A flurry of activity

I left yesterday morning for Turlock (100 miles) at 5:00am. Adam Reed graciously supplied me with a freshly ground crankshaft to fit the existing babbitt bearings, a crankshaft with the stock oil slinger as Henry shipped it from the factory. Made it home by 3:00pm and by last night at 9:00pm, I had the block reassembled, even though a little bleary eyed.

And today, the Model A SWAT team moved in and swarmed the reinstallation. All I did was hand them tools and parts. Fired it up at 10:00am and not a drop of oil anywhere after running for an hour. A new 60 amp alternator is ordered and should be here Monday. Maybe,,,, just maybe,,,, we are getting back on schedule,,, and maybe,,,, just maybe,,,, this whole thing is really going to happen.

I am greatly indebted to (from left to right) Al, Rich, Larry, Bob, Dave and Bob.. (And Dave is leaving for MA in his Model A tomorrow morning!!!) Thanks guys..... bob m

Oh boy, last week we were on schedule,,,,

Two weeks ago, we were in fat city, car pretty much done and running well, lists all made,,,, then I decided on a few last minute checks. Found the fiber timing gear had some chewed up teeth, bad scene, that means the crank to cam clearance is not right and would probably have quit on the road somewhere. Falling back to plan B, we put in the backup engine with a flurry of activity, only two days lost. Two days ago, took the A out to put some miles on it,,,, after 5 miles, it is dripping oil out of the rear main in a major way, and the alternator is fried, you know, the bullet proof alternator. So this is where we are now, engine out again, new higher amp alternator on order and reworking the rear main.

Side note, John and Bill decided at the eleventh hour that they really need air conditioning for this trip so two kits have been ordered to be delivered today or tomorrow, and there will be some more mad scrambling going on to get those in. How did it get so late so fast?

We leave one week from today.....

How did we get into this?

Model A Ford Club of America has a national convention every two years. This year the convention is in Mansfield, Massachusetts. Now we live in California and have attended the last couple conventions in Riverside, CA and in Portland, OR which are relatively close to us in the San Jose, CA area. On our way back from Portland in 2004, as we drove through Medford, OR in our roadster in the 110 degree heat, Pat and I agreed that we would not be driving to MA, and we made a pact on a scrap of paper and both signed it.

But as 2006 rolled around, the lure of the open road began to beckon to us and we realized that this is the Model A trip of a lifetime. We both agreed on one thing however, roll up windows and an air conditioner are essential cause we are just not as tough as we used to be. Well, we found the Little Black Coupe last fall, and have been working on it ever since, new engine, new transmission, overdrive, and AIR CONDITIONING! We are ready. Our club will be sending 6 cars off to MA in two groups. We will be leaving on July 6 with 3 other cars and plan on taking 10 to 12 days to get there. So stand by folks, more to come.