Reproduction Parts for 1916-1964 Chevrolet Passenger Cars & 1918-1987 Chevrolet & GMC Trucks


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It's my favourite time of the year again!! We leave tomorrow for Richmond Virginia with the Eastern Six Cylinder Gang. For the ride to Richmond, I'll be tugging along my 1950 convertible. It's going to be a long drive there, as Jane & Abby will not be joining us this year. I spent today washing up the '50, and getting it loaded up on the trailer. The truck was washed yesterday, and rained on last night. mad

[Linked Image from i150.photobucket.com]

My departure time will be 5:30am, in order to be at Paul & Maggie's place by 6:30am. Once again, Paul is testing my wake up abilities with an even earlier start! His itinerary is much the same as last time, except the early morning stop at the duty free liquor store! What he doesn't know is that I've worked overnights all week, so 530am will feel more like PM!! Ask me how this plan turns out at 4pm! lol!

I've heard rumour that Paul thinks his '53 is faster than my '50. Hopefully we'll be testing that out at Richmond International Speedway this week. In the meantime, I'll be testing my drafting techniques with the truck on the way to Richmond. I might bump draft him too...

Anyway, fasten your belts, and read along for another VCCA adventure. I'm wifeless and childless for the week, which means more journal and more pictures for all of you guys. Fun will be had, beer will be drank, and questions will be answered (What language will Paul's Garmin be speaking this year? How many U-turns are there from here to Richmond? And who is that masked man riding with me on the tour days??)

Enjoy the ride...

Brewster carbana canada usa


Last edited by brewster; 09/11/15 09:28 PM.

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Looking forward to seeing you there! While you may be wifeless & childless, we'll be the carless couple...


Dale Carter
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Nooo! I thought you had it worked out!


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Dale,
Just stop by Franklin's place in West by God and pick out one. Might not run the whole tour but I am sure he would appreciate you trying to fix it before you brought it back.


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Don't worry.....I'm keeping a list of what you'll owe me when you get back! Enjoy your childless and wifeless week! I'll get Abby to save all her poopy diapers for your return.

Last edited by JustJane; 09/11/15 06:20 PM.
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Ewww... The gift I was going to pick out for you just got substantially smaller!


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I'm going to start today's entry with a mention to all of my American friends on this, the 14th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on your country. Every year the Six Cylinder Tour seems to fall on this date, and it is an honour to tour through your country and see the national pride and remembrances displayed everywhere with the American flags at half mast. A reminder of the price that others pay so that we can enjoy the freedoms earned through their sacrifices.


Once again, I had trouble sleeping before departure day. This year may have had a lot to do with my week of overnight work until Thursday morning. I'm sure I'll catch up on the sleep soon enough! It was no trouble getting up at 5:00am, and being on the road at 5:30. My cat left me a furball on the shirt I was going to wear. That may be a sign of good luck...or it may be a curse.

It was smooth sailing to Burlington on the 407 to meet Paul & Maggie at 6:30am. Our next stop was at the Duty Free shop at the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie. This is where decisions were made that affected the outcome of our drive, both good and bad. We are driving down to Richmond with George & Carole Worron, and Les & Bev Gajdacs in their modern cars. Les & Bev had a parcel to pick up in Niagara Falls, and left us with the plan to meet at the hotel in Harrisburg PA. I had the choice of going with them, or sticking with the Rozon's & Worron's. I chose the later, mainly because I didn't want to miss out on any of the entertainment provided by Paul's Garmin... and I figured my trailer might come in handy if Paul had trouble with the new radiator that was just installed on Thursday. That was the good decision. The bad one was when we all sat down and had a coffee & snack instead of getting across the border! When we got there it was empty, and we came out to this!

[Linked Image from i150.photobucket.com]

We were about half an hour waiting, then got separated in different lines. I ended up getting shooed into your country by a border guard that didn't want me near her car with the truck and trailer. Another 10 minutes, and the gang caught up to me.

Everything was going fine for another hour through New York and then into Pennsylvania... until Paul suddenly pulled over with a dead car! Uh Oh!! He popped the hood, and there was smoke from an electrical short. Paul grabbed his battery shut-off and turned it... and it came off melted, right in his hand!! I grabbed the wrenches from my box really quick and we got it disconnected. We had no idea what was wrong! Paul suggested I get the battery from my '50 and plug it in. Yeah, right... and then we'd have 2 cooked batteries! Next we discussed putting the '53 on the trailer... and how heavy it was. Long story short, I got my battery! We plugged it in and the car didn't burn up. We checked it with the ohm meter, and it looked fine. Great... Paul stole my battery. He told me it was good that he brought this "parts car" with him, instead of sending it with Les!

[Linked Image from i150.photobucket.com]

After about half an hour, we were away again. Our lunch stop was also a gas stop, and there were a couple of locals out checking out the cars. Paul asked where we could get a battery, and one guy suggested we drop his name to get the "trucker's discount" at a NAPA 10 miles away. That turned out good. We found it and they had one 6 volt battery left. I asked Paul to put it in my car, but he didn't...

[Linked Image from i150.photobucket.com]

It was back on the road, headed for Harrisburg. The drive was really mountainous. I had trouble keeping up to Paul on the up hills, and staying behind him on the downhill's. A shout-out to the @#$% that passed us on the shoulder of a curved downhill grade at 70mph... the only idiot we saw all day!

[Linked Image from i150.photobucket.com]



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One of the huge benefits of enjoying our club, cars and tours in this day & age is the power of the internet. Tonight I had the opportunity to put this incredible resource to use.

For those of you that use Facebook, check out the VCCA Facebook page, moderated by John Brayton. Check it out here! I met a fellow VCCA member named Kerry Glenn on this page, and became "Facebook Friends" with him. Kerry owns a "survivor" 1953 Belair 4door sedan. We chatted on FB last week, and I suggested that he come meet us for dinner, and we check out each other's cars. Paul really wanted to compare '53's as well. Kerry and I spent today texting estimated arrival times back and forth to each other, and we ended up arriving at the same spot within 10 minutes of each other! Us from 436 miles north west in Canada, and him from 32 miles south east in Columbia PA. All thanks to the power of the internet!

[Linked Image from i150.photobucket.com]

[Linked Image from i150.photobucket.com]

Kerry's car was full of all original features and blemishes. It would really do well in the HPOCF class. He had a glovebox full of all of the original documents, brochures, coupons, etc that came with his exact car.

We went to dinner at the pub beside our hotel, and had a really nice evening with Kerry and his son, Nate. When Kerry was looking at Paul's car he noticed Paul's "custom" wheel disks, and mentioned that he had a few good original '53 ones if Paul was interested. I think our route is taking us towards Columbia in the morning! We had a great evening, and it was really nice to finally meet you in person, Kerry! Hopefully you can get to one of our meets or tours in the near future!


Last edited by brewster; 09/12/15 08:35 AM.

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We always welcome our neighbors to the North. Sounds like your car trouble was easily fixed. Our drive was great today. Bill and Kay in their 49 and me in my trusty 40. We stopped overnight in Romney, W. VA at the site of a previous tour. Our cars are running good and the traffic has been light. We pick up Dave and Cheryl tomorrow morning here in Romney in their 47. We have been cruizing between 60 and 65.
See you all in Richmond.

dtm
ps. I am depressed that Abby will not be coming along. She is one of my favorite nieces.


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As always, it's a real pleasure to get to surreptitiously attend events via Brewster's travel journal.

But I am really confused here - when you came to the Central Meet, the excuse for trailering the '50 convertible was that you just had to have a modern vehicle so that Abby could have a car seat. (Jeeze, these over-protective young folks - but I won't go into how my generation grew up doing road trips just standing on the front seat between mom and dad, and we did just fine. Or how you owe it to Abby to have that authentic, living-on-the-edge '50's experience. Sigh....)

So anyway, here you are, all alone, no Abby or wife - doing the bachelor 6 Cylinder Tour, and the opportunity to cruise hundreds of miles - and you TRAILER the '50!!!! Thus getting worse gas mileage, and missing the opportunity to have the wind blowing through your hair. OK, well, blowing on your hat.

I thought we had agreed that trailers are for cars that don't run?

And just FYI, I looked it up (old car manuals on line). The curb weight of the '53 Belair 4 door is 3,380 lbs. and the curb weight of the '50 convert is 3,510 lbs. So the convert is actually the heavier car. It's mostly that extra X member frame, and the top equipment.


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Guru, Can you believe Ken was 6 and Neal was 4 when we took our first trip in our '31 Coupe. Neal was on Lois' lap and Ken in the middle.

We drove the first day to Washington, PA. There my in-laws picked up the boys. The next day we drove on to Hershey. Three days later we reversed the trip.

When they got a little older they traveled in the Rumble Seat all over the country.

How did they ever survive? That is probably why they like old cars today.


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Well Don... it's twofold. 1.) I'm spoiled now, and 2). I just don't trust my convertible as far as I can push it.... and back onto the trailer is just about how far that is! If my '51 was on the road, I certainly would have driven it. Besides, it looks like a good thing that we brought trailer the way Paul's car has behaved so far!

P.S. The internet really blows at this hotel! If the posts stop coming, I'll update it all when I get home. Not sure how long I'm going to wait on it!


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Day two started with breakfast at 8:00am. I went out to the truck to drop off my suitcase. I'm not happy with the breakfast they served...

[Linked Image from i150.photobucket.com]

I tried it anyway. It was cat food. I will definatly be checking "somewhat satisfied" on my comment card.

Found the rest of the gang inside. They got waffles. I had one too... it was much better. Our plan for the day was to head down the interstate and meet Kerry at North York, where Paul and Kerry would complete a blackmarket/out of the trunk hubcap deal. Then, as a group, we were all to head for Richmond via the secondary roads. Simple plan, right? Phase one worked out. Kerry brought the stuff. Paul sampled his wares (10 of them) and picked out 4. He says if I wash them he'll put them on the car tomorrow. I didn't get a picture, as I was busy going through my regular struggle to buy gas in this country! Two times through the lineup! Sheesh!

Kerry sent this photo of our band of hubcap dealers. That's Paul Rozon (1931roadster on Chat), myself, Les Gajdacs, and George Worron...

[Linked Image from i150.photobucket.com]

Anyway... we pulled out of the gas station, and two of us (Rozon's & I) made it through the light. The entrance to the Interstate was the first right, but was around a curve and there was nowhere for us to pull off and wait... We pulled over around the curve after the Interstate (remember, we planned not to take it?!) and waited... and waited! Apparently Worron's and Gadjacs thought we went up onto the Interstate, so off they went... and we never saw them again! (Until tonight...you were worried?!) Paul U-turned and went back to the gas station to see if they came back, but joined me again in 15 minutes, and we were on our own.

The ride was really nice. There is beautiful country down here! Lot's of Southern Plantation looking farms and rolling hills with tree cover.

[Linked Image from i150.photobucket.com]

Then we got into rain... lots of it! It poured! A couple of times I had the rear wheels spinning under acceleration as they hydro-planed in the water. I was glad I had the truck and trailer though.

[Linked Image from i150.photobucket.com]

We stopped for lunch (somewhere... I haven't checked a map since we started!) Paul loaded up his trusty Garmin in English, and we headed out with 3 hours to go!

[Linked Image from i150.photobucket.com]

Five hours later, We arrived! We were 3 hours after Worron's and Gadjacs who took the Interstate the whole way. There are 15 or so cars here, as some of the folks are at the NASCAR race. (It's a good thing I wasn't your ride there, right Toolman?!) I unloaded the trailer and settled in.

Back at home, Daddy isn't around to read good night stories, so she's teaching herself! I'm having some withdrawal symptoms from my girls... but don't tell them I said so!

[Linked Image from i150.photobucket.com]

Last edited by brewster; 09/22/15 11:00 AM.

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Ha - spoiled with modern conveniences, combined with a lack of faith in the trusty old Stovebolt, eh? Truth be told, I have been known to trailer a perfectly good '53 convertible to events when they are that far away, I totally get it. But it was more fun to give you a hard time!

Strong Recommendation: figure out what is wrong with Paul's '53 that caused it to eat the battery. Maybe a bad regulator over-cooking it? You have plenty of knowledgeable help and tools available, so now is the perfect time to figure it out and fix it, so it doesn't leave you stranded at the worst possible time and place on the way home next week.


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Lenny would like you to bring him some of that cat food you had for breakfast. please

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We're going to have someone look at it. Paul thinks it was the battery. It was one of those Optimax batteries. He said it was old. The dash gauge wasn't showing an overcharge...


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Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow. Leaving Ohio about 9 AM. Plan to make it there for the opening banquet. Shouldn't be a problem since we're driving the '85 Vette...


Dale Carter
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Day One... Lots of contenders for the Hard Luck Trophy. Staples just arrived from Canada, minus their motorhome which lost a fuel pump just before the border.

Carter's contend as well... we'll see if that Vette makes it. A couple of years ago I would have put my money on the '48 first...


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Have to ask this ...... what are you folks using, between vehicles, to make contact with one another ?



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Breakdowns???

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Mainly my middle finger, Bob!!!

We don't really have anything with us to communicate. I have my cell phone so I can communicate with my wife at home... but that's not doing these other old folks any good! We had a conversation after our little mix up and how they all have walkie talkies that they should have brought. I guess the solution we have is that we all know where we have to be, so it's everyone for themselves if we get separated.

Once the actual tour starts, there isn't really a need for communication between cars, as we all have Mapquest directions and there are 60 cars out there. If we get separated we just follow the next car. What's difficult is when I'm by myself I have no one to read the maps. This year I have some riding mates.


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Originally Posted by kaygee
Breakdowns???

And not our '50... yet! There's still time!


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Bruce .... seems to me walkie talkies and cells are as important to the tour as clean underwear. :dance:



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Sunday Morning... Not much happened today, as it is mainly arrival day with a welcome banquet at 7pm.

I headed for breakfast with the Canadian Gang at our hotel's banquet room. We have $45 a night rooms, and are certainly getting what we paid for as far as the complimentary breakfast goes. They could have skimped a little more by not paying to freeze the butter for my muffin bigl

After breakfast I helped Barry & Pat get their trailer parked, and then hung out in the lot chatting to folks as they arrived. Caught up with Andy Jurski, and checked out his family's new '54. I spent some time getting pics of the arrivals...

[Linked Image from i150.photobucket.com]

[Linked Image from i150.photobucket.com]

Gene's former ride...

[Linked Image from i150.photobucket.com]

[Linked Image from i150.photobucket.com]

[Linked Image from i150.photobucket.com]



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Lunch was at the diner attached to the hotel. Great food, better service, huge portions, and small price. She even gave me a Senior's Discount! After dinner I got the bucket out and got my pit crew to wash the convertible down. Just as they finished, it started raining! It really poured! Such is life!

[Linked Image from i150.photobucket.com]

[Linked Image from i150.photobucket.com]


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