Chalk this one up for Best Christmas Ever. A definite contender. And I'm not even talking about the serious firepower I received this year from the ol' man.
No, what I'm talking about is my truck. See, I decided to take the truck out to Cali to visit the family for Christmas. On the way down the throttle return cable snapped. I didn't know it had snapped of course, because I was toolin' down the road doin' 75. I thought a rock had hit the truck. Nope.
I just ended up lifting my foot under the pedal to ease off and took my foot away to rev up. Who knew cruise control could be that easy? Once with the family, it was easy enough to stretch out the spring and hook it around the carb. Works better than the cable.
But that wasn't all. Look up at the engine shot. On the left side of the picture, up top, you can see two fat hoses running into the fire wall. Those are radiator hoses going to the heater in the cab. One of my brothers and I tightened the clamps on the hoses because the feeder hose on top was dripping for some reason.
Skip to today when I'm driving back. I'm less than 1o miles away from my family when vapor starts pouring out of the interior vents and the engine temps starts heading into the 220 area. Wow!
By the time I get to the nearest parking lot coolant is pouring out the heater onto the floor, and out the cab. @%$#&!!! Pop the hood and check the hoses. Look under the heater in the cab. Ah. There's a little radiator in the heater unit that supply's heat to the cab. It failed. Looks like I'm S.O.L. So I call up Colonel Granpa' and he's coming over to pick up Mrs. and Aaron Jr. Burr while I figure out where the nearest service station is.
Suddenly, I'm standing in the shade. This GIANT with a hessian mustache and greasy ball cap is checking out the mini waterfall coming out of my cab. He says about 10 words to me and he's gone. I call my brother and leave a message. He's over in Orange County and has the tools I forgot to bring with me, even though I had no idea how to connect the different size hoses and bypass the heater with out the necessary part. Right before Colonel Granpa's black sedan pulls up, the Giant reappears with a hose adapter. And coolant. Wow.
Two minutes later the hoses are connected and routed up by the battery and away from the header pipes.
"How much do I owe you?"
"Nothin', just next time you see someone in trouble, pass it along."
"That's funny, that's what I always say."
I introduce the Gentle Giant to Colonel Granpa'. And he offers his thanks. The Gentle Giant points at the Jesus/fish logo on his truck.
"Don't thank me, thank Him."
Colonel Granpa' invited the Gentle Giant to Church. I have a new friend for life.
Oh, and the truck, since christened Tommy, never went over 200 degrees for the rest of the 100 mph trip.
It was a fuggin' Chris' Mis' Miracle I tells' ya.