Ace-Garageguy

Beautiful big smile-maker. Always among my favorite classes of drag cars.

The move to column-shifters for manual gearboxes was a marketing thing more than anything else. "Newer more modren" and all that. And a floor-shift retrofit WAS a definite functional improvement when it came to spirited driving. You ever tried to speed-shift or road-race with a 3-on-the-tree?

If it's still structurally sound and isn't a total rot-bucket like the poor old Cougar in the vid, it's worth doing a little at a time to get it back up to spec. Over the years I've tried to counsel clients that it's much better to buy a car that needs an engine or gearbox overhaul or has electrical problems or just needs paint than one that has rust issues, but they usually don't listen...especially if it's shiny. Pinto windshields are available new for around $300, but I don't know which ones have fit problems...and a lot of aftermarket "offshore" glas doesn't fit at all. We have a glass guy who's a wizard, and I'll ask him if you want me to. Far as electrical stuff goes, the little Pinto has a very simple electrical system compared to anything built much later, so getting that sorted shouldn't be expensive...assuming you have a competent 12V DC guy, and that a bunch of chimps haven't been in it previously. De-chimping is ALWAYS more expensive than a straight repair.

I agree with ya. My '92 Silverado extended-cab that I bought used for $2500 way back in 2005, is, after a few upgrades, almost as comfortable and capable as a new truck built to the same load-spec. Plus...it's appreciating in value, just like all the OBS Chevy trucks. And I apparently saved 80 grand.

...or why you should have a vehicle checked out BEFORE you buy it. I've seen literally hundreds like this over the past 50 years, so it's nothing new, but potential buyers of "classics" still need to be reminded that all that glitters isn't actually gold.

Series production of a specific number of vehicles is sometimes required to achieve competition homologation.

There have always been two schools of thought regarding vehicle mods: "form-follows-function", and everything else. The two sides don't see eye to eye, never will, and the Beach Boys even did a song called No-Go Showboat way back in the '60s. As someone who enjoys driving as opposed to posing, I don't understand the motivation behind ruining a vehicle's capability to be driven enthusiastically to engage in "look at me". Nosebleed "gassers", donks, poorly-built rat-rods, butt-in-the-air long-shackle whatever-you-call-ems, tail-squatting trucks, monster-tired 4X4s, and excessively-cambered cars all fit the latter category. But build whatever you want. It's your money and time. I don't care. And you're usually good for a laugh. My "worn out junk" '89 GMC pickup will out-handle any of ya while hauling a quarter-ton of manure. EDIT: I'm going to shout at the gray overcast sky right now, because I can't see any individual clouds.

Topic analysis prior to posting can help avoid the repercussions of anything that could be interpreted as violating TOS.

Correct.

"Others" is the opposite of "self".

Rats. I sold off all my NOS Hilborn mechanical stuff back around 2001, figuring I'd never need it. Probably never will, but it saddens me to know production is over. Still, an enterprising young man can just as easily tool up and cast the parts today as Hilborn himself did in the way-way-back. Oh wait...this is 2024. There's probably no phone app for "casting aluminum".

1930s were years of rapid technological development.

No. Once it's opened, it's going away. I've found the Loctite Ultra Gel Control lasts longer than most others, but I recently had to get new after not using an opened container for 2 years. Oh, the humanity.

EDIT: Aircraft engines don't have loose plug wires running every which way. A Merlin would typically have something like old-school Packard 440 5-7mm stranded-core wire encased in a woven anti-abrasion, anti-RF-interference jacket, with everything run through a metal loom...like this: The rigid looms look kinda like what was used on old Ford flatheads...but the exact configuration depends on the specific engine and application. Here's the old-school 7mm wire running from the mag terminals into the first part of the braided jacket... When the wires come out of the rigid looms to go to the plugs, they typically get run inside individual braided jackets that have securing nuts on the ends... Use these shots as a general guide, and you'll be OK. The diameter of the individual braided plug-wire jackets you see is approximately 1/2 inch (or a tad larger) or .020" in 1/24 scale. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Or you could just use wet spaghetti. As thick as what a lot of guys use...the garden-hose-looking stuff...you might as well join the club.

"Ensue" doesn't to mean take somebody to court.

I want...I want. Somebody at least needs to get them off the ground, and tarp 'em every 6 months.

If I build anything with skirts, I always make them removable, so painting off the car is necessary. Remember though, that metallics and pearls may come out slightly different in appearance when painted separately, and you might get an obvious mismatch. You can counter this in a variety of ways, but explaining them will limit my shouting-at-clouds time today.

Owwwww. I can feel it from here...

A young guy who gets it...

Yup. And then, if you survive creating evil-handling me-too me-too stupidity, and if your interest in things mechanical came with a desire to understand how physics works (and its relationship to vehicle dynamics), you go on to learn to do mods that actually enhance performance rather than destroy it. And THEN, when much later in life when you know what you're doing after decades of professional experience (and try to share some of that knowledge) you get called an old fart who shouts at clouds. Ain't life grand.

Oooo...oooo...it's right on the tip of my tongue...

Heavy Buck Rogers and jukebox influence?

Depends entirely on the specific materials the console is made from. I do stuff like this for a well-paid living, and without knowing exactly what the base material is, and what the structure looks like, there's no way I'd make a recommendation. But that's just overcautious-old-man me. EDIT: Of course, my solutions always work, and don't crack or fall apart later...so there's that. I'm going outside to shout at some clouds now.

Many financial institutions worldwide will issue International Money Orders in US dollars. I can't imagine Norm refusing to take one of those...but contacting him to confirm that would be advisable. I know it's a PITA, and there are usually fees for money orders, but his stuff is so good, it's worth jumping through a few hoops to get it.

Really hoping you'll feel better soon, Carl. Really.