Bill and The Dangling Carrot

So close. I had another Friday off and was getting things lined up to make the trip to Harrisburg.  A pickup to cart back all of the old parts, family to invite, lunch plans, etc.  Throughout the morning, I struggled to keep the optimism up as a part of me suspected there might be some trouble with this final step.  Bill had earlier informed me that the car was going to the alignment shop and then an A/C charge and we would be ready for delivery.  I recalled some earlier pictures:

Here, amongst the shining new pipes and freshly welded sub-frame connectors, is some rather antiquated steering components that quite possibly are the originals.  I wondered as to the integrity of the parts, but figured that Bill and CJPS would let me know if that happened to be the case.  Well, it turns out that the upper control arms are shot and cannot be adjusted for a proper alignment.  Bill seemed genuinely bummed about the setback but I took it as karma. 

I have a huge exam next week and will be in a Microsoft bootcamp from this Sunday to next from 8am to 5pm.  The Mustang would have been a major distraction and probably affected my ability to pass the exams. Anyway, this will give Bill and his guys plenty of time to get things squared away, just the way everyone prefers it.  What's the sense in putting in over 160 hours just to have an undrivable car sit in the garage?  It'll be worth the wait, I am confident of that.

Speaking of hours, I recently calculated the hours and parts for the project up to this point and will share that in the next post.  It's unbelievable and truly a monumental accomplishment for everyone involved and I look forward to sharing it with you.  Until then, here's some Marine humor to pass the time:



Humor In The Face of Defeat

A Marine was deployed to Afghanistan. While he was there he received a 'Dear John' letter from his girlfriend. In the letter she explained that she had slept with two guys while he had been gone and she wanted to break up with him. AND, she wanted pictures of herself back.

So the Marine did what any squared-away Marine would do. He went around to his buddies and collected all the unwanted photos of women he could find. He then mailed about 25 pictures of women (with clothes and without) to his girlfriend with the following note:

"I don't remember which one you are. Please remove your picture and send the rest back."

Semper Fidelis

Breakfast, "Cake", and the World's First Wireless Engine

Every tenth day of the work week I get an RDO or "Regular Day Off", the result of working (9) 9-hour days. So, having a Friday to myself, I did the logical thing and grabbed a friend and headed north.  This time I brought along Ben, a retired Xerox executive, to check out the works at CJPS and to partake of some quality grub.  Unfortunately he wouldn't get to meet the famous Bill since he was at OC, but I was advised earlier that there would be "a few guys" at the shop.

So off we went to grab the requisite breakfast and coffee at the Valley Diner.  We finished up and rolled ourseves into the Jetta for the leisurely drive to Harrisburg.  I began to inform Ben about everything I had done to this point and right before he was about to doze off, we arrived at the red-roofed CJPS. 

Strangely enough, there were no cars out front. Even stranger, the front doors were locked.  It's a good thing Mike wasn't in attendance because I'm sure he would have panicked and headed directly for a shrub. Walking around the side I noted the "Shop 2" door was halfway opened.  Good enough.

As I walked in, I saw the rear of the beast. 

Not too bad! Things look pretty buttoned up here, so I headed to the front to check out the engine as I could see the hood was raised.  As I stood in front of the engine compartment I almost had a coronary: it had gone wireless!

Waaaiiiittt a minute, that can't be.  Just last week the motor was all together and ready to rock but apparently  the flex plate needed to come out and therefore the beast was out of commission.  Bummer! I needed to talk to someone and find out what else was going on.

Bill had mentioned that although he would be at OC, RK and "Cake" would be there.  Cake? Some nick-names are fairly obvious, but "Cake"? I don't want to know.  I began a proper recon and the first guy I spotted had a bandanna on his head but skittered off into the shadows before I could ask him about RK or "Cake".  I finally walked into the front area and found "Cake" who was familiar with the car and what was going on. 

He informed me that the plug wires I had supplied were for an HEI setup, and therefore would not work. He also informed me that the idler arm was a bit sloppy and the gearbox was kludgy.  At this point, RK had entered into the conversation and began to provide an estimate.  I had gathered quite a few aluminum cans in the past few weeks, but now it looked like I would have to up the ante and simply rob a bank. Yes, I added power steering.  Borgeson to be precise.  Shoot me now.

Meanwhile, whilst all this is going down, Ben is meandering throughout the shop and just taking everything in.  Ben was in sales in Xerox and can strike up a conversation with just about anyone.  However, Ben can also sniff out a bullsh*tter better than anyone I know.  The only remark Ben made about CJPS was this: "You never do anything half-way do you?"  Translation: CJPS scores an 'A' with Ben!

By now, you may be asking yourself why I bring so many folks to see CJPS.  First and foremost, I hate eating alone and if I do happen to choke on the great grub at the diner, I want someone I know behind me doing the Heimlich maneuver.  Second, and more to the point, I want my friends and family to share this great experience with me.  Having survived brain tumor surgery in December 2010 I am celebrating my triumph and realizing a dream my brother started on December 2008.

So, to date we've had the following folks trek up to CJPS: (In order of appearance)

• Joe - the brother-in-law and car enthusiast\Bill irritant
• Mike - The one and only Brotha aka Maddog
• Pam - Mike's better half (unfortunately a Chevy fan)
• Austin - Son of Pam aka The Pancake Cannon
• Corey - Friend of Austin aka Pancake Cannon fodder
• Ben - Good friend and bs sniffer

And if the car is done by Friday this list will include my better half and the rest of the crew.  We'll see!

Geeks 'n Gears

As a foreword to this blog, I just want to say that this is precisely why I turned the car over to the folks at CJPS.  It's been 2 weeks since my last update and a LOT has happened to the car, but in my binary vacuum it happened at the click of the mouse.  Now, where were we?

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By definition I am a geek but in reality it's more like an OCD\AR perfectionist that just happens to be working with technology.  Whatever it is that I am involved in I strive to wring every ounce of usefullness from it and to understand its purpose whether organic or adaptive.  With that in mind, it's understandable that when Bill sent some pics this past week and the week before, I spent a lot of time just staring and absorbing the transformation. 

Here is a picture I was extremely happy to see.  The mystery '86 roller has been removed with surgical precision and the newly acquired '67 Jasper 302 is being prepped for insertion. 

The mystery '86 sits sullenly in the background as the new motor dons fresh paint, valve covers and an intake. I had given Bill carte blanche to update any components necessary and thus a new Edelbrock Performer intake was installed. Luckily, the existing Holley carb will work just fine Bill says.

 A closer look shows just what a mess the old motor was as the facade is peeling away to reveal strange red paint in the timing housing and intake areas.  Who knows where this motor came from, but I have a good idea where it will end up.

Fast forward to the next week.  I've really been swamped at work and by the time my head hits the pillow, I'm out of it.  The girls are getting close to summer break and the running around borders on hysteria.  In the midst of all this mayhem, my fridge went up, the alternator went out on the Jetta (Hey, it's got 308K miles on it, so I'm not complaining), the labrador has a really entertaining intestinal issue, the 4Runner has a leaking radiator, my wife had her wisdom teeth pulled, and so on, and so on. Thankfully, Bill sent an update on the 4th and saved me with some therapeutic imagery.

 Hoo-rah!  Look at that beauty! It certainly does fill that cavity nicely  and I really like the balance of black to silver.  I have always liked the matte black finish as opposed to glossy and this baby is really shaping up.

Moving right along, this is the other side with the air cleaner installed. You can just make out the newly  installed headers, furhter enhancing the overall appearance.  Speaking of which, here is the newly installed exhaust:

This is a shot from the front just beneath the motor with the exhaust fully installed and neatly secured.  You can bet there are no leaks in this system.  Here's a look at the h-pipe just behind the trans:



Continuing up and right alongside the new gas tank:

To terminate at the rear which I'm hoping most folks will see as I cruise on by:

I'm really proud of the guys at CJPS.  They know what's best for the car and they don't cut corners.  They communicate well and most importantly, can be trusted to handle the project as they would their own. That is what enables me to remain a geek while they worry about the gears.  Thanks guys!

Santa and the Chevy Man - Part II

I remember back in the day I used to listen to the radio during lunch.  Paul Harvey had a program on that featured various news stories, current events, and other odds and ends. The part I really enjoyed was when he would tell a short story which would start out in one direction, but end in another.  He would begin the latter part of the tale with his signature line "And now, the rest of the story".  In tribute to Paul, here is the rest of the story.

Part I ended with this picture of Mike looking suspiciously at the gas cap of the Mustang.  I know my brother well enough to know that he is smiling by the crinkle of his eye.  What he is smiling about is anyone's guess, but given the fact that his newly wedded wifey Pam is snapping the shot I can imagine this picture was anything but spontaneous.  I think the t-shirt speaks for itself.

I did spot Mike walking casually amongst the many Mustangs in the shop and Pam snapped a more candid shot as he strolled past a newer model.  Perhaps the white color caught his eye or maybe it was what was under the cover to his left.  All I know is that he was doing a lot of eye-ballin' and very little talking.   One of the few words of praise he had (c'mon he's a CHEVY guy!) was that "These guys must know what they are doing".  Interpreted as "I'm impressed".

I would like to share just a few of the pics I took of the shop and the wide variety of models represented that I spoke of in a previous post.  There is a lot going on in here and I just want everyone to have a peek so here we go:

Here is Matt's car which Bill strategically started to let everyone hear the deep throaty roar of the brand new 302 Ford Racing crate motor.  A thing of beauty Bill, but I have 2 girls in private school!  :)

 A nice deep red Mustang with a great example of period rims and classic lines.

A beautiful convertible.

And last but certainly not least, a Cobra. I took a few extra pics of the Cobra.



New, old, classic, or Resto-mod, CJPS has seen it all and is doing it all.  I would like to thank Bill for accommodating my family this weekend.  Service, like the restoration process, is an art and no one does it better than Bill and his team.  I never felt rushed or pressured and even when I make dumb decisions, Bill patiently guides me in the right direction.  Sure it's a business and they are in it to make money, but they add a lot of class and personality that no money can buy.

And lastly, the title of this blog is "Santa and the Chevy Man - Part II".  We all know where the reference to the Chevy Man comes from, but what about Santa?  Well, it seems like every time I give Bill a list, he gets it done and I give him another. It never ends. I think a side of me loves having the ability to "wish" and for  CJPS to bring it to reality.  So naturally in my latest list to Bill, I ended the note by saying that all of my lists should start out with "Dear Santa"... And now you know, the rest of the story.

Santa and the Chevy Man - Part I

It's Monday and my allergies are killing me.  Everything is coated in a yellow powder and my eye are on fire. With all of the rain between Friday and Monday, it took just one warm day and "WA-POOF"; I am in pollen purgatory.  I need to just lay down and close my eyes for a few minutes while I resist the urge to dig out my eyeballs.....

As I lay there breathing slowly and trying not to succumb to misery, I rewind to happier times like Saturday.  It was 0730 sharp and my brother was at the doorstep front and center.  I was beginning to wonder if he had developed an appreciation for Fords but that was summarily dismissed as he barked out "Get in the car, I'm hungry".  Roger that. On the way to the car, I couldn't help but notice that we were boarding a brand-new Chevy Cruze and that Mike had on his black Chevrolet t-shirt. Nice and subtle Mike, like a neon-pink assassin in tap-shoes.

We made our way up with Pam, Austin, and Corey in the back seat.  Austin looked a little green as Mike fought his right foot most of the way up trying to maintain a reasonable speed.  After an awesome breakfast at the Valley diner, we continued on. Every now and again I would cast a wary eye at Austin who fortunately was seated behind Mike but was well within range of a violent post-pancake eruption.  It would server my brother right as he was perpetually carsick as a kid.

So we wind our way into Harrisburg and to the familiar red-roof of CJPS and as we pull in, I took notice of the entrance.  What the – I had never noticed the red Mustang emerging from the ground like some sort of half-zombie searching for parts to complete itself and roll on down the road for a unsuspecting Nova meal…..but I digress. I was thinking to myself what a surreal scene when I thought I heard a snort from Mike, but that may have been breakfast working its way through his system.  I gotta get out of this car.

We park and as we are making our way to the door this gentleman screeches his car to a halt, jumps out and dashes inside.  I chuckle as this is the way it is with Bill; always with a customer.  No worries, I just direct Mike to the bathroom and the rest of the crew to the showroom and I head back into the shop.

My car is once again in mid-flight and I can’t help but gaze at the new rims on the car.  I have to say that initially I wasn’t in love with the rims, but that’s because I am AR. It’s not that they were ugly, it’s simply that I wasn’t expecting them, hence the uncertainty.  Bill assured me that they could be swapped with no problem, but the more I looked at them, the more I liked them. My mind is usually ten steps ahead of my eyes, so I had to run and drag my brain back to the present.  I do believe these tires work perfectly with the current paint and definitely will work with the final color as well.  Good call Bill, as always.

Bill had finished with the previous customer in record time and was now covering everything that had been done to the car in the past 2 weeks.  Wheels, tires, exhaust removed, wiper washer installed, disc brakes installed, rears painted and prepped, the list is dizzying.  I silently ponder the hours it would have taken me to complete all of this work but then I snap out of the trance and blurt out, “Hey Bill, where’s that 302 you pulled from another customer?”.

Bill had informed me earlier in the project that there was a 302 Jasper from another customer who had wanted a more era-appropriate 289 and thus had traded the motor toward a new one.  This is where my brother perked up and started asking gear-head questions of Bill who deftly answered them one after another.  We all decided that this little beauty had just the right amount of power and known history to be a much better fit than the mystery 86 roller I have.

I will continue on with Part II tomorrow as I need to get some rest, but suffice it to say that the best is yet to come as Santa gets a few more things for the list and Mike tells me just what heck the he was doing back near the gas tank!

No junk in the trunk and a new pair o' shoes

It's finally stopped raining. I hurried home after work to get the grass cut because I caught a glimpse on the news of a "Flood Warning" for the entire state of Maryland. Apparently I have an affinity for vintage motor works because my lawn tractor is a 1985 John Deere 318.  Ornery and cantankerous are kind words when describing this little beast and my wife usually complains that I stink like exhaust afterward. Amazingly, it fires right up and within a few hours, the deed is done.

Later as I ease into my chair with a cold one, I pop open my email and peruse the Inbox. Various enlargement offers, an urgent message from Dr. Iwana Robu from Nigeria, the usual rubbish and then - a message from Bill! I have to say it caught me of guard as I had really not expected anything more from Bill until Saturday morning.  I swear he must have been a stripper in another life because he has truly mastered the art of the tease! (Just kidding Bill!)

It was a response regarding an inquiry I made  earlier about the exhaust and the many leaks I noticed while the car was in the air.  Apparently there are more than what I spotted and he noted that we'd talk more about it on Saturday.  At the end of his note, he said there were a few pics attached.  Again, a bit ambiguous in the communique but then again.....

So the first pic is the new brakes.  Ah yes, daddy got a new pair of shoes and they look great!  I have to say that I will feel much more safe with these than 4-wheel drum.  As Bill had said earlier when I asked him about the rear-drum with front-disc combination his response was "It was good enough for Shelby".  That works for me.

Moving on the next pic, it's a shot of the trunk minus the "junk". Gone is the dented gas tank, and looking closer I note some other sweet changes.  The parking brake is properly setup, the "ugly" brake lines have been removed and I believe I see a new fuel line, very nice.  The underside looks pretty solid but I do note the bare metal in the wheel wells.  Might need to undercoat them later.....

And now the Pièce de résistance; the last picture.  When I took the car to CJPS, I had a vision in mind of a GT 350 tribute car adhering to the details that would lend credence to the original design.  In my mind the car would bear a close resemblance to this one but perhaps without the Lemans stripes:

The grille, rims and valance are all in alignment and as I open that last picture:

I can feel my heartbeat increase as "Fun" makes its way a little faster.

A disturbance in the Fords..........

He's coming.  I really never thought I'd see the day, but amazingly enough my little brother wants to see first hand just what's going on at CJPS! You really have to know my brother to understand just how much of a Chevy guy he is and how much of a Ford guy he is not. Remember that this is the one who started the epic journey upon which this blog is based and now it's coming full circle as he will step foot into Ford country in a very big way.

I am really excited about this because it will bring back some very vivid memories of riding with my brother Mike.  I am truly a conservative when it comes to cars, but the bro is a whole different ballgame. With him, it's all about the speed and rush, with little regard for safety.  The first time I ever got in a fast car with him I'll never forget it. It was a blue Z28 with a massive engine and 4:10's and as Mike mashed the gas to the floor, my head whipped back and forth in a thrashing visual rhythm of headliner-floorboard-headliner-floorboards as he cycled through the gears. As we barreled at close to 100mph in just under 5 seconds I casually asked about the brakes (ever the conservative) to which he replied, "I think they work".  Great.

  

I'm curious as to how he'll take the Eleanor in the showroom and the various other mod's there are.  I really think he'll appreciate the CJPS work on my Mustang as it's come a long way since he's last seen it.  Hopefully the rims and seats will be installed to give him the big picture but I'm just being optimistic.  I haven't heard much from Bill other than to get a quick update last week.  He reported that Ben was steady at it and apparently installing some weatherstripping on the doors and trunk. We'll see.....

One thing Mike and I do have in common is food. Any food.  So, on the way up to Harrisburg early Saturday we will stop off at my favorite diner and have an awesome breakfast.  It will be just like old times with the bro, the only difference is that I will be driving the speed limit and I know my brakes will work. More to come......