Painted wires look supercool, in my opinion. Just sayin’.

Cool stuff, Mark. Someone should’ve told me that in 1992.
In Bridget’s case I might do just as well to replace the solenoid with a stock bug piece, or the starter or starter/solenoid if they’re together (don’t even know yet). She’s all pretty stock and doesn’t seem to be running especially hot; I think the part might just be due for…[Read more]

Thanks, Larry. I’ll try the headlight test, and maybe put the boat battery in her and try that.
So I reached in this morning and turned the key and she started right up as usual.
This makes me suspect a heat sink effect on the starter/solenoid. Used to get that with the Chevy II. The headers ran right past and sort of curved around the starter.…[Read more]

Good on ya, Will!

Looks like fun. Bit far (12 hours) for Bridget.Anyone ever run Skyline Drive through the Shenandoah?

This sounds like a great tip. Will give it a try. Thanks!

There’s quite the selection of stuff going on for 9/11. Lots of VFW, firefighter/cop/hero-tribute events. Probably the same everywhere. If I were going to one it might be the Dover AFB show. $10 in but you get food & a plaque & they say the extra goes to our men and women in harm’s way. They put the cars down with the airplanes at the AMC Air…[Read more]

Dragon’s got some kind of SMART CAR rally going on the 17th. It’d sure be fun to crash that party with a couple TDs! Looks like the deadline’s passed to get the group hotel rate. . . .

I dunno. ‘cept for the frayed wires and the masking tape bits (are those labels?) it looks pretty normal to me. Those Lafers are “factory built” y’know!What’s not working? why not trace out any bad circuits first, then slowly and methodically unplug everything from the back, one switch at a time, and remove each switch and reconnect under or away…[Read more]

HA! Old Buzz was posting right about the time I was writing that he’d probably know. He knows. Chevy SSR. We have a winner!

Thanks for the inspiration, man.

Larry, that sounds very cool. I’m picturing a Cross sterling (pen) for the signal lever. Do you remember what you used?

Nice going, Mel! ‘glass TD in da HOUSE!These cars are universally liked.

Larry, I think you’re right about the Bel-Air. I always loved those cars (who doesn’t?) but somehow never wanted one. There was a ’57 small block rod (bench seat, 4-speed) in the garage of one of the houses Karen and I looked at last summer. The dude said he’d include it with the house. I was tempted, but still said no. Paul–not a Vega! I’m gonna…[Read more]

Yes, Corvair, of course. There’s a guy ’round here somewhere with a Yenko model, too. Keep hoping to run into him. This one is just a turbo version, which I’d never seen one in person before I cruised the local Lowes. I didn’t notice the year on the plate either, and haven’t yet met the owner. I guessed ’66, so close. The car is a 4-speed too.…[Read more]

The dude who built Bridget seems to have done a pretty fair job of it. I doubt I’d have done better. But nobody’s perfect. Looks like he cut the lever and glued it back on backwards. Not beautiful but works well enough. I may end up going with a Bus signal someday tho.

Richard,
Carb’s on the way – sent by P/O – could be a few days – hope all is well
Dale

BCW manual says to gently heat it and bend it back–a dubious proposition at best. Mine’s all lumped up with epoxy, as are several others I’ve had a peek at. 

Polara! Yeah! Thanks, Paul. Such a cool shape, right on the borderland between ’50s fins and ’60s angularity. Dog or no, those 2×4 cross rams looked tough. Chevy slapped a few on the early Z cars. Offy made a copy of it. I always wanted one for the Nova but didn’t have the $ and knew it would be trouble.So there was one other rear-engined…[Read more]

Mark and Larry, don’t be dissin’ that Big Wheel look! It looks more authentic, plus it promotes slimness in the hips and buttocks.
That said, I have a future sister in law who is rather substantially constructed, and she wedged herself behind Bridget’s wheel in less time than it took for me to say “sorry about the tight squeeze.” It all depends u…[Read more]