photos.

Windshield bugs in KS
Southtown Street rods in ? KS
Junk yard in Ft Worth
Charlies new Victoria and shop
Kickin Street rod shop and projects
Maurice and Dee's shop at 5AM
Neat buildings on the way.
More to come on Saturday from the show

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Day 3......Austin

We left this morning, guess what, it was raining again. By the time we got close to Austin (200 miles) it was clearing and the sun came out. It was a nice drive. We stopped in Lampassa at Kicken Street rods for a shop tour. Lots of nice cars being built there. I will attach photos tomorrow.
Austin is a big town. Many huge beautiful houses. We are staying tonight at Maurice's home. We had a great home cooked meal here. We washed our cars. I had to replace two bolts in the header collector that had fallen out. Sounds better now!!
In the morning we are leaving at 5:30 to meet for breakfast and then head out of town by 7. It is a couple of hours drive to Kerrville.
We also visited a neighbor down the road. He is building a 39 convertible and has a nice 32 Tudor and two vettes. A real nice shop. He does everything, paint, interior, body, metal fab...all home built and very nice.
Maurice has a beautiful 32 3W, bright red. A very garage with room for all three
32's.
that's it for the night..............Dale

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Day.......Texas!!

Well I changed the alternator this morning in about 15 minutes, that seems to fix the problem. This was a long day, I left about 8:00, no problem, the first 200 miles were fine. The last 300 was in pouring rain, about 50 miles into the rain the wiper decided to crap out, so I drove with out wipers. It was too wet to use rainx, so I just drove.I arrived at Charlie's house about 8 PM.
I think every idiot in Kansas and Oklahoma was on the road today. They are all afraid of the turn lanes, right or left, seems they get the front wheels in the lane but keep the rear of the car in the driving lane! The others turn out of a side street into the first lane right in front of me and poop along at 40 mph. Their friends drive in the inside lane with the cruise set at 45 or 50 and can't pass anyone so they block the road............maybe I was just tired today??
Lola the GPS gal guided me from KC off of I35 and onto 169, nice road mostly 4 lane but not interstate, some 2 lanes. I could still cruise at 70 or so until the idiots would get in front of me. It was a good route.She did good.
Someplace in Kansas, at a gas station, a guy came over to talk about the car. He said there was a guy in town that builds 32's, but glass ones. I said close? he said about 4 blocks, want to go? I said yes. We drove to see him, a place called Southtowm Street Rods. Nice shop, 2 big buildings, had 2 corvettes and a 57 Chevy truck under construction. In his garage across the street was his 32 3w coupe, black with flames and his roadster. Nice cars, nice guy. That whole thing cost about an hour, but oh well.It was fun.
I had the Sirius radio blasting country music all day,have to listen to country in Texas right? The car ran good. The rain sucked! The day was good.
WE packed the back of the delivery tonight with boxes of t shirts and stuff for the run. We will drive to Austin tomorrow to meet with Maurice and Bea, stuff some goodie bags or something, spend the night at their house and then onto Kerrville on Friday.
I am on Charlies computer tonight so I cannot add the photos. If I can use the laptop tomorrow, I will post so pictures. If not when I hit the hotel I will.

Stay tuned.talk to y'all tomorrow ! (Texas talk)

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Day 1...made it to Kansas City

After a late start this morning, I made it to KC about 6:30. The roofer guy came by for a final inspection, had to go by the bank to cash a check, dropped off the exhaust manifolds at RP...all took time. I made it on the road at 9:30. I stopped for gas in Lakeville, Clear Water, IA, an 2 other places. I was getting a bit over 18 MPG..I'm happy with that!!
My avg speed was 66.7...top speed was 84.9 drove 530 miles.
About 50 miles out of KC the volt meter started acting up.....going up to 16 volts then back to the normal 14...the AC blower was surging, I turned on the headlights, that seemed to hold it even for a while, then it started again...the gauge lights would sort of go bright and dim.....I think its a regulator problem.
I checked in to the hotel, my new favorite brand...La Quinta ( I can use the Walgreen corp rate there, almost like free food) and across the lot is a Advance Auto. I drove there and had them check the charging system with their little computer thing. Battery good, starter good, alternator ..no volts, even tho the gauge shows 13.9 at idle and at 2500 rpms....the guy said I don't have a clue!! I still think the regulator is going bad. I bought a new alt....$44, not bad insurance. I will change it in the morning. It is dark now.
Right across the street is an Applebees.....so I had a salad and two beer specials., life is good.
Plans are in the morning change the alt, then hit the road, 500 miles to go to get to Weathersford, TX, just west of Ft Worth. I will spend the night there with friend Charlie then drive to Austin on Thursday.
It was a good day................................Dale