Ace-Garageguy

Truwer words were never spakeded.

Me, myself, and I are about the only people I trust these days.

Everyday driving is a lot more fun in something cool, but population density and ditzes on their phones kinda make me just want to bolt bigger bumpers, or maybe railroad ties, on both ends of the worst of my trucks.

And that, boys and girls, is why you run driveshaft straps if you do any hard driving with a lot of torque.

For some strange reason, the "squarebirds" of either generation never really became desirable. But as all the "me too !!!" rides get stupidly overpriced as everybody buys them because everybody else buys them, what's left will inevitably begin to appreciate. They're nice cars, really relatively simple. But again...unibody cars with serious rust are nightmares, as you need to be a very competent fabricator/welder to bring one back, and good ones are rare and expensive.

No offence to your great uncle, but work done correctly returns a vehicle to as-new condition, with no additional weight or fit issues. The horn could be as simple as a bad relay or crusty contacts in the steering wheel. Speedos can be rebuilt to like-new. Tired electric windows usually just need track-cleaning, proper adjustment, and careful reworking of the motors (with new brushes), which for the most part last pretty much forever, as stuff then was kinda overbuilt. If you decide you want one (or ANY old car, especially a unibody), get a magnet to check for excessive filler on rust-prone areas. A car with a blown engine is a whole jelluva lot cheaper to bring back than one that has structural rust.

Nice work. Impressive kit.

Paper houses are no match for Godzilla.

Affection from critters rarely comes with the judgement, drama, and heartache that often accompany the human variety.

Well, if you put it that way...

I never viewed building models as "playing with toys" even as a kid, especially after seeing some of the beautiful aircraft my old man built. He was a brush-painter extraordinaire, and could do one with almost invisible brush strokes. I still vividly remember an all yellow P-47 he did as a trainer, though whether there ever was such a thing...I don't know. But the paint looked sprayed. Most of my peers, however, saw models as toys to sloppily stick together and then smash or blow up with firecrackers or set fire to...which I never understood. Today, frankly, I'm still a little defensive when somebody refers to my model building and railroading as "playing with toys", but at this point in the game, I've finally realized that what someone thinks of ANYTHING I do matters as much as a snowflake in jello. Like some others here, I've never understood people who had no hobbies that require action and direct participation. For instance, watching other people play sports is fine if that floats your boat, but I don't consider being an observer, even if you get emotionally involved with whatever team's outcome, to be a "hobby". Entertainment, yes. Pastime, yes. Fun...if it is for you, sure. Hobby...no. Then again, if you're really into sports and keep up with players and stats obsessively, as that takes more than just passive watching, it's probably a hobby. And computer gaming? Golf? Absolutely. They require active participation. Not my particular choices (though I do have a set of left-handed clubs), but I understand how they can both be very involving and enjoyable. Still, the only people I really enjoy interacting with are those who have physical three-dimensional creative hobbies, even if they're different from mine. I can always learn something new from a guy who works out, or does woodwork, or builds boats, or custom computers, or whatever. I like being around people who are "passionate" about what they do, and I like seeing what they produce with their own hands and minds and effort. The best bodyman/painter I've ever known is also an accomplished car and bike builder, dabbles in woodworking (now he's turning gorgeous wooden pen barrels on a 100-year-old lathe), and he just built his daughter a very cool, very large model gingerbread house just because she was having a pre-Thanksgiving party. He makes all kinds of things that have nothing to do with cars too, and uses the skills he's developed professionally. But back to the topic: if you enjoy building models, don't let some foolish, uninformed opinion or passing comment bother you. Ever. What they don't know can't hurt you.

Yup, those are the ones that stick with us, and if we have any brains, eventually lead to something approaching wisdom. I pity the poor blobs who never push the limits in life.

Yup. Collard greens. Already have a can, and that's the best I'm going to do.

Cartoon characters like Jessica Rabbit and Betty Boop make me wonder about becoming more two dimensional.

Well, apparently the electro-magnetic gas valve in the main unit has died. No parts of course for an out-of-production piece of Chinese magicalness. Had to order an entire new replacement, won't be here until the 11th. Cold showers until then, I guess. EDIT: Funny, a month or so back my little voice told me I otter get another one for a backup. But did I listen? Nope. Poo. Someday I'll learn to trust heem.

4th and final Thanksgiving dinner. Eess all gone now. I'll never understand people who don't like turkey, and people who don't like turkey-day leftovers. Think I'll do ham for Christmas, then use those leftovers for a New Years Day spicy black-eyed pea stew. Man, I can hardly wait to have a real kitchen again.

Wink is as good as a nod to a blind horse, so it is written.

Gravity didn't get water up in the tank, though.

Miley Cyrus on, eh?

Coldest day of the year so far, so naturally my point-of-use propane-fired water heater for the shower decided to fritz. After a COLD shower and a walk to the store to warm up a little, it's time to address the problem. First thing is a trip to the hardware store to get a new regulator, because I have good reason to suspect it. They don't last forever, and it's 8 years old...but I have another reason to suspect it. Brrrrrrrrr.

"Tunnel motor" was the nickname for a series of EMD SD40T and SD45T locomotives that had their radiator air intakes relocated to the rear sides of the carbody, to pull in cooler air in tunnels and avoid overheating. https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,173774

Category: "domesticated" probably doesn't really apply to me, but I'm kinda handy to have around when everything goes sideways.

Tree rats (aka squirrels) haven't chewed much of the wiring in my cars' engine bays since I started feeding the feral cats.

Yeah, you know you're getting old when you hope Santa leaves ibuprofen and Bengay in your stocking and a back support belt under the tree.

Line up to sit on Santa's lap and tell him everything you want.