2/26/07

I got some more work done on George this weekend. Of course it was all after 1530 h on Sunday. Saturday… I don’t remember what happened Saturday. John had an appointment somewhere else to change the shocks on his VW so we didn’t meet at the shop. Oh, I remember now. Ok, Friday I got a notice from the credit onion saying I was late with my car payment. I know I asked her to set it up as a direct pay when we did the loan but did she? No. I called in a payment immediately and went to get it cleared up Saturday morning. While I was waiting, Ray called to tell me he had blown up the Patty Wagon. He asked if I was still interested in it because he wasn’t sure he wanted to fix it. I said I would come to the Motorsport Ranch as soon as I was through at the credit onion. She called my name and when I told her what I wanted she hit a few keys on the computer and asked if there was anything else I needed. I said no and left. I decided to swing by the shop and get the brown 210 to drive to the Ranch. It would not start. I figured it was out of gas so I left in Matilda. At the Ranch, Ray and I talked cars for a bit and had a look at the Subaru. I spun the starter while he watched the distributor. It didn’t spin. We decided it was probably a timing belt so he began to re-think the trade. I said I'd go get the 210 and bring it back to show him but said it is probably quite a bit rougher than you remember. I headed north to the shop. I fired up Mr. Wiggly and drove to the gas station. Now, Saturday was very windy. I'm talking fifty mile an hour gusts, that sort of thing. Said wind was out of the west so driving to the gas station was no problem. After filling the gas can and Mr. Wiggly's tank I headed back, into the wind. Mr. Wiggly didn’t like that at all. I made it back without smoking the clutch but it was probably close. I parked Mr. Wiggly and took the gas can to the 210. I dumped most of the gallon in the tank and poured the rest down the throat of the carburetor. Yeah, I know better. No, I didn’t set it on fire. I cranked the starter and it fired up. It settled into an idle and I locked up the shop again. I headed for the gas station because the gauge read less than ¼ tank. I got about a gallon in before the shutoff, um, shutoff. I tried a few more glugs but it was full. I guess the gauge is no good. Just before I left, Ray calls to say he’s on his way to my shop if I'm still there. I told him where I was and we agreed to meet at Charlie’s for a hamburger. He looks over the 210 and decides it is much rougher than he wants but wants to see Barbara instead. Oh, I had mentioned to him that Barbara might be available. We head back to the shop and he does look her over. He says he needs to think about it and heads for the Ranch. Pat told me later that Ray wants to fix the Patty Wagon so it looks like he won’t be buying either car from me. After Ray leaves, Gregg calls to say that his truck is dead and wants to know if he can go ahead and buy Cave In. I say he may and head across town to get him. I pass Marty Smith on the way out and call to ask how long he’s going to be around. I ‘splain that I need his truck to move the trailer so Gregg can get Cave In. He says he has to leave at 1730 h and I say to not change plans on my account. If we get it done, good, if not, no biggie. I go get Gregg. We get back to the shop and I call Marty again. He meets us and we hook up the trailer. When we try to start Cave In however, the battery is dead. We push Cave In around front and Marty parks the trailer again. Gregg and I get it started with the battery charger/jump box thingy but it never charges up. I send him on his way in the 210 with the plan being we’d meet back on Sunday with a battery. I piddle around for a little while and then call Pat to see if he’d be willing to help me shove Cave In back around the building. He comes and we do that. We decide against going to dinner so I head home. I shave and shower then settle in for the evening. Around 2030 h Amy, Allison, and Edie call to invite me to a bar. I go. We watch the drunks sing Karaoke and then go to Taco Cabana. I finally call it an evening around 0130 h and go to bed. Well, since I have passed the page break, I think I'll save Sunday’s tale for tomorrow. Have a day.