Just moved to Humboldt County California

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keith9291

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St. Louis, MO
Just moved from St Louis to Eureka California. Since we were towing my Dart with 04 Ford F150 V6 we took the southern route since the mountains aren't as steep. The Ford lost the radio then speedometer about an hour and a half outside of Flagstaff, AZ. We had to unload the Dart to get parts for the Ford, we drove to the next town we could find which was about half hour drive. We figured either battery or alternator, or both. Non of the parts stores had an alternator so we bought Battery and started to drive on. My buddy fell sound asleep since he was up all night driving and most of that day, about an hour into the haul the radio went out then speedometer and dash lights. This was a out 10 pm at this point, I pulled over and tried to wake buddy but he wouldnt budge. I ended up pulling batter from dart and was lucky enough to have a different buddy that lived in Flagstaff so I called him and made my way towards his place. We ended up crashing for the night and started to call parts houses and then Ford dealerships looking for an alternator, the closet we could find was a dealer in Barstow, Ca that was getting alternator from Bakersfiled. We figured we could grab another battery or two and use dart to charge batteries and swap out as we went and hopefully make it to dealership. Every place we called wanted 200 bucks for the part, long story short we couldn't make it to Barstow, Ca in time for dealership. I figured I would try one more time to locate a parts place with alternator for a V6 F150, Pep boys had one with lifetime warranty for 85 bucks. Finally good news....I started to dose off and then I am awoke with Ford dying and us pulling over on side of the road. Well I am not sure what the hell I was thinking but I hopped out of the truck like I was part of the pit crew on a nascar team or something. When I got out of truck I had my blackberry....****....I set it on top of the RV type passenger side extender mirror and basically ended up watching more than helping change battery and jumped back in the truck. About time we hit 70 mph I hear a clunk I though something fell out of my pocket and kinda ignored for a moment until I realized I couldn't find my phone. We turned around and I walked up and back for about 1/2 mile or more looking on side of the road and couldn't find anything. Got back in truck and thought damn well I gotta call Verizon and blah blah blah and I though I saw something and said pulled over about 5 miles up the road and low and behold there it was and it was fine and still on!! Anyway have Dart in Nor Cal now........

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sounds like you had one heck of a trip.

I like you wheels, whats size are they if you don't mind my asking
 
Welcome to California, sorry it was such a bad trip. How'd you end up in Humboldt?
 
Reminds me of a trip I had going through Texas one time. I was stuck there in a hotel for three days because of a bad transmission. Glad you made it alright. Thanks for sharing.
 
clifftt said:
Welcome to California, sorry it was such a bad trip. How'd you end up in Humboldt?
Click to expand...

Got laid off work and had a buddy that needed help with his company and was pretty much tired of the hustle and bustle of St Louis. Though I was born and raised in STL it was really wearing on me and I am looking forward to the change. I just need to locate the local Mopar crowd and fine a good body man or body shop. Could also use some mechanical help if anybody could lend some suggestions.

Heres a pic from the road as we were repacking everything after fixing the alternator

brokenford.jpg
 
i would have drove it lol. to nice to drive that far
 
Ah yes, one of those trips. I once went on one of those trips, "The Trip From Hel _" I had been dealing with this guy in Chicago on a 67 RT Hemi Car. Had pictures, talked to the guy on the phone a number of times and all sounded good, OK so, I didn't have a truck, borrowed my buddies F250 Diesel, 4th of july weekend, left Colorado with the wife, left the littleones with a good friend, part way there the truck starts slowing down real bad and I look in the mirror to see a ton of smoke behind me, as it ended up my trailer had wire mesh for the floor and my buddy had used it and had cut out a section of it for what reason I don't remember, but the spare tire had fallen thru this holetire facing forward and just burning the rubber off. Got that handled, further down the road we were on a highway with construction so they had East & West bound traffic down to 1 lane each way all on one side of the highway, my lovely tieing down came back to me again as a loading ramp off the trailer flew off, Thank Goodness it didn't hit anyone though it ruined the ramp. Finally we got to Chicago, located the car. Yikes, lots of rust, transmission/torsion bar crossmember, and a subframe all in bad shape along with the torque boxes, I'm like Jeckle & Hyde by this time, almost in tears and on the other hand want to kill this guy who misrepresented this car!!! I had too much of a deposit on it so I loaded it up after getting a ramp from him. Headed out back to Colorado, before I jump on the highway I decide to get out and check the trailer/car and everything out, jump under the truck and notice the trailer hitch was falling off the truck, located a parts store and changed out all the mounting bolts. Somewhere along the way we were driving along and I look down to see the temp. gauge is really getting up there, Had to let it cool down and ended up pulling out the thermostat that had stuck closed for some reason, we were then getting ready to stop for the night and recieved a call from the friend watching the kids, the kids were very upset and her friend was having no luck in claming them so we drove thru the night to get home. All that to buy a rusted out car! As life turned out a few years after that trip we ended up divorcing, never got the car rebuilt and sold it along with a 66 Charger parts car for a loss. Saw the car about 8 years ago, The guy here in Colorado that was hired to rebuild it had done a professional job with it, can't tell you though how much of it was the origional cor & how much of it was the 66 Charger parts car, but it looked great. A "White Hat Special" as it was called by Dodge. Blue exterior with white vinyl top and white interior. Live and learn.
 
My wife lived in Eureka all the way up to her Sophomore year in high school. I can't really say I liked the place much, very depressing, foggy, damp, not my kind of place. Watch out for the rust, she told me the rust kills nice rides up there.
 
I have a friend there in Eureka he works for the coast gaurd real nice guy. Is name is Rob steinwach and drives a real nice 64 Dart Gt blue in color look him up he knows all the mopar people I think
 
Keith, I haven't talked with you in awhile but it's obvious you've been busy!!! Good luck in your new place ... I'm sure with your personality and wonderful attitude you'll have a boat load of new friends in no time.

Just watch out for those west coast coaters and remember your old friends in the midwest. heh hehhhhhhhh
 
Rules of life:
Never put anything on top of the car.
Or put anything behind the car.
Always lay it on the hood if you must lay it anywhere.

Next time tow the truck and drive the Dodge.
I’ve driven coast to coast and back in the Dart.
Would leave for California in it today if I had to.
Wouldn’t worry a bit.
Maybe someday pictures.
 
welcome to cali!! come down to the bay area, and we could meet up...very very clean car you have! i love those wheels! what is the exact backspace? what suspension mods?? more info on the car please!! lol
 
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