12/5/12

That date seems significant for some reason.  I wonder if it is my niece’s birthday.  If so, happy birthday Madeline, if not… well, it isn’t like she reads this thing anyway.  So, what can we talk about today?  I'd really like to finger out how to make that “car flipping, kit building, off goofing, business venture” at Dimlight Racing work out somehow.  Unfortunately, the only way I've thought of involves coming into large sums of money and being independently wealthy.  I don’t see that happening anytime soon.  Oh well.  Ok, so John and I have been cipherin’ and figgerin’ on using the 620 frame for a ’27 Track-T build.  I've been trying to work out how a mono leaf live axle rear would work.  The more I played with it, the more I realized, “They invented coil springs and Panhard bars for a reason.”  I think we’ll go that route after all.  And that pretty much taps out all my interest in that train of thought for now.  So, what else is there?  I got an e-mail from a car-dude here at the railroad asking for pictures of The Seven.  He had been talking to another car dude and wanted to share some photos with him.  I rounded up all of the shots of my car on the work computer and I think I sent them to him.  We’ll see.  Ok, that wasn’t nearly as exciting as I'd hoped.  Oh, Ryan has been talking about building a motorcycle powered dune buggy thing which got me thinking about the Crossbow again.  If Juan will remember, the Crossbow would be a trike made up of the back 7/8 of a Honda Goldwing motorcycle and the front 2/3 of a Formula Vee racecar… both of which I have laying around.  Perhaps, after the Spit’ is up and going, freeing up the superfluous bay at the shop, we can begin the mating process of those two frames.  I think the thing would be a lot of fun and not too tough to make happen.  Speaking of the Spit’, I think we’ve decided on the A-14 which just came out of Lil' Wiggly, with a stock or milder grind hot rod cam, and a four speed.  A for the rear axle, I want to use that Toyota axle I got from Dr. Don so many years ago which has already been narrowed for an LBC, but we’re still waiting for the Grumpy Old Fart George to come up with a ring and pinion setup.  Granted, I think I told him I was in no hurry, and it isn’t like he’s holding us up, but… well, I guess there isn’t a “but.”  I don’t know.  I probably shouldn’t even try to take on the Spit’, but a) I have always wanted one, and 2) we are the same age.  Oh, there is also a third reason: I got it for $100.00… after initially “stealing” it.  You do remember that story, don’t you?  Right after I got Nadine, Kevin told me about a Triumph on the lot across the street from hos shop.  I looked at it and saw that it was a first generation Spitfire.  When he told me that the guy only wanted $100.00 for it… and IT HAD A TITLE, I was just about hooked.  I knew at the time I shouldn’t do it, but see the three reasons above.  I arranged with Kevin to arrange with the dude for me to come get it.  The dude gave Kevin the gate code to the fence around the car and said, “Just come get it.  Pay me whenever.”  Kevin gave me the gate code and said, “Just come get it.  Pay him whenever.”  John and I went and got it.  It was very weird.  I did go back about a week later, paid for it, and got the title so all is well.  Hmm, now that I think about “Come get it, pay me whenever,” situations, I think I still owe Kevin’s boss $50.00 for that Honduh engine and transaxle we were going to use in the N600.  Hmm, that power plant in the back of the Formula Vee frame could be fun too.  No, the Vee needs to become the Crossbow… if it becomes anything at all.  Why?  The Goldwing has a title; the Crossbow could be titled as a motorcycle with only three wheels.  I'll finger out something to do with the Honduh engine someday.  Perhaps my 620 frame could make a dune buggy sort of thing with that engine.  Hmm, interes… no, not really.  Well, since it is approaching lunchtime, my fingers are cold, and I have to go pee, I think I'll call it a rant.