Better Beaters - Building Cars and Daily Drivers

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.

It arrived on a roll back.
Will it depart in the same manner?

First of all, I directed lots of attention towards my Mark VII, hoping that I could get it moving under it's own power. I finally rebuilt the wheel cylinders and cleaned up the drum backing plates but it's the seized up master cylinders that have got me stumped. I sourced a set of Buick wheels with okay tires to make it mobile. The dead cat was rolled into the side yard in October. My plan is to replace the old masters with a new universal unit. More on that project as it develops. I suppose that I should get around to rebuilding and reinstalling the carbs also.

My "No Drama" Queen

Internal leaks this time.

My '96 Mustang had it's own issues with another leaking plastic intake manifold. I replaced it in April and it's been fine since. I think that I only got five or six years of service out of the replacement. Not the anticipated result. The first manifold I sourced through Late Model Restoration. The second was a cheapie from Rock Auto. Perhaps the unit sold through Ford Performance products would be of better quality.  In the fall it was time for a new battery. Six years is not that bad! It just passed the Star smog test again. But I'm beginning to worry. Mileage is approx. 210,000.

Some of us have to work for a living.

The '07 F150 needed both tires and brakes. The brakes were done by my mechanic, pads and rotors over 500.00. It also got a new set of Hankook Dynapro HT tires. Obviously I must like them, this is the second replacement set. These tires make the truck a smooth riding and good handling machine. Mileage is around mid 130,000.

Maybe there's a problem here.

Plastic just doesn't last as long as cast iron. Drip, drip.

Even the "new" 07 Mustang had it's share of issues. One of tie rods came loose after I had a new set of tires installed and alignment done. It ruined a pair of new front tires. That was fixed. under the alignment warranty. Then there were issues with the thermostat housing, I also replaced the belt and idler wheel. It still needs the steering rack replaced. I had chosen a set of Falken Azenis instead of the pricier Bridgestone Turanzas that I replaced the original Pirrellis with. I've got the same Falkens on my '96 Mustang. There a good performing, economical choice. Mileage is up to approx. 155,000.

Been there , Done that!
Hopefully I won't spend so much time under there this year.

The XJS only saw limited use, although I did drive it to work several times. One of my coworkers decide to sideswipe the rear bumper side trim. Luckily it only left an abrasion on the rubber strip. I've been hesitant to take it back to work. The big issue this Fall was the need to be Star smog tested. Lots of anxiety about that. But not to worry, It passed and it's waiting for the suspension work. Been thinking about appropriate replacement tires. It's hard to find a good performance tire in that 235 60/15 inch size. I think that I've decided to go with the Cooper Radial GT. It's a good looking tire but it only comes in the Touring speed range designation. However, I doubt that I'll be driving the XJS many times over 110 mph. Oh, and I need to replace the top. I've only added a few hundred miles since I bought it at 106,000.

La Casa del Gato Escondido
( The house of the hidden Cat!)

Just a beauty.

The XJ6 has been sitting for almost a year and a half.  Well, until a month or so ago. I've been posting about the issue with the smog test. The suspension rebuild is needed but luckily the car didn't drive as poorly as I remembered. I did start it up and run it through the gears but I didn't maintain the battery properly so, 180.00 bucks for a new battery. I started to drive the car to run it through it's testing cycles and just to get some use out of it. I have managed to put a couple of hundred miles on the car in the last month. Unfortunately the CEL came on again. Need to track down the problems. I Need to replace fuel tank sender and fuel pump, the fuel sender sticks in the empty position and that might be the problem. Mileage is in the mid 150,000's.

A handsome pair. I find that the size and
styling of the Explorer is just perfect.

The Explorer has been doing pretty good for something that is often overlooked. The problem with the door locks seems to have been resolved. I replaced the blower fan for the A/C after that broiling trip to the Gold Country this last Summer. The rain finally started in earnest this November and I decided it would be a good idea to replace the worn rear tires. A couple of cheapie no names set me back 250.00. I've started using the Explorer more than ever. Mileage is creeping very close to 260,000.

I've got a lot of cars, but unfortunately none of them has been problem or need free. What else can you realistically expect from an aging fleet? A couple of them weren't in the peak of health when I bought them. One was clinically dead. It's been a year of hands on intervention.

Oh, the house and yard and the sheds. I still have to seal and paint the second shed. Lots of work to be done on the fence and yard and around the house. Any thoughts of selling and moving out to the country are banished at least for now. I't's a good thing that I'm retired, or it none of it would ever get done. Most of it still hasn't.

So It's clear that I haven't been sitting idly on my rear, all last year.

What do I see on the horizon for next year?

Is this lifestyle even sustainable? ( life style? I'm defining a life style?)  Am I living the dream?

That's a very good and a very tough question.

Am I achieving something of value through all these automotive and other shenanigans?

An even better question.

It would be easy to see me as a somewhat delusional retired old man, clearly lacking focus. However things are actually moving forward. In the latter part of this year, cars are being repaired and others are being returned to service. Progress around the garage, house and yard is being made.

I have put myself behind the eight ball and I keep myself there. Like most of us I've got enough to do just dealing with my everyday responsibilities. I don't really need any of this hobby car/ stuff headache. However I chose it. If you're going to choose it, you might as well own it. It is clear, even to me, that I've got too many irons in the fire.

That being said, I admit that I could streamline my operations by reducing the fleet. It might be better to redirect my resources into fewer projects. Yes, that is a valid observation. However you don't want to get too rational in this business or you might rightfully conclude to junk the lot of them! This is an emotion based enterprise, that's where the pay offs lie.

Maintaining and producing this blog site has been both a challenge and a pleasure. I have been steadfast in my commitment to produce a weekly posting. Luckily my menagerie of old cars provides a constant source of content, which I add to with my reminisces and commentary.

Last fall there was a sharp increase in the number of page views on the blogsite. I was quite excited to see the growth in my readership. It led me to believe that what I've been writing about has connected and resonated with a lot of people around the country and even a few around the world. An exciting thought! It has always been my hope that my journal could help inspire, encourage, educate, and even amuse other car enthusiasts out there. It might even encourage one of them to take the plunge.

So to answer the first question, "is this lifestyle sustainable?" The answer is yes, at least for now.

The second question, "am I achieving anything of value from all this?" The cars and the blogsite are interwoven in this pursuit and I am deriving a lot of pleasure and satisfaction from this whole mess. So the answer is yes. Let's see what the future holds.

Happy New Year to All! Good luck in all of your endeavors!