little boring and dry talking about where I got part x or how I didn't know how to do something and I just had to figure it out, or more often than not, how I
would ruin a part trying repair it and have to buy another one because I had never done that particular thing before. And while I am loving every
confounding, knuckle-bleeding moment of trying the beat the king pins out of the axel and calling any- and everybody I can think of to help me do it, it's
really not what this sojourn is about. This is about some unfinished business and making a dream come true for someone that simply ran out of runway. But,
and as my friend Erica Neligan (or maybe it was Chris) would say, "This is a big butt', it's also a journey of discovery and of new learnings for me. Life is
a journey after all; not necessarily a destination.
One of the pearls I have discovered in this journey is that hot rodding is stitched together by a brotherhood , and I mean a BROTHERHOOD (think Band of
Brothers) of guys that will do anything for you; even though you may be a complete stranger. I have never witnessed the willingness of someone who will drop
everything that they might be doing to help a fellow rodder-in-need. Who does this nowadays? Aren't people (especially Americans)
supposed to be self-absorbed, selfish, only concerned about things that will benefit themselves and just generally Machiavellian? I have found a few who are not. Ron Jones and Ray Greer are of a different ilk.
Both of these guys live in my neighborhood. They stopped what they were doing to come see my project. Between the two of them they have given me drum brakes, catalogs
and plenty of ideas, tips and tricks. Dan Osborne, friend and neightbor, has also given up precious weekend time (lots of it) to help bring the old truck back to
life. Pat Tate (pictured with the 302 he is building for his Falcon Sprint) , another instant friend has been enormously gracious and equally helpful. Pat, who I found out was a Vietnam Vet (helicopter pilot), has
offered to help me rebuild the 2100 carburetor. He has also offered to teach me how to change the valve seals. How often do you find someone who is willing to teach? He also has a 4-speed which would fit perfectly in the
old truck. I continue to work on him to that end :) I will let you know how that works out. I think his wife is 'in my corner'. I haven't met her yet but I can't wait to. Pat has some wonderful rodding stories about his rather feisty wife. I hope to relate one of those in a
future posting. I will post pictures of each of these guys as soon as I get them.
Brothers) of guys that will do anything for you; even though you may be a complete stranger. I have never witnessed the willingness of someone who will drop
everything that they might be doing to help a fellow rodder-in-need. Who does this nowadays? Aren't people (especially Americans)
supposed to be self-absorbed, selfish, only concerned about things that will benefit themselves and just generally Machiavellian? I have found a few who are not. Ron Jones and Ray Greer are of a different ilk.
Both of these guys live in my neighborhood. They stopped what they were doing to come see my project. Between the two of them they have given me drum brakes, catalogs
and plenty of ideas, tips and tricks. Dan Osborne, friend and neightbor, has also given up precious weekend time (lots of it) to help bring the old truck back to
life. Pat Tate (pictured with the 302 he is building for his Falcon Sprint) , another instant friend has been enormously gracious and equally helpful. Pat, who I found out was a Vietnam Vet (helicopter pilot), has
offered to help me rebuild the 2100 carburetor. He has also offered to teach me how to change the valve seals. How often do you find someone who is willing to teach? He also has a 4-speed which would fit perfectly in the
old truck. I continue to work on him to that end :) I will let you know how that works out. I think his wife is 'in my corner'. I haven't met her yet but I can't wait to. Pat has some wonderful rodding stories about his rather feisty wife. I hope to relate one of those in a
future posting. I will post pictures of each of these guys as soon as I get them.
Karla King, a friend from work, read this blog and suggested that I add a picture of my Dad, who has inspired this whole thing. Amazingly, I have not been
able to find a picture of my dad with the truck. We just didn't think about things like that. We so totally took this truck for granted, that having my Dad
pose with the truck would have been like having him pose with the refrigerator. Seriously. Anyway, here are a few pictures of Dad in various phases of his life.
