Nevadaho Road Trip

[Old Henry]

Daughter just moved to Boise from Portland, a day closer to us, so we had to go see her. Could have been a fairly boring 750 mile round trip. Didn't want that. So, decided to try to make it a little more interesting by making it a big circle into Nevada then Idaho and see some more interesting things. There were still few and far between but here are some of what we found and did on our 950 mile trip.

Any of you that have gone to the Bonneville Raceway from the east had to drive by the only thing sticking up from the salt flats for 50 miles around.



It's huge and it's weird. Reminds me of the fake trees I just saw in the movie "Lorax" that I just watched with the grandkids. It is called Metaphor: The Tree of Utah, sometimes called the Tree of Life. It is an 87-foot (27 m) sculpture that was created by the Swedish artist Karl Momen in the 1980s and dedicated in 1986. (Read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaphor:_The_Tree_of_Utah)

It was cloudy and fairly gloomy most of the 80 miles across the flats from Salt Lake to Wendover until just before Wendover the sun peeked out from under the clouds and we got his this view of flats. (Picture taken by Gumby.)



A little further on and some growth came up through the flats. No, that's not snow. That's the salt flats between the growth. Silver Island Mountains in the background.



So, what did my wife do all the time we were traveling? She was happy as a lark embroidering a Christmas decoration.



Of course, when it got dark she took up her other favorite passtime on our road trips - gavinating (some call it navigating). She was so useful that I just had to remark romantically on more than one occassion as Danny Kaye was known to say in the movie White Christmas: "You know, in some ways, you're far superior to my [Chihuahua]". (Danny's best friend was a Cocker Spaniel. He referred to that in his line.)



I'm afraid that I am much like the wayward robot "Johnny Five" in the movie "Short Circuit" - I am always hungry for more "Input" - So, I took the indoor/outdoor thermometer from the house with us and duct taped the outdoor sensor in front of the radiator so we could monitor both the inside and outside temperatures on our trip. This and the picture above were on the stretch from Wells Nevada to Jackpot Nevada. This was about as cold as it got on the trip. We liked it toasty warm inside and were able to keep that way nicely without fogging up the windows with our fresh air heater first introduced by Ford in late '47.



The first night we stayed in one of 4 hotel/casinos in Jackpot Nevada, a little gambling town just over the border from Idaho on US 93 that was created when Idaho outlawed gambling in 1954. Population 1,416. (Read more here: http://www.jackpotnevada.com/)



In the morning we continued north on US 93 toward Twin Falls Idaho through some of the farming areas of southern Idaho. Occasionally picturesqe - not frequently.



At Twin Falls we left the highway just before going over the Snake River Gorge to drive down into the gorge for some very nice scenery. The Perrine Bridge is approximately 1,500 feet long and 486 feet above the Snake River.



After spending the night at my daughter's in Boise we headed out the next day on highway 20 north of Mountain Home, Idaho and took a 30 mile detour up to Sun Valley, Idaho that my wife and I were always curious about. Here's Old Henry just about to get on the ski lift just one run down the slopes. (No. They didn't let him on. "We do have weight limits for this thing you know.")



From there we continued east on US 20 to Craters of the Moon National Monument. http://www.nps.gov/crmo/index.htm



Even though the scenic drive through the park was closed because of recent snow, there were still some fantastic views of the lava flows that streached as far as the eye could see. Looked kinda weird - what would normally be a pitch black lava flow with snow on it.



Then the sun started peeking through the clouds creating some very moving scenes.





I have so many more pictures like this I wished I had room to share.

Continuing on US 20 we soon reached Arco, ID - the first city in the world to be lighted by electricity generated by the experimental first nuclear power plant built near there in 1955. In the 900 square miles of southern Idaho over 50 experimental nuclear power plants have been built over the years including the first ones to power nuclear submarines and ships. There was actually a city south east of Arco named Atomic City for all of the nuclear activity in that area at one time. It's pretty much a ghost town now - population 75. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_City,_Idaho



From Arco we continued south east on Hwy 20 toward Blackfoot Idaho. It was overcast with no light from any moon, stars, nor nearby city. We were just cruisin' along to the music of Glenn Miller when BANG!!! The bang seemed to come from under the floor by the gas pedal. Car kept going fine. My wife and I looked puzzled at each other wondering what that was but glad we were still moving when another bang!! This one was not so loud and seemed to come from under the hood. It had a more familiar sound - like the sound of the fan belt breaking that we'd heard not many months ago. But the car was still moving and nothing seemed to have changed. The generator was still working and so seemed the water pumps so we thought it wasn't that belt that we had just replaced. Then I thought maybe it might be the other belt that just turned the fan and wouldn't have any affect at the speed we were going in near freezing temperature. We were still 250 miles from home so I stopped on the side of the road in the pitch blackness and lifted the hood to take a look. (The light for this picture is just the stock Ford engine compartment light.)



Both belts were still just fine. I looked closely for any other signs of damage or anything else that didn't seem right but saw nothing. So, we carried on down the road.

I didn't have a clue whether anything was wrong, much less what it might be, until we pulled into Blackfoot where we hoped to stay for the night. As I let up on the gas pedal there was a strange rumbling noise under the floor and when I pushed in on the clutch and put it in neutral the noise was much worse. It still didn't seem to affect the operation of the car but sure sounded bad. So, we carried on with me cranking the grey matter trying to figure out what it was.

The only motel we saw in Blackfoot was a Super 8. We didn't want to stay there - we always look for the old Ma and Pa dives. We didn't see any so decided to try to make it to the next big town - Pocatello. As we pulled into Pocatello I did some more experimenting with the clutch and gear shift. The noise was obviously connected to the drive line as its frequency was the same as the rotations of the drive line. It continued when the clutch was depressed and was worse in neutral, so, I concluded that it was either in the drive line, the U-joint, or something in the rear end of the transmission not related to the front end nor cluster gear.

Fortunately, the noise never got any worse nor had any more affect the rest of the way home. I'll be posting that problem on the Barn later for some help with diagnosis. I'll first get the car up on stands and get under there with Chuck in the driver seat doing stuff to create the noise so I can determine more accurately where it is. Something's going to have to come apart. But, that's for another day.

After we left Pocatello this morning we got into a major fog bank for many miles with very limited visibility.



But, eventually, we got out of that, the sun shined bright, and we arrived in the historic Mormon town of Brigham City, UT. Founded in 1851 - 4 years after the pioneers arrived in Salt Lake City - named after Brigham Young. http://brighamcity.utah.gov/



With its historic County Courthouse built in 1856. http://www.boxeldercounty.org/box-el...se-history.htm (I had to wait quite a while to take this picture because while I was crossing the road to take it several people came out of the courthouse and up to Old Henry and spent quite some time telling my wife about the old cars their dads had etc. etc. It's always fun to hear the stories though.)



And the historic Mormon Tabernacle built 1865-1879. http://www.untraveledroad.com/USA/Ut...ity/9BSign.htm



After eating lunch at the famous Maddox in Brigham City that opened just two years after Old Henry was built - 1949 - we carried on home without incident very relaxed from 4 days of blissful road travel in our beloved Old Henry. He did us good. Never had to open my tool box nor turn a wrench the whole trip.

You know, in many ways, my wife is far superior to my Chihuahua.

Prior road trips:

Rocky Mountain National Park in September 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83966

Yellowstone National Park in May 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=72864

Death Valley in February 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62705

Pike's Peak in July 2011: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19141

Route 66 in April 2010: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57511

[Vic Piano]

Another excellent adventure and “Gumby” did a super job with the camera... Thanks for posting. Vic

[PeteVS]

Thanks!

[Sid the Maineiac]

Thank you very much for sharing your" great adventure" Give " Old Henry" a pat on the hood! Done good!!

[35 coupe]

The best pictures on the Barn. Thanks, wish I get out west someday.

[TomT/Williamsburg]

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You DO have the best pics of your adventures, made even more special in Old Henry. Thanks for sharing!

[41ford1]

Excellent pictures and travelog. I hope Old Henry's issue isn't too serious.

[Dave Mc]

I enjoyed seeing the pics,especially of Brigham City,as I lived there for a year and a half 1968-69,My Dad and I had a Body Shop across the street from the Courthouse,in the old Chevrolet Dealership building.Irv Maddox was a good friend of My Dad's and we ate there often,He raised and butchered his own Beef .. Thanks for the Ridealong

[Big_Guys_baby]

Old Henry, You are definitely an inspiration to me to get my 46 Coupe out on the road!

[fourtydlx]

Henry: Thanks for letting me ride along with the pics.

[oldford2]

Henry,
Great pictures and story. We also enjoy taking long trips in our 46. Driving these old Fords adds an "adventure" aspect to any trip.
thanks for sharing and keep us posted on your troubleshooting

John

[JM 35 Sedan]

Yes Henry, thanks for doing a post on your trip. Very nice pictures. I remembered seeing that tree looking art form on my way from Salt Lake City to Bonneville last August. I also really enjoy driving my old Fords. The Barner's tours that have been put together over the last several years have been awesome in my opinion. It sounds like your distributor must have performed well. I saw no mention of any issues with that. Keep on keeping on!

[Lawson Cox]

Great read. Sounds like a wonderful trip.

[blucar]

The travelog, SLC through Nevada and into Idaho on #93, the Boise area and back to Arco, the Creaters, etc., brings back very fond memories to me.
I was raised in Idaho Falls, bought my '36 there in '52. My Ford ("Henry") and I have traveled the road between I.F. and SLC many times. Moved to Vegas in '54 for two years, lots of cruising the Nevada deserts in Henry, through Death Valley, etc..
The last big trip that I took in Henry was in 1962. I had moved to California in 56.. In the fall of '62 my uncle in IF asked me to come up to Idaho and go hunting with him..
We had a fairly new Pontiac, my wife was not going with me so I left the Pontiac for her and our two kids.
I serviced Henry up, loaded my gear into the trunk and headed out on a solo trip north via #395, Bishop, #6 Tonopah and Ely, where I hooked up with #93. Ely to Wells, Twin Arco on #93, Arco to the Craters and into I.F.. The trip was done none stop except for fuel and eats, a distance of 1,040 miles from my home in Ventura. I did the trip in just shy of 18 hr, averaging 57 MPH.
It was late October when I did this trip, I encountered snow going over some of the high passes between Ely, Wells and Twin. I also encountered snow through the Craters, however, the roads were dry.
After a week in Idaho, hunting and fooling around I headed south to SLC to see some friends and relatives.. Heading from SLC out to Kerns I got stopped by a Utah State Policeman... He had me for 70 mph.. Utah at the time was 60 mph day, 55 night. Fortunately for me, he was more impressed with my car, not to concerned about the speed.
After a couple of days in SLC I headed south for Vegas. About Provo I heard a big noise under my car, which went away by the time I got Henry stopped.. I checked everything out could not find anything wrong, resumed my trip.. On the old highway between SLC and Vegas it was over 600 miles. Several more miles down the road I again heard a noise under the car.. This time it was a scraping noise, that almost went away before I could get Henry stopped. Nothing could be found.. The first town I encountered, about Nephi, I had the car but on a hoist at a service station.. Nothing amiss could be found.
Through out the entire trip to Vegas the noise would come and go, sometimes very loud, other times very faintly.
A day in Vegas visiting with some friends and then on the road again for home.
Within a few days of getting home I put Henry up on some axle stands to find the noise.. It was coming from the pinion/drive line area. When I disassembled the rear end I found that the anchor pin through the collar attaching the drive line to the pinion had come loose, working it way out to scrape on the torque tube.. Minor but troublesome.
A footnote about my "Henry", that being the cars name since I first bought him.
The entire under carriage is '42-48 Ford, the engine is a highly modified 59 AB engine. The rear end is a '48 Columbia with 3.78 gearing.
During the 60 years that I have owned Henry I have driven him over 94k.. He has never let me down, in Idaho blizzards, Nevada desert heat and pounding the freeways/streets of Southern CA during my daily commutes to work until I retired him, upon receipt of a company car..

[cmbrucew]

Prof. Henry

It's good to see owners drive their old fords. All too often they just tinker, swap parts, polish, and drive two miles to the donut shop to talk about their cars.
Beautiful pictures of nice scenery.
Thank you

Bruce

Works good
Lasts long time.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by blucar

When I disassembled the rear end I found that the anchor pin through the collar attaching the drive line to the pinion had come loose, working it way out to scrape on the torque tube.. Minor but troublesome.

Great story. Thanks for sharing.
I too suffered with that annoying scraping noise in my drive line back by the differential for a year or more until that pin finally wore off and fell out.

[Barry-ct]

Thanks for the beautiful pics of an area of the country I've never seen! Fantastic!!

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by JM 35 Sedan

It sounds like your distributor must have performed well. I saw no mention of any issues with that.

From my thread about that distributor problem:

Originally Posted by Old Henry

HE LIVES AGAIN!
I got a rebuilt distributor from Bubba in TWO DAYS!
And the inner distributor cap for C & G in two days as well. (They're always two days to me for anything.)
Spent at least two hours getting all of the spark plug wires plugged back into the new inner cap, putting it together, testing all cap posts for continuity to the end of each wire, taking it apart to get some to connect that weren't, over and over and over again until all worked. Then put the new distributor and cap and wires back in and started it up. Ran great including accelerating.

I'm good for my 1,000 mile road trip through Nevada and Idaho next week.

Thanks to all for all yer help. And especially to Bubba for his speedy delivery. That was the make or break part of the deal for the trip next week.

[peewee2you]

Old Henry, thanks for the smiles, the laughter making my day and it's early yet. Nothing like wakin up firing up the ol computer and there it is "The Trip" by Old Henry, I read with such eagerness wanting to get from one line to the next as if I was on the trip myself, the photo's, the Mrs. all adding the special effects of the voyage. The idea that Old Henry was encountering a problem, the late nite search to identify this mystery in total darkness, I'm on the edge of my seat, what could it be, only to be put on hold for later, lol....all the more I read to get to more of the story, more photo's to the finish line. Wow, it was worth the wait, and the read was great, and later I will revisit to read and share with the Mrs. But Old Henry where were the photo's of the family, yes your daughter there home, of course I wanted to take it all in, but you did say you had many, many photo's and wished could have shared them all, and I appreciate that, so after all this typing and excitement on that 950 mile trip I am worn out, and in need of a break. Thanks Peewee2you aka: Peter

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by peewee2you

Old Henry where were the photo's of the family, yes your daughter there home, of course I wanted to take it all in. Thanks Peewee2you aka: Peter

Here are my wife and three of my daughter's 5 daughters. She has one slightly older than the twins here who turned 6 this day and a new baby. That's 5 daughters under age 8. She's a trooper, just like her ma who had 10 in 17 years.