Behold! The Mario Kart Master

I'm the best! Really, I keep tryin to get my kids to call me "The #1 King Daddy-O" whenever I beat them at Mario Kart, which is EVERYTIME! but they won't call me that, not even for Chicken express money. I'd really be embarrassed if I was a 16 year old boy nicknamed Osprey, or a 12 year old girl nicknamed Rivergirl, and couldn't beat my poor ole 40 year old Pa that's barely able to get a grip on modern technology and all them new fangled games. fer shame fer shame! Oh the humanity! If I were them, I wouldn't even show my face in the blogosphere fer a long time. he he he...

Is it considered progress if yer going backwards, but with enthusiasm?

Well, I've been workin on the pickup, but not the way I wanted to. There are a lot of bugs to work out on a vehicle that has sat a while. First thing I did was run her out of fuel, not on purpose, but by going up a steep grade with an 1/8th of a tank of diesel. She sucked air. I used to run heavy equipment, so I know that running out of diesel is bad, and you usually have to crack most of the injector lines and crank it til you see diesel... but it's a pickup, surely Chevy made their pickups easier to restart. Two weeks later Cuz and I got it started. You read it right! Two weeks! I'm sure I lost a few years of life in those two weeks...I really wanted to burn it, but it's all I have to get me to work. There was a lot of perspiration, anger, bad words, new parts and chevy design team hating going on in those two weeks, but I'd rather not talk about it any more, except to ask, where did Chevy recruit there designers from? McDonalds?

The next problem was the starter and solenoid (probably due to crankin the starter til it smoked, over and over fer two weeks) But they didn't just die, they worked fine...most of the time. But about every other day at first, the truck wouldn't start, no power anywhere, no headlights, no gauges, no radio, no horn, no power. Sounds like a short right? How can the starter be bad and affect the headlights and horn, no blown fuses, nothin wrong, just no power. I'd stand there and stare hatefully at the truck fer about 10 minutes, then get in and start it, like nothin was wrong. I checked everything and couldn't find the problem. One day a couple of weeks ago, my son started the truck while I was outside, and I saw sparks under the truck. I had him start it again with me under it, and found the problem. The plastic around the positive stud on the solenoid was melted, making the stud loose. I don't know how it started at all. I replaced the solenoid twice, the first one from Auto Zone was bad, the second one was fine, but the starter would turn about half speed. I took it back out of the truck again, and tried running it on the tailgate with jumper cables. The solenoid kicked hard, but the starter ran very slow. Boy did those jumper cables get hot! That old starter must have been pullin some big amps just to get turning. I bought a new starter and fixed the problem.

The Family's View of Me Over the Last 2 Months

The transmission had less than a thousand miles on the rebuild when I bought the truck, so I didn't worry about the hesitation and slipping between 3rd and 4th gears. I would have worried if I didn't have all of the other problems happening one after the other. So when I had an emergency fix lull, I tore into the transmission to put in a TransGo shift kit, but there was already a TransGo shift kit installed. That was a little disheartening. I decided to keep going just for the experience, and found two things that were done wrong. I found an extra spring that wasn't supposed to be where it was, and a washer/spacer was missing. I didn't think those two problems were going to make that much of a difference, but the transmission shifts great now. I did some online research on transmission rebuilding go to PATC and Transgo for good reading. I also bought a Haynes chevy automatic trans rebuild book. I think I could rebuild a 700r4 if I wanted to. I really enjoyed putting in the shift kit.

This truck has 16 gallon saddle tanks, and one of em is leaking. Not a problem, I want one tank in the rear like a suburban anyway. I think that will help offset the weight of the engine better than the saddle tanks. I have the 32 gallon tank from the parts suburban, but want the filler neck centered so I can fill it through the floor of the bed. I may try to weld it up myself. Son and I took the bad tank out today, and I plumbed the other saddle tank direct, skipping the tank switching valve thingy. On a side note, how does the oily rusty dirt cake stuff that's always stuck to the underside of old cars and trucks know where yer eyes are? not only that, but how does it know that yer eyes are the most painful target to hit? I swear I could keep my mouth wide open the whole time I'm under a vehicle, and nary a nodule will I taste, but my eyes will be swollen shut from the oil and diesel soaked road grit hitting it's target over and over. I could never mechanic for a living, I don't know why there aren't more blind mechanics going postal...

We changed the oil today also. I'm debating whether I want to try synthetic oil or not. It costs enough more per quart, that I can't quite make myself try it yet. It's one of those things that you can't really tell a difference in performance, so it doesn't seem that important. I did put synthetic ATF in the tranny though.

I've been driving the truck fer about 2 months now, and the one thing that absolutely has to go, is the stock bench seat. At the end of a drive, I have to hobble out of the truck and slowly straighten up before I can start walking. The seat has me bent over the steering wheel, egging me on to drive faster like I'm a kid racing a bicycle in a rockwall painting with his hair flying, and tongue hanging out the side... which is a funny thought if you've ever driven anything with a 6.2 diesel in it, the kid on the bicycle could beat me in a fair race. So, I bought some BMW bucket seats off of Craigslist. I believe they are about 2000 vintage 740i, but am not sure. They are both full power everything. There are 4 or 5 motors in each seat. Son and I took out the bench seat and trial fit the buckets so I could measure for adaptor brackets. I'll get those made soon.

That's about it this round, I can't believe time is going by so fast.

p.s.- from what I've read about the new Corvettes, Chevy must have fired all the 80's reject designers and engineers. I've always been a classic chevy fan, but never liked corvettes until recently. Something big musta happened at Chevy, cause there's some brain cells bein used now brother.

They're all running....almost

Time sure flies when yer....fixing vehicles, having the whole family sick fer about a month, going through the holidays, and just living.
My 16 yo son and I started tearing the front end outta olive erl, just in time fer the white sub to blow a head gasket. I had the 82 pickup in pieces, cause I wasn't planning on driving it, and we sold the only running vehicle (my wifes van) all during a cold snowy spell while giving each other the flu and other ailments. I felt like I was bein pushed to the edge fer a while. 16 yo and I got the white sub running eventually, while mommy rented a van, and we borrowed a car from younger bro. I tried not to make the 82 drivable, knowing that if I did, I would drive it, but I gave in and am enjoying it immensely. So now my wife has the suburban and I get to drive my project truck to work. 16 yo has been putting olive erl back together, so she will soon have newer better binders. Her originals were manual drums all around. Every stop felt like a panic stop. So I decided to add power with front discs (the back will remain drums fer now). We are adding the front sway bar from the parts sub also. He's almost done, so we'll get to try her out soon.
I am having a blast driving my pickup! and I've been daydreaming about what I have to do next to get her ready for autocross (solo) and Bonneville. I know there are the obvious things, like dropping it and getting some fancy suspension goodies, and decent tires, but there's also the less obvious, like getting new weatherstripping. At 60mph the wind noise is deafening. I can see the road between the passenger door and door jamb. The wing vents whistle and howl like an old haunted house, and the old sliding rear window rattles and lets all the exhaust and tire noise in right by my right ear. All the noise makes you think that yer going a lot faster than you really are. At 130 mph (Bonneville) you would have to have those big orange ear muff thingys that the guys on an aircraft carrier flight deck wear. Come to think of it that might be kinda cool driving around town with the orange ear muff thingys. Might start a fad. Purty soon everyone'l be doin it...yep, I'm cool.
Anyhoo, there are still a lot of things to do to old Bets before she's ready fer competition, so in the mean time, I'll be driving her to work, and daydreaming about all the fun fix ups I'll be doing to her in the future.

Bonneville bound?

I have been reading about speed week at The Bonneville Salt Flats lately, and accidentally got too interested. I've already told (asked?) my wife that I want to go there next August. I started thinking that my '82 might be quick enough to make the 130 mph club when I get it finished. That goal may help me get the truck done sooner. The trick as I see it is not speed, but quickness. There are a lot of vehicles out there that will do 130, but not on salt in one mile. There are only about 60 vehicles that have made it since 1982. and only 11 that have made it in the 150 MPH club. My overall plans for the '82 haven't changed much since the beginning, but have been evolving as my world widens. I'll have to change a few things on the truck to comply with the 130 mph club rules, but that will only make the truck better. Here's a good link with lots of pictures of '06 Speed Week It loads slow if you have dial up as I do, so be patient, the pictures are worth the wait. There are some good pictures of rat rods also.

We watched "The Worlds Fastest Indian" this weekend. A true story about Burt Munro and his dream of setting a Bonneville record (over 200 mph) on his 1924(?)Indian motorcycle. If you're already a gear head and speed freak, this movie will almost guaranty that you'll be at Bonneville next year. I just have to convince my wife that she'll enjoy it there too...

I bought some pinstriping paint and a brush from The Pinstriper Depot the other day. I've already been practicing on one of our barstools. I'm enjoying it like I thought I would. I'll practice a little more before I try it out on a car. Straight smooth lines are hard!

I'll end with a quote from the movie - "All my life I've wanted to do something big - bigger and better than all the other jokers. And this is it, Bonneville. The place where big things happen." -Anthony Hopkins as Burt Munro in The World's Fastest Indian.

I know I'm blessed with a wonderful family, a good job, a house, and all, but that quote says something to me, it says- Get out there and follow your dreams, be excellent.

I think I will...

Rat Rods

My 16yo son and I went to a car show a couple weeks ago. I thought we were going to a normal car show, but it was a rat rod show. I kind of knew what a rat rod was from reading my car mags, but had not seen one in real life. The high points of a rat rod as I see it are- rust, black primer, badly chopped tops, Flame jobs over rust, indian blankets over plywood seats, Von Dutch type pin striping over rust or primer, Skulls (painted and shifter knobs) and straight pipes. They were so cool! Boy have I got plans for the '70 Suburban now. It's already rusty. It needs a paint job (black primer). I've tried my hand at pinstriping on my first car ('68 mustang) and really enjoyed it. I love flames, and want to learn how to paint them. I think (know) I'm going to skip the chopped top and plywood seats though.
I haven't said much about the '70 suburban (olive erl) because I was going to sell her and use the money to finish my '82 pickup. My son and I cleaned olive erl up to drive to the car show with a for sale sign in the windshield. I hadn't had her on the road for about a year and a half, So we spent about 3 hours cleaning her up in & out, and checking fluids, airing up the tires, and getting her sort of legal. We couldn't get the tranny to shift out of first, so we went without her. Spending that much time with olive rekindled the fire that her and I had a few years back. I don't think I want her to go. I don't think she wants to leave either, her transmission has less than 5ooo miles on it! About 5 years ago I had a 400 small block built, and had her original turbo 350 rebuilt. I cleaned up the engine compartment and bought shiny stuff and Edelbrock stuff to put on the engine. We got real close during that time, and I drove her to work every day, but we drifted apart, mostly due to her lack of AC, and fuel mileage (10-12 mpg).
I bought an '86 suburban parts vehicle for the AC, power disc brakes, five lug bolt pattern front and rearend for Olive, and also the electric windows and locks, and 1 door and fender for the '82 pickup. I haven't named the pickup yet cause we haven't progressed past the "it's just a car" stage, we're still just friends...
I was already planning on a true fire flame job on my pickup, so will try a classic white/yellow/orange/red fade with lime green pinstriping on Olive erl (by the by, the name comes from her original color) That link is Mike Lavallee's shop, He's the originator and best true fire painter (imho). There are other cool paint sites to see on my last blog entry.
The one thing that bugs me about the rat rod culture (Kulture) is the people. A lot of them looked like a cross between the Goth crowd, tattooed Harley gang members, and James Dean. I don't really like death, tattooes, or james dean, but the cars look cool...

Never play leap frog with a unicorn

I want you to know, that that title has nothing to do with this post, but I spent more time thinking about a title, than writing the post. This was one of the less weird titles that my tired brain came up with, so I went with it. Ya gotta admit, it got yur attention though, didn't it.

I've been real busy lately, but am determined to start back on the truck. There are a lot of little things I can do without spending more money - bolt the seat and seat belts in, install the kick panels, run electrical for the door locks and windows, etc.

I'm not going to drive the truck until I get the headliner, dash pad, and new seat upholstery installed. When I feel like I'm going to have a free Saturday (probably after the first of the year) I'll start with the headliner. I think if I just set aside one weekend a month I'll have this truck done by mid 2007. Ya, I know, I'm dreaming, but ya gotta dream. Once I get it on the road, I'll feel better, but if I start driving it now, I'm afraid I'll quit working on it.

House of Kolor has a 2 day basic painting class in Dallas. It's aimed at the professional painter, but I'm told they'll let amateurs in. The last class this year is mid November. I think I'm going to miss this one, but try for early next year. I'd like to practice a little first, so I don't look completely foolish. I'm going to spray my '91 suburban roof and hood. The sun has baked about half the paint off 'em, but the sides still look good. I figure as bad as the suburban looks on top, anything I do will be an improvement. I have the '70 suburban to practice on also, iffin I need to. House of Kolor has a 4 or 5 day advanced class, but the only one scheduled is in California. I'm hoping they'll have one in Dallas on next year's schedule. Another cool paint site is here

I get real excited about the creative part of this project, like the painting, and custom wood touches to the interior. I found some luthier grade curly maple on Ebay the other day, and almost bought it, but that project comes later...remember, pace yourself, baby steps, breathe....

By the way, it was 86 degrees today... in November... Wal Mart has winter clothes and christmas stuff out... The public swimming pools have been drained... and it's 86 degrees out... in November!

The hot hazy days of Fall?

Now that it's Fall, the temperature has dropped a little. Yesterday was 96 degrees. When I'm not at work, and it's 96 degrees out, you will find me in my house, in my favorite chair, next to the A.C. vent, solving sudoku puzzles. I'm reverse hibernating. I do pause and look longingly at my truck on the way into the house every evening though.

Hell er therabouts

I'm itchin to get back to the truck, but every time I go outside, I lose interest. It's hot. So instead, I thought I'd share a poem with yall about Texas. It's from a book called "Best Loved Poems of the American People" copyright 1936.

HELL IN TEXAS

The Devil, we're told, in hell was chained,

And a thousand years he there remained,

And he never complained, nor did he groan,

But determined to start a hell of his own

Where he could torment the souls of men

Without being chained to a prison pen.

So he asked the Lord if He had on hand

Anything left when He made the land.

The Lord said, "Yes, I had plenty on hand,

But I left it down on the Rio Grande.

The fact is, old boy, the stuff is so poor,

I don't think you could use it in hell any more."

But the devil went down to look at the truck,

And said if it came as a gift, he was stuck;

For after examining it careful and well

He concluded the place was too dry for hell.

So in order to get it off His hands

God promised the devil to water the lands.

For he had some water, or rather some dregs,

A regular cathartic that smelt like bad eggs.

Hence the deal was closed and the deed was given,

And the Lord went back to His place in Heaven.

And the devil said, "I have all that is needed

To make a good hell," and thus he succeeded.

He began to put thorns on all the trees,

And he mixed the sand with millions of fleas,

He scatteed tarantulas along all the roads,

Put thorns on the cacti and horns on the toads;

He lengthened the horns of the Texas steers

And put an addition on jack rabbits' ears.

He put little devils in the broncho steed

And poisoned the feet of the centipede.

The rattlesnake bites you, the scorpion stings,

The mosquito delights you by buzzing his wings.

The sand burrs prevail, so do the ants,

And those that sit down need half soles on their pants.

The devil then said that throughout the land

He'd manage to keep up the devil's own brand,

And all would be mavericks unless they bore

The marks of scratches and bites by the score.

The heat in the summer is a hundred and ten,

Too hot for the devil and too hot for men.

The wild boar roams through the black chaparral,

It's a hell of a place he has for a hell

-unknown-

Ahh, What a sweet poem....

Tractor pull

My oldest son (16yo) and I went to our first tractor pull last night. I can say with my utmost conviction, that I have never been so impressed and revolted at the same time. I have been more revolted at times, and maybe more impressed (although I can't remember an incident) at other times, but never the two entwined. First the revolted (just to get it over with). That was a slice of humanity that should never be administered in that strong of a dose at one time. Not the participants, but the spectators. It makes me question my hot rod genes. More about that in a minute.

Now for the impressed part. After the first 4 engined, 8000 h.p. fire breathing monster made its pull, I was trying to organize how I felt into a concise, intelligible statement, and here it is... "HOLY MOTHER OF ALL THAT IS LOUD, FAST, BRUTAL, AND BEAUTIFUL!!!" It's hard to be eloquent, while stuffing yer eardrums and yer tongue back in yer head, but I think I did ok. After that first multi engined run, I felt one with my redneck brethren! If everyone would have broke out in a tractor pull praise and worship song right then, I would have joined in whole heartedly. I was weak, giddy, my face hurt from smiling so big. I think I'm an addict, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. The sound is what got to me, sticks with me the most. The roar of 4 blown big blocks near redline, the tortured whine of a chorus of blowers and transmission gears. It was so beautiful, powerful, overwhelming... the sound was almost visible. I told my son that that must be close to the sound of the end of time, or Armageddon, he just smiled distantly and sighed yaaah.....I think he was impressed too.
I liked the smell of the alcohol/methanol smoke cloud that drifted over the bleachers after every run. It's a distinctive smell, kind of sweet yet industrial. A smell you probably shouldn't like, but can't help it. Like the smell of a ski boat, you know, the 2 cycle oil/gas exhaust mixed with lake water. There ought to be a perfume for women with that smell. Do I come across as shallow? my wife thinks so....

How does all this apply to my truck project? I don't know, it probably won't change the truck in a visual way, I won't put pulling tires on it, or stick the exhaust out of the hood, or anything out of the hood for that matter. But the sound...that sweet sound....my precious....

I've changed a little from this experience, I'm not going to get a tattoo, or pierce anything, or start wearing bare midriff t-shirts (maybe just at home), but I think I've just hit another gear in my hot roddin journey.

It was their fault. My cousins I mean. They're the ones that invited us to go. I won't name names, but you know who you are. You're responsible for this, my new addiction. There is a way out though, a way to atone for your sins so to speak. You can donate to the Chevy 6.2 diesel fund for the needy builders of obnoxiously loud engines. It's a fairly exclusive charity. I know all the poor tortured souls that will be recipients of your kind gifts. I'm sure he...I mean they would be eternally grateful for any donation.....

Life and other distractions

I Haven't been able to work on the truck for the last couple of weeks. I've been working on my '91 go to work suburban instead. The suburban AC compressor locked up and broke the damped crank pulley,(not damned, though I think I called it that a couple of times). That pulley is $300! So I pulled the one off the pickup. The pickup crank pulley is a non damped version, similar to a gas engine crank pulley. Chevy switched over to the damped variety on the 6.2's (I'm not sure when, and after researching fer the last two weeks, I don't think anyone knows) to isolate v-belts and accessory bearings from the clackety diesel engine, that's what I was told anyway.... I've also changed the AC compressor, AC drier, front brake pads, one new rotor, two u joints, a carrier bearing, and the idler arm. I still have the rear axles to replace (outer bearing problems), the rear brake pads to replace, and a leak somewhere in the rear brake lines or pistons to fix. The old girl has 190,000 miles on her, and is starten' to feel her age.

I'm going to switch the truck over to a serpentine belt system. It's cleaner looking, and the parts are cheaper. I did get to put a little time into the truck a few weeks ago before the suburban started disintegrating. The jute padding came, and I have it cut and glued to the floor, and the carpet is stretched out in the cab, ready to glue down, but I just haven't had that extra hour I need to finish, maybe this weekend. I also put the power window and lock parts in the drivers side door. I'll save the wiring for a less stressful time in my life. I did look at the fuse block, and it has the area marked for power windows. I'll transfer the wiring over from the parts suburban. I was planning on putting the door panels from the parts suburban into the truck. When I was taking the drivers side panel off, I noticed that it has 4 window switches. Whoops! I wonder what I could use the two extra switches for? I would like to put the window switches in the center console anyway, so I may buy new panels.....

My car inventory- I have 3 suburbans, a 1970 3 door, 400/turbo350 (my other hot rod project), a 1986 no engine/transmission (the parts suburban), and a 1991 6.2 diesel (my filled with tools, go to work suburban). I also have "The Truck", and my wife has a Chevy Astro van. I like Chevys! Although after the last couple of weeks, I could very easily part with the work suburban and the astro.

I've noticed a difference in my attitude when I work on the suburban ('91) because I have to, as opposed to working on the truck because I want to. I doubt I'll try to fix my attitude though, that'd probably just take more time away from my truck.....