Huntington Beach Cruise In and trip home

[Bob-STL]

We picked up the coupe at Jeff Millers. Then we spent a day and half working primarily to lengthen the passenger footbox and insulate.

Then off to HB for a tour at Hillborn and a ride up the coast. The following is a . Upic from Aliso and Canyon park. Great view!

http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag149/daytonacarpic/170428_0008_zpszqvsjtyn.jpg (http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/daytonacarpic/media/170428_0008_zpszqvsjtyn.jpg.html)

Dave Hodgkins BBQ was fantastic. Dave, thank you for your hospitality and for your son guiding us around HB

Sat AM..Up early and head from Temecula back to the HB Cruise.

The Factory Five Huntington Beach Cruise In was amazing!


http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag149/daytonacarpic/DSC05315_zpsmmywglyo.jpg (http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/daytonacarpic/media/DSC05315_zpsmmywglyo.jpg.html)
We are now discussing how to get back there again.

Cobrakai kept watch over the coupes while I wandered...

http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag149/daytonacarpic/170429_0003_zpsp00jdk9u.jpg (http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/daytonacarpic/media/170429_0003_zpsp00jdk9u.jpg.html)

These roadsters made a great presentation of the Post Office.

http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag149/daytonacarpic/DSC05327_zpskcqbqmc8.jpg (http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/daytonacarpic/media/DSC05327_zpskcqbqmc8.jpg.html)

My favorite plate:

http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag149/daytonacarpic/170429_0028_zpshjbecriq.jpg (http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/daytonacarpic/media/170429_0028_zpshjbecriq.jpg.html)

"Coupes are for girls, too" This young lady will probably be driving her husbands Gen 3 in two years.

http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag149/daytonacarpic/DSC05330_zpscxcw75lg.jpg (http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/daytonacarpic/media/DSC05330_zpscxcw75lg.jpg.html)

[Bob-STL]

After the Cruise In, a group gathered for a beer and dinner on Main Street to watch the traffic and engage in some lively discussion. Here Karen and David are emphasizing a technical point in the conversation.

http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag149/daytonacarpic/170429_0035%20-%20Copy_zpsp0ar3drx.jpg (http://s1303.photobucket.com/uier/daytonacarpic/media/170429_0035%20-%20Copy_zpsp0ar3drx.jpg.html)

The next day, we headed out from Temecula to St. Louis. Mike Moen had previously sent me the travel package pictured below in order that I wouldn't have to make so many pit stops. I chose instead to decaffeinate myself and Mark restricted me to one coffee a day.

http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag149/daytonacarpic/170424_0000_zpsholcgrdb.jpg (http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/daytonacarpic/media/170424_0000_zpsholcgrdb.jpg.html)

The trip from Temecula to St Louis was 1832 miles. Used 89.4 gal of fuel. So, 20.49 miles per gallon. The first 150 miles Mark was tuning the EFI as I drove. At one point, I could feel the car surge with one of his adjustments.

We had some tail wagging in the steering as well as some aluminum drooping from the radiator shrouding. Stopped to fix that.

http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag149/daytonacarpic/trip3_zpssl762kjo.png (http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/daytonacarpic/media/trip3_zpssl762kjo.png.html)

Amazing thing. Needed to tighten rear nut on wheel bearing. Guy came by , asked what we were doing, he went home, got us a jack, sockets, cardboard, and a towel. He said "keep the jack, everyone needs a jack when they are on the road".

Ultimately, got back on the road and headed to Phoenix. From Phoenix , took Hwy 87 and 260 to Holcomb. What a beautiful drive.

[Bob-STL]

Here is a pic of the AZ hwy portion.

http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag149/daytonacarpic/DSC05340_zpsfhfajqau.jpg (http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/daytonacarpic/media/DSC05340_zpsfhfajqau.jpg.html)

Got behind schedule and I had to threaten Dougherty because I was determined to get to Tucumcari NM. (We did at 2 AM)

http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag149/daytonacarpic/trip2_zpsxvsmnlfp.png (http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/daytonacarpic/media/trip2_zpsxvsmnlfp.png.html)

Sometime the next day, we hit the Cadillac Ranch outside Amarillo TX. Here are the Blues Bros at Cadillac.

http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag149/daytonacarpic/DSC05353_zps3z1gwrqz.jpg (http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/daytonacarpic/media/DSC05353_zps3z1gwrqz.jpg.html)

Ultimately, made it to Springfield MO. Mike Moen had us stop at his house, put the coupe on his lift, realigned the rear end, tightened the shocks, fed us dinner and put us up for the night. Mike, buddy, thank you immensely. We owe you big time.

Here are the two coupes in Springfield.

http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag149/daytonacarpic/DSC05356_zpsfbgukzyg.jpg (http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/daytonacarpic/media/DSC05356_zpsfbgukzyg.jpg.html)

After this final adjustment, the car ran straight as an arrow(1/2 mile at 85 with no hands). Only thing left is to rebalance the tires.

Rerouted ourselves through Missouri because of the flooding on the Interstates. So, got to STL at noon the next day.

All in all, it was a great trip! :smile2:

[GoDadGo]

Thanks For Posting These Trip Pics!

I'm sure everyone is enjoying them as much as I have.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Looks fantastic Bob---good color choice ;) Thanks for the report as well as the real time updates from you and Mark via text and FB along the way! Are we gonna' see you at the London Show in June?

Jeff

[RoadRacer]

Amazing thing. Needed to tighten rear nut on wheel bearing. Guy came by , asked what we were doing, he went home, got us a jack, sockets, cardboard, and a towel. He said "keep the jack, everyone needs a jack when they are on the road".


Love this. Lots of good people out there!

[MPTech]

Cool Road Trip Bob & Mark!
Can't wait to see the coupe up close, looks great!

[Garry Bopp]

Thanks for sharing the road trip adventure! Glad you didn't need to use the "porta potty"! Seriously, though, only thing better than a road trip in a coupe ... is a road trip in a coupe with Mark Dougherty as a copilot!

Garry

[Mark Dougherty]

Bob Hassett
thanks for the opportunity to do yet another great drive across this great country. It is always fun to get together with you and your family. FFR cars are made by us to be driven.
I am glad you are not one of those people who gets hung up on the it may get scratched thing. Drive the wheels off it and then restore it 20 years from now.

Jeff Miller
Thanks for knocking another great paint job out of the park, and letting us us the assembly shop for a couple days. I really enjoyed dinner with your family.
I really look forward to us getting together every opportunity we have.

Dave Hodkins
what can I say you rock bud opening your house to all these car guys and putting on a great BBQ thank you.

Mike Moen
Thanks for putting us up over night and letting us use the lift, the tools, the beer, and helping to plan our alt route home to ST.louis. Tell Cheryl I gave Wanda the Dog rescue info.

Dave Smith
&
All of FFR
That show was to much fun. So many great people to catch up with. all those great cars to see. That wonderful weather.
I hope I helped sell a couple cars for ya.

Mark Stackler and I are talking about driving our cars out Jeffs this Fall and Getting them painted.
then pick them up for the Huntington Beach show next year and drive them back.

Garry lets get on it Order that coupe kit so we can do the same Road trip together.

[ehansen007]

What a great adventure. Thanks for sharing and great meeting you!

[Al_C]

This was great! I loved the road trip photos. My goal is to take my roadster to the west coast, too. Just need to finish it!

[David Hodgkins]

Bob andMark,

What a fantastic adventure! I REALLY want to do a cross-country drive in my FFR someday! You guys made it seem like it was a trip not to miss!

I'm glad y'all had a good time at the BBQ. Make sure to tell all those easties what they missed!

:)