Christmas Break

Highlights from the last two weeks are:

• I sold Wilma to a guy in Ohio. He’s coming by Saturday to trailer her away. I’m sad to see her go, but the $1500 will be nice to have as well as the open stall in the portable garage. I’m thinking Luna will take up residence there so her spot just outside the garage is available to push TwoTone into when I need to use the garage. Now I need to do some wheel swapping so I don’t give away my good spare tires.
• I’ve got a tentative deal to sell Lucy. The prospective buyer, however, needs to sell his EM before he can buy mine. Right now Lucy’s listed on Craigslist for $2800 as-is (rusted out floors, but all the go-fast goodies I’ve installed over the years). As time goes on I may choose to deal with the floors so she’s a more attractive product.
• 
  I got some awesome Christmas presents. The best of which is a promised new garage floor from the lovely Loriann. She gave me the choice, and after reading the forums and weighing all the factors I’m leaning towards these. I can’t wait to have them laid down since it should help insulate my body from the cold concrete. I also received some additional car-related gifts including a Clark’s gift certificate and a new set of screwdrivers.
• Mikhaila and I moved some parts out of Wilma and into the garage to support the roadification of TwoTone. We filled her old little red wagon with new shock absorbers, spark plugs, fan belts, distributor cap, and some other old stuff that looked like it went with a convertible.
• Last night I got a call from Ariel. “Ringo won’t start.” I pressed her for more details and she related how he barely started that morning and the night before, but she was running late for work, so she took the chance she’d be able to get back home. Thinking it was a dead battery (which in full disclosure Ariel said it wasn’t), I drove Glinda out to her place of employment and attempted to jump-start her car. At first the engine turned, but wouldn’t fire. Then the engine wouldn’t turn at all. I’m now thinking it’s a starter or solenoid issue. Regardless, I loaded the Suburban this morning with all the Corvair rescue accouterments (tow-bar, safety chain, hitch, towlights, wrench, and gloves). My commute home will have a major detour. From now on I won’t be so confident in my over-the-phone diagnoses and will always drive the tow vehicle prepared to haul home the misbehaving fleet member.
• I moved the engines, transmissions, differentials, and larger pieces of sheetmetal out to the portable garage freeing up some valuable floor-space in the garage. One of the engines will go away with Wilma since I won’t have a need for wagon-correct powerplant. I’m also thinking of throwing in the ’64 rear suspension and differential to whomever buys Lucy since I won’t need them and the new owner may want to do the upgrade.
• I prepped and painted a car door for a buddy of mine. It’s always good to get more practice with painting, and doing it on someone else’s part with that someone else buying the primer and paint is even nicer.
• I finished insulating the garage ceiling. It took a package and a half of R13, but the garage already feels warmer and brighter. I’m planning on painting the paper facing white to brighten up the space even more and also provide some protection from sparks touching off a fire. I also used the Home Depot card to get some decent weather-strip for the main door and a plastic temporary storm window kit for the two windows. All this will make the space easier to heat and more hospitable for Mikhaila and I while we’re working on TwoTone.