Caught in the clutches

Before every major trip* we always have the vehicle "gone through." In this case, it's been a genuine process--a process that's still not complete.

The first step was to take the vehicle to Oswald's and have it inspected. We also specifically asked for a new serpentine belt--the old one has survived for 8 years. Time for a new one. Everything checked out and the total bill as $106.

We had Oswald's lube the truck but we change the oil and filters ourselves. The cost of materials was about $30.

We then had the tires rotated and their air pressure checked. We learned one wheel was bent but usable with extra weights to balance it. We will try to find one in Arizona. We bought and installed new wipers for $17.

Next we took the truck to Clutch World to have it checked. The guy there delivered the bad news--it needed a new clutch. Yesterday we took it in and got it back just before his closing time. The clutch was in really bad shape and it was a minor miracle that the truck was functional. It probably would not have made the round trip to Arizona without a new clutch. Cost: $519.

Next up is the fuel pump. We forgot to have Oswald's replace it last week. Normally, we replace it every spring but have forgotten for the past 2-3 years. It's a critical component of a Big Block 454 Chevy.

We have added Lucas fuel stabilizer to the gas tank and will top it off today or tomorrow. We will also wash up the vehicle. we've gone through every nook and cranny of the front compartment pulling out old worthless stuff so we can replace it with new (presumably worthwhile) stuff.

We will have well over $700 invested in the truck to prepare for this trip. However, teh stuff we've had done will last a long time, well through next year's summer driving season. It's not really an expense that can only be tagged for this particular trip. However, it's important to do these things prior to a major trip*.

*What's a 'major trip'? Well, anything that's only for a few days in your local vicinity is a local trip. A major trip is in excess of 2000 miles and traverses at least 2-3 states while lasting at least 1-2 weeks or months or more.