Olympics Update ! - Indy or Bust !!!

[UNSAFE]

Ok - I just registered for all three events .

I've got a zillion things to get done in 2 months. I'll have to be ready for the barge by Memorial day to give me enough time to drive the 2500 miles from Seattle.

Anyone have experience with U-Haul car trailers ?

Bring spare doors

I hope that I don't have to sleep in a tent on the deck of the ferry for 3 days again !

[Trip]

I don't envy your travel complications! I've used U-haul car trailers twice and both times they were excellent... I guess sometimes you can wind up with an old beat up one though. As far as the doors it might be best to do it "Dukes of Hazzard" style =P.

[CorvairCraig]

Those car carriers can suck! Last time I used one I had to drive to two U-hauls to get one where the electrical worked!

They are good inspiration to diet (fitting through the window can be tight!)

Craig

[65Ragtop]

Hey Kevin, I've dealt with U haul alot in the past and always had great luck and service from them. I suppose the fact that the corprorate headquarters is located here in Phoenix might have something to do with that.....but still. I did have some issues with electrics as well, just be sure you bring along your own pigtail. They always made it "right" for me.

A tent on a barge from Alaska for 3 days sounds like an adventure to me, then again I need help now and then on occasion! I admire your get it done way of doing things. Good luck.

[mlevair]

I know of a local shop that could probably help out a little .

[mart]

why do you need a trailer, is it broken?

[UNSAFE]

Wow - It's gonna be quite a trip ! About 1000 miles by boat and then about 2200 on the road .

Gonna check into buying a trailer instead of Uhaul. Cost will be similar when all is said and done .

Sure hope gas prices drop a bit in the next month.

If I put my Vair on the barge to Seattle and I ride on the ferry with my truck to Bellingham it's gonna be about 1800 bucks one way.

Hoping to be able to make it to denver too but gotta find somewhere to leave my vehicles down south for about a month.

My car is on the ground and ready for a test drive. Hopefully the weather will cooperate tomorrow. Supposed to be sunny and in the 60s this weekend . It will feel like a heat wave.

[cvair4life]

Hey Kevin I live in Salt Lake City. If you come through here it'd be great to see your cars. How many cars do you need to leave down "south" and where about "south" are you thinking. I may be able to find a place for one car.

[UNSAFE]

Hey Kevin I live in Salt Lake City. If you come through here it'd be great to see your cars. How many cars do you need to leave down "south" and where about "south" are you thinking. I may be able to find a place for one car.

Thanks for the offer . I'm hoping to find somewhere between Indy and Denver. It's gonna be my truck with the Vair on a trailer (I think).

Getting ready right now for a quick shakedown cruise . The car is officially "on the road again" . Pic taken a few minutes ago. Still a little cloudy but it's supposed to clear up and be mid 60s tomorrow.

Other than a 3 mile round trip to the car show 2 years ago I haven't driven my Vair since the Indy Olympics in 2008.

[cvair4life]

Hey Kevin I live in Salt Lake City. If you come through here it'd be great to see your cars. How many cars do you need to leave down "south" and where about "south" are you thinking. I may be able to find a place for one car.

Thanks for the offer . I'm hoping to find somewhere between Indy and Denver. It's gonna be my truck with the Vair on a trailer (I think).

Anytime man. Well if you're looking to stop in Salt Lake City let me know and we'll get some grub and talk cars.

If all else fails and you still need a place to park your rig - we can fit all that in at my dad's place

[UNSAFE]

I must thrive on last minute pressure. My car must be on the barge to Seattle exactly 2 weeks from today if I'm gonna make it.

Two days ago I had it running great except for a few oil leaks . While I was letting it run to pinpoint the leaks my ignition started screwing up and now it won't start. Pretty sure it's the MSD box and I ordered one but I won't get it until thursday afternoon at the soonest.

I decided to go ahead and reseal the motor while I'm waiting. I dropped the motor yesterday and started taking some things off.

This is the first time in many years that I've had a flat level surface to work on . I even got to use my creeper and I thought what the heck so I fired up my compressor and used air tools. It was kinda like "cheatin" it was so easy .

I have all the seals and gaskets on hand so I should be putting it back together by tomorrow

Everything went well but I did have to fight that dang cotter pin on the passenger side tranny mount for awhile

I also started wet sanding prior to giving it a good buff and wax job. I never finished it after painting 3 years ago

Here's a few pics.

[cvair4life]

I must thrive on last minute pressure. My car must be on the barge to Seattle exactly 2 weeks from today if I'm gonna make it.

My high school buddy and accomplice always used to say "If it weren't for the last minute... We'd never get anything done!"

Looks fun though. I'll bet your glad it's finally working conditions at your place. I finally converted to a full shop experience... I do all the networking and computers for the guy and he lets me use a lift and bay with my own tools.

[UNSAFE]

Well there's no turning back now !

I just purchased an 18' tilt bed car trailer and bought my ticket for the ferry to Bellingham .

The ticket for my truck and myself to Washington was half as much as the trailer

I still have to make reservations to ship my car to Seattle on June 1st. I should arrive in Bellingham on the 10th and hopefully get on the road the same day. Then it'll be leisurely 2200 mile drive to Indy.

I opted to just sleep on the rear deck of the ferry again this time . It's not too bad as long as it doesn't rain. Just over 3 days of travel time. There is a restuarant and lounge on the ferry . Guess where you'll find me ?

Car is still not running yet.

Here's a couple of pics from the last time I did this .

[DLVRNIT]

Lovin the story and Best-O-Luck with the trip .....

[UNSAFE]

Lovin the story and Best-O-Luck with the trip

Thanks !

Here's a pic of the trailer that I bought . I'm not really sure how the tilt works on this one . It's not hydraulic. I did opt for a spare tire . I 'm picking it up in Tacoma .

I chose to sleep in the tent again because the staterooms are small and double occupancy and over 100 bucks a day .

The rear camping deck is steel . If you look closely in the pic in the post above you will see that all of the tents are held down with duct tape because there is no way to use stakes . I bought the wrong kind of tent -- instead of being self standing like most dome tents mine was made to use stakes to hold it up. You will see that I'm right by the rail as I'm tied off to it to get some support. The tent was laying down on top of me most of the time.

There is a heated solarium with lounge chairs to sleep on but no tents are allowed in it . Note the yellow boundry line that most of the tents are bordering .
Along with the restaurant , snack bar and lounge there is a theater and also panoramic indoor seating for viewing the scenery. It travels thru the inside passage so we will always be in sight of land and mostly in calm protected waters.

Many people consider the ferry ride to be the dream of a lifetime but I've lived in Alaska most of my life and it's kinda "old hat" to me. I get a kick out of the tourist tho - if somebody spots a whale everyone rushes to that side of the boat to look.

Here's a few more pics from last time . It looks pretty much the same all the way to Washington.

[azdave]

I'm not really sure how the tilt works on this one . It's not hydraulic. I did opt for a spare tire . I 'm picking it up in Tacoma .

The tilt works simply by weight distribution. Should be a nice setup.