- 3,657
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- Location
- Dallas, Texas
Opcom's SS road trip 2008
The plan is to make these rounds:
Red River Parts & Equipment Co.
Memphis Equipment Co.
Groban Supply, Chicago, IL
Mount Rushmore, SD
Home -Dallas
Options of the Air Force museum and MECI surplus, both in Dayton, were considered. The primary goal is Groban, where several large variacs and rheostats await my removing them from some old gear. Groban was visited last year, and there are many images of that, including a multifuel engine+generator with factory spin on oil filter base assy, in last year's story.
Having fixed the drivers door handle Monday, I left Dallas Tuesday morning. The day has not been without its adventures.
Stopping at Red River in New Boston, TX, I spoke with Blake Callaway, the friendly and helpful salesman. I bought two new windshields. IIRC one of mine was destroyed by a night-flying dragon in a thunderstorm during the 2007 trip. I didn't have time to take pictures at RR, but learned that they will gladly sell to the public, and ship, so in any case their # is 903-547-2226. It was said they supply many of the goods for Memphis Equipment and other dealers. The office is located on the North side of I-30, at exit 206.
On into Arkansas, the Exit 44 truck stop in Prescott is always something different. There's a TA across the highway, but I like the old funky place better. Coffee was free with fuel.
Pulling into a rest stop, I shut 'er down. I went to the head. Upon coming back out, I saw something really bad. There was about 3 gallons of engine oil on the deck, it was just pouring from the engine compartment. I figured that's it, the door handle -was- an omen, and this had just become an adventure.
As it turned out, the pre-post lube pump had done its job well (I recall someone mocked my small pump; well it seems like it's big enough now!). The output hose of the pump had come partway off the barb and sprayed oil all over the port side of the engine and compartment. Some came through the firewall holes and there was a nice puddle on the floor.
I cut off the bad end of the hose, and put it back on with a hose clamp. I'll rebuke the kit manufacturer http://pre-luber.com/ for this mess later, since they firmly said the high-tech high temperature hose could not come off the barb unless cut off. The rest of them will get hose clamps. I already had one on the oil pan fitting, just made sense.
This left a very large mess in the rest stop. I reported the spill to the attendant, since I had no way to clean it up. Speaking of that, some old rich people in a $200K+ motor home towing a 60's ford fairlane pulled in beside me. Of all the places for them to pull in, they stupidly pulled in right on the spill where it had run. I am talking about a good 10x15 area by the time they pulled in. Then the old woman stood there scowling with her mouth hanging open, and the old man was there with the pet dog, some muttly thing, with his mouth open, but working, I could see his jowls moving. It looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't know just what to say. Maybe he was talking to the dog. I said nothing, and ignored them. They both had the typical big round dark glasses that old people wear and looked like the snooty and crabby types. Well if they were not so stupid, they could have picked another slot! I just got in the truck and drove off, since I had finished the repair and reported the spill. I had only 2 gallons of lube oil with me and the truck was still a gallon low, so I had to stop 5 miles down the road and buy some Rotella.
Before I got that far, I saw an Arkansas state police car coming up, and I thought I was going to get pulled over and ticketed for that mess (like the old crabby people might have narced me out or something), but he flew by me and nailed a semi tractor.
So by now it's 6 PM and I see a sign that says "15 minute oil change, exit 121". OK I'm going for that since what I poured in was not diesel lube, and it's about time anyway.
At exit 118 there is a Days in, cheap, has smoking, has wired DSL/ethernet, decent.. Next to it is a Colton's steak house, I reccommend it very much. The mashed potatoes were loaded like a baked potato. The country fried steak is thick and the gravy is good, and the rolls were just out of the oven so hot I could not touch them. There is something else on the menu called an onion tangler. It tastes good but is pure grease and breading, so I don't really reccommend it. It's by no means as bad as the disgusting "chicken stickie" of last year, at least the tangler was edible and had no beak-shaped parts.
Tomorrow, will try to make it to Memphis.
If time permits and the offer's still available, 54reo might have a free pizza for me in Illinois; and I really want to see the telephone line truck he got last year. Also, maccus is near Mt Rushmore, if available, these from this thread:
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=24597
I realize it is unannounced short notice, so no issues if it is not convenient. I just need to be at Groban in Chicago NLT 0700 Friday.
More Later. Sleep now.
The plan is to make these rounds:
Red River Parts & Equipment Co.
Memphis Equipment Co.
Groban Supply, Chicago, IL
Mount Rushmore, SD
Home -Dallas
Options of the Air Force museum and MECI surplus, both in Dayton, were considered. The primary goal is Groban, where several large variacs and rheostats await my removing them from some old gear. Groban was visited last year, and there are many images of that, including a multifuel engine+generator with factory spin on oil filter base assy, in last year's story.
Having fixed the drivers door handle Monday, I left Dallas Tuesday morning. The day has not been without its adventures.
Stopping at Red River in New Boston, TX, I spoke with Blake Callaway, the friendly and helpful salesman. I bought two new windshields. IIRC one of mine was destroyed by a night-flying dragon in a thunderstorm during the 2007 trip. I didn't have time to take pictures at RR, but learned that they will gladly sell to the public, and ship, so in any case their # is 903-547-2226. It was said they supply many of the goods for Memphis Equipment and other dealers. The office is located on the North side of I-30, at exit 206.
On into Arkansas, the Exit 44 truck stop in Prescott is always something different. There's a TA across the highway, but I like the old funky place better. Coffee was free with fuel.
Pulling into a rest stop, I shut 'er down. I went to the head. Upon coming back out, I saw something really bad. There was about 3 gallons of engine oil on the deck, it was just pouring from the engine compartment. I figured that's it, the door handle -was- an omen, and this had just become an adventure.
As it turned out, the pre-post lube pump had done its job well (I recall someone mocked my small pump; well it seems like it's big enough now!). The output hose of the pump had come partway off the barb and sprayed oil all over the port side of the engine and compartment. Some came through the firewall holes and there was a nice puddle on the floor.
I cut off the bad end of the hose, and put it back on with a hose clamp. I'll rebuke the kit manufacturer http://pre-luber.com/ for this mess later, since they firmly said the high-tech high temperature hose could not come off the barb unless cut off. The rest of them will get hose clamps. I already had one on the oil pan fitting, just made sense.
This left a very large mess in the rest stop. I reported the spill to the attendant, since I had no way to clean it up. Speaking of that, some old rich people in a $200K+ motor home towing a 60's ford fairlane pulled in beside me. Of all the places for them to pull in, they stupidly pulled in right on the spill where it had run. I am talking about a good 10x15 area by the time they pulled in. Then the old woman stood there scowling with her mouth hanging open, and the old man was there with the pet dog, some muttly thing, with his mouth open, but working, I could see his jowls moving. It looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't know just what to say. Maybe he was talking to the dog. I said nothing, and ignored them. They both had the typical big round dark glasses that old people wear and looked like the snooty and crabby types. Well if they were not so stupid, they could have picked another slot! I just got in the truck and drove off, since I had finished the repair and reported the spill. I had only 2 gallons of lube oil with me and the truck was still a gallon low, so I had to stop 5 miles down the road and buy some Rotella.
Before I got that far, I saw an Arkansas state police car coming up, and I thought I was going to get pulled over and ticketed for that mess (like the old crabby people might have narced me out or something), but he flew by me and nailed a semi tractor.
So by now it's 6 PM and I see a sign that says "15 minute oil change, exit 121". OK I'm going for that since what I poured in was not diesel lube, and it's about time anyway.
At exit 118 there is a Days in, cheap, has smoking, has wired DSL/ethernet, decent.. Next to it is a Colton's steak house, I reccommend it very much. The mashed potatoes were loaded like a baked potato. The country fried steak is thick and the gravy is good, and the rolls were just out of the oven so hot I could not touch them. There is something else on the menu called an onion tangler. It tastes good but is pure grease and breading, so I don't really reccommend it. It's by no means as bad as the disgusting "chicken stickie" of last year, at least the tangler was edible and had no beak-shaped parts.
Tomorrow, will try to make it to Memphis.
If time permits and the offer's still available, 54reo might have a free pizza for me in Illinois; and I really want to see the telephone line truck he got last year. Also, maccus is near Mt Rushmore, if available, these from this thread:
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=24597
I realize it is unannounced short notice, so no issues if it is not convenient. I just need to be at Groban in Chicago NLT 0700 Friday.
More Later. Sleep now.
