I talked to dad yesterday, he's working on the damaged TD among other things. I'm guessing when I get back (next Monday) the plan is to get out the Jag140 asap. So there will be a spot to put the TF, i still haven't figured out a name for it yet, so that it will be out of the main bays. So it will be in "pieces" before i had thought.

With the painting that would have been needed on the Jag not being done BlownTC will be in the booth for it's frame painting quicker. I think things will move at a faster pace for a while, I hope!!! Speaking of BlownTC, here's a picture that may be of interest...I've never seen one before. I believe it's the same size as the oil pressure and amp gauges are.

A jaeger vacuum gauge

Ok I'm off to lunch...Later

BTW my e-mail...1953mgtd@verizon.net

Back in the Buff

I’m back in Buffalo for two weeks of R&R. I got into town Monday around 7, unloaded the car, did a few minor things to set up then headed out the door for some socialization at a local watering hole where a friend tends bar. It was real nice to get out and chat with a few friends and meet some new people. It is really easy in the city to strike up conversation with the person next to you at a pub, not so much in NH. There aren’t even many bars where you can just go out to have a beer and chat. For the most part they are service bars for a restaurant and close an hour after the establishment serves it’s last dinner, which would mean they close very early. So it was a breath of fresh air to be out in the city to say the least. I got back to the house at 1:30, an early night by Buffalo standards!

Well before leaving NH I was able to get BlownTC back on the ground and outside for some spot sandblasting with a “mini blaster.” I also wanted to hit the body tub a bit more with the DS sander when I had room to move around. If you’ve seen the pictures you know what I mean! I wanted to clean up the edges and “wrap a rounds” before prepping for paint (the frame that is.) I want to get the frame touched up before I put the pedal box, shocks and master cylinder back in. Once that is done I guess it’s clean up the engine paint the body tub etc. For the most part the body tub is ready for body work and prep for painting.

Some pics of BlownTC

Yeaaaa! I got a comment!!! I was waiting for that customer to come by and take the last rides in the TF before it gets disassembled and put away for restoration, which should be fairly soon. The Jag140 is going home to NJ and getting finished there. That will open a spot for the TF frame to sit. It would be nice to have the frame sandblasted and painted before winter and ready for a rebuild to a rolling chassis. Which would mean a lot of other things would have to get done before the fall. (And me enjoying R&R!!!) HAH Well it shouldn’t be long before the 53TD heads out, I hope. Then I will be concentrating on just two cars, which I’m hoping will be a comfortable workload. We shall see…

Later

Nekkid

Yep nekkid. That would be BlowmTC. While I’m waiting for a little clarification on where we are going with 53TD’s center panel for the dash, I jumped over to BlownTC. I do double up on a few things as I go along, like sandblasting the foot plate and foot rest for BlownTC when I sandblasted the horns for 53TD. And I welded up the “extra” holes in the right door for 53TD when I was welding a grill together for mom’s 80th birthday party.

So in the meantime while I wait I jumped over to BlownTC for some serious work. I stripped the body tub on Tuesday and today I washed it and hit it with the DA sander. There were a few spots where the “filler” was a bit thick but overall it wasn’t that bad. I’m hoping to get the “car” outside tomorrow for some spot sandblasting with the mini blaster. I should be able to fill in the door damage tomorrow and have them ready to prime also.

We had a TD come in last week that was in an accident. It was one that dad had done about 6 years ago. It met up with a Ford Explorer! The damage isn’t as bad as you might think. The right front fender is history, as well as the headlight bracket and the radiator. That’s without getting the car apart. We have a couple of fenders upstairs but I think we will just order a new one and see what it’s like. I don’t think we have ever used a new fender before. It will be an experience to see what they are offering as a fender these days.

OUCH!

Tuesday I’m probably going to head to Buffalo to check on the house and have some R&R the Big City way, etc. So if you don’t hear from me for a while bear with me.

Later…Chuck

Tale of the TD’s (tape)

53TD vs. MINE…

At one time I was ahead of 53TD with my own 53 TD (that was before I moved and began working in the shop.) I had my body tub on and painted, 53TD’s was still on the jig in raw metal. I had my floorboards in and the curtain box and rear deck in. 53TD was just a rolling chassis. Both engines were finished. So as you see mine was further along than 53TD.

Now they are neck and neck, but I believe 53TD is ahead at this point. Even after spending about 5 hours (5 hours didn’t get much done) on my TD today. I got my dash panel stripped, the center panel started (starter switch mounted, warning lights in and accessory plugs in.) I mounted the horn brackets, starter switch and painted some bolts. Not much done for the day, huh?

Both bodies are on, mine is rubbed out. Both have the floorboards, curtain box and rear decks in. My TD is now sans water pump (donated to Winston.) Both are about even as far as items going back on the firewall, both have the horns painted and ready to mount.

I’ve started both dashboards, well stripped them at least. My center panel is under construction; 53TD is ready to go with the key switch rebuilt. The big difference on the dash is that my gauges are in England getting restored and 53TD’s are not. That’s one for me. (cough, cough...most of mine was done today.)

Most of 53TD’s chrome has been redone; my chrome is in a box ready to ship to the chromer… bummer. That’s one for him.

So we really are neck and neck to the finish. I do know that I will loose…the paying customer comes first. So it is 5 days of possible work to 2 days on the weekend. Like I’m going to give up all my weekend time!!! 53TD WINS.

Later…

It was a decent week at the shop. RacerTD went home to very happy owners. They came and picked up the car on Monday and headed right into a rainstorm. But it was a short one and they had the top up, they almost put it down when they picked it up!

Going home.

The paint booth was going well this week with the back plates, horns and various mounting brackets for the 53TD getting painted. Also the bumper backs for the front and rear bumpers to the 53TD were done. The steering shaft for the Jag 140 was painted. The water pump and branch pipe for my TD was done. So it was a good week for the paint booth.

We are at the point where you can really see progress on the 53. I’m about to start the dash and interior. And dad is getting ready to paint the fenders, running boards etc. The interior of the 53 is closed up, I just have to seal a couple points that I have a concern on and the carpets are going in. Now I’m kind of upset that 53TD has overtaken my car.

Interior front

Interior rear

I think I’m gong to have to work tomorrow (Sunday) to try and get my car ahead again.

Later…