Mistakes you only make once

I bought a 72 Mercury Montego in 1976; it had a 351 Cleveland 2 barrel. Shortly after I purchased it the tranny went out and not long afterwards the engine. I had AMACO fix the tranny (expensive repair but no problems) and when the engine went out I decided to buy a short block and an Air Force buddy helped me pull the old engine and install the new. All went well in with my first pull and install I fired her up for the first time. Poured a little gas down the carb and it fired right up but wouldn't stay running. Well, after what seamed like forever trying to figure it out we added an electric fuel pump and the car ran fine - I forgot to remove the fuel pump excentric from tho old block and install on the new one. I didn't even know what a fuel pump excentric was but now it is etched in my mind forever.

Oh yeah - on the same car I changed the oil for the first time with just a few hundred miles and the old gasket stuck to the block and I didn't notice; wife drove it to work and came home and said there is a red light on the dash!!! I added three or four quarts and drove the car for a couple more years before selling. What a gas hog that beast was-