On the Road Again... Sort of

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Jugster
Posts: 161
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 6:41 pm
First Name: Bob
Last Name: Coiro
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1915 Touring
Location: Commack, NY
Board Member Since: 2009

On the Road Again... Sort of

Post by Jugster » Sun Jun 02, 2019 12:23 am

Three months after spine surgery #4, I'm still wearing a turtle-shell back brace and pushing a walker around the house, but had to drive the Flivver this week because it was due for its annual state inspection. Couldn't postpone it any later than May 31st.

Hang in there, this'll be about the Model T—honest.
So I injured my back at the beginning of last driving season, which meant I had filled the tank on the last day of the previous driving season and the car just sat and sat with the alcohol-infused gasoline getting stale. As it happened, I hadn't added any Stabil or Star-Tron to the fuel tank.

So yesterday, after the car had been just sitting in the garage for the better part of two years, I gave the timer a squirt of oil, climbed aboard, held the choke out and gave the starter button a jab. Darn thing fired right up and ran like silk, right off the bat. Unbelievable. These old Fords are just astonishingly reliable.

On the way to the service station, driving the car still felt like second nature, but with this latest addition to my already-existing stack of lumbar spine fusions, leaning forward to operate the parking brake lever was difficult. Made a mental note to order an extension from Lang's.

On the way home, I made a stop at the local strip-mall deli and as I was parking, the friendly proprietor came out to say "Hi." Had him climb aboard for a picture of him in front of his store-front. Next thing, a crowd started gathering from all over the parking lot and people were snapping pictures with their cell-phones. I had the funny hats and stick-on mustaches aboard, so everybody got a turn getting their picture taken behind the wheel. Felt good to be doing that stuff again. The rest of the drive home was punctuated by other drivers honking and giving me the thumbs-up and people waving—and boy, oh boy, driving that old car just makes me feel like a king.

Well, ol' Penelope got her inspection sticker, but she'll still have to hibernate in the garage a few more months while I finish recovering from the surgery, but in the meanwhile, it was good to give the old gal and myself a little road exercise. The E-brake handle-extension from Lang's is on two-week back order, but it'll arrive before I'm ready to drive the car again.

Be kind to your spine; don't lift things you shouldn't.
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Wayne Sheldon
Posts: 3639
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 3:13 pm
First Name: Wayne
Last Name: Sheldon
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1915 Runabout 1913 Speedster
Location: Grass Valley California, USA
Board Member Since: 2005

Re: On the Road Again... Sort of

Post by Wayne Sheldon » Sun Jun 02, 2019 3:32 am

Good to hear you are up, out, and about, even if it is only a limited amount. Yes, be kind to your spine!!!! Give it some time to heal, exercise enough to gain strength. And work back carefully. We want to see many more years of your spectators in funny hats!


Dallas Landers
Posts: 2786
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:26 pm
First Name: Dallas
Last Name: Landers
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 26 Rpu, 23 TT, 24 coupe,
Location: N.E. Indiana
MTFCA Number: 49995

Re: On the Road Again... Sort of

Post by Dallas Landers » Sun Jun 02, 2019 8:05 am

Sounds like a good day. Hope you heal fast and can be out more with less pain. My 2 or 3 week recovery from C 4-5-6 fusion seems short compaired to yours. Its the little things that meen the most sometimes. Thanks for the update and I look forward to your next.

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