Why do I find myself attracted to these little Lincoln SUVs?

Asking price is 10,999.00
Model year 2015.

Maybe because they're so darn pretty. This is a color combination that I find really appealing.

And there is something, to owning a Lincoln. These are neat little "jewel box" type cars. Plush and luxurious but they are much more compact and easy to drive and park. They also get pretty good fuel mileage, making them great for around town use.

 Getting started on my "new" Sportster.

First off, I wanted to change the high bars. I was very careful beforehand, by covering the tank with a blanket, I didn't want anything dropping on the tank that might damage it. I was careful to keep the bars from rotating backwards and hitting the tank when I loosened the handlebar clamps.

 Thinking about "Occhio Lungo" 

The image of this Excelsior greets you on the homepage.

Fun stuff from 100 years ago.

Occhio Lungo is an old Italian saying that means "long eye."

The site was started and produced by Pete Long.

 The wheels on the cars go round and round. 

Lots of tread, ready to deal with the rainy season.

All that spinning wears them out... eventually.

Well, eventually has finally arrived.

 I finally cleaned out the area behind the fenders on my truck.

This tree has those clumps of seed pods all year round.
Millions of those darn things fall through the year!

I'd been thinking about doing this for years. I've been needing to do this for years! 

I have these horrible trees that drop tiny little seed pods year round. They get into everything. 

 This is the One!

Currently, it's got a cop bike or funeral escort vibe.

Overall I was very satisfied with my new bike. However there were several accessories on it that I could do without. I will start removing things and making changes to remake the bike into what I want it to be. Of course, everyone should configure their machine to provide them with the service and the appearance that they desire. 

Driving, driving, and even more driving! 

The Summer has come to an end as I finish writing up this post. 

I started writing this post back in June, I've racked up a lot of miles since then.

Jordan understood the attraction of driving.

The City is surprisingly empty during the week.

My plan is to make the most of this decade of my life.

My last "fun" decade.  "Fun?" In my Seventies? It's all relative. They're all that I've got left!

Laugh if you will, but at my age you've got to get the most out of the years that you've got left.

 Still working on the Plymouth. Part Three

This photo lays out the position of the spring and pawl assembly.
photo source: AACA forums.

Fixing the hand brake release spoon. 

The handbrake wasn't working when I test drove the car. The seller told me that it had quit working sometime in the past, and that he just left it in gear when he parked. That works of course, but if you want to leave the car running in neutral for whatever reason, you have to scrounge up a piece of 2x4 to use as a wheel chock. 

 Pennies from Heaven. 

I've been lucky to find these things popping up.

It happens again!

 I attended the Antique Motorcycle Club of America's regional National Show and Swap meet.

This is not something that  you'd usually see offered for sale on CraigsList.

It was held at the Dixon California county fairgrounds. I could claim that attending this event changed my life!

Maybe it wasn't really life changing, but it was reaffirming to one of my life long loves.

Motorcycles.

 Doing a little more work on the Plymouth. Part Two

My hand drawn wiring diagram.

As I mentioned in my last post, I had experienced a brake problem and was expecting to find a noticeable leak in the system. I did not find any leaking, however the problem could have been caused by an internal leak in the master cylinder.

 This Summer, during a trip to Reno I visited the National Auto Museum.

A Post War version of the Lincoln Continental.

This is part of what was once known as the Harrah's Collection. This collection was formerly housed in a couple of large warehouses located on the outskirts of the city. Many years ago, almost fifty to be exact, I visited the old display site, which was somewhat cluttered and not viewer friendly. I have an album of grainy old Instamatic prints of that visit. This time I brought my digital camera along with me. The images are much sharper.

 Doing a little work on the '46 Plymouth. Part One.

Adding an extra electric circuit.

Finally! It's about time.

Hey, I've been quite busy lately.

 I found a bike on CraigsList that seemed to check off most of my boxes. A 1997 HD 883.

Asking price was 2,200.00.
It looks pretty good in the pictures.

It was located in Salinas, about an hour away.

 Early, versus Later Sportster designs: Part Two.

Brutal Elegance.

So what result exactly, would I be trying to achieve? The brutal simplicity of a vintage board track racer is the image that I dream of. Of course I can't build an exact replica, it could not be driven on the street. However, it is the essence, or spirit of the bike that I would like to channel. 

 Saying goodbye, again. 

I have now seen the appeal of this type of vehicle.

To  a vehicle that I really liked a lot.

I'm somewhat sad to see the Navigator go, but it's a step forward in streamlining my hobby vehicle activities.

 Visiting a Harley Davidson dealership.

2025 Sportster S. 122 horses!
Are we still in Milwaukee? 

It has been a long time.

 100,000 total page views.

If page views were money I'd still be poor.
photo source: pintrest.

Just a quick note.

I guess that is an accomplishment of some kind.

Early versus late Sportster designs. Part One.

Why do I find the design of the '78 and earlier Sportsters to be so desirable?   

This is a '75 XLH electric start model. Note that the line of the shock absorber,
mirrors the front downtube of the frame. The mass of the vehicle is centered between the wheels.

The basic frame of the Sportster was used from 1957 all the way to 1978. The frame had forged cast connectors for the steering head, motor mounts, and the rear shock absorber mounts. The swing arm had forged ends to hold the axle and the pivot. The big shock absorbers were located forward on the swing arm and attached to the forging that also held the fender struts. This was done to provide a secure mounting position for the available HD saddle bags. Sportsters were not known to be good curvy road handlers, but for years they held the advantage in acceleration and top speed. 

 Sometimes, you just have to do the work. Where have I heard that before?

The rear air springs, after a bag-ectomy.
 Old, but they were still functional.

Sometimes, need  results in taking immediate action.  All it takes is a shot of gumption!

Because that thing ain't gonna fix itself!

An almost real time adventure in car repair.

 Adding a CHMSL ; a Center High mounted Stop Lamp to my Plymouth.  

The lamps have the proper vintage look, they're probably older than the car.

As I have previously written, I am not too enthused by the single brake lamp mounted on the trunk lid of my Plymouth.

 I knew that I had these pictures somewhere!

This is the photo that was in the CrailsList ad.

They were hidden away in a dusty digital shoebox for far too long. It seems that I put them somewhere for safe keeping then I forgot where I put them!

 I know that I am not a "regular" person.

No, I'm not talking about this!

At least when it comes to cars.

This also impacts my thinking on the kind of older cars that I buy.

 Boy, did cars have dim lights back in the Forties!

There are three red lamps on the rear end of my Plymouth.

I don't know if it's because the six volt systems couldn't power brighter lights. I remember seeing old VWs with very dim headlamps and tail lamps back in the Day. It wasn't like '50's and '60's American cars were especially bright, but they were adequate for the time.

Chasing Shadows and such.

This was Honda's copy of the Harley Wide Glide.
My bike looked like this, at first.

Back several years ago, I modified my Honda 1100 Shadow to resemble  a Harley Wide Glide. I wish that I could find some pictures. I removed the passenger seat and sissy bar, attached a pair of leather bags, and bolted on a set of high bars. To top it off I added a flame graphic to the tank sides, I've always wanted a vehicle with flames. It did look pretty good.

 Surprising to me, my old Plymouth had never had seat belts added to it by the previous long term owner.

I found this very nice set of burgundy colored belts at RetroBelt. The color really harmonizes with the exterior maroon. 

 I noticed that the Mayflower was showing signs of a rough life lived on the seas.

I don't know how long this hood ornament had been in place, but I would bet that it was there from the time of the car's restoration. It has held up pretty well, though the plastic had crystallized, crazed. and finally crumbled at the front end.

 The ugly truth about messing around with old cars.

It's always a roll of the dice!
photo source unsplash.com

Maybe not ugly, but unfortunate.

But that doesn't make it any less true.

 What to do about my car's sunburned areas?

Too late for Coppertone!

I need an effective, easy, and cheap, DIY solution. So...

I looked for ideas online.

 Locating a spare wheel and tire for my vintage Plymouth.

This was the 30 dollar wheel that would fit a larger Chrysler product.

My Plymouth was missing a spare tire/wheel when I bought it. That wasn't a deal breaker considering the overall condition of the car. I figured that I could source another wheel somewhere. But...

Where was I going to find a 1946 Plymouth wheel? It's not like I could go to the local Pick and Pull yard and find one. 

But I want to find the proper wheel, as I want to keep the original look of my car.

I figured that I' have to hit up some antique car swap meets or search the web.

 Thinking about a higher level of the car hobby, Part Two.

"Somebody Save Me!"

Preservation and not restoration. This relates to the topic of stewardship.

I'm going to reuse images from my previous post, because this discussion concerns cars like that '31 Cadillac discussed in the previous post. An intact, complete, original car, or older restoration that has fallen upon hard times. Due to the lack of proper storage the car has suffered a fair amount of deterioration. It appears that at one time it was a nicely restored vehicle.

 This post marks quite a landmark!

A different kind of 501!
These aren't mine!
photo from the web.

This marks my 501st. post, who would have thought that I'd last this long as a blogger! My first post was on August 15, 2017, almost twelve years ago. In the earliest years my posting was kind of sporadic, but after a time, I fell into my current routine of weekly posts. I found my way in how I was going to present my material, and I have cycled through the ownership of several vehicles within this period, which of course has provided much of my content.

 Thinking about a higher level of the car hobby. Part One.

1931 Cadillac.
This poor car has fallen on hard times.

The concept of stewardship.

"There are several definitions of the word. While none captures it's true essence, my favorite is: The careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care." Stewardship implies a special kind of care, responsibility, and trust. Yet it is more than this. Stewardship means something sacred." ( definition found on the web)

I have always concentrated my interests on low level type cars and their ownership.

Cars that are affordable and accessible. The type that most people have had experience with, and exposure to. 

Sometimes, I'll admit, that I push my bottom feeder narrative to the extremes. 

 Could this bike be the beginning of my Dream Build? 

The Sportster was always a very basic motorcycle.

Maybe. It does get some things right. 

 Thinking about Then Came Bronson. Part Two.

While it looks like a stock XLCH model, it isn't.

The Bike.

The motorcycle was always the focus and star of the show in my eyes. Any TV show that featured motorcycles, even if in just one episode would catch my attention. Maybe some of you out there can remember the episode in the old Dick Van Dyke show where Rob bought a small 50cc tiddler. He is out riding and encounters a group of serious bike riders. Years later I was able to find the episode on YouTube and saw the the other motorcycles were HD Sportsters and a couple of Triumph twins. Looking for motorcycles on TV was like looking for dinosaurs, even if they were just an iguana with a fin glued on it's back, they sure were worth watching!

 Thinking about Then Came Bronson. Part One.

"Gee, I wish that I were you!"
"Just hang in there."

This iconic exchange was part of the opening sequence to every episode of Then Came Bronson. Jim Bronson is headed out of town and stops at a traffic signal next to a harried commuter. The motorist looks over at Jim sitting on his bike and asks if he is going on a trip, Bronson replies that he is. When he is asked where he is headed, Bronson replies, "I don't know, wherever I end up." The motorist then declares that he wishes that he could be in Bronson's situation. Bronson replies, "Just hang in there." then he rides off to chase that long  lonely highway.

 Taking stock of my newest purchase.

The tires look good but are quite old.
The hubcap and trim ring are in fine shape but need cleaning and polishing.

Once I got the Plymouth safely home it was time to take a more detailed look at it. As well to put some miles driving it to get better acquainted. 

 Fetching the '46 Plymouth. Part two.

The car looked even better in person.

After a thorough test drive, inspection, and interview with the seller, I decided that I definitely wanted the car. My Wife had arranged to have a U Haul trailer available at a nearby rental yard. We called to confirm the reservation, then asked the seller if he would drive the Plymouth back to  the Albertson's parking lot for us, which he agreed to do.

 Driving down to So Cal to pick up my "newest" old car. Part One.

I finally made the leap!

Driving down to So Cal to look over my "newest" old car.

I called the seller of the '40 LaSalle that I had seen last Summer, and he advised me that the car had been sold. Drat! It had been a good car and a good deal. I had been hoping that the car was still available, it had been listed twice, and I knew that it sometimes takes a long time to find a buyer. 

Thinking about the LaSalle, I got to thinking that maybe I should look for a car in similar condition; a driveable, usable car that was already in good shape. I would have to expect it to cost me more upfront.

 Is this a car that should be saved?

It looks pretty good in this shot.

This is a '47 Dodge coupe, selling for 1,800 dollars, right here is San Jose. It has a clean title

The first photo in the CL listing displays a pretty good looking '47 Dodge coupe that appears to be very complete and intact. The body looks straight with a shiny finish. There is no collision damage, and only a few minor dents and dings.

 Saying goodbye to another car.

1997 Supercharged Riviera.

My life with the Riviera is coming to an end.

I have decided that I will be putting the Riviera up for sale. It's not that it's a bad car, and it actually has a lot of good things going for it. 

It's got low mileage, and it's in pretty good shape. The interior is in great shape and the original paint is also very shiny.

It all comes down to simplification and space. Two things that I really need.

 Doing something nice for my truck.

The cover fits quite well.

Parking under trees is a double edged sword. On one hand, the trees provide shade, keeping the car cooler as well as protecting it from UV rays which damage the finish and interior. On the other hand, debris like leaves and twigs and more likely, bird droppings are routinely deposited onto your paint.

 Going to see an 80 year old car.

It even looks a bit sad. The yard was asking over 3,000 bucks
for that truck, and it was ROUGH!

In a twenty year old modern Classic. 

Sacramento isn't that close, but I'm glad that I drove up there to check out the car.

Prison break! I freed my two cars from their unfortunate detention.

Eastern State Penitentiary.
photo source: wikiprdia

Today, I shored up, braced, and reinforced the garage door hinge.

 Maybe I'd like something along these lines?

A handsome Post War car, and best of all, it's a coupe.

This is a '48 Plymouth Deluxe coupe.

The seller said that he paid 9,000 dollars for it a year and a half ago. Now he is trying to sell it for 4,500.00

It ran then, now it needs a radiator and a few other parts.

 They were worth the trip!

These are some good looking OEM wheels.

I know, I once said that I wouldn't try to dress up my truck. That it was fine the way that it was. 

 As a "mature" car guy, what should I be driving, and why? 

Am I beating a dead horse with a long stick? 

(Revised 1/30/25. This post was found while I was recently scouring my archives. It was nearly complete, so I dusted it off, smoothed it out, and am presenting it now. I'm still wrestling with these same issues! This is interesting as it was written over five years ago. I did actually take some of those actions I was contemplating.)

I haven't posted in quite a while. 

I have been busy driving my Mustang since before Thanksgiving last year. (this unpublished post was found in the archive while updating the site, it was written over five years ago.)

Since my car was already primed it would seem that it was almost ready for the paint booth.

Not really. I could see that there were some dents and rough patches under the primer layer. (This unpublished post was found in the archives while I was updating the site. It was written over five years ago.)