Hawkrod 'RoadKill' Cross Country Trip 2022

[kiwigtx]

I'll respond soon with pictures and how the car is running when we have a better connection. In the mean time, we are soliciting things to do in WV. Especially near the Charleston area.

Let us know where we should go!

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Weather looks a bit moist today?

 

[Liberty MW]

I'm right off I-5 just south of Portland if you need to put the car in the air and do some maintenance

 

[CoronetDarter]

First day in the record books!




After Gettysburg, we headed to Owen's Creek Campground in Maryland.
Now cooking steaks for dinner!

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Cozy little tent for you two.

 

[HawkRod]

How’s the car running. Probably the best riding car I’ve driven over the the years. Can’t beat that isolated K member.

It's running well. My only gripe is the way the car starts when warm. We put a 1976 Thermoquad fro a 400 on it, but haven't had much time to tune it. We put it on to get some better fuel economy with it small primaries, and overall it is running great. Idle is awesome, accelerator pump works well, and all driving is good. But it starts like CRAP when warm. It just grinds on the starter before it actually starts. Not sure why, as the accelerator pump is providing plenty of fuel.
It's a minor issue, but it still annoys me.

Weather looks a bit moist today?

Yes, it rained HEAVY last night, so we abandoned our idea to make our own breakfast. The picture in the prior post was when we stopped to get our beakfast.
The car was clean for ONE day!

I'm right off I-5 just south of Portland if you need to put the car in the air and do some maintenance

Sorry, which state?

Cozy little tent for you two.

We are good friends!!!

More pictures when I get better WIFI

 

[1 Wild R/T]

It's running well. But it starts like CRAP when warm. It just grinds on the starter before it actually starts. Not sure why, as the accelerator pump is providing plenty of fuel.
It's a minor issue, but it still annoys me.

First, Awesome that your on the road finally.... Should be a blast... Something to try for the starting... Thermoquads with the plastic body usually work great but fuel has gotten so much worse since carburetors have gone the way of the Dodo bird...They not longer have anti boiling additives since FI doesn't need it... When the fuel boils it initially floods the engine.. So the answer might be to hold the throttle to the floor till it fires then quickly lift off the pedal..

 

[HawkRod]

First, Awesome that your on the road finally.... Should be a blast... Something to try for the starting... Thermoquads with the plastic body usually work great but fuel has gotten so much worse since carburetors have gone the way of the Dodo bird...They not longer have anti boiling additives since FI doesn't need it... When the fuel boils it initially floods the engine.. So the answer might be to hold the throttle to the floor till it fires then quickly lift off the pedal..

Thanks. We had a similar thought, and have tried that without great success. It should just fire up! But the car did it, for example, after it had only been running like 5 minutes. I wouldn't think we would have vapor lock at that point?!?

 

[HawkRod]

We still don't have WIFI, but let's see what happens...

Today we ended up in Stuart's Recreation area outside of Elkins West Virginia.

The morning started our wet, as it rained very heavily last night. So instead of making breakfast at camp, we broke camp and went on to Thurmont to get breakfast.

Well, the car was clean for ONE day!!! (This was the picture I posted in an earlier post)

We decided to get West and South today to out run some bad weather that was coming in, so we didn't stop for any major sites. But we did stop at a few scenic overlooks.

We also stopped where the Allegehny and C&O canal trails come together. I rode this canal trail on my bike, but this time visited by car.

We ended up at Stuart's to camp for the night. A nice dinner at a Venezuelan restaurant, and now we are sitting by the fire.

We are looking for suggestions of things to do tomorrow near Charleston, VW. Let us know any suggested things to visit!

 

[HawkRod]

Two additional pictures:

Here is the view over the hood as we entered the Monongahela National forest:

And a better picture of Barry stoking the fire at our campground...

And as a reminder again: looking for things to do around Charleston, VW tomorrow, and in Tennessee in the next few days. Thanks in advance!

 

[Don Frelier]

If you go near Owensboro KY have dinner at the Moonlite barbeque

 

[Don Frelier]

For the starting problem.
I'd check for good spark in the start position.
You sure it's not trying to start when you go to the run position?
Otherwise mark the distributor and try advancing it you can always go back to the mark.

 

[SteveSS]

I just got the schedule for Bandimere in Denver. Stop by and run the car on a test and tune night.

 

[moparedtn]

Weird fact:
The state Capitol building in Charleston is the tallest building in the state, like 300'.

I don't know where you'll be in the state, but Charles Town has a pretty historic
horse racing facility - and of course, there's Summit Point raceway, my old SCCA stomping
grounds from almost 30 years ago.

 

[JDmac72chrgr]

"...ON THE ROAD AGAIN..."!! IF going down to RT 40, some RT66 stuff in OK, "PONY BRIDGE" near Geary, road opens back up May 8th, Lucilles Old time gas station near Hydro, RT66 Museum in Clinton, pretty neat stuff if into "things" like that. Once in a lifetime thing I HAD to do.

 

[Don Frelier]

For the starting problem.
I'd check for good spark in the start position.
You sure it's not trying to start when you go to the run position?
Otherwise mark the distributor and try advancing it you can always go back to the mark.

Another thought and I've seen this:
Metering rods are too lean. I had mine quit after a 25 minute drive to work when trying leaner rods. Didn't want to start hot either. Cold it fired right up.
Maybe try backing off the idle mixture a full turn.
Just an idea.
Sorry but I'm a chronic problem solver can't turn it off.

 

[joe smith]

If you get way east, Fort Sumpter is pretty amazing

 

[HawkRod]

First: Thanks for all the suggestions. It is difficult to respond to them all, but we appreciate ALL of them. Thank you!

For the starting problem.
I'd check for good spark in the start position.
You sure it's not trying to start when you go to the run position?
Otherwise mark the distributor and try advancing it you can always go back to the mark.

Another thought and I've seen this:
Metering rods are too lean. I had mine quit after a 25 minute drive to work when trying leaner rods. Didn't want to start hot either. Cold it fired right up.
Maybe try backing off the idle mixture a full turn.
Just an idea.
Sorry but I'm a chronic problem solver can't turn it off.

Don, we like that you are a chronic problem solver! Definitely not a start circuit issue. We are running on the leaner side, so I could believe the metering rods are lean. I like the idea of giving the idle mixture screws a 1/2 turn.

To trip uodates:
Made some serious scrambled eggs this morning with bacon!

Then we meandered our way to the Cass Train Station. Unfortunately, it really wasn't open for the season, butwe drove some really small and winding roads to get there! With all the braking and accelerating, I think the Road Runner was down to gallons per mile!

We are now at lunch and on our way to New River Gorge Bridge. Then, who knows?

Thanks for all the suggestions and for following along on our little adventure!

We are generally heading towards Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee, so happy to keep entertaining suggestions!

 

[streetmachine]

Depending on which part of Kentucky you drive through I have some other suggestions. I suggest some other places to check out is the Big South Fork, Lake Cumberland, and Cumberland Falls. Tennessee is Smoky Mountain National Park if it's not too crowded and Cades Cove. Be safe, careful, and happy motoring.

 

[joe smith]

What are your plans when you start to smell a bit gamey???

 

[JoePole]

OK....it's a little out there but there is a Famous hot dog joint called Hillbilly Hot Dog over by Huntington WV. It's at the corner of WV/KY/OH. Pretty Funkified place. About 2 hours west of the NR Gorge Bridge. Happy Trails.
MoPar to ya.

 

[moparedtn]

Tennessee is Smoky Mountain National Park if it's not too crowded and Cades Cove. Be safe, careful, and happy motoring.

I'm afraid that right now those are UBER crowded. That's the most-visited national park in the country and right
now it's prime time for the whole Sevierville/Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg/GSMNP region.
They get over 10Million touristies through there every year!

For a nice contrast, if you're coming down through Middlesboro, KY @HawkRod , you'll be coming into gorgeous
country - and right into the Cumberland Gap National Park, which is pretty spectacular as well and a lot less
crowded.
(25E down through there, which sits in the actual Cumberland Gap into TN is where the settlers came through
to head through the Appalachians and then westward ho! Tell Davy Crockett I said "hey" - he'll know what ya
mean).