The Rodding Roundtable
Motorhead Message Central => Rodder's Roundtable => Topic started by: Crosley.In.AZ on January 01, 2024, 07:11:32 AM
A new thread for 2024.... 8)
Not much new here.. I have started the trim work on my windows in this mobile home. Need more supplies. Home Depot here we come. LOL
Going to the oldest stepson's for our Christmas party which wasn't celebrated on the 25th, due to so many guests being in other places that day. He said he's making ribs instead of traditional food. Yum, I like ribs way bettre than turkey.
Christmas lites are down.. We had very few up.
Visit the Home Depot we like.. They had 1 of the 5 pieces of trim I needed for the interior trim work on this mobile home. We drive west on a major raod here: Bell Road, towards 137 ave from 68th avenue. We found the trim we needed.
Drive around the corner to Wally World. Picked up various needed food supplies
I split firewood. Heating the shop with wood warms you in many ways. Cutting the tree, hauling the wood home, splitting and stacking the wood, and finally feeding the furnace. :)
^^Yep.^^
It was 39*F on the carport this morning as I cooked brakefast on the ol griddle.. It is 40* now, 2 hours later.
At least the sun is out today.
Spending money. Doing my part to support the economy. LOL. I'm going over everything that isn't as good as I expected on the 48. I dislike buying parts twice but you don't always get what you expect with name brand parts. :)
Today should be the last day of bad gas in the GTP. Finally! Hope it returns to normal after all the knocking.
Pic is the Bronco left rear corner that was so crunched at bottom and had an inch plus of filler on it. Sectioned the tail light panel and patched a pick hammered strip of qtr at that seam. Its fixed and in poly primer. ;)
^^^
Looks like it should. :)
I took the Red Phat Gurl out for a run. I ended up at my mom's grave site to remove the Christmas decorations from the site. Its near 49 years that I have visited my mom's grave.
I then run west out the I-10 freeway towards the Luke Air Force base area thru Litchfield Park area. Our RV 5th wheel is in storage there. Checked the RV and my car trailer is there too.
I have work to do on the RV this month. Get it ready for a few thousand miles this summer.
The Goldwing offered up the usual performance the bike is capable of. I only bounced off the rev limiter a couple times till I was back in tune with the bike. LOL
:arrow: :shock:
Crosley , our winter is so mild here that I have seen bikes on the road this week . That is a first in my life time .We spent new years with our son in Calgary and then loaded up the Uhaul and brought him home to live with us . We will be going back to pick up his son , my grandson , and both will be living with us from now on . The situation he was living in was not manageable nor acceptable so he took a transfer and is coming home .We are grateful to be able to have them home with us where we can be of help .
Welp... I don't think it was bad gas. GTP still clatters under boost. Deep inhale, shallow exhale. :blank:
Wishing you luck, Matt.
I'll take one of those, yep. :)
Just replaced the plug and wire on #3 (which is the hole the misfire code popped up on at the beginning) with ones from my spare engine at the shop. Fingers crossed, no drive yet.
Top plug in pic is the one I put in and that car was upside down but ran plenty after so thats why its black.
Bottom plug came out of #3 and my observations are that not the tip but the part around the tip sticks out of the ceramic a lot less than the top one. And... most eye-catchingly the tip is shiny on one side which can kind of be seen in pic. Didn't check gap on it. That plug could be damaged. I'll know soon enough!
Won't be able to even pop the hood again or hunt parts until at least tomorrow. Parts store wants $12 for one plug. Today is all obligations so the car just has to go without. In a nice first dose of snow for the season so can't punch it anyway. :)
My part of the world has snow today. I go out this morning and get in the 48 and drive off. About half way to coffee, I turn on the wipers. They work about 3 times and quit. I pull over and check to see if they froze. No, they're free. I get back inside and turn the switch on. I can hear the motor running. I think the arm came loose on the shaft. There's 2 set screws that hold it. I don't know how much I will have to remove to get to them. Might be a lot of fun. :)
But it's under warranty, right?
Phil, if it has a warranty past 30 days I'd be surprised. I purchased most of the parts back in the spring for this. I have had good luck with people understanding that it sat in the box for 8 months before using. My stereo has a problem and I just received the replacement from Crutchfield. No charge. If all that's wrong with the wipers is a loose set screw, I'll be good. If I would have had any foresight, I would have pulled the screw and drilled a small hole for the point to go into. I've put in 6 wiper motors and this is the 1st time for this. Maybe it was as cold as I was and just wanted to quit. LOL.
I worked some on my stump for panel beating. I made the 1" steel band around the top to help keep the stump from seperating as it dries. Shaping the stump and then forming the band to fit the top was fun and it went well. Tomorrow I am going to an auction. There is a nice lathe, Bridgeport and a bandsaw that I am interested in buying. I do not know why I am going because it is usually a waste of time. Stuff usually starts the bidding for more than what I want to give for it. I will just take the day off, visit with people, and enjoy the day. :)
Bill, I actually meant the warranty work to be returned to the guy who installed it, LOL. Sometimes I'm not clear in what I say or type, due to old age. Yeah, that's it, old age. ;D
I know about buying parts in advance and not being able to return them. I bought new bumpers for the Corvair for about $900 for both, then later see a Corvair forum member selling excellent used front and rear for about $300 for the pair. Sometimes you just can't win.
Phil, that installer is unreliable. :)
Yeah, I've run across the same thing. ;)
In keeping with that theme:
Loose spark plug! :idea: Front of engine on rear bank. :roll: :arrow:
Capital D'oh. :blank:
Aaaand now...
the car has ye olde scalded dog syndrome. Glory be. :)
Stuck wiper blades on while there was warm in garage. All thats left is to heal.
New job task: 73 Mustang. Starting with pan. Cut it out today. :)
I got blessed with a little blizzard today. Wind gusted at mid 60's. It's down to 30's now. We had rain and freezing rain early this am and then snow. Total accumulation wasn't great but the drifts are substantial. Tomorrow I will decide on shovel or snow blower. :)
Hi.... Eggciting belt replacement on the vacuum beater bar. It spins again. Will see how long this belt lasts??
::) ::)
crosley I got good at replacing those belts when we had a cleaning business . used to keep a few in stock and a spare vacuum at the ready.
We are finally getting some cold, and possibly snow coming, starting tomorrow. First time since October. We are at 40% snowpack at best so far this winter.
20 months after I was notified of the recall on my F350 wiper blade arms.... My truck has new wiper arms on it. They are much more secure. Fjord dealer setup a mobile service for this recall (2) deal.
The PCM and TCM was updated on programing. Some programming related to emissions ? I have Driven the truck 40+ miles. The trans does shift better, cleaner.
Now the fun part: The young fellow was all over my F350 for a "Multipoint Inspection". 10 minutes later I receive a text message with $405.00 of "suggested" service work.
$80.00 for cabin filter replace
$175.00 for HVAC cleaning & deodorizing
$50.00 wiper blades
$100.00 Diesel Battery service.
I declined the extra service. I told the kid that the wipers were 5 months old and if they are broken, he did it. I checked the wipers, they are solid on the arms
The $100.00 diesel battery service included corrosion pads on each battery terminal.
??? ???
I scooped snow this morning. That was enough exercise for the day. I can get all of the vehicles out. Several drifts to move. The sun is out and it will be better before the next cold front at the end of the week.
Chilly morning here too. No snow or ice..
My carport temp gauge said it was 32*F .... We took off for breakfast, errands, Home Depot, Wally World.. The car said it was 30*F at that time.
My wife reports the vacuum works better than ever. The vacuum was left behind when we bought this park model mobile home. :idea: :idea:
we are getting snow 6" of it ::)
Tony, you would've gotten by cheap on that service deal. After we had bought a used Subaru and had to take it in for warranty work, they called my wife and said that all the fluids needed changing and it would cost about $800. We declined.
We got our internet back today after being out for two days. Our Verizon cell service also disappeared last night, but is back up today. We had a really wet, heavy snow, and the township snowplow demolished our newish mailbox once again.
Makes you want to leave the banged up mailbox in place, don't it? Its like a freshy is a target. :roll:
I said awhile back the 69 GT was ready to paint. Well, thats about to happen now I think. Code F, Aqua metallic.
Rails are good on my 73 job and only one rear torque box has the rot. Flange cleanup for pan install done. Stock trans tunnel and brace are nowhere near wide enough for anything that goes behind a Coyote so pan will go in with screws for mockup. I have upper and lower cowl panels and theres some A pillar rot. Noticed that the 73 has an actual trunk pan instead of gas tank top as the floor. Which may be how it ends up, using the through the floor style. Smooth firewall and aprons are on the list, so... classic Matt... I want answers and mockups and what not because much modification is involved where putting stock metal back would be counterproductive.
Case and point- A guy made screens with bezels for the unpaintable 51 F1 hood this week. And got to just build them however he liked. They go at bottom of the HVAC ductwork and hex mesh from a first gen Mustang grille was used. That much seems appropriate.
Below are a couple critters from the back yard. (Coyotes, back shop, Ford and Mercury.
^^^^
Coyotes multiply like rabbits in your area. :)
ah yes, Mail boxes run down. A bit different out here without snow.
In the late 1970s a new house we bought had mail box at the street. With a sidewalk there, the mailbox was set back from the street.. Months later it was run over, smashed. Our mail was scattered about. It was a basic cheap metal frame holding the mail box.
I installed some .250 wall 2.5 inch round tube mount for the new mail box, concrete about 2 feet in the ground. I arc welded some some decorative curly stuff on it too. Many weeks later someone ran into the mailbox again. From the liquids and pieces on the ground, I accomplished my objective. :twisted: :shock:
After that, I built a mailbox mount from a sbc crankshaft, header tube bits, harmonic balancer and few other bits into a little "guy" with an extended arm to hold the mailbox. I thought it was spiffy. My wife veto'd that idea.
8) 8)
In Kansas, a man in a rural area got tired of people running over his mail box. He did a serious one. As I remember, some kids were running over mail boxes. they got hurt and he was found liable. ????
Quote from: kb426 on January 10, 2024, 05:39:12 PM^^^^
Coyotes multiply like rabbits in your area. :)
Yes, they have gone feral. Not enough roadrunners to keep them in check. :lol:
We are getting the cold from Canada today. It is 6 degrees right now, and -24 tonight. They are calling for -50 in wind chill, the weathermen love wind chill.
56° F here now, on a fluke of warmth ahead of... well, the mild sounding -7 forecast for next Monday morning. Supposed to hit 59 today.
Lots of gun killings here this week. :blank:
I love how old metallic colors turn out in modern paint. :) Beautiful hue. Gonna be a pretty car.
^^^
That mustang will be great with the correct wheels. :)
You mean Bullitts of course. :)
Setting stock and TTs and Cragars aside...
First thing outta my mouth was Keystones. Second was slots. Third was Centerlines. But none of the above is my bet. I left off keeping up with wheel styles and new car names long ago. What would you-all suggest?
I was back there just now putting a tape measure on the intended engine and trans for the 73 and while whittling shall be required, I don't think its so bad. Exhaust is probably the major width thing. Tunnel could be wide enough for trans but maybe not tall enough. Interweb says thats a glass transmission though and some have "skip shift"... wth?
I have the rails and cross brace all niced up and shot and am working at shaggy edges around pan.
Nice color, is that GM? I don't remember any Fords that color, but then, I live in a vacuum.
Its the original color, 1969 Ford Mustang, Code F. Gulf Stream Aqua metallic. Before pic below.
The good color cars got used up first. :idea:
Just WOW!
I remember seeing a galaxie 2 door hardtop in that color with cragar ss's. That was a striking car. The only place I remember seeing a mustang in that color was at Phil Long Ford in Colo. Springs when he had a row of unsold Shelby mustangs out front. I believe that was the winter of 1970.
8) 8) 8) 8) mustang .
Snowplow totally destroyed the mailbox today, had to install the old one, again.
Years ago, I went through a spell of mail box removals. it's been a long time since. I hope I'm not on the list. :)
Quote from: 58 Yeoman on January 12, 2024, 06:00:24 PMSnowplow totally destroyed the mailbox today, had to install the old one, again.
BAck in 1999 when we moved to Gilbert AZ... The area was mostly farm land and dairy farms too. The farm land was full of feed corn or alfalfa..
THe farm combines moved around usually at dark during parts of the year. The machines often run over the phone line boxes that were along the edge of the roads. Early years we lived out there, the landline phone was often "out"
:o
I was looking at yesterday's Mecum results. A 1966 Ford gt40 road car brought almost 7 million without the buyer's premium. :)
Take a look to see how easy he makes it look:
{https://youtu.be/8pfXtlH_kCI?si=rh6n-Dw3BEG1Zw2T}
Says no longer available.
I forgot to put brackets around the address. If you don't do that, the forum software blocks it. Sorry about that.
I've been checking the Mecum auction results daily. The 1st week wasn't much to talk about. On friday, it started to get interesting. yesterday had some astounding results. There was a Ferrari that went to 23.5 million and didn't make reserve. I never thought I would see numbers like that.
Ya , we been watching the Mecum auction on TV.. Some interesting prices on stuff. A few seem low to others, so I figure its in the details?
We watch the TV action a bit during lunch and then later after my 2pm nap
:o
I run a dehumidifier in the shop as much as temps allow. The one in there is from the late 90's and finally died. I ordered a new one on Amazon and it was delivered today. This is the pic the driver sent my wife in her email. It's actually sitting 25 to 30 feet down the driveway from the house.
Phil, do they consider snow to be an excuse to not take it to the house?
I guess they must. I didn't clear the driveway, but both my vehicles get up the slight slant with no trouble.
It was -8 on the way to coffee this morning. The 48 was making some different noises. :)
Yeah , it was 38*F here at the Sun City location this tuesday morning. Should be mid 60s today. Thursday and friday, saturday are suppose to be mid 70s... Then Sunday we have 70% chance of rain and on monday too.
:arrow: :idea:
We did another Home Depot visit.. Finish up the windows in the park model unit. Window coverings. In recent visits, there has been zero parking lot crowds around our vehicles or encounters inside the store, but;
Today made up for that. We had 2 inside encounters where we just happened to be in the eggzack spot another person walked up to and wanted an item. LOL It happened to my wife first, in the isle of window blinds. My encounter was in the lumber area... :idea:
I still take photos of the vehicle in the parking lot as we arrive. Before and after photos. LOL
:arrow: :shock:
I walked the picket line in -50 windchill today . Teachers on strike . 1 day strike with 5 days warning to parents. Underfunded system is making it near impossible to do our jobs .
Quote from: chimp koose on January 16, 2024, 10:24:55 PMI walked the picket line in -50 windchill today . Teachers on strike . 1 day strike with 5 days warning to parents. Underfunded system is making it near impossible to do our jobs .
Interesting. Underfunded?
Same in Arizona for decades. Teachers got raises a few yrs ago under a different governor. Now the argument is on school vouchers & teacher pay.
A revolving door here it seems ?
:-\
I made a handy dandy stand to hold parts for painting for a friend. It allows for a lot of adjustment and adapting to different sizes and shapes and even has a magnetic for holding odd things.
We have had the grandchildren here for the last 4 days while our daughter is off to Dallas to buy inventory for her store and the son in law is working odd hours. 3 of those days have been school snow days with a small amount of snow but really cold temperatures. Gramma and Granpa are running out of things to do. Our daughter will be back tonight.
The underfunding of our schools has caused divisions to cut programs and load up classes in order to reduce the number of paid staff. I have had 32 kids ,in 2 grade levels ,in one machining class . I have had to water down the class in order to give each kid the chance to complete their projects . I have 11 lathes ,each at least 58 years old to teach machining to 32 kids at a time . I do not see a rosy future for trade classes due to the costs required to provide them . Since covid my budget has dropped from $3000/year down to $750. I got a new milling machine 2 years ago right before the budgets were slashed . It replaced one from the 60's that went out for scrap metal . Kids take shop classes because they want to do hands on learning , class sizes are turning them away from enrolling as they will likely spend half of their class time waiting to use a machine . It is a shame as there are jobs for my grads available right out of high school . I have had former students return 3 years after graduating to tell me of the kind of income they are earning . It exceeds a 5 year experienced university degreed teachers wage .After this summer , one of those jobs will be mine . I half wonder if they will permanently close my machine shop when I leave in June .
Last thursday I was returning home from a 20 mile trip in my 2004 3.0 Ford Escape, and about 4 miles from home I had a loss of power and a noise like a broken air line on a truck compressor. Then a check engine light. I nursed it home and had it towed to my buddy's shop. My thought was a spark plug blew out but I had never heard of that happening on a 3.0 engine.
Well that is what it was. It blew out the center plug on the number two cylinder. So he reamed it, and installed an insert, six new plugs, three coils, and new intake plenum gaskets. $295 in parts and two hours labor. That is $1,000 cheaper than the bill for my HHR three weeks ago.
Today I took it on a 60 mile trip with no problems.
Early morning hours as we eat brakefast... We have been watching re-runs of a TV show "Parking Wars" . THey follow meter readers and ppl that install "boots" on cars with multiple unpaid parking tickets. Most of these shows are from 2008 - 2010
I can safely say that Philly at that time had a totally messed up system for ppl to recover towed - impounded cars. Car owner had to prove car insurance, current registration and have current drivers license. That is normal stuff that many folks fail at.
The problem was the car owner had to visit multiple windows. Usually the insurance card and registration is in the vehicle.. Which required a visit to 1 window for a "pass" to get to the vehicle tow lot to retrieve paperwork.. then back to more windows for towing paperwork , then to the cashier window to pay taxes aka fines.... THEN if you have other tickets , it may require a visit to traffic court, Then back to the tow lot for more window visits, LOL
:twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
Getting windows in this park model mobile home finished out with mini blinds. I have 4 done. 3 more to finish. Looks way better. Very basic vinyl blinds. 1 inch wide , since the exterior walls on this mobile home are only 2x3 material. It's been a challenge since everything on the mobile home is non standard and you must adjust, adapt, trim, re-trim stuff. :twisted:
We had the arcadia sliding door sections (2) scraped old tint off and then re-tinted with modern commercial tint material. The sun hits this door in the afternoons. The old tint was turning purple , so it was very old. The door sections (2) actually had 2 layers of tint on them. The tech guy said it looked like old automotive tint.
I am always skeptic when I am told major amazing items on a product , then disappointed. This tint is amazing. We had a warm sunny day here and this tint knocked down the sun brightness, glare. I was very surprised and happy.
8) ... 8) .... 8)
Toe board patch. :arrow:
^^^^
Looks good, guys.
Repaired pin holes in the bottom of my 55 doors yesterday. Still waiting (going on 3 weeks plus) for Real Deal Steel to ship my wagon tailgate they showed they had in stock, They charged me for it the day I order it. They told me they were backed up from the holidays.
Dave, sounds like a test for you. :)
Something we started doing... for supplies, paper products, household stuff. Funny: a few yrs ago I bought little from Amazon , much less a Prime member... Now I am there daily. :idea:
We are a member of a "club" known as Costco since 1981.. Some saving of cash does happen , even with the yearly membership charges. We buy enough fuel now when in the truck and RV... We get more $$ returned that pays most of the yearly membership charge.
Local Costco stores here are "jammed", Crowded daily. Very busy. So , we tried ordering online with delivery. It is nice not to deal with large crowd, waiting inline at cashier, local traffic, parking lot traffic. Ordering enough , with phree shipping. Its nice.
oh: lots of rain falling today monday afternoon.. Suppose to rain tuesday too.
I know this boring stuff. sorry
8)
8)
We'll be getting a $245 check from Costco, just got the email today.
My check next month will be just under $400.
Doug...you're spending too much money. ;)
I've started using our Prime card more, as that gives us "money" at Amazon to spend right now, not waiting for the check from Costco. It makes it seem like we're getting stuff for free.
I just read that Laguna Seca raceway is under a lawsuit wanting to close it down. Another story where it was out in the country and developers have built housing around. The complaint is about traffic and noise. Remember the wall at Englishtown? :)
I've been watching that Laguna Seca story. Ridiculous.
Folks from here used to have an annual meet up at the Goodguys show in Des Moines. The Grandstand on the Main Concourse and right next to the autocross track used to overlook a dirt track so old Barney Oldfield once raced there. People used to ride a train out from Des Moines to the fair. One of those classic films of a staged wreck between two steam locomotives was staged just beyond the track, where the tracks ran.
The promoter was told the beginning of the racing season had to be delayed due to construction. Two weeks later their contract was canceled, the track having been bulldozed away. Worst of all, the leader of the group that fought for several years to shut down racing was someone who raced there for years.
Yea, Costco tells us $170.00 coupon this time for 2023.. In 2022 it was double when were across the counrty traveling. :idea:
Kinda funny ha ha type: Sams clubs across the US more often have diesel fuel than Costco. I use my Costco CC at Sams for fuel. I get sales at Sams and credit $ for buying fuel on the Costco CC
No rain this wednesday..
Yesterday, I purchased machine tool supplies. One of the items was band saw blades. I have a small unit that decades ago I used to buy Doall blades for. :) They worked quite well cutting 4130 tubing. Years ago, I called and gave them the part number I wanted. We don't make that any more. Since that day, I have been through an assortment of brands and mediocre is my description of them. That includes a replacement from the Doall line. I ordered some Starrett. They are double the price of the last bunch I purchased and I'm fearful that they won't be as good as I want. I purchased some small boring bars for the lathe starting at 3/8" and larger. Every once in a while, I need one. Having time to think on cold weather days gives me an opportunity to help the economy keep going. :)
More patchwork-
Looking good, Matt. A lot of work to get rid of rust.
I do use my Costco Credit card for Hotels when I travel, so that helps the total a bit.
Nice work, Matt. Amazing how much rust can hide behind a few little holes.
QuoteYesterday, I purchased machine tool supplies. One of the items was band saw blades. I have a small unit that decades ago I used to buy Doall blades for. :) They worked quite well cutting 4130 tubing. Years ago, I called and gave them the part number I wanted. We don't make that any more. Since that day, I have been through an assortment of brands and mediocre is my description of them. That includes a replacement from the Doall line. I ordered some Starrett.
The last several years I have been buying my band saw blades from https://www.bandsawbladesdirect.com/ Lenox blades. They hold up well and the prices are not too bad.
Old photo... It was taken at a car show at a stadium in Glendale AZ .. Stadium building that looks like a Jiffy Pop Popcorn bag,
My wife says sign is correct
:arrow: :shock:
It warmed up to 58 today so I went to the shop and did a little bit. I started out with a 5/8" bolt and a large washer. It turned into an adapter for my wheel alignment tool to hold the caster- camber gauge. After that, I washed the 48. That's the 1st time it's been washed since I started driving it in december. It had been through 2 snow storms, a couple of rains and plenty of mud at the intersections. It was almost brown everywhere. Sure was nice to not be freezing. :)
After doing small stuff in the shop, about 3pm it was 61 degrees. The bike and I went out. I rode around town to see what's going on. :) There was almost no wind and the sun was out. It made me forget that it's the end of January for a little. :) When I was checking caster on the front end, I took a pic of my ebay adapter.
Getting ready to head down to the Grand National Roadster Show on Thursday morning early. It is about a 1200 mile drive down there. We are having late spring weather up here, it was 62 degrees in Great Falls yesterday, so not getting the big weather change by going down this year. Might even be worse weather down there that up here.
^^^^^
Kool!
I finally got my Lincoln LS rear end back today. It's in very nice condition. I have to check the ratio, it is supposed to be a 3.55 gear.
Covered a hole in exterior wall of the park model we live in.. Remnants of a mini split of ancient yrs gone by. Power, drain , etc was all in one hole. Previous cover was that aluminum type tape used in HVAC stuff.
I found some misc exterior wall panels under the park model. Cut out a piece. Some pop rivets, silicone caulk.. done. Only took me 2 yrs, 4 months to patch the hole correctly
Good job speedy Andale! Yee! Hah!
Did some body work on the skirting on this old park model.
Some I could straighten. Others I put wood backers to hold it straight.
I gave the whole wall a warsh with wash & wax chemical sprayed with a H-Freight sprayer for a water hose. Simple Green was used too. The skirting is a little cleaner. LOL
8)
Rail patch ahead of LR wheel, 73 Mustang.
Looks good, Matt. Is the other side the same?
Thanks. Nope. Didn't have a spring eye just lopped off due to siezed bolt either (see bottom pic on left). That was heck to cut out but at least there was burnout box scent to savor. That rail rustout went right up to where the tub notches will start. It gets go-goodies later. :) :arrow:
I chopped a top or I made a pickup roadster today. I am working on the latest yard art square body Chevrolet truck.
It was late when UPS arrived today. He brought me a box of 8' led bulbs. I replaced a few before stopping today. It's going to be better for a blind old guy. :)
Bill, I've replaced all the fluorescent fixtures with LED lights; shop, basement rooms, two outbuildings. Threw the old fixtures away, no one wanted them. Gave the box of new bulbs to Habitat for Humanity.
Took a break. Watched some early 50s Gene Autry tv shows. The industry was young. The acting, sets, background scenes were a bit crude. Makes them shows classics
I will fit and attached the doors to the yard art project today and then I will move it out of the way. The next part will be cutting the bed and tailgate. I hope to paint this one and make it all white. After the sheet metal is done, I intend to build a tubular steel frame with casters to attach the body parts and make it moveable in the yard.
I finished changing out the bulbs in the shop this morning. I should have done that a couple of projects ago. :) I have a list of items to be completed before the next project. Most are tool related.
I worked out in the shop yesterday and painted the trunk on one of the Corvairs, solid gray instead of spatter paint. I like it.
Today, I had an appointment with the dermatologist for a follow up on my right ear and left arm surgeries last December. Looks good. I showed him a spot on my right arm and one on my right leg, but said I'm still in pain and don't want any more surgeries just yet. HA! He found a spot on my nose and sliced it off. Left there and went to the VA for a blood test for next weeks visit.
On the way home, a sheriff car passed me going pretty fast, but no lights. Two miles up the road, we see three cop cars at a house by the highway. There was an SUV in the house garage, but it went in through the side wall. The story was already on FB when we got home; someone was choking while driving, then passed out, then hit the house. Driver wasn't seriously hurt, no one in the house was hurt. Just last week, a huge body shop right across the highway from that house burned to the ground.
Kinda easy day here... Let my low back recover from recent stuff on this ol park model. LOL
Light rain falling here after 7pm , with strong wind.. I read comments from weather people an "atmospheric river" was coming.. Heavy rain in short time , over nite thursday into friday.
Screwed in my first store bought tub today. Of course, it's not for this vehicle. :roll:
Might get some 455 time in later, it is warm out. :) :arrow:
I removed the interior panels from the 48. They are getting recovered. I ordered 5 tool bit holders for my lathe. I filled 4 of them with an assortment of bits. That will be nice to not have to change bits. :)
KB do you have a quick change tool post ?
C.K., yes.
We made a few quick change tool posts and holders in my night class years ago . some of the older guys in class had bought lathes so we started making tooling for them . We also converted a horizontal mill to a vertical . the overarm was the dovetail style rather than the 2 big bars so we milled one end flat and machined up an adapter to mount a vertical head on it . The guy ended up with 3 axis feed on the table , plus rapid traverse as well as power quill feed , tilt and nod . The original horizontal mill was in nice shape and was bought for a few hundred dollars as nobody wants a horizontal mill .
I am making fixtures for my lathe to modify T5 parts for a bolt up fit to a Studebaker V8 bellhousing using the stock Stude clutch and linkage. The pilot bearing and Front bearing retainer have to be modified slightly. I want the fixtures for repeatability.
Today Josh and I assembled the T% for his 1987 Mustang 5.0. Between the wrong pats sent, the bolt holes in the case being stripped, and trouble getting the shafts shimmed right it took all day. And to top it off the fifth-reverse shift rail was damaged, so we tore down a parts transmission for the rail. So when I was picking up tools I found the good shift rail on the bench, which means we assembled it with the damaged shaft, and trouble getting it into reverse was the reason for tearing it down to begin with. so now it has to come apart again. :'(
Frank, I hate when that happens. When I replaced the gas tank on one of the Corvairs, everyone said to replace the brake lines also, as they are between the tank and body. I said they look fine. There. But not on the wheel ends. Tank had to come back out. I replaced the brake lines on the other Corvair when I removed the tank.
On a side note, I bought a new Lenovo laptop at Best Buy today to replace my trusty old Toshiba that has three green verical lines going through the monitor. I started it up, but couldn't make any of the icons respond. I used the mouse from the other laptop, so I switched it with another. I finally figured out the laptop was set up for the right button being the main one. Things work much better now that I changed that.
Well we tore down nthe transmission again, replaced the shift rail and it works good now. It took an hour and a half this time, tear down and reassembly.
I'm redoing my upholstered interior panels on the 48. So far, I'm 0 for 2 on attempts. The problem may be the sewing machine operator. I quit for the day to think about it. :)
I lifted and installed the 5th wheel hitch in to my truck.... More on that later
I hooked on to the RV. Moved it forward to open the entry door. There is a support beam for the cover in the way to open the RV door.
I found small amount of water on the floor of the bathroom. Looks like the heavy rain we had, some how got past the aux vent cover and the vent in the bathroom. It was a heavy storm. Rain and wind for hours.
The smoke detector in the bedrooom was beeping.. The old near dead 9 volt battery deal.
Been forever since I reached for a torch but today I got the lead out. :) :arrow:
Made some progress on the yard art. I am starting on the tube frame for it tomorrow. I will paint the sheet metal white when I am done fabricating.
I filed income taxes today. It's done. After I retired, I got more forms to fill out. I'm getting mental exercise. LOL.
I had my furnace and water heater replaced today. Both were at least 27 years old . went from 74% to 97% efficiency rating . The water heater was so full of rust it would not drain. Figured I might as well do this stuff now as I do not want the expense when I am on pension and a govt plan will allow me to write some of it off my taxes . One less worry .
My wife did our state and federal taxes yesterday, and is working on my deceased brothers today, after finally getting the rest of his papers in the mail. We seem to always break even with the state, and this year the feds are actually giving us a little back. Don't know how that happened.
The yard art is pretty funny. I like it.
My 2013 Honda Goldwing with Airbag has electric reverse.. It involves the starter motor for reverse power. There is a button you push for reverse... That activates a solenoid that pulls - pushes on 2 cables that move a lever to engage - dis - engage reverse.
Reverse acted up in 2023.. Not backing up, kinda skipping.
Today , between rain storms.... I warmed the bike up. Checked adjustments on the servo cables that move a spring loaded device that engages reverse.
TUrns out that the pulling cable that seemed tight , had a small amount of slack movement. Adjusted that cable and reverse gear now works like a champ.
8)
Filling holes that VA won't use. :arrow:
Looks like this all screwed down and marked for weld prep :arrow:
But firewall will be modified so that may not get welded yet, just like the pan and tub.
Good work Matt
We have thunderstorms coming through, lost power about a half hour ago. I'm running on the backup gennie.
did my last ever grade 8 night at the school. We show kids all the things that make our school different in the hopes that they will choose to come to our school for gr9 through 12.
We made it back from the GNRS, great show. What miserable weather down and back. LOTS of rain both ways. Snow started just south of Monida pass between Montana and Idaho going home. Ice on the Montana side until Dillon 75 miles or so, 40mph at best. Then melting until the top of Boulder hill, 30 miles outside of Helena. Ice and snow until home.
Thank you John.
Did some firewall hacking for the sake of engine swap and Vintage Air. On the 73 Mustang job. Made a flat CAD suggestion for that. To be finalized with engine in.
Also started cutting for right tub. Tub and rail notch kit is DSE and for a 64 1/2 - 70 but, per Gateway who has done a Coyote'd 73 and is supplying suspension... rail notching is not necessary, only outboard flange section is removed and tub is placed against side of rail. Leaves a good foot of tire width room, looks like. But again finalizing will require presence of components to be used.
Oh and fresh re-stripe for the parking lot due to unseasonable warmth. :) As an expression of loud joy, and as testament to the enduring validity of carbed, iron headed, pushrod flat tappet Pontiacs. TH400s and 12 bolts always were strong enough to thrive under this right foot and thats saying something.:arrow:
I had some help today so we did a major shop cleanup. Moved many heavy things from one building to the other and got my Stude parts all in the same place. It was a good day.
^^^^
I do seem to like black marks. LOL.
(https://image.spreadshirtmedia.com/image-server/v1/compositions/T210A4PA4301PT17X30Y3D1020767190W27155H32586/views/1,width=550,height=550,appearanceId=4,backgroundColor=00224C,noPt=true/but-officer-the-sign-said-do-a-burnout-funny-car-t-mens-t-shirt.jpg)
That gto leaves a nice mark ! Harleys seem to mark their territory too , but it seems a bit oily .
Ha :lol:
Harleys and Chevys. :D
Having a GTO is high on the list of abandoned lifetime hopes. I haven't driven or even ridden in anything but Grand Prixs for a decade, maybe more. The purple one is at 24 years and was my only transportation for the first few. Old GPs are more car than GTOs. Police always call my little fwd GPs Grand Ams and thats OK. Pontiacs just all look the same to some. :blank:
Started a new repair project on our 5th wheel RV... Suspension rebuild and upgrade.
I pulled apart the leaf spring shackles , bushings. It is common for these springs to eat bushings because of apparent poor design? Under rated size? Wrong material?
The 3 bushings shown, I did Not cut them out of the spring eye. They were worn out. We put 7k miles on these in 2022 and I greased them 2 times. They look like there was never grease in them. This RV was bought used, 14 months old. I have no idea how many miles on it before we bought it.
These bushings look like the bronze bushings.. WHich is an upgrade, because the OEM bushings are nylon material. The New bushings are a stronger bushing material and is magnetic. Photo shows how I pressed the bushings in the leaf with a C clamp, fully greased up the leaf and bushing.
Photo of the bolt shows the leaf eye wet bolt that the bushing was completely Gone !
There is more to this upgrade and repair.. Will Post more as I get there
8)
Heavy snow the night before last. Nearly buried my pickup truck. :)
If it wasn't for the tree trunk, that would be entirely believable. :)
:lol:
You gotta come up with one of those for on the lake. Start collecting styrofoam :idea:
Went to Lowe's today to get a few items. Got to the checkout area, all that was open were self checkouts. Stopped an employee and asked if that was all there was, so she had a guy open another aisle. Got to keep these people working.
Dropped my wife off at Costco and went to fill the car with gas. The minute I got back into the car, I remembered that she had the key fob for starting it. I called her on the cell, and she had to walk over so we could get it started. Glad it wasn't crowded like usual.
When I had dropped her off, I see this old geezer (older than me) driving towards me in a little ecobox car. It had full length Lakes pipes on it, and they were capped. I had to look in the rearview to see that it was a Hyundai, don't know the model, but it was super tiny. Wish I could've gotten a pic.
Was it a this?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyundai_Tiburon
I'm not the Hyundai type but am a coupe-only bodystyle noticer. :)
Got the trunk pan clamped in the 73 job now. Flange revision at tubs consists of just hacking off an inch and a half following the down flange around tub then flipping the pieces over and swapping sides for an up flange to plug weld while helping to stiffen the rail a tad. Hopefully nuthin fancy required. You'll see. :arrow:
I have mentioned this fellow randomly ... Brother of a friend. Late 50s and he has never amounted to anything. Not held a job long. Drug use (not his fault) , fired from what few jobs he had (theft) Not his fault. In and out of jail (mostly not his fault) wink wink. You guys know what I mean.
My buddy texts me early this tuesday morning about some RV stuff he has sold. I mention we are at a Frys Food store. He texts me " oh btw.... Jay is living in his truck in the parking lot for a month now" Jay is his brother in law (wife's younger brother) that is near useless. I ask " a white ford truck?" Yes... he texts back. LOL We had noticed the truck on the way into the parking lot.. Just a weird homeless, living in look about the truck.
The guy is 60 yr old now, homeless. has been sleeping in his truck in various parking lots for months. He has mooched his family to the point they will not talk or help him any longer. So sad.
???
It wasn't a Tiburon, it was way smaller. It went by kind of fast and I didn't get to see the model, but I did see the funny H on the trunk. I looked online and didn't see any models as small as the one I saw. Oh well.
And she purrs like a kitten till the lake pipes roar! 8)
It would be funny if they were actually connected.
Picked up a new set of doors for my car this fall and installed the drivers door on my 55 last night for the first time. Am I totally Screwed on this door or will a body shop be able to straighten this back frame?
I can not say for sure but I do not think it would be hard to fix if someone has experience. I have fixed similar problems by placing a block in the door jam below the damage and physically bending the window opening back into alignment. I can not say this method would work on yours without seeing it.
Quote from: 416Ford on February 14, 2024, 12:23:16 PMPicked up a new set of doors for my car this fall and installed the drivers door on my 55 last night for the first time. Am I totally Screwed on this door or will a body shop be able to straighten this back frame?
Not totally screwed. That will bend but it alters contours in the jamb so check for rubbing if you tackle it yourself. Burn limit is a pie cut on just the shell, not skin.
Gap width look to be ok if that comes in?
How it will go depends on it's willingness to bend. If it was bent to that position it should relax easy enough. If thats how it was made, it may get more involved. But the skin should just follow along with the shell. Might not be a big deal at all, could turn into a medium deal. Sans experience with this type of thing, it probably does look like a big deal.
Dave, I agree with John. I would block the middle of the door and put a 2x6 from the bottom of the window frame and go up to the top and apply pressure and see what happens. In the past, it didn't take much to bend a window frame if that's all that is bent. You might cut a template from the old door and see where the bend is. If it's just the window frame up, it's very doable.
Today like most days i am not doing anything ... surfing and answering reddit mechanic advice forums..
I am feeling bad about something that happened a few months ago. that really was not my fault..
a friend with a 66 fairlane after several engines over the past almost 20 years had a AFR headed 347... he finally let me help him dial in the carb and the timing. he likes to listen to forum help too much.. i noted that the air cleaner stud was wobbling in the carb so i made him get out his box of fasteners. the only 5/16-18 nut was a brass one from a ford starter relay i had him put it on and tighten it. i did not stand up and take the wrench from his hand (bad knees and a broken foot Prevent me from doing much standing or walking) i should have checked the tightness. but i did not.. he called about 2 weeks later. the engine high revved and the air filter fell off then the engine makes a thumping noise when he restarted it.. the air cleaner fell off the carb.. i ask where is the jam nut.. its not there.. the air cleaner stud came out of the carb again... if he had 2 nuts i would have had him lock them together on the stud then snug it into the carb.. 347 destroyed. top of the forged piston chewed up .. small dent in the cylinder wall.. AFR head chewed up.. it revved so high the keepers came half way out of another valve retainer. he got a replacement engine from some carolina shop.. it is a dart block 363 with afr heads and it cost 15K+.
i just feel * guilty.. nothing i can do about it. i should have taken the wrench from his hand and double checked it..
and for IdriveJunk.. yes.. if you run across a GTO absolutely if you can.. do it.. i sold my 66 GTO in 1985. am still kicking myself for that . at least i still have dreams about driving it. roaring thru the citrus groves on highway 126 between Santa Paula and Santa Clarita (magic mountain) when it was still a 2 lane winding road..
i put 6 engines in that GTO in 5 years and learned how to build a really bullet proof engine..
engine 5 needed to be replaced.. not because it blew up.. but because i let some friends drive it at the drag strip i worked at. they did an over 8,000+ RPM burn out in first gear on street tires for the whole 1/8 mile. they cracked the block thru the lifter valley.. down the area above the number 3 cylinder wall .. thru the lifter bores and oil galleys and up the number 4 cylinder wall area.. i was truly amazed when i pulled the intake and found that crack that explained how i could get coolant in the oil pan and oil in the radiator. and no the last 2 engines were Not Pontiac.. somebody had given me a 402 BBC from their 70 or 71 malibu as it leaked oil everywhere.. who ever built that used no gasket sealer anywhere.
i have to get back here more often..
glad to see its still up and running..
It is so good to hear from you Wayne
It's been too long since you've been here, Wayne.
Agreed. It's always entertaining. And educating too.
Howdy Wayne. Abandon ye all hope of me getting a GTO, I have. When the 455 starts ticking, I've driven my last V8. Honestly I believe I already have my last car, no matter how hard I work.
Trunk pan is screwed down in the 73.
Good to hear from you Wayne. It's bin awhile.
So far, so good. On the 73 trunk and tub stuff. Starting to look more fresh. :) :arrow:
I nearly wrapped up the fitting of the sheet metal for the yard art project. The sheet metal I used was from 4 different vehicles and of different years. It turns out that not all years of square body Chevrolet trucks have interchangeable sheet metal. It was a learning experience. I plan to finish up in the morning and then start paint prep.
Well theres 73-80 then 81-2 then 83-7, bumper-wise. But I thought doors ran 73-87. Paint sounds awful fancy though. :)
Heres a peek ahead at the instruction book picture for the Mustang tower notch kit. The top bend can be altered to suit if desired. Other pic is for comparison. Chop chop, hack hack, whittle whittle. :D
Matt, is the front getting macpherson struts?
Quote from: kb426 on February 16, 2024, 09:14:00 AMMatt, is the front getting macpherson struts?
Well, see... uh...
The site...
https://www.gatewayperformancesuspension.com/vintage-ford-front-suspension-kits
...is broken or? The "shop now" links lead to an error page rather than further details. But that company had a done coyote 73 Mach at SEMA and boss is working with them directly on all these things.
So all anybody gets is those little pictures. Which show a strut / shock thats fairly slender. Whether or not theres a bearing on top, well... I am assuming / committing nothing until we see the suspension. Supposedly bolts in but y'know how that goes. I am thinking next week we may be able to stab the mill and see where we are at. But you are not the first to ask that question. I'm just the bodyman. :)
As I remember with my feeble brain, the fox bodies were marketed with a modified mac strut and it looks similar to the Gateway link so I'll go with that. :)
RV parts are arrived. Spring equalizer, between the axles and connects the front and rear leaf springs together. The Olde part is the blue unit.. WHich is an upgraded aftermarket piece that our 5th wheel came with.
I bought bushings that were suppose to fit the blue CRE3000 unit. Guess what? The bushings do Not fit the blue unit. I looked harder and can not find proper bushings, so I bought the Dexter brand gold unit.
The gold equalizer piece is heavier, appears much stronger. 5 year warranty on it? Virtually Nothing in the RV market is warrantied for 5 years.
Another update on this rebuild will come later. I am installing some cross braces on the frame spring hangers too.
8) ... :o
Tony, do rv's not use Dexter torflex axles?
Quote from: kb426 on February 16, 2024, 06:34:54 PMTony, do rv's not use Dexter torflex axles?
That design axle seems used on horse trailers, car trailers. Not common on the RV world that I have seen. There are a few independent axle designs for RV as upgrades. Still use a type of leaf spring and slider design for heavier RV.
I have seen a few single axle RV trailers with torsion axles.
My 24 foot 1990 open car trailer has torsion axles under it
8)
Ever had some tools that you have set aside for say 2 decades or longer? :lol: Small stuff. Budget stuff, that you may have replaced with better quality or a larger tool kit?
Yeah, I am guilty. Even with my massive down sizing a few yrs ago, I still had many misc tools. I tried selling many of them at swap meets a few yrs ago.. I brought them back home.
I tossed most of them friday.
How about those misc jars, cans of misc screws , bolts , nutz? I still have a few , actually added to them a bit that I keep in the RV.
Since I posted this photo on another thread by mistake yesterday, I will post it here now. I should be ready to paint by Tuesday. I plan to paint outside as I do not care about the final results and I just want it one color and shiny. I just thought that this photo kind of makes it look like it is floating.
Hey I had a Chevy that did that too. :arrow: (makes photo album shuffling on desk sounds)
Bill, I yeah... or naw... ain't familiar with Ford suspensions. When I think of that, ye olde "twin I-beam" emblem pops into head. But I'm betting you are right... something like a bolt on M2 downstairs but based on the Fox era setup makes sense. GM muscle and smog era (only one leaf sprung X body) is all I'm familiar with and these Ford jobs are all just body on my end. So I skip paying attention where it doesn't pay to. One day it will all be next to the car, all bets are off til then.
Currently the 73 RR tub lacks one more R&I for trimming and weld prep. In my plan, the roof will go on last like factory and next operation after tubs is cut towers. The question of connectors or not has been input, but a Wats-link style setup is spec'd for out back. "Bolt-in". Theres that word again.
I do like shiny, non-rusted metal. :)
QuoteAs I remember with my feeble brain, the fox bodies were marketed with a modified mac strut and it looks similar to the Gateway link so I'll go with that.
Yes the Fox bodies has a Macpherson strut, but no spring on it. The engineer , Earl Macpherson who invented the strut worked for GM at the time, but they had no interest in it. He moved to Ford and his srut was first used on the French Simca in 1954 which at the time was owned by Ford. The first use of it in a Ford was the 1960 English Ford Consul, although the 1959 Anglia had a version of it before that, a strut with a king pin in it.
I have been chasing some electrical gremlins on a friends Chevy. This car was heavily damaged in the Joplin tornado. He redid the car hisself. Very nice.
Nice ^^^ :)
KB, I might be the only guy anywhere who sands things or paints in between before assembly. To me, it is easiest and best. Pretty sure that non car people customers have less questions about progress pics too, if they look neat and clean. :)
Gave the McPherson strut wiki a read and now I know why I can't stand the ride they give. Shock sees the same motion as the wheel with no leverage in between. Its not like I haven't rebuilt or replaced struts before, I have. McP struts are #2 on the list of fundamentals I detest about the cars I'm stuck with probably for life.
John, if that's a 327 4 speed SS, my oldest brother had one just like it around '66. It was a beauty, too, same color. Unfortunately, he got in an accident and screwed the front end up, bending the frame. Get this, the body shop that fixed it, cut the bent frame up in little pieces, then welded it together. In pieces. Not good. He said after he got it back, it acted really weird, so he traded it on a new Dodge Coronet.
It is a 327 4 speed SS.
Cool. I really liked that car. My middle brother had a 63 Galaxie XL convertible, 390 4 speed with a 4:11 rear end. I liked that one too, but it just didn't match up with the Chevy.
I have the first RV leaf spring equalizer in place. In one photo, notice the grease zert with red grease on it. Its very close to the brace on the hanger..Since this equalizer moves with the suspension I decided to change the zert to a short straight design for more clearance.
The new looking bracket in there is part of a new cross brace I am adding to the suspension leaf spring hangers... More later on that.
I have not gotten too far with the RV suspension in recent daze. Issues came up that slowed me down.
8)
There are a couple of outfits who build K members to bolt a Fox Mustang front suspension under a Falcon-chassis Mustang or other car. Fine for those who want it, but I just don't see it. There's just too much that can be done to help those cars without having to tear everything off and start from fresh.
A 73 has a sturdy sheetmetal engine crossmember.
The new front suspension will retain the radius rod and lower control arm.
The notch panels and the supplied patterns are not for this car so I am winging it.
F-1 bed is shot. Maybe the rest is too. Satin inner fenders are.
I wonder if the blue 64 Impala SS I bodyworked and painted in 2010 ever got assembled. Owner made me stop during buffing. Boy I got ripped off on that job but it enabled ne to keep my house.
I also wonder if the 83 280ZX I bodyworked and rebuilt suspension (McPs) on was ever assembled.
I wonder if the 69 Camaro body I completely reskinned ever got put together.
I wonder if the Nomad will ever be seen in public.
I wonder if the A will ever go home.
I wonder if the Cat will ever get in an article.
Those are a few of my wonders of the world. I think the lift I'm using now blew a seal yesterday.
:)
The bed looks good, Matt. I understand your wonders. :)
The god of sunshine smiled on me today. It got up to 71 degrees. The Dakota and the 48 both got a bath. I put 25 miles on the 48 out in the country at 75 mph. When I got back to town, I stopped at a store and when I went out, I confirmed that this morning's decision to purchase a new starter was the right thing to do. When the truck is hot, it will barely start. This was a Rock Auto starter. To make starters cheaper, they use less windings in the fields and armature. It barely works when cold. When hot, it struggles to start the engine. The starter never sounded quit right from the 1st time to start the engine. Oh well. One more time with new parts. I had the bike out twice today. If I live long enough to no longer ride, it will be a sad day. Hope you all had a good day and put a smile on someone's face. Crazies are more fun. :)
Johnny's paint and body shop was outdoors today. I sanded the parts with 60 grit sandpaper and applied 3 wet coats of single stage. I was amazed at the finished product. It is not a quality paint job but better than you would think. It is shiny and looks good from 100 yards away.
I thought this photo was interesting. It was taken today. The car on the left is the one I had in the shop yesterday a 327 4 speed. The car on the right is a 409 4 speed. The photo was taken in front of my friends shop.
Cool pic.
I was able to work long enough today on the RV to get the suspension on the passenger side buttoned up.
The short straight grease zerk may not work as I had hoped. Can not get my 90 degree slotted grease fitting on it. I modified another grease gun fitting and that was a bust.
I ordered a misc of grease zerks... Maybe something will work like I want? I hate it when my anal attention to detail is a pain in the ask like this over a dang grease zerk and access to it. LOL
Tony, when I used to operate heavy equipment, they had a flat zerk that took a special grease gun fitting to adapt to. This came up when I googled it. https://www.huyett.com/all-products/lubrication-fittings-accessories/grease-fittings/button-head-fittings
Wanting to sell the blue Corvair, and the tires on it are about 26 years old, whitewalls. The tires that came on the red Corvair are only about 3 years old with very few miles. Seems everyone wants whitewalls on the Vairs, so I finally found some to fit on ebay, and I ordered 5 as I wanted the spare to match. They came today and I started installing them, only to find two of them are blackwalls. Dammit. Contacted the seller and they said to send pix and to start a return on ebay. Their site on ebay says they are out of stock. I found another seller off ebay that has them and they are actually cheaper, but I have to find out first if I'm getting a refund, or they're going to get more tires. Working on old cars didn't used to be this bad, finding good parts.
Phil, you are onto something with your observation. The level of dedication and tolerance required now just to replace tires is only a tip of the iceberg example. Each and every aspect is a big mail order hassle. Who even has the capability to align a Corvair? Or Grand Prix. May as well sell out as soon as possible and forget the lifetime of automotive pleasure. That is ruined for good. Like I like to say, I'm making the dreams of others come true at the expense of my own. Just to be able to touch old cars in some way. For the exceptionally affluent.
Notches are tacked in and I am cutting the roof off. The 73 job.
Final photo. Yard art project is done except for the selling. I will wait a couple of weeks and then advertise it.
Quote from: kb426 on February 20, 2024, 10:16:22 PMTony, when I used to operate heavy equipment, they had a flat zerk that took a special grease gun fitting to adapt to. This came up when I googled it. https://www.huyett.com/all-products/lubrication-fittings-accessories/grease-fittings/button-head-fittings
Thanks.. I have not seen that design in years, I remember them on some tractors.
Will give them a look.
8)
I got an email from the tire vendor asking if I was sending all five tires or just two. I decided all five. He emailed me the labels, one for each tire. I unmounted the three tires that I had mounted yesterday, attached the labels and loaded them in my truck. We're going to Peoria tomorrow for a dermatologist appointment, and will drop them off at the FedEx store there. I ordered four tires from another vendor, and they should be here Friday. Almost double the price for only four tires, but I'll use one of the old tires for a spare. For now.
If it is cold where any of you are at right now, count your blessings. Unseasonable warmth here has the idiot knob cranked way up. Insanely aggressive bloodlusty drivers are at full blast and people with super high opinions of themselves at work are trying to put me down at any cost, as always. Look left, look right, do right, plan ahead, be polite... still only surrounded by hostiles. wtf.
Engine is bolted in my work project. So much metal had to be cut away that engine and trans just drop straight down into whats left of the car. Trans mount sitting on a jack awaiting fab of a crossmember in the right spot.
I had a different issue with 5 tire purchase a few years back from Walmart. My Car trailer tires were tired, aged out, falling apart and the spare was worse.
I ordered 5 tires online from Walmart. Shipped to the Walmart store we were near. The tires arrived, the store called. I took all 5 wheels in. Tires were installed. No balance job since I use balance beads in the trailer tires.
A few daze later Walmart sends emails about the sale of the tires. I receive a $ credit for 1 tire that was returned and my $ charge was reduced to 4 tires.
I look at my receipt and it shows 5 tires purchase. 5 tires installed. 5 tires AZ recycle tax paid.
:o
Yard work. On the south side of the yard, the weeds are starting to bloom. I spent a couple of hours pulling up henbit. There's a chemical that you use in October that kills it but the grass won't grow back in around it so I pulled as much of the roots as I could. They are deep like dandelions. 2 hours was enough that my back was telling me to quit. :)
The new tires came in Friday, and it was the last stop for the FedEx guy, so he was really chatty. We have DSL for our internet, and a 40' tower with antenna for the local stations. No local stations last night, so I checked the indoor wires etc. and decided it was probably the pre-amp on top of the tower. Not good. When I put up the tower years ago, my buddy made a plate that mounted on top of the buried section with heavy duty hinges welded to it and the other plate welded to the bottom of the bottom section.
I tied a rope to the top of the tower, ran it to a pulley on a large maple tree and used the truck to pull it up. Worked great. I also have a pulley at the top of the tower so I can raise a rope to the top in case I have to take it back down. I put a small sacrificial rope on it so I could change it now and then as it weathered. Last year, I went to change the rope and the new one slipped off the pulley. No way to get it back on.
Today, we bought a new antenna at Menard's and I installed it in the attic, and it works just as well as the one on top of the tower. I'm going to put the tower and antenna on MarketPlace and see if I can sell it in this rural area.
Planning to do some woefully overdue cleanup of the DD today.
Purple car odometer hit 40K again yesterday. We are in our 25th year. 9 with the GTP (drove it 120K so far) and 15 years with the lowly GT which is still a pup with under 200K miles but unusable due to the human garbage that surrounds us and the mail order only, no time off and no shop access world that only they wish to inhabit.
Woefully I did accomplish a GTP wash but thats all. Jambs and underhood inc'l but the main purpose was to flush salt from rockers. Not bad but only halfway through winter.
The 455 felt my presence today for sure. After breaking off another loose sail panel seam bondo hunk and painting there.
Thats a good Sunday and I already know what to do when I walk in the shop in the AM. Hope to see no buzzards circling the skeleton but that was the pattern last week. :arrow:
Not often you get to stab an engine with trans via straight vertical drop in a unibody street car now, is it? :) Convenient rust. ;)
I got the blue 72 out and gave it a bath. I wouldn't say it was clean, just cleaner than it was. I took pics and videos. It's next to see if it will sell. :) It got up to 75 degrees this afternoon. Beautiful day that started with 23 degrees. :)
The wind tried to blow me away today. I cleaned up scrap metal in the yard and donated to a friend who occasionally makes scrap trips. The leftover Chevy ad parts were left with a friend who I would describe as the local collector of stuff. His father was a good friend of mine. He has some acres in the country and has accumulated some cars and parts. His friendship is of value so the parts have way less value. :)
Hi... I found more bad shackle parts on the driver side of the RV suspension.
While waiting for parts to arrive: I installed 2 of the 3 cross member I am adding to the RV suspension. What this does is tie the spring hangers from left to right for more strength. These heavier RV put high twisting stress on the spring hangers in tight turns... like backing into RV camp sites , tight turns, etc.
Cross members are multi piece... bracket bolts onto the spring hanger each side. Cross member piece is 2 sections that slip inside each other. All bolts together with 20 bolts
I changed out 2 17" tires today. The tires had 2005 date codes. I know they had been on since at least 2013. (96 mustang parts). :) One of the tires wouldn't hold air. I installed the 10 year old tires I removed from the 72 last fall. I use these wheels for roll arounds. :) I used muscles that I haven't used since last fall. :) It was 71 at lunch time and 38 degrees at 4pm. We have a little storm coming through.
Visit my mom's grave today.. Installed a little solar charged light thing shaped like a humming bird. Mom liked little birds.
Dropped by my former employer. Geeez , many changes there. Big one: the general manager was removed, position deleted completely. Several personnel changes and there are 2 guys leaving soon to retirement.
One guy has returned after he retired months ago.. The owner has already talked him into working 5 days a week from 3 days a week. LOL
:lol: .. :lol:
I finished up the fixture for holding a boring bar on my lathe today. It works good. I had to buy some 3/8" T bolts to hold it together.
Pics please, Frank.
Not today but last nights project was filling the hole in the roof one of the previous upholstery guy put in with long screws. Ten holes in a 3 foot area.
Boy, Dave, am I glad you're not talking about me. :)
I hate when that happens.
Quote from: 416Ford on February 28, 2024, 05:05:53 PMNot today but last nights project was filling the hole in the roof one of the previous upholstery guy put in with long screws. Ten holes in a 3 foot area.
In the mid 1970s I worked part time at a custom paint shop. Next door was a van conversion company. New vans with custom interiors. Remember the van craze? We painted the vans with various levels of custom paint.
About 2 times a week , we had to repair screw holes in the van roofs from the interior installation..
:lol:
There is a shop in town here that does custom stereo installs for the car dealers. They managed to run a too long screw through the top of the cowl on a brand new Jeep. They put a shorter screw in the hole, and glued a deer whistle over the screw and put another one in the same place on the other side. Everyone was happy.
First post on February 29th, 2024... Not that eggciting I guess.
At coffee this morning, I asked if anybody had anything that we could celebrate on leap day. Someone mentioned a birthday of someone that nobody was too crazy about. That ended the discussion. :)
Quote from: kb426 on February 29, 2024, 09:20:37 AMAt coffee this morning, I asked if anybody had anything that we could celebrate on leap day. Someone mentioned a birthday of someone that nobody was too crazy about. That ended the discussion. :)
:lol: ... :arrow:
My grandma on daddy's side was born on Feb 28th, 1899.. Twins. Winnie and Linnie the girls. My Great grandma was not married, the father was a married man. There was court action to get the fathers last name on the twins. Then.. My great Grandma married and her husband adopted the twins... So they actually had 3 last names before they were 10 yrs old. Great grandma's maiden name, then the father's last name , then the adopted father's last name.
Crazy stuff for early 1900s I guess?
8)
OK... the shackle kit came in for the RV.. New bolts, shackle plates, bushings.
These bushings are olde material. I installed "better" bushings. Time will tell if the new updated bushings are really better?
The shackle plates are double the thickness material of the OEM design. My RV already had the thick shackles on it. Now it has new ones again. I now have spares on hand... LOL
I got the new shackles installed today.. Still a bit more work to do on the RV. I hurt my low left side of my back today. My left side back - hip is the worse part of my back. So if I hurt something , it usually is the left side. :arrow: :twisted:
I have a dead battery (of 2) in the RV. They are right at 3 yrs olde.. Interstate SRM-27 battery.. RV, Marine deep cycle. I need to decide to buy another lead acid wet battery or buy a lithium Lifepo4 (1) 100ah battery to replace the 2 wet cell batterys. The 1 lithium will have the same power as 2 lead acid batterys and last waaay longer.
8)
"Currently" making a tunnel for the 73 job.
Phil-
https://www.motorbiscuit.com/french-company-resurrected-chevy-corvair-you-can-buy/
:)
I installed a horn button on the 72 F100. That was the only thing that wasn't working to the best of my knowledge. Then I got started on yard work. I'm scalping the yard before spraying. Even though it's early calendar wise, there was green underneath the dry thatch. I found more henbit to dig up. Never ending here in weed country. :)
I like that Corvair but the Camaro look is still there.
I spent the afternoon replacing window switches on my Silverado. Not a big job normally, but difficult when your hands won't work. I'm going in for tests thursday.
I also replaced the starter solenoid on my zero turn. I only dropped one nut.
I extracted subframe mount bushings at 3 corners of the 02 GTP subframe, to put in the daily 99. It is spitting them out due to oil soak and getting sketchy to drive. Too much pain and danger and noise and not enough daylight to harvest that last one though. Had to do something, everything is falling apart.
No new bondo chunks fell off today though. Bad hand hurts though. The yard weed battle was forever lost to a lightning strike few year ago when on one side of yard water line was replaced then city main went at other side of yard. Once fill dirt is brought in, one must only surrender. As Dad says: "Long as its green and I can cut it." :)
More yard work. Boy are we having fun now. :)
we got a foot and a half of snow today. School has been cancelled for tomorrow . My snow blower died half way through the job . Going to get a cordless electric this time . Son works at the airport , all flights were cancelled .
It's been warm here the last two days. I took down my 40' tv tower the other day, thanks to having it hinged on a base plate. A guy from southern IL is coming on Wednesday to buy it for his ham radio. I thought my wife might want to put a large flower pot on the level plate that was still in the ground, but she said she'd rather plant an evergreen there. So, I spent yesterday digging out the base, with 3' of concrete attached to a 3" steel pipe. I buried this thing about 10 years ago and hadn't ever planned on digging it up.
After digging down about 20" all around, I wrapped a chain around it and pulled it out with the 4 wheel drive Tacoma, which grunted more than once for the load. Contacted the guy who is buying the tower and asked if he wanted it for his base, but he already has that planned out. My John Deere X738 with an after-market bucket was able to lift if a few inches off the ground as long as I stayed in the seat (205#) and with 100# of wheel weights. I took it to a ravine behind the house and dumped it over the edge. Glad that's out of the way.
We were at Costco a week or so ago, and I saw that Mobil1 was $50 for a 5 quart jug. Passed. A couple days ago, we hit an estate sale where the guy wanted $50 for a bin with 11 quarts of Mobil1 and a lot of bottles of drygas/antifreeze. Good deal. I'll mix the drygas with old oil to start my brush fires.
Hello from New Zealand. Having a great time, wish you were here :) We saw some interesting American autos and Burt's motorcycle. I met some fun people and we saw a lot of this beautiful country We will be back in the US in a couple of days
I've been outside this twenty mile radius once in the last decade or two. Not rich or important enough.
Subframe bushing efforts were a bust. Couple wasted hours on a couple priceless days.
Tunneling and humping efforts continue at work.
I saw this car today up the street and boys I gotta tell ya it done my soul good. The smirk from just the sight of it then the visions of driving it in it's natural habitat is undeniable. Imagine the thrill level hammering this joker. :D 8) :arrow:
^^^
Surely an interesting story.
That tunnel looks great, Matt, and LOVE that coupe!
What trans is under that pretty tin?
Quote from: kb426 on March 05, 2024, 07:33:31 PM^^^
Surely an interesting story.
Indeed. :) I think it is nasty beautiful. :arrow:
https://issuu.com/rpmmag/docs/03_-_hard_time
Quote from: jaybee on March 06, 2024, 09:06:02 PMThat tunnel looks great, Matt, and LOVE that coupe!
What trans is under that pretty tin?
Thank you sir. M82 trans, to the best of my knowledge. 2015 GT stuff. Shifter arrangement is wierd but remarkable on it.
Tunnel was a stout task but I dig a little shaping now and then. Yesterday I reached the level of completion just prior to weld prep on the tunnel. Thank goodness because today one knee ain't wanting to work. It was a spinal challenge as well. Hacking a quarter off in the PM was a bit of relief.
That weird shifter has kept me from using that trans even though the 3650 is my favorite 5 speed. It is possible to build a shifter on top of the trans if you have room.
Its a six speed. But that was my first question: What aftermarket product is out there to get rid of the stock shifter? No response.
I got jaybee's answer off this page... 2015 GT:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Mustang_(sixth_generation)
The 2005 and newer 5 speed has the same remote shifter. That makes life interesting. :)
Both battery from the RV test bad now. I had both battery on low rate charge for 24 hours. Still test bad. IF I change the parameters in the tester, drop the battery rating from CCA 600 to 500.. The 1 battery tests good, the other still tests bad even when I lower the standards. LOL
Plenty of rain in the area here... :twisted:
That is an interesting shifter and bracket.
I did visit old Burts motorcycle a couple of weeks ago at Invercargil, New Zealand. One of my Bonneville heroes.
The carport cover on this tin can park model has very small down spouts for rain water drain.. 3/4 inch holes, into a 1 1/4 inch square tube as shown in 1st photo. The very left tube is the down spout. The other 2 tubes are the supports of the cover.
The 3/4 inch drain holes clog easily with debris. 2 small leafs will block the hole. 4 down spouts on the cover..
On each end of the cover I replaced the small tubes with 2x3 inch regular down spouts, which work well. The middle 2 drains are captured in the design as shown in 1st photo, so I built little filters for the inner 2 down spouts.
I used some PEX tube I had on hand from the re-plumb of this place. 3/4 inch diameter. I drilled holes in the PEX tubes.. Stuck a cotter pin in place so the PEX tube does not slip down into the square tube down spout.
8)
Today completes 13 years in the same stall. Miles driven to get to it: 135,200. :arrow:
Applying coatings now to structure behind roof and qtr skins on the 73 job, so those pieces can go on. Not foreseeing great problems with outer wheelhouse but haven't tried it on yet.
Over the weekend I let my PC play slideshows through pics n vids in the Monte, Camino, and Cutlass folders. Many forgotten memories were had.
Matt, that's lots of drive time. As a rough estimate, that's around 40 miles per day?
Thats it exactly. You've heard me say career suicide before. 6,150 gallons of premium, 6,760 hours hating front wheel drive V6 McPherson strut ride mostly with no A/C sitting in a plastic black PONTIAC coupe, half a dozen wrecks, one wrist, and my automotive hobby. Coincidentally, theres thirteen grand left on the house. About half those job years, pay was stagnant. Now I'm so weary I can only muster 30 hours (plus ten drive time) weekly. Meh. No brand new car money but I help make cars look like brand new money. :)
So far, so good.
Very nice, Matt.
Thank you, Phil. :) Sometimes they gotta throw a decent pitch and then I don't have to slide into the bases. Have the other door on it now, fender and shaker hood are on deck. This will be quite the plug weld adventure soon. :arrow:
Correction, duh. Not a shaker hood. That goes on the 69 (which is a roller now). Too many horses. This new hood was stashed away.
I know these are big cars, but dang it they're good looking big cars.
This morning I was thinking I could enjoy a 1970-71 Ford Torino. Great styling, all the improvement potential of every other Falcon-chassis car, lots of room inside. Even the 4 doors have potential...or a wagon.
(https://www.guyswithrides.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/01313_529kxg8T21z_0kE0fu_1200x900.jpg)
Remember the imaginary Nova sedan delivery?
I don't, but that would be really interesting.
I remember the nova. :)
O&S decided it was time to retire the green car show bag considering I have no green cars. :) For those that aren't aware, I made a bag to carry all of the stuff for car shows and leave it loaded so I don't have to think or wonder if I forgot something. I did this back in 2008 when the 32 was all I had. I ordered some turquois zodiac metalflake material to start. I have almond material that is close to whimbledon white for the inner liner and ends. I did some things different on this one and I'm not real satisfied with the results. Those of you that know me are aware that a redo may be coming. :) I'm going to have to come up with a better plan 1st. :)
8) 8) 8) 8) 8) Metalflake
Bill your mind must be like a bear trap, that was six years ago.
Nice bag. I tote a wooden lunchbox that has made certaim coworkers frightful and curious as to what I keep in there. Such as a tablet and bluetooth speaker, etc. They want to call it a purse but don't want me swinging it at their heads. :)
Has a GP emblem on it which might leave an impression. Like the ol Honda brand on a calf from laying one down.
These images date back to last phone which croaked so had to dig a little to find them. Along with a slew of others spawned by seeing a Fairmont Camino at a swap meet.
Friday's task was to tame some monsterous hood gaps. It was one of those occasions where I switch off critical thought and just observe hands doing stuff.
Over here at Casa De O&S, it was oil change day on the daily's. The Dakota Rt has a little over 100,000 miles on it now. That kind of hurts me a little. It's going to quit and there's nothing out there to replace it in my world. The bosses Durango is all wheel drive. It's tall but not tall enough for me to get under without raising it. The good news is that there isn't a belly shield as is common now. The oil filter on top of the v6 is kinda nice. :) I didn't spill anything, forget anything or cut myself. That is a pretty good day anymore. :) I pulled the 48 in and removed the wiring harness plug for the ecu and checked the wires going to the mass air sensor. I didn't see anything that looked incorrect. I checked for a vacuum leak again. It idles correctly, no strange noises, nothing I can find. I think that means I'm not looking in the right place. Is it possible to purchase 2 sensors and neither one work properly?????:)
I sold two project cars today. The 54 Ford wagon, and a 48 Chevy Fleetline. Hot Rod money. :)
I'll probably be changing oil in the dailies this June. The Tacoma and Forester both have the oil filter on top of the engine with a built in drain 'cup' to catch that last little bit of oil. I installed Fumoto drain valves on both vehicles and they make the oil changes so much easier/cleaner. I added a short hose to each one.
https://www.fumotousa.com/
The 4WD Taco is high enough to get under it unless I have to lube it and turn the driveshafts. The Subie gets driven up on heavy plastic ramps. The Taco has 110,000 miles and the Subie 90,000 miles. Still both like new.
Yesterday I made top of core support removable on the 73 then did a final test fit of engine and trans. Already knew it fit but had to assure the entry / exit path was do-able. Welding tower notches now. Tacked in "subframe" connectors last week.
71 Bronco is Seafoam green now but still wet. I may have heard the 51 F1 running awhile ago :)
:)
Make grinder noises here.
Getting the thread Bogarting feeling... somebody tell a story. :)
It was cool and windy but it was a fun day at the old drag strip
Lot of rain , wind , rain , more wind here for 5 days in a row.. Spring has sprung here too. My allergies have gone nutz.
Installed the 2 new batterys in the rv last week.. another $217.00 with tax in the fun we have? Battery case lids are not installed in the photo. They are vented to the outside
8) 8) 8)
I have watched it snow and blow all day. Not terrible but certainly stopped all of my outdoor activities. :)
Rolled the RV out today. Open it up. Check stuff inside. No leaks found from recent rains and blowing wind.
My allergies are still nutz. Its been a couple years since I had a bad case like this one.
Weather continues to be very windy, slight rain each day or overnite .
Left tower done on the 73 job. Joined the connecting piece of tunnel to firewall yesterday and trimmed that for butt welding. You can see by the screw tabs left that there was plenty of room to plug weld it. But since I got the news yesterday that this guy wants to add supercharger too (as all Coyote folks do) I figure they can afford / will want the firewall smooth. Not like it will be visible much though. Nothing like doubling the horsepower halfway through body construction. I guess it will handle it. Same builds that get the upgrade still never want any sort of rollbar. :-\
I made a free standing mail box our of a large diesel engine crankshaft and flywheel. It is very heavy.
Called Costco the other day to see if I could get both vehicles in at the same time for tire rotation/balance. Today was the day, 1pm. We dropped both in the lot, then did our shopping. Thirty five minutes and we were done shopping, but it usually takes an hour or so for the tires. Looked at new fridges to waste time. Good grief, I hope ours last another 20 years. Yep, took an hour and eight minutes for both vehicles to be done.
Saw a lady eagle this week, on the wing but close up. The scale of those things is (say this in a British documentary host voice) extraordinarily massive. Bloody hell!
I'll work my way out of this coyote den eventually. Started plugging the cowl on today. The unimaginative beads on firewall will be buried behind engine but are for strength, not beauty. :)
* skunk came around last night while we were watching tv in the basement family room. Worst smell for quite sometime. I looked out the front door with a flashlight, and it went running down toward the creek. When that happens, we run the furnace blower and spray some Ozium around the rooms (sparingly), and the smell usually goes away. Today, I set some live traps outside with tuna, three traps by the creek and one right in front of the house. I looked outside at 10pm and saw the little polecat eating birdseed on the ground. Trap untouched.
I grabbed the 22 with scope and light and snuck out the back door of the garage. Went around to the front, and it looked at me once when I turned on the light, but didn't move far. That was his second mistake. One hollow point and it's down for the count, and no spray. Took it out in the country and dumped it off a bridge to a dry creek.
I've been down and out... My allergy stuff worked into a head cold. I have that cold mostly burned out of me now.
We had a couple days of mostly calm weather. Saturday afternoon we have a new rain storm to roll in, thru monday. :twisted:
I found a couple tired bicycles for 20 buck$ each. I may buy them for another small project. LOL :-[
A few trim items in the bathroom of this mobile home need replacing and caulking of course... THese old park model manufactured houses are like children: they always need attention on something.
:o
went to our big car show here today. 2 427SOHC cars in the show , an early 60s galaxie and a 70 mustang . Lots of nice cars but I am just not feeling it lately. Sold a pair of fiberglass rear T coupe fenders to a guy at the swap meet I met last year . I am getting tired of tire kickers on my roadster chassis . 3 guys in the last 2 weeks .
Visited a hot rod gathering this saturday:
A few photos of some cars there..
Quite a few cool cars in those 3 picks. I love that little Crosley.
Couple photos of Arizona based drag cars at event we attended saturday
I went to the Southwest Missouri Hot Rod 100 yesterday. Mainly I wanted to meet up with my brother and visit with friends that I do see often. There must have bee about 250 cars that drove the 100 miles and had lunch in the park.
It rained cats, dogs, small farm animals here sunday nite.
On Directv SAT service the station FETV has started showing the old Highway Patrol show with Broderick Crawford as Dan Mathews. Of course I am recording the show
This is what happened today. The 72 is on it's way to a new owner.
That is one sharp bumpside.
After helping load the truck, I took the profits from that project and went to McDonald's and ate, on the dollar menu. LOL.
Did you get change back?
Quote from: kb426 on April 02, 2024, 08:55:11 PMAfter helping load the truck, I took the profits from that project and went to McDonald's and ate, on the dollar menu. LOL.
Or: the secret senior menu?
:shock:
I watched that entire series years ago-
https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiPNgE-Z-5RRov3vzyzVze7ru86056UIA
The star was a persistent drunk driver who by the end of the series couldn't even legally drive.
Last two vehicles I sold had to be pretty much given away for a small donation. You did good, Bill. Because it was not just built but also driven.
A front tire on the 69 has worn through, noticed it last weekend. Thinking now that scrapping all four GPs is the way to go. Can't even buy a decent tire now. No more V8 time for me unless I figure a way out. Even just the how to get my junk to a tire place.
Mom just got covid. Her only wish for me has never changed, she only wants me to drive Japanese air conditioners. I am defeated.
Frt susp xmember on the 73 was mud packed and rusted through. Fixed that, shaving all holes in aprons now. There were 25 on the right.
Phil and Tony, no to both. :) A friend came over to have me press axle bearings on for him. The 1st bearing we took out of the box fell apart. It's a tapered cone. I put it back together and spun it while holding the parts in my hand. It made some noise so he went to get another bearing. :) It was something I had never seen before. This was on a BOP 12 bolt rear. It has axle bearing retainers instead of c clips.
QuoteThis was on a BOP 12 bolt rear. It has axle bearing retainers instead of c clips.
Yes, kind of rare. No parts interchange with any other GM rear end. Very few ratios available for it too.
Worked on the chopper today . Machined the jack shaft to size . Now I need to cut splines for the sprockets tomorrow and then a left and right thread . Went to 3 stores before I could get a three quarter NF left hand thread nut . Checked on a few jobs for my retirement . Post secondary trade school wants me on their sub list which is great . Hot rod shop I worked at last summer wants me back so I will start there after summer . He is good with me not showing up when there is substitute teaching work and also understanding about me starting later after I take my grandson to school . Also talked to an electric motor rebuilding shop and they would like me to do machining for them from my home shop when I get everything working . Retirement will be busy !
If any of you want a couple or three Grand Prixs, come load them up. I no longer have the price of admission to the automotive community. A pair of 15s costs what a full set of 17s does, and theres no brand choice. Thats it, I am licked. I fear that even though I only have 13K left to pay on the house, I won't make that either. This is very very very sad but only to me. The greed outpaced me by a longshot and I admit defeat. What does a lifelong car-only guy do when its all over? I'd just as soon ball up under a rock and rot, feel sick. No reason to continue having the car job. The greedy can take all their greed and shove it. Close the curtains.
Think I finished up engine compartment of the 73 today. Glad to be done pretending I'm a Mustang engine. Running out of bandaids. Caught a slag ball on the collar today.
The new radiator for the 48 arrived in good shape today. if I'm full of energy, I will tackle the changeover tomorrow. :) Most of the sheet metal has to come off the front to do that. I don't want to have a case of the stupids when doing that. I'm not sure how much fabrication will be involved in mounting the new fan. I have a plan but like all of my plans of the last several years, they may need a revision,,,, or two. :)
Finished the splines and threading on the jack shaft today. Have to pick up bearings tomorrow and finish size the shaft for them . Then I can bore the housing tube to fit bearing OD and machine some end cover(retainers) with seals for the ends of the housing . I have to make pedestals to mount the contraption to the bike yet as well . I am thinking of using some 1 inch aluminum plate I have laying around for that . The plan is to have the bearings running in an appropriate level of oil in the housing rather than have a jack shaft running in a pair of pillow block bearings with exposed grease zerks. The greaseable bearings just look a bit too crude for my liking .
Sorry to hear you're having problems, Matt. I know what you mean about finding the older size tires. I had to pay $550 for four 13" whitewall tires for one of the Vairs. Good grief. All the pick-a-part yards are all gone around here, so you have to buy new stuff. If you can find it.
I haven't been working in the shop lately, with all the cold and rain. Just can't get into the mood. Plus, the thought of upcoming surgery on the bridge of my nose near my eye, in May. Went to the dermatologist office today, and they removed the nine stitches from my right shoulder. Still waiting on results to see if both my lower eyelids have cancer.
If all you guys weren't so old already, I'd tell you to take good care of your bodies and use sunscreen, etc.
Phil they want that much for two rears. A week's pay. It seems idiotic to continue but I will try. Arguably as stupid to keep the car as it is the job but thats been the caae for many years. You see how it is though, everybody thinks I am a primadonna sitting on a gold mine because I have the purple car... yet no one wants it for free. Free! Car. 455, parts car with 400 and many extras. Runs, drives, does burnouts. No want. Unbelievable but thats how poor my choices have been. So poor I'll have to pay to dispose of my life's highest achievements.
To this day the bridge of my nose scar (8 stitches at 20 yo) requires attention and tries to make me look like one of those shrunken apple faced hillbilly dolls. They even cut out a hunk of scar later to try to help it. But it ties into the ten stitches in one eyebrow from the same day and five just above the other eyebrow. Where my chin was ground away on asphalt gives me the biggest trouble.
The body is a log book so yep. And times of stress affect the insides like hitting them with a hammer.
Mom says she is steadily improving. :)
Started welding the trunk pan in the Mustang, mostly done. After work I went and bought two new 275/60s and put the 255s up front. They still have outside corner tread which is what I need to retain a shred of sanity if such remains. All Cobra GTs still so no brand mix chaos.
The shorter tires made it noticeably quicker but the 255/275 stagger is the best and I had forgotten just how pleasant the ride is that way. Been running 245/255s but a 245 started showing belt. Happy days are here again and no you can't have her now that I've invested in 15s. They chirp magnificently, feel round, and there was zero wait or hassle because I knew they had them. Five bills and a five-spot. I just brought wheel / tires to the store with car on stands in driveway.
:)
But wait a sec, she told me Wednesday that 255s/275s in TA radials would be $1,338 all told. Hmm, theres another highly compelling reason to not use those. :idea: :arrow:
How about more of the same? Went out to wash the 69, but felt sorry for the dilapidated GT in the street. Thought I'd rinse the bird crap off it at least. Started it one day in the last half year or so. No start. Six year old battery. Another half week's pay gone, and the precious Saturday afternoon. Had to sand and paint the battery tray.
Automotive catch up weekend is toast, tomorrow is relatives visiting en route to the eclipse hype thing. So the cars both got just rinsed off or more like tarred and feathered with leaf litter / pollen in 25 mph winds. I was a doof for even thinking a wash job could be allowed. Took the GT for a drying out spin but the fans still don't work and the LR wheel is still crooked. To start. But it is loosely operative once more.
When will I do the three badly overdue oil changes? Um. Too hungry to think about that, must go in the GTP to dump billfold now for chow but hey...
That makes it a Grand Three. Yes! :)
It is a good day and I feel lighter somehow. ;) You all know that feeling.
Still feeling light in the pockets but man...
Dad insisted on taking the 455 around a few blocks today and I was shocked by how genuinely he adores that car. I can't turn it loose while he is topside. Nope.
All that ^^^ fussing crap meant nothing while we were cruisin'. He probably only chose today's visit to exercise Dad rights because his hearing aids are broken right now. But his interest patched my enthusiasm. The car has become a much greater privelidge than I ever earned. People don't seem to care how much bondo falls off. Not unlike growing old. :)
This morning was road trip day to the cemeteries to install new flowers on my mother's grave and my wife's parents graves.
On the way home on the freeway we hear a whack - ting noise under the car. Of course in my head I think "well there is a flat tire" and it was. TPMS lite came on a couple minutes later near our exit. At a red light I open the door, look back and sure as S the LR tire was very low.
I can report the OEM Honda tire changing tools and jack do work to change a flat tire. I found the object that put a large cut in the middle of the tread.
First photo shows where the sharp metal stuck in the plastic inner wheel well after it exited the tyre.
2nd photo shows the length of the knife blade shaped object..
Last photo shows the mini spare tyre installed in a convenience store parking lot.
??? ???
i am nearly finished the jack shaft pedestals. Just need to drill and tap the mounting holes on the bottom . Put the tube for the bearings in the lathe , just have to face off the tube a bit and bore both ends for the pieces that press in each end to hold the bearings . Seals should be in tomorrow so I can then make the end caps to retain the bearings and hold the seals.
At the cemetery my wife's parents are in , this chevy 1957 truck rolled in. Mostly original looking. I did not bother the older fellow while he visited a grave .
A few decades ago I had a 1957 chevy truck. Front IFS conversion from a 1970 Chevelle.. 454 with T-400 trans, 9 inch differential 2.75 gears. Kinda miss that truck
I bought this Harbor Freight floor jack in 2022... It developed a squeak in it last year. As you pump the handle it squeaked some where. I sprayed various lube products on joints. It would be quiet maybe 2 uses.
So , I took the dang thing apart and used my red n tacky bearing grease on everything I could. Pulled pivot pins one at a time... Grease, re-install the pins. Its quiet again. The joints were very dry, my spray lube was not really getting into much. :-X
Yesterday was a horrible day. Bodily.
Looks like Eb and Flo stopped coming here.
But.
Dad had a blast driving my car other day.
I watched the eclipse via dark sunglasses and autodarkening helmet by waving hand in front of it to keep it dark.
Done in trunk and under hood on my job. Customer visit in a couple hours from now. Halfway through pan install now. Tunnel, wheelhouse section, qtr pnl and roof install are what is left.
Dad sure has a big smile on his face, Matt. I like the looks of it.
Me too. :)
Tossed the tunnel and hump I made for the 73 job onto the scrap heap yesterday, customer wants an automatic. Welded seat braces in today then took roof and qtr off to prep them and weld a wheelhouse section. The pale green Bronco job is a roller now and rebuilt engine is going back in. Snagged somebody else's burger combo on the way home (they gave me the wrong order but I ate it anyway) and collapsed onto the bed upon arrival. Too bushed to boogie. :)
It pays to keep receipts. About four years ago, I bought some security lights for the house, one on each side of the garage doors. Bought them at Costco for about $40 each. One quit working, and being LED, you can't do anything with them. OOPS, Costco doesn't sell that brand any longer. Anyway, took the light and receipt to Costco and said it quit working. She was surprised I still had the tag. You bet. She looked it up on the puter, and said that Costco had reduced them to $10 each on clearance. Glad I had the receipt. She called a mgr. over and he overrode the puter and I got all my money back. I had already ordered the exact same light on Amazon for the same price.
Stop, children, what's that sound? Sounds like my Pelonis dehumidifier has a rod knocking on the fan. Hah! Still under warranty three years later (bought a one year extended). Contact the company, and they say to return it to Menard's for a refund or replacement. Throw it in the truck, and the girl behind the counter says they still have that exact same make/model. It's in the basement now running to its' hearts content. Mine too. Some days you're the dog, other days you're the hydrant.
still working on the jack shaft for the chopper . Both ends of the housing bored , one end has the sleeve pressed in awaiting final sizing . Other sleeve needs OD turned for a press into the housing . I am having equipment challenges on the job. The steady rests on my smaller lathes are not large enough to handle the OD of the housing , forcing me to use the large lathe . The large lathe steady rest can easily handle the OD of the housing but can only go so close to the chuck . As it is right now the housing is 8 1/8" long and just rides on the steady rest with 1/8" to spare . Final length of the housing finishes out to right at 7" . Once the sleeve is pressed in I will have to finish bore 2" in from the end to 42mm ID . I anticipate some fun getting knuckle room to operate the telescoping gage . Facing to length will also be fun . The good news is that once this is completed I will be able to throw a chain on this bike . Not done but a lot closer. Yes final paint will be metalflake 8) 8) 8)
^^^^
If there are no pics of the flake, I'm not believing it. :)
I got sidetracked today. The bike at my son's which has been sitting for around 2 years became next in line. He brought over the fuel pump and tank. The pump was not operating. After disassembly of the pump assembly, I found that corrosion on the electrical connectors was the problem. The strainer was real ugly. It's probably good that it didn't run. :) The tank has an opening large enough for me to get a hand and stainless wire brush in there. After about an hour of scrubbing, the tank is much better. I ordered strainers for it but it looks like it could be better than a week before they arrive. I think when it's reassembled, it will run as it should. :)
Practicing paint polishing with a cheap, 20v cordless, 4" rotary polisher from Amazon. I was very pleased with the deck lid right off the bat, after watching a couple of YouTube videos. No swirls, nice reflections, kinda purty for a car that's spent most of its life outside and hasn't been waxed as often as it should. Went to the roof, but that didn't go as well at first. I dropped the task because I didn't have a place to park in the shade, it was pretty warm, and I know that isn't right. This evening I went back to it and determined the issue is that I hadn't polished it quite enough where the oxidation was heavier. That's good, it's way easier and cheaper to polish a little more off than to put it back. Best of all, no blue on the waffle pad, so it's not through the clearcoat.
Out early this sunday morning.. Saw this modified HHR chevy in the parking lot of a food store. Workmanship looked DIY to me.
turned and installed the last sleeve for the jack shaft housing . Looks like I will be able to get away with using the steady rest in the big lathe for finish sizing the housing bores after all. 8)
KB I currently have 6 containers of metalflake to choose from . It is gonna happen ! 8) 8) 8)
Wow, Tony, that HHR is a mess! It's an interesting concept to undertake such a thing, but it would be difficult to pull off.
All I got done over the weekend was oil changes for the push mower and GTP, and mowed front yard. Half and half of what is needed. Cut new cardboard for the sunroof shade in the DD also, last year's was flapping in the breeze. Had to revise my health care insurance application to report another raise. That process is sure-fire anger every time. It was mid day Saturday before I felt like moving a muscle. Crouching in and leaning over the Mustang job for a few weeks has taken it's toll and now it is time to go again.
Had a real serene outing in the 69 yesterday though. :)
I've been working in the yard this past week, as the weather finally warmed up. Planted a 6' tree, plus clearing a lot of small trees from the sloped hill behind my house. I've been breathing hard since Tuesday, the 10th. Thought I was getting a case of bronchitis. Turns out, it may be allergies, though I've never had it this bad.
An online 'friend' on another site posted this picture of his truck, after washing it two hours before. That's pollen. No wonder I'm having trouble breathing. He's about 20 miles from me.
That's what the pollen has been like here, too. The radio says the area where I live is the 2nd worst for spring pollen season allergies this year of anywhere in the country. That's a position I'd gladly give up.
Yeah , we receive pollen here. yellow in color. Covers everything from the winds that blow near non stop at this time of year
Changed oil in my F350 a few daze ago.. 13 quarts of fun. :twisted: I sent a sample of the oil off to Blackstone Labs for a look see. Their base level testing fee is $35.00 now..
8)
its snowing tonight. :roll:
Bought an old Murray bicycle today for my wife for $35.00 . Original condition , it needs cleaning , lubrication of bearings, front tire is junk, altho it holds air. Rear tire is brand new.
26 inch wheels. I was looking for 24 inch wheeled bike, with single speed. All the ones I found with 24 inch wheels had No fenders aka beach cruiser style bikes.
I already lowered the seat an extra inch. I cut and modified the stem tube to lower the seat. My wife has stubby legs , hence the reason I was looking for 24 inch wheeled bike. She is not stable on the bike yet. It worries me a bit. Its been about 50 yrs since she was on a bicycle. She refuses to wear any helmet.
:o
Still snowing . I got the one end of the jack shaft housing bored to fit the bearing . I then used a pipe center to locate off the bearing bore and turned a register at each end of the tube to dial in on the OD and to run the steady rest on . Hope to have time to bore the other end tomorrow . Then I will have to drill/tap a fill hole , drain hole , and a vent hole and make end covers to retain the bearings in the tube and to put shaft seals on .
I've been informed by my wife: we are taking the bicycle to a park for her to have some open space to ride and relearn riding.
And: the old front tire developed dementia today. It will only hold air about 15 minutes now. A new tire with tube was in the works anyway.
Installed a rack on the back. One of this basic universal racks that you must install and remove 3 times to figure out mounting , shim washers, replace the included hardware... You guys know the routine.
Its been hot here. Low 90s..
8)
I know motorcycle enthusiasts and riders are present here. I know lane splitting is legal in California and lane filtering is legal in Utah. Why does the situation pictured occur so frequently with only inches to spare in other states? Is some lawful authority telling riders they are safest when they are within arm's reach of automobiles, and being believed? Such behavior persists in moving traffic as well. I view such as a threat, fail to understand the logic and wish someone would explain it like I am seven.
OK, even better... As I sat and sat patiently waiting at an intersection signaling a left turn, the policeman directing traffic approached my window asking if I wished to go left.
They get this stupid every year on the pot holiday, blocking access to and from my home for some unwelcome ritual event. Makes me so mad each year its a wonder I haven't broken my transmission in the powerful instant rages it causes or been jailed for the expression of such. Might have hurt the car this time, driving in the stormy rage, don't know yet. Who cares? Several officers I pay to guard a marathon I don't want in my city of residence would gun me down were I to begin to express my taxpaying sentiment.
Currently installing patches over roof seams at my job, as I witness co-workers wile away the hours in lengthy conversations with arms folded. Yesterday I treated my parents to their favorite restaurant after work and had to physically force their money back into their pockets.
Got home yesterday with lots of beautiful day left but without even the energy to shower. Sleep is all there is, if allowed my nearby dogs. Thats what I'm doing today despite the mile long overdue chore list. :)
I was a little freaked out by the prevalence of lane splitting in California. Traffic is rolling at 20mph, a lot of people are making hard cuts from lane to lane in an effort to move up in line a car length at a time, and all at once you hear a motorcycle engine coming up from behind going almost double the speed.
Yessir jaybee I find it very un-nerving and can only come up with death wishes as motivation for such behavior.
I mentioned pot day in there somewhere... in calming support of my ongoing tranquility quest, Mom gave me geraniums and lavender and potting soil yesterday so today was pot day for those. Touching dirt, rocks, and plants was somewhat theraputic.
To support ongoing + :) ...
I saw a vid this week of some boys on a merry go round with a buddy's moped or something laid down beside it with tire touching the base. :idea: :arrow:
They all leaned inward with heads down once it got going, then one kid flops his head outward and whoa! Now two kids by moped are laying on the ground trying to slow it down with their shoe soles. Dont'cha know that was a vom-o-rama at some point. :lol:
Matt, I really enjoy gardening. These days that's pretty well confined to pots on the deck, but you're absolutely right about the relaxation.
This afternoon I turned into a driveway too quick with the old truck, and tore off the front fiberglass bumper, and then I drove over it. I should finish the repair in the morning and have it back on in time for cars and coffee. When I do stupid things and break stuff, I try not get upset, and be glad I have the tools and ability to fix stuff. :)
I spent the day making new rear mounts for the 289 in my Studebaker with a 700R4 transmission. I even took pictures, but left the camera out in the shop and am too darned lazy to go back out and get it.
Installed new tire and tube on the bicycle... I have been riding the bike a bit. Sure tells a person how far out of shape you are.
Its been hot here still. Low to mid 90s. A/C has been on in this place.
Talked to our friend about her homeless brother... He turned 61 a few weeks ago. Lives - works in a homeless shelter now. Only thing he owned was a Ford truck. Had to sell the truck to qualify for the homeless shelter program. Her husband told me " The brother will screw this shelter living up and be out on the street again in 90 days"... It's just sad, yet the guy did this to himself for decades.
8)
Watched some of the Barrett Jackson auction on saturday... As usual , some of the prices paid is a bit shocking.
Tony, this is the 'bicycle' you should buy. Saw it at an estate sale yesterday for only $2500, marked down from $3500.
A friend bought this quadracycle last year off Craigs List for $500.00. The thing looks new , never used.
Its made in USA , I think the southeast area? The company offers a 48 volt electric conversion , so he bought that. He bought some used Lifepo4 lithium batteries that are from hospital equipment. Put the batteries in a metal tool box on the front of the quadcycle. The Common metal tool box flip open top style that has been around for 100 years. He says the thing is peppy with electric. Has different power levels, little dash display, etc
He took the yellow box off the back and put a small wire cage there to carry their 2 dogs in. Dogs are Cheeewinnie mix?
:o
I repaired the front bumper and reinstalled it on the truck. I went for a ride and I did not hit anything. :)
^^^^
That's pretty good for a blind old guy. :)
I bet he hit the gas. :)
Photo of the quadcycle my friend modified... Tool box has the 4 12volt batteries for 48 volt feed to the system..
These lithium batteries are removed on a time basis from hospital equipment with plenty of useful life remains in them.
Montana allowed lane splitting a couple of years ago. Last week I was sitting at a lite in the left lane and it turned green. Before I could even move a Harley came from 2 cars behind and blew by me. Wasn't ready for him.
I went in for gum surgery today. I had some bone growth that kept my dentures from fitting properly. I have to wait six weeks before they fit my new dentures, and now the temporary dentures no longer fit ::) Oh well, my Dr wants me to lose some weight. He may get his wish.
Quote from: sirstude on April 22, 2024, 10:41:31 AMMontana allowed lane splitting a couple of years ago. Last week I was sitting at a lite in the left lane and it turned green. Before I could even move a Harley came from 2 cars behind and blew by me. Wasn't ready for him.
A year (?) ago , Arizona put in place a law of : " Lane Filtering" for motorcycles. This Only applies to street riding, it is different from "Lane Splitting". Lane Filtering is used in street traffic at traffic lights with traffic stopped or moving slowly. Motorcycles are allowed to "filter" between vehicles to the front of the traffic.
This law has caused a large amount of confusion with motorcycle riders and also people in a regular vehicle that have never seen this action. Many riders now split lanes everywhere, which is not what the new AZ law is.
:o
Hey Frank, my wife has put us on a Mayo Clinic diet since January this year. More fruits and veggies, and sometimes the portions are way too much for me to eat. We've both lost 25 pounds; this morning I weighed exactly 200.0, a weight I can't even remember being it's been so long.
A friend of mine has his grandson paint his '68 GTO yesterday, so I took the blue Corvair for a ride to see how it came out (good), and to also get the engine warmed up to change the oil and filter. Less than a mile from home, I heard 'something' and when I pulled into the shop, I saw that it had thrown the fan belt. It threw the belt because the harmonic balancer came apart, luckily not hitting anything like the oil filter right next to it.
I ordered a new USA made one from Clark's Corvair Parts for...wait for it...$320 plus more for the seal. Geez. I checked the other vair with same engine, and I can see that balancer is getting bad also. I'll order one for that later on. Then a member of a Corvair group says he knows a company that rebuilds them for less than $150. Wondering if rebuilts are as good as new?
I'm still having breathing problems, tomorrow is two weeks. We thought it was allergies/pollen, but if I'm not feeling better tomorrow, we get to spend the day in the ER. Next month is surgery on my nose for skin cancer. Getting old is getting old.
Geeez , you old guys? :shock: I've been dealing with my low back left side for 2 weeks. All my usual fixes , tricks , stretching, etc has failed to help me much. Between my stenosis and defects in my L1 thru L5 , the back pain is life for me. Some days it is worse , like it has been lately
Visit to the new doctor PCP one... I hear those words we luv: "At your age" ,,,, soon I am having this test, that test , the CT scan of my heart.
With that said , my wife is losing her middle 75 yr old sister to dementia. That started a year ago with couple of black outs while driving. No accidents... some how she stepped on the brake as she blacked out. There have been tests, re-test... drivers license suspension by the doctor. She has fade out episodes like a seizure , multiple times a day, then the confusion, memory loss, reactive anger at higher levels.. THE situation drains my wife and the oldest sister a bit. We are not new to dementia. Next month there is a meeting with the neurologist for results of recent tests and the results of a 2 day long brain scan on a recorder.
8)
SOP, patching over the completed plug welded sail panel seams on the 73 ford job is done.
Looks good, Matt. :)
Thanks, Bill. :)
In reference to your exhaust leak, try making a vid while idling pointing the camera at different spots then go watch it. Helped me pinpoint a noise once.
Went to a local park on this tuesday. We BBQ a few burgers for lunch. Wife rode her bicycle around to get her comfortable on a bike again. No incidents happened. It was a relaxing time there.
THis old Ford rolled thru the parking lot, never parked. It was a long distance for the photo, sorry about the quality.
Big square was badly pitted, small square was a rust hole.
Finished sizing the jack shaft today. Went to a machine shop I once worked for to buy a piece of aluminum to make the bearing retainer /seal end plates. Would not take my money , freebie piece of 4" od x 4" long aluminum . They said that it is good for the students to see the kinds of stuff I am making . Have not worked there in 25 years .
O&S is very pleased to report that the oil pan on the 48 is dry. :)
First couple pics show that I did address the inner rust shown above. Its the 73 Ford job.
Third shows how I blended in the subframe connectors that are made for other years.
Last is patching front of gas tank brace today.
The weather pattern is soggy weekend but rain means peaceful. :)
We been looking for a bicycle for me... A visit to GoodWill store near us. Found this mountain bike style unit. 24 speeds. Lots of aluminum. Tires near new. Speedometer on it... $48.00 out the door.
Photo is "as is" we bought it.
Already changed the pedals and seat from another bike I got for nuttin. Raised and rearward handlebars are on order. That lean forward - down position bars do not work for me.
Been windy as "*****" here for 3 days. Rain is falling at the moment. Thunder.
8)
I went and picked up an 86 Mustang shell today. It was completely free......of rust, and cost me $100. Roof is damaged, repairable, but it's really clean. I'm going to part it out. Big demand here for rust free Mustang parts.
Finally got fresh oil in the 455 and caught up on yard work so this is my reward. There is not one tree on my property. It just robs another precious weekend day of catch-up from me due to circumstances beyond my control, converting sanity-preserving peace time to fruitless unwanted labor. Situation normal. :)
Matt, if I was close to you, I'd take that old G.P. out of your yard. :)
Paid $450 for it, can't give it away. Gee, if only it were an smashed 80s Mustang instead of a 70s Pontiac with original engine maybe things would be different.
I bought a new radiator for the old truck. I had to buy an aluminum replacement for the copper one that I had used for years. Their idea of a direct replacement is not the same as my idea of a direct replacement. It does go into the hole where the old one was, but it requires a lot of modifications to the hold downs, and to the shroud.
Lumberjack session complete for today. Sawed stacked and piled. Better hurry if anybody wants the 72, two towering widowmakers hover within glass smashing roof caving reach. Trees are all in city easement but also on city border. That old row marks the boundary and the easement is almost entirely within that fence, on my side. Email both cities? Wait for it? That car ain't supposed to be there according to city ordinance. I need this like a hole in the head. Not much choice but to just forget it, let it all rot and fall just like me. :blank:
I need another sip off that 455 real quik. :)
There was an anomalous log which came out of the deal that an inventive soul might make some sort of yard art from. It is still solid but a little punky. Stands up real sturdy. Birdbath?
Other pic is a hollow log the center dropped out of. Other limbs are more weak and worrying and could likely reach the house some. Heavy stuff. Bah. :arrow:
The wierd log is cool.
Changed the engine oil and filter on the daily driver Honda Civic car. I do this at 5k miles or near. I also drop the transmission oil at the same time, 2.6 quarts of DW-1 Honda fluid for the 5 speed auto.
Its been 2 yrs since I changed the cabin filter and engine air filter. About 15k miles.. I may change them again?
My low back did well on the car work, not the large pains I had last week . Crawling under the car a few times. I have wheel blocks I built to drive the car onto. It raises the car about 5 inches.
I am up to 1.6 miles at a time on the bicycle rides in the morning and evening. This old phart gets a little tired near the end. LOL I changed the handle bar. Waaaay better. I had to change brake cables from my donor bike to my rider bike for longer cables. I will change the seat back to the one that came on the bike. I thought the different design seat would fit my *** better. It does not.
Here at the age qualified RV park , I fit in well with old pharts on bicycles. LOL People wave, thumbs up.
:arrow: .... 8)
got cortizone injections in my fingers today . One finger made a pop like those christmas toy pull apart toys . Doctor said that was whatever was holding the tendon back , letting go . I have to do this each year now or go for the surgery . Trigger finger its called . Fingers look like sausages right now . :o
Ouch ^^^. My fingers feel like bananas often. When I do bondo my elbows and shoulders make that sound too.
Yesterday I finished construction of the 73 Ford body except tunnel. A thousand plug welds? More? Was about to narrow the back seat when interior plans changed again without notice.
Yesterday I flat spotted two brand new tires on my DD avoiding a wreck. It drives like a shopping cart with chewing gum on the wheels now. bumpbumpbump.
I am tired of living. :)
My wife has had trigger finger surgery on 8 fingers I think, and carpel tunnel surgery on both hands. She is happy with the results. My daughter has had the carpel tunnel on both hands, no trigger finger. My mother-in-law had Carpel tunnel on both hands before she passed. Looks like it is a family issue.
Yeah , the trigger finger deal is no fun! I had that about 10 yrs ago on my index finger , likely from air tool use for decades? After treatment , I used my bird finger for the impact gun for a few years.
Then, a couple years later ... I developed a cyst at the base of the same bird finger. Turned out the middle knuckle was developing excess fluid that traveled to the finger base and formed a cyst. Drained the cyst, then more fun injections. Cyst never returned
:twisted:
The 73 job is ready for spot epoxy all over. :)
I worked on a Honda cbr600rr that sat for too long with fuel in it. It corroded over the fuel pump and fuel gauge connections. I had cleaned them up and reassembled the pump. Back in the tank and no power. I removed the pump and took apart the wire connector. One of the contacts on the wires fell apart. I installed 2 insulated connectors and put the pump back in. Now the bike runs. It was surprising at how much corrosion the ethanol had done to the components. This bike was stored in a garage with pretty consistent temps. It's ready to have body panels installed and find a new owner. :)
^^^
The mustang is starting to look like a car. :)
Quote from: kb426 on May 01, 2024, 09:34:53 PM^^^
The mustang is starting to look like a car. :)
Whew, thats a relief! I was worried that it might be starting to look like a Bronco. :lol:
New radiator is in the old truck. The direct replacement for the old one took 4 days of fabrication to make it fit and work. :)
Washed my F350 today. I use the Harbor Freight foaming bottle on a water hose. With Purple Power Wash n Wax liquid.. With a long handled brush that is 10 inches wide.
I Started to wax the truck. Keep in mind it is ALL white. 4x4 (tall) , crew cab , long bed. After an hour my eyes were really tired to looking at the white paint. I only got the cab , hood , front fenders waxed. I use a Meguires marine wax. It is tough stuff. Easy on , a bit of a work out to wipe off.
I am up to 3 miles a day on the bicycle. I ride 2 times a day. About 1.5 miles per ride. I am slowly getting my wind back. Never thought I would be riding a bicycle again at 70 yrs old. My back side is still not too fond of the seat on the bike. I may try another seat.
:-X
Some topside pix post-epoxy. Sturdy, not showy, work. I kept it as neat and frugal as I knew how to. No double spacing of welds or crap like that but it sure ain't no metal fab tig snob showpiece. Just a 73 Ford with 3-4 times the intended power level and no rollbar. :blank:
But I took today off. I am in no hurry to start another all over mud job at my age and according to weatherpersons, today may be my only chance to mow. IF it dries out enough. I talked a thirty something into spraying the primer on this after I prepped all. Metal work seems to be the best balance of body (flesh and bone) wear, tear, and pain. :arrow:
^^^^
Surely the owner will be smiling when he sees that. :)
I'm servicing the 2008 Honda CBR600rr getting it ready to sell.
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.
I went for a test drive to see how the new radiator works. So far it gets an A plus but we will see how it does on a hot day.
I was given an MGB yesterday for another yard art project.
Got home from the hospital yesterday after spending almost two weeks in there. Went to the ER on 4/23 for what I thought was bronchitis. Turned out to be a collapsed lung. Fun times. The worst of it was when they poked that tube between my ribs. Spent most of the rest of the time having a flexible tube running to a 'collection box' collecting fluid from around my lungs and a water seal to keep air from going the wrong way back into my body. My lung is almost fully re-inflated, but they cut the flex tube a bit and installed a one way air valve that allows air from around my lung to escape as it fully expands. I'll have that on me for at least two weeks when they will evaluate it to see if they can remove the tube from my chest at that time. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. No firm reason why it collapsed.
Anyway, I'm on FB today, and someone from Arkansas posted a pic of his Corvair at a car show yesterday. That purple pickup behind the Corvair looks awfully familiar. Looks like George's PU. Can it be?
I sold George's pickup to a guy in Arkansas and I think he has resold it. Where was the show?
I am glad you are home and doing better. These are hard times to stay healthy. :)
Thanks, WZ. The Corvair owner didn't say where he is from, but he posted this:
BTB Conway AR Expo Center Car Show.
So, I'm guessing Conway AR? The truck looks just like it did when George had it. I've seen where people buy a vehicle, then change it. When I sold my 58 Yeoman, the buyer said he was taking off the chrome wheels and T/A radials and going back to dog dish caps and wide whites. Someone contacted me and said it was for sale with mag wheels, black wall tires and finned valve covers.
Glad you're better, Phil. That can't be fun.
Arkansas? :)
Oh, Conway.
Phil.... what Bill said! ^^^ +1
I chucked the limb onto tree owner's shed. ;) :idea:
I'm glad you're feeling better, Phil. That had to be crazy painful and not a little scary. I've seen George's pickup in person a few years ago, that car looks great and has held up really well.
Phil, sorry to hear about your medical problems. I've heard that a collapsed lung is really painful. Hang in there.
Thanks for posting the pic of the old truck. I spent a lot of time in the driver's seat and made lots of really good memories. Good to know it's still plugging along.
Maintenance day on the DR650. Changed oil-filter and flushed the brake fluid. This is dot4. Even in a dry climate, it needs changing. I used the last filter and oil I had. Does that mean it's the end of the road for it and the rider? LOL.
Hey George, do you still have the pic of the truck leaving the line at Milan Dragway? I used to have that one among my desktop wallpaper collection, but I lost it somewhere along the line.
Phil: Hope you are doing well.
Been windy as could be here. Sunday was brutal , there was snow in northern Arizona.. This storm front likely is headed east?
Received my report on F350 oil sample from Blackstone Labs.. All the numbers were good. Oil only had 2450 miles on it from near 1 year ago. We did not travel in the RV much last year. We did put 5200 miles on the daily driver Honda Civic car.
8)
Thanks for all the well wishes. Got a call from the doctors office yesterday giving me an appointment on the 22nd for an xray and possible removal of the chest tube. Breathing well, minor pains and chest tube isn't draining much fluid, so doing pretty well.
Kitchen cabinet refacing will be done NEXT Thursday and Friday. Decided stove and fridge will also be replaced as fridge is 24 years old and stove is a POS. Going with a professional stove this time, hoping for one that will work as intended; this will be our fourth stove since moving here in 2008. Not a good track record for appliances.
I'm still amazed at the odds of seeing George's truck at a car show on a Corvair site.
George's truck does have Corvair front suspension and brakes.
"George's truck does have Corvair front suspension and brakes."
Well, there you go. I didn't know that.
George, was this the year you sold the truck? I think it is the last picture I have of it in Kzoo.