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Posted by: worn Jul 17 2019, 09:55 AM

Edit. See last post on page 2. I did take the 911 to Montana. The engine failed after running the AC and getting the motor pretty hot. Ask me about service quality at the u-haul in Billings. On the other hand my fall back plan of trailering the Porsche back home is working. It helps to have a wife who is perfect and overflowing with courage. Would like to hear about your prediction for what is wrong with the motor.
Back to th3 unedited version below.


My wife has traveled with me to Ockteener Fest, WCR and the return half of Rt 66. Now we are going to visit Polson Montana. She is incredibly brave I have to say. I just got the AC going in the 911 and my wife tends to wilt in the heat. On the other hand the 914 carries more cargo, also a plus with my darling. It will be the end of July. Trying to make the best choice and wondering whether the weather tends to start to cool off and dry out towards the end of July. Decisions. Both cars have sixes in them.

Posted by: GregAmy Jul 17 2019, 10:23 AM

Gonna raise you up a crop of dental floss...?

Posted by: rmital Jul 17 2019, 10:27 AM

dam...just saw this...beat me to it....

Posted by: dr914@autoatlanta.com Jul 17 2019, 10:44 AM

absolutely the 911 if you love your wife. The main problem is driving with the windows open and all of the noise when one does not have ac. Hence the 911 is the better car, ac with the windows rolled up

Posted by: mgp4591 Jul 17 2019, 01:33 PM

Gonna be a mental toss flycoon...

Posted by: burton73 Jul 17 2019, 01:53 PM

(yes I am)

Take the 911. Plenty of room for clothing or take less with you.

Bob B

Posted by: Tdskip Jul 17 2019, 02:38 PM

911

Posted by: bbrock Jul 17 2019, 03:03 PM

Compared to a Madison summer - no, it will not be hot at all. That said, it does tend to get hot and dry about this time of year and often very smoky, but this is not a normal year so all bets are off. Down here in the mountains outside Bozeman, they have predicted sunshine and 80s the majority of days for the last few weeks but I think we have broken 80 this year only once or twice and only briefly. Thundershowers have rolled in for at least a few hours every afternoon for weeks. That is to say it has been an unusually cool and wet summer but no telling how long this pattern will last.

For a more typical year, "hot" in the mountainous parts of the state is 80s to (rarely) low 90s with low humidity. I put hot in quotes because I grew up in eastern Kansas where hot was 90/80 (90+ degrees and 80+% humidity) so for us, it does not actually get "hot" here and when my family visits, they all wear jackets when even I think it is too warm. The average July high temp in Polson is 81F and it is down on the lake so will be cooler if you drive up in the mountains. I spent two insanely hot and muggy weeks in Madison one summer and you aren't going to experience anything like that here. Everyone has their own idea of comfort so I won't recommend which car, but if it were me, it would be teener hands down. I can drive day after day at 80 degrees with the top off though as long as the humidity is low. Getting across the Dakotas without melting may be the real trick.

I WILL recommend that you drive the Going-to-the-Sun highway while you are there. You won't be able to drive fast, but some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet. Also, if your travels bring you along I-90 near Bozeman, you should stop and say hi, maybe grab a bite to eat, or even stay the night in our guest room. We are only 3 miles by road off the Interstate.

Posted by: Superhawk996 Jul 17 2019, 04:26 PM

Brent is a spectacular host. I stopped by on trip to/from Idaho. His work on reviving his chassis and attention to detail has to be seen to be believed.

I vote 911. It's not Montana that will be hot but the plains states as Brent notes. On my return trip a few weeks ago it was in mid 90's, pretty humid, and not a lick of shade. Was glad for A/C.

Posted by: bbrock Jul 17 2019, 07:24 PM

BTW, this should clear up any questions about going to Montana


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyLMwzDR4qY

Posted by: worn Jul 17 2019, 09:21 PM

Man! After that, dental floss or not I am on my way. Whoopi tie yie aye.

Posted by: whitetwinturbo Jul 17 2019, 09:44 PM

................A/C, skimpy ladies linen top and a happy wife is a happy life

Posted by: SirAndy Jul 18 2019, 12:04 AM

How much do you like your wife?

Posted by: KELTY360 Jul 18 2019, 09:58 AM

If you're young at heart and adventurous, take the 914. If you're old, stodgy and require your creature comforts, take the 911. I'd take the 914 but I'm only 70.

Either way, check out the Beartooth Highway.....tons of fun and great scenery!




Attached image(s)

Posted by: rudedude Jul 18 2019, 12:26 PM

Last august in missoula area it seemed like every day approached 100 degrees and also in July. It was cooler these last 2 weeks when I was there'd also more rain. I hope in early august when i am back it won't be as hot as last summer. The best part was I have never seen western montana look so green as it was last week.

Posted by: mepstein Jul 18 2019, 12:32 PM

I'd take the 911 because any car without a/c sucks to drive when it's hot and raining.

Posted by: bbrock Jul 18 2019, 03:26 PM

Pay your respects to Kinau (our previous dog) after you crest the summit on your way to Cooke City. His ashes are up there. Then cruise through the Lamar Valley and up through Mammoth, Gardiner, and Livingston. Then stop at Brock's house for a bison burger!

Posted by: orthobiz Jul 18 2019, 04:12 PM

Yippee kiyo kiyay!

P

Posted by: eyesright Jul 18 2019, 04:54 PM

Do it the foolproof way. Push the EASY button. Take the high road. Use your head..."Which one do you want to take, sweetheart?" You can't lose. 911 vs 914??? Is there a problem here?

Posted by: worn Jul 18 2019, 09:23 PM

You have hit the nail on the head: I already have a perfect wife. We could be driving her Honda minivan.
Brock, that photo shows the perfect animal ready to woof. I am sorry that I will only be able to pay respects. Will p m you as I know more. I don’t know much about the Bison (sadly) but I have me some Roosevelt elk stories from my days with usfnws.

Posted by: worn Aug 3 2019, 07:04 PM

Epilogue.
In a motel in Fergus Falls. Got to the destination in Polson Montana on the last gasp of the battery power. Alternator had failed. Called Pelican and had a replacement overnight. Field replacement of the 911 alternator is kinda like with 914-4: suckish. But done and charging. On the way back home at Billings lost power with backfires galore. Now have a u haul truck with a Porsche on a trailer.

Engine got pretty hot. About 245 degrees when the fan belt broke and it took maybe 60 seconds to stop. Am hoping that the msd AL6 cd box is fried. More worried about things like valves and pistons in the engine that I built. What have I done!?? But I have yet to hear a clank. Also, oil pressure remained over 3 bar throughout.

Again: severe loss of power, backfires, known overheating, msd ignition, no data re spark, fuel or compression since my tools are still back home.
Thoughts? Guesses?

Posted by: bbrock Aug 3 2019, 07:28 PM

No clue on your problem but sorry we were so rough on your car

Posted by: rick 918-S Aug 3 2019, 07:36 PM

Guess? Loose belt from the alternator change.

Posted by: worn Aug 3 2019, 07:49 PM

Was thinking I had all this extra time to contact Brock and see about getting together. Then the alternator needed replacement. Heading back home with a day to spare on Thursday when the motor went south just east of Billings. Tried to limp back to town and failed. Hagerty towed me to the u haul. Sorry Brock, we tried.

Posted by: bbrock Aug 3 2019, 10:03 PM

No worries. I forgot I had a work retreat over in the Madison Valley all week anyway and just got home yesterday myself. You missed out on the hundred head of elk behind our house right now though

Posted by: Superhawk996 Aug 4 2019, 04:54 AM

What a nightmare. So sorry to hear of the trip woes. Are you still married? I'd recommend flying her home 1st class at next airport you come to!

I can relate though - in 2015 my jeep wrangler developed death wobble and I limped it into Butte. Was stuck there for two days while ball joints were replaced.

Bummer on missing Brent. His hospitality is worth the trip alone. I'd have loved to see those Elk!

Posted by: Larmo63 Aug 4 2019, 09:41 PM

You WERE forewarned about Montana..............

Posted by: 76-914 Aug 5 2019, 08:19 AM

That's the shits Warren. Sorry to hear of your breakdown. I think @http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=17068 meant forewarned!

Posted by: worn Aug 5 2019, 04:30 PM

To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Sh#$ my forearms is just fine. My problem is that I love the mountain states but they are a thousand miles of interstate away.
Met a man from Germany admiring my 911. He told me how to pronounce Fuchs. Now I understand a lot more of our posts.
My wife is a saint, but also some sort of Greek or Norse goddess. We had to manually get the sob onto the uhaul and she provided the winning hmph. Man she is so perfect.
I made it home and am currently wallowing in self pity. Tomorrow is another day.

Posted by: worn Aug 5 2019, 04:42 PM

In my college days I worked as a volunteer in the Olympic Natl Park. Worked for the biologist. Early September, with a full moon. I decided to take a walk along the high divide. I was the only human in the whole area. Found myself downwind of a large herd of elk. I decided to just sit still. They munched their way along until I was surrounded by them. In my excitement I swallowed wrong and coughed. They all looked at me as -what the hell are you doing here. Not really spooked, but they decided to leave with a kind of sound unique to a herd. Lots of rocks and dirt being scraped by hooves. I now know that these are the kinds of moments that define a person. Sometimes nature, other times fashion. I feel lucky.

Posted by: bbrock Aug 5 2019, 04:56 PM

I will not go into detail of how I spent my Saturday evening with 20+ elk cows grunting and whistling to their calves as they walked slowly behind me in the dimming light while a pair of sandhill cranes hunted their way across a meadow to their night roost (the reason for my being there) just a few yards in front of me. You already get it. I AM lucky.

Posted by: Superhawk996 Aug 5 2019, 05:10 PM

Neither of you had a 30-06? We could be having elk burgers instead of bison!

Just kidding. My hunting days are long gone in favor of catch and release with the native Cutthroat Trout!

I’m not so lucky - surrounded largely by urban decay

Posted by: sixnotfour Aug 5 2019, 05:22 PM

im hoping vacum leak....

Posted by: dr.tim Aug 6 2019, 12:53 PM

Whoa, missed all of this.. I was out playing at MidOhio.

Posted by: worn Aug 6 2019, 02:21 PM

Looks so effin trivial. The boot between the air meter and the intakes has been blown off. My back is still recovering, so i havent tested. $1250 to u haul so i could be treated badly and all on account of a backfire?

To put things in perspective, i changed the oil so as to be ready and overfilled the tank. Which made the main seal oil ooze worse, that lead to the fan belt failing, which was dramatic and blazing hot. The tool kit had an old belt that also failed, but i had yet another. Then the alternator gave up the ghost after 40 years of service, which led to buying a battery at wallmart to get to the friends place in polson. Absolutely gorgeous! Then pelican and fedex got involved, and the alternator got changed, which led to heading for home. Then as the car lost power and i was by the side of the road for the third time with an 80 mph speed limit I gave up. Hagerty paid for a tow to u-haul in Billings. Thinking i was helping i did the on line order for a trailer, which has no effect on the local granchise.after a few hours - noyou may not sitin theshade,thatis for our mechanics we were sent off to obtain a trailer in white sulfur springs, a six hour round trip with us paying for the gas for the ten foot truck. No, there isnt a winch on the trailer, so a couple of strangers getting their storage locker stuff pitched in to help load up. My bad back is still recovering.

After that the rest was simply driving home in time for a Monday morning meeting. I am good for eight hours normally, but we stretched that.

My wife is a hero. She would sign up for this, but she wouldn’t go for a cruise or luxury resort. If you find one like her, hold on tight. There are other lessons learned, perhaps the biggest one is to trust your work if you did it correctly. My lack of diagnostic tools along with lack of confidence in my engine rebuild made me fear the worst. Still, she is the greatest.