13 replies
  3. Karen
    Karen says:

    Maybe he should have had the tailgate fixed while he was there…… so the 3 outboards he is carrying don’t come to their own early demise.

    • Al Benton
      Al Benton says:

      There’s so much stuff piled on top of those outboards they couldn’t possibly go anywhere. There’s a rather large suitcase that would be first to go if the tailgate comes open.

  5. Texx
    Texx says:

    I was thinking… If Woody Boater had an Emergency 24-7 Dial-U22 phone line, then Woody Boater could also offer a service that helps you plan your day while you are broken down. Kind of like Triple A… Here’s how it would work.

    9:00 AM – Get the truck to Bob’s Transmission Repair.

    10:00 AM – Use Bob’s truck and tow the Sea Skiff to the Mississippi River launch ramp.

    10:30 AM – Pick up a six-pack and BBQ fast food.

    11:00 AM – Paul, Al & Bob go classic boating on the Old Man River while the guys in the shop repair the truck.

    4:00 PM – Return to launch ramp and load the Sea Skiff on the trailer.

    5:00 PM – Return to Bob’s Transmission Repair, pick up repaired truck and hook up the boat trailer.

    5:30 PM – Hit the road for the next 2,300 miles to Portland.

    5:45 PM – Bob phones Antique Boat Center or Antique Boat America and buys a classic Chris-Craft Sea Skiff because he had so much fun on the river with Paul & Al.

    It’s a Win – Win for everybody!

    • Al Benton
      Al Benton says:

      Happy ending, although the BBQ place lacked a large enough parking lot for Paul’s rig. Next best thing was Syberg’s and one of their specialties, a steak sandwich. Paul is putting in a few miles before calling it a day.

    • Al Benton
      Al Benton says:

      Now that it’s done I hear thiss great idea, Texx. Wow, why didn’t I think of that? We could have had a great day on the river while Bob’s capable crew took good care of Paul’s truck.

      As with most things of this sort, the whole thing started with a 25 dollar switch that had something to do with the tork converter, it caused the tranny to turn into a pile or rubble. Bob was a genuine hero today. See http://www.bobstrans.com if you break down in St. Louis area.

  6. Paul H.
    Paul H. says:

    Matt – Water pump is new – installed less than two weeks ago. Tailgate safely secured so no litter from this rig.

    The idea that this mess could have been towed in at 10:00 this morning and sent on it’s way, totally repaired with a new transmission and torque converter by 6:00 PM is amazing. These guys were great – they know what service is, and fair pricing. I pointed this site out to them and they really got a kick out being featured on it. Scott on the left looked after me all day, and Bob, the older fellow is the founder and owner. Great bunch.

    Apparently a switch that controls both the brake lights and the locking up of the torque converter failed, though the brake lights still worked somehow. This meant the problem was not easily noticed and with the torque converter slipping, the transmission baked itself. Who knew? Anyway – fuel economy is about 30% now and that will actually help offset some of the cost of the repair.

    Made it just past KC tonight – onward to Portland and BC. Hopefully next time I get to look in on someone else’s issues!

    Thanks to Matt and a huge thank you to Al Benton for helping me hook all this up.

  7. Bill Hinton
    Bill Hinton says:

    Hopefully the Bandana’s BBQ was good!! Bob’s does all my work and a whole lot more than transmissions including boat motors and hot rods. I’m glad Al was able to be a great local host.

    • Al Benton
      Al Benton says:

      Hey Bill, We ended up across the street at Syberg’s for a quick bite, more space to park Paul’s rig. Bob was great and lived up to his reputation with flying colors. I’m thinking that Paul is closer to Portland, OR now than to St. Louis by now.

  8. anonymus
    anonymus says:

    Paul The Landlocked WoodyBoater of the Month. He has a big woody heart. Congradulations and may good luck follow you foward. A tiny hairline cracked turned into a $7500 Jasper V10. I know your pain.

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