Got out the Champ and with a neighbor headed from Fayetteville (NC) to Hampstead, down on the coast. Along the way decided to cross the Cape Fear River on a small, two car, ferry. It was beautiful. That is until the ferry got to the opposite side of the river and the Champ refused to start! Stuck on the ferry. The ferry opporator said this was no big deal that it happens a lot, but he did not have a vehicle to pull us off nor did he have any jumper cables (of course I forgot mine). Luckily a gentleman waiting to get on the ferry had some, gave me a jump and off we we went. About 15 miles or so later the truck started to buck and run terrible. Then I noticed I was out of gas. Couldn't be it was full when I left town. Of course the short of it was that the altenator was dead and we were running on battery. Gauges stopped working and the electric fuel pump was not getting enough juice to pump enough gas. Finally found a place to stop. A convience store that was closed. About that time the beast just quit. Thank the Lord for cell phones. After a few calls a couple of guys from the meet we were on their way to bring some help. In the mean time no fewer than five people stopped to see if they could help, including a guy who said he lived just down the road and could bring a trailer to tow us somewhere if we needed. He also said he could take us to a NAPA store to get a new alternator. People are basically good! Help arrived with a freshly charged battery. We put it on and drove the
30 miles to the meet. The host of the meet was fantastic! Larry Pack got out a multimeter and it was confirmed that the alternator was indeed dead. Next problem was that it is a small Mitsibishi unit. However, a fellow there from another car club, said that one from a '76 Ford Courier was almost identical and would cost significanly less. But no matter we would have to order one and it would take two days to get it. Okay, Larry got out his Crown Vic and we were on our way. No..not yet another chapter member said he had one at his house. So Larry gave us his Ford to return home. Then I would drive to get the new alternator and back down some time this week. All solved. No...not quite. Sunday pm a message came saying the guy with the alternator did not have one after all. Now time is getting a little pressed as I am supposed to leave town tomorrow (My son is getting married out of town.) and would be able to get back down to Hampstead for almost two weeks and I have Larry's Crown Vic. A call to Larry to explain resulted in a confirmation of how great Studebaker folks are. "I'll take the alternator to the shop and get another one and you just keep the car until you can bring it back. We really don't need it right now. Just drive it or let it sit it doesn't matter. Larry made arrangements for an alternator, he will pick it up and I'll be back in a week and a half to return his car and fixt the truck. Oh and finnally they put the truck under a shelter so the rain won't get to it! Studebaker folks are great people aren't they? Maybe this wasbn't so bad of a weekend after ahll. Joe Roberts- posted
17 years ago