abdywgn
dismantler
sorry to hear about the job loss. have your little friends get SS#'s so you can get help feeding them...or buying car parts.
Captainkirk's Duster project
- Thread starter Captainkirk
- Start date
-
Captainkirk
Old School Mopar Warrior
Thanks for the condolences. I'm sure these furry bastards already have SSN's and have voted in many Chicago elections, most likely multiple times. Vote early, vote often, as they are fond of saying in the Windy City.
abdywgn
dismantler
Yup, I remember hearing that from my Grandpa when I was a kid.
Captainkirk
Old School Mopar Warrior
Not much to report in the way of updates, but I'll give it a whirl.
There's even less room in the garage now that I brought home all the bits and pieces from my former job, like K-frame, a couple manifolds, Holley 650DP, a couple TQ's and an AVS. But it's nice to look at all of it. Little bits of de-rusting pieces here & there but most of my time is spent job searching and updating my resume. Spent half a day in the unemployment office try to fix the mess some turd-breath hacker created by trying to falsely claim unemployment benefits in my name 2 years ago.
On a lighter note, while I am not working momentarily, my good friend "Victor" has been working, handing out peanut butter snacks to my little friends like Trick or Treat candy. For some reason the garage mice don't care for little pieces of bacon but will go for the peanut butter every time, it seems. "Choosy mothers choose Jif"...or so they say. The occasional house mouse never seems to have an issue with it. Must be a different class of mouse, I reckon. I'll keep handing out Halloween candy until all the kids have left the building. Still trying to figure out how they are getting in.
I have been binge-watching Graveyard Carz episodes until the wee hours of the morning and I've learning a fair bit about refurbing Mopar suspension. So that's a positive. On the negative side, I was out in the garage shoving things into any bare spot I could find, when I heard this very loud sucking sound...What could that be?, I wondered aloud...Oh, right. That's my life right now without a job. Silly me!
There's even less room in the garage now that I brought home all the bits and pieces from my former job, like K-frame, a couple manifolds, Holley 650DP, a couple TQ's and an AVS. But it's nice to look at all of it. Little bits of de-rusting pieces here & there but most of my time is spent job searching and updating my resume. Spent half a day in the unemployment office try to fix the mess some turd-breath hacker created by trying to falsely claim unemployment benefits in my name 2 years ago.
On a lighter note, while I am not working momentarily, my good friend "Victor" has been working, handing out peanut butter snacks to my little friends like Trick or Treat candy. For some reason the garage mice don't care for little pieces of bacon but will go for the peanut butter every time, it seems. "Choosy mothers choose Jif"...or so they say. The occasional house mouse never seems to have an issue with it. Must be a different class of mouse, I reckon. I'll keep handing out Halloween candy until all the kids have left the building. Still trying to figure out how they are getting in.
I have been binge-watching Graveyard Carz episodes until the wee hours of the morning and I've learning a fair bit about refurbing Mopar suspension. So that's a positive. On the negative side, I was out in the garage shoving things into any bare spot I could find, when I heard this very loud sucking sound...What could that be?, I wondered aloud...Oh, right. That's my life right now without a job. Silly me!
Last edited:
abdywgn
dismantler
Thanks for the update and keeping your sense of humor!
BTW, I went back to work for a month after retirement to help clean out the warehouse. I figured that I filled the new addition, I should have the privalage of cleaning it out. Bonus, they paid me to do it, got to work one-on-one with the youngest employee of the old crew who was also chosen by the new company to head their warehouse operations. Down side was, everything we threw out and "that's too good for the dumpster" is now stacked, packed and crammed in my garage. 24 550 lb. casters? Did I really need that many? Oh, and by the way, they came attached to the bottom of the crate. SSOOO, 2x4's, 1x4's and plywood are taking up additional space. Gotta build something with it all.
BTW, I went back to work for a month after retirement to help clean out the warehouse. I figured that I filled the new addition, I should have the privalage of cleaning it out. Bonus, they paid me to do it, got to work one-on-one with the youngest employee of the old crew who was also chosen by the new company to head their warehouse operations. Down side was, everything we threw out and "that's too good for the dumpster" is now stacked, packed and crammed in my garage. 24 550 lb. casters? Did I really need that many? Oh, and by the way, they came attached to the bottom of the crate. SSOOO, 2x4's, 1x4's and plywood are taking up additional space. Gotta build something with it all.
Last edited:
Didn’t read the whole thread but the last few pages. You can really spin a yarn but I appreciate your humor haha. Glad you’re pressing on. Like you and others are saying, little progress is progress. Good luck with the job hunt. Sorry to hear of your recent loss. Where in Chicagoland you at?
Captainkirk
Old School Mopar Warrior
North of the city, about 15 minutes from the WI border.
I don't think anybody can read the whole thread anymore. Last time I did it took me three sittings at a couple hours apiece. And I wrote the damn thing!
Thanks for tuning in and the kind comments.
Keep it up! Gotcha I’ve got family closer to the city so was just curious.
Captainkirk
Old School Mopar Warrior
Frankly, I'm a little disappointed in "Victor". I mean, how hard is it to hand out Trick or Treat candy? It's as if he was sitting on the front porch with the candy bowl in his lap and fell asleep, only to awaken and find the bowl was empty! "How so?" you ask...well, let me s'plain, Lucy.
See, last night I went out to find something productive to do, and taking the pinion snubber bracket to the wire wheel seemed therapeudic enough. And I was delighted to see one of the traps belly-side up and Mickey (or Minnie) on the flip side of it with his or her little skull caved in. No matter to me; I'm an equal opportunity offender when it comes to defending my territory! Don't get me wrong; I am neither a Mouse Nazi nor a mouse racist...I don't care if they are white mice, brown mice, gray mice. What they are, is squatters. In more ways than one, mind you. I have dozens of little black calling cards to back me up on this. Nor am I a "mouse-hater" They are actually quite furry and adorable in National Geographic pictures. And that's where it ends. Go be furry and adorable in somebody else's garage or a Nat Geo centerfold. Or die. Your choice.
My glee turned to disappointment when I saw two other Trick or Treat bowls totally devoid of peanut butter snacks. How could "Victor" allow this to happen?! I'm going to have a sit-down with him tonight and discuss this...
After refilling the ToT bowl with fresh peanut butter snacks, I turned my attention to the pinion snubber bracket. A little scraping and a session with the wire wheel on the bench grinder got the majority of the rust and undercoating off, save for a few nooks and crannies, which I will hit tonight with a small wire wheel in my drill. Then I'll hit the bracket with a spritz of Rust Reformer and put it with the rest of the rear axle stuff waiting for the RustOleum enamel. It doesn't sound like much but it's forward motion, anyway. Then I'll pick through the parts pile for another rusty bit to attack. I did hear the driveshaft calling out to me from in between wall studs in the garage where it's been patiently waiting. That could be a possibility if the drizzle lets up (outside task).
One foot in front of the other, friends...
See, last night I went out to find something productive to do, and taking the pinion snubber bracket to the wire wheel seemed therapeudic enough. And I was delighted to see one of the traps belly-side up and Mickey (or Minnie) on the flip side of it with his or her little skull caved in. No matter to me; I'm an equal opportunity offender when it comes to defending my territory! Don't get me wrong; I am neither a Mouse Nazi nor a mouse racist...I don't care if they are white mice, brown mice, gray mice. What they are, is squatters. In more ways than one, mind you. I have dozens of little black calling cards to back me up on this. Nor am I a "mouse-hater" They are actually quite furry and adorable in National Geographic pictures. And that's where it ends. Go be furry and adorable in somebody else's garage or a Nat Geo centerfold. Or die. Your choice.
My glee turned to disappointment when I saw two other Trick or Treat bowls totally devoid of peanut butter snacks. How could "Victor" allow this to happen?! I'm going to have a sit-down with him tonight and discuss this...
After refilling the ToT bowl with fresh peanut butter snacks, I turned my attention to the pinion snubber bracket. A little scraping and a session with the wire wheel on the bench grinder got the majority of the rust and undercoating off, save for a few nooks and crannies, which I will hit tonight with a small wire wheel in my drill. Then I'll hit the bracket with a spritz of Rust Reformer and put it with the rest of the rear axle stuff waiting for the RustOleum enamel. It doesn't sound like much but it's forward motion, anyway. Then I'll pick through the parts pile for another rusty bit to attack. I did hear the driveshaft calling out to me from in between wall studs in the garage where it's been patiently waiting. That could be a possibility if the drizzle lets up (outside task).
One foot in front of the other, friends...
Last edited:
Joe Mc
No Car Like A MoPar!
Try sprinkling unused coffee grounds around perimeter of garage and a bit heavier by doors. It worked for chipmunks
You need to tag in tomcat the glue traps.. when Victor fails to conduct a party tomcat scooped away all the attendees
I’m obviously going off description and not pics, but imo all these smaller pieces would be easier/quicker done dropped off at a sandblaster than taking the wheel to them. If energy is low, drop off the stuff to the blaster and grind the big stuff that is too much hassle to move. Guy did my headers for a $20 bill. Just a thought. And yeah keep it up at the mice. Hate those nasty peeing things.
Captainkirk
Old School Mopar Warrior
You are absolutely correct and spot-on. A couple years back I dropped the K-frame off at the powder coater and he blasted and PC'd the whole thing for $120.00. It turned out gorgeous.
That being said, a box full of bits and pieces might cost a lot more. And I had the use of a sandblast cabinet up until last week. I also had a regular paycheck coming. Not sure when or where my next $20.00 is coming from at this point, so squeezing the dollars until Washington's eyes pop out for the moment. Besides, the menial tasks are taking my mind off things a little.
I did have that little chat with Victor. He reminded me that I had left the three baitless traps tripped and without peanut butter snacks last night...how stupid of me. Not gonna squish any furry bastard brains that-a-way.
The snubber bracket got primed with rust reformer last night, one step closer to getting the rear axle done. I mentioned the drive shaft last night but I'm gonna nix that and concentrate on the springs. I'm getting ahead of myself.
With the holiday weekend upon us and doing things with family, probably won't get much done for a few days, but when I do you faithful readers will be the first to know.
Captainkirk
Old School Mopar Warrior
Quick update:
I was watching GYC last night and they were decoding a fender tag (which I've already done with mine) but then started wondering...where is it? I know I had it back in 2021 when I learned what all those funny little numbers and letters meant...in fact, I had made a post in this very thread about it...but what did I do with it? Eeek! I freaked myself out a bunch and started going through my file cabinet (I did find my partially legible broadcast sheet!) but no tag. I went out to Dukesville and began frantically digging though boxes, finally rooting around like a raccoon in a dumpster on a box full of parts inside the car...EUREKA! Found it, neatly tucked inside a Ziploc bag. Whew. That was scary.
Once my heartbeat got back to normal I checked my trap line for mouse pelts. Now, I'm not sure if it's good news or bad news, but all the traps were set, empty, and the peanut butter snacks were untouched. It could be good, because it might mean the mouse population is down. It could be bad because it might mean they are "on" to "Victor" and my games, or that they are sick and tired of peanut butter. Time will tell. We already know they are not big fans of bacon (how sick is THAT?!!) so not sure what I would switch to if they have developed peanut butter allergies.
My son and I had a serious discussion regarding the soft underbelly of the Duke, among other things. I've been hammering him hard about how I want to do the rear axle, driveshaft and trans in RustOleum White enamel rather than the typical (yawn) black. Why? Well, partially because that's what I had done 45 years ago with the Li'l Red Minx and it looked freakin' awesome! Especially when one of my friends pulled into the driveway at night with headlights on...the white just pops! Trust me on this.
What he is not so keen on is my idea of leaving the underside the Battleship Gray. He feels it will pretty much null the contrast between the white and a black background, and thinking back on the Li'l Red Minx, I can sorta agree as I had done the underside in black undercoating. So he does have a point.
What I've decided to do is go forward with painting the rear axle and springs white as planned, then shove it under the car to see how it looks. If he's right, we will just topcoat the battleship gray with gloss black RustOleum and call it good.
The other issue he has is that he is NOT a member of the Winchester Gray/Gunmetal Fan Club. He feels it should be a solid '72 Mopar color...like Rally Red, Lemon Twist or Sassy Grass Green with blacked out hood and such. I can't argue that a solid PPG urethane is easier to spray, takes less paint for coverage, and requires no top coat. And he was quick to point out that my fender tag numbers show, in addition to the GA4 color, there is a side and rear stripe delete code with no 340 callouts. And that's just WRONG. Whatever color goes on, I won't be seen without the callouts, factory stripe package, and little pissed-off tornadoes. Nope. Not happening.
So that battle will probably rage on until I get ready to shoot the engine bay. In the end, it's my car, but eventually it will be his.
Now, I wasted my whole day creating a new resume, so time to go grab a cold one, crank up the radio and get lost in the House That Duke Built.
Stay tuned, kids.
I was watching GYC last night and they were decoding a fender tag (which I've already done with mine) but then started wondering...where is it? I know I had it back in 2021 when I learned what all those funny little numbers and letters meant...in fact, I had made a post in this very thread about it...but what did I do with it? Eeek! I freaked myself out a bunch and started going through my file cabinet (I did find my partially legible broadcast sheet!) but no tag. I went out to Dukesville and began frantically digging though boxes, finally rooting around like a raccoon in a dumpster on a box full of parts inside the car...EUREKA! Found it, neatly tucked inside a Ziploc bag. Whew. That was scary.
Once my heartbeat got back to normal I checked my trap line for mouse pelts. Now, I'm not sure if it's good news or bad news, but all the traps were set, empty, and the peanut butter snacks were untouched. It could be good, because it might mean the mouse population is down. It could be bad because it might mean they are "on" to "Victor" and my games, or that they are sick and tired of peanut butter. Time will tell. We already know they are not big fans of bacon (how sick is THAT?!!) so not sure what I would switch to if they have developed peanut butter allergies.
My son and I had a serious discussion regarding the soft underbelly of the Duke, among other things. I've been hammering him hard about how I want to do the rear axle, driveshaft and trans in RustOleum White enamel rather than the typical (yawn) black. Why? Well, partially because that's what I had done 45 years ago with the Li'l Red Minx and it looked freakin' awesome! Especially when one of my friends pulled into the driveway at night with headlights on...the white just pops! Trust me on this.
What he is not so keen on is my idea of leaving the underside the Battleship Gray. He feels it will pretty much null the contrast between the white and a black background, and thinking back on the Li'l Red Minx, I can sorta agree as I had done the underside in black undercoating. So he does have a point.
What I've decided to do is go forward with painting the rear axle and springs white as planned, then shove it under the car to see how it looks. If he's right, we will just topcoat the battleship gray with gloss black RustOleum and call it good.
The other issue he has is that he is NOT a member of the Winchester Gray/Gunmetal Fan Club. He feels it should be a solid '72 Mopar color...like Rally Red, Lemon Twist or Sassy Grass Green with blacked out hood and such. I can't argue that a solid PPG urethane is easier to spray, takes less paint for coverage, and requires no top coat. And he was quick to point out that my fender tag numbers show, in addition to the GA4 color, there is a side and rear stripe delete code with no 340 callouts. And that's just WRONG. Whatever color goes on, I won't be seen without the callouts, factory stripe package, and little pissed-off tornadoes. Nope. Not happening.
So that battle will probably rage on until I get ready to shoot the engine bay. In the end, it's my car, but eventually it will be his.
Now, I wasted my whole day creating a new resume, so time to go grab a cold one, crank up the radio and get lost in the House That Duke Built.
Stay tuned, kids.
abdywgn
dismantler
I think the rear assembly should be a lime green with the little dark green fuzzy guy giving a middle finger salute. Looked good on the tunnel ram brown four door early 60's B-body that came to high school everyday to pick-up his girlfriend.
mygasser
Well-Known Member
white with a red fog light above it just like in the 70's 
Captainkirk
Old School Mopar Warrior
Hey, now...I rather enjoyed the '70s!white with a red fog light above it just like in the 70's
mygasser
Well-Known Member
me too, besides i once had a rodded ford popular (anglia to you guys in the states) with a red light over the axle so it wasn't an insult to the era.
neil.
Captainkirk
Old School Mopar Warrior
Probably looked pretty tuff at night, yeah?me too, besides i once had a rodded ford popular (anglia to you guys in the states) with a red light over the axle so it wasn't an insult to the era.
neil.
Captainkirk
Old School Mopar Warrior
Not much to update, but I'll give ya what I got...
Been out in the garage every night now, keeping the juices flowing but not really getting a lot done. Mostly looking at the piles of parts still left to work over and paint. I was quite surprised to find the LCA's don't have much, if any, excess play in them. Ball joints don't seem bad either, except for the rubber boots. So not a whole lot of reconditioning to do there other than bushing replacement and painting. I did crawl under the car with a flashlight and really give it the once-over. The Battleship Gray is a lot darker in person than it looks in the photos. Holding up a white part definitely shows a noticeable contrast. If I could just get the old gumball machine to start spitting out paychecks again, maybe I could get some much-needed parts ordered and get this project rolling again. This non-working stuff really puts a damper on lifestyle.
Now, normally I go out there in the later evenings, flip on the lights and radio and move stuff out from under the car to outside so I have a little room to work and move. The radio/CD player has been uncooperative in the CD mode for some time now, but this time for some reason when I tried it, it came barking to life and played what had been waiting in there for a good long while. Immediately, The Boss began belting out Thunder Road, and almost as immediately my fingers found the volume knob and twisted it in the clockwise direction to a damn-near uncomfortable volume and ran through the entire Born To Run album. The Boss has sorta been on my **** list for a while now, and especially since his anti-America rant over in the UK, but BTR teleported me back to 1976 and a particular Li'l Red Minx and so I really didn't care if he has turned into an old liberal blowhard...we were both lost in a different era at that moment and it sounded good. Maybe I didn't get a whole lot done that night, but it was good for the soul.
The mouse traps sit cocked and locked, untouched. It's hard to believe there were only 5 mice involved in the Mousie My Lai Massacre; for every one you see there are generally nine you didn't...but it appears I've put a dent in the population at any rate and I'll continue to freshen the bait at regular intervals, especially as fall weather moves in and they begin searching for indoor shelter.
Speaking of which...the days are much cooler the last week or so, especially the nights. In fact it's been downright chilly in a T-shirt the last few nights. After Bruce had stopped hollering for the night, I stood there in the House that Duke Built, ears ringing somewhat (I guess it HAD been kinda loud) and before snapping the lights out, paused and listened. You regular readers know what for. I listened for that scraping sound; that son of a ***** Old Man Winter and his damned-to-hell battered suitcase full of snow, ice, frost and cold. I heard nothing other than the sound of crickets chirping and the ree-ing of frogs, but I know damn well he's dragging it down the road behind him Northbound in that shuffling, shambling gait, stopping every so often to rest right-damn there in the middle of the effing road, wiping his sweaty brow with that filthy red handkerchief. Nossir, not yet. But I know he's coming. He hasn't missed a year yet.
I also listened for signs of the Duke Hisself. He's been quite noticeably absent since my 'restart'...I hope I haven't offended him. But I reckon ghosts only appear when they want to...or maybe they're there the whole time watching and observing, silent and still.
Been out in the garage every night now, keeping the juices flowing but not really getting a lot done. Mostly looking at the piles of parts still left to work over and paint. I was quite surprised to find the LCA's don't have much, if any, excess play in them. Ball joints don't seem bad either, except for the rubber boots. So not a whole lot of reconditioning to do there other than bushing replacement and painting. I did crawl under the car with a flashlight and really give it the once-over. The Battleship Gray is a lot darker in person than it looks in the photos. Holding up a white part definitely shows a noticeable contrast. If I could just get the old gumball machine to start spitting out paychecks again, maybe I could get some much-needed parts ordered and get this project rolling again. This non-working stuff really puts a damper on lifestyle.
Now, normally I go out there in the later evenings, flip on the lights and radio and move stuff out from under the car to outside so I have a little room to work and move. The radio/CD player has been uncooperative in the CD mode for some time now, but this time for some reason when I tried it, it came barking to life and played what had been waiting in there for a good long while. Immediately, The Boss began belting out Thunder Road, and almost as immediately my fingers found the volume knob and twisted it in the clockwise direction to a damn-near uncomfortable volume and ran through the entire Born To Run album. The Boss has sorta been on my **** list for a while now, and especially since his anti-America rant over in the UK, but BTR teleported me back to 1976 and a particular Li'l Red Minx and so I really didn't care if he has turned into an old liberal blowhard...we were both lost in a different era at that moment and it sounded good. Maybe I didn't get a whole lot done that night, but it was good for the soul.
The mouse traps sit cocked and locked, untouched. It's hard to believe there were only 5 mice involved in the Mousie My Lai Massacre; for every one you see there are generally nine you didn't...but it appears I've put a dent in the population at any rate and I'll continue to freshen the bait at regular intervals, especially as fall weather moves in and they begin searching for indoor shelter.
Speaking of which...the days are much cooler the last week or so, especially the nights. In fact it's been downright chilly in a T-shirt the last few nights. After Bruce had stopped hollering for the night, I stood there in the House that Duke Built, ears ringing somewhat (I guess it HAD been kinda loud) and before snapping the lights out, paused and listened. You regular readers know what for. I listened for that scraping sound; that son of a ***** Old Man Winter and his damned-to-hell battered suitcase full of snow, ice, frost and cold. I heard nothing other than the sound of crickets chirping and the ree-ing of frogs, but I know damn well he's dragging it down the road behind him Northbound in that shuffling, shambling gait, stopping every so often to rest right-damn there in the middle of the effing road, wiping his sweaty brow with that filthy red handkerchief. Nossir, not yet. But I know he's coming. He hasn't missed a year yet.
I also listened for signs of the Duke Hisself. He's been quite noticeably absent since my 'restart'...I hope I haven't offended him. But I reckon ghosts only appear when they want to...or maybe they're there the whole time watching and observing, silent and still.
Just hope he drags a little slower at the beginning and leaves faster come March
Captainkirk
Old School Mopar Warrior
Let's hope. It's only early September here north of the Windy City but the days have been cool and breezy, and the nights are getting to be flannel-shirt nights outside. He can take his damn time as far as I'm concerned.
BTW, love the name of your location (Winchester, Kentucky). How cool is that?!
Nights are cool but still warm thru the day so if can scoot by till Dec. I will be happy ,its usually a bad winter if it gets cold in Oct here , if it waits till Dec its more mild and less snow , and Winchester is a nice smalltown in KY , been here all my life short of some out of town jobs
Captainkirk
Old School Mopar Warrior
Welp, I didn't win the 1.8B Power Ball lottery, So I guess I'll have to keep looking for a job. There's one more mouse that won't have to, though. Score one for "Victor".
More bits and pieces cleaned and Reformed. There are seemingly dozens of little baggies full of cleaned and Reformed bits and pieces on the upside-down hood lying on the car roof (just picture that in your mind!) with Sharpie hieroglyphic writings on the ZipLocs that you would need the Rosetta stone to decipher. Again, doesn't sound like much, but I call it PMP (Poor Man's Progress). Hoping to get the Holley Kid over here soon to help me get the other leaf spring off so I can finish up the rear axle...but he's got a full-time job, 3 kids and one in the oven and a demanding home life. So we have to play that one off the cuff and catch as catch can.
Still no sign of The Duke Hissownself. He's like that, though, popping in when you least expect it, my body twisted up like a pretzel in some precarious position; under the car or stuffed in the trunk maybe, and he'll start his bellowing and I'll jerk my head up and crack my skull open, startled. Although I might even relish that now; It's kinda lonely out there with just the radio playing, wire wheel humming, surrounded by the bones of engine parts; carbs, manifolds, trannies and even a spare 340 block that came out of The Duke (not numbers-matching; that train has left the station a long time ago, if you recall). There's been no sign of him lately. Sometimes I wonder if he hasn't drifted off to greener pastures?
So, we'll keep on keepin' on. One foot in front of the other.
More bits and pieces cleaned and Reformed. There are seemingly dozens of little baggies full of cleaned and Reformed bits and pieces on the upside-down hood lying on the car roof (just picture that in your mind!) with Sharpie hieroglyphic writings on the ZipLocs that you would need the Rosetta stone to decipher. Again, doesn't sound like much, but I call it PMP (Poor Man's Progress). Hoping to get the Holley Kid over here soon to help me get the other leaf spring off so I can finish up the rear axle...but he's got a full-time job, 3 kids and one in the oven and a demanding home life. So we have to play that one off the cuff and catch as catch can.
Still no sign of The Duke Hissownself. He's like that, though, popping in when you least expect it, my body twisted up like a pretzel in some precarious position; under the car or stuffed in the trunk maybe, and he'll start his bellowing and I'll jerk my head up and crack my skull open, startled. Although I might even relish that now; It's kinda lonely out there with just the radio playing, wire wheel humming, surrounded by the bones of engine parts; carbs, manifolds, trannies and even a spare 340 block that came out of The Duke (not numbers-matching; that train has left the station a long time ago, if you recall). There's been no sign of him lately. Sometimes I wonder if he hasn't drifted off to greener pastures?
So, we'll keep on keepin' on. One foot in front of the other.
Captainkirk
Old School Mopar Warrior
I am, without a doubt, my own worst enemy.
And I've proved it again.
Now that I have the right spring assembly off the rear axle, the weight difference causes the whole thing to tilt radically left in the 'saddle' of the floor jack. It's now nearly impossible to move in and out from under the car, tip over to get to the other set of U-bolts, and roll back into the garage single-handedly. Nice going.
This is what I get for watching TV shows featuring 'restorations'...I need to wake up and realize I'm NOT friggin' Mark Worman and I don't have a nice big shop to work out of with plenty of help, equipment and money.
"Shoulda, woulda, coulda"...I "shoulda" just slapped some brush on RustOleum on the diff and bolted it back up. Now I have a partially disassembled rear axle listing drastically to port and no money to buy parts and materials (ya need a job for that, son). "Woulda" had the damn thing bolted back in by now. "Coulda" been working on the front susp by now.
Let this be a lesson to you newbies contemplating a "restoration"...be careful what you wish for. Seems the more I take apart, the more 'aparter' it becomes. If it drives, it ain't broke. Don't 'fix it'.
There have been no more mouse carcasses in the last week, but I have found three of the traps sprung so the little bastards are still out there. Justice will prevail in the end, though. So I'll keep re-setting the traps until the threats have been eliminated.
The wonky CD player has been strangely co-operative the last few evenings, oddly enough. So, there's that...
I've managed to get some Zip-Loc bags full of rusty odds & ends wire-wheeled and hit with a spritz of Rust Reformer, including my upper control arm bolts and cam washers. One of the bolts is broken and another has some pretty severe wear, so I'll be needing at least two new ones. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. I can honestly say that with no job and nothing serious pending, this would normally be a time to just shut down and leave it be for a time, but thankfully these little mundane tasks keep the momentum going forward, even if in ant-steps. Speaking of ants, did you ever watch those little sunzabitches work? You can flatten an ant hill with the severity of Hiroshima and figure they'll just move on, and look the next day to find they've rebuilt the whole damn thing stronger, faster, better (like Steve Austin) than when you knocked it down. Yet, watch one solitary ant trying to carry a bread crumb twice his size and it takes seemingly forever to move a simple yard. Almost comical. But turn your head for a minute and he's gone. Welp, that's what I'm trying to do...move them bread crumbs. Wish me luck; I'm off to the House That Duke Built right now. And hoping I'll bump into him out there while I'm at it.
And I've proved it again.
Now that I have the right spring assembly off the rear axle, the weight difference causes the whole thing to tilt radically left in the 'saddle' of the floor jack. It's now nearly impossible to move in and out from under the car, tip over to get to the other set of U-bolts, and roll back into the garage single-handedly. Nice going.
This is what I get for watching TV shows featuring 'restorations'...I need to wake up and realize I'm NOT friggin' Mark Worman and I don't have a nice big shop to work out of with plenty of help, equipment and money.
"Shoulda, woulda, coulda"...I "shoulda" just slapped some brush on RustOleum on the diff and bolted it back up. Now I have a partially disassembled rear axle listing drastically to port and no money to buy parts and materials (ya need a job for that, son). "Woulda" had the damn thing bolted back in by now. "Coulda" been working on the front susp by now.
Let this be a lesson to you newbies contemplating a "restoration"...be careful what you wish for. Seems the more I take apart, the more 'aparter' it becomes. If it drives, it ain't broke. Don't 'fix it'.
There have been no more mouse carcasses in the last week, but I have found three of the traps sprung so the little bastards are still out there. Justice will prevail in the end, though. So I'll keep re-setting the traps until the threats have been eliminated.
The wonky CD player has been strangely co-operative the last few evenings, oddly enough. So, there's that...
I've managed to get some Zip-Loc bags full of rusty odds & ends wire-wheeled and hit with a spritz of Rust Reformer, including my upper control arm bolts and cam washers. One of the bolts is broken and another has some pretty severe wear, so I'll be needing at least two new ones. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. I can honestly say that with no job and nothing serious pending, this would normally be a time to just shut down and leave it be for a time, but thankfully these little mundane tasks keep the momentum going forward, even if in ant-steps. Speaking of ants, did you ever watch those little sunzabitches work? You can flatten an ant hill with the severity of Hiroshima and figure they'll just move on, and look the next day to find they've rebuilt the whole damn thing stronger, faster, better (like Steve Austin) than when you knocked it down. Yet, watch one solitary ant trying to carry a bread crumb twice his size and it takes seemingly forever to move a simple yard. Almost comical. But turn your head for a minute and he's gone. Welp, that's what I'm trying to do...move them bread crumbs. Wish me luck; I'm off to the House That Duke Built right now. And hoping I'll bump into him out there while I'm at it.
-
Similar threads
