12/04/09

John asked an interesting question last night, something to the effect of, “If Nadine's engine is shot, what are you going to do?” I think he was fishing for my attitude towards going away from stock with the thing. We both feel the car would probably be a whole lot more fun with a Datsun L-series engine but I'm afraid of turning a potential $30,000.00 or more car into a $10,000.00 or much less car. I'm stymied by the whole “single owner” and “known history” angles. On the other hand, I'll never do it complete justice because I'll never do a Concourse Restoration on it. That just ain’t my thang. I think my plan is still to get it to the shop, eventually, and have a look at things there. If we can't get the engine to turn in the car, I'll go ahead and yank it out. We’ll attempt to break it free on the engine stand and if that fails, we’ll tear into it. All of the rebuild bits are available so it will then come down to “How much do I want to invest in it?” Here’s the dilemma there, a new set of liners and pistons will cost $900.00 from The Roadster Factory. I don't know what machine work is required on top of that either. So the bottom line is, a “Whole Hog” rebuild of a Datsun engine is going to cost just a bit more than just the liners and pistons for the TR engine. I just went into the spreadsheet for the car and looked at all the parts to rebuild the engine. Parts alone are going to be over $1,900.00 plus shipping. And that is before any machine work is done to the block or head. I know, it sounds like I'm talking myself into a Datsun engine. I'm not really. We will just have to wait and see. Well, I have to go hold someone’s hand in the Grand Canyon Room right quick. I'll be back later. Three and a half hours later, and I'm back. So, after helping the folks in the Grand Canyon Room, I was on my way to goof off with Larry in the shuttlebus. As I passed an elevator, I noticed a bunch of Fort Worth Firemen getting on. Just as the door shut, I recognized one as being my brother’s best friend from high school. “Danny Burke!” I exclaimed. He managed to say, “Hey!” as the doors shut. I ran up the stairs to catch them. They didn't stop on two so I ran on up to three. There were a bunch of facilities dudes holding doors and looking concerned. One of them gave me a “What the hell do you want?” sort of look and said, “What the hell do you want?” He was just messing with me though. I told him one of the firemen was an old friend. Danny and I chatted for a moment while they hauled someone out on a gurney and into the elevator. I guess I ought to call or e-mail my brother Ted and tell him I ran into Danny. I think I'll go do that right quick. Done. OK, so as I was saying, it looks like I'm trying to talk myself into a Datsun engine, or perhaps justify a Datsun engine, in Nadine. I don't think that is what I'm doing. I'm not 100% sure what it is I AM doing, but those things are not it, I don't think. But while I'm on the subject, I'd be willing to bet that the stock Triumph cast iron block, head, and transmission, with optional overdrive I might add, weighs twice as much as a Datsun L-series and five speed. Even a 1:1 horsepower swap (a 100 horsepower Datsun donk for the 100 horsepower Triumph lump) would still be a performance increase. Granted, the Datsun engine probably won't make the torque of the Triumph tractor motor, but I'd be willing to bet it would make the car more sprightly. Seriously, I am not trying to justify a Datsun engine. I'm just wasting time chatting about stuff. Oh, here’s a funny. Remember a week or two ago me telling y'all about some computer thing “They” pushed through to all the computers around the system which forces the thing to “Lock” (like hitting Control+Alt+Delete and then Enter) if you don't mess with it for a while? Remember how I had seven of my big screens locked on the Windows logo for two days because as soon as I reset them they’d lock again and we finally just said “Screw it!” and let them stay locked? Well, it turns out we forgot about the computers in the meeting rooms, they lock up too if ignored for a while. OK, so here’s the funny bit. There was a big Executive Meeting across the street yesterday, lots of dark suits and ties, very nerve wracking. Well, one of these suits contained a certain big shot money man, like really big shot money, let’s call him Barren Wuffett...wait, it isn't a secret that Berkshire Hathaway bought BNSF. So Warren Buffett himself was at this big executive meeting, right? Well, guess who was speaking when the computer decided it needed to “Lock.” If you said Oswald Cobblepot, give yourself a dozen gold stars... by hitting your head with a hammer. That’s right, in the middle of Warren Buffett’s talk, the screen went blank except for a big “This computer is in use and locked. Only XXXXX XXXXXXXX or an administrator can unlock this computer.” I think we can get this problem resolved by telling that story to Technology Support, don’t you? My boss has already said that if it happens during the Board meeting coming up soon, he’s dragging TS under the bus with him! And I wouldn't blame him one bit either. Well, I think I've gassed on long enough for this week. I'll talk to y'all again Monday.