Above 1200 Sq/FT Blue Bomber's Garages

[BassProCamaro97]

Awesome!!! The car trip is absolutely great. Thanks for sharing

~Jim~

 

[Bob Heine]

It's great that your wife made the suggestion to get your dream car in a more driveable condition. Liane did a similar thing for me, sending me out to find a daily driver Corvette when I dug myself too deep in the "project" Corvette.

 

[captain14]

I’m sure you mentioned it sometime but the original Blue Bomber was considered totaled after the garage fire? I don’t remember but have skimmed back through both threads but didn’t see anything

Did you tell her she’s home for good now last night?

 

[BlueBomber]

Glad you made it home safe. Did you buy from ADM in DesMoines? They have some nice stuff.

Yes, that's the one. The crew there was very nice to me and are genuine car people. One of the employees came over as we were finishing final prep for departure and ran his hand along one tail fin. When I said I was buying it, he said "I know, I wanted to say goodbye. I'm gonna miss this one"

Glad you back at your home. Nice adventure thanks for sharing.

Awesome!!! The car trip is absolutely great. Thanks for sharing

~Jim~

Thanks for following along, gents!

It's great that your wife made the suggestion to get your dream car in a more driveable condition. Liane did a similar thing for me, sending me out to find a daily driver Corvette when I dug myself too deep in the "project" Corvette.

Bob: indeed! She has given me a stern reminder that I agreed to get rid of the other two '60s as part of the deal.

I’m sure you mentioned it sometime but the original Blue Bomber was considered totaled after the garage fire? I don’t remember but have skimmed back through both threads but didn’t see anything

Did you tell her she’s home for good now last night?

The '60 Bel Air did not burn, but did get pretty skunked up in the fire. Then, while it was sitting in the yard during the renovation, mice moved in and totally trashed the interior. It was still salvageable but would have needed a full restoration. I will swap over most of the bolt-on mods I made over the years before I offer both the Bel Air and the rusty Impala as a package deal.

I did think she looks at home now and she can certainly rest for a while after her cross country jaunt.

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[markviii]

I looked at the radar again after we exchanged messages and thought it was going to be not so good if you couldn't leave until Friday. You were going to driving right into the storms associated with that front dumping water all along the east coast. I was hoping you and Tom had put Rain-X on your windshield to help shed the rain.

I'm soo glad you made it home without much trouble.

Chris

 

[BlueBomber]

Thank you for thinking of me, Miss Chris. I was bummed about missing out on seeing friends and family and showing off the Impala, but the front and rear window gaskets are hard and cracked, so they leak. Plus, the windshield wipers can't handle a heavy rain, so Rain-X is the only hope for that big curved glass. Not that I intend to drive her regularly in the rain, but I will be putting a liberal coating of that magical elixir on the glass.

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[BlueBomber]

I washed and waxed the Impala today and rewarded myself with ice cream at a local landmark.

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[BlueBomber]

Today, I opened up the new garage doors and once again committed myself to cleaning up yet another mess of accumulated estate sale finds, half finished projects and a riding mower and leaf vac that was ready to transform into just a mower.

Here's the before picture in panorama mode from the door. A big Pexto circle cutter sits in the middle front of the lift bay, next to a stack of sale-bought tool boxes that used to live in the other garage but now have no home. Behind that is my old welding cart, next to the still unfinished Craftsman power hacksaw table. Behind those, barely visible, is a stack of leftover 12' 2x6s and several scraps of plywood that need a new home. Next, in the foreground and far corner are my forest of tall ladders (I really need to thin the herd).



Also not visible behind the mower is my 1958 bronze-era Craftsman radial arm saw. I've decided to keep this one, as it is from the very first year of production and it has some pretty cool late 50's styling. My other bronze era RAS is visible over the roof of the white Impala. Its a '60 model year, in better shape than the '58, but I don't need two. I have a box in hand to send in its motor for the recall, but I can't yet bring myself to butcher it up. I've listed it for $120 on OfferUp and will let it run for a month. If I can't sell it for at least the recall bounty by then, I'll pat the old fella on the neck and send him in to the Great Reward.

Here's a better shot of the saw:



In the middle of the picture is my riding mower and CycloneRake leaf vac. I bought both used when my teenage resident labor left for college two years ago. The mower works fine now that I have a new battery and fresh blades in it, but the leaf vac's been a disappointment. I think maybe I expected too much of it against the output of our four mighty oak trees. Next season, I will run the rig more often, rather than waiting until all the leaves are down, snowed on, melted on and generally packed into the grass. Meanwhile, I'll collapse the vac frame, remove and store the engine and hang the trailer up on the wall opposite the garage doors.

Further to the right, more disorder is visible. The generator is sitting in the walking aisle because its parking spot at the end of the workbench is blocked by a pile of stuff that just got pitched there during winter projects. The workbench is a cluttered mess, too. Electric heaters are still out, so I'll get them blown off with compressed air and stored above on the mezzanine shelving.

Here's a 90% complete shot. Apologies for the lack of an in-progress pictorial, but the phone battery was dead when I walked in and the phone spent the first three hours on the charging cradle DJing my cleanup via a Bluetooth speaker. The machinery is now lined up against the far wall behind the Impala, which was aired up and rolled forward to allow access around the back. The lumber went up overhead onto the truss bracing along the back wall, and more leftover RAS parts went into mezz storage. In fact, a lot of stuff went up there--I'm glad I built it! The garage floor has been swept at this point, and it is actually usable again for auto repair and storage. I decided to let two of my more run down tools boxes go, an ancient Huot lift-front with two goobered up drawers and a crowntop Craftsman handy-man sized box, one of a half dozen I own (which is about five more than I need). I put both out at the end of the driveway, and they vanished in less than a half hour. I hope someone enjoys them even more than I have.



The Craftsman cart the Huot was sitting on found its way under the powdercoating ovens to provide a home for the relevant tools. The bottom part of the stainless steel table whose top I cut up for a powdercoating work surface went out back behind the garage, as it is galvanized and weather resistant. The work bench still appears a mess from this angle, but some clearing has taken place.

Next up is storing the CycloneRake up in that empty wall space above the welder outlet. I took down the ladder monkey bars my daughter and I installed for Spartan training, so there's now nothing in the way. I dug through my stash and came up with some 3/8" cord and two pulleys, and used leverage to help hoist the folded up trailer, sans motor, up into place. After gazing briefly at all that weight swinging slowly from the rope, I climbed up and added a ratchet strap "belt" to my 3/8" rope "suspenders" to ensure the thing stayed up there until I wanted it down.



Here's everything put away. I rolled the Impala as far back as it would go and managed to squeeze the mower in front of it and still get the door down. The Pexto circle cutter remains under foot, just peaking up next to the tarp in the foreground. I need to order replacement parts for it and get it listed.




I call this success! The garage bay now sits unoccupied and available for use. I want to tackle getting the work bench completely cleared during the week (we'll see how that goes), but at least I can pull a car in there again.

A long post with not very many pictures. Thanks to anyone who plowed through this. I'll try to accompany the next post with more visual stimulation!

 

[Bob Heine]

BB, that's a lot of work. I especially admire your restraint, knowing there is a new toy in your life.

 

[realvc]

Way to go on getting the shop in order. I've been dealing with the same thing in my shop.
There is still a lot more to do before I've got everything squared away completely.
It feels good to get some things cleaned up and put away so that there is room to use the shop again.

Vince

 

[DynoDave]

Never an easy job...nice work.

 

[Locker537]

A Boston local, with a son at RPI, and good tastes in cars and fun! Buying a car and road tripping it home is something I'd love to do!

I'm an RPI graduate and Boston native. I'll keep an eye our for the Blue Impala and the local shows and Kimball farm.

 

[BlueBomber]

Thanks, gents! I poked my head in there this morning before driving to work to feel good all over again about having a clean(er) garage!

Locker, look forward to bumping into you around these parts (figuratively speaking of course!). We plan to start hitting the Friday evening shows at Kimballs - Lancaster once they start up in May.

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[gearhead1960]

BB,
Wonderful thread and great shop build. I've spent the last few days reading the entire thread and am very envious of your space and skill to do all you do. I'm also a Hokie, being in Blacksburg from 78-83, a few years before you. Always glad to meet other Hokies. I'm still in Virginia as I never left the state after VT. Grew up in FC and ended up in Manassas.

I have a few comments on some of the older posts:
-SWMBO and I also frequent Estate Sales. Filled up the 2 car garage for awhile. Finally, am now close to getting 2 cars in after years of Ebay and FB marketplace. The running joke around here is when we need gifts, we go shopping in the garage. Also, when I do repairs or fixes around the house, I always remind the SWMBO that the tool or materials used came from an Estate Sales. One of the best deals I found was an original 1950's GE steel kitchen cabinet set (in Turquoise blue) for sale in Annandale for $300, which included an electric stove. I later sold that for $200 cash. I had to remove them myself, but have repurposed the entire set around my house.
-does your SWMBO work in the fashion industry? I noticed in your thread a banner for Ferragamo in the window of her office.
-Love the 60 Chevys. My dream is to get a 60 Nomad, Brookwood or Parkwood, depending on found condition and/or price. My vision is to restore/preserve to original condition, but with a modern drivetrain. Thinking current Corvette drivetrain with manual ****** and Hotchkiss suspension goodies. SWMBO likes the car idea, but hasn't a clue about what I want to do otherwise. What she doesn't know.....
-The new garage is amazing! I don't have a large spread, limited to a 2 car garage. Always looking to maximize space so I can add tools or equipment. Some of your storage ideas have sparked my interest on how I can make them work for me. Thanks!

I'll continue to follow and look forward to seeing your progress on the new ride. Next time in NOVA, feel free to give me a shout out if time. Plenty of great breweries around and I can always make time for a beer with a fellow GJ'er and gearhead!

 

[BlueBomber]

BB,
Wonderful thread and great shop build. I've spent the last few days reading the entire thread and am very envious of your space and skill to do all you do. I'm also a Hokie, being in Blacksburg from 78-83, a few years before you. Always glad to meet other Hokies. I'm still in Virginia as I never left the state after VT. Grew up in FC and ended up in Manassas.

I have a few comments on some of the older posts:
-SWMBO and I also frequent Estate Sales. Filled up the 2 car garage for awhile. Finally, am now close to getting 2 cars in after years of Ebay and FB marketplace. The running joke around here is when we need gifts, we go shopping in the garage. Also, when I do repairs or fixes around the house, I always remind the SWMBO that the tool or materials used came from an Estate Sales. One of the best deals I found was an original 1950's GE steel kitchen cabinet set (in Turquoise blue) for sale in Annandale for $300, which included an electric stove. I later sold that for $200 cash. I had to remove them myself, but have repurposed the entire set around my house.
-does your SWMBO work in the fashion industry? I noticed in your thread a banner for Ferragamo in the window of her office.
-Love the 60 Chevys. My dream is to get a 60 Nomad, Brookwood or Parkwood, depending on found condition and/or price. My vision is to restore/preserve to original condition, but with a modern drivetrain. Thinking current Corvette drivetrain with manual ****** and Hotchkiss suspension goodies. SWMBO likes the car idea, but hasn't a clue about what I want to do otherwise. What she doesn't know.....
-The new garage is amazing! I don't have a large spread, limited to a 2 car garage. Always looking to maximize space so I can add tools or equipment. Some of your storage ideas have sparked my interest on how I can make them work for me. Thanks!

I'll continue to follow and look forward to seeing your progress on the new ride. Next time in NOVA, feel free to give me a shout out if time. Plenty of great breweries around and I can always make time for a beer with a fellow GJ'er and gearhead!

Hi, Mark--always glad to hear from a fellow Hokie! Thanks for taking the time to read through my thread from the beginning. I've learned a lot on this forum and am glad to pay it forward by documenting my work here.

Sounds like we have more in common than our alma mater. SWMBO-supported estate sale-ing, SWMBO-tolerated car dreams and ambitions...I'd say we're both equally blessed! My SWMBO runs an optometry practice, so the Ferragamo banner you noted is from the optical out front.

BTW, I'm totally on board with your vintage-on-the-surface, modern-underneath approach. I will likely move my Impala in the same direction. I do appreciate the vintage mechanical parts, but ultimately I'd like a lot more go and a lot more whoa available.

Thanks for the compliments on the new garage. As I've noted previously, I'm glad I built in the storage mezzanine over the workbench. I'm contemplating elevated shelving on the opposite wall as well for more long-term storage.

I'll keep your invitation in mind the next time I'm in DC with time to kill.

Cheers!

 

[BlueBomber]

Yesterday, I went to take the Impala down for its annual inspection to complete the registration process, and I find the left rear turn signal not working. Harumph! I had jiggled and jogged some of the wiring under the dash and thought I had fixed this problem, but obviously not. Today, I tackled figuring out why and solving it for good.

My initial triage started in the trunk--no obvious bad ground or broken wires. I confirmed I had tail and brake lights on both sides (front and rear) and right side blinkers (front and rear) but I got nothing in the back when I signaled left (front left blinker worked fine). Next, I moved inside under the dash and confirmed no disconnected or broken wires under there. So my next diagnosis point was the turn signal switch. I unscrewed it and took it up to the bench to check continuity.



Given the grit and overspray, I'm guessing this is an original factory part. The spades themselves were clean enough, so I checked for continuity through the switch. Power in for lights and blinkers runs through the top and middle bottom of the spades, and then power goes out to the front and rear via the outside 2nd & 3rd row spades. On the car, I was getting turn signals on three of four corners, but on the bench, the switch wasn't giving anything! So, I bent the tabs on the slide cover back and took a look inside.



The contacts and slide splates didn't look too worn. I confirmed with the meter that there were no opens between the spades on the outside and the contacts on the inside, and then wiped them down with a solvent and a paper towel.



They cleaned up nicely, indeed! I put the shoe back in and now all spades got power when they were supposed to. I pulled the shoe back out, greased it with some vintage Lionel Train lube I happened to have within arm reach, and put it back to gether. The metal slide on the back that the control cable attaches to got a quick cleaning and lube with some WD-40.




Back in the car, I reconnected the harness and operated the switch by hand. Indeed, all four corners now blink like they should. Great! However, when I reconnected the control cable, I got a lot of slop from trying to signal with the lever on the column. At one point, I pulled down for a left signal, and the horn sounded! So, one problem fixed, onto the next.



I pulled the horn ring cover, and then the column bolt, followed by a puller to pop the steering wheel loose. Here's what you see when the wheel comes off.



The big screw on the left is the pivot point for the turn signal cam ring. The screw has a smooth section just below the head, with a threaded extension for connecting to the column. The turn signal cable is activated via a simple lever with a ball on one end that rides in a hole in the cam ring, and a rod on the other that the control cable coils around. In the middle, you can see the two cam elbows that allow the turn signal to be "cancelled" once you complete the turn and the wheel is coming back to center. On the far right, you can see a hint of the centering spring that keeps the cam either in a signal position or centered when not in use. The cam in the picture is in the "right turn signal" position.



The whole pivot mechanism was sloppy (lots of play) and gummy with old lube, and the cam ring was bent upwards (see pic below) which is why it was grounding the horn ring and causing the horn to sound. I cleaned and regreased the pivot screws, and applied some soft thread lock to keep it from backing out. I also took the cam ring over to the bench and veeeery gently persuaded it back into the proper shape. I say gently because the cam ring is cast "pot metal" and very easy to crack.




The turn signal lever is captured in a simple pivot by a swaged-on top plate. The plate had come loose, adding more slop to the whole signaling process. See the shadow along the edge of the plate in the pic below for how much the top plate was lifting. It was also a little bent upward from years of bending hard trying to get a signal light to come on. I bent the plate back down and whacked the swage point points with a punch to eliminate the slop here.



All back together, the turn signals worked perfectly. It "snicks" cleanly into position and back with hardly any slop now. I'm also pleased to report the horn no longer sounds through the turn signal lever!

After starting the car for a test run, I noted a louder than usual exhaust note under the hood. Further investigation revealed the left donut was leaking again, and in fact a nut was missing from one of the three exhaust manifold studs! So, problem number three ID'd and fixed, this time with a lock washer to make sure it stays on.

But hey, that's old cars for ya. There are several other problems that will need attention, but at least now I can get it inspected and start enjoying it for the summer!

 

[gearhead1960]

Nice repair!

One of the most attractive things about this car series that I love is the dash/steering wheel used. It reminds me so much of the Corvette of this era and that is what is so appealing vs. a competing Ford or Chrysler product of the time frame. Those cars usually had a horizontal laid out speedo and gauge package that was definitely not as attractive.

 

[Terranova]

Today, I swung by the Gerstner factory while they were still open. See my writeup on the vintage tool box thread here.

A little late, but I'm from Dayton, inherited my great grandfathers Gerstner and actually got the guts up to interview to work there. No luck.

Gonna check out your write up

 

[BlueBomber]

Too bad you didn't get the job, Terranova. That would've been a cool place to work.

The following is a mirror of a post I made on Thomas Payne's Restored 1930s Garage thread today. I posted it to thank Thomas for a tip that saved me a mess, and possibly disaster, with my new-to-me Impala.

When I was touring his shop last month, Thomas showed me how he disconnected the ground on all of his old cars when they were stored inside his garages. Furthermore, he noted "I never tighten down the ground terminal when I put it back on, in case I need to disconnect the battery quickly." He then relayed a story about how that saved his son's car once.

Well, I thought it a good tip, so I implemented it on my Impala. This morning, I went out to start it up, after putting the ground terminal back on (without tightening the clamp, of course). As the car warmed up, I tidied up the interior, unplugging the cigarette lighter power adapter and flipping the ash tray shut.

When I did that, a dime which I had left resting on the lip in front of the cigarette lighter opening dropped down into the hole. I noticed a few sparks, then the engine died. I flipped open the tray several times, trying the get the dime out, but to no avail. When the dime started to glow red hot....I knew I had a real problem.

I lept from the car, raced to the hood and ripped the untightened ground terminal from the battery. When I got back to the passenger compartment, it was filled with gray smoke, and I found this:

It had smoked a good three feet of large gauge wire. I further confirmed there was no fuse in this circuit, just a wire straight from the battery! Obviously, I will be going through the rest of the wiring this weekend to look for other such electrical buffoonery.

Whew!


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[gearhead1960]

It had smoked a good three feet of large gauge wire. I further confirmed there was no fuse in this circuit, just a wire straight from the battery! Obviously, I will be going through the rest of the wiring this weekend to look for other such electrical buffoonery.

Nice save and great idea!

 

[BlueBomber]

It's been over two months since I posted, but I haven't been idle!

SWMBO and I took the Impala out to our first car show at a local ice cream joint.



I got the work bench in the new garage cleaned off.



I picked up another free trampoline. I'll use the metal to build a firewood holder in the side yard.



SWMBO and I marched in the Boston Gay Pride Parade. We're not, but support the rights of those who are.



I dismembered two more Craftsman RASs to send in for the recall bounty.



Only the motor gets turned in, so the rest of the saw is decomposed for spare parts and projects.



Visited the Heritage Museum and Gardens in Sandwich, MA and saw their amazing car collection.



Attended my daughter's graduation from Massachusetts Maritime Academy (Summa *** Laude!).



Walked on the beach with SWMBO after graduation...



Repaired the leaky flashing around the chimney on the porch roof. This was my own work from 2011 that had started leaking. Hopefully, this time it will stay dry.



Climbed Mt Washington, the highest mountain in New England, with my son.



Built and installed a Murphy bed kit in the rec room above the old garage.



Shopped for a Thunderbird for SWMBO...didn't buy it.



Drove the Impala out to Bennington, Vermont with SWMBO to attend the Hemming Motor News weekly car show. This was a bucket list day, to visit the headquarters of such a venerable automotive publication, one dedicated to old cars.



Helped lead a group of 14 Boy Scouts and adults on a 370-mile bike ride from Pittsburg to Washington, DC along the Greater Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal.



Shopped for another Thunderbird for SWMBO...shook hands to buy this one. Waiting on the title and hope to bring it home this weekend.



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[Bob Heine]

It's been over two months since I posted, but I haven't been idle!

BlueBomber, I really appreciate the update. Congratulations to your daughter and nice T-bird (have you been very good or very bad?). Which one hurt more, the Mt. Washington climb or the Pittsburg to Washington DC ride? My index finger is a little stiff from scrolling up and down your post. Maybe I'll feel better after a nap.

 

[BlueBomber]

BlueBomber, I really appreciate the update. Congratulations to your daughter and nice T-bird (have you been very good or very bad?). Which one hurt more, the Mt. Washington climb or the Pittsburg to Washington DC ride? My index finger is a little stiff from scrolling up and down your post. Maybe I'll feel better after a nap.

[emoji99]

Thanks, Bob. The T-bird was a loop hole in the "You can't have any more cars" rule. This one's for her!

The Mt Washington climb hurt afterward, for sure, but the bike ride, surprisingly, did not.

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[WarrenJ]

The pic with the train tracks looks like the trail from Frostburg to Cumberland?

 

[BlueBomber]

The pic with the train tracks looks like the trail from Frostburg to Cumberland?

Yes, that's right! That's a fun stretch when you're going in that direction...downhill all the way!

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[WarrenJ]

Rode the train into F'Burg one Fall. Leaves so bad on tracks, almost didn't make the climb up the grade.

 

[BlueBomber]

I brought the Thunderbird home last night!

The couple I bought the T-bird from, John & Ellen, had known that car for 51 years! Ellen's brother-in-law bought the car back in 1968, sold it to a family friend in the early 70s, bought it back in 1980 and eventually sold it to Ellen. She bought it as a surprise Fathers Day gift for John in 2001! They thoroughly enjoyed the car for the last 18 years, but decided to let it go now that John wasn't so spry in getting around. The T-bird has the 312 V-8 with a 3-speed automatic. No power accessories (seats, brakes or steering), an updated radio with a cassette deck, and a decent vinyl interior, for its age.



John & Ellen said they weren't "car people" and although they clearly loved their T-bird, the maintenance and care for her had been neglected over the years. Sometime in her life, the T-bird had some body work done, poorly, and was resprayed in black, again, poorly. The paint was not buffed at all and has an almost semi-gloss finish in most places. The door, trunk and hood panels don't fit well in their openings and the underside of the car was filthy with 60 years of dirt and grime that was left there during the re-spray. Although a new rocker panel was grafted onto the driver's side, several other rusty components were left in place.



The sale did include some boxes of spare and ordered-but-not-installed parts.


The car isn't a total wreck, however. There's a new convertible top on the car, the headliner inside the hardtop is also new, and so is the trunk liner. In total, it still a running, driving car, and I paid about half the going rate for a pristine '57 Thunderbird, so I'm pleased with it. I just need to get her prepped for SWMBO to drive.

First order of business: fixing the driver-side window. When I went to roll it down so I could back it off the trailer last night, I heard someting go "bink" and the glass dropped down into the door.



The fix turned out to be easier than I expected. The arm in the bottom-middle of the picture below is supposed to attach to the rust-colored pin just above it. It had simply popped loose. If you look closely...



...you can see the clip sitting in the bottom of the door. I retrieved it and popped it back on--problem solved!



Next, I put the Bird up in the air and took a tour underneath. Here's where I found the rust, filth and end-of-life rear suspension rubber.




The tires are old and will be the first things to be replaced. The last three numbers on the DOT imprint indicate the week and year of manufacture (415 = 41st week of 1995 ... or 1985...or 1975...). After 2000, the code became a four digit number the carried the decade for more precise age tracking. I ordered a set of Coker American Classics, the radials that look like bias-ply tires.



More rust...




...and a rear bumper bolt missing a nut! I fished a lock-washer and a new nut into the frame and onto the other end of the bolt.



I also popped off the rear fender skirts to check the rear brakes.
They were fine, but the skirts are missing their gaskets and are held on by a pair of 7/16" bolts. Guess I better put together a tool kit for SWMBO's trunk that includes a pair of 7/16" wrenches!



Not pictured is a "D'oh!!" moment. After finishing with the lift work, I was lowering the car down when I realized it wasn't settling to the ground evenly. I eventually realized I had left the driver-side door open, and it had settled down on a stool on the other side of the car...and basically the door was carrying the weight of half the car. Ugh. Yes, it tweaked the hinges and I spent the next two hours wiggling, bending and swearing at the hinges (and myself!) trying to get the door to close properly. I eventually got it close, but it still rubs a tiny bit in one corner. All that time spent on that door only underscored how clumsily the last restoration was done. I shouldn't be so judgemental--I probably couldn't have done a whole lot better myself back in the late '90s. I think I can now, but I had to promise SMWBO this would not be another project car. So, any new restorations will have to wait a few years. I'm still glad I bought it, and will continue to prep it for her to use. First thing is to get it titled and registered.

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[captain14]

I’d enjoy hearing more about the bike ride on the trail. We’ve been on the C&O trail from Hancock north about 10 miles but turned back since we had a late start mid afternoon. We didn’t want to ride that section of the trail after dark.

Did the scouts cook and camp or did you have designated places to stay?

 

[BajaScout]

It's been over two months since I posted, but I haven't been idle!

SWMBO and I took the Impala out to our first car show at a local ice cream joint.



I got the work bench in the new garage cleaned off.



I picked up another free trampoline. I'll use the metal to build a firewood holder in the side yard.



SWMBO and I marched in the Boston Gay Pride Parade. We're not, but support the rights of those who are.



I dismembered two more Craftsman RASs to send in for the recall bounty.



Only the motor gets turned in, so the rest of the saw is decomposed for spare parts and projects.



Visited the Heritage Museum and Gardens in Sandwich, MA and saw their amazing car collection.



Attended my daughter's graduation from Massachusetts Maritime Academy (Summa *** Laude!).



Walked on the beach with SWMBO after graduation...



Repaired the leaky flashing around the chimney on the porch roof. This was my own work from 2011 that had started leaking. Hopefully, this time it will stay dry.



Climbed Mt Washington, the highest mountain in New England, with my son.



Built and installed a Murphy bed kit in the rec room above the old garage.



Shopped for a Thunderbird for SWMBO...didn't buy it.



Drove the Impala out to Bennington, Vermont with SWMBO to attend the Hemming Motor News weekly car show. This was a bucket list day, to visit the headquarters of such a venerable automotive publication, one dedicated to old cars.



Helped lead a group of 14 Boy Scouts and adults on a 370-mile bike ride from Pittsburg to Washington, DC along the Greater Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal.



Shopped for another Thunderbird for SWMBO...shook hands to buy this one. Waiting on the title and hope to bring it home this weekend.



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I blew a tire on that bridge!


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[Fisherguy]

That ***** finding all that rust in your new car. I'm looking at buying a 65 GTO, I'll be sure to get it up on a hoist to have a look at things before buying it.

 

[BlueBomber]

I blew a tire on that bridge!


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Ha! One of our scouts did just BEFORE that bridge. Must be something in the cinder in that area...

That ***** finding all that rust in your new car. I'm looking at buying a 65 GTO, I'll be sure to get it up on a hoist to have a look at things before buying it.

I did inspect the car underneath before I shook on it, so the rust didn't surprise me. What did was the extent of the filth, but that should pressure-wash away. The quality of the previous body work also was lower than I noticed, but we can live with it.

Good luck on the GTO! I have fond memories of a metallic blue '66 convertible from my teenage years. A neighbor whose grass I cut had one and took me for a spin one day. It was awesome!

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[BlueBomber]

I’d enjoy hearing more about the bike ride on the trail. We’ve been on the C&O trail from Hancock north about 10 miles but turned back since we had a late start mid afternoon. We didn’t want to ride that section of the trail after dark.

Did the scouts cook and camp or did you have designated places to stay?

Cap: it was a great adventure! This was the second time our troop has done this trip, and I was the only one who'd done it before. We carried all of our gear on our bikes--no chase vehicle. We repaired flats, loose spokes, broken gear racks, lacerated scouts (from crashes) and kept going. We camped at reserved spots every night--in Hancock it was the Happy Hills campground. We took two days off of the trail for white water rafting and a zip line-ropes course. Our shortest day was 25 miles, but other than that, all were 58 to 72 mile days. The boys were in charge of nearly everything, including the advance planning, the practice rides, where we bought our food every day and for navigating to the next camp ground. The biggest disappointment on the whole trip was coming out from our celebration dinner in Georgetown to find a thief had cut my bike lock cable and stolen one of our boys bikes. Even that turned out okay, because one of his friends set up a GoFundMe page while we were talking to the cops and raised $1500 in under two weeks to replace it! In all, the boys will have an adventure and a mutual bond they will remember for a lifetime.

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[captain14]

That’s too bad about the stolen bike. I assume each bike wasn’t locked with a U-lock to the rack? How thick Was the cable that was cut?

But great memories for the ride!

From all the pictures you had a busy summer so far.

 

[BlueBomber]

Cap: the rack was full of bikes, so we cabled his to mine (which was u-locked) on the end. It was a pretty beefy cable, but someone told me these crooks walk around with battery powered jaws-of-life cutters, so basically if they want your bike they're going to take it.

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[BUGTHUG]

wow you been busy. Nice ole bird. It must have a rear seal that was leaking, the good thing might be all that oil gunk might of help preserve some of the metal?
Smart daughter, thanks for her service.

 

[BlueBomber]

Yep, leaky rear seal. The T-bird was just filthy with road dirt and grease. I hope to pressure wash the undercarriage this weekend.

The new white walls came in last week. I'll try to get them mounted this week.

Thanks re: my daughter. She's not actually in a service--that's her Cadet uniform.

I've also worked out a decent plan for adding shoulder belts to the front seats of the Impala. That's an especially neat trick for a hardtop. I'll share the pics and concept this weekend.

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[BlueBomber]

We finally got tags on the T-bird, after three different trips to three different Massachusetts RMVs. SWMBO and I took her out to a Friday night car show at a nearby ice cream place to celebrate. The T-bird is nowhere near the finish level of my Impala, but it was still gratifying to see how many people stopped, looked and took pictures of her. It felt almost naked driving her around without seatbelts, though, so that was the first order for Saturday.



I also had bought a new carpet along with some lap belts while waiting on the paperwork, so both were getting installed today. The original rug was sunburned over the hump and although it had some charm (patina is the word for it nowadays), the car had a musty funk to it that needed to be exorcised.



After getting the bench unbolted and out, this is what greeted me:



Yep, old mouse activity. Between that and the deteriorated seat foam, it was a mess under there, and helped explain the funky smell. I also found this hog ringed to the bottom of the seat.



Unfortunately, it broke in half as soon as I touched it, but you can clearly see the manufacturing date code of 10-56. I removed the other half from the seat and will tuck it away somewhere for safekeeping.

Under the floor mats on the driver's side was a folder of old registration papers and repair invoices.



I found a chalk mark on the bottom side of the old carpet, confirming it was original.



Here's the shifter housing I removed to cleanup all of the old carpet remnants. As near as I can tell, the glossy black paint over chrome plating is the factory treatment. The wood-screw-mounted shifter indicator is most definitely not. I replaced the wood screws with pan-headed machine screws but it still didn't seem to fit right. Only after doing some more research did I finally figure out it was supposed to be mounted from inside the housing, not on top of it! There's a backing plate for behind it that's missing, but I managed to figure a way to get it mounted on the inside until I can get a replacement from one of the T-bird parts suppliers.



I stopped taking pictures at this point as I got in the groove putting the car back together. That, and the phone was sitting in its charger cradle on the workbench, so not handy for snapping as-you-go pictures. I'll try to grab some more today.

It turns out the car already had been drilled for seat belts, but they were not reinstalled during the last restoration. It made it much easier to get mine in. The carpet doesn't lay as flat as I'd like it to, but I expect it will settle in after a few weeks of sitting. She's back to being drivable now, but there is more work to do. The car has no dash lights, and still doesn't after replacing a blown fuse. More work, but such are the joys of a new-to-you old car. She still put a smile on my face when I drove her up to the auto parts store for a new air filter.
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[realvc]

It is great to see and hear how you and your wife are enjoying her wife's T bird. Your adventure bringing home the '60 Impala was enjoyable too.

Thanks for sharing

Vince

 

[BlueBomber]

Anyone have a clue what might be causing this fuzz to appear along one section of wall in my old garage? At first I thought it was mouse activity, but there seems to be no traces of feces in it. The fuzz seems to be accumulating at the top of the drywall and spilling down the wall and piling up on the drill press and bench below. The insulation peeking up above the drywall appears undisturbed. When I reach down between the drywall and the paper insulation, both seem intact and the fuzz seems to form a layer between the board and the paper. It's only happening along a 2-3 foot section. Do I have a critter problem?

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[y'sguy]

Congrats on the new Bird. Any question I can help with just pm me. Long history with them from about 1965.

As far as the fuzz thing? not sure could be spider webs catching all that. Fix up a low buck air filter for awhile and check it. Okay, after rereading the above post, I would say yes some kind of a critter. At first I read it was possibly spin off from your drill press, and misunderstood.