I want to write to all of you about Pleasure. (No, Pablo, if you are out there... not THAT kind. ;-) )

First, pleasure, with thanks again, given by all who responded to my message a couple weeks ago about a great trip from frosty MN to HUGE TX. (Rename the state!)

Then the pleasure of finding a 1967 Amazon 122S in Austin, and working in the warm sunlight with the previous owner to remove the rusted bumper mounts, and to attach a towbar. (Reese. $100 at WalMart. Magnetic towing lights added $50, and soldering connections to my 745 took a couple hours, I guess.) What a souvenir!

The joy of having the blame thing work in tow! I had my doubts. But with a tailwind or quartering tailwind I was able to use OD when towing the Amazon north through TX and OK, and got 24 mpg. Stayed under 60 mph, since (1) it stressed everything less (the brakes!), and (2) wind resistance increases as the square of the speed, right? Taking it easy... (The manual and BB posts said that towing stresses the OD cones too much. I figured, I hope rightly, that easy towing with tailwinds and especially downhill -- no kidding! shift in and out -- would work out OK. Knock on wood.)

Later, with headwind or quartering headwind, I used NO OD, and limped along at 50-60 mph in 3rd (A/T), or 3,000 rpm plus. Fair enough. 19 mpg.

Then the pleasure of seeing Pushrod Guru George Downs again, and sharing excellent coffe he brewed, briefly playing with STRONG magnets (http://www.wondermagnet.com/dev/main.shtml), talking about and listening to music, the purpose of life and helps for living it right... (it was nightttime!)

And finally ringing Steve Ringlee as I passed through Ames, IA, to thank him again for the FAQs, and to hear his voice for the first time.

OTOH, the towing stressed the Amazon's attachment points too much. They bent, and BENT more... A wonderful guy at Able Grabels welding shop in Bartlesville, OK, saved my sorry little butt. (I know THIS much about Amazons: [ ]. I think that I discern now that the towed car was missing a set of triagualting bumper braces, lost somewhere in its life. They go outboard at an angle from the forward ends of the box frames. Live and learn. Maybe!)

Thanks again to all, and I wish that I could participate here more, but I get *&%*&%^ done here in Frosty MN as it is... would like to be helpful...

Gregg Shadduck, Mpls., MN