New Addition

[MikeIIDC@domain.elided]

Okay, the search is over!  I have another old style Travelall!!!
Whooohoooo!  I just bought tonight the '64 4X4 that was advertised on
the BB ads this week.  Good story behind it, though-
I saw the ad, but it had no address (e-mail or otherwise), phone number,
or name, but simply said "Grass Valley, CA." and had the advertisers
initials.  Well, Grass Valley is about 140 miles from here, and is a
fairly small town.  I know that those of us that like these vehicles are
fanatical about them, and I know that several have slipped through my
fingers.  The ad went in on Tuesday, and I posted a "Please contact me"
ad that day.  I waited.  A friend has one of those phone book programs,
so we went through and dug up every name with those intials and I
called-no luck!  We tried an e-mail of Grass Valley search, and came up
with two more names that had those initials, called them, no luck!  I
got up Wednesday morning and checked the ads-no new post from him!  By
about 1:00 PM on Wednesday, there was another ad asking for info.  Oh,
no!  I might lose this one too!
I skipped out of school, hopped in my poorly accelerating but rusty and
trusty Scout (which actually had the left rocker panel fall off going
down the highway on Tuesday evening), and headed for Grass Valley.  I
called my boss (also my best friend who is car-crazy and understands my
affliction), and he started checking the internet for me about every
half hour.  I took a ton of quarters (had a recent phone company dispute
and have cancelled my long distance carrier for now-no calling card),
and hit the road!  I stopped to check my messages periodically, and
called my boss.  He was checking the ads and checking my e-mail (waiting
for word from the advertiser).  He also was scanning every little corner
of the web for another ad.  He would find a new phone number and I would
call it-no luck.
Well, I thought that Grass Valley was a town of about 1000 people.  My
boss thought it was about 5000.  Turns out it was about 10,000.  This
makes it harder (by about ten times) to run around town hoping that
someone knows the guy with the initials EAW that is trying to sell an
old IH Travelall ("A what?!?" was the common response, even up there!).
I hit about twenty garages, seven parts stores, three bars (poor me!)
and five gas stations.  Noone had any idea.  Some people were
recommended that were IH fans.  I called-no luck!  Noone knew!  Finally,
at about 10:00 PM I gave up and drove back home.  I got home around
12:20, and was tired!!!  Right to sleep!
I knew if I heard from the guy I could go up Thursday night, or
Saturday, but if he reposted an ad on Friday, I was screwed!  I went to
school this morning, leaving my phone on when I went into class instead
of turning it off as usual.  After the second hour of class, during our
twenty minute break, the phone rang.  I was over flirting around with
someone (I think "annoying" her is probably more the truth, but that's
not important!), and by the time I got to it it was too late!  I
flipped!  I was expecting a call from either this guy or my old
girlfriend (another even longer story), and couldn't believe I had
missed either.  I made sure the phone was sitting out and went back to
talk to someone and it rang again.  I got it in time, and it was him!  I
think I was even more excited than if it had been my old girlfriend
calling to tell me that she was all wrong and I was actually the
greatest guy on earth!  I got directions, sat through one hour of class,
then left ( I think my afternoon classes were cancelled today, but I
will find out tomorrow for sure!)  I drove up, found it, and it is
solid.  Not even vaguely pretty, but solid.  It is a '64 1100, 4X4, with
tailgate/electric window, factory air (not currently working, but I bet
I can fix it!), and all of the curved windows intact!  The two rear door
windows are broken, bt that is easy!  It has all of the chrome except
for one of the script words "Travelall" is broken and reads only
"Trave."  It has original hub caps, though someone has painted them
black.  The door locks actually work with the keys!  No cracks in the
dash pad.  The seats are mildewed, but not torn at all.
Anyway, overall, the body is very solid.  It started right up and ran
pretty well.  Clutch is either going or needs adjustment, but the one in
my other T'all is good and I will see if they swap or not.
The biggest problem is a little rust on the tailgate-a perennial problem
with these-right around the hinges, and some on the driver's side
floor.  It is not typical T'all or even IH floor rust, but is from the
inside out!  The rear driver's side window is substantially cracked with
a little glass missing, and I think water was coming in there and it was
sitting on a slant.  Apparently all of the water pooled right here.  It
has only one very small pin hole that goes all the way through, and is
very clean from the underside, but the whole top-side of the floorboards
are very flaky and rusty.  They are still stable, but very ugly.
However, the worst part of the floor rust is that it is rusted
completely through where the front (bench) seat joins it.  The seat is
loose on that side, and the floor is so rusty that I imagine it will
need to be cut out and a new one welded in (HMMM!  A project!  Of
course, I haven't even gotten a welder yet and I would not trust myself
yet either, of course, but perhaps I can find someone that will let me
watch!).  The other problem is that if they have to do this, they will
also have to cut off the rust from the seat frame.  Then they will have
to add some metal onto this to make it the right height.  Could be
kinda' tricky!
Anyway, now that I have found what I have really wanted, I shall be
paring down my fleet as quickly as possible-most of the other ideas were
ones that I was looking for to fill the void left from my T'all damage.
Now I have everything I want-a Scout 800 with a V8 and a 60's style
Travelall.
I swear off of wanting to buy every affordable IH I see!  I promise!
Now my questions will be restricted to these two and my Scout II-which I
will drive until I get the 800 running efficiently!

Whooppeee!!!

Michael