9/14/2011

So I've been playing the “How cool would XXX be?” in my head with regards to what “Toys” I'm going to keep. I think it is a foregone conclusion that The Seven is staying. I'm also pretty sure I'll keep one “Tin Top” Datsun, most likely the Chickenhawk for purely sentimental reasons, but both George and Lil' Wiggly are still in the running. What has been bugging me is the Honduh and the Spitfire. I've been thinking, “Well, one more ‘Toy’ can't hurt, can it?” because of them. I've been weighing the pros and cons of each and the Honduh’s lack of title is overpowering its coolness right now. As for the Spit, if I kept it John has expressed interest in Nadine. An A-14 powered Spitfire would be pretty awesome. And it wouldn't take up much more space than The Seven. Hell, I could probably get both of them in one side of the garage with just a little work. Hmm, I just checked my spreadsheet with all the car dimensions on it and it looks like I'm about 8” too long for those two fitting nose to tail in the garage. Then again, I just assumed the Spit was the same length as The Seven when making that list. I need to measure the actual length of the Spitfire this weekend. Of course I know I could get the Honduh and The Seven in one bay of the garage, but I think I'm going to go ahead and consider that car... well, not “dead to me” yet, but a “build it to sell” car. Yeah, that sounds like a reasonable plan. Yeah, I know, if we ever get it up and running I might not want to sell it. We'll see. Now, back to the merits of George, Lil' Wiggly, and the Chickenhawk. Like I said, the Chickenhawk has sentimentality as its main keeping point. It was my first Datsun 1200. It was a damned fast car. we’ve been through a lot together. But... It is kinda rough. It does need to have the windshield replaced. It’s kinda rusty. And it has sat for quite some time with no engine. I know it would sell better as a “runner” rather than a “roller” but I think I could watch it go off on a trailer easier than I could watch it drive off. Especially if I've done the work to make it roadworthy again. I think an inspection of that vehicle with a level head is in order. George is probably just as rough and rusty as the Chickenhawk but it has at least a “running” engine in it. All it needs is to be sorted out and put back on the road. Oh, and there’s the fact that I only paid $5.00 for it originally. Also, it is white. Now that isn't some sort of racist remark. Its “whiteness” would a) match Jenny and 2) make it less hot in the summer. I almost said, “Lil' Wiggly has ‘it is running and driving’ going for it,” but... no, not quite. Looking at it honestly, it really isn't any more roadworthy than George. Less so if Juan considers that the engine in George has actually RUN in George. Oh, another thing going for George, and the Chickenhawk for that matter, over Lil' Wiggly is that it is a 1200 rather than a B-210. Yes, I have always loved the B-210. In fact it was my favorite Datsun until I found out just how much lighter and more sprightly a 1200 was, then that model became my favorite. So in almost any situation where I had to choose one Datsun over another, I'd chose the 1200. Having said all of that, it looks like it is now “Poop, or get out of the Ganges” time between Lil' Wiggly and George... and the Chickenhawk too I guess. Yes, “Poop or get out of the Ganges” IS some sort of racist remark, sorry. So I guess, sitting here twenty some-odd miles away from all of them, I can honestly say that my current order of preference, logically speaking, is: George, Lil' Wiggly, then Chickenhawk. I never thought I'd say that the Chickenhawk is the lowest on my list of “keepers” but there it is. I think, however, looking at it with the rose-colored glasses of sentimentality on, the actual choice of which to keep is going to come down to George versus the Chickenhawk. It might hair-lip John, but I think Lil' Wiggly otter go away once I have it running again. Oh sure, I can be talked out of that. And if he tries, I'll listen to his arguments and weigh them with the seriousness they deserve. But for now I don't think Lil' Wiggly is a long-term keeper. Wow. You might not realize just how significant that “decision” is... but... wow. Of course I'm still cipherin’ and figgerin’ on all of it. Nothing is carved in stone until cars go away. So there.