New England Road Trip in May for Texas Mike

Hello All!   Just wanted to share that we're about to have us a little adventure.   My oldest son Eddie and I will be flying from Austin to Newark on May 16th, and then on the 17th we'll be driving north to New Hampshire to pick up my friend Ben's new-to-him blue '94 Roadmaster wagon from Tom "Silverfox".  (I can't wait to see it, and to meet Tom!).

We'll be up in New England that Friday and Saturday before driving back to New Jersey.   If any folks in that area would like to meet up, I'd love to finally meet some of the B-Body folks and see the toys I've been reading about down here in Texas since around 2007 when I bought my Roadmaster.

I'm actually considering driving a bit north to Maine.  I've been to Vermont and Cape Cod, but never made it to Maine.   Sad but true, as someone in my 40's that's read Stephen King since he was about 12, I'd like to say I've been in Maine.  Sad..I know.  ANYWAY...

We're flying back to Texas from Newark on Tuesday the 23rd, but beyond picking up the Roadmaster from Tom on Friday, and hoping for a day of downtime in New Jersey on Monday before flying home, the schedule is pretty open.

I love an adventure, especially a CAR-geared adventure!



-Texas Mike Massey

Have a great time Mike! Too bad you couldn't make Wagonfest in Florida. We sure have lots of fun. And, Tom's wagon is beautiful. He and Diane are the nicest people you'll ever meet. Have fun!

Mark 96 Roady wrote:

Have a great time Mike! Too bad you couldn't make Wagonfest in Florida. We sure have lots of fun. And, Tom's wagon is beautiful. He and Diane are the nicest people you'll ever meet. Have fun!

Good to know! We're actually going to stay with some other wagon folks at their lake cabin in Maine on Thursday and Friday nights, and then having a get-together at Bill Crovo's home in New Hampshire that Saturday evening.

REALLY looking forward to this little adventure!

-Mike

Just an update, on Thursday 18th we'll still be driving north to New Hampshire to pick up Ben's new-to-him blue '94 Roadmaster wagon from Tom "Silverfox", but then we're driving over to Maine to stay with other wagon friends. Gonna be a blast!

We'll be up in Maine site-seeing in the Roadmaster that Friday (Bangor/Bar Harbor) and Saturday(Portland and the coast Hwy south) before driving back to Nashua/East Hampstead that Saturday afternoon, where Bill Crovo has been nice enough to have us over the afternoon/evening of Saturday the 20th, to drool over his new garage, laugh at the old VW Bug he bought, and scold him for letting the Marshmellow sit so long, and hopefully to meet other area Longroofers.

Bill has posted about this gathering at his home on the B And D body ASSociation of New England page. https://www.facebook.com/B-And-D-body-ASSociation-of-New-England-166954780012699/

If any folks in that area would like to stop over, I'd really like to finally meet some of the B-Body folks and see the toys I've been reading about down here in Texas since around 2007 when I bought my '96 Roadmaster wagon. Plus I want to welcome Ben to the world of Whales, as this will be his first wagon.
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We're staying in Natick that Saturday night with my cousin, and then driving back to New Jersey on Sunday, visiting there in NJ on Monday (I'm a Texas but went to high school in New Jersey 20+ years ago), and then flying back home to Texas from Newark on Tuesday the 23rd.

I love an adventure, especially a CAR-geared adventure! Hope to meet some folks in person and see your Whales!

-Texas Mike Massey

Wish I could make it. If you're in Bangor and have a minute, stop at the Sea Dog Brewing Co

jasonlachapelle wrote:

Wish I could make it.  If you're in Bangor and have a minute, stop at the Sea Dog Brewing Co

Awesome! I was wanting to find a good place for lunch that day. Thanks!

For Silverfox's blue 94 Roady Wagon, Ben wants to move from the smaller 94 din-1/2 to the 1995-96 double-din dash. If anyone has a blue 95-96 dash to sell we are looking for a good one. We would love to nab this part from you guys while we are on this trip. Please let me know if anyone has one, THANKS!

Getting excited about my trip north next week. This time a week-from-today I'll be in Maine, and I've never been north of Cape Cod in my life.

Hoping to finally meet a lot of the folks I've only conversed with online after all these years. Big thanks to Bill Crovo for inviting all the New England B-Body folks to his home new Saturday afternoon. Should be a lot of fun!

I'm hoping my bags make it to Newark...if they scan my bag they may wonder what-in-the-word is in these, since I'm bringing a "care package" of car goodies for Ben's new-to-him Roadmaster. You think the TSA will wonder about the metal-trimmed gas and brake pedals and Save the Whales decals? Ha!

I'm counting the days now. My son Eddie also is really looking forward to this too. He's been building Spotify music compilations for a month...heaven help me...he's 15. What will we be listening too...?

Such Fun!

-Mike

Trying to head off any issues before our trip to get this wagon next week. Tom is keeping the wheels and hubcaps in this pic (tires were dry-rotted). Ben and I are bringing a set of Impala SS wheels with new tires to install at Tom's home. SO the question is, do we need to grab a set of new lug nuts, since we're going from the steelies to the SS mags. My Impala wheels that I installed 10-years ago came with lug nuts, so I don't know/remember if they're different. Anyone know??

you 'can' install impy wheels with steel wheel nuts,. but they are buried when on,.they are a shallow nut,. the right wheel nuts are taller,.any decent tire store will sell you the right nuts ,.

It's almost time for this adventure. Looking forward to this!

-Mike

Safe travels, Unforgettable adventures!!,

Flight leaves Austin this evening at 7:30. We get to Newark at 12:20am, and then will be getting on the road at 8-ish in the morning. Gonna be fun but I need coffee just thinking about this.

Excitement will carry you for the part caffeine cant. Be safe...

Andebe wrote:

Excitement will carry you for the part caffeine cant. Be safe...

Thanks! Looking VERY forward to seeing my buddy Ben, and meeting all the folks I've only talked with online all these years. And of course I can't wait to see Ben's new '94 Roady, and everyone's toys at Bill Crovo's get-together on Saturday afternoon.

I'm wondering if the TSA is going to nab me, since I have a bag that I'm checking full of car parts! Ha!

Such Fun!

-Mike

Hello All!

Made it home, and WHAT a trip!   Big thanks to Tom "Silverfox" and his wife, Rich Craig and his wife, and Bill Crovo and his family, and the B And D body ASSociation of New England, among many others for making this a trip my friend Ben, my son Eddie and I will never forget!

I kept a pretty good log of the entire trip in a Facebook photo album you folks here are welcome to look at.   It was a FANTASTIC trip!   The friendship and hospitality of everyone was overwhelming!   So Great to finally meet, in person, so many folks I've only conversed with online all these years.

In addition to all the visits we had, we were also able to take in what a beautiful place New England is this time of year.   The weather overall was fantastic.  We got to stay in such fun places, experience sleeping to the sound of loons on a lake deep in the woods, and the next day a "cocktail cruise" followed by a swordfish steak dinner!  

We toured Bangor "Derry" Maine, visiting Stephen King's home by Roadmaster and many places he's written about in books.   We ate "Holy Donuts" in Portland, and I've now had a "lob-stah roll" from York Beach Maine.  

Bill Crovo and his family, and the B And D body ASSociation of New England threw us a mini-Wagonfest, and even gave myself, Eddie and Ben official club shirts.  I'm proud to represent the Austin Texas chapter of the B And D body ASSociation of New England!   Ha!   That was SUCH a fun evening!  My Austin-born-and-raised son is now saying "Wicked", and "Kehd", and even "Pissah"....thanks guys...  

I really enjoyed the privilege of tinkering and driving a few Roadmasters, and getting to see so many great cars!   We also got to visit family in Natick Mass, meet another B-body friend in New York, and visit old friends back in New Jersey.

My son Eddie drove over 1000 miles this past weekend, age 15, on his Texas learners permit!   No tickets, no issues, he even handled a big late-night thunderstorm in the White Mountains driving from New Hampshire to Maine (Roadys have DIM headlights!), and later, Boston traffic!   I'm a proud Dad!  

As for the Roadmaster wagon itself, with the exception of a loose heat shield and not having a/c the first two days (shrader valve on accumulator was leaking, charged at Crovo's house, blew ice the rest of the trip), it ran perfectly and averaged mid-20mpg over the 800+ miles we drove it.  I brought my old cassette tapes, and the factory Delco played my Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, Dire Straits and more perfectly!  Good stuff!

Over the course of the trip we managed to clean the wagon up, install Impala SS wheels with new tires, add a GS grill emblem, a correct 94 hood ornament, chrome plate frames, metal-trimmed pedals, touched up the woodgrain and black door panel window switch panels, and repainted all the dash chrome and the Concert Sound speaker lettering.  Such fun!  

ANYWAY as mentioned here is the link to the Public Facebook Album if you want to see ALL the pics...as usual, I took a lot!   Again, Thanks All!  : https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10213039171724659.1073742223.1553678810&type=3   - You MAY have to copy and paste that link.  

Here's a few of what's in the album:























- Texas Mike

Happy to hear it was a great trip and that you made it back home safely. I've been looking at the Facebook pics this morning.

Dave

Looks like you made some great memories,Mike.

Looks like an awesome time!! I saw the FB posts this morning and definitely think your son is a wagon pro driver now.

What an awesome sounding trip! You're making me homesick, lol.

I miss Crovo and the BadAss crew. Damn, forums are dead. Should I just give in and join facebook?

jayoldschool wrote:

I miss Crovo and the BadAss crew.  Damn, forums are dead. Should I just give in and join facebook?

Don't do it Jason!! I'm there with you. Fleetwood Forum and the Caddy CTS Forum are still breathing and seem to be doing OK.

Tom

jayoldschool wrote:

I miss Crovo and the BadAss crew.  Damn, forums are dead. Should I just give in and join facebook?

Join us. It's really not so bad. You don't HAVE to use it for social BS or telling us what you ate for lunch.


...but I'm having a nice meatball sub with mozzarella, if you wanted to know.

RedandBlack wrote:

jayoldschool wrote:

I miss Crovo and the BadAss crew.  Damn, forums are dead. Should I just give in and join facebook?

Join us. It's really not so bad. You don't HAVE to use it for social BS or telling us what you ate for lunch.


...but I'm having a nice meatball sub with mozzarella, if you wanted to know.

Hahaha, yep, no kidding. I still really like this forum and will still be a part of it, but Facebook is fast and easy, and there are now eight Facebook groups that I know of that are dedicated to our wagons and B-body cars in general. Much larger pool of folks! That said, forums, and this one in general, are still the way to go for locating technical/repair info, and also searchable options. Facebook sucks for SEARCHES, but is great for meeting other car folks and posting pics....fast.

Oh and I had a turkey sandwich for lunch.

Glad everyone enjoyed the pics! Really was a great trip!

-Mike

Where's the turkey sandwich pics though?

Also, I lied - changed it up and we're going for burritos for lunch instead.