The Road Less Taken: A View From the Road in a 1938 Chevy Truck

Well things got off to a rough start — had a bit of difficulty taking the hills — luckily I travel with a timing light, spare condenser and points.

Last week I had installed a new distributor but dint quite take care of the timing. So after struggling up the hills in this old 38 pickup, I pulled off at a rest area and found a quite place and broke out the timing light.

3 degrees off of tap dead center.

Hitting the road again it roared to life — and took those hills pulling the teardrop with no problem. Whew.

A slight electrical problem a few hours later took me off the road again. the generator was not charging the battery. I was slowly drawing power. After checking all wires and connections I found that the belt was a little loose.

Apparently a bolt at at the bottom of the generator had come loose and fallen out somewhere along the road. After carefully driving another 15 miles I pull off at a Truck Stop of America – TSA and headed for the garage service area.

Pulling in with a 38 pickup is an advantage — every mechanic there wanted to come check it out and gave their opinion as to what to do. One gentleman came back with the needed bolt and sent me on my way. No charge just a smile.

Later that night I managed to make it to Girad Ohio. I stretched out in the camper and got needed sleep.

A few hours into the second day and stopping off for gas – I hear a hiss from my front passenger side tire. A local gentleman – checking out my truck and camper suggested I stop off at his brothers place off the next exit — and instantly dialed away on his cell phone to his brother, explained the situation, and told him to expect me.

The slow leak in the tire would last with a shot of air. I thanked him and assured him that I would make it there but he was determined and followed me to make sure that I made it without incident.

Sure enough they were waiting for me.

Within 5 minutes he had my car jacked up the wheel off the tire off and the tube out. He patched the tube and put the tire back on the rim being careful not to scratch or scrape my painted wheel.

He put the tire back on the truck and then amazingly cleaned my whitewall to a fine bright white. We stood back and admired the tire till he looked at the others — “oh – now they don’t match” – so he proceeded to clean all the other white walls just as bright. “There” he says “now they all look fine – gotta have WHITE whitewalls”

I was floored when he handed me the bill. For the ultimate courtesy and amazing service he charged me a total of only $15 dollars. I said “you have got to be kidding – All that and you are only charging me $15?” He said that is was a pleasure to be of help – and told me about a similar truck his father had. We talked for a while and he sent me on my way.

I arrived this evening in Ann Arbor this evening without further incident and promptly gave my truck a much earned bath at a local do-it-yourself car wash.

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