Dan Hiebert

Not a cloud in the sky the past three days here in northern Maine. I imagine we'll make up for it by the end of winter, I'd be disappointed if we didn't. I do have to fly to D.C. for a connecting flight to New Orleans tomorrow, tho. Still looks like a go, saving grace is that most of the people attending the meeting I'm going to are from D.C in the first place, so if I don't make it, neither do they.

The grill shell and body are from a '37 Terraplane (by Hudson). U.S.'s WW2 Sherman tanks were powered by radial engines.

Cool, we found the same thing when we first started working on my daughter's Falcon! Except the vise grip was on one of the front seat bolts. This may not count, but the previous owners (who had died) of the house we bought in Michigan left a tool box in the rafters of the garage (odd place, I thought). We offered to give it back to the family, but none of the "kids" were interested in car stuff. It was full of antique Ford tools, which I still have - so, still car related...

Yeah - where's the fun in that? (not proving it)

Oh, I have no delusions (well, not about the weather, anyway). I give the natives a good natured hard time about the "much vaunted northern Maine winters" knowing full well that Mother Nature is taking it easy on us so far this winter. Heck, its over 40 degrees out right now, but it'll be back to freezing by noon, single digits by tonight, winter storm tomorrow, and a foot of new snow Wednesday. Back to normal...

Same difference, I think. Those things are to keep heartbeats regular, they sense a change (arrhythmia?) in your heartbeat and give your heart a jolt or two to get it back where it's supposed to be. Microwaves used to be the scourge of pacemakers, I'm sure some of you remember seeing warning signs in break rooms and convenience stores until the technology outpaced the danger. I don't have any relatives with them, but I know a few active folks that have one. I'd echo the same thing others have, only downside is the initial period of relative inactivity until everything heals up.

Northern Maine has usually hit -40s by now, but the worst we've gotten this year is -6 overnight last week. Only a foot or so of snow on the ground, too. Started and ran the ol' D24 for a while yesterday, but I'm not about to drive it around, they salt the roads with some ungodly concoction of sand, dirt, grit, and salt around here. I'd actually prefer Mother Nature kick us in the nads this year so I can get a first "hard winter" under my belt and get it over with. I rather like winter, and it's been rather pleasant here so far. Kudos to those who get out and about this time of year, so I can drive vicariously through them until I can get out around here again.

For your headlights, check all the grounding locations first. Can't say how many times I've exhausted myself tracking down a wiring problem, only to have it end up being a bad ground. Or, since your car has been sitting idle for a while, just cut to the chase and check / clean all your grounds anyway.

Same way you learned with the VW - trial and error, starting with a basic knowledge of what an engine does and a keen interest in mechanical stuff, and how it works. I started with the ol' Dodge, as did many on this forum, before this internet thing came about. As noted previously, this forum has been immensely helpful as our car, and my patience, have aged. Lots of mentors herein.

I'm already "cookied out", and Christmas is still 4 days away, and we're going to the Italian in-laws - more eating. Ugh.

Ditto, cool pictures. I was in Gettysburg on business a few years ago and ran past there one morning. Couldn't help but notice "Schmuck" lumber company, (for those wondering, that is what it is indeed called), pretty neat to know that was the Chrysler Plymouth dealer. Thanks for posting, next time I'm in the area (I'm in that area at least once a year) I'll be sure to check the antique shops for anything from there. Its a long shot that they'll have anything, but I love to go "junking", especially with particular items in mind. Merry Christmas.

Bob, thankee kindly for sharing the day through photos. Although we've a winter warning for tonight, and it didn't get over 32 here today, it did snow a bit today, and we've got about 4 inches of the white stuff on the ground from the last couple of snowfalls, it's not gonna be a white Christmas in this part of Maine this year (bummer in my book, when its winter, I want winter, I like all the seasons for what they are supposed to be). Supposed to be almost 60 here this year - ugh! We're going to NJ for the week, where its supposed to be almost 70 Christmas day! Oh, well, maybe next year. Saw your post on your new affliction, I hope you are as stalwart and successful overcoming this one as with the last.

That's right up my alley. I see your message is from Monday, I've been out of town. BUT, hope is not lost, been in that same situation a few times, it is a minor issue that I wouldn't even classify as a setback. Let me know if your still trying to figure it out, or what you did if "jrhoads" got you on the right path. Might be something I hadn't tired yet.

Very invigorating to know that you'uns are keeping Jaiden in your prayer list, it is greatly appreciated. An update - clinically she is OK, the infection is cured, but it caused significant brain damage and she is currently in a "semi-vegetative" state. There are small victories here and there which continue surprise the specialists, but there is a long, long road to any kind of recovery. She is currently in rehab to prepare her (and her family) for going home. (She got a 4-hour pass to go home for Thanksgiving.) Unfortunately, if she doesn't improve significantly over the next year, she only has a 2-5 year life expectancy, so those thoughts and prayers are more important than ever. So, when you hear folks dissing meningitis vaccines, this would be an example of why they would be beneficial. It's a hard call, flu-like symptoms were the initial indication. Lethargy / unresponsiveness is almost too late, (in Jaiden's case- it was too late), but that is when to get to the emergency room 10-minutes ago. They can only diagnose which strain of meningitis to treat for through a spinal tap, but they can treat the symptoms for survival until then.

Had my first ever white Thanksgiving. Almost pulled something trying to remember if I'd ever had one before, but I hadn't. (And surprisingly to me, but normal according to the locals, the snow's all gone today.) We're a long way from any family up here, so it was just the missus and me, but we had a good day. She doesn't like anyone else in the kitchen when she's cooking, so I got to play with the dog in the snow, and putter around the house, to include some quality time with the D24 out in the garage. I hope everyone had a good day yesterday, no matter what you did.

Dagnabbit! You are evil! Just spent a couple hours on that site without realizing it, and now its siren song will draw me back to the rocky shoals of time consuming vintage automotive self indulgence. Kidding aside - Great past-time to liven up a northern Maine winter - thanks for posting!

In my line of work, "idle hands are the Devil's playthings". And I'm not talking about the bad guys. Inactivity leads to boredom, boredom leads to thinking of things to do, not coming up with anything leads to inventing problems, or rather solutions to problems - usually that don't exist. Viola - analogy complete on all fronts, not just work. Now...if I could just find something to fiddle with out in the garage...

I read an article several years ago about how Cubans were overcoming the lack of parts for American cars. Fella was making piston rings by hacksawing them out of a metal pipe. The article didn't mention how long they last, or what they did to the cylinder walls, but by that time I imagine most of their American engines were pretty worn out anyway.

Just remember - You shouldn't ridicule your wife's choices; You're one of them. Or two secrets to a long marriage; one is two simple words - "Yes Dear", and the other; When "discussing" something with your wife, you can either be right, or you can be happy. I prefer to be happy. That way I get to play outside or in the garage more often.

It's so ugly that it's cute...

Nice photos, thanks for sharing. So far Maine is exceeding my expectations, including autumn. Different trees, different colors. Apparently we had a good rain at the perfect time to really liven up the fall colors this year. The red leaves of the maple tree beside my garage rivaled my red trailer. You have to be Johnny-on-the-spot to get good pictures, tho. I never seem to have my camera when the light is good, have to work on that. Attached a few photos, apologies for none featuring our D24, haven't gotten it out much with the trials and tribulations of moving, preparing for our first Maine winter, and going back and forth to Texas to deal with a family crisis. This counts a little, the D24 is in this garage. This is on Grand Lake Rd. heading east towards the north entrance to Baxter State Park. Mtns. in the distance are in the park. This is off of Grand Lake Rd., that's Sugarloaf Mtn. (the one in Mt. Chase Township, there are at least 4 Sugarloaf Mountains in Maine). And this is the Seboeis River. A 24-mile canoe/kayak Class I-IV river trail starts here.

Most States' max is 80,000 lbs. There's max weight per axle, too, but that's different in each state. Michigan's max weight is double that (one reason the roads there are always trashed), I've seen semi-trailers in Michigan with eight (8!) axles, probably because there is still a weight per axle requirement.

Totally unfair, but I couldn't resist. Not "mine" by ownership (it belongs to all you good taxpayers out there), but I signed for it and am responsible for how and when it's used. Primarily law enforcement support operations, on which I occasionally tag along. In this thread because I "ride" in it... Aerospatiale AS-350B. Seen here at the Border Patrol's forward operating base on the Daaquam River at Maine's western border with Canada, when I had to make an inspection trip yesterday. Work is rough...

The wide whites on our D24 are 23 years old now. (Coker reproductions of Firestone bias plies.) They've got some fine cracks in them from the west Texas and New Mexico heat, but are still white. I wash my cars using Dawn dishwashing liquid, no particular reason other than it works. I use a sidewall scrub brush (curved face) on the white walls with the same soapy water I use on the rest of the car. If the WWs are getting dingy, I'll use Simple Green. I've never put anything on them to keep them white, just the occasional wash. The yellowing comes from never washing them. Oils in the rubber leach out over time, and if it isn't cleaned off, it can stain the white walls.

Thanks for posting. My brother was an MP stationed in Berlin from '79 to '82, so he was there when Berlin was still "occupied". Since that was still "only" 34 years after the war ended he ran across a lot of neat stuff left over from WW2 in the course of his duties - weapons caches, unexploded bombs (which they still find on occasion), etc. When I was stationed in Germany, I got to visit him a couple times. Very interesting to see the contrast between immediate post war and 30-years on. I'd seen photos, but no film. The Reichstag and Brandenburg Gate both still have battle scars, but there isn't much else in the city that does. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess.