Traveling with my H-body.

[H body Al]

Hey guys and gals,
I just came back from a trip from Kentucky to San Diego Ca. to see my brother and played a few gigs in between. I drove my 77 Astre. Everywhere I went, people were coming up to me to talk about the car, and sometimes about the one they had. Of course, many people thought it was a Vega. But I straightened them out in a nice way. My car did just great, and got the great gas mileage I am so used to with the original iron Duke. The only down side was that the car is a 77 by year, but it only likes to go 67 mph without pushing it.

[lleelduo]

That seems to be about where my Sunbird wagon is comfortable too, 65-67 MPH. Gotta love an iron duke!

[vegastre]

likes to go 67 mph without pushing it.

Without overdrive I would imagine that's where most stock H-Bodies feel comfortable. You didn't mention how well the AC held up? Sounds like you really enjoyed yourself.

[H body Al]

About that AC, I don't have any. My old 77 Vega had AC and I once drove it to Phoenix, AZ. While the AC did function during the 115 degree summer, you could barely tell it was on. I did pull all the AC related components off the Vega with the hope of putting them on my Astre, but I have not tried to do the retro fit to get the Astre cool. The sad truth is that not one of my three H bodies are equipped with AC. I might be better off to go with some type of after-market unit, but I am sure that would be very costly.
Anyway, the weather was great and I did not much miss the AC except in San Diego on a couple of really warm days. Funny thing, on the way out the only rain I hit was in the desert of the Imperial Valley, Ca. So it was a cool ride!
Thanks, Al.

[vegastre]

you could barely tell it was on.

Ya,
In Texas the H-Body AC was/is pretty much useless in the heat of the summer. I finally deleted all the factory AC/Heat. Fair weather car now days. I'm sure the gas saving made the long trip more fun =) Sounds like you has a blast and a few twists and turns on your road map.

[anorexicvega]

You live in ky H body Al?

[H body Al]

Hey,
Yes, I live in Ky.
I guess made the trip to Cali sound like a pleasure cruise, but It really was not. I was in Memphis when I got word that my brother was in ICU @ Sharp Grossmont. I spent most of my time in the hospital with my brother. I did have some fun in between. I got to play with my old band in Phoenix. And my car ran out great. My brother is coming back to KY, as soon as he can travel. He needs to be with family, so that we can help him out. My biggest regret was not getting a chance to maybe see the "fleet" of Cosworths owned by member cswrth1. And not knowing that I was going to be in Cali until the last minute. I could have saved him the shipping on the fine Lower Rear Valance he made for me.
Anyway, I may not make it back out there again, and certainly not in my Astre. But it was an experience not to be forgotten. Thanks for the replies.

[Sunula66]

Hi H body Al,
firstly, I /we all hope your brother recovers! sorry to hear.
The Epic trip you just performed was second to none with a basically stock four banger Astre! Good on ya!!! this is the kind of stuff everyone on this forum and other forums for that matter only dream of! These cars unlike more reliable older models of say the Duesenbergs and old Mercs and Holiday Olds and lets not forget the Turnpike Cruisers of yesteryear that would still on occasion see a trip like that but from a less known newer Astre, that's impressive.I have always wanted to contact one of these "Old Car Magazines" or even Hot Rod mag and give them a heads up whenever the Monza-Que in Ontario takes place and others have done these journeys incl. myself on regular basis with the" bashed and battered poorly built" H's that a lot have "loved to Hate" including Haggerty Insurance, whom I pay, and say to those unbelievers...."Oh YA?!! in your Face! I actually will contact Haggerty next year in advance to my big highway trip ...it's still a secret shhh....just to get a bit of coverage for our beloved H's and put us on the map where we belong, especially since they thought these cars were lemons...I wrote them and told them I was pissed at the negative coverage....you may have noticed lately on their weekly e-mail news letter, if you get it, that they've changed their tune a bit lately and have been a lot kinder to recognizing some of the brands that are dear to us, like the GTO for example. It is probably due to pissing people off like me and getting nasty letters and threatening to take our insurance premiums to some other company! They aren't too smart to publish poor reviews about customer cars these days, DUH! Al, Hope your Bro is OK and thanks for a great trip story about the Astre, take care, Ron.

Al, you know that where you live is really only a day's travel to the Monza-Que up in Ontario right? besides, your car sounds like it would do just fine and perhaps you could meet up with our Buick member in Ohio and a couple of the others along the way from New York next August!! I'm about 4 days travel and would trailer half way to go and 2015 Monza-Que if everyone could participate will be the one to go to...right Bryan??....I'll be contacting some magazine people for coverage, even if I have to write my own story!...edit #3 lol, is there still a strictly H-Body party/show coming up next year in Detroit or something?...I read this somewhere on here no?

[anorexicvega]

hey al hope your bro gets well soon. What part of ky you in? im in central ky

[H body Al]

Hi, well thanks for the comments, invites, and well wishes for my brother. sadly, he did not make it to Christmas this year. I am living in my house about 20 miles South of Louisville, KY. My 77 is a great ride, but for some reason I prefer driving the 76 Notchback. I guess I like the trunk, good place to stash my guitar in fair weather. And the 34+ MPG is not too bad either. One of these days I am going to finish that brake rebuild job and get "Ole Yeller" back on the road.

[ol55]

Al, Sorry for your loss.

Larry

[lleelduo]

Those kind of trips are worhit in the long run. Sorry for your loss also.

[starfire]

edit #3 lol, is there still a strictly H-Body party/show coming up next year in Detroit or something?...I read this somewhere on here no?

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=42511

Slightly south of Youngstown, OH.

Al, I second your experience with the Iron Duke. I had one in my '79 Starfire with a 4-speed manual and I could get 37 mpg regularly on the freeway with it. Of course that was at 55 mph (the National Speed Limit at that time).

My current '78 Starfire Firenza with the 305 and a 4-speed manual also likes to cruise at about 65. 70 - 75 seems to give it a little bit of a shudder, plus it makes me nervous almost burying the speedo which only goes up to 80.

[anorexicvega]

H body al I live about 30 minutes south of louisville

[anorexicvega]

Al is your car blue?