Back in the Garage Again

Yes, you should have Gene Autry in your head right now, if you know what's good for you.

(Sheesh, such attitude from one whose not been in the garage for some time, the documentation of which is the primary purpose of this blog). Anyway, now that we're past Christmas (although New Year's is lurking in the wings), and I'm over my seasonal cold, I had the chance to work in the garage tonight.

I had to cut down my rear axle spring hangers from 2-1/4" (Model A spring width) to 2" (Model T spring width).

Here's another shot comparing the shape of the Model A spring (bottom) with the Model T spring (top).

My first thought was to clamp the hanger in the vice, and just use the hacksaw, with the top of the vice as the guide to cut straight. Except that I have pipe cleaner arms and the steel is apparently pretty tough, as it should be, to support the spring, etc. So after laboriously cutting the first one with the hacksaw, and having to do significant clean up work with the file, I opted to use my favorite pneumatic tool: the cutoff wheel.


So three more rounds of measure twice, mark, cut (noisily, and intermittently while waiting for the compressor to catch up) got me to the results you see below.


Next step for the rear spring is driving the shackles in these spring hangers, then disassembling, greasing, and reassembling the spring. Installation will have to wait until we get an approximate drive angle after transmission installation, which will be the next major step.

While waiting for my friend who still has my distributor, flywheel, clutch, and pressure plate (it's a long story), rather than wait to assemble my motor, I'm going to instead finish assembly of the transmission and bolt it to the mock-up block. Then, I'll use the mock-up block and my transmission to finalize the motor mount and k-member locations, and the drive angle for the torque tube and rear end. If I play my cards right, I might get this done before New Year's. We'll see...

-30-

The Socialite

OK, totally NOT car related, but what the heck, it's my blog, and I'll post what I want.

Went to a ritzy holiday shindig tonight and was impressed by something I've never seen in real life, much less at a party: cigars being hand rolled. Free for the taking. So you know I took. Popped it into the humidor to await New Year's Eve.

Otherwise, I'm a little tuckered from the holiday party-go-round. Only a week to go 'til Christmas, then a week more 'til New Year's. They can come none too soon for me.

-30-

Kinda Car Related, But...

No reason for posting tonight, other than I stumbled upon this site and thought you might get a kick out of it. Buy your own low-tack stickers to apply to poorly or rudely parked cars to inform the world of someone else's lack of common sense and courtesy. Just in time for the Christmas shopping season. Enjoy!

-30-

Holiday-Go-Round

Well, the manic "holiday" (formerly known as "Christmas", duh) season has begun, with the manic event schedule I try to keep until I drop sick, as I did the past week. Nonetheless, I came around long enough to score a string of free dinners. Go figure, a hungry bachelor with a food radar. Anyway, the pics below came from a local BBQ I attended courtesy of the body & paint shop that fixed up my pickemup on a few occasions (don't ask).






I felt the need to post, and not just anything, but CARS. This will have to suffice until the next shop day (probably Saturday; remarkably, an unprogrammed day).

-30-

Home, Sick

Today I'm home, sick. No, not tryptophan overdose, just overwork, and probably downed by the germs coughed on my receipt by the girl at In-and-Out the other day (yecch!).

Hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful. I spent Friday helping a friend move to Merced (for work, not the local scene), Saturday cleaning house, and Sunday hosting family and a new friend for turkey dinner with all the trimmings. I actually made the turkey (I confess, pre-cooked), sweet potatoes, and hors d'oeuvres - proving I've got mad kitchen skills in addition to garage chops.

Winter (for what it is here) has hit, along with the local tule fog. Here's my artiste shot of the RPU, supposedly a former drag strip warrior according to its windshield sticker, dripping with fog juice.

And here's Twice Lucky, up on her temporary front shoes. My uncle was right: 6.00 x 16 tires are too tall in front, even if I'm seeking a "period" stance. Probably go with 5.50s, which will shave an inch in height, and should narrow up the tire slightly.
Not sure when I'll next get to the garage; have a busy week ahead and therefore need to stave off pneumonia. Until then,

-30-