Well, I'm back. I have not posted in the 55 forum for a long time.
I am also back from a grueling 17hr/800+ mile road trip in my 55. No problems, except for a little SNAFU just 50 miles north of Dallas. More on that later.
Here is a little rundown on the story: My Dad and I bought this 55 in 1993. We worked on it for the next 9 years off and on. We bought it while I was still in high school but as many projects go, it got pushed to the back burner more than once. We did quite a bit to it but it just took forever to finally finish. Well, it was never REALLY finished but it was driveable.
When it was all said and done, my girlfriend (now wife) and I took it on a 6,000+ mile adventure throughout the Pacific Northwest and into Canada. After the trip, we drove it for awhile but it really did not fit our needs. I sold it to a gentleman in Dallas, TX in the summer of 2003. I was sad to see it go but I was moving on to better things, or so I thought.
The following year, I found the 55 up for sale on the mud board. I contacted the owner that I sold it to and asked why he was selling it. He replied that he was not using it much and could use the money from it. At the time, I was not interested in having it back.
My Dad died of a heart attack in the summer of 2005. It was obviously a real shocker. He was still young and will be missed by many. It was very hard for me to lose him.
The 2 year anniversary of my Dad's death was less than a month ago. A few days after the anniversary, I began thinking about the old 55. I wondered where it went and who had it. I decided to track it down, not really with the intention of getting it back. So, I started with the gentleman in Dallas that I sold it to.
I emailed him asking if he ever sold it and if he knew where it went. He replied that he never did sell it and it is sitting out in front of his house. He asked if I was interested in buying it back because he had just bought another house and there is no on-street parking.
The 55 had to go.
He threw me a price, which was very reasonable and quite a bit cheaper than what he had bought it for. I bought a plane ticket to Dallas and was off on Saturday, Sept 1, 2007.
I arranged for my sister who lives in Dallas, to pick me up at the airport and drive me to the 55. We rounded the corner of his neighborhood and there it was! It brought back a lot of memories and we were both overwhelmed and began to cry. Yes, I admit... I cried.
I got out and looked it over. It was just as I remembered it. The new/old owner had done nothing to it. He had put about 2,500 miles on it and that's it. Oh, he did add a Harley Davidson sticker to the back window. It still looked fairly good, but the Texas weather did its number on the paint and body. The paint is badly faded in some areas and the clear coat is peeling in other areas. And the really bad, the rust is coming back in the rear wheel wells. Dammit!!!! Oh well, it was fixed once, it can be fixed again.
It ran pretty good but had an intake manifold leak that made it not idle very well. Once it got out on the highway, it was fine. Pulling up to a stop light, I had to throw it in Neurtral and brake with my left foot while giving it gas with right. No problem!
The owner had told me about the manifold leak prior to my trip out there so I had brought an intake manifold gasket with me to Dallas. I thought about putting the gasket on while at my sister's house but decided against it. I would rather do it at home.
So at 6AM on Sunday morning, I was off. I got about 50 miles north of Dallas and about 7AM, the 55 lost a lot of power. I could not go faster than 35mph and the engine was really struggling. Oh F@#K!!! The worst thoughts went through my head. I coasted into a truck stop and opened the hood.
It had been a long time since I had owned or even looked at a 2F. I looked around and could not find anything that obvious. I then remembered that my Dad and I desmogged the 2F. So, I just stood there and looked at the engine. I noticed at the bottom of the carb were 3 ports that were pointing to the front of the engine. They were all 3 open. I thought, HMMMMMM, those should not be open, but what can I stick in there? I had not brought any plugs of any sort. So, I went into the truckstop and looked around. I went into the restaurant and there I found some toothpicks. Those look to be about the same size, I thought.
I went out to the 55 and stuck the toothpicks into the ports on the base of the carb. Perfect fit. A little electrical tape to make sure they don't all fall out. I got in the driver's seat and thought "Here goes Nothing!"
The 55 fired right the F@#K UP and actually idled.... a bit rough...... but nonetheless.... idled. A few spins around the truck stop parking lot and I felt good. Let's hit the road! I smiled, thinking that my Dad was probably smiling to. Maybe it was a little test for me from my Dad. I guess I passed. What a joker!
So, another 16 hours of driving and I was home at 10PM Sunday night Colorado time. Yep, drove it straight through. Along the way, I got a few waves from some FJ's. 2 guys in a Tundra waved and a really hot soccer Mom in a Volvo slowed down to pass me. I got a big smile and a wave from her. She was either checking out me or the car...... probably the car.
Well, there you have it, my big adventure. My plans are to fix that manifold leak and just drive it for awhile.
Back in high school, my Dad and I had the dream of taking the 55 to Alaska someday. Well, my Dad never made it and I have never been either. So, my wife, daughter, and I are all going next summer, 2008.
And, you guessed it, we are taking the 55.
I am also back from a grueling 17hr/800+ mile road trip in my 55. No problems, except for a little SNAFU just 50 miles north of Dallas. More on that later.
Here is a little rundown on the story: My Dad and I bought this 55 in 1993. We worked on it for the next 9 years off and on. We bought it while I was still in high school but as many projects go, it got pushed to the back burner more than once. We did quite a bit to it but it just took forever to finally finish. Well, it was never REALLY finished but it was driveable.
When it was all said and done, my girlfriend (now wife) and I took it on a 6,000+ mile adventure throughout the Pacific Northwest and into Canada. After the trip, we drove it for awhile but it really did not fit our needs. I sold it to a gentleman in Dallas, TX in the summer of 2003. I was sad to see it go but I was moving on to better things, or so I thought.
The following year, I found the 55 up for sale on the mud board. I contacted the owner that I sold it to and asked why he was selling it. He replied that he was not using it much and could use the money from it. At the time, I was not interested in having it back.
My Dad died of a heart attack in the summer of 2005. It was obviously a real shocker. He was still young and will be missed by many. It was very hard for me to lose him.
The 2 year anniversary of my Dad's death was less than a month ago. A few days after the anniversary, I began thinking about the old 55. I wondered where it went and who had it. I decided to track it down, not really with the intention of getting it back. So, I started with the gentleman in Dallas that I sold it to.
I emailed him asking if he ever sold it and if he knew where it went. He replied that he never did sell it and it is sitting out in front of his house. He asked if I was interested in buying it back because he had just bought another house and there is no on-street parking.
The 55 had to go.
He threw me a price, which was very reasonable and quite a bit cheaper than what he had bought it for. I bought a plane ticket to Dallas and was off on Saturday, Sept 1, 2007.
I arranged for my sister who lives in Dallas, to pick me up at the airport and drive me to the 55. We rounded the corner of his neighborhood and there it was! It brought back a lot of memories and we were both overwhelmed and began to cry. Yes, I admit... I cried.
I got out and looked it over. It was just as I remembered it. The new/old owner had done nothing to it. He had put about 2,500 miles on it and that's it. Oh, he did add a Harley Davidson sticker to the back window. It still looked fairly good, but the Texas weather did its number on the paint and body. The paint is badly faded in some areas and the clear coat is peeling in other areas. And the really bad, the rust is coming back in the rear wheel wells. Dammit!!!! Oh well, it was fixed once, it can be fixed again.
It ran pretty good but had an intake manifold leak that made it not idle very well. Once it got out on the highway, it was fine. Pulling up to a stop light, I had to throw it in Neurtral and brake with my left foot while giving it gas with right. No problem!
The owner had told me about the manifold leak prior to my trip out there so I had brought an intake manifold gasket with me to Dallas. I thought about putting the gasket on while at my sister's house but decided against it. I would rather do it at home.
So at 6AM on Sunday morning, I was off. I got about 50 miles north of Dallas and about 7AM, the 55 lost a lot of power. I could not go faster than 35mph and the engine was really struggling. Oh F@#K!!! The worst thoughts went through my head. I coasted into a truck stop and opened the hood.
It had been a long time since I had owned or even looked at a 2F. I looked around and could not find anything that obvious. I then remembered that my Dad and I desmogged the 2F. So, I just stood there and looked at the engine. I noticed at the bottom of the carb were 3 ports that were pointing to the front of the engine. They were all 3 open. I thought, HMMMMMM, those should not be open, but what can I stick in there? I had not brought any plugs of any sort. So, I went into the truckstop and looked around. I went into the restaurant and there I found some toothpicks. Those look to be about the same size, I thought.
I went out to the 55 and stuck the toothpicks into the ports on the base of the carb. Perfect fit. A little electrical tape to make sure they don't all fall out. I got in the driver's seat and thought "Here goes Nothing!"
The 55 fired right the F@#K UP and actually idled.... a bit rough...... but nonetheless.... idled. A few spins around the truck stop parking lot and I felt good. Let's hit the road! I smiled, thinking that my Dad was probably smiling to. Maybe it was a little test for me from my Dad. I guess I passed. What a joker!
So, another 16 hours of driving and I was home at 10PM Sunday night Colorado time. Yep, drove it straight through. Along the way, I got a few waves from some FJ's. 2 guys in a Tundra waved and a really hot soccer Mom in a Volvo slowed down to pass me. I got a big smile and a wave from her. She was either checking out me or the car...... probably the car.
Well, there you have it, my big adventure. My plans are to fix that manifold leak and just drive it for awhile.
Back in high school, my Dad and I had the dream of taking the 55 to Alaska someday. Well, my Dad never made it and I have never been either. So, my wife, daughter, and I are all going next summer, 2008.
And, you guessed it, we are taking the 55.
.
But, he neglected to tell me how to log in. PM some instructions when you get a chance.
