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Looks unanimous. We all think it's terrible but we watch hoping that we might see something of interest. As a sidebar, on the rat rod buildoff, the Big Texan stop was something that everyone I every took to the races wanted to do. It was really poor years ago and I'm willing to bet it hasn't changed.  The one thing that appears to be consistent with reality tv is " people have no class".

You're talking the same basics of my 53 chevy truck. I used the hubs and rotors on the pickup spindles. The rest is 80 monarch. For some reason, mine had a square tube 9" in it. The axle bearings were only 2 and7/8's though. I also used the fuel tank, steering column, brake booster, wiring harness, and front seat. The front caliper mount required facrication but was fairly simple.  By using the entire monarch brake system, I didn't have to do any engineering.  The engine and trans were from an 83 tbird. I changed cams, installed mustang gt headers and threw away the tbody injection. I've got 4.11's in the back so it runs fair for a small engine. The overdrive is hard to beat.

Very similar stories for most. I raced 20 years, always with a dragster and most years with a blown alky car. As long as I'm busy and creative, I'm pretty happy. Now that it's too cold to heat the garage, I'm bored to tears. The computer and internet have helped with the winter blahs alot.

I'm using the Dlink DI 524. But, I have a cable modem plugged into the router and am using wireless from there. In my limited exp., wireless from your description could be weak and troublesome. Good luck.

If you want to go the fat gasket route, try the solid copper ones. I don't know about the availability for Pontiacs but for other engines they are available in increments up to 80 thousandths.  I use to run .090's on my blown alky racer.

I believe the heads won't make any difference for the reasons you listed. If you have a closed chamber head and the alum. are open chamber and reduce the compression ratio, you might gain something. I don't know how old the engine is so this is just a guess. If it is high milage and has lots of carbon buildup that could be a problem. If you don't want to retard the timing all the time, by a MSD knock sensor with the retard unit built in. The only other suggestion I'd have is to lower the compression ratio by using thick head gaskets or cutting piston domes. If you have flat tops, you're in trouble. There is a chance that the cam profile is one that causes real high cylinder pressure which could also be contributing to your problem. Might be something simple like wrong heat range of spark plugs or weak ignition. So much for my guess's.

I can't imagine that 14 would work. If you look at an electric dryer cord, look at their size. If you use your welder like I do mine, way over the duty cycle, I'd want at least 10 gauge wire.

Did you adjust the rear brakes and center the shoes before trying them? Only other thing I could think of is if you have a double master cyl. and one side had a little air in it. Course, now that they work, the mystery can continue forever without an answer.

My sympathies to you and your family.

The vintage air unit I referred to is heat only. They have 2 models, one with defrost, one without. I have the one with. I'm not an air conditioner guy. I have a cowll vent. Now I bet you wonder how hot it gets where I live.  I bought the unit through Rod parts warehouse at about $200. This is the latest version that has relays for the blower and an elect. water control valve.

I used the vintage air combo unit in my truck. The only complaints are how the water lines come out at the top of the unit and the motor is somewhat noisy. It's a small high speed unit. It does move alot of air and has good electrics on it.

nice pics. It was 52 here.  most of the snow melted. My bikes will leave the shed during the next week. By monday night there won't be any white left. I'm going to help my son with his Neon and his cycle this week. Nothing major, just a few hours a piece. Then I'm going to work on door panels for the 53. Getting close to being finished. Good thing, out of money for a while.

As a prediction of the future: prices on plasma cutters won't change much, cbx's have climbed steadily the last few years and may be positioned to go through the roof. The bike will probably increase in value enough to be a very good investment. Buy the bike and get the cutter next. If you tire of owning the bike you stand to make some money. If you make enough profit, you can buy the huge cutter the first time and not have to do it twice.

I've got one of those on my Honda vfr. It's sold by a company in Florida that sells led taillights for street rods. It's been on the bike for a year with good results.  I spiced into a light wire which is on full time on a bike. The led is about 1/4 " in diameter. The black box is about 2" square and 5/8" thick.  Pretty good investment.

Everyday we get up, there is only one thing in our lives that we put a price on. That's our integrity. If it's worth 50 cents, so be it. If it's truely priceless, then it will be tested again and again. Sometimes very painfully. Good luck in job hunting. There surely is someone who has the need  for an honest employee.