Craig,
Note that Joe replied to me with "that's 13 back-wrenching hours." I
interpreted that as a back problem but hope I'm wrong. As someone with a
"trick back" that occasionally goes out, I can imagine that 13 hours behind
the wheel of a Morgan could be too much.
However, since we're into story telling, I drove my '52+4 solo from Penn
State to Manitoba in late March 1969. No radio, rudimentary heater, car
loaded to the gunwales with books, clothing, and a few household items (my
wife had preceded me to Manitoba) Oil pressure was a bit on the low side, so
I didn't want to drive it over 45 mph. I had just finished defending my
thesis and was next to flat broke. I had hoped to stay with a pastor-friend
in Norwalk, OH, the first night, but he had moved to Bowling Green, OH. I
drove to the Norwalk police station who let me sleep in their jail (aka
drunk tank) with the lights on all night and my parka as a blanket. Didn't
sleep much. Next morning I drove on to Bowling Green and drove up to the
manse "just in time for church." Still don't know how I stayed awake during
the service. I made it to Chicago around dusk and then noticed that my
headlights were out. Stayed at a YMCA and worried all night about the
safety of the Morgan (at least in Norwalk it had been parked beside the
police station). Made it to Duluth the following day and had the headlights
fixed while I had a bite to eat (diagnosis: poor ground; easily rectified).
Noted that, at 45 mph and only stopping for gas, the same cars tend to pass
you three to four times. Next morning, hit a patch of black ice just N. of
Duluth that turned the Morgan 90 degrees off course momentarily. I had been
wondering why trucks had pulled off the road. A bit further, kids, waiting
for the school bus, gaped and waved at the car and driver, which made me
feel like a rally driver. Got to my new home on April 1 at 5:00 PM with
snow banks lining the driveway as tall as the Morgan.
Am I glad I did it? You bet! Would I do it over again? Probably not. I had
little choice then.
Man, this brings back memories.
Chuck Vandergraaf
Pinawa, MB
> ----------
> From: Kerry Seibert[SMTP:ckchapel@fast.net]
> Reply To: Kerry Seibert
> Sent: Sunday July 23, 2000 8:17 PM
> To: morgans@autox.team.net
> Subject: RE: Transporting a Morgan...
>
> JOE - I gotta side with the drivers in this one. Nothing (well almost
> nothing . . . .) can match the satisfaction of a serious Morgan motoring
> adventure. Dave's right, take a mate or significant other. Hood down,
> deserted highway, 3:00 am, coffee in hand. We drove our 4/4 to CA (from
> PA) and back in 1980 with only a broken tailpipe hanger to show for it.
> Had
> my tools and spares but this was in the pre-cell phone era. Also
> picked-up
> our +8 (sight unseen) in the UK in 1984 and drove it around the Continent
> and the UK for three weeks with only a handful of cheap tools we bought
> (and
> then tossed!) in the UK. Those memories are irreplaceable and are just as
> sharp as if they happened last week. Hey, what could possibly go wrong .
> .
> . . . . . . .
>
> Cheers, Craig Seibert 1968 +8 car no. 611 "Duff Morgan Racing"
> 1961 4/4 "Ol' Reliable"
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-morgans@autox.team.net
> [mailto:owner-morgans@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of David Bondon
> Sent: Sunday, July 23, 2000 9:34 AM
> To: DeLuca, Joseph; 'Morgans'
> Subject: Re: Transporting a Morgan...
>
>
> Yeh, come on Joe, just bring your tool box and a cell phone! That's what
> my
> son and I did when he got the +8. I packed my little tool box as baggage,
> flew to Connecticut, had dinner with some Morgan friends, got up early,
> and
> drove the car to Pittsburgh! Great stuff. We are still getting the bugs
> out
> of it but at least we found them all at once (almost). Bring a friend, you
> will have great stories to tell when it's over!
>
> SuperDave
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "DeLuca, Joseph" <Joseph.DeLuca@wl.com>
> To: "'Morgans'" <morgans@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Saturday, July 22, 2000 5:39 PM
> Subject: RE: Transporting a Morgan...
>
>
> > That's 13 back-wrenching hours. No thanks! I draw
> > the line at 8-hours. Now if it were my VW with the
> > Recaro-style seats it would be a different story.
> >
> > Besides, this is it's maiden voyage (for me) and I
> > don't want to find out all it's little peccadilloes
> > in one miserable trip. When I purchased my '62
> > 4/4 in 1985 I figured a little trip to the Poconos
> > (PA) would be a good first outing and the rear wheel
> > fell off on Route 80 at 65mph.
> >
> > This is because the fool who sold it had the car
> > up on blocks previously and had slapped the wheels
> > on with limp-wristed torque. And the fool who bought
> > it hadn't checked. I've never bought a used car since
> > without checking to see if the lug nuts were on tight.
> >
> > Nor have I accepted a car back from servicing without
> > checking to see if I can undo the lug nuts myself
> > using common roadside tools. Those danged tire shops
> > use their air-guns without bothering to use a specific
> > torque setting. They just tighten them until they
> > turn red.
> >
> > That's why I wouldn't drive the Morgan home from South
> > Carolina.
> >
> > Joe D
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Vandergraaf, Chuck [mailto:vandergraaft@aecl.ca]
> > > Sent: Saturday, July 22, 2000 4:53 PM
> > > To: 'DeLuca, Joseph'
> > > Cc: 'Morgans'
> > > Subject: RE: Transporting a Morgan...
> > >
> > >
> > > Joe,
> > >
> > > Congratulations! Hope you and your prospective 4/4 get
> > > together soon. As
> > > for transporting it from SC to NJ, why not drive it back? I
> > > thought that
> > > was the whole idea of owning a Morgan. Driving a Morgan on
> > > the Blue Ridge
> > > Parkway would be my idea of a "good time." Better than
> > > driving it in a
> > > rented Ford Pinto like I did back in 1973, when I had to go
> > > from Pittsburgh
> > > to Galtinburg, TN., to attend a conference.
> > >
> > > Chuck Vandergraaf
> > > '52 +4
> > > Pinawa, MB
> > >
>
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