system error perks

I've become so lazy writing and uploading pics directly from my iphone,
lying on the couch,
in bed,
in the van,
on the pot...
Now that there's some glitch with the program or something,
I'm remembering sending pictures through my email,
downloading them onto the computer,
and then uploading them onto the blog,
then writing words inbetween the photos.
All the time sitting in this cold a$$ chair.
Holey Chit.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Lee Moses - Bad Girl
just a bad a$$ song
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
One thing I have missed,
is being able to post up song flicks,
surrounded by a cranked vintage 4-speaker stereo system.
So sweet.
While I'm trying to figure out the logistics of what a system error 403 is,
check this tune out its plain cool.
TP

Hostage Crisis

Help!

I'm being held hostage.

I was taken away months ago,

and this guy won't let me back home.

It is nice getting juiced with 220 volts,

Instead of strung out on 110...

And he does let my owner have conjugal visits with me.

Oh man do we get down.

But then he leaves me all alone.

For weeks on end.

I'm hoping I can come home soon.

There's just so much funky work that is getting cut out.

The last visit was great.

We got to hang out all weekend.

I forgot how fun it was to listen to the same grateful dead songs over and over.

It made me forget I was in a strange place.

After I thought he was goin to load me up in the van.

So I did my best to help finish the job.

It was just like old times,

working late into the night,

burning rod.

But I realized things were different.

This isn't my old stool friend.

Then he left me again.

I don't know if I can handle any more.

It looks like the end is in sight,

but what am I missing out on?

I just wanna go home...

TP

shaved

It's been almost a year since finishing up one of the more significant changes on the old Hurtlocker Truck.

From this shot it's impossible to see,

that's cause it just looks clean,

one of the best reasons to customize an old car.

It started as an accident.

After smoothing out the majority of the body,

at eye level was basically the ugliest part of the truck.

Not to say drip rails or rain gutters are bad,

these were not straight,

and a couple small rust holes made them look worse.

Hours could have been spent hammering and welding,

and in hindsight the results would have been futile.

The rails were lopped off,

and holey chit surprise...surprise...

as cutting the weld seam of the top and bottom pieces created a long slit.

No problem,

Weld weld grind grind.

Hopefully Ken wouldn't mind...

There was no going back.

Chevies have a rear wrap-around gutter,

and it was time to bite the bullet.

Within minutes the can if worms was open.

The gap here much wider,

In addition the gutter hid the unaligned seam.

A little strategic hammering and welding...

And yeah some magic bondo.

The inner panel limited access,

so hammer and dolly work was tricky.

In the end it was overly smooth,

but better then the eyesore it was.

Matched his helmet too!

Late 50's Ford f-100's have a front gutter,

But not the tri-five chevies,

the brow is already clean.

Fortunately Ken liked it!

Definitely the most bang for the buck.

TP

How to - build a shop truck

Haven't done a "how to" for a long time.

Here's a quickee...

A buddy has a bitchin '56 F-100,

a cammed 350 chevy engine (cough), 

turbo 400 automatic transmission,

9" rearend,

and a Volare independent front end.

The ingredients of a fun to drive street rod.

It was time to make it a work truck.

A plan was set,

a materials list was scribbled out,

and Mario must have lost it.

He found the thickest angle iron in the remnant pile.

While it doubled the whittling time,

in the long run this will last forever,

protect the rear fuel tank,

and should be strong enough to pull any trailer.

The slip-in receiver saved some hassle,

as it's already prepped for the hitch.

Typically there's a 5' minimum for steel,

and another route would have been acquiring the square tube,

make the receiver part and the crossbar from the same stuff.

The concession to this style,

was ruining the smooth bumper.

A more traditional approach 

would have been to have a permanent ball,

on a tongue that jutted out from the bumper.

Perfect for scraping shins.

I had one on the 40 for a couple years,

still have a couple scars...

A friend allowed me to mooch off his facilities.

Good to use the old MIG again,

although this project was made for stick welding.

Thanks Jason!

This thing was so heavy!

A holey chit is in order.

Here's a better shot of that rear fuel tank.

Man that was f-ugly.

Stoked that it fit in after all the welding!

There were some trade secrets used,

other than the magic flat black rattlecan.

Now Mario's got a real shop truck,

not some overpowered girlie car...

The hitch was christened with a friends project,

a 1957 Glasspar Del Mar cabin cruiser.

More on that later.

Hopefully Mario will send a pic of the canned ham trailer the hitch was made for.

I'll admit that driving his truck made me want to hot rod the 40's V-8...

Hmmm

TP

loaded

A few old pics from deep in my 

does-this-make-my-butt-look-big file.

This van was made for this seasons gas prices.

I drove past $2.75/gallon!

When I moved this cart,

a guy was tailing me so close.

He was testing my knots.

I should make a bumper extension,

a slip-in trailer hitch with bolt tabs on the sides.

I'll add that to my STD list

(Chit to do)

TP

Binders

Last bike post I noted the Rauler got parted out,

specifically the seatpost.

Yawn yeah another bike post...

Well a friend Mark had one in his stash.

Not as cool as the sleek aero post,

but I can't get too picky over a freebie.

This was the same size as the previous seatpost at 26.8 mm,

which was too loose.

A 27.2 mm seatpost wouldn't fit.

See that brownish thing jammed in there?

A strip of aluminum can is the perfect shim,

this one back from when we drank Dr. Pepper.

The big upgrade was a rear brake.

Almost 4 years riding with a front only,

and each time there's that something ain't right feeling.

An NOS shimano 600 fit the Japanese-parts-on-a-70's-Italian-frame theme.

This triggered my writing.

The brake line housing ferrule didn't fit the adjuster.

Why I don't know,

these are mainstream parts here.

A little Sunday morning project,

turned into a hand-lathe honing session on the drill press.

Holey Chit I need to clean my nails.

A little drillium to the cheeseball brake lever,

and it was good to go weight-weenie style.

If anyone has a right side Fishbone skull brake lever,

send it over.

And some brake line clamps...

This 21 lb frankensteined bike always rode smooth.

There's a rear Phil hub and a Campy front,

and the first generation Suntour Cyclone derailleurs are as good or better then Campagnolos.

Now squeezing the brakes won't send me into a somersault.

Time to get a ride in.

TP