Thought I'd put up some pictures of the trip fitzee and I just took in his T to get to the Atlantic Nationals in Moncton New Brunswick. The back story is that we went last year and had a great time with some new HAMB friends and decided right away we would be going back this year! Last year it was a 71 Caddy that served as transport but this year we BOTH figured on having personal project cars finished in time to convoy together. For various reasons it didn't work out as planned!!! With time running out we decided to bite the bullet and just take FITZEE'S open T!!! Short on creature comforts but high on adventure! As posted in a different thread we made a trailer for our gear and then in a fit of madness decided to rip off the Tee's fenders and go for broke. I can't think of a better way to "experience" a roadtrip. You experience wind...pavement cracks and potholes...expansion joints...natures various fragrances...bugs of unusual size and taste...Tractor/trailer rigs to pass on the uphill only to be re-passed on the down run. There is no protection from anything. Your aware that a rock from a dump truck can be terminal...hitting a Raccoon/Deer/Moose or any other critter common in these parts could spell disaster. Your riding a 4 wheel Chopper over 800 miles with no helmet or gloves. Highway speeds in 90* temps mean your wearing tight headgear and at least a long sleeve sweatshirt to keep the sun and wind at bay. If its 60* your in a proper jacket! Sunblock is essential. Wraparound sunglasses and clear goggles at night are a necessity. All that aside....I'd do it again in a heartbeat. It's an experience of a lifetime! We started the trip as a loose grouping of 6 cars...but in reality it was just fitzee and I in his T and John in his 68 Camaro. The others we only met up with on the ferrys or at the show. After the show we followed Koolkemp and pals to Windsor, while John stayed in Moncton with the NL convoy, and then we made a solo run the next day to the outskirts of Halifax and up to the TCH for 6 hours to get back to the Marine Atlantic Ferry around a 1/2 hour before it sailed at 10.45pm. The last 60 miles showing thick forest and regular "Beware of Moose" signs as we rumbled past at 65 mph in the dusk...our heads the highest part on the whole car! Every shadow was waiting to jump out in front of us.....or so it seemed. Ferry behind us and back on the island, rain was threatening but held off as we made the 1 1/2 hour dash back to fitzee's home in Conception Bay South, dodging tourist RV's, Semi's and Highway road crews the entire way. The T performed flawlessly other than some issues with Holley carb altitude sickness while we tried to cruise around in Moncton. We did make one stop along the highway on the way to Koolkemps because we THOUGHT we had a U-Joint loosening up, but it turned out to just be our imagination. Within 30 SECONDS of stopping though, another Hot Rodder with a Bucket on a trailer (sensible! ) stopped and offered access to all his selection of tools and parts...stayed with us while we checked things out and then followed behind us right to his turn off to make sure we were OK. Koolkemp was driving along WITH us...but the bucketeer wouldn't take a chance on seeing us stranded! Cool or what!?!? Thank you man...much appreciated!!! Ultimately...all I can say about the trip is...What a blast!!!!!!
Great pictures, great story. Having put 5,000km on my 27' bucket last year, I think I can safely say........ your nuts!. Hats off.
I`m still messed up from the trip. The car was picky on what speeds you would run,different types of payment would change the speeds.I never noticed this before but the car was particular on what payment it liked. Buzz along at 60 and the payment would change up and i would have to back the speed off to 55 to get the shake out of the front tires,played around with tire pressure it helps some but the car told me when to slow down
More pics...arrival at the show...bugs galore...junior Hot Rodders enjoying the bucket...hanging with friends and the night run to Koolkemps....
Making the run to Canning NS to visit Chad and chat for a bit. Not sure what they feed the cows in Canning...but they need to stop. NOW! Fitzee couldn't resist himself and bargained for a car (not the pictured pristine Fleetline!) needing some floors and patch work. Couldn't drive it as the brakes and some other stuff are gone! Canning is rural and absolutely beautiful....
We took off back towards Koolkemps already 1/2 hour behind and that driveshaft issue was still on our mind...although fitzee DID check it out as we left Chads! The test was perhaps 40 to 50 feet and she seemed fine after. Ran back to Steves...reattached the trailer...said goodbyes way too fast and beat it back to the boat always aware that the night would catch us before we caught the ferry. Gotta admit...it was a bit stressful those last 50 miles! Managed to meet up with GizmoJoe (who looks right at home in the bucket BTW...good thing fitzee grabbed the keys!) at a Timmys at the Canso Causeway. WAY too fast of a get together though. We gotta plan for more time as we've always been in too much of a hurry to really enjoy much beyond the show. Gotta get up to visit several other HAMBers too...but theres never enough time in a day! (I'll post some more to finish off the trip tomorrow...too tired and its 1 am here!)
For some reason the camera would go wacky in the dark...guess it was having a hard time focusing in twilight or something and although fitzee was driving, I just didn't have the ability to watch the road AND mess with camera settings...figuring it better to look for Moose than some perfect pic! A few "artsy" shots still give some idea of the last hour before North Sydney anyway. Once back on home turf we played pinball to the RV's and Semi's along the Argentia access rd and the TCH as far as Salmonear Line where we turned off to take the "Holyrood Highway" back to fitzees. That old road is our Route 66 and a fantastic way to wind down from the speed and stress of the TCH. Sum it all up? Cars are MEANT to be driven. Some take a bit more dedication and effort but the more you need to put in, the more you get out of it. You put your stuff in order and you go. You deal with what comes. Oblivious to all around you, your wearing a sweatshirt and skull cap in Tee shirt weather...slathering on sunscreen, chugging down gulps of warm ICE Tea...while attempting to check EVERY bolt and nut on the entire car! That was the recipe for every fuel stop... A couple of times we managed to grab a strudel or KitKat bar before hopping in and taking off...but I know in that 5 day period my belt buckle went 1 hole tighter! The common folk stare at you constantly...some in awe...some curious as to the whys...some just want to have you committed! Kids get it though. EVERY kid GETS it.
Bottom line: You don't need to be part of some multi-car "power tour" to have fun on the road. You just need to find a destination and go. Damn the torpedoes! HAMB Roadies on the prowl....
Great story, thanks. You were lucky with the weather - or is it more predictable 'up there' than 'over here'?
Congrats on an awesome adventure. I have to agree with Chopped51, you guys are nuts! When I owned my bucket, the longest trip I ever made was probably 100-150miles roundtrip ... and that would just about do me in. But, ya gotta drive'em! Thanks for sharing.
I always wondered what you two looked like Crazy MF to me as thats a long way to travel in a T. At first I thought to myself Windsor, and they didn't let me know they were coming so I could cross the bridge and meet up, but after reading the whole journey I guess it wasn't the Windsor here in Ontario, eh? Glad to hear everythign went smoothly, thanks for sharing.
With rain you go day by day...but we were due for good weather because it was crap for the 3 weeks leading up to our departure! We were really lucky that the only rain was Saturday while we were under the tarp. The T soaked in it of course! We just pulled the seat covers and tossed them in the trailer. LOL Could have easily been caught on the road though.
Scary huh? Like two MUPPETS! Hahaha Windsor ONTARIO would be cool! Naaa...we went to Windsor Nova Scotia...but you never know what the future holds! I doubt it would be in the bucket though! You're a real inspiration Denise. You've been caught in the rain and NOTHING has ever held you back.
I remember doing 10 days hard labor at the Salmonier Line Camp for my inability to pay speeding fines to the magistrate in Placentia back in '67.
I think it goes without saying that if you ever do make it to this area that you would let me know right??
Great story man! There is NOTHING like a bucket. I lost mine this winter when my garage collapsed under the weight of snow and man I miss the hell out of it. The long hauls especially. I regularly drove it to Maine or Vermont or Connecticut from Rhode Island, often spending a few days and it would be my only transportation. Bags strapped on with bungie cords and all. I loved that car so much and hearing your story makes me smile, and jealous!! Anyone who hasn't experienced it can't imagine what carnage the smallest pebble can cause, or a rain drop for that matter!! My wife wore a helmet for rides for many years, but after hitting a frost heave at about 130mph she never got in the ol girl again. I once hit a dead raccoon on the road and not only did the car get loose, but I got a face full of guts. I laughed my ass off!! I couldn't even imagine hitting a dear or a MOOSE! My car was an 87 inch wheel base chassis, small block wit a tunnel ram that made 505hp on the dyno 495ftlbs, 4 speed, 3.55 gears and a straight up bar stool style steering. Slicks on the back and motorcycle spokes and tire up front. Loved that damn car. I really want to build another, but my wife and everyone I know has begged me not to. Instead I got into a chop top that is a little more tame. Keep on with the long hauls, they are the best. Great story man!!
Way to go. Very entertaining story. So when will you go out and test your trailer for leaks again? Gary
850 miles? hood? trailer? man, that's like driving a Lexus compared to our 1960's days of rodding. But, good for you. Few, if any guys today drive more than a hundred miles at best to go anywhere. I'm glad you guys are keeping the flame alive for the days of hard-core rod runs. You're making memories that will last a lifetime. I look back on driving a steel rattle-trap t-bucket, Olds/Strombergs, from Los Angeles to St. Louis in 1967 when I was 16 and I still can't believe that we'd do things like that in an instant. Good going....keep doing it....hot rodding at its best is on the open road.
This is it and so true. Average people, the rest of the world, must have no idea what an improvement our way of travel is to their climate controlled quiet world. I was at a c'store this week where a foreign family on vacation were looking at my car while I was inside. The kids didn't speak English, but the father asked about the car and translated to the mother and two boys. I let the kids sit in the T and the father took pictures. They seemed very happy! Great report on a good roadtrip.
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