Very Important Subjects

Okay---I've met Victoria Moran. That said--I did not interact with her in any way; I was just in the same place, at the same time, as she. I forget zactly what she said. But yeah---since you kids like seeing some motors, here's part o' one of myprojects-still-in-process. It kind of got put off to the side, for awhile, but I'm going to move it forward, now. What it is, is a motor I happened across, almost by accident. See--on Criaglist, there was a guy trying to reduce clutter/raise cash for another project,so he was selling some things. What I went cleeeer down to Ozarks on a VERY hazardous back road for was a nice, used pair of Headlight Bezels that fit 1980 Chevy/GMC with the Chrome Grill option. That means the lights were rectangular. But, that's one thing. He said he got themoff a truck he had parted out, for His Chevypickup of about the same vintage. It was a 4 x4 that he'd installed a 7.4 engine in, which was not an option then. Then, he showed me a partial engine assembly on an engine stand, and some cylinder heads that he'd taken off his pickup. He was kinda vague, but I reasoned what he had done istaken the heads off the engine on the stand(which closer inspection revealed had been COMPLETELY rebuilt, not long before, and then run. What it was/is, is a 366 c.i. medium duty Chevy engine that was used for 25+ years in buses, farm trucks, van-bodied trucks, etc. It used cyl heads that would fit on a 7.4, but with smaller cc Combustion chambers, would raise the CR significantly. So, that's what he did. He sold me the heads he removed from his 7.4, which were in good shape; and the 366 short block that had been COMPLETELY rebuilt,in the not-too-distant past. It had been rebored to .040, for 377 CI., and an older, square-bore 366 intake he had cluttering things up, for $300 plus I traded him an old,old 396 square-flange iron intake. I drove the 77 GMC perfessional-grade truck down there, to haul the parts back, the next day. Oh--plus the Bezels for $25. Yup. Well, I had the 7.4 heads shaved by nearly .090, and had the seats touched up, reassembled them, and wrapped them in saran wrap. I've got a 7.4 project I can use them on, later. Now, we're getting to the good part--One day on CL, there was a guy offering some newer-style 7.4(90-up)heads for sale. See---I researched it, and 366/7.4, 90-up heads,will interchange. Same small chambers, everything. Okay--he wanted $300, but see---they had been stored with water sitting in a couple of the ports,which I pointed out. So, I offered $100, which he accepted. No doubt, he was under pressure to declutter, at home. Ya spose? Anyway, I disassembled those heads to inspect, and took them to a machinist, and he ground the seats and valves for $125,and I took themhome and reassembled them,and wrapped emin saran wrap. So, now I'm gonna put that 366 bus engine together, and use it in my 1978 Chevy 1-ton. Yup. The transmission case was cracked in it, and the 350engine was very(xxx4) tired. I happened to be going through the wreckin' yard,and found a chevy van that had two unusual things: Someone had replaced the engine with a carbureted L03 5.7, which is essentially the same as a TBI 5.7, but with a carb. They made those only a couple years,for certain vehicles,like Camaros & police cars. The 350 engine was shot, but I took the intake manifold and also the transmission that evidently had been rehauled by a local transmission shop,not long before the van engine went bad. The vanlicense plates had expired at least 15 years,before. Anyway---the trans is the truck version of the TH400, and so I grabbed it for $100. Pulled it myself. Yup. Deal. Pulled the pan, and it looks good, inside. So, that's the setup I'mgonna use,on my 1-ton 2wd project. If you kids don't hear from me very often,it's cause I'mbusy on that. One thing---and take notes, because it will be on the exam---disassembled vehicles take up more space than whole vehicles. See? Hope that helps you some. Thankk Mee.

Okay--Here's something that may be of interest to you kids. Maybe you have some ideas, you can share, here. So yeah---here's that photo of an individual I showed you the other day, along with another photo of the same subject, that I ran across. See what you think. Attachment 4389Attachment 4390

See---I WAS working on my trailer project, but it started to rain, so I put away the tools, gathered up the cats, and went inside. Think I'll take care of some deferred maintenance, while I'm in here. Plus, wait for your responses. Ha.

Ok, I was reading you kidses' discussion about driving somewhere, for something to "do". But yeah---I got to thinking about back in 2013 0r 14, before I really cut down on car jocking. But, what I did was this--Drove just about 1000 miles in one day. It was a round-trip from my hillbilly shack. See---I had my project, several--that needed two new fenders & 4 inner fenders. These are pretty good-sized. I buy them out of K.C. Then, I had my Maverick, that needed a windshield. There was a wreckin' yard waaaaay up north, namely Britt, Iwah, that had one, pretty cheap & already out. It was old inventory; the company had changed hands, and they were glad to get a buyer to take it. Okay---there was a 1988 Trek 1000, 56 cm(my size) for sale on EBay. So, naturally--I bought it. Ha. The thought was, to use it on an indoor trainer. So, what I did was my old game plan---rented a Chevy 'Pala, picked it up before 10 pm closing time. Rode my bicycle to the airport to get it, so I wouldn't have to pay parking. Got the 'pala home, and in the driveway by flashlight, pulled the rear seat and the passengers side seats, and put them in my garage. Then, put some large scraps of foam rubber I keep, and a couple moving blankets in the car. Okay---got up and left prolly around oh, 3 AM(?),and left for Dez Moines, to pick up the bike. Got there in the AM,and loaded the bike. Then,onto I-35 to Britt, and picked up the windshield. Stopped in a I-wah place known as "Agony" to go through the drive-up. Yup. Gassed up at a couple places. Then, on to Kansas City & got there in the late afternoon. This is where it got tricky, because rush hour was beginning, and the company I buy fenders from had moved, so yeah, it took a bit of luck to get there just-in-time. But, I spent prolly 45 minutes jockeying everything around to fit all that stuff into the 4-door 'pala, but I got it. Then, headed back home. Got home, and unloaded everything in the front yard, put the seats back in the 'pala, topped it off with gas, and got 'er back to the airport, before they closed, and biked home. At that point in time,you could rent a nice NEW car, pretty cheap. It also saved putting 1000 miles on my ittybitty modest economy car. Yup. But, yeah-- I don't do that stuff too often, any more. Too much of a challenge. Hope that helps you some. Thankk Mee.

Okay---stayed up late, reading a book about the Fedex plane hijack attempt over Ark, that happened in the 90's., and listening to youtubers discussing electronic vacuum tubes, which as you know have been obsolete for decades, except in microwave ovens and some peripheral high-end uses. Yup. But yeah----I was waiting for an auction to close. I prevailed, and guess what I'm adding to my collection of really cool stuff? Give up? Okay--I'll tell you: it is 40(quantity) used fluorescent light fixtures. These are the 4-bulb(T-8) kind, like they use in offices. I think they were being replaced with the latest thing---LED's. Some of You kids always have to have the latest technology. You know who you are. Anyway, I won't use these lights full-time; they are going into Sloppy's Body & Machine Shop, which is almost always closed, except when I wish to work on my property-value-lowering, unsightly eyesores, rescued from the wreckin' yard. Yeah,this will be greaat to have plenty of light. That way, when I lose a tool, I can find it easier. Now,I gotta finish up my utility trailer,so I can go take delivery. Yup.

Okay----Quote: "You Can't have everything----where would you put it?" -----Stephen Wright.

LBB: I have a question for you. Is your property landscaped with a fetching array of automotive parts?

No, R/R; It is definitely NOT. It "would lower property values" too much! See-- I LOVE paying higher prop taxes! We just got a nice, new $18 million-dollar grade school for The Kids! We just had a MAJOR remodel at the High School! NOTHING is too good for The Kids! Plus---old,junk cars that consumers have "driven the wheels off of" and discarded, are unsightly eyesores, as well! Ha. But, THE most highly-valued home in the 'hood(cordin' to assessors records) has had an old, unsightly 56 DeSotta, sitting next to a '52 Plymouth & a 1950 Cadallack & the cab of a 1940's Studdabaker out front, for nearly 10 years,now! They are at the intersection, where literally DOZENS, maybe hundreds, of cars pass by daily, on their way to the new subdivisions filled with tidy & neat McMansions! Also, nearby at one of the stigmatized houses, the occupant has a tradition of mowing his yard once a year! Usually in July! How do you like that? But, thanks for asking. Yup.

Okay--I'm busy, trying to get my trailer finished up, and my nice new gummmint surplus shelves put away, and then, make a trip out bythe Highway Patrol office to the gummmint place to pick up my 40 fluorescent light troffers. Then, get home and unload 'em & store 'em. Then,hook 'em up,so I can see to find my "stuff", when I can't find it. See? I already HAVE about twenty lights that I picked up, here and there and rehabbed with electronic ballasts & T8 bulbs. So far, I've used several, and it REALLY makes a BIG difference. So,yeah---I've got a use use for 'em. Sure do. That's why I have NO time for moooveees,tEEE-vEEE, drive-n-eat restaurant meals, trips to places to see rock formations, or $$$ to get tickkicks to see bassabaw, foobaw games or Rock Idols, just for something to "do". I keep hammering home the message, in the hopes everyone will get it. See? Hope that helps you some. ThankkMee.

Yes----I always wear my mask, if it is required. I let other people be the activists. Ha. In fact--I still keep masks hanging from my rear-view mirror, just in case. Years ago, I had a job where wearing a mask was not required, but everyone---libertarians and all, did it anyway. Yup. No argument about it, no protessses. Nope.