Messages

Hi Lee
I'm going to try to post a few Cruise night photos.
OK, think that worked. There was a guy in Wesley Chapel keeping up Florida"s reputation for Fine custom jobs with a 4WD Checker cab! Never realized how much back seat room those things have!Also a nice little Pickup in Lakeland. HMMM. Came out in reverse order. I"ll have to figure out how to do the TEXT/picture/MORE TEXT thing.

I'd also like to run down Highway 1 to the keys and see the Everglades at some point. Guess I'm coming back again!
Ralph

PS I think I just figured out the posting thing, but I'm NOT redoing my post! The finger I type with is tired.
Ralph

Just got back Monday night. Had great weather until Sunday, when it rained in biblical proportions! We got a couple of days at the beach, (Clearwater and Indian Rocks), saw wild dolphins there, and went to the Wesley Chapel and Lakeland cruise nights. A guy gave me a copy of "Mike Kelly's Cruising News". You're right- there's cruises just about every night of the week. Did a bit too much shopping for my taste, but I've got to keep my girls happy. Did the Universal Studios touristy thing for a day too. All in all a pretty good trip. Thanks again for your help.
Ralph

WOW Grandadeo, thanks! You've given me a big head start on some fun! I'll look for the "Cruise news" when I get there. Looks like I'll be taking the family out for ice cream on Wednesday night at least. I'm not likely to get to Jensen beach, but thanks for the offer. If you're ever in Winnipeg, Manitoba - look me up! I'll check back later tonight, and print this post and take it along.
Ralph

Thanks for responding. If I caught him mid-move he'll be WAY too busy to play with us tourists. We're staying near Wesley Chapel, just North of Tampa, and doing day trips in our rental car. I'm just hoping to find some cars or shops to look at to break up the endless parade of shopping malls I'll be subjected to otherwise. I'm going to make * sure we get some beach time too. I hear Clearwater beach is nice, but I'm told traffic to and from can get heavy. If you catch Bryan, say Hi for me. We hung out for a day at the Zephyrhills Car Show a couple of years ago.
Ralph

I'll be coming through Tampa International on Friday. In Florida for a week with the family. (Wait! Put the rubber gloves away!) Just wondering if there's any automotive goings-on in the neighborhood. I see I've just missed Billetproof in Ocala...., and the Zephyr hills thing too.
Ralph

Thanks guys
Guess I'll ask around and find out how much a new one is. Rick - I'll see you in Brandon for sure.  
Jim - where's the progress report on your Model A??
Ralph

Well, the "jiggle the handle" bit didn't work. *! It sounded so promising, too. Ran the switch around the dial a bunch of times. I was sure I'd come up from under the dash to find it fixed. Thanks for the attempt, Trackster! Anybody else got something to try?
Ralph

take the 4-6-8 cylinder switch and move it from the current position to the other positions several times, then return to original position and it should fix it.

So, if it won't flush, jiggle the handle!!  Thanks! I'll give that a try and report back.

Hey Rick - gonna be at Rodarama at the end of April?

Ralph

Hi guys! Yeah, its been a while since I've been here. Over the winter I built some inner fenders for the front of my 40 Plymouth coupe, and raised the seats up a bit. Not much else got done. Fired her up this spring, and the tach has a mind of its own. It wandered around near the actual RPM's for a bit, then went to 8000 rpm's and stays there whether the ignition is off or on. Connections at the tach seem fine. Any guesses at what's going on here? SW's site was no help, so I thought maybe you guys would have some ideas I could try. (Yes, I already tried whacking it    - no change.)
Thanks,
Ralph

I just faced this same decision. Had a 110 Lincoln MIG, but it didn't have the beef to do much beyond 1/8 inch. Lots of guys will tell you they do frame work with a 110. "Just do a couple hot passes." My advice - don't ride in their cars. The Miller 180 is a really nice economical 220v machine. Probably would do anything I need. Rated at 5/16 inch, one pass. I ended up buying the Miller 210. Still suffering from "buyers remorse", because of the price difference between the 180 and 210, but it is a fabulous welder, and I'll never wish for more power....
Ralph

The article 48builder posted is really good. AFAIK the asphalt based Home Depot stuff releases if it gets hot, and smells bad too. You get what you pay for.
Ralph

OBT, you're gonna love it. I'll vouch for the comfort of radiant heat. My shop feels toasty at quite a low temp setting (62F). I think good insulation is key, and the best-insulated overhead door you can find. I don't open the big door much in winter, but when I do, the shop recovers quickly. If the thermostat does trigger the heat, it goes off again pretty quick.The 24 x 26 shop runs off a 10-gallon hot water tank with a 3000-watt electric element. Kind of underpowered, but the system will maintain my set temp until it drops to -30F outside, when it starts to lose ground. Two weeks of those temps and my shop falls to about 56 F. No big deal. No way I'd ever go back to forced air heat.
Ralph

Thanks, Charlie
This thing measures at about 24 1/4. One Plus-sized patch panel comin' up!
Ralph

What's the height measurement of a 32 Ford roadster door? Not including the frame section, just the body. I bought a Chevy coupe body with the roof cut off, and enough rust that I've got to cut the whole bottom off. I thought it looked pretty narrow top-to-bottom, and I prefer the way you sit "in" a Deuce, rather than on it like some earlier cars. I figure I can just add a few inches to the patch panels and raise (de-section?) the body. This thing was cheap enough that even if I screw it up, I can just call it practicing, and not worry about it. Knowing the Deuce door height will tell me roughly where I need to be.  Anybody?
Ralph

Rats!! Just when I thought I could be helpful!
Ralph  :oops: