Pinch Me, it it real?

[duggie]

Great poem !!!! I Love it !!!!

You should send that to HOTROD Magazine or some of the others for them to publish !!!

 

[Beefbuzz]

Awesome, have a Snappy new year as well!

 

[motormitch]

Now here are some before and after pics of the lower trim pieces.

Work on one of the 1865 Rivieras has progressed significantly over the last several days so I thought I would share some photos.

There was a LOT of hidden damage and tons of old body filler.

Here is a picture of a large dent that you could barely see until I got into it. After removing a couple pounds of old filler, I pulled the dent out the way it should have been done.



Then there was the rear end to deal with...



Working it..



Then on the other side, another dent filled with filler. Here is a picture of grinding it out..



Getting there slowly but surely.

 

[motormitch]

Now let's remove the truck and door skins to work on them off the car. I love the fact that the skins unbolt.



Trunk lib, skins and front valence parts all final primed and ready for paint next...



Let's jump to the end of where I'm at now with the rest ready for the final block after several other blocks.

 

[motormitch]

Well, My friend Jack and I tackled refreshing his 1996 Impala SS that he bought new and has been the daily driver for his mother in Florida for the last 8 or so years. The Florida sun has taken its toll on the car, particularly the bumpers and there has been the accumulation of dent and dings with a couple being pretty bad and needing real body work. His mother drove the car up from Florida a week ago and will be heading back in a couple of days so this was a real "git her done" job.

One thing of particular interest was the fact that I tried using 3000 and 5000 grit wet paper disks for my new water assisted DA for the wet sanding prior to buffing and I LOVE IT!!!!!!!! My Lord at the hours of hand blocking it saves and after you finished with the 5000 grit, you go straight to machine polish with the buffer (I use 3M perfect it) and skip compounding so the risk of burn through is reduced.

Anyway, here are some pics for your viewing pleasure.

Here are some before shots

,
,
,

 

[motormitch]

I had to use a flexible primer on the old plastic bumpers before the base coat and clear coat.

 

[motormitch]

And here are some of the finished car.

 

[j p smith]

Wow, pictures look awesome,bet it looks better in person. Good work!

 

[Whitey1]

Beautiful car!

 

[e-tek]

GREAT read. GREAT shop. GREAT projects.....but....I fear you won't survive it some days! Maybe your wife should get you a "I felt and can't get up'' key chain instead of the camera system - LOL! For Christ's sake - be careful out there!

The bathroom turned out awesome - love the corrugated wall. Also the table - EPIC. I may have missed it, but do you have a background in bodywork/painting? Nice job on the black paint job for sure. Is that a full booth?

 

[motormitch]

GREAT read. GREAT shop. GREAT projects.....but....I fear you won't survive it some days! Maybe your wife should get you a "I felt and can't get up'' key chain instead of the camera system - LOL! For Christ's sake - be careful out there!

The bathroom turned out awesome - love the corrugated wall. Also the table - EPIC. I may have missed it, but do you have a background in bodywork/painting? Nice job on the black paint job for sure. Is that a full booth?

Thanks for the kind words.

I do have some background in paint and body. Taught by my Grandfather who was a professional and then worked part time during high school and a year after that before military service. I'm better than a shade tree and a little less than a practicing professional. As I devote more time to it, I expect to get better.

The paint booth is a professional cross draft that is fully retractable. A real space saver with professional performance without losing the space to a dedicated booth.

 

[motormitch]

Thanks for the kind words.

I do have some background in paint and body. Taught by my Grandfather who was a professional and then worked part time during high school and a year after that before military service. I'm better than a shade tree and a little less than a practicing professional. As I devote more time to it, I expect to get better.

The paint booth is a professional cross draft that is fully retractable. A real space saver with professional performance without losing the space to a dedicated booth.

I forgot to add that it has a double filtration system and is EPA approved. When expanded it is 30' so I can handle crew cab trucks and when compressed it takes up 8'.

 

[motormitch]

I finally found the perfect locker in Craig's list for my shop. It is a vintage double door with shelve and bar for hanging shirts. The only problem is that it was covered in three layers of paint, one of which was actually a hammer tone. I want it to match the industrial look, so off with the paint ad then a lot of grinding. I'll either oil it or clear coat it later. Here are the before and after.

 

[frankush]

I don't know what I'd do with a garage like that. Very nice.

 

[motormitch]

I don't know what I'd do with a garage like that. Very nice.

Thanks, I worked pretty hard getting it where it is today. You find that you spend more and more time there. Hense me heading out there right now at 4:45AM my time.

 

[motormitch]

I've been ofter asked why the shop is named the Blood Shed (not by people who read this read) and I realized that I had captured a couple of video clips that are the embodiment the nature of the shop. First, here is a link to a short clip of my friend Marty and I teaching (we might between us 2 hours of experience, so clearly we are professionals) his son how to use my plasma cutter to round the corners on a welding table. Notice the selection of a guide object.

Yes,it is a can of flammable epoxy automotive primer. There is one other small safety issue. Can you spot it?

 

[motormitch]

Here is the second video that was captured by my security cameras. This is a lesson on several things. 1) doing things by yourself that usual involve a couple of people 2) gear selections are always important.

I wanted to pull a truck without a transmission out of one of the bays to use the lift. Being a lazy man and always looking for an opportunity to use a forklift, I had a brilliant idea. Almost as brilliant as when I decided to add a slight slope forward to aid draining and then clearly forgot about it.

I would like to point out that while I am slender in build, clearly I have MASSIVE leg strength, particularly when fuel by fear. The truck and fork lift did NOT touch. The Blood Shed was sure that it had me without even having to use spiders...

Ha! Not so easy o' Shed of Blood

 

[hpw]

dam..... did you go behind the fork lift to check ur shorts

 

[NUTTSGT]

That could have been the worst bloodletting yet.


What was the yellow tape you were using on the Impala ?

 

[luke7734]

Forklift video.. classic AFV.. I was just doing the dumb voice over the whole time... "yep, chain to truck, pull forward.. oh. The trucks rolling... I'll just hop off n stop it.. oh ****! Left the batlift in gear... ****.. ****.. ****... Please don't break my leg... oh thank god.. ok.. quick look around.. whew.. no one saw me.. "

 

[motormitch]

dam..... did you go behind the fork lift to check ur shorts

There was no need to check, I knew what was there already.

 

[motormitch]

That could have been the worst bloodletting yet.


What was the yellow tape you were using on the Impala ?

I don't Know the brand, it's a premium tape I get from the paint supply store.

 

[thetastelingers]

Here is the second video that was captured by my security cameras. This is a lesson on several things. 1) doing things by yourself that usual involve a couple of people 2) gear selections are always important.

I wanted to pull a truck without a transmission out of one of the bays to use the lift. Being a lazy man and always looking for an opportunity to use a forklift, I had a brilliant idea. Almost as brilliant as when I decided to add a slight slope forward to aid draining and then clearly forgot about it.

I would like to point out that while I am slender in build, clearly I have MASSIVE leg strength, particularly when fuel by fear. The truck and fork lift did NOT touch. The Blood Shed was sure that it had me without even having to use spiders...

Ha! Not so easy o' Shed of Blood

I got a good laugh out of that. My muscles seem to remember doing that at one point or another, my brain just seems to have blocked that memory out.

 

[motormitch]

Right now I have 3 cars that all need plug wires. I hate plug wires. Hate them, hate them and hate them. I mentioned earlier in this thread that I had a long standing life time state of war declared with electricity, illustrated by the two stories I shared, "trust me it'll feel good" and "Grand pappies don't have nerve endings". Well, thinking about having to replace 3 sets of plug wires reminded me that I had skipped a story in the chronological order of my battles with old sparky. This one I call "Dad, the mini bike from hell and the swamp". Here it is, but I warn you it is actually a two part story so be patent.

Part 1

I was 8 and already in love with anything that had a motor or wheels and both was even better. I wanted a mini-bike so bad it was all I could talk about, dream about or scheme about. You see there was this kid Alan, living at the beginning of our road who had parents that actually loved him and had bought him a brand new, bright blue Sears 5HP minibike and it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, except my cousin Melodie from the "trust me it'll feel good" story. Alan would not let any of us ride his wonderful machine, but was always ready to show it off with great stunts of amazing biking skill.

One day he decided to show all of us that he could actually ride his mini bike up THE oak tree. We had a massive oak tree in our back yard with great roots that arched up the sides just like skate board ramps. Even Evel Knievel would have seen allure of trying to ride up this tree. All of us had tried it with our bikes, but none had ever been able to go high enough to touch the bottom limb, the unreachable goal we all shared. Alan announced that Saturday morning he was going to use the power of his new mini bike and do the impossible.

Saturday a great crowd of boys assembled in our back yard to bare witness to Alan using the unimaginable power of a 5HP engine, ride up the tree and touch the bottom limb. Alan backed about 1/4 of a mile up the hill behind our yard that we used to build up speed. He stared forcefully at the tree willing it to submit, tightened the ******** his, wait we didn't wear helmets in those days, took a deep breath and gunned the minibike. We all yelled encouragement like, "you're gonna die!" and "we'll sign your body cast" until just before he hit the tree roots. That was the first time I ever heard a collective inward gasping for breath because he was really hauling ***.

Time slowed to a crawl and we all watched as Alan and the blue demon actually rode up the root and continued till they were completely vertical, still moving close to mach 1. He was going to do it! As he reached for the bottom limb, mean old mister physics kicked in and the suspension that had been compressed has he transitioned up the tree, decompressed and pushed the bike and Alan back away from the tree while still going upward. Now they were moving in a giant backward arc. Not even noticing the impended disaster of arcing backward, Alan continued to reach up and YES, HE SLAPPED THE LIMB!!!! He had done it and we all were there to witness it. History was made. Then Alan and the mini bike continued traveling backward, falling to earth when Mister physics reminded Mr. Gravity he was now on plate. Alan landed flat on his back and then the mini bike landed on top of him. It was horrific. I saw the handle bar stab him in the side as the rest of upside down bike crushed him into the ground. The bike bounced off to the side and then the engine coughed out and stopped. There was not a sound. We all stared at Alan's dead body, layng there unmoving, getting cold. Finally one of us said, "poke him and see if he's really dead." followed by the response, "you do it smarty." Finally, I cautiously approached the body with a stick in my hand trying not to get death on me in case it was contagious and poked him a little. Nothing, he was gone. I said, "somebody go get his Dad" and got the reply from someone "you do it smarty". Just as I turned to see who said it, Alan popped open his eyes and screamed at the top of his lungs and of course this triggered a great screaming wave through the group. Holy ****, Alan was back from the dead! It's alive! Alan rolled over, sat up gasping for air since he clearly had had the wind knocked out of him. After a few gasps he looked at the group, smiled a devilish little smile and "I did it you Sons of *******, I touched the limb!" What a moment. Alan, back from the dead, announcing that he had done the impossible and cursing like a sailor at the same time. Alan was a living legend and I knew it was all because he had a mini bike. I had to have one if it was the last thing I ever did.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

As the owner of a still alive 1970 Rupp Scrambler, and former rider of only the second Bonanza BC-1510MX Mini-motocross in Michigan, I can't wait for the end of this.

I LOVE the fact that you're a Ford guy, and your build is incredible.

 

[Gentleman Adventurer]

Mitch;

To quote a saying;
"You done Good!!"

I spent a leisure evening and some breakfast time reading through your thread. Very informative and entertaining. I will admit it was the name of your shop that hooked me into starting the read, but your story was fascinating.

One question, and maybe I missed it, but what do you do for your day job, or is this going to be it?

You have surely been blessed, and it seems you know the giver.

I may be headed to that area of TX in the next couple of months, I would love to visit you and your shop.

Thanks for the inspiration.

 

[motormitch]

Here is part two of the "Dad, the mini bike from hell and the swamp"

After bearing witness to one of the greatest mini bike stunts ever seen, my desire for my own mini bike escalated to a level bordering on frantic. I needed one like a junkie needs a fix. One small problem, at 8 years old I did not have any money of my own so this would have to come from Mom and Dad. Looking back with an adults eyes, I realize now that things were REALLY tight with Dad raising three boys on a single income, but at 8, I KNEW they could buy one if they only loved me. So began the campaign for the bike. I tried being nice and staying out of trouble, well at least big trouble. Volunteering to do extra chores. Tring to get get good grades, or at least perfecting the ability to transform F,E and Ds into A and Bs on the paper report cards we had to bring home to signed. (I think I might have been a counterfeiter in another life I was so good at it) Nothing worked, so I resorted to begging. This had never worked in the past and usually backfired, but hey, I was THAT desperate. After the begging campaign failed, I had a brilliant idea. Marketing!! I started by leaving cut outs of mini bikes from catalogs and magazines everywhere. I made subtle references to how happy Alan and his whole family had become after a mini bike had joined the family. Still nothing. I turned up the heat and started writing little essays about how cool I would be with a mini bike and started leaving them with the cutouts. I kept this up months.

Finally, my Mom and Dad sat me down to explain that they clearly understood how badly I wanted one, but that I needed to understand their reasons for not getting me one. Mom's big reason was that I would most certainly get killed or crippled for life if I had one. (strangely enough at 16 her predictions came unbelievably close to happening on a motorcycle, but that's another story) To his credit, Dad tried telling me the truth and explaining our financial situation. I was just too young to really understand so it fell on deaf ears. I remember breaking down and crying which was NOT an acceptable behavior because crying in my family was reserved for physical trauma where bone was exposed to open air or the death of a pet.

However, something must have gotten through to their stone cold hearts, because my Dad looked at my Mom and said, "Hell Joan, I guess it can't hurt for me to look around and see if I can find a cheap used one for the boy." (that was often my name) The room started spinning, my heart started racing, my legs got weak, OMG it was going to happen. I was getting a mini bike!!!

Weeks dragged by. Just when I had given up all hope and was thinking about running away to join the circus, my Dad said, "Hey Mitch. I think I might have found a mini bike." He used my given name! It wasn't a joke! It was gonna really happen! That afternoon he took me to look at it. A guy named Albert came out and took us around back to the garage. As he raised the door to show it to us, I was so excited I actually had trouble breathing. Behind a big trash can, I could see the front wheel! He rolled it out and it was the ugliest, beat up, POS I had ever laid eyes on and I fell head over heels in love it. He began to explain to my Dad how everything worked on it and all the little things that were "rigged up" to work. I just stood in a trace staring with drool running down my chin. I guess my Dad and Albert reached a number, because I saw them shake hands and we loaded the bike into the trunk of the car, tied the lip down and headed home.

We unloaded it and Dad started right away trying to get it running. (he was cool like that) After he drained the tank, cleaned the spark plug and got a little starter fluid in it, she fired up on about the third pull. I've never heard a Harley that sounded as beautiful as that mini bike. There was no way to tell what HP the motor was since any markings had long ago worn away so I decided it was a 10HP motor so I could beat Alan. Ohhhh what races we were going to have. What a perfect day, sunny, no school for the summer, the smell of gasoline and exhaust and I was the owner of a MINI BIKE. Truly heaven on earth. Suddenly I hear my Dad swear a little. I didn't realize it at the time, but that foreshadowed how my day was going to turn on me. I asked what was wrong and my Dad said, "the damn throttle doesn't have a return spring so if you just turn it and let go, it keeps right on revving." OK, not so bad. Just remember to turn your hand back up when you twist the throttle down. I never planned to actually take my hand off the throttle once I gothold it any way. Then as my Dad is revving my little wheeled angel, he starts muttering bad things again. "What wrong now Dad?" I ask. "the throttle can go past the top and start revving the motor again. I've never seen anything like it" he answers. OK. Important safety tip, don't forgot to twist the throttle grip back up when you are done accelerating and don't twist it too far or it starts accelerating again. I think you can see that this is not going to lead to anything good. Then I hear Dad say, "****, this thing doesn't have a kill switch that works." "What does that mean I ask?" "You have to pull the plug wire off to kill the motor," he tells me. Then then proceeded to show me by starting it and then grabbing the plug wire and pulling it off. The motor dies. Easy enough right? You can see that things are lining up nicely for the universe to teach a hard lesson. "let's take her to the football and give her a ride," my Dad says. Oh yes please. The bike goes in the trunk again, he grabs the gas can and off we go to the Clyde Elementary Football field.

You should know that my home town was little and didn't have a lot of money, so the football field ran along side of a swampy area that flooded the end of the field close to the concession stand when it rained a lot, which it had been doing. We unloaded and Dad starts her. Then he gives her a little test run to "warm it up" (I now know that men are always just big kids in their hearts and he wanted to ride it as bad as I did) After what seemed like days he came back from his cross county ride and said, "all right, she's ready, your turn." My turn!!! It was my TURN!!! I was just seconds away from feeling the wind in my face as I roared down the football field. I mount the bike and get ready to start and my Dad say, "hold it a sec and let me walk along side to I can show you how tricky the throttle is." "Achhhhh Dad, I watched you and I got it. Twist back to slow down, but not too far or you will accelerate again" I reply.

He stares at me and says, "all right then big boy she's all yours." Oh please say that again. That's the sweetest sounding phrase I ever heard. I settle my tail in the seat, reach up to tighten the ******** my, oh that's right, we didn't wear helmets in those days, gave the throttle a downward twist and off I go. I have to tell you that there are few times in life when things are good as you expect, but this was on of them. It was AWESOME!!! I went flying down the field going ever faster and faster because Albert had removed the the governor so it would go fast as possible, blown motor be damned. As I neared the end zone, I turned to the left and realized I was going to little too fast for my comfort on making the turn. I twisted the throttle upward to slow down, but the bike keep speeding. I had twisted it too far. Now I panicked and twisted it even further upward in a desperate attempt to slow down. Now I am flying at hundreds of miles a hour. I am trying to turn, but not having much success. I hear my Dad yell "turn it! turn it!. Good advice Pop. I look up and see that I am going to run head long into the large wooden concession stand. My survival instincts kicked in and I dumped the bike. Fortuitously I had entered the swamp zone so the bike wasn't damaged. Un-fortuitously I had entered the swamp zone and had crashed into a wet mess with the throttle stuck open and the engine about to blow. My minutes of training kicked in and I knew I needed to pull the plug wire. I had to save my baby. Unbeknownst to me, my Dad had arrived and just as I reached down to pull the plug he bent forward as well. Wet and standing in water, I grabbed the plug wire, by the end that connects to the top of the spark plug it turns out and the universe exploded.

I'm pretty sure that my body couldn't decide where the pain should come from so every nerve ending I had decided to compete for the honors. I experienced a shocking sensation that exceeded the time I peed on the electric fence. Every part of me was paralyzed except my throat. I screamed and by screaming I mean like glass shattering, police siren, 5 feet from a jet engine screaming. Right into my Dad's ear which was only inches from my pie hole. Dad did the only thing a man can do when exposed to a shrill high pitched, deafeningly loud scream directly in the ear canal, he backhanded me right on my ***. Later, he told the police that he was trying to free me from the electrical shock. Just kidding, no one called the police when a kid got handed a good one back in those days, they just applauded and offered to take a turn if the parent was getting tired. Now I am laying face down in swamp water, spitting, choking, having seizures from the millions of volts that just coursed through my body and the whole side of my head throbbing from my Dad's involuntary response to losing his hearing for life. How can a day go from awesome to awful in 30 seconds? Not the mini bike, never the mini bike. No, electricity, that's how. I hate it and it hates me. The most beautiful day of my 8 years of existence completely ruined by "jugo de diablo".

BTW, I didn't give up on the mini bike from hell and it will be a part of another story later...

 

[motormitch]

Mitch;

To quote a saying;
"You done Good!!"

I spent a leisure evening and some breakfast time reading through your thread. Very informative and entertaining. I will admit it was the name of your shop that hooked me into starting the read, but your story was fascinating.

One question, and maybe I missed it, but what do you do for your day job, or is this going to be it?

You have surely been blessed, and it seems you know the giver.

I may be headed to that area of TX in the next couple of months, I would love to visit you and your shop.

Thanks for the inspiration.

I run a small high tech company here in Austin and while I love spending time here in the Blood Shed, I can't commit myself to shop full time.....Yet..

I am working on a new car project that could actually lead to a new business opportunity. I would explain it, but there are far too many people on this forum with the skills and talent to take my idea and run with it I'll PM you my contact information and would be glad to host while you are here in Austin. You can check out the shop, some cars and then I'll buy you a meal.....

 

[JTH]

Mitch I'd love to spend a day working in your shop with you. You spin a story on the page very well but I'm guessing hearing them told is even better. I'm not one for using internet short cuts but I literally LOL while reading this episode of "Tales from the Blood Shed". Thanks for sharing.
My oldest brother is 13 years older than me and by the time I was 4 he had an old AJS that my mom hated. There was no "campaign" I could devise to get a mini bike. JT

 

[motormitch]

Mitch I'd love to spend a day working in your shop with you. You spin a story on the page very well but I'm guessing hearing them told is even better. I'm not one for using internet short cuts but I literally LOL while reading this episode of "Tales from the Blood Shed". Thanks for sharing.
My oldest brother is 13 years older than me and by the time I was 4 he had an old AJS that my mom hated. There was no "campaign" I could devise to get a mini bike. JT

You are welcome anytime you find yourself in Austin. Since the Blood Shed has a full kitchen and bath, you can bunk at the shop if you want to stay a bit. I do tell a few stories time to time

 

[motormitch]

I was practicing some welding on thin metal. I felt pretty good about my bead work, but my friends told me I should take some classes. I think they are being too judgmental and just jealous of my skills. So what do you think?

 

[Todd.Brock]

I'm thinking that if you just kept your eyes open, it might help Don't wear your helmet either...and breathe deep !!!


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[kiatech]

Maybe if it wasn't galvanized. Please tell me you are doing it outside.

 

[motormitch]

I'm thinking that if you just kept your eyes open, it might help Don't wear your helmet either...and breathe deep !!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Eyes OPEN??? The guys told me the only way I could master welding was to follow Ninja style training by wearing a blindfold. That explains a lot....

 

[waggie]

I just drove by the shop site and Austin Energy is installing the three phase 240V equipment on the primary pole in preparation for installing my dedicated pole. One step closer to POWER and AC!

3 phase power right on tap. you **** so much, i hate you

 

[motormitch]

3 phase power right on tap. you **** so much, i hate you

If you read all the stories about my battles with Dr. Voltage and his friend Mr. Amps then you would know that three phase is just 3 times more likely to hurt me

 

[waggie]

I sincerely hope that's not galvanized metal you were welding

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

Mr. Galvi might be more dangerous than Dr. Voltage and Mr. Amps

 

[motormitch]

I sincerely hope that's not galvanized metal you were welding

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

Mr. Galvi might be more dangerous than Dr. Voltage and Mr. Amps

Now that's a scary link. By the time I finished reading it, I had developed most of the symptoms. Metal fume fever even sounds nasty.

Seriously, I am grateful for your concern and I was outside. However, I didn't realize how nasty it really could be, just that you should avoid breathing the fumes.

Mr. Galvi, Dr. Voltage and Mr. Amp. I feel like I am fighting super villains..... Tune in next week when Blood Shed City is attacked by the league of Garage Villains. With help from his friends, Cheap Marty, Tech Geek Jack, and Always Right Allen, MotorMitch thwarts their evil plot using the first aid kit of good!

 

[NUTTSGT]

I don't Know the brand, it's a premium tape I get from the paint supply store.

Thanks, I wasn't sure if it was a high grade masking tape or something else that was being used.

 

[Todd.Brock]

Sorry, I should have warned you ... My poking fun about breathe deep was aimed at the fact it appeared to be galvanized. I figured you had a respirator. Just for the record , I love these stories about thebBlood Shed, so don't use chlorinated Brake parts cleaner to degrease before welding. Fosgene, I think... Gas is a by product and can cause some nasty nasty health issues. Good luck!



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