Showing posts with label shankers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shankers. Show all posts

07 October 2015

Shanker Jr.

With 3 kids in the family,
it's interesting to see how each 
has different interests.
Jake loves watching YouTube,
learning how to build stuff.
He knows most of my secret stashes in the garage.
He spent hours whittling this knife 
out of a scrap of aluminum.
Yea aluminum,
a good prototype.
The handle cut from a scrap of phenolic,
glued and riveted,
then filed and sanded down.
Damn cool for a 13 year old!
Way to go Jakob Perich!
He had the blade filed sharp,
easily slicing through lemons and limes.
We'll wait and see for his next version.
He's asking for a new belt for the sander and better files!
TP

02 September 2015

mini-truck love

The first day I drove the truck to the shop,
the mechanic Alex said I'd better get a cut-off switch.
On the coil not the battery,
so it takes longer to find.
On our monthly trip to the TJ dentista,
we decided to drive the truck,
save some gas.
I locked it up and hoped it wouldn't get stolen.
In the past two months,
they've bricked the walkway to the border.
It's hard to see how wavy it is,
I don't feel bad at how our bricks line up!
When we got back to the truck,
the door was unlocked.
Could've sworn I locked it.
And what was this in the key slot?
Great.
No tools,
just a homemade nail blow-dart from the kids,
the perfect extraction device.
The wife was amazed,
she thought The rip-off comment was a joke!
Out of all the cars on the street,
never had this problem with the fakey p-71.
Must be the rims.
Fortunately nothing was missing.
And we have a new shank!
TP

27 August 2015

Sloppy's Hauler

I've been a van guy for years,
either VW buses or ford vans.
The enclosed area is secure,
one of the excuses for hauling 
a couple hundred pounds of random junk,
months after a project is finished.
Vans are easy to haul around family,
friends and in the old days a dog or two.
We did have a little Mazda b2200 for a year,
but a neighbor snatched it up in a weak moment.
When the van crapped out months back,
a friend Sloppy offered up his truck,
a beat extra-cab lowered Toyota.
I
 didn't seize the opportunity quickly,
and the van was running by the time he dropped it off.
I had driven in it before,
and there's a definite difference between
A 200+K mile one ton van,
and a 200+K mile mini truck,
some positive and some negative.
Well after 500 miles,
I can see why people love these little haulers.
And I didn't realize we moved around so much crap!
The gas savings alone is convenient,
as 2 gallons can last a couple days,
instead of maybe one day.
Even the kids have gotten on the bandwagon.
Jaxon is considering this or a similar one
as his first car.
It's funny even as rusty as it is,
there are guys that comment on this thing all the time.
Maybe it's the fancy wire wheels.
One thing we haven't loaded yet,
is a lawn-mower.
Thanks Sloppy!
TP

09 September 2013

ventura wrap up

Now for the wrap up to this extended Ventura excursion.
Hey I gotta do something with all these pictures!
Here's the ending - Part IV
noble fabrication


























With Sloppy's brakes finally working,
it was time to hit the road...
after visiting the open house party at a friends shop...
ventura highway




















Driving around Ventura in the hot rod was surreal.
Some of you may not know this,
but we had lived up here almost 15 years.
This is where I met my wife and started breeding!
Ventura




















Chief hadn't been "home" in over 5 years.
This little shop is where the magic happened.
chief at home




















The truck and a couple other hot rods
were built in and outside this building around the turn of the century.
For 8 years we barely survived at this location.
Imagine having a shop next door to a city councilman turned mayor!
This was crazy town as most of the action was at night.
Many good times and good friends made here.
travis perich - ventura 2013




















I thought the slumlord had really cleaned up the place,
but it was actually the tireless work of the new renters.
This was a gas station in the 20's,
built next to an indian burial ground.
There was some strange mojo here,
and the new flower store is perfect to revitalize the space.
ventura avenue




















The city tried to redevelop the downtown area,
with definite hit and miss results.
Out of town investors would see Ventura as part of Los Angeles,
and it would bite them in the a$$.
One of the things I loved about it here,
you could dress it up but it was still a working neighborhood.
the players club - RIP




















Matt's place was party central for the day.
His compound, family and business are growing fast.
A really cool location too.
noble fabrication - 2013




















There's no faster way to clear out a party,
than with the ultimate burnout.
This guy rolled out in a '51 ford crown vic with a nasty SBF,
and did a block long double tire burnout.
ultimate burnout


























As usual guys run out into the dank rubber smoke.
Holey Chit.
It seriously gave me goosebumps.
holey chit




















That's the problem going to car shows,
you go home wanting to build wacky chit like this!
kade gates - wheelie master




















Not to be outdone,
Kade got out his big Harley and was doing his trademark wheelies and donuts.
I had no idea people did this kinda stuff,
let alone a friends kid I've known since he was in elementary school!
cheese!




















As the sun started to set,
I got a chance to talk with Holly and Aaron a bit.
She was the mastermind behind the Ventura Nationals car show.
If anyone could predict the future 7 or so years ago,
I doubt this would have been it!
All I can say is she better have her own car next year...
main street ventura




















One last pass through main street...



Put the volume down for this,
some horrible sound.
Now I know why my ears are blown jeez!
palm trees




















It was getting late and Sloppy and I had planned on leaving by sunset,
but I had to see Danny and Lucy's new hot rod first.
Nothing like a couple greasy friends visiting a fresh new baby!
Funny thing is Danny was getting ready to test out his buddy's Chevelle,
at 10 pm on a sunday evening!
Now this is a family I can relate too!
Congratulations on your little Camilo!
Ambriz baby #1 - 2013


























We chose to cruise the 1 highway along the coast,
and man talk about a sketchy ride.
No street lights, 6-volt headlights and 2 nights of 4-5 hour sleep,
with speeding oncoming traffic on one side,
and the ocean cliff on the other.
Let's say it was an adventure to get past Malibu.
Add caption




















I was on serious mellow mode until 60+- miles out of San Diego,
then snapped out of it and blasted all the way home.
The perfect end to a great weekend.
pigpen




















The next morning I wondered how some keep there cars so clean.
I think it looked like this in the show too.
Oh well.
Surprisingly enough there was still 2-3 gallons in the tank,
that's roughly 22 gallons for over 400 miles!

TP

08 September 2013

sloppy sunday

Got to drag the Ventura weekend a bit longer here!
Here's part III...
chief - 1929 ford roadster pickup hot rod




















After the show,
Sloppy babied his chopper back to the Motel 6.
Remember he had no brakes on his '69 sportster.
It was really sketchy watching him ride.
shop


























The chopper was parked in the room,
and we headed off to KiwiKev's bbq,
of which I've got no pictures...
normal


























We could have spent all night boozing it up downtown,
throwing away our last dimes,
but instead decided to drink the last of the cooler beers,
and tear into the chopper.
Better to get an early start and have a parts list,
then get stuck and wish we had started earlier.
wrenching


























An old partner in crime Conrad had sniffed me out,
and we ripped into Sloppy's chopper.
I've known him for almost 20 years,
and we've had countless mechanical adventures.
After moving to SD I hadn't seen him in 5 years.
It was like time hadn't passed.
Comedy night with the three stooges.
wrenching


























By 2 AM the little front drum brake was rebuilt,
and the rear disc brake was in pieces.
Years of sludge had seized up the little pucks.
the three stooges




















By 2:45 the beers were depleted,
and likewise any forward progress.
We also were in need of some 0-rings and sandpaper.
chopper caliper




















In the morning the project was reassessed.
A dirt track racer family had the room next door,
and they had one of the crucial pieces we needed,
a small strip of emory cloth to hone out the caliper.
I was a little concerned that after our late night wrenching spree,
they wouldn't be able to look us in the eye.
No problem...
Good thing Motel 6 has super loud air conditioners!
parking lot repair




















With the rotor hand-honed,
Sloppy and I had the similar just put it back together mentality.
Conrad had a slow hangover start,
and rallied all the way out to his shop to bring a couple 0-ring kits.
4 minutes before the noon checkout,
we rolled the bike out of the room.
1969 harley sportster




















The rear brake was mounted up with no luck.
This wasn't a big surprise,
as there was very little pressure when bleeding the brakes earlier.
Time to rip out the master cylinder...
shadetree mechanics
















Fortunately Conrad is one of those guys that drives around
with a mobile repair shop in his car.
He tried to trick us into a 7 mile brakeless ride to his shop,
but we had to show him what magic could be done in a parking lot,
Shankers-style!
What the heck all we needed was the vice he happened to have!
(okay and hex keys and socket set...)
travis - conrad - sophorn




















In no time the chopper was back together with working brakes.
We headed out to the Noble Fabrication party,
and guess what...
noble fabrication


























Yeah Sloppy couldn't leave well enough alone.
He spent the whole time dialing in the front brake!
holly - travis - sophorn (sloppy)




















more later!

TP