Tahoe experience Finally!

[John S.]

My wife and I went to the Tahoe regional last weekend for flight judging. Here is my experience. I was a little apprehensive as it was my first NCRS event with the first Corvette I have ever owned. (took me 48 years!) I did not know anyone but was determined to have fun, meet new people and learn as much as I could.
Drive up on Thursday was 400 miles of pure joy. Car ran great. One hiccup was a haywire speedo near the end.(lubed cable Friday night and was perfect on the way home). Lots of bugs to clean!
Friday was filled with more cleaning early, owners meeting and The exterior guys were at my quick. I was a little surprised at how detailed the process was and by the knowledge of everyone who was involved. I met scores of judges, team leaders and Corvette "people". Everyone I met treated me great and even when telling me what was not correct with my car did so "nicely". (I did already know most of the stuff that was not original). To me the judging and deduction of points was more then fair. Overall it was a great experience!
Chassis guys even found a front grill piece that had detached and was rubbing the radiator. Got lucky on that one as it would have surely rubbed thru and left us stranded on the way home!
Took a 2 hour ride around the lake as soon as they "released" us on Saturday. Just beautiful.
Ride home was uneventful except 104 degree heat thru the Owens valley and the Mojave desert for 4 hours cooked me like a turkey on thanksgiving! Never been so hot in my life!
I have posted a few pictures we took. Hope you enjoy.
Thanks to everyone with the NCRS for making this quiet an enjoyable experience. Special thanks to Jerry Fuccillo, Steve Hall, and Dale (mechanical judge). You guys are the best!

John Seeley
67 black/teal coupe
327/300 3 speed
Top Flight 2009 Tahoe Regional

[Dale S.]

Re: Tahoe experience Finally!

Great pictures thanks, Dale

[Mark P.]

Re: Tahoe experience Finally!

John - it was nice meeting you and seeing your car. Your wife was a real trooper to make that drive without air conditioning.

Mark

[Gerard F.]

Re: Tahoe experience Finally!

John,

I thought the ladies took the air conditioned one, and the guys got cooked.

Glad to meet you and Hillary.

Also glad to see that you used my ergonomic method of changing the speedometer cable on a C2. I learned that after a few trips to the chiropractor

[John S.]

Re: Tahoe experience Finally!

Jerry,

You got it right. The two turkeys in the black car were both "Toms". The girls were in the 2004 yellow a/c Corvette. I am glad for the advice of the pillow on the shifter console to get at the speedo cable. After seeing you replace your turn signal harness out there, I am impressed! Gotta listen to the guys that have "been there, done that". Thanks again

John Seeley
67 black/teal coupe
327/300 3 speed
Top Flight 2009 Tahoe Regional

[Rob M.]

Re: Tahoe experience Finally!

Hey John,

I am sorry that we didn't get a chance to formally meet and talk more - we did very briefly. We had the talk about how the black 427/435 (next to yours) was to be your new "his" car and your black 327/300 would then become "her" car. All jokes aside, your car is awesome. And, I'm glad that I wasn't the only one that got "cooked" on the way home.

All the best

[Dale S.]

Re: Tahoe experience Finally!

Jerry, How about sharing your speedo cable trick or is that an upcoming Restorer article? Dale

[John S.]

Re: Tahoe experience Finally!

Rob,

I do remember our conversation. Pipe dreams on my part. Probably all for the better as I would not be able to drive the 435 car. Standing around admiring a car is nice, but I like to drive 'em. Got my full last weekend. Resting this weekend. Old man syndrome! Nice to hear from you.

John

[Gerard F.]

Re: Tahoe experience Finally!

Dale,

Not really a trick, but a more ergonomic way to work behind the C2 cluster for a speedo or tach cable, or even light bulb changes. Here it goes:

Put your 4 speed in 4th gear (3 speed or auto in the position where the shift lever is toward the back of the car) so that the shift lever doesn't interfere with your head. Put your front seat all the way back.

Then put a nice little pillow or cushion on the console between the shift lever and the radio. Then lay on your back under the steering wheel with your head on the pillow.

Then reach with your arm all the way to the back of the firewall, find the errant cable and follow it into the back of the cluster. Hopefully the last guy who screwed on the speedo or tach cable nut didn't put it on too tight, it should be just finger tight. If it is on too tight, utter a few expletives, and try twisting the nut real hard CCW.

You will probably have to shift positions a few times, to put you head under the cluster to see what you are doing. However, never try to reach up behind the cluster at the same time you have your head under---that really hurts.

If you do this enough times, and memorize a diagram of the back of the cluster, you actually develop little eyes on your fingers, it is all by feel.
A southpaw has a little bit of a disadvantage in this process.

Oh, I forgot, disconnect the battery cable, you never know what you are going to be touching back there.

If you are going to do a lot of work behind the cluster, and you want the ultimate in ergonomics, remove the drivers seat, just 4 easy bolts on a 67.

Still, us old guys have to take 2 Advils after every cluster adventure

[Dale S.]

Re: Tahoe experience Finally!

Thank you Jerry, Hopefully I will never have to do that. Dale