[Lynn]

For those of you who only care about the car, you can skip this post. This is the adventure of going to get it.

Chapter 1 (Lynn is a moron).
Because we were picking up a car and a complete rolling chassis, that meant two trailers. I only have one, so rented one from Hertz. (On a side note, their car trailers are pretty slick, but I digress).
Almost did not get the rental trailer. Had to pick it up the night before. On the application, they wanted to know what I was towing it with, as they only approve vehicles they deem fit to tow a car hauler. I get it. I tell them a 2007 E350 with the tow package (which is true). I go by the rental place on Monday to inform the clerk that I will be picking it up with a different vehicle (my 68 El Camino) but will keep it in the shop overnight and hook it up to the Van the next morning. All true. No problem she says. But, she never asked what vehicle I was picking it up with. Get there Tues 30 min. before closing, and now the 68 El Camino is a huge problem. Of course the Hertz computer has no way to know that I boxed in the frame rails, added frame stiffeners, built a massive hidden trailer hitch, installed cargo coils and air shocks. I have towed 9k pounds with this set up without issues. She says there is no way Hertz will let me leave with the trailer hooked to an El Camino. The Van was an hour away. I only live 1.5 miles away. After weeping and gnashing of teeth (figuratively) she agrees to let me take it home if I promise to take a photo of it hooked to the Van the next morning. First crisis averted.
Chapter 2 (Lynn is a bigger moron).
We leave at 5:16 a.m. Wed. morning. Checking out the El Camino the night before (nothing like waiting to the last minute) I notice a significant oil leak from the front cover. A few weeks ago, I had a balancer start wobbling. I replaced it with a brand new one, but did not replace the front seal. Crap. No time to mess with it, just take a gallon of oil with me, right? Not a bad plan. So, we take off and go about 150 miles before stopping for gas and to check things out. I notice lots of oil all over the pass side of the engine bay. Took two quarts. Hmm, off to Walmart for some more oil just to make certain I don’t run out. Second stop in another couple hundred miles, and I notice my temp light (doesn’t have a gauge, just a Lynn light) comes on just as I pull to a stop. Check the upper hose, and it is still pressurized, but do notice antifreeze in the area of the cap. Let it cool down and it is WAY low on coolant. Crap. Luckily, we are about 200 yds from a Walmart, so I go buy antifreeze. Took the whole gallon. It couldn’t be that $99 dollar Chinese plastic and aluminum radiator, could it? Yeah, it could. Limp the rest of the way to Union, Missouri.

Chapter 3 (This one isn’t my fault).
Get to where the car is, and there is 6 inches of snow still on the ground from the prior weekend 8 inch dump. The car and the chassis are both way around in the back. I try backing the trailer around the corner (btw, the six inches of snow is on top of soggy grass, not pavement) but there is no freaking way. I had to work just to get back out front onto the dry pavement. Seller uses a skid steer to push the chassis around and we push it up onto my car hauler. That leaves the car. It starts but won’t go into gear. Flywheel is frozen to the clutch plate (or maybe the clutch plate is frozen to the flywheel… whatever). I said: “when did you take the pictures of the car outside?” Answer: “last summer.” Well, it shouldn’t be that stuck, right? Sure enough, we hook a chain to it, and he pulls it with the skid steer while I am in the car with the clutch pedal depressed, and it pops loose. However, now I have to drive the car through the six inch snow/bog around the building to the pavement. After unintentionally drifting a bit off course, I get it lined up and head up the ramps. Brake pedal (which had some resistance in the shop) goes to the floor: oh chit. Yank the hand brake just in time and it comes to rest right where it belongs. Don’t know if I am lucky or good. Just glad to get the over with. Look at the coolant on the El Camino, and it is low again. Funny, until this trip, I have never added coolant to this car. Oh well, just means we need to stop every 150 miles and add oil and coolant. Almost feels like being in high school again. Every one of you guys, except maybe those who grew up wealthy, has driven a vehicle like that.
Chapter 4 (euphoria, despair, euphoria)
This part is the most bizarre. Of course, I was really excited to get a 70 LT-1 with the original engine, etc. Feeling really good driving home. We decide to stop for dinner in Springfield, which is about half way home. Stop at a Hardee’s. I am not a fast food guy, but what the hell. Because we are both pulling trailers, we park on opposite sides of the restaurant. We were in there about 25 minutes. I walk out, and the chassis is GONE from the trailer. The ramps were not even removed, so some scum bag thieves just bounced it down from the dove tail. My brother has no ideal what just happened. Being on the opposite side, he started back to I44. I call him and tell him to come right back, because someone stole the chassis. He can’t believe it. Instead of coming right back, he starts driving around the neighborhood hoping to see something. I then immediately call 911, and like a blithering idiot, tell the dispatcher that the chassis I just bought was stolen off the trailer at a Hardee’s, and I don’t even know what street I am on. He asks about surrounding restaurants, and figures out where I am. THEN, he says, “well, this is kind of strange, but we just got a call about a chassis that just went off the road down by the interstate. I call my brother back, and tell him where to go look. Sure enough, they had tried towing it with one of the ratchet straps. Apparently the front wheels didn’t stay straight and it got away from them. I had visions of finding it planted into the side of a car. Brother calls me back. He found it off the on ramp sitting in the grass. Even better, he says there is room for me to pull down there and we can load it up. Wow. Winch it back up on the trailer and secure it with ratchet straps and we are back on the road. It was stolen and recovered all within about one hour’s time. I can’t believe the idiots tried towing it with a ratchet strap. The strap was still tied to the sway bar.
I normally sit in a food place like that where I can see my car and trailer. I was more worried about someone breaking in the car and stealing the whole shooting match. Should of done so this time. My brother says that he saw a guy and a gal just standing by the door, but ordering food. They were probably the lookouts. Still hard to believe. My brother asked if it were possible that the chassis just came loose and rolled off the trailer, then headed down the ramp. I told him it might have been possible, except he was behind me!!! Pretty sure he would have noticed. Besides, after parking, I remember thinking about cinching up the front straps, but decided to wait until after I ate, so I could put some gloves on…. so I KNOW it was on the trailer when I went into the restaurant.