Last Friday Frank made it to Phoenix in the Jimmy without incident. We were both amazed considering its track record (caught fire on the way to Laughlin, leaked anti-freeze on the way to Calico, etc). Although, it was a long 6+ hour ride for Frank, the A/C wasn’t working, the truck doesn’t go over 65mph and it gets about 10mpg.
Frank and Shane got started on the modifications Saturday morning. They worked on the truck from 5am to midnight each day through Tuesday. When I talked to Frank on Monday he said as long as the rims they had special order arrived on Tuesday he’d make it back home late Tuesday evening as planned, and wouldn’t need the flight I booked for him a few weeks back (thinking they might not finish before he had to be back to work).
Tuesday all the parts they needed arrived. They got everything installed and took the truck to a repair shop because it started leaking trans fluid shortly after Frank arrived on Friday. The transmission itself looked good, only a seal needed to be repaired. That was done and they went back to Shane’s. There was one last alteration that needed, since they had time, they decided to go ahead and get it done. It turned into a bigger project than they originally thought. Frank decided that he’d stay Tuesday night get a goodnight’s rest and hit the road at 5am and head into work late.
He left before sun up as planned, all was going well until he was about 5 miles outside Wikieup, AZ. The Jimmy was leaking trans fluid again. He pulled over and called me while I was in the hospital waiting to get my blood taken. I told him to try to get to Wikieup and find a repair shop there, and that I’d come get him if needed. He called me when he got to town, but there was no place open to help him. He was able to get the number for a tow at the Shell. It cost $250 for the ride to Kingman. Luckily, there was a transmission shop there that could get the truck fixed that day. Again, the transmission looked fine, they determined that the trans was overheating. They believed that the combination of the modifications, heat, and mountains were putting to much strain on it. They put an external cooler on the trans, an hour and $200 later, Frank was back on the road. I was relieved. By this time Frank called off work, and he planned to spend the rest of the day in the pool, resting his sore and tired body.
He was about 45 miles from the Hoover Dam when the trans began to overheat once again. He called to update me, I suggested he go slow and try to get as close to home as possible, because the tow would surely cost less. He proceeded slowly, getting about 8mpg now, at least the air works. I didn’t hear from him for a couple hours so I thought he finally made it.
He came close, he called again from the side of the 215 just shy of the Tropicana exit, a couple short miles from home, and less than a mile from our repair shop. Figures, right? He was a bit shaken up, he was cruising along, until he smelled gas, and his gauge dropped from half a tank to empty. He pulled over, jumped out and ran away, anticipating it to blow. Fortunately, it did not. We assessed the situation, while letting the truck cool down. I asked if any fluids were leaking or if he still smelled gas, both were negative. So, we felt circumstances were safe enough for him to push it the last mile to the repair shop.
Luckily, he made it in one piece. And so did the Jimmy. The shop owner gave Frank a ride home. He was beat and disgusted. After the long hours, hard work, blood and sweat that went into fixing the Jimmy, it found itself back into the repair shop. I felt for him I really did. I came home from work to find him sleeping in the pool. It was nice to have him back home, I missed him. I can’t wait to see all the work they did, once the Jimmy makes it back home. We’re also stoked to get the beast out to the desert to see all that it can do.
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