Boomer
Active Member
Yep, the Imperial has once again taken a back seat to more pressing matters. In this case - bringing dad's car home to northern VA from VT. Dad got the car as sort of a father-son project after he retired from the granite industry so we'd have something to tinker on, drive around, maybe take to a show or two. I rewarded him a few short years later by marrying my wife and moving from VT to NC. That was 2008. Was up there a few years back so we could finally get the new radiator installed and get it back on the road. He tried to get me to take it then but I wanted him to get some enjoyment out of it. He drove it maybe 2 more times before his death in November 2016.
So last year I went up and got it out of the barn, cleaned it up, took it to the Antique Car Show in Stowe VT, which ended up being the last one there after 60 years (long, pathetic story there). Dad had always wanted to get the car to the show but didn't quite make it. Not interested in trophies, just wanted to let people see it. I got it to the show but had trouble with old gas and ended up getting towed home. Seems dad never burned the gas out of the tank, just topped it up anytime he drove it. And it sat for a few years.
Had the tank cleaned and sealed, rebuilt pump with 'ethanol-tolerant' parts in it (whatever that means) installed, lines cleaned, carb cleaned, new plugs, wires, cap, etc, new coolant and hoses after the kid who towed it home tightened it down too much on the flatbed and lost all the green juice.
Flying up tomorrow to take it the the same show this weekend, which is now held in Waterbury VT next to I-89. If any of you are attending, look for the big, black '50 Lincoln with the gray haired guy sitting behind it. It was the only one there last year.
But there's more: the following Friday I'll be driving it back down to northern VA from VT with a buddy from back home, Williamstown to Bennington VT to Troy NY then down the NY Thruway to Newburg, across 84 to Scranton, then down 81 to 66 in VA and home. That's the plan anyway. Car runs great, tires are good along with fuel, coolant, and fire. The vacuum wipers, eh.....not so much. Thank God for Rain-X. Just had it inspected, too.
Probably should've posted sooner and found out who lives along the route in case we need a lifeline, but hey - no one said I was the brightest bulb in the string.
Couple shots attached of dad's car taken this past April. Flathead 337 V8 with the optional GM (no, really) Hydra-Matic auto transmission. Ford had yet to build their own. Around 32K original miles. Aside from the radials and dual exhaust added by the hot rod dealer we got it from, it's original. Hope I can get it down here in one piece.
So last year I went up and got it out of the barn, cleaned it up, took it to the Antique Car Show in Stowe VT, which ended up being the last one there after 60 years (long, pathetic story there). Dad had always wanted to get the car to the show but didn't quite make it. Not interested in trophies, just wanted to let people see it. I got it to the show but had trouble with old gas and ended up getting towed home. Seems dad never burned the gas out of the tank, just topped it up anytime he drove it. And it sat for a few years.
Had the tank cleaned and sealed, rebuilt pump with 'ethanol-tolerant' parts in it (whatever that means) installed, lines cleaned, carb cleaned, new plugs, wires, cap, etc, new coolant and hoses after the kid who towed it home tightened it down too much on the flatbed and lost all the green juice.
Flying up tomorrow to take it the the same show this weekend, which is now held in Waterbury VT next to I-89. If any of you are attending, look for the big, black '50 Lincoln with the gray haired guy sitting behind it. It was the only one there last year.
But there's more: the following Friday I'll be driving it back down to northern VA from VT with a buddy from back home, Williamstown to Bennington VT to Troy NY then down the NY Thruway to Newburg, across 84 to Scranton, then down 81 to 66 in VA and home. That's the plan anyway. Car runs great, tires are good along with fuel, coolant, and fire. The vacuum wipers, eh.....not so much. Thank God for Rain-X. Just had it inspected, too.
Probably should've posted sooner and found out who lives along the route in case we need a lifeline, but hey - no one said I was the brightest bulb in the string.
Couple shots attached of dad's car taken this past April. Flathead 337 V8 with the optional GM (no, really) Hydra-Matic auto transmission. Ford had yet to build their own. Around 32K original miles. Aside from the radials and dual exhaust added by the hot rod dealer we got it from, it's original. Hope I can get it down here in one piece.
