Going to Canyonlands 4, need advice

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Going to Canyonlands 4, need advice
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erich Bruckner, Vancouver, WA on Friday, August 24, 2012 - 05:59 pm:

Looking forward to going very much as it will be the biggest T tour and farthest away.

What I want to know from those who have done a lot of national tours is, what differences will I encounter from local, one day tours? What is it that may not be so obvious?

I feel I have a pretty good stash of road repair items under my seats at this time, but then I've never been on a national tour either.

Of course I will be spending the off season getting Lizzy as mechanically prepared as possible.

It will be the first time I have trailered the T but this forum has been full of great advice about that subject.

My wife and I will be in our 26 touring and we know of several folks from our area we already know who will be there. Who else will be there I may not have met yet?

Any advice, info, anecdotes are welcome.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Keith Gumbinger, Kenosha, WI on Friday, August 24, 2012 - 06:16 pm:

Erich - We're going and it will be fun, even if you brake down or have some other mechanical problem.

It seems that you can bring all the spare parts and tools with you that you can imagine, but something else might brake.

It's happened to me: Broken crankshaft, broken triple gear pin, axle snapped off right at the taper, even an internal piece on the Ruckstell shifter broke (it was an original part, not a repo). Things you can never predict. Lots of repairs are made in the evenings and there are always lots of expert Model T mechanics and advice available. I'm sure there will be "vulture wagons" to pick up any T's that broke down too.

That said, we always manage to get a ride with someone, make new friends and have a good time.

So what else can you expect? You'll be on the go most of the time, get tired and collapse into bed at night. Put lots of miles on your T - around 600, maybe more, on the Kanab Tour.

All you can do to get ready is get your T in the best shape that you can.

Russ Furstnow and the Canyonlands Club have done this same tour 3 times already and I can assure you that they are very organized. Everything is planned very well and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Keith


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hal Schedler, Sacramento on Friday, August 24, 2012 - 11:43 pm:

Just go and you'll have a blast. That is one of the best tours available, put on by some great people who know what they are doing. AND by all means make sure you get to know Keith and Carol Gumbinger...more GREAT PEOPLE.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 12:07 am:

That is such a great area for sightseeing that you may want to schedule an extra week to see some of the places not included in the tour. Cedar Breaks, Arches, Natural Bridges, Monument Valley (think John Ford, John Wayne & the Cavalry, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, The Searchers), lunch on Navajo fried bread in Tuba City, stand in dinosaur tracks, Cañon de Chelly, Painted Desert & Petrified Forest, etc., etc.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Warwick Landy on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 05:35 am:

Erich,
I will be attending the tour with my wife and two sons from Australia. I look forward to meeting as many forum participants as possible while on the tour. It will be great to put some faces to names. It lookslike yout T will need to be in good shape for the tour as the daily tours seem quite lengthy. I sure if you have any trouble though there will be plenty of people to help out!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Russ Furstnow on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 09:20 am:

Erich,
In regards to getting your Model T ready for the tour, use the MTFCI Self-Inspection Form and go over your car thoroughly. The Inspection form provides an excellent list of things to check. Also, I have arranged with Glen Chaffin to have some replacement parts available for those needing items like bands, tires, tubes, etc. at the tour. I look forward to seeing everyone in July 2013.

BTW, There are 135 cars signed up for the tour already! We can only take 200 cars. If you want to attend this tour DON'T WAIT, sign up soon!!!

Russ Furstnow


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erich Bruckner, Vancouver, WA on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 02:04 pm:

Everyone, thanks and I am looking forward to this tour so much, it may feel like a long year. My wife and I have been all over this part of the U.S. and have seen almost all of it (still need to try some of that Navajo bread) multiple times, but not lately, and never from a T. I am sure it will be like seeing it anew. Looking forward to spending some time with folks I know and others I will get to know.

I often drive my T over 100 miles/day as I live in WA and our club tours in OR. I will be sure Lizzy is as ready as possible. Nice to know there will be parts, etc. I bet there will be one or two folks around who know Ts fairly well too.

I also need to find a trailer and be sure my tow vehicle is all set.

What kind of temperatures will we be seeing?

Thanks Russ and team for all the work.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Russ Furstnow on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 03:47 pm:

The average temperature in Kanab and Kane County in July is 90-95 degrees with no humidity. There is also the possibility of rain, as the monsoon season begins during July.

Russ Furstnow


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 04:23 pm:

A slight correction. A check of the records shows that the average high in much of July is 90º, and the average low is only 56º. This makes the mean 73º. Of course, these are averages. Last month the actual daily highs ranged from 79º to 99º. Most days reached the mid eighties, as the average would suggest. This year's July lows were from 49º to 70º, with most days having a low in the high fifties or low sixties. Some folks who live in the frozen tundra may think some of that sounds a bit warm. I invite them to spend a July in Kansas for some perspective.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erich Bruckner, Vancouver, WA on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 05:38 pm:

Awesome. So sun screen, towels for the seats and bottled water on hot days, good gasket on coil box lid for the monsoon day. Of course I will bring my hollow leg for all the good chow. You can bet I will bring my camera also.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erich Bruckner, Vancouver, WA on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 05:41 pm:

Warwick, What car will you be driving?

Who else is going?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erich Bruckner, Vancouver, WA on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 05:43 pm:

I will also be sure to service the airconditioner in the 26 before we go. Or at least plug up the large gaps by the foot pedals that let engine heat in. That is usually welcome around here.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Warwick Landy on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 07:49 pm:

Erich, I will not be shipping a car over for the tour so we will be dependant on riding with others or following the tour in our hire car. If you have not already done it take a look at the Canyonlands chapter website and have a look at the pictues from the previous tours.It looks like one of the most sdcenic areas you could hope to visit in any kind of car. Doing it with 200 T's will be awesome.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rick Goelz-Knoxville,TN on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 08:24 pm:

It is a great tour, but be aware of a lot of traffic on US 89, remember its tourist season so there will be a lot of trailers and motor homes as well as a lot of Ts, the places are great, the Pink Coral Sandunes SP are a hoot on the road back
i saw two cars with broken rear radius rods, you go from hard packed sand to very loose, i still have pink sand under my car from 2009.

Rick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ross Benedict - Calgary, Alberta on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 08:37 pm:

Yup, you had better start dieting now!! These tours are filled with food, food, and more food . . . . oh, did I mention ICE CREAM!!! I've heard tours being call '10 pound tours' after all is said and done. Enjoy!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erich Bruckner, Vancouver, WA on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 08:39 pm:

Warwick, I don't know if I will have junk in the back seat or not but I would like to offer you two a ride if possible. Perhaps you can car hop each day, but keep us on your list of chauffeurs. The back seat has the best air conditioning.

Rick, that sounds like some sand with staying power.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hal Schedler, Sacramento on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 09:34 pm:

Eric, do you mean this kind of air conditioning?



Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dick Lodge - St Louis MO on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 10:08 pm:

Erich, I don't know how your local one-day tours are organized. On our local tours, the club always toured like - as someone on the forum once compared - circus elephants, i.e. trunk to tail. Our first large-scale organized tour was an eye-opener. Everyone was handed a book at the beginning of the tour that contained a detailed, day-by-day route description. Beyond that, we were on our own. You could set out at 7:30 a.m. or at 10:00 a.m. and you followed the prescribed route. You saw lots of other Ts, of course, but you were on your own. We got used to that, and actually grew to prefer it. It's a much more pleasant way to tour than as a clump of cars moving down the road.

When we went on Canyonlands III, some people seemed to us to set out at the crack of dawn. We took a much more leisurely approach. Three cars from our club were on the tour, and we tended to stick loosely together (hence the photo farther up this thread of all of us at the Grand Canyon). Even that wasn't a hard and fast rule, though.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Keith Gumbinger, Kenosha, WI on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 10:27 pm:

Check out those pictures of Hal Schedler's Air Conditioning setup above. He has this in his '25 Fordor so he can keep the windows up, stay cool, and not mess up his hair, and it works! Not only that, but his car really goes! Just try to keep up with him....

BTW, How many Model T's do you know of that have air conditioning in them?

That's what I thought. :-)

Keith


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dick Lodge - St Louis MO on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 10:47 pm:

Here's Hal with his air-conditioned car in Richmond in 2008.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Danuser on Saturday, August 25, 2012 - 11:27 pm:

2 cars 1 TT


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erich Bruckner, Vancouver, WA on Sunday, August 26, 2012 - 10:20 am:

WOW, A/C in a T. Mine is only the standard type that came with every touring car and is speed and wind dependant. As far as messing up my hair, it is no longer an issue. My wife's hair does get upset by the "system" in our touring.

Dick, I am also familiar with the follow the leader type tour so this type will be a fun change. My wife (chief navigator) looooooves maps and will really enjoy being involved with it.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Treace, North FL on Sunday, August 26, 2012 - 10:30 am:

Just to add to the A/C, how about a TT with O/H valves and A/C !





This TT is from Texas, where things are done in a big way....


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dick Lodge - St Louis MO on Sunday, August 26, 2012 - 11:01 am:

Erich, in a tour that is not follow the leader, the navigator becomes a vital part of the team. I have an old GPS (bought in 2002) that I use only on T tours, and basically only as an odometer. The irony is that Ts don't have speedometers/odometers, but the tour books use mileage in the instructions.

In our case, the navigation might sound odd to someone else. Anja and I speak Dutch to each other, but the books are - of course - in English. This leads to her saying things like, "Ga rechtdoor tot de stop sign at the T intersection."


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Keith Townsend ; ^ ) Gresham, Orygun on Sunday, August 26, 2012 - 11:40 am:

Erich-
As long as you are kind of sticking with another car or two, the navigation is not a big deal, unless all the other drivers think that you know where you are going ! I like to have my Garmin with me on the map setting, so I can get a reference point as well as tell me my speed. The Garmin does not like to be on for long without being plugged in, so I might have to get a 12v battery to put in the car.

As far as the trip down is concerned, I was kind of thinking that you and Ralene, Jim & Susanne, and Yvonne, Spencer and I could all drive down together. After all, there is strength in numbers...

We will have to have a trip planning get together. I'd kind of like to make either the trip down down or back longer and take in some sights along the way.

I'm really looking forward to this trip. I've never been in that part of the country and I can't think of a better way to see the canyons that from the seat of an Model T with the top down!

I plan to take my '11 touring providing I get my upholstery finished and get all the bugs worked out! Otherwise I'll bring my old dependable 1919 touring.

: ^ )

Keith


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rick Goelz-Knoxville,TN on Sunday, August 26, 2012 - 01:04 pm:

Keith, if you use the plug that came with your Garmin they will work on six volts.

Rick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Keith Gumbinger, Kenosha, WI on Sunday, August 26, 2012 - 01:46 pm:

In the picture of Hal sitting on top of his Model T posted by Dick above, that was taken at the Centennial in 2008 during the air show. Hal is a retired Air Force pilot and very interested in aircraft and related items.

My Wife, Carol, is standing next to Hal's car in the picture.

Keith


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erich Bruckner, Vancouver, WA on Sunday, August 26, 2012 - 02:04 pm:

Cool, Keith, I was hoping you would feel that way. Sounds great to go together. Lets get together for a planning meeting at an opportune time. I may have limited ability to stay off work longer but we shall see. Depends on how the plans go for a few other trips.

I don't need a GPS with my wife in the car....(kidding honey), but it sounds like a good investment. I have heard about plugging into 6 volt being safe as well, but am a chicken to try it on such an expensive item.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erich Bruckner, Vancouver, WA on Sunday, August 26, 2012 - 02:06 pm:

I am impressed with the custom fab work on those A/C installations. Literally very cool.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Sunday, August 26, 2012 - 02:41 pm:

In 1974 I bought my first calculator from Sears for over $60. It came with a plug-in charger. Last week I bought a calculator at Wal-mart which does more and doesn't need a charger. The price was $1. I wonder when we'll see a similar price adjustment for GPS devices.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Warwick Landy on Monday, August 27, 2012 - 02:12 am:

Thanks for the kind offer Erich. It would be a pleasure to ride with you at some point in the tour. Not sure how it is going to work out for the for of us but iit will be fun. We all have different tastes! My wife will be looking for that air conditioned sedan to ride in, my youngest son will choose a speedster every time, my oldest son will travel with the car that guarantees to stop at any food place. I just want to ride with anyone who is happy to talk Ts with me! We are all looking forward to the tour and are now planning for after the tour to spend some time around LA and Sanfrancisco.
Warwick.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erich Bruckner, Vancouver, WA on Monday, August 27, 2012 - 12:01 pm:

Warwick, I have a son like that. Knows every place in town that has decent food. I am sure none of your family will be left standing around come tour time. I guess I could be forced to talk Ts (no hardship at all) if it comes to that. We met soooo many great folks while we were in Australia so looking forward to meeting you folks.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hal Schedler, Sacramento on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - 12:03 am:

Keith G. I knew about the TT from Texas with the A/C but I don't know why the alternator is where it is. I have an oil pump in the generator hole so I had to install the alternator as pictured. A little more information on my A/C, I installed the condenser under the car with an electric fan so the electrical requirement was too high for the 12V generator that I had. The alternator handles the A/C, lights, and ignition real good.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By jeff cordes on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - 02:09 pm:

I placed the alternator above the compressor because it was easy to service and had 3 times the output of a T alternator. Also I was toying with the idea of running a gear drive supercharger in the generator hole. Now that would be fun, but I think I would struggle to keep a head gasket from blowing, not to mention the strain on the bottom end. So for now the gen hole remains blocked off.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hal Schedler, Sacramento on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - 11:02 pm:

Jeff, You have a neat rig. I noticed that you are using a full size Sankyo compressor. Mine is a smaller Geo Metro aftermarket type. I use R-12 and a U-40 evaporator. When I turn the A/C on the effect on the engine is almost not noticeable (the alternator seems to take as much). Good to hear from you.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hal Schedler, Sacramento on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - 11:03 pm:

I see it's a 134a Sanden...full size.


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