11/30/09

I just noticed that I started this month with, “Feh, I'm back at work again,” and I'm about to round it out with a similar sentiment. As much as I like four day weekends, it sure does suck ass having to come back to work after one. And we didn't really get a whole lot done over the long weekend either. Wednesday evening I drove John over to not-Texas so he could look at a car. It was a 1980 Toyota Corolla Wagon. It was just past dusk so we couldn't see it too terribly well, but it looked decent enough. Sure, it looked like it had been painted with a roller and house paint, but it wasn't a total basket case. He drove it around the block and offered the guy a low-ball number. They haggled a bit and came up with a figure. I followed him home after we stopped at Long John Silver’s for some fish and chips. Of course Thursday was Thanksgiving so I couldn't do anything with the cars. Willie and Nadine did join mother and I at Aunt Margaret and Uncle Jim’s for lunch though and I was regaled with more tales of the Triumph TR-3. I don't remember anything spectacular or worth repeating so I won't. Friday I decided I was going to work on Lil' Wiggly. Of course it wouldn't start. I tried the “chemical choke” but the battery wasn't up to the task. I rolled her back and pulled Ms. Clio up along side, once I found a set of jumper cables, and gave it a boost. It fired up but kept chucking the air filter off. Without the ether soaked air filter though, it kept dying. I finally got enough warmth into it that it would idle and pulled around front. I re-parked Ms. Clio and took off in Lil' Wiggly. At the shop, I stole the seatbelts from Shichi and installed them in Lil' Wiggly. They work so well! I'm quite pleased with them. Gregg called to ask if I was going to the shop and I told him I was there already. He came to pick up the "Screamin' Demon" engine. While I was waiting for him, I had a look at the aluminum extrusion for mounting the tonneau cover. I decided to try and weld it to the aluminum strip I installed for mounting the tonneau which the folks at Northside Upholstery didn't use. I welded a test piece and decided I was up to the task, barely. I began zooking the pieces together. It wasn't pretty, for the most part, but they stuck together. I shut down the welder when Gregg and his kiddo arrived. We loaded the engine hoist into the back of his truck and then lifted the "Screamin' Demon" in. We might have been able to “He Man” it in, but I didn't feel like it. I rounded up some more parts for him and then we all left. Saturday morning, I finished zooking the tonneau cover mount and then set it aside. While goofing off, waiting for John to arrive, I found a thermostat housing for the smog head I'm having done at Automotive Machine. I welded up a plug for the top and then mixed up some JB Weld to lock it in and seal the port. I filled the hole and sat with it while the ultra viscous fluid flowed into the nooks and crannies sufficiently. John had arrived and worked on his car while I sat there with the JB Weld. Eventually I got bored with it and set it aside. Of course I didn't do any work on anything either. I watched John mess with his car. Marty Smith showed up and watched for a bit as well. Gregg called to say he could bring the hoist back so I said, “Come on.” John wrapped up what he was going to do and I took Marty to his place where I picked up a box of A-series engine parts. I'll probably use his pan and front cover since they are cleaner than mine. Gregg showed up and headed to the back. I followed and saw that he and John had the hoist already loaded into the shop. Huzzah! We all chatted for a bit then John and I went to Joe’s Pizza and Pasta for dinner. Sunday I took Lil' Wiggly out again for a hoon. Not much more to say about that though, just went for a hoon. Now I'm back at work looking forward to getting the harnesses for Shichi. They ought to be arriving today. Oh, and as for e-Bay, I guess I shouldn't be pissed off at them. I was being Jewi... er, I mean, I was trying to get a part really cheap and was pissed off when a bid lower than what I was actually willing to pay beat me. I knew I should have gone ahead and bid up to $160.00 for the pistons. It doesn't bother me when someone offers to pay more than I'm willing to pay for something, it pisses me right the hell off when it goes for a price I am willing to pay though. So, I guess I retract 378 “Fuck e-Bay” statements up above.