Disaster Averted, But The Day Turned Out OK

[rsavage]

Yesterday morning, I gassed up my newly completed Blazer and headed for a car show about 20 miles away in the City of Buffalo. I got about 3 miles and the truck started to stumble. I thought "bad gas"? I immediately did a U turn and the truck died. I coasted to the shoulder and was just about to try to restart when I saw smoke from under the hood. Jumped out, popped the hood and saw that my alternator light harness was melting. Yanked the battery cable off and called for a tow back home. While I was waiting, I looked for a cause. It was easy to find. The alternator harness had enough slack in it that it was able to sag enough to just barely contact the exhaust manifold. I am so pi$$ed at the idiot who installed the harness during the build that he didn't notice that this was a possibility (the idiot would be me). Anyway, got it home and removed the harness. I was concerned about other damage but I think I lucked out. Went inside and ordered a new alternator/front light harness. I was disappointed about not getting to the show, but VERY, VERY thankful the damage was minimal. Got to thinking that I still had time to go, so I uncovered the 70 shortbed, transferred my cooler and stuff from the Blazer and took off once again. Gassed up in the same place as I had about two hours earlier and made the show. On the way, I got to thinking that I hadn't really run the Shortbed since last fall except for a couple of start-ups during the winter. I hoped I didn't have any more problems and I didn't. She made it without incident. In any event, I took second place in stock trucks and had a real nice rest of the day looking at 400+ cars and trucks in a park setting. As a side note, I really think that folks who put these car shows together need to break down truck classes a little more. This show had two classes - Stock Commercial and Modified Commercial. There were lots of nice trucks from the 30's to the present. Of course, my camera was on the passenger bucket of the Blazer.

[Palf70Step]

Glad things didn't turn out worse for the Blazer and glad you were able to enjoy the show.

[sir_talk_alot]

dang, thats one of those moments when you just feel sick that you over looked something. i did that on a quad one time, i was supposed to go to a race the next day. i had pulled the battery out to charge, put it back in and forgot to bolt down the top cover, on this quad its under the rear fender. went out on a test ride, battery jumped out, and snapped the solenoid right in half and ripped all the wiring out. made me sick cuz i couldnt race.....and i missed the race.

[shawno72]

Did you take any pics of the ordeal? Glad it all worked out and I sometimes work with the same idiot
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[rsavage]

No photos were taken. Once I determined the cause of the meltdown, I sat in the Blazer watching in my rear view mirror for the 45 minutes I waited for AAA. I was worried someone was going to side swipe me. I was on a 4 lane highway, on the paved shoulder but my left side was just about even with the white line marking the edge of the driving lane. Of course I had no power for 4 ways.

[72 Super]

Glad you got the blazer back home safe! Thank goodness it wasn't worse. That is what I always try and tell myself too!

Ray

[VA72C10]

although we need some pictures of both vehicles in this thread when you get a chance

[mr48chev]

Glad to hear that the problem was minimal and easily repairable. It sounds like the shortie had a great day when it thought it was going to be stuck in the garage waiting for the Blazer to tell it about it's big day.

[rsavage]

I'll take a pic of the harness tomorrow. It is laying on my garage floor. Every time I see and smell it I want to kick myself in the posterior. There are lots of Blazer pics on my link but here's one of it and one of the shorty with her new teeth (grille).







By the way Jonathon, the shorty has the tach/vac dash I bought from you in it.

[special-K]

Nice trucks! They don't always pass the shakedown run,but they are all the more of a pleasure once everything is squared away.

[70cst]

Originally Posted by special-K

Nice trucks! They don't always pass the shakedown run,but they are all the more of a pleasure once everything is squared away.

[PAWS 72]

Thank goodness you didn't lose a $25,000 Blazer.I know that idiot too.

[sir_talk_alot]

wow, those are great looking trucks.