Kinda hit the wall yesterday, I was working on some wiring and other simple stuff, all low on the car and after about an hour of frustration and no progress, I jumped into it and beat feet to European Motor works and said FIX IT. I gave them a laundry list and an order of importance, I'll drop it off on March 6th. I'll probably work on it some till then.
Not only that, but I have a road trip heavy on my mind and I would like to take the MP. The Miata is just parked and ready to go anywhere, but the Money Pit has my attention now.

I've been trying to sell the Land Cruiser and had lots of looky loos, but almost everyone that comes to look at the Land Cruiser ends up in the garage looking at the Old's. Maybe they're trying to tell me something. It's on the list next to be worked on...Tedd

 

Get the MPB squared away and you can relax and enjoy whatever car you decide to drive.

 

Messed with the frozen locked top today and it freeded up finally with a little WD-40 and a little pry bar, saved a few bucks from what I'm sure the BMW shop would have charged. Stuck a couple of new wiper blades on the Money Pit for good measures and then took a good look at the cubby box lid to see if I should try and upholster that thing, never done anything like that before, but what do I have to lose? Can't leave the damn thing alone....Tedd

 

I'll bet the MP can scoot right down the alleys in your Almond grove. Question for you, Tedd. Do Almond blossoms have a distinct fragrance?

 

Smells like cyanide.

 

That's right! I heard that years ago, completely forgot about that.

 

Now guys, You are gonna start a rummer that will hurt the market! Besides that cyanide thing is an apricot thing, how many people eat apricot pits anyway. And yes, they have a pleasant order that smells like money if there is enough of it.
We have no alleys to scoot down, they are all rows, besides the MP sucks on anything rougher than an orange peel, it's strictly a flatlander asphalt rig.... Tedd the non farmer.

 

That's what I'm talking about...

 

I just finished re-blacking/coating the top of the Money Pit, using something called Forever Black Top. It's a dye, and appears to go on smooth without streaks, at least right now before it dries completely. My concern is its longevity. Anyone has any experience with this product?... Tedd

 

Started the upholstery on the lid yesterday, new challenge. I may finish it today if all works out. I'll throw a picture or two of the process if I don't get too flustered and give up...Tedd

 

Well I finished the lid up today, probably a 6 out of 10, Every thing has been a learning experience. Here is a start from being in the car to being finished on my kitchen table, less all the cuss words....Tedd

in the car naked

Getting foam covering

Aligning all the boltholes, used every punch I had

Wrapping with vinyl

Finished and glue is drying

 

Sold the Land Cruiser today, hate to see it go, but it would go places that were dangerous for me if it broke down or got stuck, and I know myself well enough that I would push the envelope and get myself in trouble.

I'll turn that money into the Mistress and the Money Pit and get my enjoys from them. I can see new AC and paint for the MP and a new brake booster for the Mistress. Don't know what to do with the Miata, it just keeps on keeping on with little need of anything. Things, they are a changing.... Tedd

 

Congrats Tedd. I was kind of where you are when I sold my 54. I loved that car but life changes and we move on. More at a future date on my story. You are probably the only person I know with three red convertibles. Nothing wrong with that.

 

Indeed, the man likes what he likes. We should all be so lucky.

 

Glenn, Of

It got worse the next day
the five cars, I owned four were convertibles, I'm gonna miss that beast when we get 36 inches of snow. Ho well I'll just throw another log on the fire and wait it out, spring will come... Tedd

 

Spent some time on the Money Pit today, little stuff. Glued and repaired the kidney on the left-hand side of the nose grill(I will know more when the glue dries), did some polishing on the rear plastic glass, needs more work on the inside though. Tried to clean the polishing compound from around the seals and trim. Sure pays to be neat, lost lots of time when I'm messy, and I was. I spent a little time looking at the gas cap door, I think I'll shim it out a 1/4 inch, so I can get the door open easier.

M/P is getting ready for big things to happen. More to come...Tedd

 

Still little things being done today. I made the cover for the tow bolt enclosure on the front of the car that had been lifted when the car was vandalized. Took longer than I expected between cutting it out, priming and a quick brush coat of color and clear, it is only about the size of a silver dollar, took all morning...Tedd

Plug out

Plug in

 

That looks nice! Good work Ted.
Steve

 

There were a Cars and Coffee show today, but it snowed at my place last night, took the fun out of going so I didn't. I bet there are at least 100 cars there anyway, hard core bunch, there won't be snow but enough rain to make it miserable for me, another log on the fire today. I had the top down yesterday morning, top up by three and snow by five, car covered by six, things change in a hurry this time of the year. Oh, and I did manage to shim the gas door, so I can get it open easier.... Tedd

 

Tedd, that's a good call. Optional fun is always optional, and there is peace by the fireside. If we have another cold weekend, I'll have at least one more here.

 

Washed and wiped down the Money Pit today, she needs to look good when she goes to the high dollar repair shop tomorrow. I'll see if she does all that her name implies....Tedd

 

I like this shop(except for the cost of anything), they jumped on the MP as soon as I got there. Went over my laundry list, made a few suggestions and got right on it. Should be done in a day or two, depending on parts viability. Most of the issues are problems I didn't want to address or didn't have the equipment to do the job.

I'm thinking paint is next(I know I just finished the paint) but I saw this Z3 painted in Midnight Blue metallic that sot of turned me on, I think, hard to tell at my age, but the car will be blue anyway. Thanks for coming along with me for this ride, more to come. Road trip is heavy on my mind....Tedd

 

I hate when I see a color that I like better than the one I just had done!
Steve

 

I just have too many Red Cars. I found myself getting ready for a repair for a car that didn't need it, brain fog, I'll blame it on the Covid. Many people who don't know sports cars can't tell them apart, sometimes it is me. I get compliments on the Miata when I'm driving the MP and vice a versa.

I received a call from European Motor works on the laundry list and other things they found, I'll let you what all it is when I have a paper list(receipt) of the damage. It may take a couple of days for them to get the parts...Tedd

 

Way to be, Tedd. Let us know.

 

There has been a ton of stuff going on, not much of it good enough or progress enough to write about. The MP is torn down enough at European Motor Sports that I can't move it to the paint shop, so it could be prepped and prepared for its new paint job while I suck my thumb. Seems the whole crew will be gone for BMW training somewhere out of town, and it will be a week before they get back, plus the slow boat from China has hit the Bavarian part of the world and my parts are somewhere else but no one knows where. It's a good thing I have other means of transportation.

I have enjoyed the Miata for a week now, you do know reliability is something special that will grow on you. I keep thinking I should do something special to it, but why screw up a good thing.
I put $35.00 bucks worth of gas in it today, that was a shock, new first for this car, and it gets 29-30 miles to the gallon, and It wasn't empty to begin with! More to come if you can stand it, sorry for the run on about not much...Tedd

 

I dropped off some car parts at European Motor Sports yesterday, they were finishing up a few cars before they left for BMW school and were trying to close the shop and get out of there. Found out my instrument cluster was on back order and would take four weeks to get here from Never Never Bavarian land. I need this car done by the end of April because I'm getting a shoulder replacement and won't be able to shift a stick for a few weeks, or so they say anyway. I showed Kenny some parts in the trunk that they didn't know about and got out of there so they could shut down and leave. Now I gotta figure out how I can get the MP to the paint shop between them doing what they can with what they have, doubtful the car will run without the cluster being in the car, No seats in it either, may have to be towed the three blocks to the paint shop or something. I'll figure out something.... Tedd

 

Well, I stopped by the paint shop to see when I could get it in for paint, and it seems they want it for a week the last of April. I then made a trip to AAA and checked out how many tows I have left on my policy, so I can have it towed back and forth from the mechanic shop to the paint shop a couple of times while I'm in recovery for my shoulder. Somehow the cabin at Eagle Lake needs to be opened up for the fishing season for my kids by the first of May, I don't remember life being so difficult and hectic when I was young. It will all happen .. OR NOT!.... Tedd

 

While I'm on hold from everybody and unable to do much till parts come in, I started experimenting with different polishes, compounds/ waxes and pads on the Miata. It's a good test bed as it has both clear coat and single stage paint on it and most of it is 20+ years old and has the normal war wounds of a used sports car.

If you show cars for a length of time, you know you seem to acquire bunches of waxes and car care stuff from the giveaway drawing that they all have. Well, I have my favorites that I use all the time, but I thought I would try some of the products I haven't ever tried or used. Here are a couple of products that I started out with about 1/2 done, and so far so good. First buff was with a long nap synthetic buffer pad with Meguiar's mirror glaze #7 followed up with Turtle Wax speed compound Ice. I'll give a comparison after I do a couple different combinations of different materials

Picked up some shine

 

Finished up with a couple of Turtle wax products and worked my *** off trying to get the stuff buffed out. No recommendations from me on that brand and type of wax/ cleaner. They read different on the label, but worked the same on the car, Good sheen, but hard work get to get the dullness removed to get to the shine. I had shade and about 70+ degrees weather to work with also.

I could hear my new neighbor pounding on sheet metal and knew he scored a couple of Model A's bodies last week, so I dropped to see what project that he was working on. It was then that I got to see his 33 Studebaker sedan. I fell in love all over again... Pictures to follow wax and cars...Tedd

This wax didn't work out well for me


33 Studebaker


33 Stud 4 door

 

Well, things they are changing, most of the parts came in to European Motor Works while they were shut down including the instrument cluster, Humpty Dumpty MP may be back together by week's end and I have an appointment set up for the 19th for paint, change of color again, I'll show you when the car is finished with a before and after shot. I would like to drive it a little before my shoulder gets rebuilt, and I become just a passenger. My timing sucks as usual....Tedd

 

I got the word from European Motor works that the Money Pit was about 95% done and if I wanted to dive it around for a few days and work out any bugs that may pop up, I could get it today. After jumping through a few hoops, I hitched a ride there and took it for a little close safe run. Heated up in seven miles! Very disappointed, back to Motor Sports after it cooled down, and a water top off only took about a quart To me, it acts like a stuck thermostat, or it needs to be burped. Temp gauge would go from normal to hot, then back to normal in the matter of a couple of hundred yards, it went the last three miles without issue. I'll let them figure it out, all those parts should be new out of the box. Maybe tomorrow I can play...Tedd

 

Hang in there Tedd, it will be done soon.

 

AHH, the trials and tribulations of the Money Pit continue, but in the end you will prevail!! Can't wait to see the new paint.

Steve

 

You will be surprised on the color. Or maybe not. Ordered new chrome kidney grills last night, probably won't come in till after it's painted..Tedd

 

Mary Kay pink?

 

It's been a while since I saw one of those. We used to call them Barbie Cars.

 

Close, but no cigar. There is a fine line between class and out of place, I already drive a hairdresser's car, no use adding to the rummer, Koda...Tedd

 

Stopped by Frank's place to see what he had done on the Model A stuff since I was last there. If up to me, I would sell the A stuff to a Rat Rodder and turn the money into something for that Studebaker. That thing reeks of Bonnie and Clyde, Model A's are everywhere, and when is the last time you ran into a 33 Studebaker more door?

I'm giving Frank a SBC that needs a rebuild (I'll never build it) and a few extra tools I have lying around, he lost every thing but a jack knife in the Dixie fire and it hurts my eyes to watch him work on his stuff with what tools he has. Pictures of his Model A stuff and the Studebaker moer door...Tedd

Studebaker #1

Studebaker #2

Rolling chassé Model A #1

Front of Model A chassé

Side view model A

Narrowed A parts, someone's dream

 

I didn't even realize Studebaker was around back then, you sure don't see many of them.
Steve