Road Stories Working On Your Car

[ford2custom]

Since a question was asked about tools for a road trip. I thought I would see if some of you guys and gals had a story about working on your car on the side of the road with minimal tools. This is one of my stories.

The year was 1967 I just got off work at Ford Motor Co. at 1:00 a.m. I was driving a 65 GTO 389 Tri power 4 speed going to Ohio to pick up my Mother and two sisters. I told them I would take them to Kansas to attend my brother’s wedding I was going to be the best man. After the first 100 or a little over miles the water pump bearing went out, the fan blade was trying to go through the radiator. It was pitch black at that time of night, just got off where the four lane high ended I spotted a light on a building. I made it under the light I had a water pump in the trunk since the car was making a noise but I couldn't pin-point it to the alternator or water pump since the fan was not loose. I had a 6 inch crescent wrench, a flat screwdriver, and a pair of pliers. I managed to change the water pump after taking the fan off through the shroud with bleeding knuckles from the fins on the radiator plus losing the antifreeze. It was day light when I was ready to fill up what I lost out of the radiator, I found a small can and there was a house close by I went with the can knocked on the door but no one came. I wanted ask for their permission to use their water. They may have been sleeping or scared but I needed water so I turned the faucet on and had my back to their door I thought if you’re going to shoot me your going to shoot me in the back. I got the radiator finally filled up and was tired after several trips to the water faucet but I had another 350 miles to get to my Mother's house. I didn't get 2 miles and had a flat tire I could have picked up something when I pulled of the road but no less it was flat. I changed the tire and went to a gas station to have the tire fixed. The tire was on a 5 spoke ET mag wheel and of course I didn't want the guy to scratch it but he couldn't guarantee not to, they didn’t have special tire changers at gas stations for specialty wheels back then. Now the tire is fixed with some scratches, back on the car so off I go tired from working the 4:00 till 1:00 shift at Ford then driving working on the car things were not looking good. I get to my home town and stop at my older sister's house first, I tell her how tired I am but my Mother and two younger sisters are waiting for me. My older sister said they would understand just tell them you can't make it. I go to my Mother's house and they are all dressed and ready to go. I tried to find a way of saying I can't drive another 750 miles but seeing the disappointment when I said I couldn't do it. I told my youngest sister to run me some water in the bath tub so I could get cleaned up. Other than having a hard time staying awake we made the trip but it was hard and we didn't have much time to get there. I don't recommend this but I was young and dumb driving the straight 4 lane highway at 100 /110 miles an hour at times all I could see was the next rise in the highway way ahead so I would shoot for that, then pick out another horizon. We got to Wichita one hour before the wedding, I just had time to take a shower and put on the tux they had for me. As the couple were saying their wedding vows the preacher said let us pray the couple knelt down and so did I, that was the only mistake at the wedding but I think they understood since I had been awake for over two days and had driven over 1200 miles after working an 8 hour shift at Ford Motor Company.

Richard