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dezeldoc, I'm about the last person to criticize your work so please don't take this wrong but I do have a couple questions: 1. The lack of A\C jumps out at me, especially considering the temps you get on the High Desert. Is there not enough room, did you want to keep it cleaner, or have you just not gotten to it yet? 2. Did you punch a hole in the hood because the lower cross-flow manifold wasn't available, linkage wasn't a nightmare, or it looks spiffy? There are other responses I didn't list, of course, but those are the first to come to mind. One last question is why haven't you run it for a few years? Too many other projects, gas mileage would require a second mortgage to keep the tank full, or is it that once you're the fastest car in town you don't need to prove anything? Inquiring minds want to know. -Randy

Ed (central52), Check the posts from Rockwood (Fred) during the last year. He mentioned buying a blanket from Wally World that filled the bill and although the headliner is low on my list of priorities at this time it is something I'm going to look into when the time comes to replace the one in Pigiron. Even a used blanket from Goodwill could be made to work and look great. Colors aren't a problem, the nap of the finish could be close if not exact, and the cheapest blanket is stronger that the most expensive headliner material. The spiffy part is the cost, even if you needed to buy two to cover everything, and once installed you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference. Just a thought, but after following the posts here over the years about the trials and tribulations of finding upholstery and headliner material I'm quite surprised that more members haven't investigated this route. -Randy

Greg, Is that what she's pointing at? -Randy

Bob, That's really great, and what's even better is that you and The Little Missus are okay to enjoy it! The little tree in the front yard is a sign of hope for the future and is a charming addition. -Randy

Gents, When STP was first introduced it was straight 180 wt. non-detergent Shell oil with no additives. Don't know if they changed that or not. -Randy

Tim, I posted that for a "here's your sign" moment but now you gone and done spoilt it for me. Dang! -Randy

Tim, Looking good with the holes but I question the "bench" you used to make them. Hope you aren't planning too many competitive games on it. -Randy

Gents, The differences between donkeys and burros has been debated for literally thousands of years and never settled. Most of us who have worked with them use the names interchangeably and don't worry about semantics. -Randy

Rodney, I've not heard of their show although when I watch TV that's one of the few channels I see. I'll keep an eye out for the program and let all the relatives know "I knew him when...". -Randy

Gents, I received the photo via some relatives who are into genealogy and it's the only one I've ever seen of him. The family always considered him to be something of a "rascal" (the nicest thing to be said of him) because when his wife got TB he split on her and his two small kids (my Mom was three at the time). Someone suggested we can see a family resemblance by looking at the donkey's eyes. -Randy

Thumbtack, Thanks. I guess I just busted myself on my opinion of Furds by not searching them too. -Randy

Scotty, I can't help you with the tires and I won't insult you with suggesting other stuff you should check (at least, not yet) but doesn't it give you a warm and fuzzy feeling when things work well the first time with our old beasts? -Randy

Gents, I received this picture yesterday and am having a bear of a time identifying the car. I thought it might be an AMC and my wife thought it was a Chevy but the headlights and the grill don't seem to match whatever pictures we've found of either manufacturer. The picture is from a magazine ad from the late 60s because the prospector is my maternal grandfather who died in 1970 after prospecting in Alaska. It isn't important I guess but it's been bugging me so I turn to you for help. Thanks, -Randy

Tim, I agree with you on everything you said. When are those clowns with their fingers on the corporate buttons going to realize that it isn't a seller's market? I guess it doesn't matter as long as they can give themselves million dollar bonuses and know somebody will come to their rescue after their incompetence rises to the surface with the rest of their scum. I have a radical notion that's probably too far afield to ever work, but how about they design something that works well the first time and stick with it? Lynn's 2004 Dodge Stratus V-6 needs the intake manifold removed to change spark plugs, the exhaust system must be dismantled for access to the oil pressure switch, and has a battery sealed inside the left fender. On top of that it handles like crap in snow and was designed so chains cannot be put on the tires. Much as I like Chrysler I doubt we'd ever buy another. I'll stop here before I get my skivvies in a bunch from just thinking about it. -Randy

Gents, That woman is deformed! -Randy

Ed, I can only imagine that you've had so many folks read this with no responses because it's striking too close to home. When one of our members becomes ill or passes away it's something to which we can all relate because of our ages and that we're all adults; a child isn't supposed to die and when one does it evokes emotions none of us want to feel. There are many prayers and thoughts that have already gone out, including those of Lynn and I, but they're just too difficult to verbalize here. Bless those young parents in their grief and help them to carry on. Thanks for posting so as to give us a direction in our commiseration. -Lynn & Randy St. John

JC, That was a fun watch and a good choice of background music. Thanks! Did you do the photography and mechanical stuff by yourself? -Randy

Rusty, Sounds as though you've done everything by the book and still no success so perhaps it's time for the "no more Mr. Nice Guy" approach. What I would do: Pull the cap off the distributor and pull #1 spark plug. Using a short piece of wire, jump the starter to make the engine rotate and watch the direction the distributor is turning while you're doing that. Keep bumping the engine in short increments and when you hear a whoosh of air #1 cylinder is in position to fire. Set the distributor cap back in place and note which wire is closest to the rotor. The rotor should, in a perfect world, be about the 7 o'clock position and the wire closest to it should be for #1 plug, but the world isn't perfect so you might need to adjust the position of the wires on the cap to get it as close as possible. Yank all the other wires out of the cap and, remembering the direction of rotation, plug them into their respective spots in the correct order, which is 1 5 3 6 2 4 (the firing order is molded into the head), then static time it once again. This will get you close enough so it will run and then, with minor tweaking of the distributor, the problem should be solved, or at least you'll know you've removed a number of variables from the equation. The timing mark should not be at the bottom when #1 fires, which is why I suggest you use the method I mentioned. Congratulations on your first child! If you can arrange to have it born in the back seat you'll guarantee your legacy of love for old cars will be perpetuated but if the little missus isn't too hot on that idea at least send a picture with it somewhere near the car. Hope this is of some help and I wish I still lived in Portland to give you some hands-on help. I sometimes miss that salted red beer so popular in Vancouver. -Randy

plyroadking, The rainbow coloring comes from excessive heat, which explains the warped valve, but what befuddles me is how that particular valve got warped while the others did not. I will let sharper minds than mine delve into that mystery because #2 is not particularly susceptible to overheating on its own. -Randy

Bob, You'd think with all of the money going into taxes the North American Road Chuck would have been obliterated by now. Tenacious little critter, ain't it? -Randy

Joe, I haven't been to their site for several years but they used to offer maps of the fastest route, shortest route, etc. I think it would be worth looking into. -Randy

Joe, I once used Mapquest to find a route through Colorado without going on major highways, and although that was several years ago I imagine they still offer the service. -Randy

Tim, When someone refers to "one of them days" I generally consider it to be bad news but you had three events mentioned, one good and two bad, so I'm asking your help to sort them out. The barn materials arriving is the good news, and one good thing should negate one of the bad things, but which one? Is it that you couldn't get kerosene for the heater in the barn or you didn't win the race for the free dinner? Just asking. -Randy

Ben, One of the ways I put myself through college was building campers, which are essentially the same as trailers, and I came away from the experience thinking that they were all made by illegal aliens who were fed speed and paid piecework. There's nothing to making them, honestly. If there is a "trick" to them it would be to build them from the inside out because it gives you more room to work. If you have any specific questions about them either post them here or send me a pm. -Randy

Tim, I think that's an urban myth. Without a re-designed head it simply wouldn't gain anything and would lose a lot because the intake valves must be larger than the exhaust for optimum power. Not saying it couldn't be done but I think it would be a lot cheaper and easier to make it into an OHC engine, and any increase in power there still wouldn't be too great. Great topic of discussion after a few rounds of beer, though. -Randy