First I'd like to thank Jon , Jon's Family and all involved for hosting the
summer DML BBQ. I'm sorry I missed Barry and others due my late arrival
Sat. nite, It was great to see friends once again and put faces to names on
the Email.
I would like to praise Tom for his perseverence, stength of will and and
courage in all that he overcame in getting Christine to the BBQ!
Christine must like Jon's place' as it appears that she doesn't want to
leave yet.!
THANK GOD Christine had mechanical windows, as Tom could not overcome the
force of the water, as the truck was rapidly sinking and had to exit through
the drivers window and make it to the surface at the top of his light bar.
Thanks to all who recoverd Tom and Christine!
In spite of this traumatization Tom was in good spirits at the Sat nite
campfire as we watched Jon do magic tricks with fire.
Perhaps some of us may have time to make Christine serviceable again for
Tom?
My condolences to Norah and Jason on the bereavement of their Dog this
weekend.
Jim Knox. 91 Dakota Sport Package 4x4, 318 premag. original owner
Toronto (Mississauga), Ontario. Canada
--- Original Message -----
From: <SilverEightynine@earthlink.net>
To: <dakota-truck-moderator@bent.twistedbits.net>
Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2003 7:21 PM
Subject: DML: The Aftermath of the 2003 DML BBQ.
>
> Well here is the story. I'm still at Jon's now. Mike and Jon helped me
get
> the fuel pump in. We pulled the bed off and raised it with Jon's lift.
The
> engine runs good - - does not idle well but it runs. However there is
something
> wrong with the transmission. The truck has no power at all. It stalls out
and
> could barely crawl up Jons driveway and up on the road. I got only a
couple
> miles before I realized I was not going to make it home with the truck. I
went
> to turn around and found myself stuck across the two lane highway when I
was
> trying to back up. The truck had no power and couldnt reverse - I nearly
got
> t-boned. I had to rev up the engine and dump it in reverse and barely got
> back. I have a plane ticket reserved for tomarrow. I couldn't get a
rental
> car.. THose that had them avalible would have ended up costing me almost
as
> much as the flight home. I'm going to have to leave Christine here and
recover
> it at a later date. For those who do not know - - here is the
> story of what happened. I was set to leave my house Tuesday night and
> drive to chicago. I was very behind schedual with the engine install and
> rebuild so I ended up leaving Wed morning. I had much difficulty getting
here.
> In Janseville WI, just north of the Il border... the throttlebody linkage
gave
> out. I had to buy a new set of return springs and fix that. Back on the
road
> - I made it to the Marengo toll booth - - about an hour north of Chciago -
when
> the battery died. The alternator was not charging. I got out on the side
of
> the road and fixed the problem. The harness was not contacting the alt
well
> enough. I got a jump start from a tow truck and was back on the road. Not
> long after - maybe 30 mins... the truck just died in traffic. I pulled
over to
> the left and in the middle of I-90 - I changed the ignition coil. That
seemed
> to work as the truck fired right up. I got 50 feet down the road and had
just
> pulled back into the left lane of traffic - when it died again. It turned
out
> to be a bad engine ground. I got out under the hood again and fixed that.
> After that I had no trouble with the truck. I stopped a few miles east of
> Cleveland OH and got a motel room for the night. Thurs afternoon I
arrived at
> the barn around 12 pm. The rest of the day was spent intalling tow hooks.
it
> turns out that all the new tow hooks ended up getting used. At 3 am -
when we
> were all done... with a little verbal sparring... mike and I went down to
the
> pit for a fast night run. I wanted to try out my new KC long range
offroad
> lights. We get down to the pit - which is full of water - more than it
ever
> had been. I manage to cut across its outer edge and churn out eventually.
I
> tell barry (who had joined us a few moments before) and Mike that I didnt
want
> to push my luck - and wanted to head back to the barn and go to bed. What
was
> to happen next would break all DML records for vehicular componan carnage.
> There are two ponds along the road that goes aside the air strip. One is
large
> and easy to see. The 2nd is smaller and at the top of a hill. From the
bottom
> of the hill even in total daylight - the water is not visible at all.
Being
> not completly familar with the grounds around Jon's property - I headed
> straight for a clearing that lead to the concrete slab at the top of the
hill
> by the barn, unknowing that a body of water stood directly between me and
the
> clearing. I plundged directly into the water. Long story short... Jon,
Mike,
> Barry, and Adam assisted in the recovery. Ed eventually came out to see
what
> all the comotion was, after Jon backed his Ram into Adam's Jeep Cherokee.
Mike
> dove in the water and attatched the straps to my newly installed rear tow
> hooks. ALl day friday and saturday AM was spent trying to get Christine
> running again. Barry motivated me to do it - - he helped bring my spirits
back
> up. ANd with help from everyone here - I was able to get her running
again
> long enough to get in some wheeling. THe fuel pump gave out lastngiht
> apperntly - we replaced it today - but the truck still is not able to make
it.
> I owe everyone a very big thank you. I will be forever grateful to these
guys
> for everything they did for me. Especially Mike, Barry, Jon and Adam.
This DML
> BBQ probably saw the most heartache and disaster than any other priot DML
> event. However it also brought everyone together and showed how much
everyone
> cares about one another. Lets hope next year is a better year for us all.
>
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