2,379 mile road trip to Mexico and around

[deucemac]

My suggestion for worry free motoring and dependable tires would be two fold. First I would have the wheels powder coated. The powdercoater will blast the wheels and then they can be inspected to see how bad the rust craters might be. If you have any doubts, the craters can be filled with "All Metal" which will withstand the bake oven temperatures required to have the powder coating flow out and cure properly. This process will give your wheels a smooth surface to protect the tube and no further problems should arise from the chaffing of the tubes on bad spots on the inner side of the wheel. My own preference would be to get a set of 15" pickup wheels of '66 or older vintage, powder coat those to match you chosen color, and then run modern radial tires that match closely the diameter of you 16" original tires. You can use your original hub caps and get a set of 15" beauty rings that match the style on your car. Wide whites, narrow whites and black walls are available in most sizes and when properly selected would be a good visual match for all that were not EFV8 club judges. You will get all of the ride and mileage advantages of the modern radials in tubeless versions and eliminate the confusion of those that don't deal in repairs of our beloved old Fords. It would enhance your travel and tire life for the most part. I understand and respect keeping the car correct but, just as you had your seat and floorboards covered in "modern" conveniences, if it is a dedicated driver ( and Henry, you are one of the MOST drivingest guys out there) then you might consider what I suggested. Your version of "travels with Charlie" are an absolute delight and I, among very many look forward to each time you travel.

[Johnnydidd]

I feel as though I am getting to know you very well. Your road trips are fantastic cant wait to see another. Did you travel by yourself? What courage. Thanks for sharing. John

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by Johnnydidd

I feel as though I am getting to know you very well. Your road trips are fantastic cant wait to see another. Did you travel by yourself? What courage. Thanks for sharing. John

I wasn't totally "by myself". Pepe was with me. I think it would be too lonely without him. But, if you mean without other cars and travelers, yes. I have tried trips with others before. All it meant was that, instead of having to stop when just I broke down, we all had to stop every time anyone broke down. And the "company" was no help. Just delayed the whole entourage much more that one traveling alone. So, I vowed never to do that again.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by deucemac

My suggestion for worry free motoring and dependable tires would be two fold. First I would have the wheels powder coated. The powdercoater will blast the wheels and then they can be inspected to see how bad the rust craters might be. If you have any doubts, the craters can be filled with "All Metal" which will withstand the bake oven temperatures required to have the powder coating flow out and cure properly. This process will give your wheels a smooth surface to protect the tube and no further problems should arise from the chaffing of the tubes on bad spots on the inner side of the wheel. My own preference would be to get a set of 15" pickup wheels of '66 or older vintage, powder coat those to match you chosen color, and then run modern radial tires that match closely the diameter of you 16" original tires. You can use your original hub caps and get a set of 15" beauty rings that match the style on your car. Wide whites, narrow whites and black walls are available in most sizes and when properly selected would be a good visual match for all that were not EFV8 club judges. You will get all of the ride and mileage advantages of the modern radials in tubeless versions and eliminate the confusion of those that don't deal in repairs of our beloved old Fords. It would enhance your travel and tire life for the most part. I understand and respect keeping the car correct but, just as you had your seat and floorboards covered in "modern" conveniences, if it is a dedicated driver ( and Henry, you are one of the MOST drivingest guys out there) then you might consider what I suggested. Your version of "travels with Charlie" are an absolute delight and I, among very many look forward to each time you travel.

You are, of course, absolutely correct in your suggestions to "modernize" my tires and wheels, if that's what I wanted to do. I must admit I have toyed with the idea more than once. But, every time I do I think back to the decision I made when I decided to restore this old car that dad bought when I was 7 and that I learned to drive in and dated in until I left home - whether to modernize and customize it or whether to keep it as original and stock as possible. I committed then and there to keep it as original as possible and only replace original parts that no longer worked and couldn't be fixed with authentic stock parts. And that meant everything. Having done so, my car is much more than just a "daily driver", it's a "time machine" that takes me back every time I drive it. At the last tire store that worked on my flat I mentioned to the general manager that was working on the tires, "Bet you all are sure glad you don't have to deal with inner tubes any more." His response, "Yeah, but your car would not be the car it is without them. It wouldn't ride the same nor handle the same." Right on. Every time I experience the "bias ply boogie" fighting the very slightest ruts in the asphalt made by repeated passes of heavy trucks I think, "This is how it was. This is the real experience." So, I keep to my original commitment to stock originality. It also shows all that observe the fact that these old cars were made to drive and drive a lot and far far away and can be counted on to do so. I don't believe Ford powder coated the wheels so I'll just keep painting them like Ford originally did.

Oh, and I haven't modernized my floor or seat coverings. I still have the stock rubber mat on the floor and only put a towel over the upholstery where I sit because the fuzz of the upholstery is starting to rub off after having driven it 71,000 miles since it was installed 7 years ago.

Thanks for the suggestion. It was a good one . . . for someone else.

[corvette8n]

I have those AG tubes in my 8n but they only see 4 mph.

[Planojc]

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Henry, love the videos and would like to know what kind of video editing software you are using. Fading in and out along with the graphics. Is it part of the camera feature?

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by Planojc

Henry, love the videos and would like to know what kind of video editing software you are using. Fading in and out along with the graphics. Is it part of the camera feature?

I use CyberLink Power Director 13.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by corvette8n

I have those AG tubes in my 8n but they only see 4 mph.

Yeah. I have a feeling that they're not made for continuous speeds over 60 mph.

Love your old 8n.

[Ol' Ron]

All I can say is: Thank you very much, this trip was fantastic. Good tast in music.

[Mart]

Thanks for the travelog, Prof, fantastic photo's as usual.

Re the wheel and tyre problems. If you consider that the other three performed without fault, then all you really need is one or two decent 46-48 rims nicely prepared and equipped with good quality tubes.

Looking at what would be needed to fully equip the car with an alternative "touring" set of tubeless radials and matching wheels may also be a good way to go. The original wheels can be stored for posterity.

Whatever you decide, keep up the good work.

Mart.

PS why the hell did vigilink (whoever the hell they are ) add a link where I wrote "wheel and tyre"??

M.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by Mart

Thanks for the travelog, Prof, fantastic photo's as usual.

Re the wheel and tyre problems. If you consider that the other three performed without fault, then all you really need is one or two decent 46-48 rims nicely prepared and equipped with good quality tubes.

Looking at what would be needed to fully equip the car with an alternative "touring" set of tubeless radials and matching wheels may also be a good way to go. The original wheels can be stored for posterity.

Whatever you decide, keep up the good work.

Mart.


PS why the hell did vigilink (whoever the hell they are ) add a link where I wrote "wheel and tyre"??

M.

Thanks Mart. See my response to your idea in post #44.

P.S. VigLink is an outbound-traffic monetization service for publishers, forums (such as this one), and bloggers, which specializes in in-text advertising and marketing. In other words, they find word phrases (groups) in text typed into any of those categories and automatically create a link out of that phrase or group of words to an advertiser that sells such products or services. So, some business that sells wheels and tyres (tires here in the colonies) pays for VigiLink to create that link to their products. No good word (or phrase) goes un-monetized.

P.P.S. The link did not show up in the text we see on this forum.

[johnh7]

Old Henry,

You really motivate me to get my pickup finished so I can take long trips in it. I hope to get it roadworthy again this summer!

[Bruce in southern OH]

Fantastic, thank you!!!!!

[oldogy]

It is so nice of you to take us along on your adventures. We do enjoy them.

[Krylon32]

What an adventure. I agree as much as you drive the car I would keep a set of modern radials with new wheels for your adventures and the originals for use locally and your close adventures. It's been my experience that a good set of radials really enhances the fun of driving an old car.

[Mart]

Prof, one though that did occur to me,after you mentioned it was your Dad's car, I was just wondering what would he do, if he was planning a series of long distance trips, and such items as tubeless radials were available to him?

Mart.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by Mart

Prof, one though that did occur to me, after you mentioned it was your Dad's car, I was just wondering what would he do, if he was planning a series of long distance trips, and such items as tubeless radials were available to him?

Mart.

I'll tell you what Dad did for tires when he was driving this car (or any car). He bought the absolute cheapest used or retread tires as tall and skinny as he could find them to get better gas mileage. The wheel hubs on the right side even had left hand lug nuts on them when I was a kid. I think my brother switched those to right hand ones after I left home. No, dad wouldn't buy radials, he has always been way too cheap for that. I could buy them if I wanted to. I just don't want to. They don't ride right, they don't handle right, and they don't look right. They would really put a crimp in the authenticity of my "time machine".

[Vic Piano]

As always, an excellent adventure and outstanding videos.

[hook00pad]

I am always impressed at your attention to detail in your descriptions as well as your photography and videos. It's great to someone with your sense of adventure and tenacity to take these trips and document them for us to enjoy. I can identify with your car as well as I have a 1948 Ford Super Deluxe Tudor with an O.T. Olds engine and T-5 trans. that is a work in progress. I'm in the process of getting it street legal with lights etc. in order to license it again. It hasn't been licensed since the early 60's. Keep on cruising in "Old Henry" and writing about your adventures.

[41panelmark]

Great Job!!