Bugeye to Rivergate,
Then Dragon’s Tail
by Willy Thompson
Tue, 18 Nov 2003: I took a 800 mile ride this weekend, to take my Bugeye to Rivergate shop. After much number crunching, it came out that if I had them build an engine for me, and rebuild a five speed, the shipping on that would eat me alive, so in my thought I asked what it would be if I brought my car to them to have the work done. Of course I know it will take another trip down there, to pick up car, but... the shipping would have been more expensive than the labor they charged to install, so that’s what I decided, but it took two trips for me to do it. Those of you who have been around the list a bit, know that I am not much of a mechanic, and as my long term goal is, to be able to actually drive this car long distance with relatively few worries. I thought discretion was the better part of valor, and it was time to admit to myself, that this was something that should be left to the knowing.
Rivergate Restoration Products, Soddy-Daisy, TN
www.rivergate5speed.com
I met Bill and Will Saturday morning, and meeting them in person, was a great experience, fairly laid back individuals, with Will being a bit more “jumpy” (of course he is young yet). LOL Both are great people, you just “know” it when you meet them.
They let me leave my trailer down there while the work is being done so I didn’t have to bob tail it back to Wisconsin, and then back down to pick it up. Bill even said that he was going to take the trailer to his home so he could keep an eye on it.
They are having a new shop built, so my car will likely be one of the last, in the old building, and one of the first in the new building. Exciting times for them, I’m glad they can do it.
While there, my traveling companions (Son Blake and Dave Lieb) and I figured out that we were close to the “Tail of the Dragon” in N.C. So after we dropped the bug, and the trailer we took a ride over there. The only thing that could have made that better would have been to be in a LBC rather than my Dodge, but WTH? Before going there Bill Perry warned that the dragon “does” bite OFTEN and to be careful, and to actually put all of us in the front seat of the quad cab, as sitting in the second seat may get my Son nauseous. (I do believe it was good advice).
After the last 8 years of telling my Son to slow down with his driving, he got a recollection of where his lunatic driving came from. ROTFLMAO! I have to say that Dave and Blake fought over who was going to get to hold on to the grab bars in my truck, more than once, hee hee.
Okay, I promised pics -- More pictures at: http://tinyurl.com/vjnz
willy@thompsoncarpentry.com -- www.thompsoncarpentry.com
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