Hello everyone

[Retctddvr]

Hi all, I'm a retired 70 yo and drive an 07 Ram Cummins (the best truck I've ever owned). Been retired 3.5 years now but haven"t caught up yet. Hoping things settle down soon, so I can play.
I don't have any formal mechanical or woodworking training but I have always been a dyi person.

I've been reading here one the forum for several years, I got hooked on TimeWarp's 1966 ECO engine swap. Have to say I admire everything I know about him (you if you happen to read this post). The work is awesome, the family seems awesome, everything, and continues to be in my prayers. Hoping for a full recovery and soon!

Any way I have enjoyed and learned from everything I've read. I am looking forward to participating in the vintage tool forum.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Greetings. You joined GJ about the time you retired. Why the wait to post, or why now?
What kind of work did you do? CTD? Driver?
Glad you threw your hat in the ring. Now you have to share some of your exploits
Looking forward to seeing some of your projects.

 

[Retctddvr]

Hi Miss the Pontiacs, I want to reply, but for some reason by the time I finish writing I am logged out, and when I submit it doesn't go anywhere. Oh well I'll try again.

 

[The Cobbler]

when you log in to the forum, beside your username, check off the " remember me" box. that keeps you logged in

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Keep slugging, you’ll make it where are you from?

 

[Retctddvr]

I did 24 years in the USAF as a C-141 Loadmaster. Married my sweetheart from college right after Basic Training, not sure how she puts up with me, but were still married 50 years later. As a loadmaster I Supervised the loading and unloading of the aircraft, did airdrop of troops and cargo. I loved every minute of it. Would love to be doing it still. 141 crews were away form home about half the time.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

LM sounds like an interesting job. It’s great when you enjoy what you do. Good for you. We have logged 42 years this coming summer. We were lucky getting trainable women.. As for me I’m still a work in progress.

 

[Retctddvr]

That's probably why she has never been terribly supportive of me trying to be a landlord. She put up with it and the efforts treated us well, but she never really liked worrying that something would go wrong while I was away. Don't forget that we didn't have cell phones in those days.

 

[Retctddvr]

After the AF I took a couple years off bought another house and referred it with intention of flipping, but ended up putting our newly married daughter in it. I was pretty strapped at that point so I ended up at Alaska Air. After 8 years of working swing shift I had a chance to transfer to the North Slope in Alaska, working 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off similar to oilfield workers. I enjoyed that much better, guess I was never cut out for 5 day work weeks with one vacation break per year.

 

[Retctddvr]

We have three kids b,g,b all married and a gob of grandkids. Ive always worked on my own cars, and houses so the kids have always used dad for this and that, I don't mind but it keeps us busy.

Well thats my history, so where has it gotten me. I'm well on my way to arriving at the end a broken shell with too many old toys. My wildest remaining dream is to spend time in my shop and perhaps restore a car the way I have always wanted to. Still need to get heat in the shop and learn to weld. Living on 2 acres in the PNW there is always too much to do in the yard during good weather, so heat is going to be a necessity.

 

[Retctddvr]

Miss the Pontiacs, Congrats on 42 years, I assume marriage. I'm curious about your comment: "We were lucky getting trainable women."

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Just joking around, I probably needed more training and she probably would say that it is ongoing.

 

[Retctddvr]

I just got an old fashioned flat top crew cut! By the way the '63 64 goats or even Le Mans is one of about 5 cars I have always wanted. Closest I come is a '65 Riveria, but its pretty much a basket case not sure yet if I have enough life in me to get it done. We'll see

 

[Retctddvr]

Miss the Pontiacs, your soft top looks really nice. How much work have you done to get it where its at?

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

To tell the truth I purchased a driver. Had a buddy that started a project and never got at it. Didn’t want to repeat that scenario as he has more skills than I do. Did have the top redone and some upholstery repaired. I did have some engine tweaking but over all it is as I bought it. I like the big US Pontiacs as the CDN version were Pontiacs on Chevy frames and equipped with Chevy engines. I would like to get my hands on a 65-67 GTO but I’m waiting for a lotto win. Spending my surplus cash on the moment outfitting my garage.

The Riv would be a cool project, but sinking too much into it would have to be pretty special to warrant the spending.

Start another thread and show the others what you are up too. Include some pics.

 

[Retctddvr]

I plan to post some pics in the Vintage Tool forum soon. Nice to meet you.