In Western New York
Deb and I are currently in Western New York, and I’m sitting in the Coach writing this. Deb is from here, and I lived here from 1970-1972, prior to my enlisting. While it was only a short time that I lived here, it was where I made my closest childhood friends. There were 11 of us guys that ran together, and we were very tight. So tight that when I enlisted in 1972, three of them followed me and enlisted a couple of months later.
Over the years we’ve kept in constant contact, and usually see each other at least once a year. In the last few years, six of the eleven of us have died. Of the the five remaining, were the four of us who enlisted together, and Rick, who has been confined to a wheel chair for last 15 years. He lives in a County Long Term Care facility.
About two weeks ago, I found out that Terry (front row – white shirt) was hospitalized with Huntington Korea. Both of his younger brothers had long ago died of it. I made arrangements to come up to visit him, while I was coming north to pick up my new Stacker Race Trailer. Sadly, Terry died before we got here. Tuesday I spent the afternoon visiting Rick at ECMC, and then took Terry’s widow (who is like a sister to me – as I pretty much lived with her family when I was living up here) to dinner. It was great seeing both, although I wish under different circumstances – and wish Terry could have hung on another couple of days.
We’ll be leaving Sunday to drive to Indiana, where I have an early morning appointment to pick up my Stacker on Monday.
Motorhome and Stacker
Back in June I ordered a new coach. Although It wasn’t going to be ready until November, they had to have my old coach then to guaranty its trade-in value. I decided it would be a good time to also get a little shorter trailer, since my new coach would be a few feet longer. So I ordered one that was laid out a little better, a few feet shorter, and black to match the new Coach. Since I didn’t have a coach to pull the stacker, I sold my old one quickly. Last Tuesday, I picked up the new coach in Hammond, LA. Wednesday we loaded it up, and Thursday left for Western NY – arriving Saturday night.
I should probably also add that I spent a good part of Wednesday tearing the dash apart to wire in an electric trailer brake controller, because it isn’t an option offered.
Next stop is picking up Stacker. Hopefully, I won’t have to get it in an Ice Storm like I did when I picked up my last Stacker.
I Just Lost Another Friend and Former Partner
I found out last night that another close friend – who since the early 80s had worked for me at three different companies, I’d worked for him at a company and then we were partners – was killed in a horrible car accident. Last Saturday night on Rte 23, my bud was in a car that his 81-year-old brother was driving, along with his brother’s wife. They were driving to the funeral of yet another brother, when their car pulled in front of and struck by a big truck. His brother and sister-in-law were pronounced dead at the scene, and my bud taken to hospital. He was deemed “Clinically Dead” on Monday night and taken off Life Support – dying 5 minutes later.
We all need to pay more attention driving. Both little 4-wheelers, and the bigger stuff I drive. I know I’m going to take driving more serious.
Petty Tribute Car
Frankly, I forgot where I left off reporting on the progress of this car, so I might be redundant on a previous post. Basically the car’s interior is done, the wiring is done, the engine/clutch/transmission/shifter have been dropped in. I’m waiting on crank pulley and driveshaft, then car is 99% finished.
I’ll just post some interior and engine compartment progress photos – in no particular order.
Interior paint, gauges and steering wheel repair
Engine Compartment Progress
Old Aluminum Trailer
I may have posted some of this previously, but I’ll sum it up in one post.
Last year, I bought a mid-90s aluminum trailer from a racing bud, and sold my newer steel gooseneck trailer – so I could have a trailer to take racing with my truck, and also take a couple of Harleys while motorhoming. This trailer appears to be well maintained and of high quality – but showing its age. So far on the inside, I’ve added a winch, a couple of “Lock ‘n Load” motorcycle mounting plates, and a half dozen recessed D-Rings into the floor to fit my cars.
As far as painting, I started with buying a couple gallons of Appliance White Rustoleum, and a quart each of black, red and blue.
The below photos show the tape and roll paint job.
I changed out all of the Clearance Lights and tail lights to LED. I wasn’t happy with the brightness of the red/blue stripes – so I bought 100′ rolls of reflective red, white and blue tape, and the reflective caution tape. Below is what the trailer looks like after taping.
You can’t miss it going down the road.
Other
Reorganized one of the containers:
Had bodywork and repaint on my Magnum:
And a little work happened on MoHawk’s chassis
I spent a week at my lake house, trying to whip it into shape.
The Screamin’ Woody
The engine pulled and disassembled. New crank is on back order; heads at machine shop, and replacement rod, lifters, oil pan and windage tray received.
I was told that the problem stems from the intake modification not having drain backs, that caused race gas to pool and drained along the bolt holes into the engine and oil pan – trashing the bearings – and starting the process of hosing the rotating. Hopefully engine will be back together and in the car by end of November.
So that was pretty much it for October and first week on November.
