THE STEERING COLUMN

On our last "Steering Column" post, I want to give those of you have never driven a "brass era" car an idea of what it is like to drive one.

I'll start first with the "sounds" of motoring:

Going down the road at 35 mph, which may seem like 50, you will hear the slight flapping sound of the canvas top.  There will be a droning sound of the transaxle that will change pitch at different speeds. From the engine you will hear a little clicking from the valves moving up and down, maybe a little rattling of the timing gears. When accelerating at certain speeds, you will hear a slight "hissing" sound from the carburetor as it sucks in air to be mixed with the fuel.  The driver is always tuned in to all mechanical sounds, always listening for any kind of noise that is out of the ordinary.  Certain noises can be a sign of trouble and heading off a potential mechanical failure is important.  There were countless horns blown all along our travels as people saluted us.  It was their way of saying, "I like your car".

The "feel of motoring:

There is often a slight "wandering" of the car caused by uneven roads and cross winds.  The tires and wheels are not 100% perfectly round so at times you will feel a slight bumping.  You will feel the wind rushing by as the sides are open.  Sometimes the wind is cold and raw, sometimes it is soft and cool.  It is a smooth ride on smooth roads, slightly bumpy on bumpy roads and when you cross rough railroad tracks everything shakes.  You can occasionally feel sunshine on your shoulder or rain on your shoulder.

The "smells" of motoring:

Maybe you never thought about motoring having smells, but there certainly are in an open car.  Before hand cranking the engine, the fuel level in the carburetor must be elevated by holding the float down causing the fuel to spill over slightly and drip on the ground.  You will get a "whiff" of gasoline.  When going down a long mountain hill and brakes are over used, you'll smell a burning smell which is the overheated brake lining.  That will be your cue to pull over and let things cool down.  And then there are "nature" smells - freshly mown grass, blooming honeysuckle and the tang of a ocean breeze, a dusty road, sagebrush, juniper, BBQ cookouts, and a few unpleasant smells like skunks, feedlots and the spreading of fertilizer.

The "sights" of motoring:

Traveling slowly in an open car, you are much more aware of all things around you. Passing through towns you will see people's smiles and waves and thumbs up. Often kids will motion for you to blow your horn.  The world looks friendlier in an open car. It is gentler and more peaceful, people are friendlier.  You see the red line of the motormeter (thermometer) rising as you go up a hill.  You will notice all the little things along the road that you just never saw notice in a modern car, like brilliant blue of a small flower, the scurry of a chipmunk into the grass, the stuff in people's back yards.  We had two police vehicles pass us, turn on their lights and give us a "thumbs up".   

Thank You:

So many people have helped us along the way by suggesting car-friendly routes that we should take or helping us with mechanical issues or advising us of places to visit and things to see.  We are most grateful to all of you.  You have certainly made our trip easier and more fun.  

I want to give a special thanks to my wife, for being my biggest fan and greatest supporter and for being a first class navigator.  No, we never got tired of each other. Our traveling through life in all forms has simply brought us closer together. There has been also a special person who has been our greatest encourager, supporter and sounding board, advisor, commiserator and friend.  When we were 300 miles from home and experiencing engine trouble and things looked uncertain, he said he could have his engine out of his E-M-F in 3 hours and be to us in 7 hours if we needed him. He also said in his gentle and encouraging way, "Dammitt boy, you are going to finish under your own power and I am going to wave the checkered flag when you come in", and he waved the checkered flag as promised with a huge smile on his face and looked so proud.  It is truly a blessing to be able to call Clay Green a friend.

This is our last post for this trip.  

.......THAT'S ALL PART OF MOTORING.........

We are Joe and Betty Swann.

Goodnight.