Welcome to the nuthouse we call home. If the answers you've received haven't scared you, you will fit right in around here. Have fun, and don't be afraid to join in. Sounds like you may be one of the few who know what they are tal;king about. Or else you fake it really, really well!
It was unnerving, if not completely irritating to head out for a 1300 mile drive home and have this thing surging terribly on the highway. We pulled into the first rest area we could find and popped the hood. The guy I bought it from boasted how he loved working on the old cars. How easy it was compared to modern stuff. He had installed a new set of cheap points and didn't bother to put any lube on the rubbing block. So the points were closed up. And then he had re-routed the vacuum lines to the distributor so the vacuum advance had full manifold vacuum. It probably had something like 60 degrees of total timing while cruising. I had a new set of points in the junk I brought for the trip. No dwell meter, though, but I guessed at the gap and the thing ran like a top all the way home. The gas mileage was horrible due to a blown power valve. Of course I never let on to Michelle that I hoped we didn't break down in the middle of nowhere and get raped and murdered. She has this false notion that I can fix anything. Little does she know . . .
Welcome aboard! Congrats on the wagon. I picked up my wagon in Las Cruces a couple of years ago - spent it's entire life before I got it in NM, and I am happy about that because the desert preserved it well. I did the same thing as you - bought the car on the internet, hopped on a plane and flew to El Paso, hoping for the best. Had some problems getting it home but it was worth it. What's the plans for the wagon? Post some pics when you can.
Sounds like your wife is like many of ours on the forum. They have a much higher opinion of what we can do (and can't at times) than we think. That said I know I've certainly surprised myself with the creativity that got us going again when something went awry. The added bonus of cell phones in todays world sure takes a lot of pressure off when doing these recovery trips.
Tony , nothing wrong with a hankerin for oldies but goodies hope you enjoy this ride as much as we do from downunder
Thanks to all of you for the many warm welcomes! I am enjoying my wagon and am hoping to take it to some station wagon gatherings one of these days and hopefully meet some of you in person. I'm also hoping to find a era matching small camping trailer (like an Aristocrat Lo-Liner) to pull behind it. As the project progresses, I will submit some pictures. Thanks again! Tony
Tony, do you know about the club Tin Can Tourists dedicated to old RV's. Lots of information and ideas to make you look harder and faster for a little camper. As if a guy needs more projects.
