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Welp... GT's fans do spin but ambient temp reading was stuck on 64 with it over 80 outside. So I look up the number and find a Standard brand in stock at closest store. Scribble down the number, run 3 miles to there. Noticed when parking that temp was 220 or so. Right after watching it stay stable in my driveway at 210 or under for like 20 minutes. Temp drops to normal (180-190) while driving. Hmm.

Pop hood, yep 225-230 idling with both fans whirring away. Hmm. Enter store, wait, am told that store does not stock the item. Go down the street 1.4 miles. I do this and get it plus a bonus toy for myself. Random 220°F spike cruising 35 mph coming home. Hmm

Change sensor in driveway. Neighbor has taken the GT's specific parking spot in street, leaving space in front of their house. Hmm. Ambient temp now stuck at 67. Hmm

Back into neighbor vehicle then pull forward a couple inches to park as placeholder to defend my territory. Abort further auto repair thoughts because of that. Wanted to keep going, keep driving to keep working things out. But no.

The tire we concluded here months ago was ruined, is doing fine. I would have liked to have taken another stab at straightening up the LR wheel from the hit n run better today also. May as well drop that because with the temps I'm seeing, fans must be slow so must special order $200 item to find out. Before a fan nearly catches fire like on the GTP awhile back. Smokin cherry red, it got.

Hmm. After the GT sat a spell, keyed on to see ambient temp... 94°. About right. Mysterious but unrelated to engine temp issue. Normal is rock steady 180° with little fan action required. Another bad replacement water pump? GM 3800 cooling systems require meticulous burping and have no tolerance for leaks. But it does leak barely, don't know where. Hmm.

Doing laundry now and oh... hello ant friend(s). Dadgummit. Its them weeds on death row at work. Again. Welcome to my home little amigos. Not.

Another anti-Matt-er Sunday. Just cancel the progress statement, move my peg back to square one and geek on the red 41 in the pic.   

That was quite the gathering at Atwood, Bill. Thanks for sharing some real juicy stuff. 

The 99 GT ( my backup DD ) lives again, been driving it around this morning after swapping in fan relays off the 02 GTP (RIP). Fans work now, thats all. Still has a long list of needs but it could fill in, in a pinch. Been a few months since it was viable for the commute so thats progress!

Cab pics. I found out it gets EFI.

Believe it... or not!

Since last post I removed and gutted the 71 job cab, saw a video of a cat eating corn on the cob, and observed a high speed police pursuit from a yard away. While covered in ants and with crooked spine from squatting inside auto / truck bodies.

Dad has to remove the spark plug from his old push mower and dump gas down the hole to start it, but Mom doesn't want them to have a new gifted one. She does the push mowing for exercise. A brand new self propelled one would be put in a garage sale and money given to church.

My health insurance assigned a lady pediatrician in Texarkana as my doctor. I don't use it, just pay it. I am 57 and live in the opposite corner of my state.

My car insurer states that bills are sent 19 days prior to due date and cancels me monthly now after 40 something years because the USPS now requires two weeks or more to take mail between Arkansas and Georgia. Statement printed on 14th for due date of 20th arrives on the 4th of following month, forcing electronic pay.

My fixed rate only mortgage ever payment amount is now over half escrow and my DD drives like it has square tires. I'm kind of glad no child of mine was ever born. This will be my fourth summer with no car A/C.

Feeling kind of sick from digging with fingernails into damp encrusted vehicle flooring infested with wildlife, as is my exclusive job requirement now. All dirty work goes to Matt, lowest on totem pole and unable to be heard or seen.

The cat eating corn though... 

Me too, Phil. Its a long bed 4x4 which makes the odds slim for customizing. All I know about it is '71, 350 Qjet, tube headers, looks like it might run, whole bed is toast, roof is badly dented, aaand of course...

All I need, to get to work on it is the bare cab and it is crawling with ants. I scattered ant poison on the floor and seat today.

Everybody get well soon!

My next job project-

CK, your descriptions are highly intriguing but wish I could see. Screw drive chopper sounds far out, man! Flake Freak!

Jaybee, yessir I concluded theres enough body on that gen (5" wider) to be something. That blind spot is just a monster though. On the fastback 73 I think the quarters got more blocky which is cool but they went more curvaceous with the fenders, skipping back a gen to the '68 styling a bit. The 71-3 nose is inarguably more aerodynamic and the nostrils are cool. The long slim snoot with stubby flanks style does push it toward the personal luxury coupe image that I like.

This week I was alone in the grey room quite a bit and at one point when I let the lift down all the way I said to myself: That is just a funny looking car body. And it is. Owner wants maximum chrome on it so we'll see what boils out.

I spread the chores out fairly even this weekend. Even took the GT out today. It has been nice to sit by an open window lately with no barking issues. Peaceful and cloudy calm days in between storms mostly. Suddenly, it will be blazin summer. But for now, tranquility reigns.

Made some rust bunnies for Mom's yard.    

You hit the nail on the head so eloquently. Thank you.

It was a blatant attempt at constructive dismissal, no two ways about that. Why, I'll never know.

Nobody is giving me crap now though. I often wish I could resume my car hobby but theres just not a way. The damage is done. If I step outside myself and look around at the shop, all but three jobs are wearing my bodywork. Lots and lots of it. It is as if I am out-pacing parts buying and job finishing ability by a long shot. I still have no wheels, tires, or transmission, suspension, rearend, or new rear valance and bumpers. Avoiding backwards work is my objective but I am outgunned by circumstances beyond my control. I guess its OK. People that get their ride finished are happy and all I want is metal work.

Yep Bill, she's a ringer.

Street was blocked, power out on my block when I got home. Sat with grumbly gut an extra 15-20 minutes waiting to drive the last hunnert yards to my pad.

Guess why. Big tree down across road. 

Big front just went through with no GP crashing limbs. Just rain despite news yelling severe and impact a lot.

F1 got sorted out shortly after removing stock weatherstrips. I tucked (mocked up with old stuff tacked) the 73 rear bumper and continued mud work. On the old quarter.

No other excitement to report.

I was tucking rear bumper on the 73 job yesterday when the guy working on the 51F1 came to me in desperation trying to get doors to work.     

I have no pity.  Thats what ya get. A conspiracy of astounding proportions was required to make the job go so badly. All because no one listened. Not once. That has only worsened since.

None of you will recall any of what I am talking about and I will not care. It is just a shame, all around, that things cannot change. That same deliberate ignorance prevails to this day.

That is why I don't want my name in any future article features, should they occur. Decided that a long time ago. Sadly.

Most of this week thus far was spent mudding sail panel seams on the 73 job. When I get to work today, first thing I have to do is deliver catastrophic news to the F1 assembler. Wonderful!

On the bright side haha, I am entering my fourth year of no auto A/C. Theres nobody to get a ride from and no facility to use to repair the hit n run on the GT but the GTP keeps going. Flumpflumpflump now though.

You do nice work, Frank.

Arkansas? 

Oh, Conway.

Phil.... what Bill said! ^^^ +1

I chucked the limb onto tree owner's shed.  

Bill, I sure hope so.    I aim to please. GLWS

Went out to mow today and found another gift from above. Bookending the work week with Paul Bunyan days. Sigh. Called the city. Trees are the neighbor's responsibility. So over the fence I would holler hey spend several thousand dollars to preserve my sanity real quick willya, and have big trucks drive over my old car while you're there? but I don't want to stand anywhere back there. Let alone mow or saw so I can't hear the crack of the widowmaker. Lest I end up skewered. So here I sit, waiting for the next. In the midst of my quest for greater tranquility. Trees will wait until I have the window AC up and then on a rainy day they will fall and knock the AC out and torrential rain will go in precisely the direction to flood the house while I am twenty miles away unaware. Boy, howdy.