I have a track day at the Nashville Superspeedway on the 27th and 28th, it's a thousand mile round trip so I don't really want to drive the Mustang. I have to take all the interior out in order to fit all the tools, equipment, and such so it would be a loud, bumpy, uncomfortable ride, plus a chance of something happening to the car.

I have secured a truck and trailer to tow the car there and back. The trailer belongs to a friend that he and his Dad use to haul their Mustangs to the track and is pretty nice. The truck belongs to my Grandfather. It's a '93 GMC 1500 Z71, has a winch, push bumper, tool box in the bed, just an older truck. It was the only truck that I felt comfortable asking to borrow and had the proper trailer hitch. He used the truck for his business hauling small loads for many years, he has hauled a camper and a boat at the same time with it for a short trip, it's reliable around town, and he still uses it to pull his boats to the lake. The only known issue is that when hauling a load up a steep incline the engine will begin to knock and pull timing.

He is fine with letting me use the truck but fears that it could break down. I told him that I would be responsible for any repairs, so he doesn't want me to have to replace and engine or trans. There is a chance it could happen, of course, but it's all speculative. My optimistic view is that the truck has been very reliable in the past so why shouldn't it be now. I've pulled small loads with it before while helping him with his business and going to the lake. I plan to get the truck and trailer a couple of days before I have to leave to drive it around and get comfortable with it. So if I'm not comfortable, I could change my mind. My pessimistic side says that there is a chance that it could break down, which would leave me responsible, so just pack everything in the Mustang and be a little miserable, but know that you won't have any mechanical problems.

 

You sound like me. Overanalyzing things and worrying when there really is no need to worry.

You say the truck has hauled a camper and a boat for short trips. How far were these "short" trips? How large was the camper and the boat? How did it handle those loads?

When you get it for those couple days before you leave town, I say you drive the **** out of it. Drive it for an hour or two at a time. Don't just do poking around town bullshit. That's not going to show you anything. Like my '93 Mustang with 150,000 miles; it runs fine on 30 minute drives or so, but I really have to pay attention to the temperature gauge because that bitch will overheat if I drive it for longer, especially when it's hot outside. I'm lucky if I can get 20 minutes out of that car before I see the gauge start to rise.

I think you have the right idea by getting comfortable with it. Be vigilant about it. If you notice something isn't right in those days before you leave, do not take any chances. Make sure the maintenance is up to date as well. You aren't an idiot, so I don't even know why I told you that!

Anyway, if it were me, I'd probably just suck it up and drive Spooky because I know it would get me there and back again with no problems... except for ******* rock chips on the interstate. Then, I'd just stop by Ohio, see Zig, and have him fix them!

I think the only way you will know what you should do is when you have the truck. When you do, go with your gut.

 

The trips with the camper I think were around 150 miles, so not quite the 1000 miles that I'm going to have to make, but it was bit more weight I would have to imagine. I would drive the **** out of it to give it a good shake down, but then again, I plan to baby the **** out of it when I have the trailer/car hooked up to it, so I wouldn't want to possibly cause and problems that wouldn't have otherwise arisen.

I think my Grandfather is just worrying, and in turn causing me to contemplate all the possibilities. I am most like him out of all my family members. If anything does go wrong in Tennessee, WNracing, you'll be hearing from me lol.

 

I would say if it's that bad, take it to shop and have someone look at it.
If not stop every so many miles and give it a break, check to make sure everything is okay.

 

Yeah, I had planned to stop regularly to make sure the car was still strapped down good to the trailer. I didn't think about taking it to a shop, but I really think they wouldn't find anything wrong with it. The owner of the shop that I used to work for has a new diesel that he uses to haul his camper and boat to the lake so he might have some good advice or an opinion in it though.

 

They do have computers to read if something is wrong with the vechile and as well vechile life reader.
That or maybe take a test drive with EVERYTHING as if you were to leave for the trip, but do a short
trip around the City or something, but make it run harder, big hills, long hills, ect...

 

I got the truck today. He called an asked if I wanted to go ahead and get it, so I did. I went drag racing Friday night with the guy that has the trailer that I'm borrowing and told him that I would get it Monday, so that moves my schedule up a whole day and gives me more time.

The truck ran like a champ today, better than my Dad's truck which is similar but a couple years newer. The brakes are strong, engine is smooth. The steering is loose though, the steering wheel has nearly a quarter turn of slack where nothing happens. Also, the temperature gauge doesn't work, which is bad because it is arguably the most important gauge. The truck does have a new radiator and plenty of water in it so overheating shouldn't be an issue.

 

Bout the only thing you can have to keep the worries away from everyone involved, including yourself is " available cash". Or maybe you can get some extra insurance for your trip. It will cost you but you can give yourself and everyone involved the peace of mind they want... Don't make your family worry while your borrowing thier stuff, no matter how big or small..

 

I got the car loaded on the trailer this afternoon. Took some work to get it on there since the car is so low. Had to drive the back of the truck up on ramps, some long ramps at the back of the trailer to drive up on, but we got it. Everything is strapped down, I'm going to put some extra straps on there or a chain. The truck seems to drive fine with it on there. I can just tell that I'm driving something really heavy as it takes a good bit to get up to speed and a long time to brake.

 

if you have any step inclines you will really feel it then...

 

There shouldn't be many, mostly bridges and overpasses. I'll be traveling in the Mississippi delta region, and the Tennessee basin and that's all flat. I'm going to leave tons of room between me and the person in front of me.

 

Just be mindful of exits and onramps to interstates and highways. They can get ya when you least expect it. Trailors can come around on you in hurry. Not a good thing when you see your trailor beside you going backwards and then usually the ditch..

And check the tires on the trailor at every stop. They blow and you've got a real handful then.. And also drive with your side mirrors alot. Keep an eye on where the trailor is and make minor adjustments as needed. ( this is for a wider trailor). Not sure how wide your is compared to the truck.. GL, You should be fine, Just be extra alert..

 

Ah Rebel, did you and my Dad write this up together, you sound a lot like him. He just got back from being at Ft. Bragg for several months too.

Leaving out of here within the hour to head to Conway, AR. I've got one large overpass that I'm worried about here in Texarkana that they recently built to get onto I-30. This place is starting to look like Dallas/Ft. Worth with all the bridges. Time to tighten the belt and go.

 

Yea I just got home from visiting Arkansas and I go through Texarkana.... Its going to really suck if you go through there when its a lot of people because traffic gets backed up pretty good. I'm sure you already know though.

 

Be careful, man. Hope all goes well. Let us know how it goes.

 

I made it to Conway earlier today. It was pretty issue free. The truck didn't have any problems, the trailer was fine. I just had to be mindful of my driving and where everything was all the time. Stoped and checked the straps about four times. One of the most frustrating issues were people around Little Rock wanting to get in the space that I tried to leave between me and the car in front of me. It takes a good bit longer to slow down, and I need atleast twice the space as one would normally leave. It seems that if there is anymore than 1.5 car lengths between me and the car in front, someone passing me wants to squeeze in. Twice traffic came to a stop in Arkansas and once I was worried I wouldn't stop in time. I don't have any worries that the truck will get us to Nashville, more worried about other drivers. Twice today someone passed me, got in front of me in the lane, and then thew on thier hazards to pull over to the shoulder. Annoying. I averaged about 60mph, so I'm the turtle in this race.

Wakin' up early to head to Nashville. Six hour drive, gonna take about eight.

 

Made to Lebanon, TN, which is about twenty miles past Nashville. Everything is good, spent an hour in the pool. We're about to go eat here in a little while.

 

It's good to hear you made it to Lebenon without any problems, that was a long drive I bet. I might stop by there since Im going up to the lake this weekend and have a friend that will be participating in the event.

Be safe and have a nice trip home.

 

I was just wondering FR, is this a road course event your in? I thought you had a video of an earlier run you made at road atlanta or somewhere, Anyway get some pics, or maybe a video. I love watching in car vids of road course racing.. GL either way and be careful in the race and the trip home.. Don't tear nothing up.