8/3/09

Was that the longest month ever just then? It seemed like July was never going to end. Well, here we are in August so I guess all is well. OK, so here’s what we got done this weekend. Friday afternoon I called Steve at Steve’s Foreign Auto to order shocks and struts for Lil' Wiggly. John had called and had a wild hair to get the thing lowered and braked (as in upgraded to 280ZX front struts and brakes) this weekend. Steve told me to be there at 1600 h to pick them up. I cut out of work about 1530 h and headed that way. I bought the stuff and then went to John's house. We were going to go see a movie downtown. We saw “The Ugly Truth.” An Excel Spreadsheet is less formulaic. In typical “Chick Flick” fashion... no, I'm not going to review the movie after all. It was funny, for the most part, but... I don't know. Nor do I care. So, after the movie we walked across downtown to the old Chili’s restaurant which is now a burger place called... um, something or other. It was good. I dropped him off at home with the plan being he’d stop at Steve’s to get the brake lines we didn't think to have me get, on his way into to the shop in the morning while I stopped at the Boys of Pep to get lowering block kits. We weren’t sure if we’d want 2” or 3” so I bought one of each kit. Saturday morning I headed to the shop and beat him there by just a few minutes. He got cracking on the front of Lil' Wiggly while I heated and re-bent the “U” bolts for the lowering blocks. Those 280ZX brakes just barely fit inside those wheels! With the front in the weeds, we jacked up the rear and I got tucked in to the block installation. We decided on the 2” blocks and the tires tucked up into the fenders nicely. Oh yeah, that car looks sweet now. We closed up and went to Benito’s for lunch. I don't remember doing anything else the rest of the day so it is likely that I didn't. Sunday Roger and I went to Tokyo One for an eat all you can bait lunch. I managed to not eat myself into misery, as I'm wont to do, but I did overindulge a bit on the iced tea, also as I'm wont to do. I asked if he was willing to take me to the shop and follow me home in Lil' Wiggly and he agreed. We took a really circuitous route back to his house as he wanted to see FM5. I navigated him out there and through the route, then we took off out Old Airport Road to 171 in Weatherford and came back down Bear Creek and Muir roads to FM5 again. I don't think I gave him suitable directions to get back there easily so he might not go hooning around fucking up a good situation. We shall see. When he dropped me off at my car I headed home to take a nap before the Japanese Old School car thing at the Purple Cow. I hung out at the house until 1800 h and headed out. I realized I was still going to be an ӕon too early so I went for a micro-hoon first. All I did was go out I-20 to Markum Ranch Road and cut across to Aledo/Iona and back to 2871 and the freeway. I arrived at the Purple Cow about 1825 h and waited. John had texted me earlier to say he wasn't going to make it so I waited for Jeff and or any others. Jeff arrived and we waited for any others. When no one had shown by 1930 h, we went in to eat. Well, I say “eat,” he had an iced tea and I had fried cheese with my grape soda. We hung out and chatted for a while then I paid my tab. I way over-tipped, as I do there, and we left. I got home just in time too. There must be something about the Purple Cow’s food, or perhaps it is the grape soda, but I have had the shites afterwards the last few events. So there you have it, another Travelog of the weekend. If you are still reading, I guess I'll go into some detail about what is next for Lil' Wiggly. We still need to adjust the rear brakes, probably replace the shoes, bleed all the brake lines, and replace the front pads. The brakes work, but they are even less confidence inspiring than before due to (tee hee, I said doo doo) the very long throw and spongy pedal. Oh, and the inspection expired Friday night at midnight. Or would that be Saturday morning at one second past midnight? Either way, I need to get it inspected. Well, I guess that’s about all I have for today. Buh bye.