A road trip to buy a car hauler.... or buying a car hauler to take a road trip?

[intocarss]

RAMP TRUCK, FLATBED, TOW TRUCK, SHOW STOPER!

Imagine your hot rod on the back of this beautiful machine!:goggles:

[Flash68]

Wouldn't you need a hauler if you had a car that was ready to be used? Otherwise - what's the point? LOL

Oh wait -- it could be used to haul Ron's car from shop to shop.


Oh yeah -- got me a double right there!!

In the bizarro world the Hauler IS the pro touring vehicle. :D

But you are still right about moving Ron's car. I keep telling him to borrow it down there for that reason since he isn't really doing anything with the Camaro. :sieg:

[Ron in SoCal]

Hey now at least my car moves, if only from shop to shop :D

Dave you can do yer own dirty work lol

[Vegas69]

You know you've built a quality piece when you have to tow it around on an old POS. :computer:

[FETorino]

What's the latest with O'l Betsy, what's she doing??

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll306/superjinca/betsy_zps45df1104.jpg (http://s291.photobucket.com/user/superjinca/media/betsy_zps45df1104.jpg.html)

:popcorn2: :popcorn2:

[fleet]

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll306/superjinca/betsy_zps45df1104.jpg (http://s291.photobucket.com/user/superjinca/media/betsy_zps45df1104.jpg.html)

:popcorn2: :popcorn2:

Diaper run.

#winning

[intocarss]

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll306/superjinca/betsy_zps45df1104.jpg (http://s291.photobucket.com/user/superjinca/media/betsy_zps45df1104.jpg.html)

:popcorn2: :popcorn2: OL Betsy is heading home!!!!!

[Flash68]

Well it seems the road trip last January was only the beginning of this saga... :headspin:

After finishing the road trip in Socal, it was decided to leave Betsy down there with a friend of a friend and have him take his time in installing a gasket set and just cleaning it up a bit (shoddy wiring, etc) while I waited for my Camaro to get finished. The brilliant plan was to fly down later and drive them back as a combo up to Norcal. Well that didn't pan out. :lol:

This "mechanic" was a piece of work and turned out to be pretty much the biggest piece of work I have encountered in my 39 years on this planet. Anyway, here are some pics of how he abandoned her at his poor sister's house (whose other brother LIVES in the toy hauler on the side of the house). :popcorn2:

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff245/flash68/F350%20Ramp/8B8D5839-1EEC-4F00-BAD0-FE9442D6DAD3_zpsqu00giat.jpg (http://s236.photobucket.com/user/flash68/media/F350%20Ramp/8B8D5839-1EEC-4F00-BAD0-FE9442D6DAD3_zpsqu00giat.jpg.html)

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff245/flash68/F350%20Ramp/463535F0-E665-4271-984F-734A69A611EF_zpsrumbmrk2.jpg (http://s236.photobucket.com/user/flash68/media/F350%20Ramp/463535F0-E665-4271-984F-734A69A611EF_zpsrumbmrk2.jpg.html)

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff245/flash68/F350%20Ramp/A5A87501-0B75-4C2E-96B5-40D1CBE7AC39_zpsedkltwzz.jpg (http://s236.photobucket.com/user/flash68/media/F350%20Ramp/A5A87501-0B75-4C2E-96B5-40D1CBE7AC39_zpsedkltwzz.jpg.html)

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff245/flash68/F350%20Ramp/2F0EFC02-C073-47C7-AA97-BC7B75E8FE2D_zpsckmzxawn.jpg (http://s236.photobucket.com/user/flash68/media/F350%20Ramp/2F0EFC02-C073-47C7-AA97-BC7B75E8FE2D_zpsckmzxawn.jpg.html)

[Flash68]

I had been working on various rescue ops (also seriously considering abandonment) when I was talking to my good friend Rich Bermea... I didn't even ask him for help but he mentioned he was off work due to the weather for a couple weeks and he and a friend would be willing to go down and put her together and bring her back. We worked out a deal and the next day he and his buddy took off for Simi Valley with tools and not knowing what to expect.. no one had personally seen the truck in months and there were no current pics of the status as the "mechanic friend" had gone drunken AWOL... total pile. :lol:

Rich and Rick set up camp (thankfully we were dealing with a very cooperative and understanding sister) and went to work.

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff245/flash68/F350%20Ramp/9A088B11-7C10-441C-B47E-4E8C87AA8A4A_zpszdzv3p9j.jpg (http://s236.photobucket.com/user/flash68/media/F350%20Ramp/9A088B11-7C10-441C-B47E-4E8C87AA8A4A_zpszdzv3p9j.jpg.html)

Anyone who knows Rich (I know many of you have met him) knows he is a workhorse, loves a good adventure, and will do anything for his family and friends. I am proud to have him as a friend.

A day and a half later she was ready to go and after staying an extra night (1 night was planned/hoped for) they were on the road.

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff245/flash68/F350%20Ramp/336872DA-7073-464D-B810-7842FF5559EC_zpsececucmy.jpg (http://s236.photobucket.com/user/flash68/media/F350%20Ramp/336872DA-7073-464D-B810-7842FF5559EC_zpsececucmy.jpg.html)

Luckily the dipsh!t didn't steal our CD's from the original road trip.

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff245/flash68/F350%20Ramp/7D87B5C2-5565-4605-B2A0-E48FC7CF8B7E_zpst5l08l54.jpg (http://s236.photobucket.com/user/flash68/media/F350%20Ramp/7D87B5C2-5565-4605-B2A0-E48FC7CF8B7E_zpst5l08l54.jpg.html)

After she made it back to Rich's shop in Gilroy, a compression test showed at least 3 cylinders no bueno. So a local set of 390 heads with hardened exhaust seats already installed were swapped in and put back together.

Sportin Good Ron Shwarz's Chevy air cleaner and a fresh set of painted heads.

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff245/flash68/F350%20Ramp/39F6499E-C138-4895-A77A-24D9C95A5557_zpsfykzbskc.jpg (http://s236.photobucket.com/user/flash68/media/F350%20Ramp/39F6499E-C138-4895-A77A-24D9C95A5557_zpsfykzbskc.jpg.html)

Back to my house and at home at last, and finally tucked in her resting place. I wasn't sure she would fit. It was a matter of inches on all sides. Whew.

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff245/flash68/F350%20Ramp/6500E809-5957-42EC-853B-6CBCD1421A36_zpsz9tgxoek.jpg (http://s236.photobucket.com/user/flash68/media/F350%20Ramp/6500E809-5957-42EC-853B-6CBCD1421A36_zpsz9tgxoek.jpg.html)

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff245/flash68/F350%20Ramp/E77870A5-5D55-4C5E-A285-C53D14CECE0E_zps9puyaumi.jpg (http://s236.photobucket.com/user/flash68/media/F350%20Ramp/E77870A5-5D55-4C5E-A285-C53D14CECE0E_zps9puyaumi.jpg.html)

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff245/flash68/F350%20Ramp/3A22DF13-31A2-496A-AE7F-53A31781492F_zps8u2526px.jpg (http://s236.photobucket.com/user/flash68/media/F350%20Ramp/3A22DF13-31A2-496A-AE7F-53A31781492F_zps8u2526px.jpg.html)

Now I just gotta figure what I will use her for... Wife wants to drive it and I figure it'll be a great vehicle to teach her to use a clutch. :)

[GregWeld]

Keep it for Garrett's first car... he could hit a tree and kill the tree... LOL



I just hope that gettin' ole Betsy home doesn't kill the text train. For those that don't know - the texts started flying about the "epic road trip" and haven't stopped since. I have like 16,000 posts here and at least 50,000 texts. There's so many texts some days that a couple of the guys had to quit work... I had to get new glasses... I've read so many texts I wore my eyes out. It's been great!


Three cheers and three (or more) beers to Rich! He IS a good man!

[rustomatic]

Cool story--that's a good fix for what could have been a very unhappy ending. Thanks for not letting her die at the hands of uncaring W.T. Then again, were they W.T., they surely would have stolen your tunes...

In a different color, that thing would look nice with a Falcon on it...

[glassman]

Very nice and glad you got it back up here!!

Really? Def Leppard"s On Through the Nite? that album is epic! I though only about three people in Nor cal knew about that album....good taste..:cheers:

Now see if you can find somebody up here to f_@k it up LOL,

[Vegas69]

I didn't think this was possible. Worse taste in music than automobiles. :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

I see Richie didn't have time to straighten the dog leg out of the frame. haha

Rich, you are the man.....

[glassman]

:rockin: :action-smiley-027: I didn't think this was possible. Worse taste in music than automobiles. :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

..:rockin: ....:action-smiley-027:

[FETorino]

I remember when we set out on the 4000 mile trip everyone thought we were nuts and would end up on the side of the road.:headspin:

Who would have ever thought after 4000 mi in 10 days the last couple hundred would take almost a year?

I just hope you keep Betsy long enough to get BMF on the back of her for a track day.:thumbsup:

[waynieZ]

Who would have ever thought after 4000 mi in 10 days the last couple hundred would take almost a year?

Sort of took the words right out of my mouth. I was going to say and you thought the first couple of days were going to be the tuff part of the adventure.
Glad its home! Way to go Rick!s

[Richio1]

Wow that sucks Flash but glad to hear it all worked out. You sure see who your good friends are in times of need. Glad to hear there is a happy ending.

What are your plans for Betsy now that you have her home?

[GregWeld]

I remember when we set out on the 4000 mile trip everyone thought we were nuts and would end up on the side of the road.:headspin:

Who would have ever thought after 4000 mi in 10 days the last couple hundred would take almost a year?





My bet was that it would end up on the side of the ROAD -- not the side of a HOUSE... LOL

[fleet]

My bet was that it would end up on the side of the ROAD -- not the side of a HOUSE... LOL

:lol:

On the flip side of the coin though, James May approves of 'The Betsy' journey's timeline...

[Flash68]

In a different color, that thing would look nice with a Falcon on it...

Your Falcon would look very cool on the back of this thing no doubt!



Now see if you can find somebody up here to f_@k it up LOL,

Oh I found someone... me. :lol:

Wow that sucks Flash but glad to hear it all worked out. You sure see who your good friends are in times of need. Glad to hear there is a happy ending.

What are your plans for Betsy now that you have her home?

That is one of the true lessons of this story Jeff.

As far as plans, I hope to keep it awhile but not sure how long.... I did originally plan to have it be my local track day hauler (knowing it was marginally inconvenient but hopefully doable). But a month ago I bought a 06 Duramax Crew Cab 4x4 as my new DD so that might have changed the game.... Betsy is very fun to drive, and really not a handful at all. Now that she fits on the side parking pad I can take my time and figure it all out.

I forgot to post this earlier.... check out these awesome floor pans. Vintage! :lol:

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff245/flash68/F350%20Ramp/20B20FE1-5B13-4A6F-AC84-1FDD10CDD86E_zpsejkklrqc.jpg (http://s236.photobucket.com/user/flash68/media/F350%20Ramp/20B20FE1-5B13-4A6F-AC84-1FDD10CDD86E_zpsejkklrqc.jpg.html)

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff245/flash68/F350%20Ramp/8DF02E0A-EBF0-4F95-9665-09018FE3A9E6_zpsgjngqq7q.jpg (http://s236.photobucket.com/user/flash68/media/F350%20Ramp/8DF02E0A-EBF0-4F95-9665-09018FE3A9E6_zpsgjngqq7q.jpg.html)

[Che70velle]

Love this! It would be worth replacing the floor pans, just to be able to hang that sign in the shop!

[Chad-1stGen]

Dave, this thread is awesome. I missed this the first time around but the road trip looked like a lot of fun and the hauler is awesome!

[Flash68]

Love this! It would be worth replacing the floor pans, just to be able to hang that sign in the shop!

That's a pretty dang good idea. :)

Dave, this thread is awesome. I missed this the first time around but the road trip looked like a lot of fun and the hauler is awesome!

It was a nice break from my no-progress Camaro at the time, as well as a last hurrah before Garrett was born. Pretty dang memorable trip! :D

[Payton King]

It is almost sad that it is finally home. Your "Easy Rider" trip accross country now to be replaced by changing diapers! Life moves fast...too bad the Camaro doesn't. LOL

[Flash68]

It is almost sad that it is finally home. Your "Easy Rider" trip accross country now to be replaced by changing diapers! Life moves fast...too bad the Camaro doesn't. LOL

Ain't that the truth.

HbR7axof1wk

[sik68]

What a great story on Betsy. Rich is the MAN! :military:

[FETorino]

It is almost sad that it is finally home. Your "Easy Rider" trip accross country now to be replaced by changing diapers! Life moves fast...too bad the Camaro doesn't. LOL

Amen

Betsy is ready and willing despite taking a wrong turn at the end of the trip


And then Dave is out of service.:yes:

After saving Betsy I feel like I owe Rich a case of Bud Lite :cheers: