Saturday, January 24, 2015

Monday, June 30, 2014

Years in the making... Part one of my three-part story on the restoration of Nelson Bates' 1940 Packard One-Twenty is in the July issue of Auto Restorer (available by subscription only)...

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Day 14 - 47th PAC National Meet Williamsburg, VA

9-24-2012

"Quite a trip if I do say so myself. 1326 Miles to Williamsburg Va.  200 or so while in Williamsburg, 1352 miles home for a total of 2878.  Pretty good trip for two old people and a 1925 Packard to  The National Meet for Packard Automobile Classics the trip to Williamsburg was something else.  We had a strong head wind every foot of the way, when was the last time we had 4 days of wind out of the east? I told everyone that it would be out of the West when we started home but it was not to be.  We had no wind on Saturday, a little head wind on Sunday and a tail wind on Monday!!  I asked my wife to look at the map, maybe we were going the wrong way.  The car was running so good, tail wind and all we drove 532 miles on Monday and ;made it all the way home.  We did have to use the lights since we used 30 min. of daylight changing an electronic ignition part that quit near Shreveport.  Long day but we could not justify staying the night close to home.With the overdrive we were getting about 12 MPG on the highway which we considered good. That justified my combined 18 MPG that I claim,(8 in town, 10 on the road)  Had a lot of questions from interested people on the way, most asked other than year and make was 1.) tires, 2.) gas mileage and 3.) "is it a kit car?"  I would almost snarl at that.  The meet itself was great, good touring even if it did rain after lunch on Tuesday, the day we toured plantations.  Other than that we never had bad weather, cool mornings, warm not hot afternoons.  Lots to eat, about 60  beautiful cars, lots of new friends.  The hotel was great, on banquet evening after I cleaned up and started to get dressed I discovered that I did not have a tie, called the desk to see if they had one that had been left previously, no they didn't.  What color did I need, blue, ten minutes later they called me with a blue tie.  The lady in charge of the front desk bought one, a very nice one, just for me. We had a very knowledgeable historian speak to us at the banquet.  The hardships that the pilgrims faced at Jamestown and Yorktown it is amazing that we have America and the events around Richmond and the peninsula campaign  during the civil war it is surprising that we have the United States. All in all it was a good trip, a few inconveniences, nothing that we could not handle with the parts and tools we had. I do expect this to be our last long trip, We have two short ones planned for October though."
David Stewart


Monday, September 24, 2012

Day 13 - 47th PAC National Meet Williamsburg, VA

9-23-2012

Great day today. 450 miles!
If we hadn't had a head wind all afternoon would probably made it home. We are in Montgomery Al. Car running great.
David Stewart

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Day 12 - 47th PAC National Meet Williamsburg, VA

9-22-2012
Received the "Tom Fetch" award last night at the banquet and today we are back on the Jamestown ferry crossing the James river. Made 325 miles today to central South Carolina and we are on schedule for arrival in Longview, Texas on the 25th if all goes well.
David Stewart


Friday, September 21, 2012

Day 11 - 47th PAC National Meet Williamsburg, VA

9-21-2012

The last day in Williamsburg, VA at the national meet.
correction:
Actually we were at "Historic Williamsburg " not old Williamsburg.
Tonight is the banquet and we are expecting to get the coveted "Tom Fetch" award.




David & Peggy Stewart sitting in the 25