Stuart in MN
Well-known member
Ah. Makes sense to me.
Above 1200 Sq/FT Restored 1930's Auto Shop
- Thread starter BB767
- Start date
Wokspaces above 1200 squarefeet.
Ah. Makes sense to me.
larson0290
Member
It might not be charlief1, but just look at those pretty, yellow powder coated rims...
... and wheel weights!!
The tiller was borrowed from a friend, not sure if he shares my powder coating enthusiasm?
Thomas
Wish my rear tires were in as good as shape on my 855. At $450 a piece guess I have to keep my slicks...
BigAl thank you for your continued interest and support. This thread does meander at times (is the Ryan shacking his head?) but basically it revolves around the old shop, the grounds and anything automotive related......mostly.
Stuart those are Walnuts and a few Burr Oaks. The tree spade is coming tomorrow in fact to move them to...
...along the road leading to the shop. Squint and you can see the white flags marking the approximate spots. Not in my lifetime, but someday that road will be tree lined and shady for those who are coming to the shop. Just as I've enjoyed the hedge trees someone plated near 100 years ago, others will enjoy my trees.....I hope.
It's the give and take of life ya know. There are also 30 new trees being delivered tomorrow that I have to plant.
I'll get to use my new pallet forks. They weigh around 300 - 350 lbs (136 - 159 kg) each so it'll be another long day in the Center of the Universe. I'll keep you posted, promise.
Thomas
PlekVis
Member
another thing i like so much about this topic, you give the metrical numbers in your postst
(i don't have to recalculate everything)
(i don't have to recalculate everything)
old salt racer
Active member
Hey Thomas, just finished catching up on the thread after being gone all summer. long shovel confirmed by retired power lineman as pole hole digger used before truck mounted augers. also noted in shed pics#5143 a South wind gasoline powered car heater hanging from shelf. had a great summer trip center of the universe twice and Bonneville too. Hi to Chris and Cam. do it again next summer.---LOU--
BigDaddyUSMC
Well-known member
Y MANIFOLD GANG...
Thomas & Lou
YOU AIN"T GOIN' TO BELEIVE THIS ONE
I had a guy came by my house today to buy some OLD JUNK I had listed on interweb... As we loaded his NEW JUNK into his truck. He asked me if I had ever gone to Bonneville. I told him "I have been to the SALT the last 2 years. Why do your ask". He said "You have on a Bonneville t-shirt". Now this is where it get spooky... This guy tells me he went to Bonneville in 1955 & 1956 with AL JERAULD & the BABY BOMB Belly Tank... Needless to say I almost crapped myself. Even better he said he has a bunch of photos from 1955 & 1956. His name is Ted Jensen & he worked at JERAULD's SPEEDSHOP
I told him about Jacob & the quest we have been on for the last 4 years to find anything connected to AL JERAULD & the Belly Tank. I'm sorry to say I was so flustered I forgot to mention the Y-Manifold. I'm going to try to get together with Ted soon & have a JERAULDS BULL S**T session. I'll see if I can get copies of his photos.
Thomas ...this is all your fault. If you hadn't posted the photos of the Y-Manifold, none of this would have ever happened.. Endless hours of working on Land Speed Racing Vehicels, 2 trips to the SALT , I would have never met Fred Lobello. Jacob & I would have never gone to Bonneville & we wouldn't have caught SALT FEVER.....
THANKS BROTHER ~ YOU DA MAN
Randy
Thomas & Lou
YOU AIN"T GOIN' TO BELEIVE THIS ONE
I had a guy came by my house today to buy some OLD JUNK I had listed on interweb... As we loaded his NEW JUNK into his truck. He asked me if I had ever gone to Bonneville. I told him "I have been to the SALT the last 2 years. Why do your ask". He said "You have on a Bonneville t-shirt". Now this is where it get spooky... This guy tells me he went to Bonneville in 1955 & 1956 with AL JERAULD & the BABY BOMB Belly Tank... Needless to say I almost crapped myself. Even better he said he has a bunch of photos from 1955 & 1956. His name is Ted Jensen & he worked at JERAULD's SPEEDSHOP
I told him about Jacob & the quest we have been on for the last 4 years to find anything connected to AL JERAULD & the Belly Tank. I'm sorry to say I was so flustered I forgot to mention the Y-Manifold. I'm going to try to get together with Ted soon & have a JERAULDS BULL S**T session. I'll see if I can get copies of his photos.
Thomas ...this is all your fault. If you hadn't posted the photos of the Y-Manifold, none of this would have ever happened.. Endless hours of working on Land Speed Racing Vehicels, 2 trips to the SALT , I would have never met Fred Lobello. Jacob & I would have never gone to Bonneville & we wouldn't have caught SALT FEVER.....
THANKS BROTHER ~ YOU DA MAN
Randy
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realvc
Well-known member
What great never ending adventures are recorded in this thread.
"The road goes on forever and party never ends."
Thanks Thomas, Chris and to all who post on this thread. I am on here almost every day to see who has posted and what is going on at the Center of the Universe.
Thanks again
Vince
"The road goes on forever and party never ends."
Thanks Thomas, Chris and to all who post on this thread. I am on here almost every day to see who has posted and what is going on at the Center of the Universe.
Thanks again
Vince
99 VR-4s are very rare! If BB767 wasn't already enough of a bad *** in my book, he just topped himself for knowing what VR-4s are, including Galants.
I have 1991 Galant VR-41901/2000 in my garage, parted out 1992 430/1000, and built then sold a 10 sec 1/4 mile 1991 1608/2000 about 7 years ago.
i'd be even more impressed if you know what this car is.....
All Right!!!!!!! I'm finally a "bad ***"!!!!!!!!!!! Who's 'Da Man Now?! Little did Chris know all those many years ago she was marrying one nasty, mean S.O.B. That's what I'm talking about! Don't mess with me Bro!
Hey thanks Eric for the new title. I can't wait to use it on my next PA. "Good evening everyone from the flight deck. My name is Thomas and I'm a real "Bad ***".
I'll admit it I'm a car junkie. I follow many forms of automotive vehicles. I even know what VR-4 stands for, awkward as it is. Your Gallant sounds like a real runner. I'm sorry but the attached picture is too small for me to get a very good look but it does appear to have a DOHC 4 cylinder engine. Can't even see if there's a Turbo but I'd have to assume there is one.
I've got a couple more of my VR-4 pictures I'll get on here. I'd have to say most people have never seen one.
Thomas
Kinally Mcgurkin, thank you so much for coming along on our journey here. It's something different for sure. Not for everyone but for those who "get it" it's been fun.
Stick with me, I'm not done yet.
Thomas
Not only are they expensive, they're hard to find! They stopped making that size for a while and only this year were they put back into production. Who knew?
The 855 is a terrific tractor though isn't it? It's a keeper for me, much like Chris! Thomas
another thing i like so much about this topic, you give the metrical numbers in your postst
(i don't have to recalculate everything)
PlekVis, you noticed, thanks. With my international flying I recognize most of the world is metric and wish to acknowledge the international readership of this thread. It's a small gesture but I sincerely appreciate those both inside and outside the US who are interested in my ramblings here. Thanks everyone.
Thomas
OK I'll finish some more replies later, guess what showed up at my door early this morning.
It looks small from here but a little closer and...
...it's a beautiful Peterbilt...
...and it's loaded with trees, 3 deep!
That gave me an excuse to use my new pallet forks. I'll have more on this shortly. Then, once they were mostly unloaded, look what else showed up...
...a tree spade! It was a looooong day at the ranch and will be tomorrow so you'll just have to wait for more. I need sleep!
Thomas
It looks small from here but a little closer and...
...it's a beautiful Peterbilt...
...and it's loaded with trees, 3 deep!
That gave me an excuse to use my new pallet forks. I'll have more on this shortly. Then, once they were mostly unloaded, look what else showed up...
...a tree spade! It was a looooong day at the ranch and will be tomorrow so you'll just have to wait for more. I need sleep!
Thomas
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Boosted1
Well-known member
Cool. Nice work going on there. I like the VR4 too. I have a Twin turbo 300. Not all wheel drive, but still easy to make wicked fast as you say.
I had a some time to finish a couple of small details on the Portable Dirty Room PDR and can now post the conclusion to that project.
With the surface rust removed from the top and the power strip installed I also installed...
...an especially heavy duty three outlet power cord...
...on a swivel with a metal case inertial reel on the opposite end. This will give me some flexibility that the fixed power strip won't.
Next up was to fabricate some studs for installing the vintage Samson vise, topped with...
...stainless steel washers and acorn nuts.
Yes the nuts are all clocked, even if they don't show up all that well in this photograph.
I made the studs flush with the nuts under the top so that exposed, excess threads don't show and to give it a more finished appearance.
The bare metal areas on the vise still need to be polished up. Probably good winter work.
It's a Samson #5229 machinist vise if anyone out there is a vise expert.
Wonderfully made with smooth action on the jaw and swivel. It lasted my Dad's lifetime and hopefully mine as well. With care I see no reason for it not to live on for many, many decades to come.
The casters, by the way, are working out beautifully. The PDR rolls smooth and easy. I'll bet that with just a bit of a push, the PDR would glide the length of the shop, 70' (21.3 m)
The stop fix brakes are easy to use and they lock the PDR solidly without a hint of any slippage. Whoever is using this bench 100 years from now will thank me for installing those casters. Expensive but well worth it. They are the only thing that connects the bench with the ground.
The last detail to be installed was 4 pieces of this...
...Gates rubber fuel line. I used it to protect the top edge of the shelf when I hang my clamps on the shelf.
Once the line was cut to length it was split along its entire length. I did orient the cut so when the line is installed, the writing on it faces inward and is not seen.
Once slit, it was opened up and slipped over the top edge...
...of the shelf. I didn't use anything adhesive, just a friction fit which works very well. This rubber line cushions the clamps...
...and protects the powder coating.
It also seems to muffle the "clanking" of the clamps...
...when rolling the PDR around.
I installed that fuel line on all four sides so when I'm using the table I can hang clamps anywhere it's convenient.
So that's my take on creating a useful piece of equipment for the shop. It helps keep the shop clean by allowing me to move it easily outside when performing really gritty work that would leave residue throughout the shop. And just as important to me, I like how it looks and performs. I'm confident Mr Johnson would approve.
Now a breakdown as to the material cost:
The steel 3/4" (1.9 cm) top plate was -- $329
Legs and shelf material was -- $124
4 Casters- 2 non swivel, 2 stop fix brake -- $241
Powder coating -- $100
Fuel line, 12' (3.6 m) -- $18
Power strip -- $12
Inertial reel outlet -- $42
Hardware -- $14
The joy of the creative process -- Priceless
Total $880
I have an accessory to the PDR which I will show and explain in another post. While it's not technically part of the PDR, it's essential to its ease of use and convenience. As always.........stand by. Thanks everyone.
Thomas
With the surface rust removed from the top and the power strip installed I also installed...
...an especially heavy duty three outlet power cord...
...on a swivel with a metal case inertial reel on the opposite end. This will give me some flexibility that the fixed power strip won't.
Next up was to fabricate some studs for installing the vintage Samson vise, topped with...
...stainless steel washers and acorn nuts.
Yes the nuts are all clocked, even if they don't show up all that well in this photograph.
I made the studs flush with the nuts under the top so that exposed, excess threads don't show and to give it a more finished appearance.
The bare metal areas on the vise still need to be polished up. Probably good winter work.
It's a Samson #5229 machinist vise if anyone out there is a vise expert.
Wonderfully made with smooth action on the jaw and swivel. It lasted my Dad's lifetime and hopefully mine as well. With care I see no reason for it not to live on for many, many decades to come.
The casters, by the way, are working out beautifully. The PDR rolls smooth and easy. I'll bet that with just a bit of a push, the PDR would glide the length of the shop, 70' (21.3 m)
The stop fix brakes are easy to use and they lock the PDR solidly without a hint of any slippage. Whoever is using this bench 100 years from now will thank me for installing those casters. Expensive but well worth it. They are the only thing that connects the bench with the ground.
The last detail to be installed was 4 pieces of this...
...Gates rubber fuel line. I used it to protect the top edge of the shelf when I hang my clamps on the shelf.
Once the line was cut to length it was split along its entire length. I did orient the cut so when the line is installed, the writing on it faces inward and is not seen.
Once slit, it was opened up and slipped over the top edge...
...of the shelf. I didn't use anything adhesive, just a friction fit which works very well. This rubber line cushions the clamps...
...and protects the powder coating.
It also seems to muffle the "clanking" of the clamps...
...when rolling the PDR around.
I installed that fuel line on all four sides so when I'm using the table I can hang clamps anywhere it's convenient.
So that's my take on creating a useful piece of equipment for the shop. It helps keep the shop clean by allowing me to move it easily outside when performing really gritty work that would leave residue throughout the shop. And just as important to me, I like how it looks and performs. I'm confident Mr Johnson would approve.
Now a breakdown as to the material cost:
The steel 3/4" (1.9 cm) top plate was -- $329
Legs and shelf material was -- $124
4 Casters- 2 non swivel, 2 stop fix brake -- $241
Powder coating -- $100
Fuel line, 12' (3.6 m) -- $18
Power strip -- $12
Inertial reel outlet -- $42
Hardware -- $14
The joy of the creative process -- Priceless
Total $880
I have an accessory to the PDR which I will show and explain in another post. While it's not technically part of the PDR, it's essential to its ease of use and convenience. As always.........stand by. Thanks everyone.
Thomas
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ZRX61
Well-known member
I made the studs flush with the nuts under the top so that exposed, excess threads don't show and to give it a more finished appearance.
Thomas
A&P violation per AC 43-13...
Omphaloskeptic
Well-known member
Thomas, the PDR looks terrific! It's almost too 'pretty' to use as it is intended. It reminds me of a piece of fine Norwegian furniture, simple in design, elegant in its execution.
I was really surprised with the cost breakdown you generously supplied. Two items in particular, the caster cost and the powder coating. Those casters are definitely spendy, but at the same time, they will last lifetimes and are quality items. The powder coating cost surprised me also, but in that I thought it was a really inexpensive outlay for the finished result. I realize you most likely get a generous 'volume discount' lol, but I didn't think your powder coating guy could afford to fire up his oven for so cheap a price!
Once again, thanks for taking us along for the ride; Mr. Johnson is probably watching too and I would think he would approve.
It still gives me a chill when I recall the eerie discovery of the name tag in the yard; spooky!
I was really surprised with the cost breakdown you generously supplied. Two items in particular, the caster cost and the powder coating. Those casters are definitely spendy, but at the same time, they will last lifetimes and are quality items. The powder coating cost surprised me also, but in that I thought it was a really inexpensive outlay for the finished result. I realize you most likely get a generous 'volume discount' lol, but I didn't think your powder coating guy could afford to fire up his oven for so cheap a price!
Once again, thanks for taking us along for the ride; Mr. Johnson is probably watching too and I would think he would approve.
It still gives me a chill when I recall the eerie discovery of the name tag in the yard; spooky!
Laro13
Well-known member
Nice Table!
Can we have some pic's of the Stingray please?
I am curious what your next project will be.
Cheers,
Jasper
Can we have some pic's of the Stingray please?
I am curious what your next project will be.
Cheers,
Jasper
That PDR is simply fantastic. I always wanted to make one like that.
But my only doubts is about the casters... Do they relly give enough stability to hard work? To "up-down" forces for sure works ok, but for intance with torsion forces using the vise?
I really would like to know that.
Thanks
Jorge
But my only doubts is about the casters... Do they relly give enough stability to hard work? To "up-down" forces for sure works ok, but for intance with torsion forces using the vise?
I really would like to know that.
Thanks
Jorge
mrob12
Member
A&P violation per AC 43-13...
Thread and one half exposed?
Amitygravel
Well-known member
Hello Thomas !
The propertyis looking great , and the PDR is just plain slick.
That Samson in raw form really stands out. The casting texture makes for a beautiful contrast to that stunning red gloss.
Hope to see you soon
Craig
The propertyis looking great , and the PDR is just plain slick.
That Samson in raw form really stands out. The casting texture makes for a beautiful contrast to that stunning red gloss.
Hope to see you soon
Craig
A&P violation per AC 43-13...
Well dang, and here I thought my PDR would be airworthy. See what happens when I stay off the job for any amount of time. I haven't had to sign off on any aircraft work in years and this is what happens. Thanks guys for keeping me honest.
Thomas
Thomas, the PDR looks terrific! It's almost too 'pretty' to use as it is intended. It reminds me of a piece of fine Norwegian furniture, simple in design, elegant in its execution.
I was really surprised with the cost breakdown you generously supplied. Two items in particular, the caster cost and the powder coating. Those casters are definitely spendy, but at the same time, they will last lifetimes and are quality items. The powder coating cost surprised me also, but in that I thought it was a really inexpensive outlay for the finished result. I realize you most likely get a generous 'volume discount' lol, but I didn't think your powder coating guy could afford to fire up his oven for so cheap a price!
Once again, thanks for taking us along for the ride; Mr. Johnson is probably watching too and I would think he would approve.
It still gives me a chill when I recall the eerie discovery of the name tag in the yard; spooky!
During the construction phase I felt as you. The casters turned out to be much more expensive than I expected and the powder coating was much cheaper than I thought it would be. The 3/4" steel plate top price quote came in more reasonably than I thought it would also. In the end it all balances out I guess. I decided I wanted Blicke to supply the casters and knowing the high quality I just stepped up for them. I bet 20 years from now I'll have forgotten about the high cost but will still be marveling at the quality every time I move that table.
As for the powder coating expense, Rick really doesn't give me any discounts. They just do great work for a very reasonable cost.
His oven is so large my stuff is a mere pittance to him. It swallows up little items like the PDR without a hiccup. I am very fortunate to have access to a company like his.
Your thought about finding Mr Johnson's name tag is something I still carry with me always out there. When I think about it, it still dumfounds me. No question there was something to it. I've got to believe he's happy with the outcome to his old shop, tools and equipment.
Thomas
Hello again Jorge and thanks for sharing your thoughts about the casters. Blickles catalog is 500 pages long and all they do are casters and wheels.
http://www.blickle.us.com/
I talked at lenght with Frédéric Lagacé, a very knowledgeable gentleman with Blickle. After he clearly understood what the application would be he recommended a couple of different choices that would fit my needs. I don't know who the company rep would be for Portugal, but once you contact whoever it is, I bet they can supply you with the technical data you need. I suspect they have a product that can fill your needs. Let me know how it turns out.
Thomas
Nice Table!
Can we have some pic's of the Stingray please?
I am curious what your next project will be.
Cheers,
Jasper
Jasper, you have a good eye. I have several projects in mind, not sure just yet which it will be. Rest assured I'll share it here.
The Corvette Stingray has always been a favorite of mine.
Mine is a 1966 that is not a show car but a well maintained, all stock car that is driven and enjoyed.
I decided to replace the old shifter boot and while I have it in the shop I'm doing a few maintenance items on it. I'll post a few more pictures if you'd like.
Thomas
Hey Lou, great to have you back home safe and sound. Wow, they dug telephone poles with that long handled shovel huh? Boy, that's when men were men!
Is this the South Wind heater you were referring to? It's now residing in the tool shed, along with all those gold bars I haven't found.........yet
See you next year when we do Bonneville again. Think I'll get to drive the '28 Roadster? Thomas
Randy what a story, simply unbelievable! There's some weird Karma floating around all this for sure. Is someone taking notes? This is going to make an amazing movie someday.....once the story comes to a conclusion. Who knows where this is going to lead?
Keep trying to turn up those pictures, no matter what condition they might be in. Watch, the pictures will show Al out there on the salt with his Belly Tanker.......... with Mr Johnson acting as crew and installing the Y-Manifold on it! Then I'd know this was all a dream!!!!!!!!
Thomas
Bet I'll see Jan before I see you! She stopped by the shop a couple of days ago. Now we're instant friends! Good people.
Thomas
Here's the best news of the weekend. Today while I was at the shop I noticed next door...
...all that faint, fuzzy green "stuff" under the straw.
It's my first crop on the new property.
That's the beginnings of my new lawn. Where just 4 months ago was it was wild untamed jungle, where just 13 days ago I planted it, it's now becoming a sea of green. I am so proud! The man can build a PDR and grow grass from seed too! Now that's one Bad *** dude!!
Thomas
...all that faint, fuzzy green "stuff" under the straw.
It's my first crop on the new property.
That's the beginnings of my new lawn. Where just 4 months ago was it was wild untamed jungle, where just 13 days ago I planted it, it's now becoming a sea of green. I am so proud! The man can build a PDR and grow grass from seed too! Now that's one Bad *** dude!!
Thomas
ZRX61
Well-known member
Well dang, and here I thought my PDR would be airworthy. See what happens when I stay off the job for any amount of time. I haven't had to sign off on any aircraft work in years and this is what happens. Thanks guys for keeping me honest.
Thomas
Thought ya needed a nudge
realvc
Well-known member
Thomas you are the MAN. You are one cool dude. All the shop and land updating and upkeep, the drag racing, the salt flats connection and tons of other cool stuff and a vette too. Your vette looks as nice as all your other rides. Do you have a street rod lurking around the barn as well? As always good stuff from the Center of the Universe.
I bought a 99 vette vert. back in 2009 and have really enjoyed it. It was listed on the vette forum which is the same forum I learned about your thread. I've been reading your thread for around two years and just now found out you have a vette. Does this qualify as a karma deal?
I bought a 99 vette vert. back in 2009 and have really enjoyed it. It was listed on the vette forum which is the same forum I learned about your thread. I've been reading your thread for around two years and just now found out you have a vette. Does this qualify as a karma deal?
Laro13
Well-known member
Jasper, you have a good eye. I have several projects in mind, not sure just yet which it will be. Rest assured I'll share it here.
The Corvette Stingray has always been a favorite of mine.
Nice looking Stingray!
Ever since I saw the 80's tv show with the black '65 corvette stingray, as a kid, I have a soft spot for them.
Sadly they are very expensive over here.
Thank you for the interesting stories and pictures!
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stidham
Member
Brian R
Well-known member
Stidham,
I'm afraid you may not do well on the test. You better start back at post 1 and remember there are some big events that Chris may use.
I'm afraid you may not do well on the test. You better start back at post 1 and remember there are some big events that Chris may use.
Sweet Old Bill
Well-known member
Thomas,
Regarding the cost of the casters, there have been several old ad campaigns that have used slight variations of the following: The memory of quality lingers on long after the cost is forgotten!
Regarding the cost of the casters, there have been several old ad campaigns that have used slight variations of the following: The memory of quality lingers on long after the cost is forgotten!
gfc62
Well-known member
Thomas,
I wanted to drop in and say a quick thank you for sharing your restoration and build projects with us, it has been a very enjoyable and entertaining read so far and I look forward to your future posts, especially reading about your new property and future drag strip, runway, road course, and of course the gear head motel so all of us can come visit.
Count me as a 'yes' vote for any future posts on agricultural topics. I didn't grow up on a farm and may never own one, but as I begin thinking about buying a retirement property one idea I have is to buy a few acres with large outbuildings for my garage and shop. Yours and other great threads on GJ are great sources of info on maintaining such a property.
In the 70's I bought a 65 GTO project car from a friend and went with him to pick it up on their family farm. His parents were weekend farmers and had a caretaker family living on their property. This seemed like a nice solution for an absentee farm owner. Of course, like everything I'm sure it also had some down side as well. I've had a few tenants over the years and as I'm sure you and Chris have experienced in your apartments, good tenants are a blessing and bad ones can make life miserable.
Sorry for turning this into a real estate post, that wasn't my intent. My main reason for writing was to thank you for all the fond memories your posts bring back.
I worked at a couple of garages and service stations in my late teens and recall one having a very similar drive-on lift with identical pivoting safety locks. Ours was air/hydraulic, probably made in the late 50s or early 60s. At some point while I was there they 'upgraded' the lift ramp platform to equip it with turntables and air jacks for front end & alignment work. The other two lifts in that shop were similar Rotary lifts but were pad-type frame contact lifts. No one liked working under the drive on lift so -- being the new guy -- I got stuck doing most of my work under that lift. You quickly learn to adapt and where to spot the car to work around the post and ramps.
We had a similar Sun analyzer, a great machine -- fast and easy to use. Later on they 'upgraded' the analyzer to an Allen computerized unit that never seemed as good of a tool. The shop next door had a Sun distributor machine much like yours but that seemed to only be used for personal projects (including mine) and not much for customer cars. I was working there right at the transition to electronic ignition controls. We had an interesting mix of customers and vehicles.
I remember one older woman who lived in a retirement community nearby would bring her '69 SS 427 Impala in for service. That car was beautiful and only had about 30k miles. Every time she brought it in I would bug her to sell it to me. She never budged on selling it but I got quite a few test drives in that car, just to blow out the carbon of course. When I asked her why she bought that particular car she told me when she retired she wanted something less flashy than her Cadillac so she went to the Chevy dealer who told her to order the big block so she wouldn't miss the Cadillac's power!
At the time our shop was located just past the suburban sprawl. Our intersection had the last traffic signal for many miles with a farm across the street and several more just down the road. These were small dairy farms many owned by older farmers who would soon sell off their land to developers. It's all suburban developments now but back then many of the local farmers had house charge accounts for gas, diesel, and kerosene and would on occasion bring tractors, welder/generators, and all manner of odd equipment in for service.
One day one of my favorite regular customers towed in a trailer mounted air compressor with his tractor asking me to get it running. It was the sort of compressor you'd see road crews using to break up asphalt. I told him I didn't know anything about compressors but in his typical fashion he insisted so I took a look. Sure enough, I opened the cover and it was a Ford 351 motor with one of the heads replaced with a custom compressor head.
That story came to mind because I remember how during that period of my life my friends and I learned so much and felt so good about what we were able to fix. I still remember the great feeling of accomplishment that came after starting the first engine I ever rebuilt or rescuing an old broken down Ford Pinto heading to the scrap yard and rebuilding the engine and transmission so my sister could have a car at college. Man those were nice simple times.
Thanks again Thomas and Chris for all that you have shared with us. Sorry for my long-winded post.
Gordon
I wanted to drop in and say a quick thank you for sharing your restoration and build projects with us, it has been a very enjoyable and entertaining read so far and I look forward to your future posts, especially reading about your new property and future drag strip, runway, road course, and of course the gear head motel so all of us can come visit.
Count me as a 'yes' vote for any future posts on agricultural topics. I didn't grow up on a farm and may never own one, but as I begin thinking about buying a retirement property one idea I have is to buy a few acres with large outbuildings for my garage and shop. Yours and other great threads on GJ are great sources of info on maintaining such a property.
In the 70's I bought a 65 GTO project car from a friend and went with him to pick it up on their family farm. His parents were weekend farmers and had a caretaker family living on their property. This seemed like a nice solution for an absentee farm owner. Of course, like everything I'm sure it also had some down side as well. I've had a few tenants over the years and as I'm sure you and Chris have experienced in your apartments, good tenants are a blessing and bad ones can make life miserable.
Sorry for turning this into a real estate post, that wasn't my intent. My main reason for writing was to thank you for all the fond memories your posts bring back.
I worked at a couple of garages and service stations in my late teens and recall one having a very similar drive-on lift with identical pivoting safety locks. Ours was air/hydraulic, probably made in the late 50s or early 60s. At some point while I was there they 'upgraded' the lift ramp platform to equip it with turntables and air jacks for front end & alignment work. The other two lifts in that shop were similar Rotary lifts but were pad-type frame contact lifts. No one liked working under the drive on lift so -- being the new guy -- I got stuck doing most of my work under that lift. You quickly learn to adapt and where to spot the car to work around the post and ramps.
We had a similar Sun analyzer, a great machine -- fast and easy to use. Later on they 'upgraded' the analyzer to an Allen computerized unit that never seemed as good of a tool. The shop next door had a Sun distributor machine much like yours but that seemed to only be used for personal projects (including mine) and not much for customer cars. I was working there right at the transition to electronic ignition controls. We had an interesting mix of customers and vehicles.
I remember one older woman who lived in a retirement community nearby would bring her '69 SS 427 Impala in for service. That car was beautiful and only had about 30k miles. Every time she brought it in I would bug her to sell it to me. She never budged on selling it but I got quite a few test drives in that car, just to blow out the carbon of course. When I asked her why she bought that particular car she told me when she retired she wanted something less flashy than her Cadillac so she went to the Chevy dealer who told her to order the big block so she wouldn't miss the Cadillac's power!
At the time our shop was located just past the suburban sprawl. Our intersection had the last traffic signal for many miles with a farm across the street and several more just down the road. These were small dairy farms many owned by older farmers who would soon sell off their land to developers. It's all suburban developments now but back then many of the local farmers had house charge accounts for gas, diesel, and kerosene and would on occasion bring tractors, welder/generators, and all manner of odd equipment in for service.
One day one of my favorite regular customers towed in a trailer mounted air compressor with his tractor asking me to get it running. It was the sort of compressor you'd see road crews using to break up asphalt. I told him I didn't know anything about compressors but in his typical fashion he insisted so I took a look. Sure enough, I opened the cover and it was a Ford 351 motor with one of the heads replaced with a custom compressor head.
That story came to mind because I remember how during that period of my life my friends and I learned so much and felt so good about what we were able to fix. I still remember the great feeling of accomplishment that came after starting the first engine I ever rebuilt or rescuing an old broken down Ford Pinto heading to the scrap yard and rebuilding the engine and transmission so my sister could have a car at college. Man those were nice simple times.
Thanks again Thomas and Chris for all that you have shared with us. Sorry for my long-winded post.
Gordon
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Vernmotor
Well-known member
The man can build a PDR and grow grass from seed too! Now that's one Bad *** dude!! and he is a Drag racer !!
bhawley
Member
Yes, please!!!!!
Did I miss a post????
Boy I hate to have to ask you to go back and read that missed post. Go to page 24, post # 468 and read it. Then you'll understand. You'll thank me when the test finally arrives.
Thomas
Well put Brian. I bet he'll thank you as well.
(BTW Chris, how is that test coming anyway?)
Loving Husband Thomas (LHT)
Bill, you are right of course and the sentiment remains the same. When I first started the shop project I tried not to think of the cost. Do it the right way the first time, try to find the best value, decide which items are critical and not to be compromised. That's how I viewed the casters. I consider them critical. After all, the whole concept of the PDR revolves around its portability. I have friends who spent that much on golf green fees in a few months time without the blink of an eye.
(BTW, I've taken a peak at the book and note the authors comments to me on the inside cover. You have my profound thanks for such a thoughtful gift. Can't wait to really dig into it.
)Thomas