Midwest Muscle
Active Member
I've been buying and shipping cars for two decades, but today was one of the most interesting ever. I sold my #1130 to a great guy in Canada, Jarred. (I called to tell him all this, so he didn't read it at the same time everyone else did!)
I've driven the TTA only 4 miles in 2 years, and the odometer is at 1,210 right now. The car hasn't been outside for nearly two years. So the shipper arrived late this afternoon to pick the car up on its way to Canada where Jarred lives.
It's sitting there running flawlessly while the driver is doing the inspection. A police officer pulls up and said there was a call about possible suspicious activity, like a car theft. After realizing he was serious, I showed him all the stuff on the car, gave him my business card, etc etc.
While he's talking, the TTA just dies. I thought maybe the driver had shut it off while doing his inspection. Turns out he didn't. The officer leaves, and the driver writes "SHOWROOM" on the inspection form. So I get back in the car to start it and help get it on the trailer.
Crank, crank, crank, etc etc etc. Nothing but a few miserable attempts to idle ... And when I'd put it in drive and move forward, it would just die. Eventually it just stopped even trying to fire up. Correct key? Check! Fuel gauge? Full! Bad fuel? Shouldn't be, I put Stabil in it.
I began telling the driver I didn't want him taking the car if it was going to act up. It wasn't fair on him, or the new buyer (Jarred) in Canada. I told him I'd pay for his troubles/trip, and work out something with the buyer. But I knew it had to be something simple, because this TTA is basically new.
I asked the driver to watch the car to let me go get fuel ... Just in case that was it. It was the only obvious thing that would explain it just dying and not being able to restart and run. It was at least worth a try! The shipper/driver said, "But the gas gauge shows full."
My '82 Vette (454 miles) that I shipped earlier this week also read full even when it wasn't ... Not all that uncommon for cars that don't fill and empty their tanks often. So I was hoping like crazy the gauge was wrong, and the car was just out of gas. I managed to keep my cool even.
Went and bought a couple of gallons of the good stuff, came back and put it in the TTA, knew it would take a few cranks to get fuel to the engine, and turned the key. After just a few seconds, VROOM .... Ready to rumble. It was way more excitement than I needed at the end of a long week!
But the good news is that it ran out BEFORE it went on the truck, and not during the journey. I also realized that a full gauge doesn't mean that much when you've not personally put fuel in the car, and have only driven it four miles the whole time you've had it. I felt stupid - But it ended well ...
Like I told Jarred when I called him, "I think the car was trying to say it wanted to stay, and not to put it on a truck!" Man did that thing look awesome coming back out into the sun. It gave me a bit of a scare, but just making sure it was the car I would ALWAYS remember!!!
Mike
I've driven the TTA only 4 miles in 2 years, and the odometer is at 1,210 right now. The car hasn't been outside for nearly two years. So the shipper arrived late this afternoon to pick the car up on its way to Canada where Jarred lives.
It's sitting there running flawlessly while the driver is doing the inspection. A police officer pulls up and said there was a call about possible suspicious activity, like a car theft. After realizing he was serious, I showed him all the stuff on the car, gave him my business card, etc etc.
While he's talking, the TTA just dies. I thought maybe the driver had shut it off while doing his inspection. Turns out he didn't. The officer leaves, and the driver writes "SHOWROOM" on the inspection form. So I get back in the car to start it and help get it on the trailer.
Crank, crank, crank, etc etc etc. Nothing but a few miserable attempts to idle ... And when I'd put it in drive and move forward, it would just die. Eventually it just stopped even trying to fire up. Correct key? Check! Fuel gauge? Full! Bad fuel? Shouldn't be, I put Stabil in it.
I began telling the driver I didn't want him taking the car if it was going to act up. It wasn't fair on him, or the new buyer (Jarred) in Canada. I told him I'd pay for his troubles/trip, and work out something with the buyer. But I knew it had to be something simple, because this TTA is basically new.
I asked the driver to watch the car to let me go get fuel ... Just in case that was it. It was the only obvious thing that would explain it just dying and not being able to restart and run. It was at least worth a try! The shipper/driver said, "But the gas gauge shows full."
My '82 Vette (454 miles) that I shipped earlier this week also read full even when it wasn't ... Not all that uncommon for cars that don't fill and empty their tanks often. So I was hoping like crazy the gauge was wrong, and the car was just out of gas. I managed to keep my cool even.
Went and bought a couple of gallons of the good stuff, came back and put it in the TTA, knew it would take a few cranks to get fuel to the engine, and turned the key. After just a few seconds, VROOM .... Ready to rumble. It was way more excitement than I needed at the end of a long week!
But the good news is that it ran out BEFORE it went on the truck, and not during the journey. I also realized that a full gauge doesn't mean that much when you've not personally put fuel in the car, and have only driven it four miles the whole time you've had it. I felt stupid - But it ended well ...
Like I told Jarred when I called him, "I think the car was trying to say it wanted to stay, and not to put it on a truck!" Man did that thing look awesome coming back out into the sun. It gave me a bit of a scare, but just making sure it was the car I would ALWAYS remember!!!
Mike
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So I know the 2 gallons that I just put in it are good to go. 
