Long Distance Spits

["BOYD ETHEREDGE" <bether@ktc.com>]

A number of years ago my wife and I traveled from San Jose CA to Manchester
NH (almost coast to coast) with her '75 Spit 1500 - a distance of more than
3,000 miles.  We drove two cars - neither one big enough to tow the other -
and we had our three kids plus the family dog.

The Spit overheated a bit going over the Rockies but otherwise gave almost
no problems.  It did start making  a terrible, high pitched noise way out in
the middle of Arizona.  I prayed it wasn't the water pump - took my pocket
knife and cut the crankcase blower "V" belt - noise went away and we rolled
on.  I still haven't replaced the blower because the car hasn't been asked
to meet "air pollution standards".

The car and I are too old to try such a trip again but it didn't seem like a
big deal at the time.

Boyd Etheredge