Crossing the Candian Border in an Open Car

I left the house at 6:30 a.m. with 2 shirts and 2 coats heading to Waterdown for the show/swap. First up is my little car which has 4.11's that makes it spin 3,000 rpm to do 55mph. It's your typical deal running a pair of 600 Carters tied together and weighing 1840 lbs.



I had a half hr. thruway drive to meet the other two cars and man it was chilly at 56 degrees although not as cold as the 30 degree temps of last year. We left at 7:30 heading to the great white north, cutting through Niagara falls on the way to the bridge.





This is a toll booth were you actually have to pay 3.25 to leave the states if you can believe that.


This a picture of the mist coming up from Niagara falls and the Candian skyline. I'm sitting on the bridge waiting my turn for customs, which usually isn't a good time.

customs booth, not much hassel for a change

On the road in Canada now running my 3 grand trying to not get killed, the weight of the little roadster makes big rig wash a handfull. As they go by you are looking even with the top of their trailer tires and being pulled towards them by the vaccume. A bit unnerving to say the least ..lol

Made it there and met up with Jeff and Pistonbroke, a couple shots of Jeff's bitchin truck

 

Great cars.....thanks for the pix.........

 

I didn't take many photos while there, I was to busy looking for parts that I could get back across the border and checking out all the cars in the show.
We had the meet and greet at 2:00 p.m. at Pistonbroke's space, nice meeting you guys. I checked back in with the guys I was with and they were ready to go at 2:30. We were headed to my friend Dave's house for a fabulous dinner and tour of his place.
Over at Daves it seems he has given up the sprint car phase and is working on a 51 Vicky. He still has his steel 32 which he completed back in 82 though.



He has cars stashed all over...lol



I was checking out this old drag car photo on the wall and guess what, he found it


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He said he was restoring it back to it's glory days and showed the car. This thing is awesume but I'm a sucker for these things.






After being well fed by Dave and his lovely wife it was time to hit the road. The sun was dropping quick so I went back to the 2 shirts and one jacket deal. The trip back was the same of 3 grand for an hour and half straight back to the border.
While waiting my turn to be hasseled by the U.S. customs I thought the exhaust was smelling a bit rich. I figure since I was ideling for such a long time it was just loading up, not the case. I just made it through Niagara falls and into North Tonawanda when I hear a lifter ticking. I'm a few miles from one of my traveling companions house and still that half hour blast down the thruway home. The noise got louder the further I went, not a good sign, so I started keeping the revs down the best I could.
Then I hear the tell tell sound of the rocker rapping on my cast aluminum finned covers, not good. I ideled it the remaining few blocks to his house and pulled the covers. This was the look, second time for a rocker to blow out the bottom on this thing. Took out the bad and replaced with some spares my buddy had and jammed the 3 grand back down the thruway home...lol All and all it was a damn good time.

 

Cool, I love on the road stories especially ones with pics. Thanks!

 

from your thread title i was preparing for a horror story........glad you had a good time.........

 

Phil, I bet you needed the heating pad and advil after that trip. Hope the back is doing better.

 

cool pics yall looks like you had a great time..

 

I'm pretty beat today, didn't get much sleep lastnight that's for sure..lol I'm do for knee surgery on Oct. 2nd, the walking was really aggrivating it yesterday and the back is just the back it'll never get better.

Jeff, like you said just never enough time, it was good seeing ya again bud.

 

Awesome pics looking over those air cleaners! Thanks for posting!

 

Awesome pics of a cool trip, Phil. Thanks!

 

Very cool post. I thought it was going to end with you in a Canadian work camp making bacon! The title had me scared.

 

So I presume you didn't get that cavity search you were hoping for?-MIKE

 

No, those girls in customs at the border still won't let me search them, they really don't know what they're missing...lol


As far as the title of thread, I guess it's more about being in the wide open with no where to hide when dealing with the custom agents. The guy looked a little confused peering out his booth down into my car. He didn't have to use his mirrors or bend down, nothing, to check what was coming across the border..lol

 

looked like a good show. sux i missed it.

 

you need a matching trailer to haul more goodies back home in.

 

hey i noticed your cars saturday. i couldnt stick around until 2 to meet everyone though. i really dug the cars and the coupe really did it for me. good job on making it up.

 

Very cool roadtrip story!! Whats the deal busing rockers like that?

 

I think I may have to big of a cam/springs for the stock rockers. I'm on a budget here so I was looking at the roller tip long slot rockers out of Speedway.
That's about the only thing I can think of that could be causing it, but am open to suggestions.

 

My thoughts as well......

 

Well I just ordered these http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=SUM-141507&autoview=sku and a set of comp cams pushrods as well, hopefully this will help the problem..lol

 

It was great meeting you guys!

Norton

 

IBB41;

Did you find me any "cheap" cragars at waterdown? (7x15")
My buddy said it was one of the better shows they have had..

1939fiat

 

I did see a set of Hurst slicks I wanted but nothing for you..lol It was good swap with lots of sheet metal and even a full tube chassis VW bug.

 

IBB41;
Nope, don't need no vee dubs, thanks...

I better check my "stock" pile..hell,might have some around here anyway..

1939fiat

 

Come back over, plenty here...lol http://buffalo.craigslist.org/pts/850025772.html

 

IBB41
I've hauled enough out of buffalo..
ever sell the RV?

Rick

 

What a cool trip and thanks for the photos they made it real for the reader.

 

Don't be suprised if cheap roller tips cause problems.

The set that's on there needs to be replaced, honestly another set of stockers will probably work fine. Rockers do have a finite lifespan, remember those high speed films showing how much they flex. Replace the pivot balls too. Prolly not a coincidence it was an exhaust rocker, those run hotter and die faster.

good luck