Morning coffee

[Fairlane62]

What do you do to keep it that nice during winter?

[abe_lugo]

Bammm! That's  a Bad Bronco! Cool pic


Well got some stuff done this weekend
Worked out the brakes on my wife's Plymouth.  She changed the oil.  Adjusted the brakes.  May do the Wednesday cruise night with her

Worked out wiring on my Cadillac.  All new taillight wiring all the way to the pigtails. 
The car was out a few days at a time. Uncovered, so some moisture told the circuits to ground out some late and the short was in the taillights.  But prompted me to take care of the whole wiring project I had done in it.

Installed some screen doors on the rear of the house. Paint next.

Then another round on the 57.  Added the 10lb residual valve to the rear and bled the brakes.  Now I have a real firm pedal. 
I still need to find that old vacuum can for the power. 
Still need to figure an Edelbrock 1406.

Fiddled with the headlight wiring on that one.  There were some bad connections. Got them working.  The one thing I have not figured out is the universals TS. They seem to be hot all the time.  It has a built in hazard.  I was going back to the of I also style TS switch.  So I have to figure out the GM to Ford wiring conversion.  This old rig has an EZ wiring kit.  New project next week.

Next will be that power steering-slowdown.  It will be new hose and fittings.
After that getting the shifting back to the the column. 
Since I installed the original style column, just need to make sure the detents on it match the ford C4 detent plate.
Does and one have a straight on image on one with some scale? I may have an old one from my 64. 

Anyhow some Progress   Back to work Monday. 

[CobraJoe]

Thanks, I try to get it to the self serve car wash the day after the storm. The height definitely is a plus when it comes to cleaning the undercarriage.

[Fairlane62]

[quote  She changed the oil.  Adjusted the brakes    quote]

Well I'd say she's a keeper.  I have to change my own oil. 🙁

[Fairlane62]

Thanks, I try to get it to the self serve car wash the day after the storm. The height definitely is a plus when it comes to cleaning the undercarriage.

A lot of work but good results.

[RICH MUISE]

Went out to the garage Sunday morning for a cigarette, and looked at my sign that said "THE MOUNTAINS ARE CALLING AND I MUST GO". Lol, Sunday evening I was in Ruidoso, NM with the '57. Another 600 mile round trip.
I stopped in Santa Rosa at the car museum because there were some hot rods in the parking lot. After going in, I stopped at one of the cafe's booths to talk to a group, then went in the back to look at the collection there. I noticed a bunch of pics and newspaper, magazine articles on the wall of the owner/builder of many of the cars there and realized one of the guys I was talking to was in fact him. His nickname is Bozo! Went back out and he and his friend Larry were out looking at my car and taking pics. He had lots of questions, really liked what I did, especially my rolled pan in the back. Surprisingly, he knew a lot about the Customs vs Fairlanes. We talked quite a bit more, and found out he's doing his annual car show in Sept. (22?). He's going to send me a packet of flyers so I can pass them out in Amarillo, and is going to come out some 1st. Saturday for our monthly cruise.
Anyway, Bozo is quite well known in NM for his quality customs and rods, so it was a real treat for me when he asked if he could take pics of my rollpan, interior, engine, etc.

[mustang6984]

I had heard of him before...someone else I used to know told me about him. He is indeed a local legend.

[Fairlane62]

Rich, that's great that you happened on that place.  Sounds like a cool guy, and even cooler that he acknowledged your hard work.

James

[RICH MUISE]

I've been in there 2 or 3 times in the past few years. It's right on the main loop thru Santa Rosa off I40. His shop is on the other side of the loop, a mile or so west.,Her's some pics. I love this "ustabe" COE, and the NM version of the California Kid. That's Bozo behind my car. Yes, they are BIG on Chebies.......it is New Mexico.

[Fairlane62]

Yes that COE is very cool.

[Fairlane62]

My friend Lawrence that passed away from Covid in March had been my friend since 1st grade.  As we grew up, we continually raced each other from bicycles, go karts, motorcycles, and eventually drag racing.  It was classic Ford vs Chevy.  My first car was a 1958 Ford Custom 300 and his was a 1956 Chevy 210.  We built what was common for the day, I had a y-block with ported ECZ-G heads, "B" intake, autolite carburetor, blower cam, etc., and his was a 283 with power pack heads,  097 cam, WCFB carburetor, etc.  Both 3 speed manual.
I eventually moved to Oklahoma and he was in South Texas so we were about 8 hours apart.  I now had a 1962 Fairlane and he had A 1962 Nova and  a 27 Altered and the last few years we would meet at various drag strips that had nostalgia events such as Ardmore Oklahoma, Denton Texas, Sealy Texas, etc.  My sons also have old Fords and would come with us when they could, so they were able to be friends with him as well.
A few years ago he said lets each build a nostalgia Gasser out of what ever junk we have and race them.  I had a 1954 Ford behind the barn and he had a 1952 Chevy.  Both cars were too rough to fix up nice without a lot of work, so we didn't feel bad about hacking them up.  I got the 54 operational a year ago but he never did get his finished due to too many projects.
After Lawrence passed, my youngest son said he wanted to look for an early 50s Chevy to build a commemorative gasser in Lawrence's memory, then a couple days later Lawrence's wife called and asked if I wanted the 52 since it was in pieces and I was probably the only one that knew what it should ultimately look like.  So we will travel down in a few weeks and get the 52 and start piecing it together.
I was laid off last week so at 70 years old I have decided to retire and will have some time to work on the 52 among other projects that have stacked up.  So ya'll please dont hold it against me that my next engine build will be a Chevy.  😉

James

[abe_lugo]

James, That a great story and sentiment for your friend, build those cars and finish at the races. Sorry for your loss and condolences. But you do have a bunch of good memories together through life and that is what counts.

Abe

[Fairlane62]

Thanks Abe.  Yes, plenty of good memories.

James

[RICH MUISE]

Sorry for your loss James. I have a 1/2 dozen friends I've known since I was 10 and are still in contact with. I've been fortunate in that I've yet to lose one of them. It's gotta leave a big void.
Rich

[Fairlane62]

Yes it definitely leaves a void.  We were friends since 6 years old and I'm 70 now.  Even though we now lived several hours away we talked several times a week.  If one of us were trying to solve a car issue we would talk it through on the phone.  He was in ICU for about 2 1/2 months with the Covid and fought it but was very weak and said he just wanted to go home.  He had pre-existing lung issues from Agent Orange and the Covid just made it worse.  His wife's mom died from Covid in January so she's now alone.  I check on her every few days.

James