MT. WASHINGTON

[EASTTNROVER]

I took the family up to Mt. Washington this weekend, being from the rolling hills of TN this was one scary trip up. Got me thinking about how I wouldnt dare take my truck up the mountain, well going down would be the only scary part. Just wondering if anyone here has done it in a Series??

[leafsprung]

why not?

[SafeAirOne]

Living semi-nearby Mt. Washington, I've considered it. The concerns that have kept me from doing it are:

1) My 1973 109 + it's 2.5 diesel engine + a steep grade = 0.6 mph on the climb. It'll be the only mountain it in all New England with its own traffic jam!

2) The fuel distributor pump is not altitude-compensating on my engine. Anything more than a thousand feet in elevation and black smoke begins to spew from the tailpipe. 4000+ feet and it'll look like an oil tanker caught fire. Hard-core environmentalists don't seem concerned that a coal-fired train is chugging up Mt. Washington 4 times a day, but a little black diesel exhaust from an old Land Rover and they act as if you just kicked their poodle. :eek:

3) It used to take me an hour to climb the 4000' mountains on Interstate 8 between El Centro and San Diego, CA because I'd have to stop at every pull-off to let the engine cool down. Of course, it was 110 degrees on the desert side of the mountain. I haven't tried any "chalenging" ascents back here in New England, though.

That having been said, I'd be willing to give it a try with other SERIES drivers out there. Who's in?

[jac04]

When I finished the original restoration of my 1963 IIA 88" (back in 1991), I took it for a few short "shake-down" trips, then I jumped in it and drove it straight to the top of Mt. Washington. What a trip! At the time I didn't have an overdrive and I was on 6.50x16 bias ply tires. On the way back down, I realized from the giant smoke cloud behind me that I needed new valve seals.

[Jim-ME]

I'm up for a get together and a trip up.
Jim

[Bostonian1976]

I wouldn't trust my brakes for this trip. If any of you have good bumpers, I'd happily follow you :)

[Jim-ME]

You can ride with me. Have you tried 2nd gear? You won't need brakes.
Jim

[EASTTNROVER]

[quote=Jim-ME]You can ride with me. Have you tried 2nd gear? You won't need brakes.
Jim

You really think?? I know they have quite a few pull-off areas to cool the brakes, it's just not an ideal place to have something go wrong. Maybe I am just too scared.

[Bostonian1976]

You can ride with me. Have you tried 2nd gear? You won't need brakes.
Jim

2nd low? or 2nd high? btw my inbox is not full again...

[LaneRover]

Early on in their marriage my Mom thought that my Dad was being so nice and romantic because on the drive down Mt Washington my Dad stopped at every single view point and would let her just look to her heart's content. Of course what she didn't know was that he wasn't used to an automatic and even when put in low gears he had to constantly use the brakes. He stopped at every single view point to let the brakes cool down and if available would splash some water on them.

I think that with using the low gears and especially if you put the transfer case in low you could almost get away without brakes on the way down!

There is always getting up and down in two foot drive.

Brent

[SafeAirOne]

I'm up for a get together and a trip up.
Jim

As am I...I'm 120 road-miles south of Mt Washington; You appear to be about 170 road-miles east. I'm sure we can hammer out something...Just give me some time to get a bank loan for the fuel (and make arrangements for a day or two off at work). Let's see...12-13 gallons of diesel for the round trip...That's about $2300 at today's prices...:D

[graniterover]

safeair - what town are you in? I think I'm 120 miles or so. Just west of Nashua.

[SafeAirOne]

safeair - what town are you in? I think I'm 120 miles or so. Just west of Nashua.

I'm in Manchester, but I work at the Nashua Airport.

[graniterover]

I can throw a rock and hit the helicopter practice pad on the far side of the runway. I'm on 101a behind where the honey dew donuts was.

I'll pm you.

[cellulararrest]

and if available would splash some water on them.
Yikes! :eek:

[Lt Dan]

My father used to take our '64 IIA up all the time when we were kids so we could visit his buddies working at the Observatory. Somewhere I have the pics to prove it! I don't know which gears he used since that same Rover has been under a long (15 years) restoration in my garage.

[EASTTNROVER]

Somewhere I have the pics to prove it!

I would like to see those...