Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
Well, I made it back, it was quite an adventure. The new truck is great, won't ever replace my first one.
Flew out of Baltimore (0640 Friday) to Tulsa through St. Louis. A local TDR member, SLVRBLT, picked me up at the airport and drove me approx 40 miles to the dealership, thanks Dave, that really meant alot to me.
Gave the truck a quick going over at the dealership, there were/are a
few minor things wrong but nothing I can do about it and they knew it.
All in all it is a very nice truck, had 10 miles on the odometer. It has much better body panel/door fit than my old truck. It sat on a dealer lot since around Christmas and
has some built up dirt around the mirrors, cowl, bed seams and it needs
a good careful cleaning, I am going to try to clean it up tomorrow. I told them I would take care of it. I didn't want a lot jockey grinding the film into the paint. They did a dealer exchange with a Dodge dealer in Missouri to get the truck. It was a factory order, sold truck, that a customer backed out of.
The folks at Mark Roberts Motors in Oklahoma were real nice. Took about
15 minutes to finalize the paperwork and I was good to go. I headed out
of Bartlesville, OK around 1700 Friday, central time and drove till
around 0300 Saturday, central time and ended up at a truck stop just
short of Indianapolis. I slept on the rear bench in the truck for about two
hours, grabbed a coffee and hit the road again. I made it back here
around 1600 local time. Approx. 1250 miles of driving. On the last leg
of the trip, about 270 miles from the WV/PA border to home, the truck
turned in almost 20 MPG at an average speed of around 70 mph.
The HO/6 speed is an awesome combination. I didn't get any gauges
installed for the drive home, so I took it pretty easy. I checked the
charge hoses and they were tight and it was obvious the truck was making
plenty of boost. I am going to need lots of practice to get the clutch
action and the shift throws nailed down. The clutch has a super long
travel with a very light action. The gear box is tight, the patterns are
a little odd. Right now the downshifts give me the most problem. This new truck
seems to put at least 50% more power to the ground than my old one, most
noticeably at speeds over 60mph. My auto truck was real flat above 60,
the new truck pulls hard to at least 90mph, I backed out of it at that
point.
Going to try to change the oil, add the boost and some other gauges
tomorrow. It will probably be a while until I can climb up on the fender
and tap the exhaust manifold for the EGT probe, back and neck are still tender from the accident. Took lots of meds to enable me to make the flight and the drive back. Going to sleep now for at least 10 hours. I am going to calculate the fuel mileage for the trip when I wake up tomorrow.
Dave
Forgot to update the sig
Old but Great truck, will always be #1
------------------
2001. 5 2500 QC, LB, 4x4, Auto, 3. 54, Everything but Leather, Bright Silver Metallic, ARE K Series, Diprocal EGT, Boost and Autometer transmission Temp(sensor in the line) in an Autometer Dash Pod, SW Fuel Pressure Gauge, Westin CPS Platinum Step Bars - Black on Stainless
New Truck on the Block
2001. 5 2500 QC, LB, 4x4, 6 speed/HO, SLT Plus, Bright White/Agate, Camper Group, Tow Group, Cab Lights, 241HD, Rear Slider, 3. 54 LSD, Trailer Tow Mirrors, 265/75 LTX-MS
[This message has been edited by Dave D (edited 05-27-2001). ]
Flew out of Baltimore (0640 Friday) to Tulsa through St. Louis. A local TDR member, SLVRBLT, picked me up at the airport and drove me approx 40 miles to the dealership, thanks Dave, that really meant alot to me.
Gave the truck a quick going over at the dealership, there were/are a
few minor things wrong but nothing I can do about it and they knew it.
All in all it is a very nice truck, had 10 miles on the odometer. It has much better body panel/door fit than my old truck. It sat on a dealer lot since around Christmas and
has some built up dirt around the mirrors, cowl, bed seams and it needs
a good careful cleaning, I am going to try to clean it up tomorrow. I told them I would take care of it. I didn't want a lot jockey grinding the film into the paint. They did a dealer exchange with a Dodge dealer in Missouri to get the truck. It was a factory order, sold truck, that a customer backed out of.
The folks at Mark Roberts Motors in Oklahoma were real nice. Took about
15 minutes to finalize the paperwork and I was good to go. I headed out
of Bartlesville, OK around 1700 Friday, central time and drove till
around 0300 Saturday, central time and ended up at a truck stop just
short of Indianapolis. I slept on the rear bench in the truck for about two
hours, grabbed a coffee and hit the road again. I made it back here
around 1600 local time. Approx. 1250 miles of driving. On the last leg
of the trip, about 270 miles from the WV/PA border to home, the truck
turned in almost 20 MPG at an average speed of around 70 mph.
The HO/6 speed is an awesome combination. I didn't get any gauges
installed for the drive home, so I took it pretty easy. I checked the
charge hoses and they were tight and it was obvious the truck was making
plenty of boost. I am going to need lots of practice to get the clutch
action and the shift throws nailed down. The clutch has a super long
travel with a very light action. The gear box is tight, the patterns are
a little odd. Right now the downshifts give me the most problem. This new truck
seems to put at least 50% more power to the ground than my old one, most
noticeably at speeds over 60mph. My auto truck was real flat above 60,
the new truck pulls hard to at least 90mph, I backed out of it at that
point.
Going to try to change the oil, add the boost and some other gauges
tomorrow. It will probably be a while until I can climb up on the fender
and tap the exhaust manifold for the EGT probe, back and neck are still tender from the accident. Took lots of meds to enable me to make the flight and the drive back. Going to sleep now for at least 10 hours. I am going to calculate the fuel mileage for the trip when I wake up tomorrow.
Dave
Forgot to update the sig
Old but Great truck, will always be #1
------------------
2001. 5 2500 QC, LB, 4x4, Auto, 3. 54, Everything but Leather, Bright Silver Metallic, ARE K Series, Diprocal EGT, Boost and Autometer transmission Temp(sensor in the line) in an Autometer Dash Pod, SW Fuel Pressure Gauge, Westin CPS Platinum Step Bars - Black on Stainless
New Truck on the Block
2001. 5 2500 QC, LB, 4x4, 6 speed/HO, SLT Plus, Bright White/Agate, Camper Group, Tow Group, Cab Lights, 241HD, Rear Slider, 3. 54 LSD, Trailer Tow Mirrors, 265/75 LTX-MS
[This message has been edited by Dave D (edited 05-27-2001). ]
