Yes I'm still here!

Yes, I’m still here in Buffalo. I decided to stay a few days more than planned to fully get the house ready for the winter. My roommates would never think of the things to do as they are not homeowners. So everything is in all put away, the hoses and nozzles the water is off to the outside. Anything laying about is in and the gardens put to bed for the winter. Etc. etc. I’ve had my fill of partying, seen all my friends and had my fun. I could socialize a bit more but lets be real, it’s time to get back to work even though I love it here. Just a quick story why… the other night I went to one of the corner bars (a litteral 30 second walk from my front door), Nietzsche's , for a beer, my friend Bill bartends there. About 1:00 (yes AM) two more friends, John and Rose a couple that live in a hidden house behind and off to the side of mine, came in. They comprise part of the Allen Street Jazz Band. It was great to see them. A local singer Gretchen came in, a guitar came out, and the fun began. They sang songs and carried on for hours taking us all along for a ride into old jazz ballads, torch songs of yesteryear and laughter. I wish there was a place like this in NH…

Well dad just called wondering where I was. He’s off to the stripper to get the sheet metal of the Beast stripped. I think he sometimes wonders if I am actually coming back. But I do have work to finish and I do enjoy doing it.

When I return to the shop I’m going to sandblast the frame for the Beast and get it painted before winter hits (it's done outside.) That will set it up for parts to go on it as they come in. The engine is in the machine shop and so far there hasn’t been any surprises (but I haven’t been there.) There’s a ton of work there but the frame is bare with the exception of the rear bumper. I just can’t get it off…YET. It will submit but I have to bring out the big torch and heat it up (the bumper isn’t the only part that had to be brought to submission.) At this stage I like to think the car is going to begin to go back together. It’s funny how it can come apart in a couple weeks and take, sometimes, years to get back together. I often wonder if all the parts are readily available and the money is available just how long it would actually take to put one of these cars back to “show” condition. Dad says it take between 800 and 900 hours to complete a car. That’s about 22 weeks of straight 8-hour days working non-stop on one car. OK, I’m freaking myself out time to move on!!!

The TF Frame (bumper still on!)

I have BlownTC to get the frame painted and the suspension, brake cylinder and pedal box finished. A little clean up on the engine and some paint there and we can then think about the interior, wiring etc. There’s a few weeks worth of work right there. Once I get it into the main part of the shop I hope to keep it there.

53TDs’ interior is beginning to go in, so the push there will be to get the dash in and wired, the interior in, then think about the rest of the painting. Everything is prepped and primed. I really hope to roll this one out in the spring.

That gives me 3 cars to work on during the winter, not too bad of a workload. The wild card is the ’37 TA. The body tub is expected between late winter and early spring. I believe that may be the longest held car in the shop. I don’t even know how far that one goes back. The owner was caught up in the 9-11 event. The company he worked had to reorganize in that area and he lost his job for a while and held up work on the car until the crisis worked itself out. Holding up work on the body tub put it at the end of the line of that shops work and they just got to it this year! We should have it back soon.

On a lighter note, almost, my gauges are back from England. Of course I haven’t seen them being here in Buffalo. They got the full treatment from probably the number one vintage gauge restorer around. It set me back just over a thousand dollars so far. Yikkes! I’m actually thinking about selling my car when it is done. Take it to a few shows win a few trophies then put it up for sale. I retired years before I was financially ready to and selling the car would get me much closer to the goals I had set for retirement. With weekend work I’m hoping to have my car ready to debut by late summer. HAH, we all know how that one goes!!!

Later!