Above 1200 Sq/FT Restored 1930's Auto Shop

[bulletpruf]

Re: A bunch of square wrenches.

Thanks Mike, very cool. I believe there are a few wrenches like those still in the tool shed.

I know I'm behind posting here. Retirement is keeping me verrrrry busy which I find to be a good thing. I've only got one more car show left this year, that's in November, the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals:

http://www.mcacn.com/features.htm

I've been invited to show the Chevy II in conjunction with a Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race display. Other than that, racing season is over- drag racing, road racing and land speed racing. I traveled over 6,000 miles this summer when it was all said and done. Good thing I am retired!

Watch this space for further shop updates including the largest powder coat project to date, over 20' long!

Oh, and if I didn't mention it before...



Beltsville Shell is back in the USA after its walkabout in New Zealand and is presently in Michigan.



Here's what the inside cover looked like when I had it last week. Since you started this 2 years ago Mike, it's visited 25 readers in 12 states and 3 countries plus it's author so far. It'll soon be heading across the pond for its European debut unless someone here in the US sends me a PM requesting it before hand.

Thanks everyone.

Thomas

If I still have 70 RAIV GTO car in November, it will likely be at MCACN. Was there last year; judged 997 or 998/1000. Say hi to her if you see here; I won't be able to make the show. Hard to miss - Green, Ram Air IV, M21, 4.33, manual drums and brakes, bench seat, steel wheels and dog dishes.

Scott

 

[old salt racer]

While visiting hot rod shops with friend Gordon,in San Antonio TX. came across this.I guess you can never have enough Vise Grips. so many tools so little time. or was that beers.

 

[flyingtpot]

While visiting hot rod shops with friend Gordon,in San Antonio TX. came across this.I guess you can never have enough Vise Grips. so many tools so little time. or was that beers.

I live in the SA, TX area. Is it supposed to be known for its hot rod shops?

 

[flyingtpot]

p.s. The before and after shop pics are really kool!!!

 

[MG David]

When you have that many mole (vice) grips how do you know which one hasn't been put back after use?

 

[markviii]

My guess is there are old hot rod shops where ever there are old hot rodders. Cool pics, old salt racer.

Those rolling tool carts look similar to the ones in Tom's shop - very handy to help keep tools organized and near where you need them. I'd bet the guy knows exactly what should be on them.

Chris

 

[Xr4idk]

Iv been looking at this thread for over a year, trying to figurer out a way to descripe my respect but im out of words. This is just beyond amazing

Just had to get it out, all the best to you and chris from denmark

 

[markviii]

Welcome Xr4idk. I guess it's about time again to update the country list. We've added South Korea recently, so that makes 41 countries to go along with all 50 states and 7 continents.

Here's the list copied over from page 340 (over 1 year ago).

---

I suppose it's about time to update the state/country list from 12/8/2010 (post #1921, pg. 97). Page 340 is easier to get to than page 97 when I'm trying to look for the post again. I've copied it below with the update for Malasia I just made. If anyone feels I missed their state/country on the list, just send me a PM so I can correct it. There is sooo much content on here and some people post with no locations (or imbed their country as anulv just did). We have all the continents covered. If you have a way to get us the Space Station, that would be a great addition!

Chris

---
12/8/2010
Thanks for joining, William. We had an official Scotland (country #2) early on, but he actually lives there. You made the extra effort to move LOL. You have now been officially initiated because you actually took the time to read the entire thread before posting ( I have ways of knowing this - kind of like The Great Karnak). Can you believe some people actually admitted to skipping ahead in the thread just to post in? I don't think that will help them very much on the test! Omphaloskeptic calls it our "Fortress of Solitude". (Is that like Max Smart's "Cone of Silence"?) (we watched too much TV in our youth, I think, but TV shows were actually worthwhile back then) I say you've been sucked into the vortex. All in all, it's our little slice of heaven. Tom is of Scottish heritage (McMillan on his mother's side).

Oops!! I violated my self-imposed "no more posting rule". I must not be busy enough. No more hints either. (I think that there have been more than 24,000 "hits" since last Wednesday, putting us closer to 1/2 million every day. I'm working my fingers to the bone getting that test ready!)

Chris

Here's the real reason for posting:

Here's an update of the state/country list (from page 86). If I missed anyone, sorry. Just let me know. I don't want to leave anyone out of the fun!

** indicate states that are represented so far. If you've posted, but haven't identified your location, you can PM me if you want and I'll ** the state or add the country of origin. So far 35 states have posted. (4/29/10 - we now have 37 thanks to Todd and Tom in Nebraska and West Virginia)(also welcome Jay for #38)(I can't remember who was #39, but #40 on 7/3/10 is wats56 from WY)(and #41 on 9/27/10 from NH). Only 7 more states to go!
As of 11/16/10, we now have 44 states (as of 12/14/10)(I know those other 6 states are lurking!)(45 included as of 3/14/11) (46 states as of 5/4/11 with DE coming on board) 47 states accounted for 5/5/11 (Welcome Guam! 5/8/11)(48 states as of 7/21/11 with the addition of HI!) 50 states as of 1/17/13
States (& Possessions included because Tom flew there at one point in his career)
** = posted
**AL
**AK
AMERICAN SAMOA (AS)
**AZ
**AR
**CA
**CO
**CT
**DE
**Wash DC
FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA (FM)
**FL
**GA
**GUAM (GU)(Guam (GU)(organized, unincorporated territory of the United States)
**HI
**ID
**IL
**IN
**IA
**KS
**KY
**LA
**ME
MARSHALL ISLANDS (MH)
**MD
**MA
**MI
**MN
**MS
**MO
**MT
**NE
**NV
**NH
**NJ
**NM
**NY
**NC
**ND
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS (MP)
**OH
**OK
**OR
PALAU (PW)
**PA
PUERTO RICO (PR)
**RI
**SC
**SD
**TN
**TX
**UT
**VT
VIRGIN ISLANDS (VI)
**VA
**WA
**WV
**WI
**WY

Countries represented so far (24 as of 12/8/10)(I know there are more!):
(26 as of 1/25/11)(27 as of 2/19/11)(28 as of 3/17/11)(29 and counting as of 8/11/11)(30 as of 9/27/11)(31 as of 7/2/12)(32 as of 7/15/12)(33 as of 7/24/12), (34 as of 1/9/2013)(#35 as of 1/31/13)
# 36, Antarctica as of 2/10/2013, #37 and counting as of 2/12/2013
#38 and still counting as of 2/21/13 (#39 posted in on May 10/11, 2013) #40 posted on 7/17/13
France
UK (many locations)
Scotland
Switzerland
Australia (several locations)
Canada (many locations)
Sweden
Netherlands
New Zealand
Ireland
Iceland
Portugal
Hong Kong
India
South Africa
Turkey
Afghanistan
Iraq
Denmark
Philippines
Peru
Norway
Malta
Belgium
Japan
Estonia
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Croatia
Argentina
Spain
Wales
Finland
Brasil (Brazil) (I don't know how I missed this one!)
Romania
China (Shanghai)
Antarctica (Mcmurdo Station)
Poland
Germany
Malaysia
Thailand
South Korea
Last edited by markviii; 07-17-2013 at 09:42 PM.

 

[BB767]

Re: A bunch of square wrenches.

If I still have 70 RAIV GTO car in November, it will likely be at MCACN. Was there last year; judged 997 or 998/1000. Say hi to her if you see here; I won't be able to make the show. Hard to miss - Green, Ram Air IV, M21, 4.33, manual drums and brakes, bench seat, steel wheels and dog dishes.

Scott

Hi there Scott. I promise to hunt your GTO down at MCACN and if it's there will pass on your greetings. Sounds like a fabulous car. Sorry I'll miss meeting you. Another time perhaps.

Cheers,

Thomas

 

[BB767]

Iv been looking at this thread for over a year, trying to figurer out a way to descripe my respect but im out of words. This is just beyond amazing

Just had to get it out, all the best to you and chris from denmark

Greetings to you Xr4idk, welcome and thank you so very much for your kind words. I've a quick question, Beltsville Shell will be going to the Netherlands in the not too distant future and I've got several readers waiting for it all over the UK. Before it goes across the channel to the UK I'm trying to line up all the folks on the continent who would like to read and sign off on it. Are you interested and if so would you please send me Private Message (PM) with contact information. Many thanks.

Thomas

 

[Xr4idk]

Thanks for the offer on the book thing, i thinks its a cool thing you got going there. But i think il pass, me and books dont play well together. Im trying to read a book by Carroll Smith, called Tune to win. But 8 months and only 12 pages so far

And things tend to get lost in the mail around here, and that would be a real shame in this case.

 

[Gingger22pm]

Thomas, stop offering the Beltsville around the US of A again, the wait over here in Europe is worse than Christmas as a five year old!

 

[Laro13]

Finally, the book is coming to Europe.

Cheers,
Jasper

 

[BB767]

Thomas, stop offering the Beltsville around the US of A again, the wait over here in Europe is worse than Christmas as a five year old!

Finally, the book is coming to Europe.

Cheers,
Jasper

OK, fair enough you guys have been really patient. When BS is done in Michigan it's going to redcar in South Carolina for the last State side stop for a while. I'm going to ask Bob to mail it back to me when he's done with it in SC and I'll personally prepare and mail it to I believe Laro13 in the Netherlands to begin it's European tour. I thought there was someone else in the Netherlands who also requested it but I can't remember. If there was someone else, you might send a PM to Laro13 and get it moving around the continent. Once that's done there are several folks in the UK that are waiting for it and I'll get the UK list posted here as well.

Laro13, you need to send me a PM with mailing instructions and I'll keep everyone posted as to how soon it will be headed across the pond. If it made it to New Zealand and back in good shape, I have no doubt Europe will be any different.

Now on a completely different note, tomorrow or at least on the next dry day, I've scheduled what will be the last comprehensive clean out of the Tool Shed/Lean-To. This will largely finish the job that I started almost 9 years ago when I bought the property. In addition to that I've tentatively set a date to de-construct the Tool Shed later this month. I've found a gentleman from the Indianapolis area (less than 2 hours away) who is going to repurpose the building. The Lean-To will just be recycled into metal scrap and at the other end, the 2 car garage will remain standing until the new house is completed. So there are many things happening around here behind the scenes even though I haven't posted about them. Please check back for updates. Thanks again everyone.

Thomas

 

[Amitygravel]

Hello Thomas !

What a summer this has been.
It was really an honor meeting Lou earlier this summer.
What a cool fellow !

When the guys head your way for the shed let me know , I'd like to visit with them again and I'd be more than willing to lend a hand with the demo and loading of the metal.
Just give me about a weeks notice if they come during the week. I'll take the day from work.

Craig

 

[busted knuckle]

You know, I have read this thread from the very beginning and wondering what I have lost in time. I made it a point to read it at lunch or when I got home. Kind of like Christmas. Couldn't wait to see what was under the 1930's Auto Shop tree. Now that I have had the honor to join the unemployed/retired ranks, I feel it's time to enjoy the journey again at a pace that I am becoming accustomed to. I've never met you or the little lady, but feel I have always known the two of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Now back to the beginning!

 

[markviii]

Hi busted knuckle. Just ease your way into retirement and enjoy! This thread is like talking over the fence to good neighbors. We just don't have any actual fence on the thread or on the property (except the osage orange tree fence row). You haven't actually "lost" any time. It's all win-win around here with the wealth of knowledge gained from literally all over the world. We've found many friends over the past 5 years on GJ, with many making a stop on their way to and from various places. Keeping the mind and body active is essential, too. It seems we don't have a choice with all the projects we've gotten involved with.

Talk about an interesting summer, Amitygravel! We hardly got a break between the Bloomington Gold corvette weekend, vintage road races, drag races, car shows and tours in our collector cars. Not to mention keeping up with lawn mowing, maintenance around the rental properties and home front. The fun is not quite over; our last car club outing to Fox Ridge for a multi-club potluck is on Oct. 19. We're feeling like we need a vacation, but how is that possible when we're on a perpetual vacation!?

We miss having Lou around. We're hoping to get out to San Diego sometime in the Fall or Winter. Just thinking about getting on a plane as a passenger isn't high on Tom's radar right now, though driving out there is not really a possibility.

Chris

 

[BB767]

Hello Thomas !

What a summer this has been.
It was really an honor meeting Lou earlier this summer.
What a cool fellow !

When the guys head your way for the shed let me know , I'd like to visit with them again and I'd be more than willing to lend a hand with the demo and loading of the metal.
Just give me about a weeks notice if they come during the week. I'll take the day from work.

Craig

Thanks Craig for volunteering to help out with the Tool Shed. No question an extra pair of hands will be helpful. Since he's reusing the corrugated metal siding, the challenge will be to take the building apart with as little damage to the siding as possible. One thing we have going in our favor is that metal is really thick. Not sure what gauge it is, maybe 12 or 10 gauge. Beefy for sure. I promise to give you at least a weeks notice and thanks again for the help. Lunch will be at the Philo Tavern on me!

So I set aside the day for final cleaning...





...and I accomplished a lot before it started to rain.



I thought I was ready to finish it all up and the Lean-To should be pretty well emptied by tomorrow evening if it doesn't rain some more, otherwise that will delay it a day or so.

The Tool Shed, well... there is still a bunch of stuff in there. I see so much useful material that I am having a hard time scrapping/recycling it. The problem is identifying items and then getting it into the hands of someone who can use it. I was prepared today to virtually empty every remaining item but once I was in there going through boxes and buckets and piles of old car parts, tools, equipment and scrap metal I just kicked the can down the road a little longer and set questionable stuff aside....temporarily...again. As you can see in the pictures I did remove an estimated 1,000 lbs (454 kg) of metal as it was. No tools or identifiable equipment were removed so no worries there. I'm back at it tomorrow so wish me luck!

Thomas

 

[Amitygravel]

Hello Thomas !

I'll give work fair warning now !
By the way , if there is a certain bronze colored Ford Galaxie fender with a 390 emblem on it still on the grounds , I'm thinking it would make some pretty cool wall art in a certain someones house. That is if there's no existing dibs. Even though it is from a durned ole ferd !
Been meaning to ask you that all summer !

Craig

 

[BB767]

You know, I have read this thread from the very beginning and wondering what I have lost in time. I made it a point to read it at lunch or when I got home. Kind of like Christmas. Couldn't wait to see what was under the 1930's Auto Shop tree. Now that I have had the honor to join the unemployed/retired ranks, I feel it's time to enjoy the journey again at a pace that I am becoming accustomed to. I've never met you or the little lady, but feel I have always known the two of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Now back to the beginning!

Isn't being retire just the greatest? I've never been busier nor happier. Much as I love flying, doing what I want when I want has a wonderful quality to it. I want to thank you for letting me know that what I've posted here has been enjoyable for you. Chris and I have made some tremendous friendships through this thread, some in person and some just on these pages. As has been said before, we're all friends here, some we just haven't met in person.....yet. Enjoy yourself busted knuckle and thanks again for your interest and support all these many years. Remember, the welcome mat is always out.

Thomas

 

[BB767]

Hello Thomas !

I'll give work fair warning now !
By the way , if there is a certain bronze colored Ford Galaxie fender with a 390 emblem on it still on the grounds , I'm thinking it would make some pretty cool wall art in a certain someones house. That is if there's no existing dibs. Even though it is from a durned ole ferd !
Been meaning to ask you that all summer !

Craig

Craig, I think that "certain bronze color" is light surface rust but yes, it's still there and it now has your name on it, just come and get it!

Thomas

 

[HOTFR8]

Looks like you could have your own swap meet.

 

[markviii]

Not a swap meet - maybe a "scavenger hunt" would be a better idea, HOTFR8. If you don't find something you want or need, you still have to take something to share with others. Or maybe think of it as gathering a souvenir from The Center of the Universe. That way it will be gone, which is the point.

Chris

 

[HOTFR8]

I still think a Swap Meet at your place would be good. Think of the funds you could gain for future work.

 

[markviii]

We've been trying for years to sell some items and then resorted to trying to give some of this stuff away just to get some room to do a project or demolish a building. Very few takers - until it's been given away or scrapped, of course! We've got enough work on our hands without the swap meet. Money has never been the objective. Finding the next caretaker for anything of value or interest is more like it. And making progress toward building the retirement house.

Chris

 

[HOTFR8]

We've been trying for years to sell some items and then resorted to trying to give some of this stuff away just to get some room to do a project or demolish a building. Very few takers - until it's been given away or scrapped, of course! We've got enough work on our hands without the swap meet. Money has never been the objective. Finding the next caretaker for anything of value or interest is more like it. And making progress toward building the retirement house.

Chris

Ah yes how you find the care takers for the items you do not need is always the big thing. An Auction may be ?

 

[markviii]

We had the antique tractor society come by, then sent a trailer-load of stuff to their auction. It brought something like $50 total after many days of digging and sorting. Really not worth the time and effort. Been there, done that, so they say.

Don't forget, this has been going on since November 2005, with the family having the first 2 years to clear their stuff out. We had to personally deliver most of that, otherwise it would still be here. Now it's just the lean-to and tool shed, so the end is near.

Chris

 

[bulletpruf]

Just started reading this thread. Am up to page 20; just 388 more to go!

Scott

 

[mdbeck1]

My parents just sold their place. When I went through Dad's 30 X 30 shop he was getting mad that I was sending all of his fasteners and cutoffs to the scrappers. Then we reminded him how much time (and that is money) it was going to cost to sort it out for resale and how much we would get for it. I was told we took 3 tons of scrap metal off of his place. So I can just imagine what you are going through.

Yeah, I would like to have had the time to research, sort, and sell the items for the highest price but again... that takes time. We had about a month to get it all gone.

I pulled out for the last time on Labor day. I left two complete engines sitting in the garage. I don't have room for them and tried to sell them to several people I knew (basically come and get them). There were no takers. The real estate agent called the local scrap guys to come get them.

 

[markviii]

I'm sure, with the last scrap take-away, that it's over 60 tons of metal that had to be recycled. Time is money as well as taking that time away from other more important projects/activities. We and our scrap hauler benefited. Win-win.

Chris

 

[GGB]

Chris and Thomas, I've lost track of how many tons of scrap metal from our farm our nephew has hauled to the scrapyard. Enough that the scrapyard offered to start bringing us one of their their spare trailers so we could load it at the farm and they would then pick it up when we had it full. We still have quite a bit to go, but it's better than when we started.

The farm had also become home to a surprising amount of farm machinery from other families of friends and neighbors whose farmsteads had been sold, but wouldn't or couldn't bring themselves to part with "Grandpa's truck/tractor/combine/(fill in the blank!). And because our family was too kind to say no to these friends and neighbors, we ended up with all of the stuff they couldn't store. Amazing how few of those "family heirlooms" got picked up after we asked them to come get them years and generations later. Most items by then were well beyond any chance of restoring, and yes, most ended up going to the scrapyard.

I have to remind myself that our parents and grandparents lived through the
depression and WW2, and often had to make do with what they had. And some were very good at repurposing items into something else, as you have shown that Mr. Johnson could do.

But while I admire our ancestors resourcefulness, cleaning up after they are gone can be a major investment in time compared with the money you get in
return. I suspect that you are like most of us who have had to clean up what was left by someone else else-just tired of the mess and want it gone!

GGB

 

[BB767]

Project Trailer/RV Wheel Chocks

I do not take credit in any way, shape or form for the design of the following project. I am only responsible for its construction. Lou employed a similar design on his RV so when we got back from Bonneville in August, I decided to fabricate some for my enclosed trailer and I wanted to replace Lou's as his were showing great ware and tare.

The material needed was:



A pair of very small load binders.




These are the smallest I could find. As I recall these measure about 8"-10" (20-25 cm) when open. The one on the left is open and the one on the right is closed.




Additionally needed are pair of eyebolts, wing-nuts, washers and fender washers for each chock. The eyebolts are 5/16" X 6" long (7.9 X 152.4 mm).



I used treated 4" X 4" (10 cm) lumber for the actual chock. Treated lumber will hold up better in the weather over the years.



Using painters tape for a reference mark, I determined the centerline of each wheel and then figured 1/2 the range of binders when fully open and marked that. That is, if they are 10" apart when open I put tape 5" from the centerline at the top and 5" from the bottom. Stick with me, this will make some sense shortly. The actual numbers will depend on the operating range of the load binders you use.



Measure the distance between the left and right tires (tyres for our UK fans ) top (red) and bottom (yellow).



This is why you need that distance. This will determine how long to make each chock. Top and bottom chocks will be identical in length. The diagonal angle on the chock is straight, even though in the picture it appears to be curved like the tire.



The actual angle doesn't matter much but I believe mine turned out to be 65º.



I used my 20" (51 cm) Delta band saw to make these cuts. It was manufactured in the 1960's and has a 3 phase motor. A very useful machine.



Notice I used a sacrificial plywood spacer (circled) to keep from cutting the nice maple board I have on my miter gauge.



Here's a different view of that plywood spacer.



A large "C" clamp was used to secure the 4 X 4 during the actual cut since I'm cutting on a diagonal. That keeps the 4 X 4 from slipping during the cutting operation.




Next a dado cut was done on the lower chock of each pair.



This dado was to provide clearance fro the binder handle when the chocks are installed. Because this handle contacts the chock at an angle...



...the dado needed additional angle trimming at one end. Note the 4 X 4 is tilted slightly on the table...



... to do this angle cut.



Here you can see about 1/2 way through the dado on the left the cut is deeper and angled. A hand chisel was then used to clean up the cut.



With the eyebolts and washers installed the chocks were almost done.



The ends of the eyebolts were drilled ...



..so safety wire could be installed...



... to prevent the wing-nut from coming off. BTW I did use stainless steel wing-nuts and washers. You can see how the large fender washer provides more surface area so it won't dent into the wood easily when the binder pulls on it.



A nice feature about these chocks is the wing-nut allows some simple adjustment to the eyebolt length since the space between the tires will change...



...depending on how the trailer was parked and the chock placement between the tires will vary from time to time.




These chocks are simple to make, use inexpensive hardware and material, stow easily, are highly effective and robust as a parking brake on a trailer or RV. Works good and lasts a long time. Thanks everyone.

Thomas

 

[impala4speed]

Project Trailer/RV Wheel Chocks

Well Thomas, it may not have been your original idea but you can certainly take credit for the job you did constructing these. Really well done (and I love that Delta band saw). This wheel chock design is something I never would have thought of.
Thanks for sharing more great projects with us.

 

[BB767]

Just started reading this thread. Am up to page 20; just 388 more to go!

Scott

Scott, welcome to the growing family and enjoy the read. I hope it helps pass time while you're away from home. Let us know if you ever get caught up.

Thomas

 

[BB767]

My parents just sold their place. When I went through Dad's 30 X 30 shop he was getting mad that I was sending all of his fasteners and cutoffs to the scrappers. Then we reminded him how much time (and that is money) it was going to cost to sort it out for resale and how much we would get for it. I was told we took 3 tons of scrap metal off of his place. So I can just imagine what you are going through.

Yeah, I would like to have had the time to research, sort, and sell the items for the highest price but again... that takes time. We had about a month to get it all gone.

I pulled out for the last time on Labor day. I left two complete engines sitting in the garage. I don't have room for them and tried to sell them to several people I knew (basically come and get them). There were no takers. The real estate agent called the local scrap guys to come get them.

Chris and Thomas, I've lost track of how many tons of scrap metal from our farm our nephew has hauled to the scrapyard. Enough that the scrapyard offered to start bringing us one of their their spare trailers so we could load it at the farm and they would then pick it up when we had it full. We still have quite a bit to go, but it's better than when we started.

The farm had also become home to a surprising amount of farm machinery from other families of friends and neighbors whose farmsteads had been sold, but wouldn't or couldn't bring themselves to part with "Grandpa's truck/tractor/combine/(fill in the blank!). And because our family was too kind to say no to these friends and neighbors, we ended up with all of the stuff they couldn't store. Amazing how few of those "family heirlooms" got picked up after we asked them to come get them years and generations later. Most items by then were well beyond any chance of restoring, and yes, most ended up going to the scrapyard.

I have to remind myself that our parents and grandparents lived through the
depression and WW2, and often had to make do with what they had. And some were very good at repurposing items into something else, as you have shown that Mr. Johnson could do.

But while I admire our ancestors resourcefulness, cleaning up after they are gone can be a major investment in time compared with the money you get in
return. I suspect that you are like most of us who have had to clean up what was left by someone else else-just tired of the mess and want it gone!

GGB

Clearly you gentleman understand what I'm going through. I, however do see light at the end of a very long tunnel.



This was the Lean-To at the start of today and now...



...it is cleaned out....Finally!! That metal on the right was gone right after the picture was taken. If the rain holds off tomorrow, that building will be removed and completely gone as well.



I'm also coming down the home stretch in the Tool Shed as well.



My self imposed deadline of finishing cleaning and removing the Tool Shed building by the end of the month looks highly do-able.



Craig, your fender...



...awaits you. It really is in great condition, despite the small amount of surface rust. It will look swell as wall art. Good call!

Thomas

 

[BB767]

Progress...











As soon as it dries out a little more the framing will be coming down by the end of tomorrow with luck.


Thomas

 

[Amitygravel]

Hello Thomas!

Things are looking **** and spa ..... whoa wait a minute , post 8159 photo #4.

Are those metal Johnson Welding liscence plates ?!!!???

Now those are just way cool !

Any word on when the fellas are headed over for the building ?
Have to take my sis to Indy on the 22 nd.
Really hope it works out to help. Looking forward to lending a hand.

London and I will get to Philo asap for the fender , possibly on the way back north from my place this Sunday. I'll keep you posted !

Craig

 

[hobbitss]

I'm also coming down the home stretch in the Tool Shed as well.



My self imposed deadline of finishing cleaning and removing the Tool Shed building by the end of the month looks highly do-able.

Thomas

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

 

[Amitygravel]

Hello Thomas ! (again)

Just noticed something. Well, other than Joe having a slight meltdown here !
Yes , its kind of sad isn't it Joe?
That "Business Entrance" sign is just begging to be put on the bathroom door of the shop!
See you soon.

Craig

 

[markviii]

That sign was on the road, Craig - the village let us keep it when they took it down a couple years ago (since we're not actually a business). Notice it's leaning on the outside wall of the back of the 2-car garage that the shed is currently attached to. It's been many years since the 2-car garage stood by itself.

And it is kind of sad, Joe. Hard to watch history disappear. There's still some time (though not much!) to rescue some of it. It's been here for the taking for many years, providing lots of "where's waldo" type experiences for everyone. It's fairly well documented with pictures, which is more than can be said for some historical places. The "Three on the Tree" Terraplane will remain as the symbol of all that has left the Johnson property. as well as all that remains, including Virgil's and Lillie's spirits.

Remembering how the place looked when we bought it is difficult at times. It's less than a month short of 9 years ago when we took possession, not knowing what we were getting into. The pictures really help. Memories of sore muscles or injuries/illnesses, various projects or unusual "finds" help us remember some of the difficult and good times in the restoration/reworking of the buildings and land. In many cases, truth is stranger than fiction and we couldn't have made this stuff up if we tried!

Chris