Strouty
Well-known member
We like pictures.....
2 Sluggo's Garage
- Thread starter rmalkow2
- Start date
xtremek
Well-known member
You are such a tease. Hope it was a productive fall.
xtremek
Well-known member
Happy Christmas and a merry New Year to you and yours.
Chrisb62
Well-known member
Merry Christmas and have a joyous and Happy New Year.
racer-john
Well-known member
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Well it’s been a long time sine I have posted anything so I have a lot of catching up to do. I’ll start with a brief recap of my adventures on the salt flats racing at World of Speed 2021. It was absolutely the best experience I’ve had in a long time. So much fun to be able to drive and race my own car on the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats, I’m totally hooked and making plans for going back this year to spectate ion August at Speed Week and then race again in September at World of Speed. It was only made better by having my grown children and a couple spouses all come and be my pit crew. They really got into the spirit of the event and surprised me with official team shirts and hats. Best pit crew ever. My best run of the meet was 118.992 mph in the 1 mile from a standing stop. All my other runs were in the 116-117 mph range. The (almost) 119 run was accomplished by pushing the vehicle extra hard plus running in the morning when it was the coolest temps. I had to shift manually at 5500rpm, and inflate the tires to 55 psi. After all these runs I initially thought it would not go faster due to lack of power and the heat and altitude. So I initially came home thinking it needs a lot more power. And yes, it does need more power but I have since determined that the car top speed is being controlled by the stock engine computer tune. After much research it seems these police cars with the 3:55 rear gear are speed limited to 120mph. It would explain shy after reaching 100mph the rate of increase slowed down to a very consistent but slow acceleration. It happened every run so yes, its got to be in the computer mostly. So plans are being made for power increases and a new tune in the PCM. More details on that to come as soon as we thaw out from winter.
Here’s a few pics of the team.
My oldest daughter next to me, then my youngest daughter, her husband and far right my son.
Here’s a few pics of the team.
My oldest daughter next to me, then my youngest daughter, her husband and far right my son.
jon72vega
Well-known member
Bob,
It's good to have you back posting!
It's good to have you back posting!
ShadowRuleZ
Well-known member
With this cold weather, it's a great time to relive memories from a warmer place! Everyone's got to start from somewhere, glad to see you're rising to the challenges.
xtremek
Well-known member
How hard is it going to be to remove the stock cal? Do you have someone who can do that, or is that a Bob thing?
I’m trying to meet the challenge of winter here and still be somewhat productive. I had to actually use the snow blower to clear an area of the back yard grass to get my Mustang drag car out of the trailer and into the pole barn for some winter work. It was a cold struggle but made it happen. Also doing a lot of off season organizing and equipment making to be more effective the rest of the year. I’ve gone through a couple tanks of propane this winter but gladly its allowed me to work in the cold many more days than last year so it gives a feeling of accomplishment.
Still investigating the answer to that question. I will be working with an outside tuner that is known for creating good new tunes for the Crown Vic platform And the 4.6L 2 valve Ford V8. It’s not something I’m able to create. Maybe I can get to making future small adjustments with the proper computer tool. If all that fails with the stock PCM then I would have to replace it with an aftermarket management system. Entirely possible but just costs more money.
Todays small project in the shop with the heaters on was to one more time, repurpose an old cream separator stand that has been in my family since my grandfather was yet alive. It has served my dad and myself for years as a grinder stand, buffer stand, back to grinder stand, then with a small table top. But now it will live on as a heavy vise stand in the pole barn shop. I was going to use it to permanently mount my bead roller but then I realized that a big vise would be more frequently used and on the occasion I need the bead roller I can just clamp it in the vise. So I got a usable Wilton bullet vise off the shelf and mounted it, cleaned it up a bit and oiled it down good for now to prevent future rust. Maybe it will get painted someday but even with heaters on its just too cold for any painting projects.
I think it will be very useful now where before, it was just taking up floor space and doing nothing.
I think it will be very useful now where before, it was just taking up floor space and doing nothing.
Wintertime Flood!
Now I like some abnormal warm January or February days as much as the next guy but this winter has not been kind around me and these recent 50 degree days have created a major issue. In prior weeks every time we had some warm and sunny days the snow along the west wall of my barn would melt during the day and re-freeze at night causing an ice dam build up along the metal siding. This past week we had two days of 50 degree temps and then rain at night and I spent all day doing flood control inside the building and out. Shoveling snow, pushing water away from the building with a broom, chipping ice off the floor inside and sweeping out gallons of water from the shop floor. What a mess!!! I got it mostly dried out now but we just got 6 more inches yesterday.
Hope all your garages are doing better and wishing spring would get here early!
Now I like some abnormal warm January or February days as much as the next guy but this winter has not been kind around me and these recent 50 degree days have created a major issue. In prior weeks every time we had some warm and sunny days the snow along the west wall of my barn would melt during the day and re-freeze at night causing an ice dam build up along the metal siding. This past week we had two days of 50 degree temps and then rain at night and I spent all day doing flood control inside the building and out. Shoveling snow, pushing water away from the building with a broom, chipping ice off the floor inside and sweeping out gallons of water from the shop floor. What a mess!!! I got it mostly dried out now but we just got 6 more inches yesterday.
Hope all your garages are doing better and wishing spring would get here early!
Further upgrades to the new bead roller. They come standard with a simple hand crank and almost everyone will tell you to replace this with a wheel to make it easier for consistent rolling speed if doing this by hand. Since I'm not ready to part with the $$$ yet for an electric motorized kit, I was happy to re-purpose an old steering wheel. Just had to make an adapter to secure the wheel to the 1" diameter input shaft. An old socket was perfect for that job, drilled and tapped for a set screw/bolt, then welded to the steel hub of the wheel center. Works perfect! I also found an old hand wrench that fits the tension screw head perfectly.
Tried my first ever beads on a piece of scrap aluminum and love the ability to make some custom panels in the future.
Tried my first ever beads on a piece of scrap aluminum and love the ability to make some custom panels in the future.
racer-john
Well-known member
One's shop should never be without a beadroller.
racer-john
Well-known member
...and a lathe to make rollers.
racer-john
Well-known member
Bob your not a c******e, your frugal.
xtremek
Well-known member
So, let me get this straight. You're turning your shop into an indoor swimming pool? Very nice, but I think JollyGreenGiant's pool is a lot bigger. FWIW, SWMBO, bought me the same bead roller for Christmas a few years back. Works really nice on 20ga. mild steel.
don long
Well-known member
Thanks for the wheel idea for my bead roller. I did a couple of beads for a friend last summer and it took both of us to work the monster
And welcome back. You were missed
And welcome back. You were missed
Well it tried to be a swimming pool for the few warm days we had but most of the time it was an ice rink inside when everything froze after leaking inside. True its not a heavy duty bead roller but I think good for the home hobbiest like myself. Light gauge steel or aluminum is likely all I’ll ever do.
I can’t take credit for the steering wheel idea so definitely use it and improve upon it as you can. A large diameter wheel makes it easier to turn. I thought an old stainless sailboat wheel would be cool but used what I had on hand. And the best upgrade would be an electric motor power head with foot pedal but for my occasional use that’s a bit overkill for now.
I just realized that I had not introduced the newest member of the fleet. Last November I found locally this 1967 C10 Chevy truck. I had recently sold my F350 because it was just not being used and sitting a lot. It was a good towing rig but I now have a full size van for towing and really decided I did not also want to learn all the ins and outs of diesel mechanics. But, you still need a shop truck, right!
Always wanted one of these and it is definitely a farm truck that spent its life on a farm in mid-michigan. I am now the third owner. It will need a lot of work over time but the main selling point is it runs and drives and has already made one run to Homers Depot for some lumber. Straight 6 motor with 3 speed manual trans. I also found some vintage 6 lug Chevy chrome wheels for it, got some new tires and baby moons. A wash and wipe down with linseed oil and its ready for use this spring as soon as my road is not so muddy.
Old Blue
Always wanted one of these and it is definitely a farm truck that spent its life on a farm in mid-michigan. I am now the third owner. It will need a lot of work over time but the main selling point is it runs and drives and has already made one run to Homers Depot for some lumber. Straight 6 motor with 3 speed manual trans. I also found some vintage 6 lug Chevy chrome wheels for it, got some new tires and baby moons. A wash and wipe down with linseed oil and its ready for use this spring as soon as my road is not so muddy.
Old Blue
xtremek
Well-known member
That baby is SUPER clean, for a Michigan truck. The box doesn't look dented enough to be a farm truck.
jon72vega
Well-known member
Bob, that truck is SWEET!
Haha, That means I stood back far enough taking the pictures to fool you! It does have good promise but also has sins hiding under the paint which is not original. Original owner sometime in the past had replaced cab corners and door skin bottoms but they need it again.
I was able to do some “perfectly acceptable” Michigan repairs before winter hit until I get time to order some replacement sheet metal.
The original wood bed is rotted and for now has a treated plywood bed floor to be useful. I was amazed at how little damage there was to the bed sides and tailgate.
don long
Well-known member
Nice set of wheels Bob
My youngest son wants on of those trucks in the worst way
My youngest son wants on of those trucks in the worst way
They are still out there Don, and not all of them are super expensive even though the prices are going up. I watch FB Marketplace constantly and do find some cheap ones out there. Especially if you can travel to pick one up and bring home. This one will need a fair amount of rust repair but was very close to home and convenient. With what it would have cost me to transport one from a “dry” place back to Michigan I can pay for a lot of replacement sheet metal.
I hope your son finds his dream truck. If he does I think we know a guy with plenty of body and paint experience to help him out!!!
Bob
Yesterday’s little side project……..
I’ve had this piece of 5.5”diameter steel pipe laying around forever with plans to make it useful someday so yesterday was that day. I wire wheeled it good to remove most of the rust build up. Then went over it with my flap disc grinder to smooth out the pitting a little more. Sprayed it with a couple good coats of rust converter. Welded on a couple legs of scrap 1 x 1” and, now I have a nice round pipe anvil for small jobs that need a curve started or need some light hammering on a rounded surface. The pipe is 1/4 inch thick so is pretty sturdy. It can be easily stored when not needed and then clamped into the vise for some metal working. It got a lick of black paint on the bottom area and a coating of light oil on the rest to keep away future rust. I could have kept sanding to polish it smooth but for general use by me this is plenty good enough.
Should make a useful shop tool now rather than another piece of rusty steel in the yard.
I’ve had this piece of 5.5”diameter steel pipe laying around forever with plans to make it useful someday so yesterday was that day. I wire wheeled it good to remove most of the rust build up. Then went over it with my flap disc grinder to smooth out the pitting a little more. Sprayed it with a couple good coats of rust converter. Welded on a couple legs of scrap 1 x 1” and, now I have a nice round pipe anvil for small jobs that need a curve started or need some light hammering on a rounded surface. The pipe is 1/4 inch thick so is pretty sturdy. It can be easily stored when not needed and then clamped into the vise for some metal working. It got a lick of black paint on the bottom area and a coating of light oil on the rest to keep away future rust. I could have kept sanding to polish it smooth but for general use by me this is plenty good enough.
Should make a useful shop tool now rather than another piece of rusty steel in the yard.
Here’s a little fun display project I finally completed this week. I used an old Model A torque tube for the pole, a round sign base bought off FB Marletplace, some scrap wood, and lots of rust cleaning and painting to mount this lighted gas globe I‘ve had for awhile. I had seen the lamp post idea somewhere before and it stuck with me so with a few warmer days lately I was able to get it all together.
It’s only temporarily wired so that needs to be made more permanent yet and I think the 60W LED bulb inside is too bright so I’ll be stepping that down a bit. Looking for more of a soft glow rather than a beacon light at night.
A little more shop decoration that I will enjoy looking at whether the neighbors do or not!!!
It’s only temporarily wired so that needs to be made more permanent yet and I think the 60W LED bulb inside is too bright so I’ll be stepping that down a bit. Looking for more of a soft glow rather than a beacon light at night.
A little more shop decoration that I will enjoy looking at whether the neighbors do or not!!!
Kevkx125
Well-known member
Awesome job on the globe , looks great where you have it.
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jon72vega
Well-known member
Bob,
Very nice job on the lighted globe!
Very nice job on the lighted globe!
don long
Well-known member
There's nothing like a little bling in the backyard
Nice job on the lamp post Bob. Garage is looking gooood
Nice job on the lamp post Bob. Garage is looking gooood
xtremek
Well-known member
I'm not jumping on the "great job" band wagon. First, completely agree with a smaller bulb, otherwise you may end up with planes from the Brighton Airport in your back yard. Second, I'm guessing the wire will be running down the inside of the tube. Thirdly, I like the repurpose of the torque tube. Sigh, I guess that does mean I'm jumping on the band wagon.
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Hahaha,
You made me laugh at the Brighton Airport reference. If you only knew the tiny size of the local airport. I think I’m safe from causing them any confusion. It actually looks brighter on camera than in person but I still intend to take the intensity down one bulb size I think.
The wire is actually on the outside of the torque tube. It still needs to be secured more permanently but works for now. I had intended to drill a hole and run it down the inside but removing 90 years of old Ford grease proved difficult and there is a bearing about half way down the tube that blocks it off anyway so I’ll just hide it on the back side.
And thanks for finally getting on that wagon. You had me worried there for a moment!
Bob
xtremek
Well-known member
Is the Brighton Airport smaller than the Howell Airport? I've been past Howell Airport hundreds of times, and it's decent size.