Heading out to get the M817

[CGarbee]

I'm heading out toward's AMGeneral's place on my way to get my M817 that is in storage at Oilcan's place in Ohio...

Plan is to leave Brandon's early Friday, drive up to Adam's in Ohio. Scope out the M817 Friday afternoon with the guys. Saturday, PM the truck.

Hopefully, by Sunday, we are on the road headed back to NC with both trucks under their own power. If not, one of them will be pulling the other...

And yes, I'm driving my Cummins M37 to Brandon's, but riding up to Ohio in his M816.

 

[cranetruck]

Looks like you have a tight schedule. FWIW, I'm on the way, sort of, 20 miles East from the Hillsville/Galax/Hwy 58 exit of I-77 in Virginia.

In any case, you are both welcome to stop by....there is always the 8x8 to check out.
And yes, you may spend the night, I think dinner tomorrow is Mexican style with either corned beef hash and eggs or Swedish pancakes for breakfast on Saturday... (wife is still in California).

Have a great trip!

 

[gimpyrobb]

Andy or Adam? Oilcan is Adam.

 

[oilcan]

Your truck is waiting patiently in the weeds next to the oil tank. (A giant oil can, if you will...)

 

[timntrucks]

way to go.... dont forget to take some pics please... hope you have a safe trip and a blast doing it

 

[cranetruck]

Don't know your route, but if you come up on I-77, it's very foggy this morning as you get into Virginia, Fancy Gap area in particular....

 

[Opie]

Bjorn, Is the "fog" simply the OD haze from your spray-painting of the 8x8?

 

[alphadeltaromeo]

 

[steelsoldiers]

Good luck with your adventure Cabell! Hopefully you can drive it home without incident

 

[oilcan]

Well, the gang is on the road with the 817 under it's own power. It still needs a little work when he gets home, but should make it there ok if the stars are aligned just right...

I wish I could've snapped a pic of that orange goo spraying out the stack! (Forgot the camera. TWICE! Sorry 'bout that.)

 

[Recovry4x4]

Gang, just got off the horn with Cabell. He's headed down the road about 2000 RPM. Seems there is an IP problem with the truck and it won't idle but its moving right along. He's about 20 miles north of WV in I77. Brandon is right behind him in the workhorse M816 just in case. If I hear anymore I'll post up. When they give it a break tonight, Cabell might be on the site.

 

[citizensoldier]

Darnit! I didnt catch this post in the early stages.. Could have had/asked him to drag a waterbuffalo to Ohio.. Oh well maybe next time..
Hope all go's well and I cant wait to see some pictures of this adventure..

 

[cranetruck]

They have a rough couple of hundred miles through the mountains of WV, hope the engine trouble doesn't get worse, Cummins, right?

 

[mangus580]

Yes Cummins...

Last I heard they were still chugging along. Kenny told me where they were, but I forgot.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Update folks, they are bunked down a few miles north of the VA line on I77. They had a little fuel leak issue and when they plugged that up, the truck started running a bit better. Luckily the 817 only weighs about 23,000# so they are doing just fine. No brake lights and only one headlight so they didn't push much into dusk.

 

[AMGeneral]

WHEW!!!,Home Safely!!!816 shot out another alt somewhere around VA,NC state line.Parted from Cabell around 11:00(we made good time)so he should be checking in around 1:30 PM.817 is running well despite the sucking air problem(actually pulled away from me on a few hills in WVA)and yes for the first few miles instead of black smoke there was this orange cloud emmited from the stack on acceleration .But all in all everything went well,A special thanks to Adam and his family for their hospitality.I think thw wrecker is gonna settle in here for a well deserved rest and some extensive PM

 

[Recovry4x4]

Glad to see you're home safe Brandon. Your M816 is a wokhorse for sure. I seriously doubt that too many other M816s get the working yours gets.

 

[AMGeneral]

Just talked to Cabell,817 made it home with no problems,so I would say this trip went very successfully,despite "murphys" attempts to throw a wrench into it.

 

[maddawg308]

Okay, sorry - have to do it!

 

[CGarbee]

Yep, it would help to have some photos...
Of course, we were so busy trying to get up to Adam's, then getting the truck ready for the road, then actually going home, that we forgot to take many... Then to, it seems that I was the only one who actually had a camera near at hand for most of the trip, and I was shooting film instead of using the digital (so you are all just going to have to be patient while I get the film developed and scanned...).

So:
It was a great trip. I truly appreciate all the help from Brandon. I would not have considered driving the M817 home if he hadn't been there in my review mirror in that M816 of his in case something went wrong (and he did have to wrench on the M817 once on the trip home when he noticed a healthy fuel leak when we had to stop for a car fire...), and his wrenching on the truck at the property where Adam had stashed it was a sight to behold as well... I am grateful.

I also really appreciate the hospitality of Andy and his parents. We had a great time visiting, and the help on Saturday wrenching on the truck (and making a couple of parts runs for things that we didn't bring with us) was invaluable as well.

Then, a big thanks to Kenny for being there when I felt like seeing if somebody could actually hear and understand me on the phone while I was running down the road...

It's wonderful how folks on this site will band together to go inspect, remove, store, wrench, and transport, a vehicle home for (and with) another member.

A big thanks to all for the help and support.

The photos will be up soon, I promise...