So this morning we're off to Woodburn to pick up an engine we're having built for a customer. It is finished now and the engine builder will meet us there so we can haul it home, crate it up and send it off to a customer. It is interesting what goes in to having a complete engine rebuilt for someone, the terminology, crankshaft, bearings, oliver rods, diamond pistons, racer brown camshaft and rocker arms, aluminum heads, deck height, bore, stroke, cam duration. All sounds complicated but when put together correctly, makes an old mopar run like new again.
Ebay update: Had a bunch of stuff come from ebay bids I was successful at getting. A 1950's TDC (Bell & Howell), stereo camera in like new condition, in the box it originally was sold in, a Minolta X700 body, ($51), a Sony digital camera battery charger, ($20), charges two batteries at once and a repair kit, ($12), with instructions on replacing the 2 capacitors in an X700 Minolta film camera that up-chucked on me recently, not the one I just bought.
Camera repair update: Talked to my electronic engineer friend from the camera club Tuesday night... showed him my instructions I got for replacing capacitors in my X700 and he's anxious to tear into it. So sometime we'll arrange a time go to his shop where he has all the miniature tools to tear the camera apart. I love doing things like that especially when you know someone that knows what their doing and that they enjoy tearing into it as well. I could see his eyes glow when I showed him the instructions. Will update later.
Book Reading Update: Just picked up "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and started on it and it is really funny. So far I like it. Also reading "Under and Alone", the true story of an undercover agent who infiltrated America's most violent outlaw motorcycle gang.
Ebay update: Had a bunch of stuff come from ebay bids I was successful at getting. A 1950's TDC (Bell & Howell), stereo camera in like new condition, in the box it originally was sold in, a Minolta X700 body, ($51), a Sony digital camera battery charger, ($20), charges two batteries at once and a repair kit, ($12), with instructions on replacing the 2 capacitors in an X700 Minolta film camera that up-chucked on me recently, not the one I just bought.
Camera repair update: Talked to my electronic engineer friend from the camera club Tuesday night... showed him my instructions I got for replacing capacitors in my X700 and he's anxious to tear into it. So sometime we'll arrange a time go to his shop where he has all the miniature tools to tear the camera apart. I love doing things like that especially when you know someone that knows what their doing and that they enjoy tearing into it as well. I could see his eyes glow when I showed him the instructions. Will update later.
Book Reading Update: Just picked up "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and started on it and it is really funny. So far I like it. Also reading "Under and Alone", the true story of an undercover agent who infiltrated America's most violent outlaw motorcycle gang.
Well.... accidents must come in pairs.... a good friend of mine was hit last week but she didn't fair out as well as I did. She had stitches to her upper lip and inside her mouth 
That was really upsetting to me because she's the nicest and greatest person in the world and one you just don't want to see be in a lot of pain or suffer any grief.... a great friend ... so I've been a bit bummed out lately... What's going on in this town lately? Can't people learn to drive? She got hit by someone pulling out of a parking lot and it totaled her car. Don't people look when they pull out into traffic? or are they too busy with their cell phones? 
That was really upsetting to me because she's the nicest and greatest person in the world and one you just don't want to see be in a lot of pain or suffer any grief.... a great friend ... so I've been a bit bummed out lately... What's going on in this town lately? Can't people learn to drive? She got hit by someone pulling out of a parking lot and it totaled her car. Don't people look when they pull out into traffic? or are they too busy with their cell phones? Portlanders should go see how Gene Faulkner's stereographic diptych and triptych anaglyphs provide a unique view into the third dimension of vignetted environments at the pushdot studio, 830 NW 14th Ave, Portland, Oregon. His exhibit is showing tonight, 05/05/05 from 6pm to 9pm and it runs through 05/27/05. Should be great.
Update on my Subaru damage.... So the guy that hit me called me last week and left a message saying he turned it over to his insurance company and they will pay for all the damage plus get me a loaner car. So he said his insurance company will call... and they did... and they left a message for me to call them. So that's what I'm waiting for today... waiting for 10:30 to call them. They were OK with the estimate I presented and will take care of it. The guy that hit me was driving this huge Jeep Grand Cherokee thing and it had twice the damage as mine, (cost wise), although it didn't look like it. Neither of them did. The insurance company also wanted to make sure I wasn't hurt. Isn't that nice? Thanks to head rests and seat belts, I wasn't. Be glad when the car gets fixed.
This Saturday night I happened to watch Sound Stage on PBS and the featured singer was Alanis Morissette. What an artist... love her music... her style... the lyrics... in my opinion a great performer. She really puts herself into her music. So today I'll be off to a record shop looking for more of her on CD.
Other than that I'm waiting anxiously for the sun to come out to dry the soil a bit so I can get my friends garden tilled so she can plant her greens. Had to fix the tiller by replacing a fitting in the carb that connects to the gas line. The old one was cracked and leaking and fouling the motor, so I forced the old cracked one out using a knucklebuster and a hammer and pressed the new one in.... connected the gas line... filled it with gas... gave it a shot of ether... gave the starting chord a couple of yanks and... now she runs like a top. I love it when do it yourself repairs work right... at least occassionally.
Update Friday 4/22/05
So today I'm off to get some estimates on the rear bumper of my Outback... Got rear-ended yesterday and it sort of did a number to my rear bumper. Sooo glad the dogs were not in the back at the time. So he admitted being at fault since I was waiting in a line of cars at a stop light. My car even hit the car in front of me but no damage there... Poor Sooby has gone through a lot lately. First someone smashed a window on a breakin... now this. It's been a great little car and has gone through a lot and never once has it been a problem or left us stranded.
Other than that I'm waiting anxiously for the sun to come out to dry the soil a bit so I can get my friends garden tilled so she can plant her greens. Had to fix the tiller by replacing a fitting in the carb that connects to the gas line. The old one was cracked and leaking and fouling the motor, so I forced the old cracked one out using a knucklebuster and a hammer and pressed the new one in.... connected the gas line... filled it with gas... gave it a shot of ether... gave the starting chord a couple of yanks and... now she runs like a top. I love it when do it yourself repairs work right... at least occassionally.
Update Friday 4/22/05
So today I'm off to get some estimates on the rear bumper of my Outback... Got rear-ended yesterday and it sort of did a number to my rear bumper. Sooo glad the dogs were not in the back at the time. So he admitted being at fault since I was waiting in a line of cars at a stop light. My car even hit the car in front of me but no damage there... Poor Sooby has gone through a lot lately. First someone smashed a window on a breakin... now this. It's been a great little car and has gone through a lot and never once has it been a problem or left us stranded.
Sometimes you feel like beating your head against a wall...
OK I can stop worrying... Got my final confirmation that my efiling for the effing State Taxes got accepted... The Fed tax got accepted a couple of days ago. I was beginning to wonder if it would be necessary to send it through the mail as well. And what's this acceptance message bull shit? Why don't they just take the forms I sent them and let it go at that? Why can't we just send the god damn taxes in and not make us go through this panic of hoping against hope that our TAX FILING WILL BE ACCEPTED!!!! ... JEEES... Course I could do all this way ahead of time and save alll this grief.... but then I couldn't rag about it, could I. I feel like a big load has been removed from my shoulder right now... A good feeling.
OK I can stop worrying... Got my final confirmation that my efiling for the effing State Taxes got accepted... The Fed tax got accepted a couple of days ago. I was beginning to wonder if it would be necessary to send it through the mail as well. And what's this acceptance message bull shit? Why don't they just take the forms I sent them and let it go at that? Why can't we just send the god damn taxes in and not make us go through this panic of hoping against hope that our TAX FILING WILL BE ACCEPTED!!!! ... JEEES... Course I could do all this way ahead of time and save alll this grief.... but then I couldn't rag about it, could I.
I feel like a big load has been removed from my shoulder right now... A good feeling.Saw the movie "Forgotten", (Jullienne Moore), last night. Wasn't expecting too much going in to the movie for some reason but was very much surprised. It kept me in suspense and on the edge to the end. In my opinion, it was a very good movie.
Lots of yard work this weekend, if the weather holds. Still waiting for a gas line fitting at the local small engine shop for my garden tiller so I can go till for a friend.
Was at the First Thursday even at our 3D Center of Art and Photography, NW 19th and Lovejoy in Portland last night where there's a new exhibit and slide show. My photos have been taken down, sadly but new stuff is up on display... Big crowd... lots of cool people there... lots of wine... great time.
Finally got my taxes efiled today
.... that's worth a beer... So plus = 
right?
Lots of yard work this weekend, if the weather holds. Still waiting for a gas line fitting at the local small engine shop for my garden tiller so I can go till for a friend.
Was at the First Thursday even at our 3D Center of Art and Photography, NW 19th and Lovejoy in Portland last night where there's a new exhibit and slide show. My photos have been taken down, sadly but new stuff is up on display... Big crowd... lots of cool people there... lots of wine... great time.
Finally got my taxes efiled today
.... that's worth a beer... So plus = right?Car swap meet was a success.... despite periodic rains. Walked a ton of miles Friday but didn't buy anything... stayed home Saturday and did taxes... hurray for Turbo Tax... also got my little garden tiller running Sat. but it needs a fuel line part so have it on order to pick up tomorrow... back at swap meet on Sunday... stood under canopy out of the rain all morning holding it down so it wouldn't blow away... it finally stopped raining so we could load up all the stuff and head home... and now its over.
Tomorrow going to Eugene with the boss... what for I don't know... probably to drop something off at his engine builder... or pick something up... big catchup on shipping and receiving today... tomorrow... and probably the rest of the week... pretty boring stuff... Not to exciting from here?
Tomorrow going to Eugene with the boss... what for I don't know... probably to drop something off at his engine builder... or pick something up... big catchup on shipping and receiving today... tomorrow... and probably the rest of the week... pretty boring stuff... Not to exciting from here?
OK, I finally got my old heap running right. Put a Barry Grant Road Demon carburetor on it and a bit more timing into it and it runs like a champ. Put a new throttle plate on it for the new carburetor and adjusted it so it's right there when you hit the gas.... The down side of it is even with just a 305, it's a bit of a gas guzzler so will have to be careful about that. Think I could lean it out a little and hopefully that will help. I'd like to take it to the strip again to see what it will do now...
So today we're heading to the Portland Expo, or rather the Portland International Raceway where we will be setting up for the big car swap meet, biggest one of the year. It's so big it covers both the expo and the PIR. Weather is nice today so it should go OK... i hope. Thats all for today...
So today we're heading to the Portland Expo, or rather the Portland International Raceway where we will be setting up for the big car swap meet, biggest one of the year. It's so big it covers both the expo and the PIR. Weather is nice today so it should go OK... i hope. Thats all for today...
Looks like another rainy week. Oh well... need the water... On my list is Taxes. Haven't started them yet, except yesterday I did install turbo tax and downloaded the Oregon Tax program... Oh what fun...
Wednesday is setup day for the big car swap meet at the expo center starting Thursday and lasting through the weekend... That will be busy but fun...
Checked out the neighbor's almost new 37' motorhome yesterday and it is outstanding... but also glad it's theirs and not mine... way too big for my liking...
Wednesday is setup day for the big car swap meet at the expo center starting Thursday and lasting through the weekend... That will be busy but fun...
Checked out the neighbor's almost new 37' motorhome yesterday and it is outstanding... but also glad it's theirs and not mine... way too big for my liking...
