Jeffwilson34

So, I was taking a road trip to Vegas been planned a while. Installed a new CD changer because my old one would only load a single CD otherwise it jammed up and it finally stopped getting power Now this one also has no power. (I will bluetooth Sirius from my phone) I was leaving this past Monday then everyone in my area decides to horde gas and I wait till tuesday to make sure there will be gas along the way. Everything is fine, I leave Tuesday afternoon, Things are going fine. This Car is getting great gas mileage 34MPG. I start to feel a headache When I cross to Oklahoma. I decide to stop and get a room rather than drive straight through as I have done in the past. Headache turns into major migraine. I cant stand light, movement or sound. I sleep off and on till Friday morning when I feel a bit better. I am finally able to keep the bun of a hamburger down without throwing up. I head back home. Forget vegas. I am making good time and stop for gas in Winder Oklahoma. Get back in car and shifter does not work Feels like cable is broke. I had packed a small tool kit and decide to hope the cable is loose at the shifter but NOPE. I do not feel like crawling under car and try and put it in gear myself. Pull phone out to search for wrecker/mobile mechanic. (no service on phone) I am at a McDonalds so I use their wifi and find mobile mechanic but phone does not work. I go in store and clerks are helpful and let me use phone. Mechanic does not do that any more but gives me name of local tire shop a mile from me. I call them and they are super helpful and send 2 guys out. It takes about an hour and some trial and error but they get it in drive and I ask how much. These guys say $20 I am like WTF no and gave them $60 which left me with $40 cash on me. SO I am on my way back and find phone had just died somewhere and I was not in a dead area. Now my wife was going to be freaking out because she can not get hold of me. Then traffic jam from hell. Made it almost to Memphis and need gas. But I can not turn engine off or put car in park. Luckily Parking brake works. But I cant leave car sitting running in gear while I go pee. (lets just say powerade bottle and leave it at that) I still feel like crap and have are 1 small hamburger bun and half a candy bar since Wednesday. I am able to get my wife a message on facebook using Mcdonalds wifi. I make it home at 6am shower before crashing in bed. Just now woke up and have to figure out how to get car fixed. Anyone have any tips or should I call a wrecker and send it to Transmission shop? I am supposed to be at a private party at the Millennium Fandom bar in Vegas tonight but am home with a dead phone (I think I can factory reset it and it will be fine) A car sitting in middle of yard because I did not want to black in my jeep and did not feel like moving it this morning, I still have a bad headache, nausea and wife that thinks I have Covid and will not get anywhere near me. Oh yeah, is there a fuse that powers the CD changer?

pauly1119

Take the whole week off and relax. Scotch helps.

Jeffwilson34

I do not drink, but am reconsidering that choice after this week

~Josh

Shifter cable that runs from the selector to the transmission has the end broken off. Common issue. Not fun to change but possible to do yourself if you are mechanically inclined. Get the one for your specific year as they changed the design part way through, different part numbers. Probably best to get the part from your local dealer based on your vin.

Do a search and you should find some tutorials out there.

Smoken1

You can replace the whole cable like this
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...o-replace.html
Or you can repair your old cable with these
https://www.zip-corvette.com/97-04-a...XV8aAtC28P8HAQ
and Dorman also has them Part # 14057

Old School

Wait a minute . .you were driving from Tennessee to Vegas with only a $100 in cash?

Jeffwilson34

lol, I do not like to carry much cash,

ValenciaOrange

Some story. Hope you are feeling better. Relax for a few days. Search for a good mechanic in your area. Be prepared to spend some money.

Jeffwilson34

I am very lucky to have a good mechanic that does all my normal work, (I do his income taxes so he knows not to screw me over) I also have a very honest transmission shop that rebuilt the transmission in my 98 C5 back about 10 years ago.
I am not sure which one to have it towed to. I will go talk to both them Monday and see which one can don it quickest.

97SLVRC5

Good lord.... brings back memories of Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas.

I'd opt for a pair of headphones instead of worrying about that fuse.

1999corvettels1

I thought I might have had covid, went through drive thru test about 9pm at parking lot of local community college, free test spit in test tube to line, not supposed to eat or drink before test at least 39 minutes.

Test results texted back next night negative, hopefully you can do test and get results quick so your wife won't worry.

I had started taking blood pressure medication, and after 6 weeks of thinking it was severe cold, I couldn't breathe good and could barely walk, googled the drug and found out it's no good for people with Asthma, switched and felt better next day.

That BP med made me struggle to breathe within minutes, felt like I was dying, had take breaks from talking as it took away from breathing.

Hope you get better soon.

Jeffwilson34

I really do not think it is Covid, if I was going to catch it, I think I would have back during Tax season when I was seeing several clients per day. I did get tested several times.
I used to get Migraine headaches a lot but not had one this bad in over 10 years. I honestly stayed in the hotel for 48 hours and never turned on the TV or opened the curtains. During that time I ate half a nestle crunch and drank 2 can cokes.
I was so dehydrated that I had to pee one time the whole trip home which ended up taking about 18 hours. That was after I was able to start drinking again and was able to drink most of a powerade.

Jeffwilson34

Honestly something was telling me to not go to begin with. I should not have ignored it.
1st I was leaving Sunday, but A friend of mine finally got all the paperwork from selling some property, for me to finish doing his taxes that I started 2 months ago. I decided to go into the office and finish because I would not be back before the deadline which is now Monday the 17th after they pushed it back a month. So I changed plans and finished that 1st thing Monday morning and then was going to leave late Monday evening.
Then the Gas pipeline crap started and a few stations here ran out. I said I would wait till Tuesday and make sure no problems with gas shortages would hamper my trip.

On my way somewhere near Nashville, saw signs saying the interstate was closed in Memphis. I checked and found out about the I40 bridge close in Memphis. I said the hell with it went anyway.

Had I not have gotten sick, and stopped, honestly I would have been out somewhere in the desert or on the old RT66 when the cable on the car broke. And if my phone also died with the same use then I would be with no phone to call for help.


I am not much for gambling, I was going for the fun of a road trip more than to be going to Vegas. I have been to Vegas twice and spent maybe $200 total in casinos even though I stayed in larger ones both times. I was planning on staying at the Stratosphere this time because I wanted to go up in the tower and ride the ride that hangs over the side.

I fixed the phone by doing a full factory reset after trying everything else.

CorvetteBrent

Sorry to hear about your run of bad luck on your trip. The good news is that you are alive and you didn't break down in the Mojave Desert! I hope you feel much better soon. A long time ago, my newlywed parents set out on a trip from the Pittsburgh PA area to California in their 1957 Thunderbird (T-Bird). They only made it as far as Indiana and ended up returning home. To this day, my mother has never been to California, although my father rode with me years later when I moved from Wisconsin to southern California for a brief period.

Vetteman Jack

First off, hope you get to feeling better. Sounds like Murphy’s Law hit you big time - good luck getting the car fixed too.

lewislgZ06

Hope your feeling better and can get your car fixed soon and back on the road.
Another friend of mine just had the same thing happen to his 04 coupe with an auto transmission, and he picked his up yesterday after having it towed to Vettenuts for a new shifter cable.

grinder11

You guys will get a big laugh 😅 outta this one,
BUT....I fixed my broken cable in 2014, 7 years ago, using JB Weld! Even I am surprised it's lasted this long. I gotta admit, it's some pretty stout stuff!!

grinder11

At 67 years old, I have a LOT more respect for family doctors in the 1950s-1960s, who employed 1 RN, had no computers, and still made housecalls, than I do for today's Drs.. Drs. today have nobody to answer the phone except 'dial one for this, dial 2 for that, dial 3 for this, or just stay on the line'.....Today, they need a billing manager, an insurance specialist, an RN, and have computers to 'speed things along, and ensure accurate results'. Puh-LEEZE!!! You have to direct the Drs. today. Know your condition, and remind them of it BEFORE they prescribe ANYTHING!! About 10 years ago I was given a shot of an unknown to me painkiller. Turned out to be Demerol. Been allergic to it since 1972. Room started spinning, I started scratching everywhere, then vomited 🤢 PROFUSELY!! I asked the nurse what she gave me. When she told me, I told her I was allergic to it. She said "we've got it in your charts now! I said it's been in my charts since 1972-Or the last 39 years!!! Modern medicine is great. It's the office staff that is sorely in need of improvement. I digress. Sorry to hear of your misfortune........

Route99

Definitely think your good karma was trying to gently suggest, "DO NOT GO".

Great you made it back home under all the challenges you faced. Hope by now you are up and running on all 8.

By the way, the Stratosphere is a unique stop for a visit to Vegas. Great sights of the strip from their upper level observation tower or (whatever the official title is; on the 108th floor, I believe). They have an elevator that will get you there in barely 1/2 a minute! The Sky-Jump is ok, but if you have ever skydived, it is nothing like it. You are suspended basically from your upper body, so you are in a harness that just lowers you to the ground. And, if you like to get out and visit many different casinos/hotels while you are in Vegas, you are at the far northern end of the Strip and not very close to the rest of the better known casinos.

MWWarlord

I feel your pain. I've been hospitalized on several occasions with migraines. It really is awful. I have been given a cocktail of several different prescription drugs to take when I feel a migraine coming on. MOST of the time, they really help a lot. God help me when they don't though. It really might be worth while to go see your doctor. They can give you things that will work better than any of the over the counter crap that does almost nothing. Caffeine can help some too. I'm very sorry things went so badly. I hope you're able to get everything resolved soon.