Topic: The rambler rescue

This story is too good not to share, so I'll do my best to do it some justice. (note i've reduced the pictures here, if you want a higher resolution of any of these just ask)

Early this morning i get a message from a couple of people people i race with (Joe and Brett) saying that there's a rambler in need about 30minutes south of me.

it included this picture and a map of the car location:
http://frankensteinmotorworks.com/rambler/13243818_10156916719165511_2209731275122046573_o.jpg

So i told Joe to forward my contact info to Sasha and i left it there.

about 2 hours later i get a call from Sasha and that's when it gets interesting. he essentially said "i'm at the airport getting on a plane, the car is still where it was at. it's a push button start, you don't need a key. it has a spare tire and it'll move under it's own power enough to get on a trailer"

Ok, so i guess if i don't do anything now this thing gets stolen or impounded. so i call around looking for a trailer because i don't currently have one. i don't end up finding one so i drop by u-haul. $67 later i was shocked that they'd let me tow a car trailer with anything but a full own 1 ton diesel truck. This does not match my previous experiences with them.

Then i head down to the location, with the u-haul stop and the distance i end up getting there about an hour after talking to Sasha, and here's what i see:
http://frankensteinmotorworks.com/rambler/IMG_2469.JPG

in fact, at the time i saw even less than that, i did not notice the massive scratch in the road.

So i make a few more phone calls, Sasha is on a plane by now so i can't get a hold of him. Everyone indicates that the car is where i'm looking for it. so i'm about to give up and i figured it's worth asking. i go knocking on a door and ask "have you seen a pink monstrosity" those are the exact words i said and they knew exactly what i was talking about.

this is what the problem ended up being:
http://frankensteinmotorworks.com/rambler/map.jpg

it wasn't really far, but i had no reason to think it was around the corner. i looked at several spots but not around the corner.

thankfully the guy pointed me in the correct direction.

So i get to the car, the right rear wheel is in pretty sad shape, but i was told it would drive under its own power, so no big deal, I hop in and give it a go.

1200rpm let the clutch out slowly and the car just stalls, it does not even budge.

2000rpm, same thing

4000rpm, it still stalled but it kinda just barely rocked

"screw it, i just need to get this thing on the trailer and make it someone else's problem"

so 5000rpm comes out and i slip the shit out of the clutch, making my best impression of a high stall torque converter and it just barely inches towards the trailer. after about a half dozen stall/restarts i get it up on the trailer to this point:
http://frankensteinmotorworks.com/rambler/IMG_2471.JPG

The fun escalates again... turns out the inner sidewall is completely gone. I'm not sure how far Sasha drove on this thing after it was dead, but i suspect this thing actually died east of the ohio/indiana border and should have been off the road about 40 miles ago. the lack of sidewall means the traction is trying to come from an aluminum rim against a steel ramp.

no problem, there's a spare! i can put it on as-is and just drive it on the trailer. there's even a tire iron in the car! .... which doesn't even fit the damn wheels on the car!

So i was poorly equipped at this point. I just recently picked up this new tow rig and it isn't equipped with all the normal recovery equipment i carry around yet.  I end up knocking on the same guy's door again... mostly because he hadn't pulled a gun on me last time i knocked and i did not want to push my luck with any of his neighbors.

it took some smooth talking but i talked him into lending me a chain and a jack. he even delivered them with his truck:
http://frankensteinmotorworks.com/rambler/IMG_2472.JPG

The jack isn't helping at all, so i convince him to pull with his truck. we end up moving the car just a few inches, his 2WD truck did not have enough traction against the dry asphalt to move that damn thing.

so i have him hold the brakes, i put my new toy in low range and lock the center diff and drive backwards. it works until the wheel got caught on the side of the trailer:
http://frankensteinmotorworks.com/rambler/IMG_2474.JPG

a little work with a jack and that was resolved, the car is now fully loaded:
http://frankensteinmotorworks.com/rambler/IMG_2475.JPG

here's a few close ups of the damage:
http://frankensteinmotorworks.com/rambler/IMG_2482.JPG
http://frankensteinmotorworks.com/rambler/IMG_2484.JPG

There we go, loaded and ready to head off to meet Brett half way, we ended up meeting in Marshal, IL
http://frankensteinmotorworks.com/rambler/IMG_2476.JPG

As a side note, i have just recently picked up that "new" tow rig (2008 with 120k miles). It's a V8 GTS Cayenne with a manual transmission and 405HP. These things are fantastic! This was my first tow with it and sure, it can't tow like my 1 ton diesel used to but this was probably about 6000lbs total and i had zero complaints. if your towing requirements fit under this thing's rated 7700lbs and you're looking for a new tow rig you should look at these things. they currently are pretty damn cheap.

2 (edited by skivittlerjimb 2016-05-23 08:13 AM)

Re: The rambler rescue

^^^^^^^^ Rambler in a Nutshell. Heroic effort sir, and well documented, too.

Doesn't give me a ton of confidence for driving this thing from High Plains / Denver to Sacramento. I hear the scorpions in Nevada don't care much about classic 1961 automobiles in pink, but they do like gringo meat. Our Lady of the Highways, pray for us.

Bert One - 1981 Volvo 262c Bertone | Ernie - 1990 Nissan 240SX

Re: The rambler rescue

The rest of the journey was pretty uneventful, loaded into my trailer at Walmart. Had a few questions and comments from shoppers, mostly wow what do you have in that thing? followed by a look of surprise and disappointment that it doesn't have a V8 smile
https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13263922_10154204928509158_949893972397562400_n.jpg?oh=ab816412dc0659a49094f3000fadedf1&oe=57D642D0
We did have to change a wheel to get it into my trailer, I think Sasha got everything possible out of this one smile
https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13263853_10154204949799158_159475412630199496_n.jpg?oh=13e58a41f2b5eb60156104c33c7ed9a5&oe=579A294B

Now safe and sound in my trailer in STL until this weekend.

Apocalyptic Racing - Occupy Pit Lane racing
Racing the "Toylet" Toyota Celica powered by Chevrolet Ecotec.
24x Loser with the Celica. 16x loser in other fine machines
Overall winner Gingerman 2019

Re: The rambler rescue

Thank you for rescuing my baby!. Great documentation of the Rambler's recovery as well.

'13  Sonoma - Class B Crown Vic, 14 Sonoma IOE - Race Rambler!, Autobahn Class C+IOE #Racevan!, '15 Thill IOE Winner - Omega!, '16 Ridge - IOE - Avanti!, '17 THill Class C Winner - Omega, Butt IOE - Race 411, Sonoma IOE - Aztek '18 Butt - IOE - Allante, MSR - IOE - '41 Olds - '19 Butt-Class C - Allante, '20 Covid, '21 THill-Class B - Omega, Sonoma - IOE and HWG  - Satellite, '22 Sonoma - HWG-Tojan

Re: The rambler rescue

Do you think someone tried to tow it away, or was it deemed an eyesore and relocated?

Silent But Deadly Racing-  Ricky Bobby's Laughing Clown Malt Liquor Thunderbird , Datsun 510, 87 Mustang (The Race Team Formerly Known as Prince), 72 Pinto Squire waggy, Parnelli Jones 67 Galaxie, Turbo Coupe Surf wagon.(The Surfin Bird), Squatting Dogs In Tracksuits,  Space Pants!  Roy Fuckin Kent and The tribute to a tribute to a tribute THUNDERBIRD/ SUNDAHBADOH!

Re: The rambler rescue

Sir Thomas Crapper wrote:

Do you think someone tried to tow it away, or was it deemed an eyesore and relocated?

I think that is was a miscommunication on the location.
The car was quite safe from criminals as it was pretty much undrivable.

Apocalyptic Racing - Occupy Pit Lane racing
Racing the "Toylet" Toyota Celica powered by Chevrolet Ecotec.
24x Loser with the Celica. 16x loser in other fine machines
Overall winner Gingerman 2019

Re: The rambler rescue

Brett85p wrote:
Sir Thomas Crapper wrote:

Do you think someone tried to tow it away, or was it deemed an eyesore and relocated?

I think that is was a miscommunication on the location.
The car was quite safe from criminals as it was pretty much undrivable.

yeah, the car was all but undrivable. Sasha's idea of "driveable" is very wide smile

Re: The rambler rescue

Were you at Gingerman? I recall seeing a six speed GTS there.

Re: The rambler rescue

Marc wrote:
Brett85p wrote:
Sir Thomas Crapper wrote:

Do you think someone tried to tow it away, or was it deemed an eyesore and relocated?

I think that is was a miscommunication on the location.
The car was quite safe from criminals as it was pretty much undrivable.

yeah, the car was all but undrivable. Sasha's idea of "driveable" is very wide smile


If you compare the pics, it looks like you were maybe 100' closer than where Sasha took the pic.

Strange.

Silent But Deadly Racing-  Ricky Bobby's Laughing Clown Malt Liquor Thunderbird , Datsun 510, 87 Mustang (The Race Team Formerly Known as Prince), 72 Pinto Squire waggy, Parnelli Jones 67 Galaxie, Turbo Coupe Surf wagon.(The Surfin Bird), Squatting Dogs In Tracksuits,  Space Pants!  Roy Fuckin Kent and The tribute to a tribute to a tribute THUNDERBIRD/ SUNDAHBADOH!

Re: The rambler rescue

edchap13 wrote:

Were you at Gingerman? I recall seeing a six speed GTS there.

Yeah, that was 2 days after i picked it up from austin tx. i just showed up for a few hours to show my son the race.



Sir Thomas Crapper wrote:
Marc wrote:
Brett85p wrote:

I think that is was a miscommunication on the location.
The car was quite safe from criminals as it was pretty much undrivable.

yeah, the car was all but undrivable. Sasha's idea of "driveable" is very wide smile


If you compare the pics, it looks like you were maybe 100' closer than where Sasha took the pic.

Strange.

the map shows it was only about 500' further. but it was around a corner and i really had no reason to think it would be further. I know it sounds odd in retrospect but most of you would have likely done the same thing.

Re: The rambler rescue

Rescued by a Parsh! Hell yeah.

I've been oogling and aahing at the depreciation on Cayennes. They're so good. Someday, my pretty. Someday. I'm waiting for the later Mahogany Metallic ones to get in my price range, and/or for me to not blow all of my money on my Porsche so I can save up for another Porsche. Dagnabbit.

Re: The rambler rescue

Don't worry, they're the fastest depreciating Porsche in history. You'll be rolling in Rootbeer Brown in no time.

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport