1600mi Road Trip! Only made it 20mi...

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ckjarr

Well-Known Member
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Location
Tennessee
I’m not sure where to even begin this little story and this may be lengthy so if you don’t like to read, you may not want to waste your time. Some may have read my other post about my dad and I flying one way to LA to pick up a D100 sight unseen and driving it back to TN. I have been intermittently searching for a running short bed sweptline for quite a while. Most of my searches turned up nothing at all and when one would finally pop up it would be completely rusted out. During this season of life, a rusty project will still be a rusty project 10 years from now... So I began broadening my search area for a rust free example that I could drive and make changes to along the way. Changes like a 440/4spd swap for an old school hotrod shop truck. After searching several months across the country, a 71 D100 popped up on Craigslist.
D03719B0-DE67-4FBB-8AF7-55D469C692B1.jpeg

After a couple weeks of going back and forth and reviewing videos and pictures, I bought the truck. Yes, I know, pics and videos are not a “smart” way to buy old cars and trucks... What can I say?? I’ve never been accused of being “smart”... I could see several changes made to backdate the truck inside and out but I like the changes so that didn’t slow me down. Once the truck was spoken for I began researching a way to get it to TN. I was quoted $3k to have it shipped so that sparked my interest in seeing if we could just make the drive for that price. So we bought a couple one way tickets and began planning the trip. I wanted to find a place to allow us to look the truck over and replace anything concerning and hit the road. I reached out on here and made contact with a couple guys in the area willing to help out so we were all good to go! We flew out Monday morning, caught an Uber ride to the truck, bought and left that place ASAP! (not a safe place)
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So we were off and rolling! Immediately we knew the truck was rough but we didn’t feel good about the neighborhood so we checked the fluids and made sure the vin matched and hit the road. Just after this picture was taken, the battery fell on the fan slicing the corner off, ripping blades off the fan, and bursting the radiator... No more than 20mi down the road... So, I reached out to @pishta and he came through in a huge way!! He took parts off his projects and brought enough parts and tools to piece the truck back together enough to get us to his house to look things over a little better. We had pretty much decided the truck didn’t need attempt the trip before the battery incident so once we made it to his house it had started missing and going dead at the stop lights. Despite his enthusiasm and willingness to basically get started rebuilding the truck, we decided to see about a Uhaul truck and trailer before it got to late. Turns out, so many people are leaving CA one way that they are up charging the one way truck rentals so the truck alone was $3,500... With a sick stomach we followed pishta to a hotel in his area to get some supper and rest and make some decisions.
C15B755D-430F-440D-9CC3-AD2A0567B1BB.jpeg

We spent the night researching shipping options and booking plane tickets. I had also been in contact with @TT5.9mag and pishta mentioned he had a trailer so we contacted him and he came through in a big way as well. He brought his trailer the next morning, loaded the truck, and we headed to his house. He is going to store the truck for me until a transport company can arrive to bring it to TN.
A6B55033-BE0F-4C36-8210-81577F03784A.jpeg

I absolutely cannot say enough about these two men!!!! They have went above and beyond to help out a couple guys they’ve never met and may never even see again. They gave their time, resources, fuel, and may as well say money to allow us to make this happen. I will never be able to compensate them like they deserve... All I can say is thanks and that their kindness and willingness to help out is what this world needs more of! You guys and your family’s are amazing people!! Thank you so much!! This also speaks volumes of this board! The people are what make it what it is! Although we come from all walks of life and may have different opinions, this act of kindness towards us restores my hope and faith in humanity!! Thanks again to everyone!!
 
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That's a really nice story about fellow Mopar guys.
 
Great story, too bad you didn't get the chance to make the road trip home with the truck like you had planned, but you still got an adventure and met a couple of real good people. I am very impressed with the help you received from @pishta and @TT5.9mag , those are my kind of people.
 
Great story, too bad you didn't get the chance to make the road trip home with the truck like you had planned, but you still got an adventure and met a couple of real good people. I am very impressed with the help you received from @pishta and @TT5.9mag , those are my kind of people.

Yea, I’m still a little bummed we didn’t get to make the journey... There was just too much to sort out. Did I mention the shifter linkage was a mess and the rag joint bolts would put the truck in park while turning left!! Dad just held the shift lever while we drove down the freeway so I wouldn’t turn and slip it in reverse!!! As for the help, words really do feel cheap. They are amazing people! It’s also amazing to me to see the talent that people have. They have a lot of awesome projects going!
 
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Good on those guys helping out.
Good to have that support, even though your trip didn't work out.

I had a 89 Shelby Dakota that I thought I could drive anywhere on a minutes notice.
Then I took a 2 hour interstate trip which dislodged crud and clogged the radiator.
Ever since then, I think long and hard about road trips.
 
think positive! you could have been death valley when the truck stopped. It is a nice looking truck, I am sure you will have it up to speed soon.
 
Sorry for your bad luck, great some mopar folks came through for ya!
 
Well, dangit. I was looking forward to reading about your trip. Sorry it turned out the way it did.

But, in the end, you made some great friends and you picked up a cool truck.
 
In Kyle's defense...that truck has an awesome idle! :lol:
My actions were not anything another member here would not have done for a Mopar in need ~20 miles away. I was more anxious to see that trip happen then they were! I personally saw him lock up the back tires twice on accident throwing it into P. Reminded me of my first 65 A with a 340/727 shoehorned into it. It had an Indy "Universal shifter" that was just a T handle on top of a 12" bar that pivoted under the hump, directly attached to the shift rod of the 727. It had a travel of about 3 inches and I had to count the 2 forward detents from L (pulled all the way back) to D in order to know where I was in the pattern. I remember hitting that stick a few times into N and even R but luckily that just killed the motor, no reverse chirps.
 
I'd gather some parts and go back, fix the truck and road trip 2.0.

Sorry to hear your first attempt didn't work out but there's always tomorrow and i really think you're amazing for even attempting road trip 1.0
 
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think positive! you could have been death valley when the truck stopped. It is a nice looking truck, I am sure you will have it up to speed soon.

The neighborhood we picked the truck up in felt like Death Valley and would have been terrible to break down in... I kept waiting for several guys to come out of the other cars! When we made it to the room we both agreed the trip was a bit of a let down but we picked up the truck safely and had things going in a direction with the help Steve and Mike.
 
Well, dangit. I was looking forward to reading about your trip. Sorry it turned out the way it did.

But, in the end, you made some great friends and you picked up a cool truck.

I was really looking forward to taking everyone for a ride across the country with us... Maybe another day...

We definitely met some amazing people!
 
I'd gather some parts and go back, fix the truck and road trip 2.0.

Sorry to hear your first attempt didn't work out but there's always tomorrow and i really think you're amazing for even attempting road trip 1.0

If I didn’t have 3 little ones on top of all the other obligations this phase of life has, I would consider trying something like that. I really think if we had a few days to really work out some kinks, the truck probably runs well enough to make the trip. When we get the truck to TN I will get it on the lift and show some real nice manual to auto swap work that doesn’t need to let go while crossing the dessert....
 
When one of our members offered me a free '87 F350 dually I jumped on a plane and flew to LA.

Truck had not run in 11 years. Got new brakes, a couple freeze plugs and a new fuel pump and away we went!

One steer tire went bad. Front windows wouldn't roll down so I fab'd a home made swamp cooler to keep me comfy across the desert.

$650.00 worth of fuel later I was back home im WI...

Better trip than the one where I dollied home a '39 Ford and had seven flat tires!
 
You've been watching too many roadkill episodes lol . :lol: Sounds like something I would attempt . Great story , good luck with the truck. The Fabo family rocks !
 
You made it out of the 'hood where ya bought it. Nobody ran you over on the freeway when you broke down. You met a couple of new great friends. You have a plan. You have stories to tell for the rest of forever about the adventure. And you're still hangin' with Dad on a cross country trip.
Sucks it went the way it did, but still sounds like a grand old time to me!
 
I’m not sure where to even begin this little story and this may be lengthy so if you don’t like to read, you may not want to waste your time. Some may have read my other post about my dad and I flying one way to LA to pick up a D100 sight unseen and driving it back to TN. I have been intermittently searching for a running short bed sweptline for quite a while. Most of my searches turned up nothing at all and when one would finally pop up it would be completely rusted out. During this season of life, a rusty project will still be a rusty project 10 years from now... So I began broadening my search area for a rust free example that I could drive and make changes to along the way. Changes like a 440/4spd swap for an old school hotrod shop truck. After searching several months across the country, a 71 D100 popped up on Craigslist.
View attachment 1715729670
After a couple weeks of going back and forth and reviewing videos and pictures, I bought the truck. Yes, I know, pics and videos are not a “smart” way to buy old cars and trucks... What can I say?? I’ve never been accused of being “smart”... I could see several changes made to backdate the truck inside and out but I like the changes so that didn’t slow me down. Once the truck was spoken for I began researching a way to get it to TN. I was quoted $3k to have it shipped so that sparked my interest in seeing if we could just make the drive for that price. So we bought a couple one way tickets and began planning the trip. I wanted to find a place to allow us to look the truck over and replace anything concerning and hit the road. I reached out on here and made contact with a couple guys in the area willing to help out so we were all good to go! We flew out Monday morning, caught an Uber ride to the truck, bought and left that place ASAP! (not a safe place)
View attachment 1715729672
So we were off and rolling! Immediately we knew the truck was rough but we didn’t feel good about the neighborhood so we checked the fluids and made sure the vin matched and hit the road. Just after this picture was taken, the battery fell on the fan slicing the corner off, ripping blades off the fan, and bursting the radiator... No more than 20mi down the road... So, I reached out to @pishta and he came through in a huge way!! He took parts off his projects and brought enough parts and tools to piece the truck back together enough to get us to his house to look things over a little better. We had pretty much decided the truck didn’t need attempt the trip before the battery incident so once we made it to his house it had started missing and going dead at the stop lights. Despite his enthusiasm and willingness to basically get started rebuilding the truck, we decided to see about a Uhaul truck and trailer before it got to late. Turns out, so many people are leaving CA one way that they are up charging the one way truck rentals so the truck alone was $3,500... With a sick stomach we followed pishta to a hotel in his area to get some supper and rest and make some decisions.
View attachment 1715729703
We spent the night researching shipping options and booking plane tickets. I had also been in contact with @TT5.9mag and pishta mentioned he had a trailer so we contacted him and he came through in a big way as well. He brought his trailer the next morning, loaded the truck, and we headed to his house. He is going to store the truck for me until a transport company can arrive to bring it to TN.
View attachment 1715729726
I absolutely cannot say enough about these two men!!!! They have went above and beyond to help out a couple guys they’ve never met and may never even see again. They gave their time, resources, fuel, and may as well say money to allow us to make this happen. I will never be able to compensate them like they deserve... All I can say is thanks and that their kindness and willingness to help out is what this world needs more of! You guys and your family’s are amazing people!! Thank you so much!! This also speaks volumes of this board! The people are what make it what it is! Although we come from all walks of life and may have different opinions, this act of kindness towards us restores my hope and faith in humanity!! Thanks again to everyone!!
:thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
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