Above 1200 Sq/FT Restored 1930's Auto Shop

[BB767]

They are called pitman straps. They are for a old sickle mower. It is what attached the sickle to the power so that it moved back and forth. If I remember correctly they were a source of much swearing and frustration. I was really young when Dad was working with type of mower putting up native grass for hay. It brought back some good memories thanks a bunch!

Hey there little jimmy thank you for that information. There was a bunch of sickle bar equipment out in the shop. Mr Johnson repaired and rebuilt lots of them. Note in the background...

...on the right and ...

...in the background somewhat center...

... and in the center here...

...and again background left, and even hanging in the rafters, sickle bars. There were over 2 dozen sickle bars easy, of varying lengths plus boxes and boxes of new teeth left along with a tool to set the rivets when installing the new teeth. All of those items were donated to the I & I Antique Tractor & Gas Engine Club soon after the shop was cleaned out. Apparently Mr Johnson never saw a sickle bar he didn't like!

Now I need to find a new home for those pitman straps.

Thomas

 

[Superlifted06FX4]

Superlifted06FX4, shoot me a PM and we can discuss it. It doesn't really cost any more to do a useful engine as one that isn't, so let me make sure what it is and that you can use it when it's done. I'm still doing my commercial aviator duties , but I should be home soon enough.

Anything your school can use I'd be honored to donate, but I suspect most most of what's left is too old to be of much instructional use.

You'd always be welcome to tour the shop. I drag race at Morocco so I think you're about 2 1/2 hours from "The Center of The Universe". Road Trip!!

Thomas

PM sent kind sir.

 

[little jimmy]

Glad I could help out with the pitman straps. I have been following your thread and you have done a great job of documenting and sharing every thing. Keep it up it is very interesting to watch.

Jim

 

[Superlifted06FX4]

PM sent kind sir.

BTW, you're dead on, it's 2.5 hours away, lol.

 

[BigDaddyUSMC]

Y MANIFOLD GANG
Thomas
We got to the drivers meeting about 3 minutes before it started , We walked up from behind the speakers platform & we went to Freds Lady Bug.

I did see you & Lou Bingham in the photo. What issue of HOT ROD magazine was the photo in???. I found the photo just a few days ago online. I want to get a few copies.

The 2012 winter issue of Street Rodder Premium has a story & a few photos on Freds Lady Bug , check it out.

Randy

 

[BB767]

I'm now home for the holidays so I hope to get caught up here. I did add some pictures of the Jeep "Rescue Wrecker" back on page 201, post # 4019 if you didn't get a chance to see them earlier.

Thomas

 

[BB767]

Y MANIFOLD GANG
Thomas
We got to the drivers meeting about 3 minutes before it started , We walked up from behind the speakers platform & we went to Freds Lady Bug.

I did see you & Lou Bingham in the photo. What issue of HOT ROD magazine was the photo in???. I found the photo just a few days ago online. I want to get a few copies.

The 2012 winter issue of Street Rodder Premium has a story & a few photos on Freds Lady Bug , check it out.

Randy

Can anyone help Randy out with which issue of Hot Rod had Bonneville coverage and that picture in it this last fall? I think it was around the November issue but I'm not 100% on that.

Thomas

 

[Kevin54]

There was a set identical to yours on Ebay http://global.ebay.com/John-Deere-No9-Sickle-Mower-Pitman-Straps/160615204560/item

 

[landroversforever]

I'm now home for the holidays so I hope to get caught up here. I did add some pictures of the Jeep "Rescue Wrecker" back on page 201, post # 4019 if you didn't get a chance to see them earlier.

Thomas

Thomas, you do realise that by stating the above you are committing to lots and lots of updates?


and as a christmas gift, sending me the walker

 

[oberst]

Thomas, you do realise that by stating the above you are committing to lots and lots of updates?

I'm expecting a modest run of updates; Chris and Thomas have to decorate an anvil for Christmas.

 

[charlief1]

Dare ya to do an anvil shoot for Christmas day Thomas.

 

[dcm5652]

Is that ( taking it for a walk ) or decorating it for Christmas?

 

[hobbitss]

Thomas, you do realise that by stating the above you are committing to lots and lots of updates?


and as a christmas gift, sending me the walker

The Tool Shed Archaeological Dig!!!!

 

[charlief1]

Dare ya to do an anvil shoot for Christmas day Thomas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anvil_firing

 

[leathernek]

That's just completely AWESOME! Great job, man....love the before and after pics

 

[Hemihead2]

Can anyone help Randy out with which issue of Hot Rod had Bonneville coverage and that picture in it this last fall? I think it was around the November issue but I'm not 100% on that.

Thomas

It's in the upper left corner on page 60 of the December issue in the story "Salt Fever"

 

[NAPPY]

hello,

i'm only to page 22, but i couldn't wait until i got to the end. this thread is addicting.

i'm sorry if this has been brought up before, but how many cool cars do you have? not trying to be nosey, ok i am being nosey.

i'm from Atlanta, Ill. i still have family in Atlanta, Lincoln, and an aunt in Champaign.
i need to get back there and see that place.....i mean see my family.

 

[BB767]

Dare ya to do an anvil shoot for Christmas day Thomas.

Professional photographers would also call a photo session a shoot too don't they?? So yes, in a way we'll be doing an anvil "shoot" which you'll get to see soon enough.

Thomas

 

[BB767]

That's just completely AWESOME! Great job, man....love the before and after pics

Thank you leathernek, if you've liked it so far, stick around for more.

Thomas

 

[BB767]

hello,

i'm only to page 22, but i couldn't wait until i got to the end. this thread is addicting.

i'm sorry if this has been brought up before, but how many cool cars do you have? not trying to be nosey, ok i am being nosey.

i'm from Atlanta, Ill. i still have family in Atlanta, Lincoln, and an aunt in Champaign.
i need to get back there and see that place.....i mean see my family.

Welcome to the thread NAPPY and our little corner of the world here. When you come to visit the shop, er I mean your aunt and then the shop, you can tell me what your definition of cool cars is. There's a real eclectic group, set, gathering, flock, herd, pride, smattering, nest, colony, litter, brood, brace, pack, raft, gang, mob, gaggle, array, troop, cluster, just what do you call a bunch of cars anyway?? .... well shoot, there's just some neat old cars that we're the proud foster parents of. Keep in mind just a few though, in fact maybe too many! If you don't use them that's the worst thing you can do to them.

Thomas

 

[Superlifted06FX4]

Glad to see your back, how was the weather?

 

[BB767]

Glad to see your back, how was the weather?

Well it's summer down there right now so high 70's F (25 C) and very pleasant though that means thunderstorms over the Amazon. A little St Elmo's and some pretty spectacular light shows keep us entertained flying at night.

Thomas

 

[Superlifted06FX4]

Well it's summer down there right now so high 70's F (25 C) and very pleasant though that means thunderstorms over the Amazon. A little St Elmo's and some pretty spectacular light shows keep us entertained flying at night.

Thomas

Very nice, a lot better than our screwy weather...

 

[Omphaloskeptic]

I'll bet anything that the anvil gets a red and green powder coat for Christmas! Just a little something 'special' for the upcoming photo shoot; it'll probably make the Walker jealous.

 

[Sunbimmer]

Greetings and thank you to you Sunbimmer. Is your user name connected at all with BMW's? Some folks refer to them as "Beemers" (cars?) and some "Bimmers"(motorcycles?) didn't know if there was any connection.

Thomas

Yes Thomas, my username is related to BMW (cars, i have next to nothing with motorcycles) , I own a BMW Z3 2.8 and i love it.
I am dreaming of building a garage mahal for my baby and i must say i am getting a lot of inspiration from your beautiful place, absolutely awesome there is no other word for it.

Happy Holiday greetings,

Hugo

 

[JimVonBaden]

Greetings and thank you to you Sunbimmer. Is your user name connected at all with BMW's? Some folks refer to them as "Beemers" (cars?) and some "Bimmers"(motorcycles?) didn't know if there was any connection.

Thomas

Yes Thomas, my username is related to BMW (cars, i have next to nothing with motorcycles) , I own a BMW Z3 2.8 and i love it.
I am dreaming of building a garage mahal for my baby and i must say i am getting a lot of inspiration from your beautiful place, absolutely awesome there is no other word for it.

Happy Holiday greetings,

Hugo

As Hugo knows, "Bimmers" are cars, and "Beemers" are bikes.

Beautiful stuff here!

Jim

 

[landroversforever]

I've always known Beemers as cars?

 

[shirkdog]

Wow, what an awesome looking restoration.

Way to go.

David

www.garagepals.com

 

[jamesoaustin]

As I was assembling the new Radio Flyer wagon for my granddaughter last night I was amused to find myself making sure the screw heads that go through the wagon bed were aligned. Not only aligned, but oriented front to back so things (small child) in the wagon would not 'catch' on the slot as they slid around.

This is a blast from the past in a couple of respects; earlier comments about clocking and the long term (45 years?) benefit of the friendship offered by Tom & Chris.

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

 

[ejm1961Tbird]

Sooooooooooo, what do you have in store for the 2nd anniversary?!

 

[BB767]

Yes Thomas, my username is related to BMW (cars, i have next to nothing with motorcycles) , I own a BMW Z3 2.8 and i love it.
I am dreaming of building a garage mahal for my baby and i must say i am getting a lot of inspiration from your beautiful place, absolutely awesome there is no other word for it.

Happy Holiday greetings,

Hugo

Ah, a Z3, very nice indeed Hugo. Wonder if on my next Amsterdam layover I can drop you a note ahead of time and we can cruise the canals with the top down? The shop was a lifetime in the making for me. The planets, sun and moon all seemed to align on that one. Thank you for your interest and kind words.

A most Happy Holiday to you as well my friend and best of luck making your dream come true.

Thomas

 

[BB767]

As Hugo knows, "Bimmers" are cars, and "Beemers" are bikes.

Beautiful stuff here!

Jim

I've always known Beemers as cars?

Well there you go. I can never get those two straight! It might be regional thing as well?


All I really know for sure is that I love my anvil and of course Miss Chris!

Thomas

 

[BB767]

Wow, what an awesome looking restoration.

Way to go.

David

www.garagepals.com

Hey there David and thanks. Yep it did turn out pretty OK didn't it?!

Watch this space for more.

Thomas

 

[BB767]

As I was assembling the new Radio Flyer wagon for my granddaughter last night I was amused to find myself making sure the screw heads that go through the wagon bed were aligned. Not only aligned, but oriented front to back so things (small child) in the wagon would not 'catch' on the slot as they slid around.

This is a blast from the past in a couple of respects; earlier comments about clocking and the long term (45 years?) benefit of the friendship offered by Tom & Chris.

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

For those of you who don't know James, he was a high school bud of mine who was really the only guy besides me, who was a ********* gear head at the whole school (it was a small school). Many was the earnest discussions we'd have over what cool cars and shops we were going to have once we "grew up". Since in my case I never really did grow up, we'll never know now will we?? Many of the adventures we had together shaped who I am today. Who knows, maybe even back then he was sub-concisely channeling clocking screws to me? A lifelong friend is something to treasure.

James, you do know I've still got that 1969 Chilton's you gave me waaaaaaay back when. Slightly worn, but I've still got it.

Safe journeys and a joyous season to you. Thanks for checking in.

Thomas

 

[JimVonBaden]

Well there you go. I can never get those two straight! It might be regional thing as well?


All I really know for sure is that I love my anvil and of course Miss Chris!

Thomas

Nah, just a lack of knowledge:

http://www.bmwccbc.org/misc/tech-and-trivia/bimmer.html

http://forums.motortrend.com/70/633...-beemer-do-you-know-the-difference/index.html

I'm a somewhat well known Beemer Guy, so this is one I have a fair amount of confidence in.

Jim

 

[BB767]

I did spend a little more time sorting in the tool shed, among other things I did today.

These were rescued from a fate of rust and neglect.

That's a very beefy chisel which I suspect was used to cut apart old welds. What it's leaning on is a solid chuck of perfectly round steel which will clean up nicely. Always handy to have different shapes and sizes of steel like that laying around.

A while back I recovered these from around the hydraulic floor press...

This plate was especially rusty so I spent a little time cleaning it up.

It is still badly pitted but better now. It would be too thin if I leveled out all the rust pits.

After a little powder coating (that's dust on it from my gloves- gloss black will do that to you) and...

... it's ready for more years of service with the floor press.

Just a chuck of steel that might be useful...

The round cylinder on the right had a flat steel bar welded on one side. With the flat side to the press, it can be used to press a curve into an object.

Now, after powder coating all of it, no rust worries.

Thomas

 

[BB767]

Nah, just a lack of knowledge:

http://www.bmwccbc.org/misc/tech-and-trivia/bimmer.html

http://forums.motortrend.com/70/633...-beemer-do-you-know-the-difference/index.html

I'm a somewhat well known Beemer Guy, so this is one I have a fair amount of confidence in.

Jim

Thank you Jim for providing a valuable public service here. Those links should once and for all time, settle the matter.

As long time radio commentator Paul Harvey used to say....."and that's... the rest of the story."

Thanks again Jim, I appreciate it.

Thomas

 

[ZRX61]

Glassbead those hammer heads, then wirewheel to make em shine & then hit the handles with BLO. Polishing the faces is not mandatory...

Thus:

Before...

After...

I used plastic bead blasting to remove the paint & other **** from two of the handles.

of course, if you can't live without polishing....

 

[Scuderia-F1]

ZRX61, you did a pretty good job on those hammers!

 

[tkbowman]

Thomas,

I think this piece was part of a railroad track connector plate (center section I believe after the portions with holes were cut off). It does look cool in powder coat.