Sorta OT - Am I Finally Gonna Get LUV?

[J T]

For those not aware, I've had a Chevy LUV, with a 350 Chevy in it, at my older son's place for quite awhile. A long while in fact. Long story, maybe later. It had a clapped out 350 in it when I got it from the older son, in trade for something, can't even remember what now. I'd driven the thing once or twice before when the engine was running, and even with that POS engine, it's light enouh that it was F*A*S*T, traction being the main problem. So, of course I got an engine built to put in it. A 350, that should put out about 420 HP. I din't want to go overboard. Well, the younger son had a Chevy 4X4 pickup, with a strong crate engine, but he really wanted my engine. So I made a deal, he got my engine, I got hs engine (about 300 HP, which was still probably at least 100 more then the old engine had), and he'd hel his brother hook every thing up. Well, the engines got swapped, his truck was runiing - great I might add, and my truck sat. From what they'd told me, about 4 hours work by the two of them would do it. Didn't happen.

Long story trying to make shorter, it looks like the LUV may actually get worked on. It's ben moved. The bed and cab have been cleaned out. Apparently they're going to pull the engine and trans (350 trans), to weld something under back in place. I'm trying to convince them to put the engine I had built in, because the younger son doesn't run the truck - apparently the price of the premium it takes is too much more than the regular the crate engine used. Me, I'd be happy to pay the extra, I don't drive that many mile a day anyway. Don't know if that'll happen or not. But, if not the crate engine should be good. They've got a Lunati cam they want to put in it, but I'm trying to get them to hold off until I get it on the road and sort out the traction first. But even more important, it'll be on the road sooner if the cam gets put in later.

It's got a S-10 rearend in it just nw, somewhere around 3:40 gearing. The older son took it to the 1/8 mile strip with the clapped out engine and it still got 80+ MPH, with the one tire spinning about all the way. I'm thinking about 4:11s with a locker. Hehehe

I figured for a long time they didn't want to work on it because they figued I'd kill myself with it. Apparently not, they were just too idle to do it for me, but always had time for their own projects. Bottom line, I think the older son's wife finall got totally fed up with it being in her back yard. LMAO She's a great day-in-law. So there may hope of me hauling Ash at last.

Future plans include cutting one exhaust pipe off short, so it doesn't show, and maybe putting a chroe tip on the other, maybe even one of those coffee cn exhaust tips, the type that adds 50 HP.

Please Car Gods, Manny, Moe, and Jack, get on my sons' asses for me, and make them get this done for me. .Life is good, it can get even gooder.

JOAT I do things I don't know how to do, so that I might learn how to do them. - Picasso

[Charlie Self]

Jack is the journeyman car god, JOAT. Manny and Moe are just apprentices.

I've been looking forward to riding in this truck for several years now. In fact, if I remember correctly, tis project began before I move to West-By-God more than five years ago.

Hell, I've been back three years, almost long enough to get over the regret I had for leaving home for even a couple years. Ah well. That little adventure (as any sensible person knows, adventure is the result of poor planning) was final proof on my inability to function in the corporate world. I keep forgetting to cover my back, and I show my dislike of working at the instruction of truly stupid people in a rigidly defined world. Same reasons I didn't re-enlist in the Marines so long ago.

[Swingman]

I recall the tales of your "adventure" frequently.

My last foray into the "corporate world" was 44 years ago and I don't regret it, especially after seeing the "security", once their best argument for being subjected to the indignity, evaporate for so many of my contemporaries.

Never thought I'd live to see a pHD in Geophysics, or a man with both a JD and pharmaceutical degree, "unemployable" because their jobs were better held by some dufus, incapable of understanding the why of the brim on a baseball cap, and whose sole qualification was the stupidity and piss poor education that allowed upper management to pay him less, leaving more spoils to feather their own nests .

I resigned a commission for basically the same reason ... a war I could take, but the politics of peacetime was revolting.

[J T]

Sat, Jul 7, 2007, 11:20am (EDT+4) [e-mail] (Charlie=A0Self) doth sayeth: Jack is the journeyman car god, JOAT. Manny and Moe are just apprentices. I've been looking forward to riding in this truck for several years now. In fact, if I remember correctly, tis project began before I move to West-By-God more than five years ago. Hell, I've been back three years, almost long enough to get over the regret I had for leaving home for even a couple years. Ah well. That little adventure (as any sensible person knows, adventure is the result of poor planning) was final proof on my inability to function in the corporate world. I keep forgetting to cover my back, and I show my dislike of working at the instruction of truly stupid people in a rigidly defined world. Same reasons I didn't re-enlist in the Marines so long ago.

Hah, I'd even pray to the Car Gods clean up guy if I thought it'd do any good. And, yeah, it's been years. Not telling how many times I've heard, "Oh, just buy this part for it, and we'l get it done." Shoulda been talking to the dau-in-law all along. If my back and joints woul have let me, I'd have done it myself. But that ain't happening. I saw the younger son get in the engine compartment of the GMC, curl into a ball, and work on the carb. I couldn't do that when I was yung even Damn kids. As long as yuur heart's in good condiion, I've still gotcha in mind for a ride. I've got some traction cures, and won't need the boys to help wtith those - thenkfuly

JOAT I do things I don't know how to do, so that I might learn how to do them. - Picasso

[J T]

Sat, Jul 7, 2007, 10:07am (EDT-1) [e-mail] (Swingman) doth sayeth: Never thought I'd live to see a pHD in Geophysics, or a man with both a JD and pharmaceutical degree, "unemployable" because their jobs were better held by some dufus, I resigned a commission for basically the same reason ... a war I could take, but the politics of peacetime was revolting.

I used to get a LOT of, "Sorry, but you're overqualified, and wouldn't be happy in the position" Constructive age descrimination actually.

I punched "send" by mistake while responding to Charlie. I actually enjoyed my Army time, most of it. Got up to E-7 considerably sooner than average. Then stayed in promotion limbo. Partly came from telling people things they didn't want to hear, such as the then Sergeant Major of the Army what I thought of "his" Army. Well, he asked. LMAO He was making a world tour of out of the way foreign bases to "boost" troop morale. I'd been planning on telling him, but my boss talked me out of it. OK, no prob. He was going thru, with a handshake, a "How you doing?", and on to the next hand. With me he stops and wants to talk, apparently the only guy in the building he wants to talk to, someone had to have set me up. Quite possibly our section sergeant major, he was a drunk, and sexually harrassing one of our female troops, but nothing could be proved - her word, his word - and I think he knew she went to me for help. Anyway, it was all "yes", "no", "fine", for half a dozen questions or so.. Then he asked "the" question, "How does your family like it here?". So I told him, in detail. LOL You should have seen the look on his face. Priceless. But, what te Hell?, I was still having fun, unttl my last assignment. We got a commander in who was the biggest dipstick I've ever seen. I had just enough time in to retire, so wound up doing just that. No real regrets. No biggie, I'd have made a damn good master sergeant, but probably a poor first sergeant anyway. Doesn' matter, I was ahead anyway - my original ambition was three up and one down, and there I was, three up and two down. LOL Good times with great guys. Life ain't bad, as long as you learn to take the good along with the bad; and don't sweat the small shit, anythng under 15 pounds, you haul up by rope. Sempr Fi. LMAO

JOAT I do things I don't know how to do, so that I might learn how to do them. - Picasso

[Swingman]

LOL ... know the feeling. Went from a battery command in RVN straight to a battery command in Germany where, shortly thereafter, a full bird _attempted_ to chew my ass out claiming to have "seen" a candy bar wrapper in the back of a deuce-and-a-half in the motor pool after a **play war** exercise ... my immediate "You gotta be f*ckin' kidding me!!" stopped him in his tracks and scared my boss (a LIC) so bad I do think he shit his pants on the spot.

What the LTC didn't know, and what this joker discovered in a private conversation a few minutes later (which included the obviously heretofore unanticipated come-to-Jesus revelation that, if you're gonna play a certain game, you can't be stupid, you can't afford to get caught, and, when you do, you damn well better be prepared to live with the consequences) was that someone on his staff had tipped me to the fact that they, at his direction, had "edited" and re-published, under my signature, my unit's Material Readiness Report to make his command figures look better.

(My boss marveled at how I could always tell his boss to go fug himself, and get away with it.) :)

The sad thing was that many of the senior officer's at that time were playing similar games in "peacetime" Europe. Particularly those who had not had their "ticket punched" with a combat command in RVN, and, with rank fairly easy to make at the time, were desperate to "get theirs" at all costs.

IOW, politics, not military ability, was the name of the advancement game, and it probably still is. (It was, coincidentally, the first time I ever heard/came into contact with the concepts of "political correctness" and "affirmative action", which speaks volumes about the era.)

[B A R R Y]

I work with a guy who commanded two nuclear subs. The stories would curl you hair...

I do enjoy the non-political "E2 Hawkeye carrier landing in bad weather to meet with the admiral" stories, though.

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[J T]

Went over to the older son's house today, to pickup some new oak flooring he'd rescued from a construction site, it was gonna go into a bonfire. Nice, and free.

Now that he's got all the trash out of the cab and bed, checked it out. The bed's got a cople of rust holes, but mostly quite solid. Cab's got a couple of rust spots, but solid. Inside some previous owner had cut holes in the transmission hump, to put in sme odd-ball shifter, then never patchd the holes, no biggie tho. Couple of small rust holes in the floor, the rest is soid. Top of the dash had some carpet on it, and it looks like it mutated, need to find something to cover that. The seats are dirty, but in good conditon, not ripped or anything. he wans to get some different ones to put in, I say just clean them up. .The finish is mostly gray primer, with some red and blue spots, along with some surface rust. The hood had a large hole cut in it.

They took th radiator out, the kid fixed it so it sets in a channel at the bottom, and at the top a piece of angle iron that's held in place by two bolts The kid somes up wit some great ideas at times, it stays put, but comes out very easily. He also had cut out most of the inside f the feners too, didn't have that last time I'd looked. No prob, I don't drive much in the rain anyway. Lightens the fron up some too.

No bumper on the fron. I'm thinking about putting on a chunk of

2X12. Some people are sure to call it a "rat rod". I've got news for them, it is gonna be a sleeper, NOT a rat rod. With it looking as it does, it'll also be a beater. As i go along I'll be cleaning up te rust, and putting some paint on it. A paint job apparently automatically disqualifes it from being a "rat rod. Then it'll be a driver - and still a sleeper. It's got a performer manifold, along with a Q-Jet. I've already ld them, the Quadrajet stays, good mileage with those small primary, and that wonderful sound of gas beeing sucked in whn those big primaries kck in. Of course, I'll only drive it for mileage.

It's all set for te engine to be pulled, so it looks like it may ctually proceed. Ah well, everyone needs hope, so I'm hoping.

JOAT I do things I don't know how to do, so that I might learn how to do them. - Picasso

[Swingman]

One of the things I liked about aviators for the most part ... you can't be a dumb ass and live to fly long.

[user]

There are times I would be sitting in my truck behind another vehicle at a red light and the light turns green to go, and *then* they turn their left turn signal on while there are a boatload of vehicles coming from the opposite direction. That is when I wish I had a 4" X 12" for a front bumper and I would surely shove them clear across the intersection and half way to where I wanna go before I stop pushing! Anybody else feel that way?

Good story, JOAT, hope it all works for you.

[Charlie Self]

On Jul 7, 12:23?pm, [e-mail] (J T) wrote: ?If my back and joints

Yes, well I could use a couple of boys around here. My heart is fine, but my lungs show the effects of too many cigarets, even though I quit

18 years ago, my joints show my father's inheritance for me--excessive arthritis--and my knees show the results of being a clumsy shit on off- road motorcycles.

I'm looking forward to the ride.

[Charlie Self]

Uh, some. I'm not sure I'd go along with that after two years in a light helicopter squadron. Some of those 21 year old flight suit commandos can scare the shit out of you when they're taking it easy.