text:
Archive for the 'ford' tag
Radnor Hunt Concours d'Elegance debuts 'Powered by Ford' class
A Ford-powered De Tomaso Pantera in the wild. Photo by Jeff Koch.
The Radnor Hunt Concours d'Elegance, held on the grounds of America's oldest fox-hunting club in Malvern, Pennsylvania, is celebrating its 18th year in 2014, and this year's list of categories includes one particularly broad in scope. "Powered by Ford," new for the 2014 event, aims to highlight classic vehicles with Blue-Oval brand engines, including Sunbeam Tigers, De Tomaso Panteras, Shelby Cobras, Iso Grifos and TVR Griffiths.
Ford engines, especially Ford V-8s, have found their way into some of the world's most famous performance cars because of their reputation for high-performance, reliability, and bang-for-the-buck. Since Ford engines have seen duty in such a large population of vehicles, the Powered by Ford class should offer lots of variety, and there's a good chance the category will feature more than just sports cars. According to concourse rules, there could even be crossover between the Powered by Ford class and the Formula One Grid class, as Ford's long-term partnership with Cosworth (which stretched from 1966 until 2004) powered a multitude of Formula One cars over the years, delivering 176 Formula One victories.
Other featured classes for 2014 are Classic Chrysler and HRD Vincent Motorcycles, and expected entries include a 1962 Facel Vega Facel II, a 1936 Chrysler Imperial C-10 Airflow, a 1955 Chrysler Imperial convertible prototype, a LeBaron-bodied 1937 Chrysler C-15 Town Car built for Walter P. Chrysler's wife, and a 1955 Chrysler Imperial convertible prototype built for Chrysler chairman K.T. Keller.
With an imposed limit of just 100 vehicles, the Radnor Hunt Concours d'Elegance certainly isn't the largest event on the East Coast, but what the show lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality. As with most concours d'elegance events, proceeds go to benefit charity, in this case the Thorncroft Equestrian Center, which teaches horseback riding and develops therapeutic programs for those with special needs.
The Radnor Hunt Concours d'Elegance will take place on Sunday, September 14, on the grounds of Radnor Hunt in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Events are planned for the Friday and Saturday preceding the show as well; for complete details, visit RadnorConcours.org.
SIA Flashback – Restoration Profile: 1955 Ford Crown Victoria Skyliner
Just as the prior issue of SIA introduced the Driveable Dream to the Hemmings repertoire, the February 2003 issue (SIA #193) introduced the Restoration Profile, an in-depth look at how an at-home restorer – in this case owner Ted Ciufo – transformed his car – in this case a 1955 Ford Crown Victoria Skyliner with the much-desired plexiglass roof insert – from a neglected pile of parts into a shiny show-winning classic. Richard Lentinello photographed the car and provided the details.
Four-Links – Holden Hurricane revisited, Tri-Magnum, Miss Bacfire, Ford's SOHC
* The restoration of the Holden Hurricane concept car by Holden took place back in 2011, and while we already hit it up for Four-Links back then, Car Build Index this week assembled a big batch of photos of the Hurricane in period, in restoration, and in flagrante on the track.
* Speaking of wedge-shaped futuristic cars, Diseno Art this week took a look at the R.Q. Riley Tri-Magnum kit trike, which builds upon the Honda Goldwing.
* Speaking of motorcycle-powered vehicles with more than two wheels, Engine Punk profiled the Miss Bacfire, a BAC V-twin-powered GN-chassised Shelsley Walsh hillclimb special that takes a page from the Bloody Mary in terms of stripped-down race simplicity.
* Speaking of race engines (okay, not the greatest segue), Mac's Motor City Garage gave us a rundown on the history and development of Ford's SOHC – aka Cammer – V-8 engine and its influence on other Ford V-8s.
* Finally, a few years after we explored the meaning behind the Alfa Romeo badge, Torchinsky took on the same crusade and came back with an answer from Alfa itself.
From our museum to the beach: Hemmings prepares vehicles for the third-annual Race of Gentlemen
The Hemmings Motor News 1934 Ford one-ton wrecker.
Although Hemmings Motor News will not have a vehicle competing in this year's third-annual Race of Gentlemen, we are one of the corporate sponsors and will be attending the event with a few period-correct vehicles normally seen in our auto museum at Hemmings Motor News headquarters in Bennington, Vermont. We chose the 1928 Model A roadster pickup and the 1934 Ford one-ton dual-rear wheel tow truck to represent our fleet at the Race of Gentlemen; however, both have been just sitting in the museum, except for the occasional shuffling around that takes place, for at least 10 years. This meant that they both needed some effort to get them roadworthy again.
The Hemmings Motor News 1928 Ford Model A Roadster pickup.
Both had been used regularly in parades throughout our area during the seventies, eighties and nineties, but neither had been state inspected or registered for the road since 2004. They also had 10-year-old gas in them, and the batteries had fallen beyond starting capacity. The first task was to get them both running again, and it was surprisingly easy to do.
The four-cylinder in the roadster pickup started with remarkably little effort.
The roadster battery was charged and the engine turned over easily, but the carburetor float was stuck, resulting in fuel spitting out of the carburetor neck and raw gas leaking from the top of the fuel bowl. The old gas was siphoned out and the tank was flushed with some new gas before refilling. The glass bowl fuel filter was drained and cleaned and the carburetor was removed, soaked and reassembled after the float was freed. New spark plugs were installed and the carburetor was returned to the intake manifold.
After a few sputters, the flathead four-cylinder engine fired again, this time without all the gas leaks. Once started, we adjusted the spark advance to set a good idle speed and let it warm up for 20-30 minutes. The cylinder head-mounted water pump squealed for a short time, but it quieted down after the engine reached operating temperature. We then took it back into the shop to change the oil and add new coolant to the cooling system. One vehicle running, one more to go.
Our 1928 and 1934 Ford trucks.
We had converted the tow truck's electrical system from a six-volt to a 12-volt single-wire alternator many years ago, and while its 12-volt battery accepted a charge, the fuel system was again a problem. The flathead V-8 had been sitting so long, without regular starts and with old gas in the tank and lines, that the carburetor was getting no fuel at all. We checked the fuel pump, and it seemed to be working fine, as vacuum was still being generated. Checking further back in the fuel system, we found that the steel line feeding the fuel from the gas tank was plugged solid with rust.
After closing the fuel tank at the manual shut-off valve, we were able to remove the rusted section of gas line and replace it with a new section. We also drained and cleaned the fuel tank, added new gas and ethanol stabilizer, cleaned the screen and the fuel bowl on the bottom of the fuel pump and liberally sprayed the carburetor with aerosol cleaner. Once a flow of gas was re-established, the tow truck started immediately. The carburetor had a small vacuum leak where it bolted to the manifold; we were able to eliminate the leak by changing the nuts on the manifold studs and re-tightening.
Engine fluids were then changed and we temporarily installed an 1196 headlight bulb, as it had to be replaced in order for the truck to pass state inspection. The new bulb worked to get the inspection done, but it is a single filament bulb. The correct number 1124 12-volt dual-filament bulb is on order and will be here before the event. We also replaced the lower "running light" bulb inside the headlight bucket as well.
The flathead Ford V-8 required a bit more work before firing up.
Both are inspected, registered, and now running well. Although neither will be driven to the event, they could be, if we kept off the interstates. But, they will be on display in running order at the third-annual Oilers Car Club Race of Gentlemen on October 3-5, 2014 in Wildwood, New Jersey. Several of the editorial staff will be in attendance, as well as our car show road representatives Jeff Chao and Carson Cameron. Further details about the event are available online at The Race of Gentlemen website, or at the Oilers Car Club Facebook page.
World's largest private Ford collection replacing its pre-war cars with post-war
Images courtesy BVA Auctions.
The Den Hartogh Ford Museum in the Netherlands might hold the Guinness world record for the largest private collection of Fords in the world, but it has struggled to bring younger visitors through its doors in recent years, something museum officials will attempt to counteract by thinning out nearly a quarter of the museum's collection.
The museum, which Netherlands-based collector Piet den Hartogh began assembling in 1956 and which he opened to the public in 1997, encompasses 5,000 square meters in Hillegom, enough space for more than 200 Ford Motor Company vehicles – including those built by Ford and by Lincoln – from 1903 to 1948. Stock Model Ts and Model As comprise many of the vehicles in the collection, but von Hartogh, in his world travels, also collected a number of coachbuilt and European Fords as well as Ford trucks and even an in-factory fire engine that Heineken donated to the museum.
While the museum has continued to add to its collection as of late – Guinness certified the museum when it had 206 cars, but the museum's website now boasts 214 cars – attracting young people in significant numbers seems to be a problem for the museum. Last year's temporary Mustang exhibit at the museum drove that point home: According to museum staffer Mart Minke, the exhibit brought in plenty of visitors who identified with Mustangs and other cars from later decades, but presumably not so much with the Ts and As.
So to "make the museum a bit younger," in Minke's words, museum officials have decided to add post-war cars to the collection, a move that requires selling off some of its pre-war cars. It will do so in an online auction that will begin later this month with 47 of the museum's cars listed. The lots include almost an equal number of Model Ts, Model As, trucks, and early V-8s, among them a Model AA-based fire engine, a 1937 V-8-powered 16-seat coach, a 1911 Model T speedster, a 1931 Model A Town Car delivery van, and a Russian-built 1938 four-door sedan. Opening bids range from €8,000 (about $10,500) to €35,000 (about $46,000).
Museum officials have not yet said what vehicles they intend to replace these 47 with.
The auction will run from September 28 through October 2, with a viewing day on September 28. For more information, visit BVA-Auctions.com.
Uphill both ways: The cross-country road trip of the "Huff and Puff"
Fifty years ago, if you wanted to take a hulking Model AA school bus to the Model A Ford Club of America's annual convention halfway across the country, there was really only one way to do so – drive it there. That's just the adventure that George and Annabelle Pope of Visalia, California, took on with some of their Model A friends in 1964, using the bus that's now enshrined in the Model A Ford Museum on the Gilmore Car Museum campus. George's account of the trip and all the difficulties they encountered along the way – which we're reprinting here with his permission – shows that it only takes a lot of perseverance, plenty of spare parts and the kindness of strangers to complete such an epic road trip.
It was the spring of 1964 in Pomona, California, and two friends, Ed Hollingsworth and George Pope, President of MAFCA, were talking about driving Model As to the upcoming July MAFCA National Meet in Louisville, Kentucky. Looking back, neither of us must have been of sound mind as Ed had a pickup and I had a roadster. We realized that our families would not consider a trip to Kentucky in our Model As. We were not discouraged and we continued to talk about attending the National Meet in a Model A.
The Hunt
Ignoring all common sense, we found a gentleman that owned a 1930 Model AA Ford 32-Passenger School Bus. This bus was parked in a walnut orchard in Rosemead and was used to store old car parts. After a lot of arm waving and discussion between us, we decided this Bus would be a "great thing" to drive to Kentucky so we decided to take a look. We went to see it in the evening and looking at it with flashlights, decided it was in somewhat usable shape.
Now the big challenge was to convince our families what an adventure it would be to drive this Bus to Kentucky. Ed told his wife, Vivian, and two children, Craig and Tina, that my wife Annabelle said she would go if Vivian went. I told Annabelle and our two children, Kent and Susan, that Vivian said she would go if Annabelle went. It's a good thing that Annabelle and Vivian didn't talk to each other before we told them that the other wife wanted to go.
With the okay from our families, we headed back to purchase the Bus. We offered the owner $400, as is, where is, if he would throw in a new battery. Our offer was accepted and he said we could pick up the Bus on the weekend. The seller gave us a brief history of the Bus. It had originally been purchased and used by the El Monte School District and then sold to the Balboa Baptist Church for a Sunday School Bus who then sold it to the man we purchased it from. We became the fourth owners of the Bus.
Bringing It Home
We both had wide smiles on our faces as we towed it to my house on April Fool's Day, a very appropriate date for the beginning of this endeavor. Both wives and our neighbors were speechless to say the least when the Bus arrived. Our neighbors were used to seeing Model As in front of our house but the Bus attracted people from all over town to see the unique arrival.
Our first task was to clean the inside of the Bus. It was filled with trash with an odor of oil, grease and dead varmints. Our second task was getting the engine started, which took a week. The engine sounded terrible. It was then decided that my driveway was not the best place to really get into this project. We were lucky to have a bachelor Model A friend, LeRoy Garrett, with a very long driveway. He lived a few houses away from Ed. We got the Bus started and drove it to our new silent partner's home for a major restoration in his driveway. Unfortunately, LeRoy had a hard time keeping a girlfriend when the Bus was parked in his driveway. Needless to say, my neighbors were delighted to see the Bus leave our house. Who knew what Ed and LeRoy's neighbors were thinking, but we were afraid to ask.
Restoration Starts
Immediate disassembly was undertaken. Everything inside the Bus, the seat frames, leather cushions and side panels, was removed. The oak floor and side panels were sanded and varnished and the seat cushions soaked in saddle soap. The standard AA engine and four-speed transmission were rebuilt. The exhaust system and wheel bearings were replaced. After many hours of work for a month, everything looked like it was coming together.
We discovered that the gas tank had a severe rust problem and needed to be replaced. We installed a larger gas tank under the chassis and hooked up an electric fuel pump to the gas line under the original gas tank line. Ed, with his outstanding humor, installed a glass eye in the gauge on the dash. This new 20-gallon gas tank gave us a longer driving range than the original 10-gallon tank.
As progress continued, the roof was repaired and painted aluminum to ward off any summer heat. The yellow paint was donated by a local utility, and a local sign company did the lettering. By the first of June, the Bus looked pretty good. We had several test drives to check for any problems. This was always done at night to avoid traffic and the local police.
We discovered many hidden problems such as back firing, bellowing steam from the radiator, and electrical shorts which required more engine work. That is how the Bus became known as the "HUFF & PUFF."
Living Arrangements
With two families, we needed special sleeping, eating and cooking arrangements for 8 people. For eating, our modifications included reversing the two front seats to make two booths with dropleaf tables. For sleeping, we removed two rear seats on each side and installed two of the "spring type" day metal beds for the wives and daughters. Men and sons planned to sleep on Army cots outside. The cooking was done outside with a portable propane stove.
The Bus was a forerunner of the RV. What else could our families ask for? Motels were not for us! After all, this was a Model A tour and we were to going to have fun. We planned on camping in trailer parks, pastures, truck stops, and the side of the road.
The wives took care of the inside details like bedding, food etc. Ed and I decided on what tools and spare parts were going to be needed. Little did we know how much we really needed. After several more nightly practice runs, some successful, some not, it was decided to take the Bus on a real tour to Fallbrook in San Diego County. We checked the trip details and it looked like an easy drive, not many hills.
First Tour
Fallbrook was located about 100 miles from Pomona. We loaded up the Bus with all our spares parts and drove off without a care in the world. We left a day early just in case we had trouble. Our first problem was overheating on a steep grade, which required several water stops. Item one on the "to do" checklist became check the radiator again. We arrived at the meet site very early and were allowed to set up camp in the category of "heavy trucks." The Meet was a success and we came away with a trophy for the most "Unusual" Model A. One more challenge confronted us on the trip home. It was uphill. As a precaution, we loaded up our water supply again.
Ed had installed a gas gauge on the auxiliary tank but he was not sure of its accuracy. So we bought gas several times on the way down and back. We discovered just a few more "little problems" on the way home.
Judgement Day Arrives
Local newspapers did several articles about the Bus and the pending Kentucky trip. Fellow Model A people, Bob DeBerry, his son Robert, and 15-year old Robert Courtney, decided to make the trip with us as our chase car in DeBerry's 1929 Fordor Sedan.
At the same time, MAFCA past President Harry Hocker was restoring an English Model A Ford convertible sedan, a very unique Model A. The engine was half the horsepower of the regular Model A.
Harry figured he could keep up with the Bus at our speed so he and his wife, Mary Ellen, decided to join us as our second chase car. It was rare for a Model A to be trailered to a National Meet in 1964. The day before we left, Harry called and said he was still painting his fenders and would not be able to start with us but they would try and catch up.
With great fanfare at 3 a.m. on June 25, the Bus, loaded with all the supplies for two families, and the DeBerry chase car, left Pomona. Several of our Model A friends were there to see us off and offer condolences. We were happy and carefree. The kids laid on the beds trying to catch some more sleep. The wives were at the table watching the cars fly by. Our plan was to take the main highway to San Bernardino, over Cajon Pass, hit Highway 66 to Needles, and head east. After several water refills climbing Cajon Pass, we hit the top of the grade just after sunrise. Three hours from home and 60 miles down. It was downhill from the top of Cajon pass to Victorville and Ed said let her run at top speed, we think about 40 MPH.
All of a sudden we heard a terrible noise coming from under the dash. We found our speedometer cable had broken. From that time on, we had no idea of our speed or mileage. However, we knew that if the ammeter was charging about 10 amps, we were going about 25 MPH. That was good enough speedometer for us.
Our next major stop was Needles, California. The radiator was throwing all the water out so we decided to have the radiator checked at a truck stop. We pulled the radiator, had it flushed, and hit the road again. Arriving at dusk in Kingman, Arizona, at the end of our first day, we located a nice level spot out of town for the night. We set up our little camp and cooked hot dogs and beans. A short time later, we discovered our camp was set up on the railroad right of way for the longest and fastest trains in the country. What a night! No one could sleep with a train going by every 15 minutes. We left at dawn for another exciting day.
We all hoped that the second day was going to be better than the first. We planned on stops at the Grand Canyon, the Painted Desert, and other scenic places. We soon discovered that the road was uphill all the way to Kentucky and the Bus didn't like hills. In low gear, we found we could walk beside the Bus going uphill. As we approached the turn off to the Grand Canyon and found that it was another 50 miles away, we decided to just read about it in a brochure. We next went by the sign to the Painted Desert. We just took pictures of the sign.
We pulled into Gallup, New Mexico, for our second night and decided to eat out. We asked in the restaurant if there was a campground nearby. We were told about a campground just out of town. We were buying gas and a man came in and asked us if we had been in Fallbrook a couple of weeks ago. He said he had seen the Bus there and knew that we had the only Bus like that in the country. It's really a small world. We found the sign to the campground but it was another 15 miles up a canyon, so we found a wide open area a short distance away off the main road. We set up camp for a well-earned night's rest. It was not to be, because we found out our campsite was at the entrance to the Gallup dump and the locals liked to party at the dump.
Unrefreshed for another day's travel, we headed out at a break neck speed of about 20-25 MPH until we developed engine problems. Our first engine overhaul began with a new head gasket and resetting the valves and timing. This procedure was repeated several times during the third day.
Our next stop was Albuquerque. The road was downhill for several miles, and it was a chance to again run at a wide-open speed of 40 MPH. We opened all the windows and the front door and sped towards Albuquerque. The engine was acting up and all of a sudden there was a loud bang. We had a flat tire on the left inside dual wheel and the safety ring had come off. We found a trailer park that would allow us to stay and called a tire service to come and repair the flat. We set up camp and proceeded to dismantle the engine again to see what was wrong. About midnight, we discovered a carburetor jet had come out and was wedged under a valve which kept the valve from closing. We called an Albuquerque Chapter member, and he had a new jet for us. We got DeBerry out of bed and he drove us across town to pick up the jet. While installing the new jet, it broke. We again called the member, and he was nice enough at 3 AM to give us another jet. The DeBerry taxi service was put back in business again. As daylight approached, we were putting things back together and broke the water gooseneck.
The Fourth Day
The Albuquerque Chapter was having a picnic in a park across town. With a full supply of water, we headed to the park to see if anyone had another gooseneck. Most were surprised that we had made it that far from California. The other California group, including our tour partner, Harry Hocker, met up with us, having left two days later. After a quick lunch and seven goosenecks later, we were again on our way.
Another long hill faced us on our way out of town. The Bus chugged uphill at a break neck speed of about 5 MPH with DeBerry and Hocker behind us. As we looked back, cars formed a solid line back to town. After reaching the top, we were stopped by the Highway Patrol for holding up traffic. I told the Officer that I thought that folks were so glad to see us leave Albuquerque that they wanted to follow us out of town. He let us go without a citation.
Our next challenge was another flat tire; same tire, same location, inside dual. We soon found out that it was impossible to remove lug nuts that had been put on by an impact wrench with the original jack and tools. We found a piece of one-inch pipe to use as a "cheater bar" and broke the lugs loose. We also met the parts truck that was following the other California group, and we loaded up on head gaskets, carburetor kits, and other things we thought we might need. Our extra parts supply from home had really dwindled.
Our next target stop was Tucumcari. We started noticing an increase in oil consumption. We were adding two to three quarts at every gas stop because of a major leak from the rear main. We also found a manifold leak and our brakes were getting a little scary. We limped into Tucumcari and found a truck stop to spend the night. The manifold was repaired with some kind of compound that we found but it worked. It was another short night for us.
The Fifth Day
Our oil consumption was getting worse every mile. We were now so used to the various hammering and knocking sounds that we only noticed "new" sounds. As we got closer to Oklahoma City, we found the minimum turnpike speed was 50 MPH. There was no way we could go that fast so we decided to bypass the Turnpike and take the old Highway 66 route. After a long day, we located a suitable pasture to camp for the night.
The Sixth Day
We lost the Hockers somewhere along the road to Tulsa. Ed got on the walkie-talkie and called for Harry. His words were "Harry, Harry where are you? This is the Huff and Puff, come in please." The answer came back load and clear – "Huff and Puff, this is the Tulsa Police Department. Are you in trouble?" Ed responded, "Not until now, Huff and Puff clear." We didn't find the Hockers again until Louisville. We stopped in Joplin, Missouri, for the night at nice trailer park with showers.
The Seventh Day
We checked the tires, added oil, and started for St. Louis undaunted. We pulled into St. Louis during the afternoon rush hour, and the Bus received many honks and waves from the "natives." Much to our surprise, the bridge across the Mississippi River was a toll bridge. Pulling into the Toll Station, the attendant said it would be $20 for a commercial vehicle. We said we were a "passenger car not for hire," not a commercial truck. He again said $20. Finally, because we were blocking traffic, he finally relented and charged us $1.50.
With time running out to reach Louisville the next day in time for the Meet, we decided to drive all night. We developed another major oil leak. We lost the oil cap off the breather pipe so we stuffed a rag down the pipe. As day broke, we found ourselves on top of a high mountain, which meant it was downhill all the way into Louisville. Happy that we were almost there, we entered Louisville across a narrow rural bridge, just a little wider than the Bus. Workers were doing repairs and had to hang out over the railing as we passed. They were not too happy as we went by.
We found our way to the Convention site and were greeted with applause by the Louisville Chapter members. We asked about the other California group and were told they had not arrived. Not only did we make it, we beat the other group.
At the Convention
Our first task after getting checked into the hotel was the overhaul of the engine. We parked in a little used hotel area and started the motor disassembly. It soon started to rain. Guess where we had parked? It was the center of the lowest part of the parking lot where the water stood about a foot deep.
I contacted Jack Payton and asked him to tow us to the Convention Center with his Victoria so we had a dry spot for our repairs. After taking the head off, we discovered the engine needed a complete rebuild with new pistons, rings, rods, etc. We ordered the parts from a Cincinnati Model A parts dealer and he delivered them to us personally. You can't ask for better service than that.
One of our fellow Pomona Valley members was almost out of money and was unable to pay for a room. He asked if he and his son could sleep in the Bus. He and his son slept in the Bus every night of the Convention. You couldn't do this today.
While Ed and I were rebuilding the engine, our wives and children finally got to do some sightseeing at Churchill Downs and "My Old Kentucky Home." This helped Ed and me get back in their good graces. Our "Parts Angel" arrived with the supplies we needed and the engine was put back together with great ceremony. The Bus started and we drove to the staging area for the judging and show. The spectators could not believe that we had made the trip from California. We were awarded first place in the "Heavy Commercial" class.
At the banquet, I was asked to talk about our trip's trials and tribulations. At the conclusion of my talk, we received the "Hard Luck" trophy and the Outstanding Engineering plaque for our efforts. We also won a case of oil as a door prize.
Homeward Bound
Our many friends came to us and asked if we needed money to get home. The Louisville Chapter even offered us the Model A engine that they had as a raffle prize. We said thanks but no thanks to all and headed home. Bob DeBerry, our faithful chase car, had to leave early and Harry Hocker became our only chase car.
We hit the back roads planning to visit the various sights along the way with not a care in the world. We soon realized that the topography had changed from being "uphill to Louisville" to "uphill to California." Our speed was about the same with the rebuilt engine as it was with the old leaker. We needed to make at least 250 miles a day, which meant driving 12 hours a day and repairing 2 to 4 hours a day.
As we entered Paducah, Kentucky, a motorist hailed us over. Thinking we had another flat tire or other problem, we immediately pulled over. The motorist jumped out of his car and ran over to us and said, "I went to school in a bus like that." We were very relieved and headed out again. We found another pasture to camp in for the night, one of the few times we didn't spend half the night repairing the Bus.
Another Day on the Road
We awoke the next morning to discover that our pasture was the breeding grounds for the largest mosquitoes in the world. We were just about eaten alive. As we drove on, we started throwing oil again out the rear main. Hill after hill we trudged, waving at the folks as they sped by. When we stopped for gas or food, many people asked questions about our trip. The big question was always "Why?" We explained that we were on a vacation.
Joplin was our target for the second night. We camped in the same spot as we did on the way to Louisville. The local folks said they never expected to see us again. After a couple of hours of "preventive" maintenance, we folded up for the night. That night, I thought I was seeing spots because of driving fatigue. The spots turned out to be lightning bugs.
More Excitement
The weather was great the next morning. We were on the Turnpike traveling at 30 MPH and all of a sudden, "WHAM," a broken rod. We used the MAFCA Roster to call for local help. Lucky for us, we found a member only a few miles away. He said he would be right over to see us. He came in his truck and said he had plenty of space for us on his farm and we could spend as much time as we needed to fix the Bus. We headed for his farm on a tow chain. With the engine off, we had no brakes except the emergency brake, so it was a challenge to avoid rear-ending his truck.
We set up camp on the farm and proceeded to again disassemble the engine. The No. 3 rod had broken and most of the parts were in the bottom of the pan. This member had a "barn" of parts with barrels of new rods, pistons, etc. What a lucky find! We got the parts we needed and went into town to have the pin fitted to the piston. The Chevrolet garage did the job for us at no charge after hearing our story. Putting the piston back in was no problem but the bearing cap had to be fitted to the crank. We did this by touch only, "fit and feel," using a wood file. We asked our latest "Angel" what we owed him for all of his help. He said we owed him nothing and was glad to have been able to help us.
Next Overnighter
Our next stop was Amarillo, Texas. We were all getting anxious to get home. We continued to stop frequently to check the oil and tires and to see if anything had fallen off the engine. At our next gas stop, we discovered a broken Bendix spring on the starter. We didn't have a spare, so from now on we had to either crank the engine, park on a downhill grade, or have "all hands" push to get the engine started. Our daily logbook was really getting full from recording all the "happenings" of each day.
The Last Push Home
It was decided by all that we should head out at full "steam" at dawn to get home. We could tell the pistons were loose and we were leaking oil like a sieve. It was a good thing that the grade into Albuquerque was downhill. Ed was driving and said open the door and all the windows, we are going to fly downhill. We really got up a head of steam but everything inside the Bus bounced around and spilled all over. We again pointed out the scenic spots to the kids such as see the directional sign for the Painted Desert. We had dinner in Gallup, and remembering our previous stay in the Gallup dump, we all voted was to continue on.
Throughout the trip, Ed and I alternated the duties of driving and changed every couple of hours. On the way home, we let my 17-year old son Kent occasionally drive. He proved to be very good at handling the Bus. Kent was driving about midnight in Arizona and whispered "Dad, there's a fire." I was immediately awake. A car was on fire on the other side of the road. We stopped and attempted to put the fire out with our fire extinguisher. Truckers also stopped to assist but to no avail. The car had ammunition in the trunk and it started to blow. We made a quick decision to leave and let the Fire Rescue take over. It was many miles down the road before we fell asleep again, if you can call a "stupor" sleep.
We stopped in Flagstaff for breakfast, gas, oil, water, etc. Luck was with us because the Denny's was on a hill, and we didn't have to push the Bus to get it started. We left Flagstaff knowing California was almost in sight. Again, we were only able to point out the signs to the Grand Canyon. We also noted the places we had stopped alongside the road on the way east. They were easy to find because of the visible oil spots.
It was Ed's turn to buy gas in Kingman. After filling up, the service station refused Ed's credit card because it had expired two years ago. Ed had never noticed and neither did all the other businesses where Ed used this card on our trip. When getting gas, we left the engine running so we didn't have to crank the engine or push the Bus. After our fill-up, the attendant looked under the engine and told us we had a three-foot puddle of oil. Ed said, "You should have seen it before we fixed it." There was nothing we could do but leave the poor attendant with an oily mess to clean up.
Even though we were in the desert, it still seemed like it was uphill to the California line. Arriving at the State line in Needles, we decided to take a rest stop and swim in the Colorado River. We found a nice beach area and unloaded. Then we found we had another flat tire, our third for the same tire, inside left dual. Changing the tire took the place of swimming for Ed and I. After a few hours rest, we added more oil and water, cranked the Bus, and headed west into California. We were laughing because we were all bouncing up and down. We had been riding so long in the bumpy Bus that our bodies had developed a jiggle. When the Bus would stop, we would still jiggle.
Barstow was our next stop. Even though Barstow isn't that picturesque in July, it looked good to us because it was closer to home. We were beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Of course it was uphill from Barstow to Cajon Pass. We continued chugging uphill, and the engine was beginning to throb more and more. We crossed our fingers hoping that we didn't break down this close to home. We cheered at each road sign showing we were closer and closer to Pomona. We were also a little punchy because it had been two nights since our last overnight stop.
Home at Last
We all shouted "We made it!" We stumbled out of the Bus and kissed the ground. What an adventure. We had covered almost 6,000 miles at an average breakneck speed of 23 miles per hour in spite of the many breakdowns, overhauls and other interesting challenges. At no time did the two families have any words or attitude problems along the way. We had paved Highway 66 and other country roads with a streak of oil to Kentucky and back. Our total oil consumption was eight cases of anything that we could pour. The total cost of Bus repairs including the engine overhaul in Kentucky was $38.
History is not Finished
It was a wonderful and memorable experience. Ed and I were amazed by what we had accomplished. The wives and kids may never forgive us, but they will always remember "that" vacation. You may be wondering if we took movies of our trip. Yes, we have 200 ft of the dashboard and floorboards. The camera would be on the seat and the start button would bounce as we drove along taking what ever it was pointed at.
As I write our history of the Huff & Puff, I can still recall each and every detail of the trip including the good, the bad and the ugly. I think of all of our friends that gave us help, encouragement, time, parts, and sympathy when we took this unforgettable journey of a lifetime 48 years ago.
We kept the Bus for a number of years after the trip. It was especially popular for New Year's Eve progressive dinners and various Pomona Chapter events. We eventually sold it to a friend, Art Cheverton, of the Whittier Chapter.
We lost track of the Bus after Art sold it. Returning from the 1980 National Convention in Reno in our 1929 roadster, we rounded a hill and saw the "Bus" in its full glory. I just about had a stroke. There was our beloved Bus, still called the Huff & Puff, slowly chugging along as usual. I hailed the driver and he stopped even though wondering what kind of a "Nut" is loose here. The Bus had not changed much in appearance. It now had a black canvas top instead of a silver top. I guess we all can expect to change over time, because my brown hair is now white. It must have been the Bus trip to Kentucky that caused it.
The Hangtown As Chapter eventually bought and restored the Huff and Puff. Time had certainly taken a toll on the original restoration in 1964. The restoration was quite a project as you can see below. They are to be commended on all of their efforts on behalf of the Huff and Puff.
I have been told that it provided as many happy trips with them as it did with our families. We often got to visit the Bus during their Apple tour meets. As you can see, this bus is actually very roomy, even though the ceiling is only about five feet tall.
The new home of the Bus is the Model A Ford Foundation, Inc. (MAFFI) founded in 1987. It now is semi-retired and can be seen by all Model A hobbyists. It's a great piece of American and Model A History.
The chase car survivors of the trip, Bob DeBerry, Robert DeBerry, Robert Courtney, and Harry Hocker, are still with us. Many of our dear friends of that period are not.
Ed Hollingsworth with his great sense of humor and his wife, Vivian, with her understanding, were the greatest people to know and have as partners on this trip. Their children, Tina and Craig, still live in California. Other Model A friends that were Bus helpers and touring partners on many trips were Jack and Vivian Payton, Merle and Iva Smith, and Keith and Darlene Caskey.
We are forever thankful for the many people we met on our trip. They gave us support and encouragement as we chugged slowly along. We remain indebted to these great Model A friends and strangers, both past and present.
Our families will never forget our wonderful memories of the Huff and Puff and our Kentucky trip. We are delighted with its restoration by the Hangtown As and proud that it is being preserved by the Model A Ford Foundation.
Hemmings Find of the Day – 1958 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner
Retractable hardtops are amazing to watch in action: A symphony of moving parts disguised to look like they were never designed to move in the first place. During the post-war Jet Age optimism of the late 1950s you wonder if Ford designers believed that retractable hardtops would revolutionize the industry and find their way onto half of the automobiles on the road.
It would be awesome if retracting tops had become as ubiquitous as power seats and power windows, but almost 60 years after the Ford Skyline's breathtaking introduction, retractables are still sort of a novelty act and seem to have been implemented most by European and Japanese automakers.
It's said that the 1957-'59 Fairlane 500 Skyliner used more than 600 feet of wiring, a trio of drive motors, a quartet of door-lock motors and locking devices, plus 10 solenoid switches to transform from hardtop to convertible. It was a three-year-only offering from Ford, unfortunately, and fewer than 50,000 were built. Still it seems like there's one at every cruise night or car show, like this 1958 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner up for grabs on Hemmings.com, driven by an owner only too happy to let the car perform for an appreciative audience. From the seller's description:
1958 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner Convertible. Amazing original car in fantastic condition. Runs and drives great. Convertible top works like the day it came out of the factory. Approximately 80,000 miles. Very minor rust spots / blemishes. Price is firm… no tire kickers please.
Status: No Longer Available
View past picks: Hemmings Find of the Day Archive
Find more Fords for sale on Hemmings.com.
Hemmings Find of the Day – 1976 Ford Gran Torino
It should be the most basic rule of cardom: If you want to claim anything, provide the documentation to back it up, otherwise your claim amounts to little more than just a good ol' story. Fortunately, the owner of this 1976 Ford Gran Torino Starsky and Hutch edition for sale on Hemmings.com is said to have the documentation to prove that his car is one of the cars that Ford built to dovetail with the Gran Torino's most famous livery and not one of the many homebuilt clones (and to justify the expense of repainting it in said livery). From the seller's description:
You are looking at a fully documented and completely numbers matching 1976 Ford Grand Torino Starsky & Hutch special edition. Due to the popularity of the TV show, Ford produced 1,302 of these cars for one model year only in 1976. This is one of those cars. It is estimated that fewer than 100 of these cars remain. The car you are viewing came from Ford just as you see it, it is not a clone.
Condition: The car is a rust-free, filler-free rock solid car with one repaint. The paint is outstanding and shines like new: No bubbles, no rust, no checking or crazing. The paint job was VERY expensive and is better than anything Ford could dream of in 1976. The original 351W engine was completely rebuilt by the Ford Motor Company 3,000 miles ago, along with the factory carburetor. The master cylinder and brakes were replaced at the same time, as were all the belts and hoses. All the gauges work and there are no leaks, rattles, squeaks, or knocks. The interior is beautiful and completely original. The rims are perfect and the tires are as new. All the lights work, including the dome light and dash lights. The ignition buzzer works as well. The engine bay is detailed and the car is truly "show quality". The chrome, stainless trim and headliner are all original and are in good to excellent condition.
Documentation: There are many clones out there, but this is the real deal. This is not a tribute car, or a reproduction. It is a real 580022 car that has been fully documented by Kevin Marti. I have the full "Deluxe Marti Report" which comes with the car. I have a binder full of receipts for the mechanical work. I also have copies of the previous titles which trace the car's provenance and ownership. The car was built in Chicago and sold new at Elk River Ford-Mercury of Elk River, MN on April 30th, 1976. The build sheet is still under the front seat, and it is in very delicate condition. I looked for this car for 5 years. I can't stress enough just how rare and complete it is.
Factory Options (confirmed in the Marti report): Black vinyl bucket seats. C-4 Auto transmission with factory chrome floor shifter. Heater (this car was not ordered with AC. It does not have AC). AM radio with rear speakers. Dual remote control racing mirrors. Heavy duty electrical system. Starsky & Hutch model. Handling and suspension package. Bumper protection group. Black sidewall radial tires (replaced with modern rubber). Auto seat back release. Tinted glass complete. Full spare with jack. Interestingly, the jack is marked with "Starsky" in grease pencil from the factory!
Other options and items that go with the car: Police light (removable, high quality and very expensive). Siren for car shows (discreet and not visible to the naked eye). High-end Sony AM/FM CD USB MP3 stereo with removable face plate. NOTE: The dash was NOT cut in any way. The unit was professionally installed and the rear speaker bays were used. The car does not have front speakers as it did not come with them from the factory. Original steering wheel included with the sale. Banner and stand for car shows included with the sale
Location: Frisco, Texas
Status: No Longer Available
View past picks: Hemmings Find of the Day Archive
See more Fords for sale on Hemmings.com.
Jacksonville, Florida's, Ford plant: A wistful monument of the Great Depression
The former Jacksonville Ford plant, as it looks today. Photos by Chris Brewer, unless otherwise indicated.
Editor's note: This story comes to us from Chris Brewer of Jacksonville, Florida. Chris is a contributor to the Florida Times Union newspaper, and serves as senior editor of Automotive Addicts.
Long gone are the nearly three-quarters of a mile of conveyor belts. A couple of inches of water have pooled up in parts of the facility, the roof leaking in a way that the whole building feels more like a movie set than a once-thriving automobile factory. Today, the former Ford plant on the banks of Jacksonville, Florida's, St. John's River sits largely abandoned, belying the fact that it was once a key component of Ford's early manufacturing empire, employing hundreds of local workers to build Model T automobiles.
The Jacksonville Ford plant, circa 1924. Photo courtesy of J.G. Braddock, Sr.
Like much of the city's downtown, the Ford Motor Company's long-vacant 165,200-square-foot facility lies in dilapidated ruin. Over 80 years have passed since the last Model T rolled off the assembly line; the majority of the building's windows are shattered, the rotting wooden doors hanging freely from corroded hinges. A boarded-up section of the building has been repurposed as a wooden pallet storage facility, making it underutilized, to say the least. Even in decay, a portion of the protected historic monument, symbolizing America's manufacturing prowess, remains useful and profitable.
The plant sits in the shadow of the Mathews Bridge, linking downtown to the suburbs.
On the day I shot the images for this story, the wind was whipping off the St. John's River, passing through the old manufacturing plant in audible gasps, as if it were trying to form the words to tell the brick, concrete, and rusted metal's story. I'm not sure if it was an actual voice, or simply my mind rehearsing the research I had done in the city's main library archives, but I strained to listen, and here is the tale.
With $28,000 on hand and 12 investors on board, Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company on June 16, 1903. Quickly establishing a reputation as a world leader in the mass production of manufactured goods, Ford built a world-changing company around the central belief that paying employees enough to afford the products they built was good for business. By 1914, Ford was offering a five-dollar-a-day wage to assembly line workers who met certain conditions, more than twice the amount of the automotive giant's competitors. Working at one of Ford's factories meant a successful lot in life, and loyalty to the company was generally fierce.
In 1909, inspired by the voluminous unobstructed interior of Packard's assembly plant in Detroit, Henry Ford commissioned Albert Kahn Associates, which had developed a new style of construction that employed reinforced concrete in place of wood as the primary building material, to design Ford's automotive milestone-producing Highland Park plant. Not only did Ford's new plant create a facility that allowed the company to perfect the moving assembly line, the implications of Ford's manufacturing genius revolutionized the car industry forever. The Model T that took twelve and half hours to build in October of 1913, only took an hour and a half by New Year's Day, 1914.
The demand for Ford's vehicles was far greater than the maximum production levels attainable at the Highland Park plant, and in 1917, Ford again tapped Albert Kahn to design the mile-and-a-half-wide, more-than-a-mile-long River Rouge facility in Dearborn, Michigan. Employing a workforce of approximately 100,000 employees (some estimates are as high as 120,000 during WWII), River Rouge became the largest manufacturing facility in the United States. However, as anyone who has met with an investment banker knows, putting all of your eggs in one basket creates a vulnerable situation. A single catastrophic fire could mean financial devastation. Coupled with the ever-increasing need for more automobiles, the Ford Motor Company asked Kahn to design smaller satellite factories in Jacksonville, Florida, and 16 other cities around the globe.
In 1923, Ford purchased the former Bentley Shipyards property from the city of Jacksonville for $50,000. The company began construction of the River Rouge-inspired facility on January 23, 1924, completing the 115,200-square-foot, $2 million complex on August 29 of that same year. The plant was immediately recognized as one of Ford's leading facilities for the production of the Model T, which it began building on November 26, 1924.
The 10-acre site included a river-fed 75,000-gallon water tower built specifically to combat fires, a screen house, an oil house, and a power plant equipped with two 225-horsepower boilers that produced the factory's required 500 kilowatts of electricity.
The Kahn-designed plant was built upon 8,000 wooden piles girding the raised concrete piers that held the reinforced concrete floor. Interestingly, there is now a section of the factory floor where the concrete has broken away to expose the wooden foundation. To my eye, they appeared as long railroad ties, slightly eroded but still holding the original hewn square shape. Kahn's design incorporated hundreds of feet of energy-saving skylights that provided the employees working along the plant's 3,500 linear feet of conveyor system with natural heat and light. The assembly plant had three railroad sidings, the largest allowed 50 rail cars to access the building for deliveries and to take away the completed vehicles.
The west wing of the building held the factory offices, a parts department that served as a supplier for the entire state of Florida, and an Italian Renaissance-inspired showroom to display the latest Ford and Lincoln vehicles to the public. The combination of Florida's endless summer, the location on the pristine St. John's River, and the cool ocean breezes that gently wafted the smell of fresh paint, a tangible hint to the magic and mystery of the plant itself, attracted would-be buyers and curious window shoppers from all across the Southeastern United States.
The beauty of Kahn's skylight-intensive design is still evident.
Initially capable of producing 125 cars a day, the plant quickly outgrew itself. In an effort to keep up with the automotive purchasing needs of an ever-growing southeast region, Ford acquired 10 adjoining acres in 1925 for $114,000. The additional land allowed the Jacksonville facility to add 50,000 square feet to the plant. Completed on November 13, 1926, the now-165,200 square-foot factory quickly began producing close to 200 vehicles a day. Records show that by the end of 1927, Ford had built 74,908 automobiles, mostly Model Ts, and 14,821 trucks at the Jacksonville plant.
The facility was retrofitted in 1928 to allow mass production of Ford's new Model A. At peak production, the plant employed more than 800 workers and continued in full operation until 1932, when the Great Depression put a chokehold on the auto industry and negated the need for the smaller satellite plants' additional production capacity. Ford continued to use the building as a parts distribution center until 1968, abandoning the facility altogether for new operations on Jacksonville's Westside and in the newly expanding Orlando area.
The once-bustling docks around the plant are now largely silent as well.
Over the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, the magnificent building became the home of various companies, including World Cars (Toyota), a European car-import firm, and a van conversion business. Eventually, the once-proud plant became little more than a storage facility for construction businesses, and, most recently, a wooden pallet manufacturer.
Sadly, the plant is used for little more than pallet storage these days.
Occasionally, rumors circulate of would-be developers looking to convert the location into luxury apartments and condominiums, commercial office space, or a marina. One proposal suggested transforming the location into a cruise ship terminal, but the plant seems to deny all requests. Perhaps too proud to admit it is time to move on, she stands just below the Mathews bridge, wistfully eroding away, a silent reminder to all who enter the heart of Jacksonville of the city's once-thriving manufacturing past.
On its 75th anniversary, only surviving Lincoln Continental prototype to go on display
Photos by Matt Litwin, except where noted.
The very first Lincoln Continental prototype might have looked sharper than pretty much anything on the road at the time, but it was a leaky, quivering pile of junk. It took a second, more refined prototype to deliver those gorgeous sporting lines of the Continental into a form worthy of production, and it's that very prototype that will appear at this year's inaugural Stan Hywet Concours d'Elegance.
The 1940 Continental, as we know it today, began as yet another bespoke beauty built for Edsel Ford's exclusive use. Based on a late 1938 design by E.T. "Bob" Gregorie, itself a modification of the 1938 Lincoln Zephyr, the project immediately got the green light from Ford, who asked that Gregorie have a full-sized prototype ready for Ford's annual vacation in March in Hobe Sound, Florida. Gregorie and his team got their prototype built in time by modifying a 1939 Lincoln Zephyr convertible sedan (chassis number H74750) with a 12-inch stretch to the hood and front fenders, deleted running boards, a reworked rear section, and a convertible top. But according to Gregorie, who related the genesis of the Continental to Jim and Cheryl Farrell for their book, Ford Design Department Concept and Show Cars, 1932-1961, the tight deadline produced a number of build defects. The lead in the body began to crack in the first 10 miles, and the car shook so violently on its first test drive that Gregorie had to add more bracing to the body.
First Lincoln Continental prototype, January 1939. Photo courtesy The Henry Ford.
"The usual process for building a new-model car included making multiple renderings, one or more small clay models, a full-sized clay model, detailed engineering studies and drawings, and only then were one or more prototypes built for testing," the Farrells wrote. "As Gregorie soon found out, the shortcuts he took did have an adverse effect on the roadworthiness of the first Continental."
Clay model for prototype 1940 Lincoln Continental in the Ford Motor Company Design Studio, July 1939. Photo courtesy The Henry Ford.
Even after Edsel Ford took delivery of the car, he called up Gregorie from Florida to report that the car "leaked like a sieve" and that it had marginal performance thanks to the lead in the body pushing the car's total weight to somewhere north of 5,000 pounds. But he also called to note that plenty of people who saw the car wanted to know how they could get their hands on one too, so Gregorie should get to work building a second prototype, one that would explore the feasibility of going into production with the car in 1940. Only at this point did Gregorie and his team go ahead with a full-sized clay model for the design.
Like he did with the first prototype, Gregorie based the second on a 1939 Lincoln Zephyr convertible sedan (chassis number H82410. This time, however, Gregorie extended the hood and cowl by just four inches, but he kept to the clean, sectioned look of the original prototype, deleting the running boards and adding the external rear-mounted spare. Completed in early June with tan leather upholstery and black paint, the second prototype also became the first Ford vehicle equipped with a column-mounted shifter. For all the changes to the body, the second Continental prototype still used a number of unmodified Lincoln Zephyr parts, down to the 110-hp, 267-cu.in. 75-degree flathead V-12. For the next four months, Lincoln engineering staff used it for testing while they went through the more standard new car development process.
Photo by George Mattar.
Even so, the second prototype had a few more bugs to work out. Gregorie himself bought the prototype that September and drove it extensively, including a trip to the New York Auto Show, where Lincoln debuted the production Continental. On one of his trips in it, the cowl started shaking so violently he had to stop at a lumberyard and wedge two-by-fours under the dash in an X pattern; upon his return to Dearborn, he had the X-brace replicated in steel tubing. Gregorie also described to the Farrells multiple incidents in which the shifting rods locked up, rendering the car immobile.
While the first prototype was ordered dismantled (and a supposed third prototype never was, per Gregorie), the second prototype survived the years, but just barely. Over the two years Gregorie owned the second Continental prototype, he repainted it ivory and modified it with rear fender gravel shields, a metal cover of the rear-mounted spare, and other custom touches. He then sold it to a used car dealer in Detroit for $800, and sometime during World War II it made its way to Southern California, where it eventually found use hauling lumber and other supplies for a house-building project. During the 1950s, it served as a $125 daily driver until wrecked in a collision. According to the Farrells, only through the efforts of lawyer Bob Gottlieb, then a columnist for Motor Trend magazine who recognized the Continental's historic significance, did it not get scrapped by an insurance company after that accident.
It fell to Lincoln Continental historian and enthusiast Jesse Haines to begin the Continental's restoration in the early 1960s, a task that current owner Bob Anderson of Houtzdale, Pennsylvania, finished in the early 2000s, in time to show the end result to a 94-year-old Gregorie. Since completing the prototype's restoration, Anderson has shown it at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance as well as the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
This fall, as Lincoln fans celebrate the Continental's 75th anniversary of the car's introduction, the prototype will take the field at the inaugural Stan Hywet Concours d'Elegance. It will be one of at least two Edsel Ford-associated vehicles at the show, alongside the recently restored LeBaron-bodied 1930 Ford Model A dual-cowl phaeton that Edsel Ford commissioned.
The Stan Hywet Concours will take place September 19-21 at the Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens in Akron, Ohio. For more information, visit Concours.StanHywet.org.


text:
Bomb-making suspect arrested after barricading self in home
Updated On: Oct 13 2012 02:30:38 PM EDT
A 56-year-old man being sought by U.S. marshals was arrested after he barricaded himself inside a home on the Westside on Friday afternoon.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office SWAT team was called to the standoff in the 5400 block of Waterside Drive off Lake Shore Boulevard just after 4 p.m.
U.S. marshals were serving an arrest warrant at the home of Douglas Chambers Jr. after he didn't show up for a court date, police said.
Investigators said Chambers ran into the home when marshals arrived.
Police said they took precautionary measures because the man was being sought on a warrant in connection with carrying concealed weapons without a permit and bomb making.
No one was allowed into the area until the suspect was arrested.
Police did not say what charges Chambers' faced, but said said the investigation that led to his arrest is ongoing.
Copyright 2012 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The views expressed below are not those of News4Jax or its affiliated companies. By clicking on "Post," you acknowledge that you have read the Terms of Service and your comment is in compliance with such terms. Readers, please help keep this discussion respectful and on topic by flagging comments that are offensive or inappropriate (hover over the commenter's name and you'll see the flag option appear on right side of that line). And remember, respect goes both ways: Tolerance of others' opinions is important in a free discourse. If you're easily offended by strong opinions, you might skip reading comments entirely.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I have few interesting questions concerning fruits and cutting.
1. Is it good to eats fruits like apples, bananas, and oranges throughout the day?
2. Is it good to substitute fruits for complex carbs?
3. Is it good to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables + some protein before the workout instead of lets say potatoes, whole wheat pasta or beans + some protein
- 24/7 Customer Service 1-877-991-3411
- Contact Us
- Need Help?
- View Cart
Thread: Eating fruits while cutting
Similar Threads


text:
While the rest of us are freezing, California is drying up like a prune, with grave consequences for the state and its 38 million residents. The Sierra Nevada ...On January 16, 2014 / By Meena Hussain
For ten years, the Chinese state-run organisation Shenhua Group, the world's biggest coal producer by volume, has sucked this land dry, exploiting water resources at a shocking scale ...On July 24, 2013 / By Mahesh Prasad
Greenpeace is an independent organization that does not take money from corporations or government. We rely on individual donations from people just like you.Donate
Greenpeace activists will be going on trial to fight felony charges for a protest at the P&G headquarters in Cincinnati.
Updates from Trial in Cincinnati


text:
NORTH SMITHFIELD – North Smithfield town officials warned on Friday that hackers are attempting to exploit the 'Heartbleed' bug in targeted attacks by scanning networks to see if they are vulnerable. They are asking organizations to report any Heartbleed-related attacks, as they advise critical infrastructure operators about emerging cyber threats.
NORTH SMITHFIELD – The first and very important strategy meeting for The Town's 8th Pumpkinfest
Mount Saint Charles Academy's May Entrance Exam will be here before we know it! The exam date is Saturday, 5/3 at 8:15am. Is there a way you could publish this information?
Mutual Self-Help Housing Program
Great Rd/Woonsocket Hill Rd Safety Issues
NORTH SMITHFIELD – The following meetings are scheduled this week. Residents are encouraged to attend and participate in their government.


text:
Motorsport News - F1
Toro Rosso Barcelona Test Day 3
24th February 2012Circuit: Catalunya, 4.655 kms/Driver: Jean-Eric Vergne
Car: STR7 – 01/Laps: 78/Best time: 1:24.433
Jean-Eric Vergne took over driving duties for the last two days of this test and he had a trouble free day. The programme was a mix of set-up evaluation and working in race conditions, as it was our first test of the year with the full race team carrying out the pit stop practice. This was important as it is an area where we want to improve for the coming season. With higher temperatures than at the Jerez test and the past two days in Barcelona, conditions were approaching those encountered during the season, which provided useful data regarding tyre management and car cooling.
Jean-Eric Vergne: "It's good to be back in the car after Jerez. We got through a lot of work today, including some aero evaluation and different set-ups. We ran all day long on the Medium tyres, which gives us a good baseline to analyse the data. We are learning more about our new car with every lap and it has performed well on this Barcelona track which is always a true test of how a car is performing. Towards the end of the day, I had my first experience of proper Formula 1 pit stops. It was a scary feeling at the beginning, coming in at 100 km/h and seeing so many people. At first, I was worried about hitting someone, but by the end I had got used to it. It's an exciting experience!"
Motorsport News
Client News
BTB Exhausts - High Performance Exhausts
20th November 2014
Ferrari 250 Tour de France Video
8th October 2014
Hoyle Fox Classics - new site by Racecar
26th July 2014
Different horsepower - Racehorse Sanctuary
21st July 2014
Ferrari Daytona shooting brake for sale
12th July 2014
Historic Racing News - new site by Racecar
14th June 2014more client news...
Search all Racecar clients


text:
New Delhi: Expect no respite from Pakistan-sponsored terrorist attacks in India, the National Security Advisor (NSA) M K Narayanan has warned.
"There has been no change in the attitude of the ISI in mentoring outfits like the Lashkar-e-toiba. Terrorist attacks on India from Pakistani soil are likely to continue," he said.
The NSA adds that Pakistan has extended the terror frontier to Bangladesh. In fact, he directly accused Dhaka of allowing the use of its territory for terrorist activity directed against India.
"Bangladesh is already being used as a springboard by radical extremist outfits from Pakistan to launch targeted attacks on India," Narayanan said.
However, there is one big security nightmare India cannot blame anyone else for and that is Left extremism.
Although the NSA dismissed the Red Corridor as a myth, he conceded that Left extremists are growing in influence, and could shortly begin targeting cities.
"The Maoists are now planning to take up much larger and wider social problems that have mass appeal, hoping, thereby, to capture the cities from the countryside," he said.
The security Tsar concluded his distressing statements on an ominous note saying that "India has reasons to worry".


text:
Day #1
Good Morning!
I slept so wonderfully following my first day back on Atkin's. The scale said I gained 2 Lbs overnight, So I am going to do my best to not step back on it this week. I drank A LOT of water yesterday, so I believe my body is just not used to that yet.
Today I go back to work and feel nervous. I have packed my Lunch bag:
-Hamburger Patty
-2 devilled egg halves
-Broccoli Salad
-24 Almonds
-3 small tomatoes
-An Atkins Bar
I know Almonds aren't allowed on induction, I just worry so that I will cheat, that I packed them as a better alternative to cheezits or m&Ms.
Ok, well I am just trying to be accountable, I appreciate the area to vent.
I am on day 2 and also eating almonds. It's nice to keep a wider variety of food and it does keep me from going for the bad stuff. I have cocoa almonds for that chocolate craving. (I know my body can handle the carb count though...I'm breastfeeding and my little one cluster feeds)
Hey y'all! Looks like we all started within a couple if days of each other. Today is day 4 for me & I'm down 8 lbs. for the 1st time in 4 yrs, my ankles were not swollen like giant basketballs after sitting at my desk for 12 hr. That in itself makes me feel overjoyed!I'm trying to focus on these moments rather than looking at the mountain of fat i still need to shed. I told my hubs that I don't care if it is 8lbs of water; it's 8lbs I'm not hauling around.
Awesome Queenie!! I unfortunately started my period a few days in so I haven't dared weigh in:) I will tomorrow...
|All times are GMT -7. The time now is 02:27 AM.


text:
It's Gonzaga Basketball time on KIXI Radio! This year KIXI brings you all the action and excitement of Bulldog basketball from tip-off to the closing buzzer. But that will mean some adjustments to our programming on game days. We'll always try to air our programs in their entirety. And you can always enjoy regular KIXI music and our special programs ... Read More »
Puget Sound Access
Interesting guests and compelling conversations about local issues. Sunday, November 30 5:30am - This week our guest is Judy Hoff, CEO and Founder of Queen, It's A New Day. Queen, It's A New Day has been transforming women's lives for almost 15 years. Judy tells us how they empower women to become self sufficient, confident, self worthy, and set free ... Read More »
Imagination Theatre (11-17-14)
Frank Sinatra Jr. Talks To KIXI
KIXI welcomes Frank Sinatra Jr. to Little Creek Casino November 13th. Frank Jr. talked with KIXI Radio's Dan Murphy about his musical career and working in the shadow of Frank Sinatra Sr. To hear the interview Click here. Read More »
Show Your Love of Radio Theatre
Do you love the great classic and contemporary Radio Theatre programs on KIXI? Whether you call it Radio Theatre or Audio Drama, there's an online petition to have the White House proclaim October 30th as National Audio Drama Day. Read More »
Bryan Adams, Cyndi Lauper Among Artists Set to Perform at 2015 Grammy Foundation Legacy Concert
Badman Ltd.; WeTVOn February 5, three days before the Grammy Awards, a special concert event called "Lean on Me: A Celebration of Music and Philanthropy" will take place that will feature performances by a variety of previous Grammy winners, including Bryan Adams, Cyndi Lauper, Melissa Etheridge and country legend Willie Nelson. The event is the 17th annual concert staged by ... Read More »
Patti LaBelle Confirmed for Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Photo: Carlo Dalla ChiesaPatti LaBelle is among the performers scheduled to participate in the National Christmas Tree Lighting, taking place December 4 in Washington, D.C. The legendary singer will be joined by Norwegian pop duo Nico & Vinz and award-winning vocal group The Tenors at the 92nd annual event, which will be held at the White House Ellipse at President's ... Read More »
Rolling Stones' Muscle Shoals Sessions to Be Commemorated with Historic Marker
Image Courtesy of RankinThe 45th anniversary of a historic recording session by The Rolling Stones at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Sheffield, Alabama, will be commemorated with a marker next week in the nearby town of Florence. The unveiling ceremony is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, December 5, at the site of a former Holiday Inn where the ... Read More »
Paul Simon, James Taylor Performing at NYC Benefit Show Honoring Late Saxophonist Michael Brecker
Mark Seliger; James O'MaraTwo of America's all-time great singer/songwriters, Paul Simon and James Taylor, will perform at a benefit event that will pay tribute to their late friend and Grammy-winning sax player Michael Brecker. "The Nearness of You" benefit concert will be held on January 20, 2015, at Lincoln Center in New York City. The show, which also feature Bobby ... Read More »
New Supergroup Revolution Saints Features Members of Journey, Night Ranger, Whitesnake
Frontiers RecordsMembers of three big rock bands of the '80s, Journey drummer Deen Castronovo, Night Ranger singer/bassist Jack Blades and ex-Whitesnake guitarist Doug Aldrich, have joined forces in a new supergroup called Revolution Saints. Castronovo pulls double duty in the band, serving as lead singer as well as keeping the beat. Revolution Saints will release its self-titled debut album on ... Read More »


text:
Bay Laurel Essential Oil: has a spicy camphor scent with a soft floral aroma. Traditionally, the oil has been used to treat symptoms of the cold, digestive problems, arthritis, and loss of appetite. This oil is believed to benefit ones mood and support breathing making it perfect for use in aromatherapy. In low concentrations this oil can be a great addition to hair and skin care products to promote and maintain a healthy look and feel.
Origin: MorroccoPart: LeavesMethod: Steam distilledBotanical Name: Laurus Nobilis
INCI: Laurus Nobilis Oil
Flashpoint: 200ºF +
Photo attribution - ©Can Stock Photo
"Thank you for your prompt response. Bramble Berry has the best customer service of any company I know of. Pass the word!" -Rene
I have enjoyed seeing Josie's beautiful soap on the Bramble Berry Facebook page for some time. Right away, Josie showed immense talent and an eye for design. Josie began selling her soap on Ebay, and several weeks ago opened a brick and mortar store, Josie's Beauty Boutique, in Grants Pass, Oregon. Josie creates both melt and […]
The post From Online to In-Store: Josie's Beauty Boutique appeared first on Soap Queen.


text:
Fools & Horses are, from left, Matt Hutchison (vocals/guitar), Tim Hutchison (drums/vocals), Kent Warren (bass/vocals) and Steve Herrera (guitar/vocals).
This year, Fools & Horses wants to act like a pendulum and keep its skyward swing going.
For the third consecutive year, the indie rock musicians secured the endorsement of their native Baltimore as the city's best band. That kind of recognition, as well as the national distribution of their song "The Therapy" on the Starbucks compilation CD "Off the Clock," has helped Fools & Horses land supporting gigs alongside The Gin Blossoms, The Violent Femmes and Bon Jovi.
The band has no intention of letting that momentum slow, lead singer Matt Hutchison said. "It's definitely given us a little more wind in our sails" he said.
"When they look at our rap sheet, I think people take the band more seriously."
Hutchison said the plan this year is to expand their touring into untapped markets outside their comfort zone in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast. In pursuit of that goal, the quartet will perform Saturday at JJ's Bohemia, alongside local rockers The Nim Nims, with whom they made their Chattanooga debut in December.
Just after graduating from high school in 2002, Hutchison founded Fools & Horses with his brother, drummer Tim Hutchison, and bassist Kent Warren.
The Hutchisons spent several years living in England, where, Matt said, he came of age, musically. As a result, Fools & Horses' music is heavily inspired by the melody-centric rock of bands such as Muse, Travis, Coldplay and Radiohead -- groups that began to blow up after he returned to the States.
"I always borrowed something from that," he said. "I felt a creative energy coming from there. Those English sensibilities are definitely attractive to us."
Contact Casey Phillips at email@example.com or 423-757-6205.
* What: Fools & Horses and The Nim Nims.
* When: 10 p.m. Saturday.
* Where: JJ's Bohemia, 231 M.L. King Blvd.
* Admission: $5.
* Phone: 266-1400.
* Venue website: www.myspace.com/jjsbohemia.
* Related links at fyi.timesfreepress.com.
Fools & Horses is named for the British TV sitcom "Only Fools and Horses," which aired on the BBC when vocalist Matt Hutchison and drummer Tim Hutchison were living there. When it came time to name the band, it was a placeholder name, but it stuck, Matt Hutchison said.
Casey Phillips has worked as a features reporter in the Life department since May 2007. He writes about entertainment, consumer technology, animals and news of the weird. Casey hails from Knoxville and earned a bachelor of science degree in journalism and a bachelor of arts in German from Middle Tennessee State University, where he worked as the features editor for the student newspaper, Sidelines. Casey's writing has earned numerous accolades, including first and second place ...


text:
Hard at work on his eighth novel, 'Deadwood' author Pete Dexter still packs a punch
Jimmy Breslin on the assassination of Robert Kennedy in the Times today here. Say Brez: You couldn't get the gun out of the hand of the shooter. Hands grabbed and yanked and twisted but could not get it. The gun waved and people jumped away from it and now Roosevelt Grier, the immense professional ... More >>
2004 regurgitated
In another, the foremost clerical authority on degenerate sex!
The Laramie Project


text:
Shopping cart is empty.
First Name
Last Name
Registry ID
Hand-picked products that go together well.
Checked products are also added to the cart.
2 reviews
Please log in or register to create your own review of this product.
by Cindy, WI on Aug 9, 2009
by Melinda, TX on Jul 6, 2009


text:
Knight Works is in Dallas! We are riding the train to the hotel now. See you all tomorrow.
Forged in Steel & Mill City Live on Kickstarter
The Kickstarter campaing is live now: http://kck.st/1oRo87W
Knight Works is proud to present two new games in this special Kickstarter campaign that highlights the Industrial Revolution. This time period marked a major turning point in history; almost every aspect of daily life was influenced in some way. The stock market began to flourish and unique social and economic changes exhibited unprecedented sustained growth. Both games use this rich theme as a backdrop to provide interesting tactics and decisions that allow players to recreate the feel of a wealthy industrialist in the late 1800's.
Two games…..one campaign! Bring the industrial revolution to your game table by building cities, manipulating headlines/stocks and more!
Rebels & Rogues Update
We just received some news from the manufacturer and wanted to fire off a quick update. The printed components have been finished. The manufacturer is working on the wood components and a shipment of dice to come in. The expansion will have a four sided die for the Carnival Special Role and a six side die for the Inventor Special Role. There will also be smaller 12mm dice added to the Outlaw Meeple expansion.
The only other non-printed component in the standard expansion is the gold city wood token for the County Seat stretch goal. We found out that the manufacturer cannot produce a metallic gold wood piece. The token will have a gold like color but it will not be shiny.
The other wood components are the 5 Player Expansion and the custom meeples for the Gunslinger variant. Once those components are finished then the games will be assembled and begin their journey to the US. We are hoping that the shipment will be packed and loaded by the end of next week. This pushes the delivery to our customers closer to the first week in November. Thank you for your patience we will keep you posted as the game gets closer to shipping.


text:
Photos and Description of this 1 bedroom holiday studio in Fajardo - Marina Lanais
Studio + Convertible bed(s) - 1 Bath - (Sleeps 4)
Come visit this Tropical Paradise! Located in Fajardo, Puerto Rico--only 45 minutes East of San Juan and with access to the world famous El Conquistador Resort Country Club Hotel & Casino.
Enjoy some of the world's most renowned beaches, scuba diving, fishing and golf. Travel to the El Yunque Rainforest, Bioluminescent Bay, St. Thomas or nearby islands. If you prefer, relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of the Caribbean on your private balcony or king size bed. Shop and dine at the variety of shops and restaurants in the area to choose from.
- Suitability:
- Long-term Renters Welcome
- Low Allergen Environment
- Minimum Age Limit for Renters
- children welcome
- non smoking only
- pets considered
- pets not allowed
- suitable for elderly or infirm
- wheelchair inaccessible


text:
dude i placed platinum on my blood smurf.
total pisstake xD
and man forcefields are lol
dude i placed platinum on my blood smurf.
total pisstake xD
and man forcefields are lol
Watch me play SC2 ladder and enjoy the lolz
Nova.254 vs. Daresien.858
Tonight at 9PM EST!
God I'm nervous, I've been getting horrible frame-rates lately and I saw that Daresien has been practicing hardcore
damn it, i have work tomorrow QQ, otherwise i would hae live-casted.
FMUKL ( fuck my UK life)
Watch me play SC2 ladder and enjoy the lolz
I wish that i started playing Starcraft earlier. I've only been playing for a few months and it felt like when I first started playing world of Warcraft, which I quit shotly after playing Starcraft (but that wasn't the reason)
Caboose: My dad always said "Why buy the cow? When you can get the milk for free."
Church: Rookie did you just call my girl friend a slut?
Tucker: I think he just called her a cow.
hence why i'd use my back up stream and not let them know the URL :P
Watch me play SC2 ladder and enjoy the lolz
for the future, please upload replays to gamereplays.org it has the nicest format and is working 100% for the latest patch.
its me sLyMeRr
For my oppenant, i already add u in my sc2 .. need arrange the time to start a game due to time barrier because im at Asean
sLyMeRr.866 vs. Meridiandosi.849
Kaze did watch our live games tonight. Wanted to point out that this was fair.
Due to the storms yesterday into this morning I now have half of two trees on top of my house. Thankfully it's just a little roof damage and a shattered window in a spare room, could have been much worse. Just an FYI though if anyone tries to find me in the next day or two I probably won't be around a ton until this is all cleaned up.
But psi storm doesn't work on buildings. I think nature cheated.
"In anything, if you want to go from just a beginner to a pro, you need a montage." /w TankSpot WTB Montage for Raiders.
62. Daresien (Daresien.858) (T)
This is incorrect! Daresien is X! He randomed in both games I played against him (Got Zerg the first game and Terran the second).
I haven't gotten any response from Palm yet since I sent him a message saying when I'm available. Then again, I haven't been on as much since the internet in the whole town has been out for a bit (0_0). Anyway, I assume we have until at least Sunday to play the games so we'll probably run into each other by then.
lore raining on my parade
Watch me play SC2 ladder and enjoy the lolz
guys, please post results and discussion that's related to the spoilers in the results thread that I've stickied in this forum. I'll have to clean out this thread to prevent spoilers. and thanks for the correction gil.
Zerovector, you need to send me replays via gamereplays.org. it also saves me a lot of time if when you report your results you tell me your race and your opponents race (at least for this first round, after that it'll already be inputted and won't need reinputting).
Thanks guys and happy tournament!
im sLyMeRr .. still looking for my opp. Just now playing with others opp for friendly match. i check my opp background he last play quickmatch is 1 week ago. Is there porssible he not online for a week ?


text:
You must log in to access this feature. Sign in with Twellow or Facebook to get started.
By signing in to Twellow, you indicate your agreement to our terms of service.
Simply connect with Facebook and kiss those password blues away,
or go here to reset your password.
Daily movieberry reviews. Most rapid download speed. Download movies and watch them on iPod. Burn movies to a DVD and enjoy Home Theater Entertainment System.


text:
Avalon House Rental Photos and Description
6 bedrooms, 6 full baths, sleeps 16
6 bedroom, 6 bath beach block house rental
Avalon Vacation Rental and the ideal vacation home includes an in ground swimming pool…! Beautifully decorated new construction is just five houses from the beach in Avalon. This bright airy home has:six bedrooms, six baths and can accommodate up to 16 overnight guests comfortably. The 2nd level makes entertaining a pleasure since we've added extra seating for guests. Our dining room table expands to seat 12 while the kitchen island accommodates an additional 6 guests. Although the fireplace in the living room is a great gathering in the house, there are also two family rooms that add convenience. You'll relax at this cozy retreat! You have the best of both worlds… enjoy the ocean views and still have the convenience of an in-ground pool.
The house is equipped with an elevator and has a full laundry room to make your stay comfortable.
- Suitability:
- non smoking only
Guestbook comments from the manager
Hi Barbara,
We had a fantastic time at 177 77th street! Loved the house, pool and location in Avalon.
A big thank you for making it so easy to enter, etc. Have a great summer!
Donna S


text:
Rated 4.2 out of 5 by 599 reviewers.
Rated 3 out of 5 by debo70 dissappointed! The pool was small. Meal in restaurant was not liking to 3 out of 5 people and no accomodation was made for this. When third person arrived she was not given a room key even though the desk was notified upon my arrival she would be coming. This stay did not meet my expectations. The exception was the maid service. They were great! May 29, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by GaryC10 Over charged Had reservations for 5 days and at check in We told them we would just need 3 days as plans had changed. At check out they allowed us to check out 2 days early but still charged us for 4 days. We had 3 rooms total and it just didnt seem right. We have been SPG members for several years and that did not help with the issue at hand. December 30, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by PBstlrs1 One issue Excellent room, excellent stay/staff/etc....my only issue that would most likely prevent me from staying again is the fact there was not a microwave in the room, yes something so minute would do that, it's the point. Like airlines now charging for a carryon (some do) you charge for a microwave, that is beyond stupid and greedy. December 13, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Danni2010 Overall Great Stay I stayed at the Sheraton downtown for a work event and was very impressed but the helpfullness of the staff. Everyone was warm and friendly and always helped me in whatever way they could. I also hosted a work even in the Oculus and it was beautiful. LeAnn was a doll to work with. Would stay here again for business or pleasure. September 24, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by nameless104 novice traveler Really nice hotel. Great value for price. June 17, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by NorIdaSpud All around great hotel! This place was amazing. Everything from the time I entered the beautiful lobby to the amazing room and the helpful and courteous staff. 5 stars all the way. In a great part of town with many great restaurants and shops within walking distance. Thank you so much for making my first impression of Phoenix a great one to remember. January 24, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by FlyIntl Super Service and a Great Room I arrived early and Sarah (Front Desk) checked me in, told me about the hotel features and was off to my room to drop my bags and head out to all day meetings. Gym/fitness center is large, has many/variety of aerobic machines, decent weight machines and an outdoor lap pool. Decent sized suite with 2 TV and Bose music system. March 14, 2013
Rated 3 out of 5 by expectedmore Staff Despite giving feedback that service did not meet expectations, no change was made. My room service was late, cold and portions inedible. When I called to explain, response was let me look into that ... The clerk who checked me out of the hotel was not friendly. Even when I pointed this out, she did not acknowledge statement. September 17, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Colorado19 Excellent stay. Kids really enjoyed the pool We really enjoyed our stay at this hotel. The Club Lounge was great with beautiful views. The staff was friendly and courteous to me and my children and accommodated all our needs. The kids had a great time at the outdoor terrace pool. I just wish that the bar had been open so I could have order some juice while I was there. July 22, 2013
Rated 1 out of 5 by NotaSheratonFan No responsibility? That's the Sheraton way. After each of my calls to security, there was no responsibility for the outrageous noise outside of my room at 3:30 am. "We have a three strikes and you're out policy". So as long as the noise complaints are less than 3 days long, you are good at the Sheraton. Too bad, so sad. Don't expect a good night rest. Fine for prom. March 10, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Carnitas Great Staff and Hotel to stay Hotel and Staff were available and ready at all times to fill the needs at hand for our early and late events The hotel should be very proud of the place and staff that makes the hotel a welcome experience. Always a smile and caring personal doing the very best at their job for the Sheraton. Kudo to you all. Sonya Webber December 9, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Chrome007 This hotel is close to everything. I love staying here at this hotel. I've stayed here in the past and would stay here in the future. June 9, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by Shelbydozer Quality Experience Everything about my stay was excellent ... with the exception of the size of the room. This was supposed to be an SPG Preferred upgrade (maybe the woman at the desk made a mistake), but the room was super small with 2 double beds. Maybe that's all the had left. :-/ Either way, the other aspects of my stay were excellent. January 18, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Sam425 Great Location The Sheraton Phoenix Downtown is a great place to stay when visiting the downtown Phoenix area. Its convenient to the convention center and transportation. Our room was clean and very comfortable and we also enjoyed the restaurant and bar during our stay. We were there for a convention and they were very accomodating. October 30, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by DubbleD Bath room suprise This is one of the best hotel I have stayed in on my business travel. I was surprised when I found that the shower curtain was unclean with small blood stains on it, I sure it was just over look because of a quick room turn. I must say I still will stay next visit. This is still a top hotel. March 23, 2014
Rated 4 out of 5 by saphire27 Needs Improvements My room was not cleaned properly. I asked the front desk on Thursday to please have my room vacuumed. I requested that take place on Friday morning. I expected my room linens to be changed on Friday as well. I left the hotel to attend a meeting at the convention center, when I returned my room was not clean nor vacuumed. I again asked the front desk that evening to have this done on Saturday since i was tired, the linen was changed but the floor was never vacuumed. Housekeeping did picked up 1 piece of paper from the floor, however, they left the M & M candies and the other paper was still there. The piece of paper they picked up was very visible, the other paper & candy were on the side of the chair. When I departed the room had never been vacuumed. I felt I had not been given the quality stay I deserved. I will return to Phoenix, In the future if I am a guest, I will request to view the room to ensure cleanliness. Your brand is credible, make your employees the same. June 4, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Dave Bed mattress needed replacement The mattress needed to be replaced. There was a definite sag on both sides where one would sit on the edge of the bed. This detracted from the general room comfort. On a positive note, I had an outstanding steak dinner at a very fair price in the hotel restaurant. I can highly recommend the New York steak dinner. February 27, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by GEE888 Quiet, Safe and Accessible to Everything. I must say the downtown Sheraton met my expectations and more. Since I was travelling alone I was a bit anxious, but this hotel put me at ease immediately with their friendly service, room upgrade, great concierge, and its other many ammenities. Try their wonderful restaurant District-you will have a great meal! August 4, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by BestMOM This hotel has the most friendly staff and always will to help. All staff spoke in passing. Great service. Food was always fantastic. Room service was delvered quickly and food and service and commincation with the ordering was the best ever. Everyone always willing to help and take the time to be very nice and helpful. Great job to all staff, it was greatly appreciated. September 13, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by RAINC THIS HOTEL IS AWESOME! I ABSOLUTELY LOVED STAYING AT THE HOTEL, I DIDN'T GET TO CHECK OUT THE POOL WHICH I REALLY WANTED TO BUT MY OVERALL STAY WAS EXCELLENT! I HAD A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE WITH MY ROOM ONE NIGHT TO NO FAULT OF THE HOTEL BUT THE STAFF WERE ON TOP OF IT AND MADE MY NIGHT AWESOME! THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXCELLENCE!!! March 29, 2013
Rated 3 out of 5 by WI2252 Customer service was lacking I have several issues with this hotel. First, my luggage was "delayed" when I arrived and was delivered to the hotel later that night. Although I called several times to request that they notify me when it arrived, they never called or left a message on my room phone like they said they would. I had to call the next morning at 630am only to be told they did not have my bag. Except when I asked them to double check, and oh, they did have it! Also, my roomate and I asked specificially that I pay for the first three nights and she pay for the last night...they split the room rate for each night between us anyway and we had to have this corrected off of our credit cards. On Saturday they did not come to clean our room, and by 4pm we called to request that they please come...finally an hour later they came to clean. On a positive note, the room service people were friendly and efficient and the food was great both in the room and at the restaurant. Another nice thing was the comfy beds. October 31, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by zthuff Work Conference I recently stayed at the Sheraton in Downtown Phoenix while I was in town for a work conference. The hotel was wonderful. Everyone working at the hotel were very nice and patient. My only complaint about the hotel itself would have to be my drive back to the airport. The driver that the hotel provided for my ride back to the airport was extremely unprofessional and because of the conversation he was trying to have with me, made me very uncomfortable. I was also in the car with 2 other co-workers and we were all extremely taken back and offended by what was being said. As far as any other complaints go: Our conference was held at the convention center about 2 blocks away from the hotel. It was TERRIBLE. The food was terrible. The service was terrible. And every single worker we encountered acted as if they had no desire to be where they were. It was just a bad experience. There are so many other details that need to be said but I feel as if it would take me a full day to completely recapture and explain the horrible experience of being at the Convention Center. May 3, 2014
Rated 4 out of 5 The bathroom experience Overall the hotel was great except for the very poor lighting over the sink in the bathroom. I found it difficult to shave an unlit face. The bathroom amminity service was needs improvement. Three days after check in, I was supplied with mouthwash, shower gell and lotion. Shampoo & conditioner were OK. September 17, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Chas37 Great Experience This is my favorite hotel in the US. I travel for a living and stay in many hotels/motels. This property is consistently professional, clean and really cares about their guest's comfort and needs. Truly amazing. It is the staff, for me, that makes the difference. I don't think you can find much better. April 16, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by KWTerry Great Hotel but.......!!! I loved my room and the excellent location to the convention center, etc. However, the hotel's restaurant, The District, was very poorly managed. One night our party of three arrived to have dinner and discovered a half-full dining room. Both the hostess and the manager insisted numerous times there were reservations for all the empty tables. After stating we had enjoyed a wonderful dinner the night before the manager offered to seat us in the bar but did not inform us the restaurant menu was not available ordering dinner. From our bar location we noted the empty tables in the restaurant remained over the next hour until we departed. Amazing mismanagement of the restaurant and loss of revenue (approx. $100-150) for the hotel from a Starwood Preferred Guest. Our cocktail waitress was friendly but confided this was not the first time her customers had this unfortunate experience. On a positive note, the rest of the hotel staff were very service oriented which made for an enjoyable guest experience. February 19, 2014
Rated 2 out of 5 by cowgirl3949 Gouged with the price The price of this "average" room was way too high. There should be free Wi-Fi in the room. The room didn't even have a shower cap to use. Had to hunt for the hair drier. There was only two pieces of paper to write on. The bell staff and check in staff were very nice and helpful. . March 10, 2014
Rated 3 out of 5 by MG34 Pretty good overall Good experience but for the WIFI. I was at the far end of the building and had a better signal from the hotels next door that from the Sheraton! Call twice the technical support but it did not make any difference. On the positive side, the reception staff was extremely helpful when I checked in! December 1, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by gatorval25 package ThE HoteL Itself Ok But TheyDropped The Ball On A Very Important Package I Paid For That I Needed ForAPresentation ComeToFindOut Its Still In Phoenix And No One Made Effort ToGet This ToMe When I WasThere And Also When IReturned Home I WasTold That Another Dept Handle It Somebody DroppedThe Ball September 10, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by Green12345 enjoyed my stay!!! the building was beautiful, the room was clean and comfortable. The meals that were provided by the hotel as part of my stay with Wells Fargo were fantastic, loved the oatmeal for breakfast!! The people were professional and helpful!! really nice location close to everything downtown!! thnks!!! June 23, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by contented Highly recommended The Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel is an excellent facility for conferences and for vacation. I was very impressed with the friendly, helpful staff in all areas of the hotel. Clean, bright and comfortable. May 5, 2014