Why I am I still writing about this? An additional (and final) wrap up of my smog test saga.

photo source:ozone park
Behind the eight ball, that's where I've put myself!

I went down to the Smog Hut and asked the technician about my resetting the CEL He told me some bad news, That the computer was now in reset mode and the car would immediately fail the test. He said that I would need to drive at least one hundred miles to reset the computer.

Happy New Year 2019!

photo source: the web

As the last days of the year wind down it's good to review the events of the past year. Not World News, there are plenty of outlets to do that. I'm just going to look back on what's been happening in my garage and driveway.

In praise of Sweeeeet Project cars.

"Secret" tips and shortcuts from the owner of a car detailing shop.

Star Smog, the menace continues.

photo source: green starsmog.com

My '97 XJ6 enters the ring. But wait, there's more! It's always something.

The smog check will have to wait.

My life on the Riviera continues. Things got so bad, that in desperation, I actually took the Riviera to a mechanic.

This is a place that looks like it's dealt with old iron.

The building is at least one hundred years old
 and used to be a blacksmith's shop.

There are usually several vintage machines waiting to be worked on.

All photos from their website.
The shop is well respected in the community.

I was at such a loss that I decided that I had to spend some money and get a professional's opinion.

The terror and apprehension of the dreaded "Star" smog check.

photo source: smoghut.com
The Smog Hut, San Jose Ca. The friendly Star Smog station.

As my cars age they are still required to pass the bi annual California smog check. However, they must undergo this test at the "test only" Star smog station. These stations do not perform any repairs, they only do testing. They are a bit pricier than the average test.

Trading places. Part Two.

A story told in pictures.

Take one F150, a tow hitch, a tow strap and a dead Mark VII
what could go wrong?

The truck really is about three feet longer than the Mark.

Who ever said that the Mark VII was too big?

Just picked this up at my local O' Reilly's.

The yellow umbilcal cord.

Take it easy.

I think that Ill listen to my Son this time.

Portrait of a blogger as a not so young man.

Sometimes it does take a village.

Over the hump. I hope those brakes hold.

Oops! I guess it would easier with the brake off.

Almost there. I don't want to hit the gate.

Did I ever have any doubts?

No, but I kept strap connected.

Mission Accomplished!

Quit looking at me that way.
This isn't the end of the story.

Sleep tight, Sweet Prince.

Trading Places. Part One.

Two cars with the same mission. Separated by 45 years.

As I rapidly approach my mid 60's birthday the realization that I only have a limited time left, has made another distinct impression. To quote Peter Egan, "There are only so many Summers left!" It's also provided me with a jump start. Time to move my plans forward, again.

Shame, there's always enough to go around.

Oops!

My Bad?

This is the kind of thing that only a ham handed kid is supposed to do. It all started out so innocently. I thought that I had a really clever idea... 

Another visit to the Petersen Museum. Experience "The Porsche effect."

                                                           Video from museum's website.
                                                            Photos from the museum's website.

What has happened to me? Have I abandoned my blue collar roots to embrace this upper crust icon?

What next? Can you expect a posting about Magnus Walker? Maybe.

It's pronounced "Pour Schaah"

Another chapter in my life on the Riviera.

Sludge. What did I expect?

Not my motor. Mine was worse!

It wasn't just a bad lifter, it was a burnt valve. I decided to tear down the engine and do a valve job. I pulled the rocker arm covers and saw what was going to be a problem. The motor was full of thick, black, gritty, sludge. I filled an entire coffee can with the sludge that I scraped off the inside of that motor!

Grease Monkey. (More on the resurrection of the Mark).

photo source: the manual.com
Honest work can result in dirty hands, no embarrassment here.

If the name fits, own it. I do. This is not about the glory work. It's about the tedious dirty, messy work.

American Pickers? What's my take on the show?

photo source: the show
Mike and Frank are like old friends

This has been a very popular show for quite a long time, and there are a lot of reasons for this. It can connect with lot's of different people's interests on different levels.

First of all, it's all about the stuff.

Is it two weeks yet?

Back up in the air, again. Note the downward slope of the driveway,
it's not an optical illusion.

Sometimes you just have to do the work, at least that what I tell myself. 

My life on the Riviera, Part Two; A change in orientation. A major lapse of judgement.

This placard has hung on my garage wall for years. I was the first entry in that year's  ROA's  National
get together car show.  I got plenty of quizzical looks.

I drove it from the Bay Area to Klamath Falls Oregon for the get together. With my Wife and family. They did suffer a mite from the lack of a/c.

Things to do to get that old thing running. Part One.

Open wide and say... AHHH!

Now that I'm going to have space available in my garage, I need to have all my cars in running condition. The Mark VII is the only one that isn't currently running.

My life on the Riviera. Or in my case, my life as a Contrarian.

Leaning forward like a shark!
Like the Chuck Berry lyric sang, "I'll put you in a car that will eat up the road!"

It wouldn't fool anyone into thinking that it was a hatchback.

con·trar·i·an

kənˈtre(ə)rēən/

noun

1. 1.

   a person who opposes or rejects popular opinion, especially in stock exchange dealing.

adjective

1. 1.

   opposing or rejecting popular opinion; going against current practice.

   
   

   "the comment came more from a contrarian disposition than moral conviction"

If one car in the garage is good, two cars are even better.

These are the two smallest cars in my fleet.

This is the third and final update on my garage situation. At least for now.

Hey! I can actually fit a car in my garage! (Again) A "Real Life" adventure.

The XJS is not as small as a Smart Car
but not as big as the '56 Cadillac that once sat in this spot.

Note the car's position relative to the center floor seam.
That empty space between the locker and the metal shelf has been eliminated.

It has taken two sheds to empty out the garage but it's almost done.

A "She Shed" she said, Part Two.

Here's where w decided the second shed will go.

Right now I'm sitting on the couch writing this post while I'm waiting for the contractor to arrive to construct our second shed. Yes, there is a lot of stuff that still has to be moved out of the garage.

A "She Shed" she said?

There is still work to do, but at least it is fully painted.

If you've seen that insurance commercial that shows a "she shed" on fire after being struck by lightening, then you've got an idea what the ultimate shed would look like. That one has big windows, french doors, a small deck out front, and of course a chandelier.

Why can't I be satisfied by a new car? Or at least a "normal" car?

photo source:www.istockphoto.com
So many choices!

Like almost everybody, our consumer actions face the harsh realities of our financial resources. We can only buy the car that we can afford, or at least get financing for!

We can have champagne tastes with a beer budget.

"Real car guys" versus "Tourists."

image source: learnedalongthewayblog

There really is no division.

I'll admit that I never measured the back spacing of the original Jaguar wheels. Oops My bad!

As you can see the backspacing is pretty deep.

I measured the original wheel's backspacing at approx. 4 inches.

Continuing on my last post. A good buy and a little bit of a challenge.

Measuring backspacing just takes a straight piece of wood and a tape measure.

In reality there are a lot of things that I could be doing to move my car's progress along. All my work around the house does take up a lot of time, but I'm still able to carve out a little time for my own projects. Looking for some replacement wheels for the Mark VII was still an unfinished chore.

I'm looking for some new ( to me) used wheels for my 1951 Jaguar Mark VII.

A set of OEM steel rims from a 1960 Buick.
Even these old things aren't cheap anymore.

The Mark VII came equipped with steel wheels holding 6.70 x16 inch bias ply tube tires. At one time these were very scarce and owners would use whatever comparable truck tire was available and would fit. Now there are some very nice authentic radial tires available that retain the original look. These are pretty pricey and I wonder how performance would compare to a modern low profile radial.

1990 Honda Civic SI. A new beginning. Actually the logical development of an earlier decision.

Oily Rag. What could be easier?

photo source: oilyrag.com
The ultimate find, a weathered but complete and running Aston Martin DB2.

The concept is simple, preserve the vehicle's current condition, maintain it's originality. Maintain and repair it to keep it in running condition, but do not restore the engine in any cosmetic way.

The Last of my Dream Cars. 1994 Cadillac Seville STS

The STS was the first Cadillac since 1977 that car guys could take seriously.

When do dreams die?

It's always something. Isn't it?

photo source: carnivalsatheart.com
Life with old cars keeps you on your toes!

Having a lot of old cars means having the potential for multiple problems to occur with multiple applications of bad timing. Keeping on top of this is a lot like playing "wack a mole."

Happy Father's Day!

That's my Dad on the right. This picture with his '38 Ford was taken sometime in the late 1940's.
My Dad was always good at saving a buck, so he had a car when his buddies didn't.

A lot of car guys were lucky to have a Dad that inspired their love of cars.

A Father / Son bond.