Well the wife named the truck 'Mater - not original or exciting but I said OK cause she now has an interest - anyway it was Maters maiden voyage. The truck was located at the in-laws south of salina, KS and needed to come home to Kansas City. Over the past several months, I put new tires and wheels on the truck, filled the fluids, rewired it completely, fixed all lights, tuned it up, and checked her over and decided to drive it cracked exhaust manifolds and all.
9:30 arrive south of Salina, battery installed, jumped, starts up
11:00 wheels tightened, oil filled, plates put on.
11:30 getting ready to head out, battery goes dead and jumper cables are not long enough to reach it. Note: park where cables will reach.
12:30 Mother in law made lunch, battery has been charging, try to start, no luck. Note: tell the wife to turn ignition on before cranking the battery dead
1:15 plugs pulled out and dried, put back in, truck pushed back to jumper cables, truck starts were ready
1:45 headed into Salina, got gas, headed for K4, wow it rides rough, think I may need new shocks or something.
2:10 Pass the sherrif in Gypsom, mind starts thinking here we go, get a wave from him and keep going
4:00 stop at gas station to check over brakes. Pedal is lower but still stops ok. Fill fluid, inspect lines, no leaks, suspect brakes are adjusting. Note: realize tools are sitting on the in-laws wood pile, limited tools with me
Its official, I am in with the farmers. Nearly everyone does the 2 finger farmers wave. Cool.
4:25 Pulled over on some side street off a back woods area of K4, need the long johns on, man is it cold. Put on long johns in front of the truck and the only car we saw for miles turns down the road. Get a look from the 70 year old women who catches me putting on the long johns like none I have ever seen. Wife is rolling in laughter.
5:20 Alma, KS. Its going to be a journey - park it and come back in the morning or keep going. Fill the tank, add 1.5 quarts oil.
5:30, I-70. Sorry, yes it was me going 47 on the highway. Truck running good, wave to the sherrif on the on ramp and go.
6:10 Topeka, thank goodness for the wife's KTAG, she waits in line, I hit the KTAG lane keep going
Stop at Topeka travel plaza, check things over, keep going.
7:00 or so, Get off the toll part of I-70. I am ready for a break but keep going.
7:20 stop at I-70 parking headed towards 635.
7:45 Pull in at the house. WOOHOO we made it.
What an experience, fun, stressful, 250 miles done. The air conditioning of the truck on 9 degree F day causing a heck of a windchill is over. Time to warm up. My wife followed me the entire way, Man I am going to owe her big. I forgot the camera but what a journey.
Lots of thumbs up along the way, no blaring horns, 2 sherrifs' waves to me, what a trip. Time for the TBI small block and other updates - The restification can begin.
Ryan
