Tedd Thompson

Every fall I make a laundry list of have to do repairs on the 55, should do repairs, want to do repairs and stuff that can wait till next year if I have the money or ambition .

So far I'm ahead of the game time wise but short on the money wise ambition thing, nothing new there .

Laundry list done as of today
The new accelerator pump is replaced and is working fine this week carb adjusted for the umpteenth time, set the dwell, replaced points, had the vacuum advance rebuilt again, added fluid to the power steering, removed intake manifold and replaced leaking gasket at the exhaust/carb cross over, painted the intake while it was out. did a adjustment on some chrome trim (need to do some more of that), put the top up, refinished the steering wheel, did a little bit of rock chip repair (need to do more of that also), spent quite a bit of time on the wide whites(never ending battle there).

Now I can show it and have people ask if the paint is original or did I buy it new or I bet you have more in that car now than what it cost new. Yes I still like this game.... Tedd

oldcutlass

They are never finished, its always something. But what else you gonna do, drink and chase woman?

CRUZN 66

I stopped making to do lists a long time ago... They become very discouraging... Now, with time permitting and/or simple boredom, I go out to the shop and say to myself "What will I do today?" At least I know if I start a project, I WILL complete it ASAP...

ignachuck

Great comment. In my "declining" years, that's exactly my philosophy.

redoldsman

Tedd, I think you and a lot of others are like I am. I refer to it as the perpetual maintenance phase. It is kind of like painting a battleship. When you get done it is time to start over.

OLDSter Ralph

Tedd, a car you can turn and walk away from........... a woman will follow you and keep yapping.<--HUMOR Look on the bright side.
RALPH

WHIPOLDS

Tedd - I worked on my 56 all last week with my list. Pulled the radio for repairs, took out the ash trays - sandblasted and painted the insides - they were gross! Polished the chrome inside area around the headliner. Fixed the under hood light. Waxed car and polished the chrome then put cover on. I still have a list though. Never done!
Rick

droptopron

I make a list every fall but am hamstrung by my garage. Its almost impossible to do any work on the car while inside

Tedd Thompson

You know you are right as I look at this list there isn't a item on there that I haven't already done it least once before at sometime.... Tedd

Koda

I have found priorities help. Get a big list, but do the most important stuff done first. Today I got up on the roofs with a blower and cleaned leaves out of gutters. Then I mowed / minced fallen leaves. Then I weed whacked for the season. Then I fired up my Tahoe and drove it. I was going to go to the hardware store and buy screws, then work on my back fence. RxR crossing out of service, so turned around. Cleaned up the little garage. Now for dinner and some online shopping.

I did not go running nor did I get the screws and fix the fence, but it was a good day regardless. This is likely the last warm-ish weekend until March, so outside work it is.

don71

I like the idea of priorities and a list in general. Just know you can't do all of them. Nothing wrong with writing them down. The human mind seems to work well with that. Meaning, actually writing things down on paper. Helps the memory too!

If you can hack off a couple of them, you've made progress.

Tedd Thompson

I did a cars and coffee show yesterday, what a pleasure it was to drive the Old's with the accelerator pump and the vacuum advance all working all at the same time. I usually take the Miata to these shows because there are more ricers and BMW's than older American cars but I found no prejudices and quite a bit of attention was given to the old gal. As I think about it most of kids there parents weren't even borne when the 55 was new.

Just a side note even the transmission down shifted noticeable smoother with all the carb and electrical parts in sink with each other. Big smile on my face as I got first and second gear scratch( I don't do that often).... Tedd

DFitz

Ted,


I hate to tell you this, It was almost 70 deg here in N CA today. I went in the garage, took the cover off, and drove it. Checked out my son on all the quirks of driving a slant pan Hydromatic. He's 4th generation driving this car. I warned him, brakes, and no power steering. He said, "Oh ****!" on the first turn out of the parking lot. He's 17. He said, "Kind of cool." High praise.


Parked it back in the garage, put the cover on it. Everything behaved perfectly, even the transmission. More amazing, the generator and voltage regulator worked like they are supposed to! No list to do, at least for today. It was fun. Get in and drive it.

TripDeuces

I stopped chasing woman to make lists and now I'm questioning that, sigh.