Today, November 20, 2011, Joyce and I took a quick trip to the hardware store in the Jeepster. Nothing dramatic, but it was good to get back behind the wheel after a couple of months while Rosie the Roadster spent time at Bink's, getting a rebuilt carbuerator and battery. Now we are raring to go.
The weather was warm but windy, and with the top down, but the side windows up, we had a pleasant trip over to Vineyard Haven.
Leaving Ace, a man stopped us, and queried with his fingers as to the age of the car. I called out '48 and he smiled. Little things. But they're important.
This afternoon I motored over to visit Peter Case, who was up from Connecticut and closing up his house. He's going in for knee surgery next week, and I thought a Jeepster ride was just what he needed. Indeed it was. We drove off toward Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road, then turned toward Edgartown and enjoyed a few waves and toots en route. It was great to drive down Main Street and then up Water and out around the lighthouse. Coming back along Beach Road was breezy but beautiful.
There's nothing like a great car ride! Peter compared his Jeep to mine, and marveled at the comfort of the ride with the new system. It was a treat.
As the season winds down, I have to remember this is a summer car, but I can treasure the memories throughout the year. And riding around is just the best!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Jeepster Man
Bob King lives in Virginia in the off-season, but keeps his Jeepster garaged on the Vineyard. It's a sharp red, 1950/51 vehicle, with immaculate upkeep and in fine running order. Bob changes the spark plugs himself. He's a loyal Jeepster fan and has numerous tales of adventures with his prized vehicle.
It was an honor and a pleasure to make his acquaintance this afternoon.
***
In other Jeepster news today, I drove to the Y at 6 am for my spinning class. It was a bit chilly, and dark, but a treat to be sure. And when class was over I cruised back in brilliant sunshine.
Late morning found me motoring over to Vineyard Haven to the Senior Center to give a talk to a dozen souls interested in my writing. It was a treat to talk up my books and share adventures in the writing world. The highlight was Wendy Benidetto saying she dined at the Beach Plum Inn the other day, and the Obamas were at the next table. Michelle shook Wendy's hand and called her gorgeous!
This afternoon Joyce and I hopped in the Jeepster and went over to Medeiros Cove and met Nancy and Jon Newman for a sail on their 43' yacht. What a treat to cruise almost to Falmouth and back, with a stiff wind nearly 20 knots. We sailed 9 knots and I loved to handle the boat.
After sandwiches and drinks we got back in the Jeepster, let the Desmarais' dogs inside and came home. Good day in many ways!
Almost Home
So Midas claimed the Jeepster was ready to roll on June 6. Joyce, Shealyn and I toodled over to Falmouth, and they dropped me off at Midas. It was so exciting to actually get in the car, turn it on, and drive away. There warn't any gas registered on the gauge, so I pulled into the Sunoco lot, two doors away, and pumped in five gallons. Hey, this is a real car! Excitedly I shared my enthusiasm with the attendant, who, unfortunately failed to understand a word I said, but smiled widely.
Back on the road, I shifted carefully and motored along Route 28. It was late morning, traffic was flowing rapidly along, and I felt totally in charge. For a short distance. As I approached the intersection by Stop & Shop, I heard something click as I stopped and tried to shift into first gear. What was that sound?
I couldn't put the car into gear. I couldn't move. I had no blinkers, no brake lights, no signals. I just sat there, dumb-founded. Anxious drivers tooted and waved, but I was stuck. I called Joyce. No answer. I called Midas, and got put on hold. I tried again. Finally Geoff answered and said he'd send a mechanic, Ron, right over. A policeman asked if I was OK; I said help was on the way. He smiled and moved on.
Ron arrived and quickly diagnosed the problem. When Midas installed a new clutch they neglected to repair the clutch linkage, so the new clutch was too powerful for the old framework. Nothing to be done on Route 28. Call AAA and get towed back to Midas.
Joycie showed up, with Shealyn calmly surveying the scene from her carseat. Another cop came along behind me and asked if I was OK. I told him I had called AAA; help was on the way. Joyce told the cop she'd pull up behind me and put on her flashers, to alert drivers to swing around me. Ron returned to Midas. I sat there.
Additional pressure was that I had a boat reservation for the Jeepster, which I obviously couldn't use at the moment, so I had to call and postpone it. Also, I was scheduled to drive the afternoon school bus run, and it looked like I'd miss the 12:15 boat home, which would make me late. I wanted to call my supervisor, Jimmy Flynn, but held off, not knowing if AAA would make it within their thirty-minute window.
They did! The tow truck pulled in. I said I had to dash for the boat and couldn't stay around for social commentary or filling out forms. The guy said he'd take over. He backed into position to tow the Jeepster. I hurried into Joyce's front seat and we sped off to the boat, making it with minutes to spare.
Aboard ship all was well, at least at first. Joyce had picked up lunch for us and we munched away as the Governor steamed out of Woods Hole and proceeded across the Sound. And then stopped. And backed up. And turned to head back to Woods Hole. My heart started to beat a little faster. What was wrong? I would be late for the bus. What was going on?
Joyce, bless her, wandered around to find a crew man and asked what was happening. Turns out they needed to make a compass adjustment and had to head back to Woods Hole before crossing the Sound. Which they did. Eventually we turned around again, and made it to Vineyard Haven nearly thirty minutes late, but with sufficient time to catch my bus.
So, the adventure continued. I did actually drive the Jeepster. It runs. It felt cool. But I had the first of many driving adventures in that short half-mile ride and break-down by Stop & Shop. When asked where my car was, all I could say was. "It's on the way!"
Back on the road, I shifted carefully and motored along Route 28. It was late morning, traffic was flowing rapidly along, and I felt totally in charge. For a short distance. As I approached the intersection by Stop & Shop, I heard something click as I stopped and tried to shift into first gear. What was that sound?
I couldn't put the car into gear. I couldn't move. I had no blinkers, no brake lights, no signals. I just sat there, dumb-founded. Anxious drivers tooted and waved, but I was stuck. I called Joyce. No answer. I called Midas, and got put on hold. I tried again. Finally Geoff answered and said he'd send a mechanic, Ron, right over. A policeman asked if I was OK; I said help was on the way. He smiled and moved on.
Ron arrived and quickly diagnosed the problem. When Midas installed a new clutch they neglected to repair the clutch linkage, so the new clutch was too powerful for the old framework. Nothing to be done on Route 28. Call AAA and get towed back to Midas.
Joycie showed up, with Shealyn calmly surveying the scene from her carseat. Another cop came along behind me and asked if I was OK. I told him I had called AAA; help was on the way. Joyce told the cop she'd pull up behind me and put on her flashers, to alert drivers to swing around me. Ron returned to Midas. I sat there.
Additional pressure was that I had a boat reservation for the Jeepster, which I obviously couldn't use at the moment, so I had to call and postpone it. Also, I was scheduled to drive the afternoon school bus run, and it looked like I'd miss the 12:15 boat home, which would make me late. I wanted to call my supervisor, Jimmy Flynn, but held off, not knowing if AAA would make it within their thirty-minute window.
They did! The tow truck pulled in. I said I had to dash for the boat and couldn't stay around for social commentary or filling out forms. The guy said he'd take over. He backed into position to tow the Jeepster. I hurried into Joyce's front seat and we sped off to the boat, making it with minutes to spare.
Aboard ship all was well, at least at first. Joyce had picked up lunch for us and we munched away as the Governor steamed out of Woods Hole and proceeded across the Sound. And then stopped. And backed up. And turned to head back to Woods Hole. My heart started to beat a little faster. What was wrong? I would be late for the bus. What was going on?
Joyce, bless her, wandered around to find a crew man and asked what was happening. Turns out they needed to make a compass adjustment and had to head back to Woods Hole before crossing the Sound. Which they did. Eventually we turned around again, and made it to Vineyard Haven nearly thirty minutes late, but with sufficient time to catch my bus.
So, the adventure continued. I did actually drive the Jeepster. It runs. It felt cool. But I had the first of many driving adventures in that short half-mile ride and break-down by Stop & Shop. When asked where my car was, all I could say was. "It's on the way!"
Homeward Bound
Homeward Bound
So the next day, I got the call that the Jeepster was ready. The clutch linkage had been repaired, and we were ready to roll.
Joyce and I repeated our run to Falmouth. She waited while I climbed aboard the car and drove gingerly out of the lot. Geoff assured me everything was fixed and I was good to go.
We made it down to Woods Hole, with Joyce following closely, as I had no rear lights, no signals, and a sense of doom after the previous day’s adventure. But we made it to Woods Hole without incident, though the steering was like driving a truck. We were the last car to board the Governor, situated right at the stern, but we definitely enjoyed a feeling of exultation as we headed out.
We immediately set about folding down the roof and taking out the windows. The sun was warm and Joyce had some soup which we shared as we cruised across Vineyard Sound. What could be better than riding in our car aboard ship!
Mark Hahn walked by and admired my wheels. He took our picture and we chatted. Joyce and I enjoyed the view of the Shenandoah sailing past. The air was clear and clean and I felt great.
We were about the last car to roll off the ferry and I felt so cool as we drove over the little ramp and headed for the Steamship building. As we drove I saw a few people gathered by the entrance way, waving and taking photos. Mark was back, this time with a video camera! And a bystander, from Arizona, took great stills as we landed on the Vineyard. Susan and Bruce Desmarais were there to greet us and take our picture, and they were the first to clamber aboard, squishing into the backseat among the plastic windows.
We drove down to where Joyce’s car was parked at Veterans Field, and she got out. Bruce and Susan had me drive down Main Street Vineyard Haven, waving at the passersby. They didn’t want to get out for Bruce’s car, so they had me drive them to the Black Dog on the harbor, and then they exited, climbing gingerly out of the back seat on the assigned silver-coated foot rests. It was very cool.
Home at last. Joyce came out to greet me and got in the front seat and we drove downtown, cruising slowly up Circuit Avenue. What a sense of excitement! People stopped to wave. I stalled out by Smoke ‘n Bones, but got the car running again immediately. We just drove around the loop and headed back to 79 Meadow Avenue. We made it!
Horn of Plenty
A horn a plenty
Thursday, July 28, 2011 John and Leah joined us for a ride in the Jeepster up to Featherstone Center for the Arts. We wanted to get there early, as my assignment, with my friend John, was to park cars for a poetry reading by Billy Collins. It was a warm, sunny evening and the public was energized as they headed up the long hill to park their cars. John was an excellent ally, directing traffic in an orderly manner.
Billy arrived in a Mini Cooper, with his partner Janine. He asked for preferred parking, as he was the main event of the evening, and I motioned him to a spot not far from where I’d parked the Jeepster. We exchanged words as I settled into my second-row seat, and enjoyed his opening remarks.
Billy was only in his second poem when the Featherstone Director, Ann Smith, waved me out of the crowd. I worried someone had parked illegally, and hurried off. Instead, she alerted me to an alarm sounding from … my Jeepster. I felt my face color as I dashed over and wiggled the horn button. It shut down and I crawled back into my seat in the second row.
Billy continued to amuse his audience with comic poems and wistful asides and explanations. I worried at the nuisance of my horn going off, akin to a cell phone interruption. Nearly forty minutes went by, and there was Ann, waving me off stage, and back to the Jeepster. This time she requested me move it farther from the venue. I obliged, but the racket of the engine starting up I’m sure caused further interruption to Billy’s show. Chagrined, I returned once more to my seat.
That was it. The embarrassment of the horn made an enjoyable evening more memorable. Billy was also interrupted by a couple of low-flying planes, so I had some company. But I have to say the erratic horn on the Jeepster did cause me some concern.
Next day my friend John showed me how to disconnect the horn. So now I can attend poetry readings without fear or consternation!
Easing in to Island Life
- Easing in to Island life
I was ecstatic to actually have the Jeepster. Everyone I saw I had to tell them all about it. I bragged that it had ‘three on the tree’ and was a convertible. I wasn’t sure how many cylinders or volts, but it was cool to drive. I drove up to the bus lot and parked the car so my fellow bus-drivers could admire it. It was there when I returned from my morning route. I got in, to drive across the street to the Y for my spinning class. The Jeepster wouldn’t start!
Had I flooded it? Was the carbuerator clogged? Did Midas miss something? Was I snookered? I didn’t know what to think. So I walked over to the Y, did my class, walked back, and still no luck starting the car. It ground over but didn’t start.
I got in my school bus and went home until the afternoon shift.
That afternoon I did my route, but the car still wouldn’t start. Not to worry. I called AAA. They promised a truck in forty-five minutes. I tried again. Fellow drivers offered assistance. George Gamble proved most promising. He played with the throttle. Wiggled the gadget. Asked me to try again. And, suddenly we had power!
Jimmy, meanwhile, had contacted Tony, an Island mechanic, who was willing to lend a hand. We told him just his phone call got us going. I called AAA and told them I was going to head home and would call if/when I made it. I thanked Tony by phone, and George in person, then jumped in the Jeepster and hit the road.
Made it home without difficulty, called AAA, and added this adventure to the Jeepster diaries. But driving a car that doesn’t always start is not fun.
I managed to make a few short runs around town in the month of June. On the 20th I dropped the car off at DeBettencourt’s to see what we could do on inspection, for lights and emergency brake. And to play with the carbuerator and get that smoothed out.
Then I boarded a plane for California and babysat Molly and Dylan from June 20 - 27th, flying home on the 28th, the day after our 13th anniversary. (Once again I forgot which day we got married! Shame on me.)
So DeBettencourt’s did their thing. Joe and Brad figured out the electrical snafu and the lights work. Emergency brake was tightened. Inspection sticker granted. That was big!
Only issue was inability to replace the steering wheel. Joycie bought me a new, ivory-coated wheel for Father’s Day, but if we can’t get the old wheel off, we can’t put the new one on! But the car now had the sticker, ran well and legitimately was an Island car.
I did place an order for a vanity license plate, per the registry suggestion. That was granted and in late June I picked up the plate : JPSTR, and proudly installed it bow and stern. Then, in response to myriad questions, I ticketed the plate with 1948 so people would know the year before asking. I felt I was ready to roll. The Jeepster had become an Island car.
-
-
- Homeward Bound
So the next day, I got the call that the Jeepster was ready. The clutch linkage had been repaired, and we were ready to roll.
Joyce and I repeated our run to Falmouth. She waited while I climbed aboard the car and drove gingerly out of the lot. Geoff assured me everything was fixed and I was good to go.
We made it down to Woods Hole, with Joyce following closely, as I had no rear lights, no signals, and a sense of doom after the previous day’s adventure. But we made it to Woods Hole without incident, though the steering was like driving a truck. We were the last car to board the Governor, situated right at the stern, but we definitely enjoyed a feeling of exultation as we headed out.
We immediately set about folding down the roof and taking out the windows. The sun was warm and Joyce had some soup which we shared as we cruised across Vineyard Sound. What could be better than riding in our car aboard ship!
Mark Hahn walked by and admired my wheels. He took our picture and we chatted. Joyce and I enjoyed the view of the Shenandoah sailing past. The air was clear and clean and I felt great.
We were about the last car to roll off the ferry and I felt so cool as we drove over the little ramp and headed for the Steamship building. As we drove I saw a few people gathered by the entrance way, waving and taking photos. Mark was back, this time with a video camera! And a bystander, from Arizona, took great stills as we landed on the Vineyard. Susan and Bruce Desmarais were there to greet us and take our picture, and they were the first to clamber aboard, squishing into the backseat among the plastic windows.
We drove down to where Joyce’s car was parked at Veterans Field, and she got out. Bruce and Susan had me drive down Main Street Vineyard Haven, waving at the passersby. They didn’t want to get out for Bruce’s car, so they had me drive them to the Black Dog on the harbor, and then they exited, climbing gingerly out of the back seat on the assigned silver-coated foot rests. It was very cool.
Home at last. Joyce came out to greet me and got in the front seat and we drove downtown, cruising slowly up Circuit Avenue. What a sense of excitement! People stopped to wave. I stalled out by Smoke ‘n Bones, but got the car running again immediately. We just drove around the loop and headed back to 79 Meadow Avenue. We made it!
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Judy and Peter Case felt right at home in the Jeepster. We enjoyed a sweet ride around East Chop, hair blowing in the breeze!
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The Jeepster looked so clean and neat as I rolled out of Midas Muffler. I had a different set of emotions as I broke down a few minutes later at the busy intersection.
- Almost Home!So Midas claimed the Jeepster was ready to roll on June 6. Joyce, Shealyn and I toodled over to Falmouth, and they dropped me off at Midas. It was so exciting to actually get in the car, turn it on, and drive away. There warn’t any gas registered on the gauge, so I pulled into the Sunoco lot, two doors away, and pumped in five gallons. Hey, this is a real car! Excitedly I shared my enthusiasm with the attendant, who, unfortunately failed to understand a word I said, but smiled widely.
Back on the road, I shifted carefully and motored along Route 28. It was late morning, traffic was flowing rapidly along, and I felt totally in charge. For a short distance. As I approached the intersection by Stop & Shop, I heard something click as I stopped and tried to shift into first gear. What was that sound?
I couldn’t put the car into gear. I couldn’t move. I had no blinkers, no brake lights, no signals. I just sat there, dumb-founded. Anxious drivers tooted and waved, but I was stuck. I called Joyce. No answer. I called Midas, and got put on hold. I tried again. Finally Geoff answered and said he’d send a mechanic, Ron, right over. A policeman asked if I was OK; I said help was on the way. He smiled and moved on.
Ron arrived and quickly diagnosed the problem. When Midas installed a new clutch they neglected to repair the clutch linkage, so the new clutch was too powerful for the old framework. Nothing to be done on Route 28. Call AAA and get towed back to Midas.
Joycie showed up, with Shealyn calmly surveying the scene from her carseat. Another cop came along behind me and asked if I was OK. I told him I had called AAA; help was on the way. Joyce told the cop she’d pull up behind me and put on her flashers, to alert drivers to swing around me. Ron returned to Midas. I sat there.
Additional pressure was that I had a boat reservation for the Jeepster, which I obviously couldn’t use at the moment, so I had to call and postpone it. Also, I was scheduled to drive the afternoon school bus run, and it looked like I’d miss the 12:15 boat home, which would make me late. I wanted to call my supervisor, Jimmy Flynn, but held off, not knowing if AAA would make it within their thirty-minute window.
They did! The tow truck pulled in. I said I had to dash for the boat and couldn’t stay around for social commentary or filling out forms. The guy said he’d take over. He backed into position to tow the Jeepster. I hurried into Joyce’s front seat and we sped off to the boat, making it with minutes to spare.
Aboard ship all was well, at least at first. Joyce had picked up lunch for us and we munched away as the Governor steamed out of Woods Hole and proceeded across the Sound. And then stopped. And backed up. And turned to head back to Woods Hole. My heart started to beat a little faster. What was wrong? I would be late for the bus. What was going on?
Joyce, bless her, wandered around to find a crew man and asked what was happening. Turns out they needed to make a compass adjustment and had to head back to Woods Hole before crossing the Sound. Which they did. Eventually we turned around again, and made it to Vineyard Haven nearly thirty minutes late, but with sufficient time to catch my bus.
So, the adventure continued. I did actually drive the Jeepster. It runs. It felt cool. But I had the first of many driving adventures in that short half-mile ride and break-down by Stop & Shop. When asked where my car was, all I could say was. “It’s on the way!”
- The Midas TouchSo we had the Jeepster delivered to Midas Muffler in Falmouth. They had serviced our cars before and we were happy to give them a shot at making the Jeepster road-worthy. I’d called ahead to say the car was on its way, so they were ready and waiting.
Turned out I was the one waiting as it took a month to rebuild the clutch, bleed the brakes and repair the steering. Geoff, the manager, suggested I order the steering parts to save costs, and I did and it came together nicely. But it took time and about $1450 in all.
They were very happy to turn the Jeepster over to me on D-Day, June 6, 2011.
- What a Deal!
Late at night, scrolling through internet files of old cars, I stumbled on the Jeepster, a remarkable concoction of Willys Overland. It was built in the late 1940s as a commercial version of the work-horse General Purpose : GP : Jeep that played such an integral role in World War II. The car fascinated me when I first encountered it in an auto showroom in 1950, and it caught my eye again, sixty-something years later.
I checked out the asking price for these reconditioned rehabbed vehicles and found them in the high twenty or thirty-thousand dollar category. Too much for my meager monies. But eBay had a category of Jeepsters, and though many were pricey as well, there was this cute little number in Cranston, Rhode Island, just south of Providence. I decided to check it out.
Turns out you have to join eBay, which I did, and then asked a few questions, on line, of Mike Grabowski. He was forthright and I suggested I come over and look at the vehicle. He agreed, and we made a date for the following Sunday. I remember distinctly my enthusiasm in seeing that the vehicle matched the eBay posting, indeed was in better shape than the photos showed. This was a find, to be sure.
I told Mike I was serious and over the next few days I kept watching the eBay account as the monies rose from a starting bid of $2000 to the high five thousands. I learned I could put a top bid in, and not have to constantly keep an eye on the account, which was helpful as my computer was in the shop that last week of April, 2011, and I had dashed from the library to a friend’s laptop to see the progress of my bidding.
$6100 was the top figure I determined I could afford. The bidding leveled off at $5500 and my final automatic bid of $5700 won me the car. But I had already gone to bed, and it was only a phone call from our alert neighbor, who’d followed my bidding on his computer, who shared that I had the top bid and the Jeepster was mine. He laughed, though, saying I may have won it for $5700 but it would be at least ten grand for me to get it on the road.
(I think I had the last laugh, however, as I spent about $2500 to make the car sound. And Patrick bought a boat on eBay at the same time, and has spent a good deal of money, time and aggravation, and has yet to tool around the harbor in it. So there!)
I spoke with Mike and told him I’d send a check and he should send me the title. That was fine, but I couldn’t get plates for the car with the out-of-state title because it had not been signed properly prior to my entrance on the scene. My registry informed me Mike had to register the car, and that would verify his ownership; then I could register it. Poor Mike claims he spent six hours at the registry getting it on the road, and insured. I gave him $200 for his trouble and expense. And once I had a copy of his registration, combined with my purchase and sale agreement, we were good to go.
My registry gal suggested I get a vanity plate as driving a car of that vintage deserved a little special treatment. I said I’d considered it.
I got the plates. Joyce joined me and we drove over to Cranston and checked out the car. She was suitably impressed with the purchase; it’s a sweetheart! (So is she!) Mike came over to bid his car adieu. We called AAA and arranged to have the car trucked to Falmouth, for $220 as I did not have extended coverage of AAA. And the deal was done!
That moment of seeing the car cranked up on the tow truck was a treat to behold as I could almost feel the ownership of the vehicle changing hands. What a deal!
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Parade Rest
Parade Rest
After a week in the shop, getting tested, elected (lights fixed), braked (emergency tightened) and inspected, Rosie the Roadster was ready for the annual July 4th parade, held this year on the 4th of July in Edgarville, our small county-seat, a mere six miles from Rosie’s Oak Bluffs’ residence. I washed and polished the roadster. Joycie affixed a couple of pom-pom time adornments and we taped small American flags to either side of the wind-screen. We were ready.
Joycie preferred to watch rather than ride, so I flew solo. I’d registered with both Ted Morgan, 90-year-old parade marshal, as well as town selectmen, so I felt confident I could motor over to the Edgartown School. I was excited!
At the school I was motioned closer and closer to the front of the parade line-up, my heart beating faster as I passed float after float, finally reaching the important group that led the parade: the veterans. Antique autos at the head of the parade were designated to carry veterans. However, the veterans preferred to walk, so politicians filled the cars instead. Five Oak Bluffs selectmen crawled in and over each other ahead of me. A local pol drove an old Mustang ahead of me, and a girl behind me transported her grandfather, one veteran who preferred to ride, in her jeep.
Tom Hallahan and John Alley, two County Commissioners, were assigned to sit on my big backseat, and there they perched for the hour-long parade. We set off, right at 5 pm, and I proudly motored along, a no more than 5 mph, over the long route. What a thrill to drive along, waving at throngs along the way. Tom and John enjoyed themselves, tossing candy and comments at myriad bystanders. It was a warm, wonderful experience.
It did take an hour to make the loop through Edgartown. I saw Joyce, Jen and Shealyn waving away. And I saw many other friends: Judy and Peter Case, Paul Gilbert and family, Judi Williamson, Darren Belisle and Lucia Hayman, Stephanie Dryer and daughters, as well as Robe and Abigail and Delilah from my school bus route. It certainly was a high point of the summer to ride in the parade and I’m so proud that the Jeepster never stalled out, the brakes held and the motor purred the whole route. What a day!
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