So what has everybody been up to?

[n.c.rodder]

Just got back from a week of deer hunting in northern Michigan.  No wall hangers to bag, that's why they call it hunting and not killing!

You have to actually leave the cabin to shoot one!!  Just kidding!!

Put the car away a couple of weeks ago. Just been working "on the garage". Installed a new metal ceiling and blew in about 40 bags of insulation. Then mudded drywall, primer & painting the walls. Almost done, just one wall to go.

Drank a few beers &  played a little Texas Holdem' this past weekend with OBT. I do believe he went back south a little lighter in the wallet

Mike

[32coupe]

Well guys it's just come into hotrod run time of year for us down here, so I have been going all over the place. I have to travel at least for 4-5 hours to get to any of the good stuff, but that comes with the love of driving a rod.

Last weekend we had our first Oz-e-rodders get together, and what a bash that was, if you want to check out what we got up to just ask Carps  Oh, but he claims he wasn't there. http://www.ozrodders.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=4477

I have put over three thousand kilometers on my coupe in the last month trying to get to as many of the good runs as I could and loved nearly every minuite, all exept when the trailer lost a stub axle on the way home :oops:

Still lots more to come, so I'll just keep on smilin'

[Brootal]

Yeah, kinda busy around our place at the moment!

[40]

Looks like congratulations are in order! The best to you and the Mrs.

[Bib_Overalls]

For the past month I have been helping my friend Roger of Roger's Rod and Custom assemble a Jag kit car for a customer.  It was purchased 15 years ago and has been sitting in a couple of body shops ever since.  Some of the parts are missing, like all of the rubber and the top, but all of the major components are accounted for.  The customer provided two assembly manuals.  And nothing seemed to make sense at first.  Turns out he ordered a kit from one company, received the chassis, and then that company went bankrupt.  So he ordered a body from another outfit.  Once we had that information we were able to make some adaptons and get moving.  

Couple of weeks ago I rode down to Texas with some hot rodding cronies to deliver a 62 Bubble Top to a new owner.  16 hours on the road.  Had a lot of fun.  So much, in fact, that we are planning a trip after Thanksgiving,  to Ohio to look at some 32 and 40 Fords someone told us about.

And I have been buying up old Ford chassis stuff around here for my next build; brakes, axles, wheels, etc.  Even came up with a set of scab grade original 32 rails. But no body as yet.  I'm thinking 26/27 T coupe or two door sedan.  But a 30/31 Model A coupe, like I had in high school, is high on the list.  I'm selling the excess parts on the HAMB.  Not making much money.  But so far I have earned more money than I have put out and I still have my keeper parts.  Can you register a rod with a negative value?

And finally, I did go to Washington, DC for the National Veteran's Day Observance at the "Wall".  It was very moving.  The observance coincided with the 40th anniversary of a major engagement in Viet Nam that I participated in.  There was a large turn out from my unit and I hooked up with a number of guys that I had not seen since they rotated out.  

Have a great Thanksgiving.

[Nick32Vic]

Wow, Sounds like sort of a slow time for the car thing. Glad I got to see what everyones been up to.

As for me.......

Mostly just been thinking about stuff. What decisions i need to start making.

I aquired a 36 dodge cab and have a bunch of parts to start building it but I think I am gonna unload it on my buddy because this winter doesnt look like the best time to build a car.

Dad and I are gonna try to work on the interior on my car and tie up some other loose ends with that. We are also gonna work on my S10 a little bit. I lowered it 4 inches all the way around. I want to get all the dings out and shave the tailgate, maybe even paint it if we can get around to it.

On the other side of life, Im trying to decide what i want to be when i grow up. I am tyring to find the perfect place for me in the world. School, Career, Location, ya know, all that jive. Thinking of getting another job to save up money and get myself some more education after I get my associate's.

Well anyways, I hope I can make it to Auto-Rama to see a few of my internet friends.

Later,
Nick

[Bob Paulin]

Been a bit of a roller coaster year for me......

My wife had a pacemaker installed in January, and things began to look up. She feels better than she has in the last few years, and I'll probably be able to get back to traveling a bit.

Lost my younger sister (53 years-old) in April to a long battle with cancer. She was a nurse and never smoked a day in her life, but it was lung cancer that did her in.

My knees kept on deteriorating, and it has affected the number of hours I am able to work for my current employer - Home Depot - and they are not too happy about it.

My job is Field College Trainer - training people in sales technique, specialty departments, and product knowledge.

Although there is a fairly high turnover in the retail field, there really isn't a need for my position - the third trainer in Maine covering ten stores.

We've had a few bumps regarding the hours I have worked, but when not training, FCTs are expected to don an orange apron and spend their time out on the floor......the CONCRETE floor.....working as Sales Associates.

I've told them I applied for - and accepted - a training position.......NOT a floor Sales Associate position.

My doctor has limited me to a total of one hour on the concrete in any 24-hour period, so we are bumping back-and-forth over that, now.

My wife's next-older sister (60 years-old) passed away a couple of weeks ago after three years of ongoing coronary and organ problems.

She had open heart surgery at Lahey Clinic outside Boston, developed an infection in her sternum, and had been living without a sternum for the past three years.

She died much like the Pope......."sauntering" into death as each organ shut down. We are told it was not painful.

Had my knees injected a week ago, and keeping my fingers crossed that they continue to feel fairly good.

I've got one oval-track car to build this winter, but I am actively seeking race car and street rod fabrication work.

I've also spoken with an old editor-friend at one of the oval-track magazines, and he's interested in me doing some tech articles. Since I have worked with him before at another publication, it wasn't a matter of "Can you write?".....but, "What did you want to write about?"

Gotta' get back out on my own - away from the corporate situation.

It is simply not a good fit for me.....


B.P.

[48ford]

I'm still recovering from a knee replacment, Going to rehab,Getting stronger every day.
Russ

[40]

Glad to hear the knee is working out OK!

[34ford]

Been up to the usual getting things cleaned up aroung the house. Closing on a house I built on the 1st  for a client so that will free up a little time. Helped the kids move into a house in the past few days. Seems stuff always comes up and gets in way of the car stuff. Then it doesn't seem worth the hour to go and work on the car. I'm close to paint. Just need to get the blocking done and the low spots filled in and start the primering process. Just to lazy I guess now that crusing season is over. Oh and spending a lot of time with the Grandkids.

bob

[Crosley.In.AZ]

OK.... so far Brootal wins , although Ms Brootal did 98% of the work.


grand kids are the best though.  You should have them first

[Brootal]

OK.... so far Brootal wins , although Ms Brootal did 98% of the work.


grand kids are the best though.  You should have them first

Yay! What do I win?

98%? I dunno, I was there the whole time.

[enjenjo]

Mrs Brootal of course!

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Mrs Brootal of course!

she must be special !

Brootal buddy , you are a winner in the game of  life with your   Family , friends, cars too

[Carps]

Hmm, lessee now, I been workin for da man.  Way too many hours, but it's fun so I'll keep doin it.

Got a few new cars launced in recent weeks, covered a bazillion miles and did some dumbass stuff only to learn that when the Doc says "Don't do this, or this"  he says it for a reason.  OOOPS!  Even when we should know better some things can only be learned th hard way.

I must have found Brootal on the 2% day, cos he was nowhere near Mrs or Baby Brootal but at least he was happy.  About fifty beers and a dozen Bourbons worth of happy if ya get my drift.  Had to drive him home coz he couldn't walk too straight.

Also dropped by the Brootal houshold to meet juniour the day he came home from the nice place he'd been living.  Thank goodness he has his mother's good looks and calm demeanor.  

Finally home, I managed to wipe all the emails from my computer  Still got me buggered if I know how I did that, but if I owe you a letter or whatever, send me email with address and I'll get my finger out and get it sent.  You know who you are and what I mean.  Thanx.

Have been doin' some more striping to burn up a bit of leisure time and finished a couple of model cars.  I just started another one.........







I hope even at this early stage it looks familliar?

Next up will be the '40 coupes featured in C9's book, 'Pinky', I've collected the parts to build both cars.