Another Year Again
It is January again. Another year gone by. According to the Jetsons we should all be flying around by now. We had wind damage near the end of last year. Three roofs, two had to be replaced. We had a couple of neat cars last year.An old Jag XJ12,an old Benz 450,a Mercury Capri(a real one),and another Fiero.Before someone asks....."why the Fiero"? Because the are just cheap fun. We have been trying out different combinations of work truck and trailer combinations an are still not satisfied.I have never been a fan of Japanese automobiles but I have to concede that their diesel engine in the medium duty trucks are pretty good.Just the sheet metal housing them allows the earth to reclaim them too quickly.I am beginning to think that a cabover version of one of those with a deck might be the answer. I promise to update the work photos this year. I promise to update the work photos this year. I promise to update the work photos this year. One thing I forgot to do last year was to acknowledge a parts guy in Lethbridge. I had a mechanical failure on the work truck down there last summer(clutch slave cylinder) on the work truck. It was the Canadian tire parts manager. My experience at Canadian tire parts counter usually blessed by less than enthusiastic or knowledgeable parts people. This guy was incredible! Even though they did not have the part in stock he phoned around until he found one for me. What a way to treat a visitor to his store and his city! His store should applaud his efforts. If in the same or similar situation I will "B" line straight to him and advise anyone else to do the same. In six years we have gone through five people. I am starting to get a complex. we are on number six and she is the most promising. Let ya know in a year. Anyway..... have a great year this year.Hey it's september
Wow some time has been slipping by. It is September and the big car show is in High River this month. I always look forward to this. We donated trophies this year again. They target the true car lover. The ones that get in there and do the work themselves. Where budgets are second to the the effort and sweat equity. There is a one that is for cars that are not trailer queens. Ones that are obviously used and enjoyed. I like to see these thing driven. This one is" Most used". A second one is for the owner that just won't give up. A car that is as close to an unaltered form form aside from normal repair. A witness to the quality applied to cars that were made in an era before now. Where the effects of time have enhanced its appearance and character.This one is "Most seasoned" A third is for an automobile that has been taken care of by someone who has taken on the responsibility to care for it seriously. A car that by it's appearance is obvious that someone frets over it. This one is "Most loved" I target cars that are don't deviate too far from the designers vision. I marvel at the early cars, the simplicity and longevity achieved with the technology available at the time they were built. They don't have to be cars that are of the trendiest or most popular models. Cars that people drive for themselves not for the people that will see them in it. I have owned and worked on autos considered some of the most expensive and popular makes and models but have the most fun with them personally and professionally when regardless of prestige or status I get to be around cars that have an emotional connection from the owner. Make sure you come out and look at these chunks of history. Made in a time before now when an auto designer put his pencil to paper and created art.Decembers adventure
Brrrrrrrrr! December has been a bit cold. We expect completion of the upholstry bay this month with heat. We have added quite a bit of equipment by now . We have a fully equiped machine shop in machines and tooling. Enough so that every aspect of automotive machining with only the exception of crank and cam grinding can be done here.That should be up and running by Febuary. We have a Three ton flat deck with a knucle picker and special rigging to gently lift a full sized automobile gently by its tires thus avoiding the potential damage from winching and towing. This truck is also available to do a host of other tasks. In the sheet metal department last summer an older metal lathe (seperate from the two in the machine shop) was added. So now the capability to do metal spinnig to form sheet metal is a reality now. We had taken october and november of to work at these improvements and now will be adding more photos of the cars as we progress. We wish you the best in this very special time of year and trust your individual projects are doing well.